Mike Cox sued Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson after a FOIA request for SPLC-linked records was assessed a $10,309.94 fee and remained unfulfilled. The suit asks the Court of Claims to force release before ballots are cast.

Howard County plans to equip deputies’ body cameras with AI translation that can detect and translate 50+ languages in real time, officials say. Advocates warn oversight will be key.

Chief Gene Paul Smith set Jan. 29, 2027 as his retirement date, giving city leaders more than a year to plan a successor and an orderly transition.

The Justice Department has sued Maryland, asking a federal court to block state rules that grant in‑state tuition and some aid to undocumented residents. DOJ says federal law forbids residency‑based college benefits for people not lawfully present and cites about $9M in recent tuition savings.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced Thursday he will skip New York City's public matching funds for his 2029 bid after a filing showed roughly $304K in early donations.

Deltona is preparing a parcel‑based fire assessment to shore up its fire and EMS budget if a statewide property‑tax amendment passes in November. The city hired a consultant last year and will follow public‑notice rules before charging property owners.

Danielle Carter‑Walters, co‑founder of Chicago Flips Red, has launched a mayoral bid centered on public safety, sanctuary‑policy rollbacks and forensic audits. Her insurgent run pits a conservative grassroots group against unions and county officials in a crowded field.

The Cook County inspector general says a report found Commissioner Samantha Steele offered a job to her primary opponent and recommends ethics retraining. Steele denies the claim.

Bank of America withdrew from Chicago’s plan to sell roughly $1 billion in vehicle fines, stalling a controversial budget move and leaving questions for people who owe tickets.

The House passed the Common Cents Act, advancing Long Beach Rep. Robert Garcia’s plan to end penny production. The bill would stop minting pennies and allow cash rounding to the nearest nickel.

AB 1201, the ReUNITY Act, would narrow automatic bans on reunification services for some parents with violent felonies and requires individualized court review. The bill advanced out of Senate Judiciary and moves to Appropriations.

State regulators approved an average 22% cut to New York workers’ comp rates, a change officials say will save employers more than $1 billion and return funds to policyholders.

DETR’s June snapshot shows Nevada added 2.3% more jobs than a year ago while the unemployment rate held at 5.1%. Reno posted modest annual gains even as month‑to‑month shifts appeared.