An NCSL news roundup of resources, tailored for state legislatures.

April 18, 2025

It's National Exercise Day and National Animal Crackers Day. So sweat first, then scoop up a handful of lions, tigers and bears. Today, we dive deeply into AI, though NCSL Today is proudly human-generated. And how much do legislators work? A lot, according to a recent survey—but you already knew that.

AI can help us work more efficiently, but lawmakers face challenges in mitigating its advantages and drawbacks. Examine the legislative trends for AI. And the smart ways states are using it for budgeting. Watch an episode of State of Play on how states are navigating the complexities of AI regulation. And then there's "predictive pricing."

► Stateline: Lawmakers fear AI data centers will drive up residents’ power bills

► Virginia Public Radio: Virginia legislators wrestled with AI this session, and likely for years to come

► NCSL: Artificial Intelligence and Law Enforcement: The Federal and State Landscape

► NCSL: AI in Elections and Campaigns

► NCSL: AI Policy Toolkit

► NCSL: AI for Legislative Work Has Arrived. Now Comes the Hard Part.

A recent NCSL survey suggests that legislators are spending more time on legislative work than they were 20 years ago.

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This database covers enacted legislation related to capital punishment. It includes all enacted legislation from 2015 to present and is updated annually by NCSL staff.

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The $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) was enacted in 2021 to help mitigate challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. The ARPA Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund program provided $199.8 billion for states, territories, and the District of Columbia to respond to the public health emergency and its economic impacts, and for the provision of government services and infrastructure.  

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► Food stamps | Red states seek to ban buying candy, soda with food stamps (Pluribus News)

► Deepfakes | Oregon House passes bill to criminalize sharing AI-generated fake nude photos (Oregon Capital Chronicle)

► Collective bargaining | Unions challenge Utah collective bargaining ban (Pluribus News)

► Transportation | States turn to tech in push for safer roads (Route Fifty)

► Vouchers | In historic first, Texas House approves private school voucher program (The Texas Tribune)

► Taxes | Indiana Senate sends finalized local property, income tax plan to governor (Indiana Capital Chronicle)

► Bears | Environmental group asks Alaska court to halt this year’s bear-killing program (Alaska Beacon)

NCSL does not necessarily endorse the content or views expressed in these news reports.

Wednesday, April 23 at 1 p.m. ET
State budgets signal the priorities of state governments—as well as the legislatures that control the purse strings. As we move into the second quarter of 2025, several key fiscal trends are emerging: revenue growth is slowing and states are budgeting cautiously. And with the uncertainty coming out of the nation’s capital, it’s clear that states are navigating a new fiscal environment.

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April 18 | Federal Education Update

April 24 | The Intersection of Foreign Ownership of Land and Energy Infrastructure

May 5 | The Power of ‘No’ in a World that Demands ‘Yes’

May 9 | Insurers of Last Resort: When You Can't Get Homeowners Insurance

May 9 | Writing for a Legislative Audience

May 9 | EMS and Overdose Prevention: Innovative Strategies to Save Lives

Articles from news sources curated in NCSL Today are provided for information purposes only and do not reflect the views or policies of NCSL.

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