| |
| |
Legislative developments and policy trends from across the states to keep you ahead of the curve. | | | |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
Current Legislative Landscape | |
31 states, DC and PR are currently in regular session.
Mississippi legislators passed a concurrent resolution on April 1 that would extend the legislative session to April 15. House Speaker Jason White, R-West, filed a resolution that would extend the legislative session “on paper” to mid-April to work out spending differences. [Mississippi Today]
| |
Minnesota lawmakers have adjourned for the legislature’s annual Easter and Passover recess. Legislators are expected to return on April 7. The 2026 session must adjourn by May 18. [MinneapoliMedia] North Carolina passed an  adjournment resolution that called for the regular session to recess and then reconvene monthly until April 2026. The legislature is next scheduled to convene on April 9.
U.S. Congress began a two-week spring break recess on March 28. Lawmakers left for recess after passing a proposal to fund the Transportation Security Administration without money for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol. The legislation passed by unanimous consent. [The Hill]
| | | |
| |
We are closely monitoring all legislative session activity to provide you with the most up-to-date information. (Got an on-the-ground tip on sessions? Email us!) | |
| |
| |
2026 Session Convening Dates | | |
- Arkansas (April 8)
- North Carolina (April 21)
| | |
| |
Arkansas is currently posting prefiles for the upcoming 2026 legislative session. | | |
| |
Upcoming Governor Signing Deadlines - Virginia (Spanberger) - April 13
- Oregon (Kotek) - April 17
- Georgia (Kemp) - May 12
- Idaho (Little) - 10 days, Sundays excepted
- Florida (DeSantis) - 15 days from presentment
- Wisconsin (Evers) - 6 days, Sundays excepted
Past Governor Signing Deadlines - West Virginia (Morrisey) – April 1
- Washington (Ferguson) – April 4
| | |
| |
The following states adjourned their 2025 legislative sessions on the dates provided: - Idaho (April 2)
- Georgia (April 3)
The following states are expected to adjourn their 2026 legislative session on the dates below: - Kansas (April 12)
- Maryland (April 13)
- Kentucky and Maine (April 15)
- Nebraska (April 17)
- Alabama (April 20)
- Iowa (April 21)
- Tennessee (April 24)
- Arizona (April 25)
| | |
Special Sessions
Wisconsin Democratic Gov. Tony Evers signed an executive order calling a special session to convene on April 14. The session will be focused on a constitutional amendment that would end partisan gerrymandering in legislative districts. [Wisconsin Public Radio]
Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a proclamation to hold a special session focused on redistricting the state’s congressional maps. The special session is scheduled to convene between April 20-24. [WESH2]
Virginia General Assembly passed a joint resolution asking Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger to call for a special session to begin on April 23. The legislature adjourned the 2026 legislative session on March 14 without passing a biennial budget as the two chambers work to resolve disagreements about data center tax exemptions.[Cardinal News] | | |
Interim Activity
Interim committees and study postings are underway in: Arkansas, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, North Dakota, South Dakota and Texas.
*Added since the last newsletter. | | |
| |
| |
Massachusetts held a special election for House District 5 Essex on March 31. Democrat Andrew “Dru” Tarr won with nearly 64 percent of the vote. Tarr defeated Republican Christina Delisio and Independent Gilbert Frieden; Delisio received the second most votes with 29 percent. [Gloucester Daily Times] The following seats are scheduled to be filled by special election on the dates provided: Georgia House districts 94 and 130 and Senate District 53 (April 7), Louisiana House District 69 (April 18), Texas Senate District 4 (May 2) and Michigan Senate District 35 (May 5). | | |
| |
| |
| |
| |
Georgia Georgia legislature approves state income tax cut, raising deductions while dropping some credits. [CBS] | |
Mississippi The Mississippi legislature giveth, and then taketh away, a bigger pay raise for teachers. [Mississippi Today] | | |
Maine Plug-in solar bill gets greenlight from Maine legislature. [MaineBiz]
| | | | |
| |
| |
FOCUS on Emerging Issues: | | | |
| |
| |
| |
Foreign influence in American politics remains an ongoing threat and states are taking action to protect their elections from foreign agents. The U.S. government enforces a federal foreign registration law, the Foreign Agent Registration Act (FARA), which requires those who engage in certain political activities to register with the Department of Justice. However, since 2025, several states have enacted their own “Baby FARA” laws to restrict the actions of foreign agents, with some state laws containing fewer exceptions than the federal regulations. | |
| |
| |
| |
| |
FOCUS on Health & Pharmaceuticals: | | | |
| |
| |
This session, lawmakers have considered over 45 bills focused on funding and implementing 988 across states.
Launched in 2022, 988 provides a national mental health crisis line designed as an alternative to police response. While federally mandated, ongoing funding was left to states, driving legislation to fund services, meet rising demand, expand non-law-enforcement crisis response and strengthen overall crisis system capacity. | |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
FOCUS: Trusted Experts in State Government Affairs | |
| |
Since 2003, FOCUS has provided tailored, results-driven government affairs solutions for our clients. We offer best-in-class legislative and regulatory tracking to keep you informed and ahead of the curve. Our full-service platform delivers real-time, comprehensive coverage across all 50 states, D.C., Congress, local jurisdictions, and key state and federal agencies. With filtered databases, customized alerts, expert analysis, an intuitive dashboard, and outstanding support, our team equips you with the tools and intelligence needed to navigate policy developments with confidence and clarity. | | |
| |
| |
Customized, Comprehensive Tracking Platform | Track legislation and regulations across all 50 states, Congress, Puerto Rico, thousands of municipalities, and select international regions in an expert-filtered, tailored-to-you database. No keyword dumps, no junk—just what’s relevant. | | | |
Intel-rich Bill Analysis & Weekly Reporting | Customized, analyst-written reports on priority legislation and regulations—delivered weekly to inform strategy and identify risks & opportunities early. | | | |
Unparalleled Customer Service | Direct, ongoing access to your lead analyst, unlimited training and support, and concierge-level client care. We pride ourselves on serving as an extension of your staff. | | | |
Access The Advocacy Group (TAG) — the premier 50-state and global lobbying network — at no cost. No middlemen. No referral fees. Just direct access to the best of the best. The TAG network includes 60+ top-tier, independent firms — one in every state, country, and specialty. | | | |
| |
| |
| |
| |
