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Via Stateline: A bipartisan group of state lawmakers is calling for an overhaul of the nation’s childcare system, which they say is failing children, parents and providers. https://ow.ly/MZ9O50Zv4LZ

Via Ashley Murray: President Donald Trump defended his highly criticized, nearly $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” settlement fund Friday, as two key Republican senators withheld support for the president’s nominee for attorney general over Trump’s refusal to formally end the pot of money.

Trump defends massive settlement for ‘great American Patriots’ of Jan. 6, attacks GOP senators | Alabama ReflectorTrump’s settlement with the IRS faced opposition on multiple fronts, including from a federal judge who said Trump was trying to "manipulate" the courts.alabamareflector.com

A bipartisan effort to rein in President Donald Trump’s efforts to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education has cleared its first major legislative hurdle in a bipartisan U.S. Senate committee vote.

US Senate panel advances bill to reject Education Department transfers | Alabama ReflectorThe measure represents the most sweeping attempt from Congress so far in rejecting some of the interagency agreements, or IAAs, Education has signed with other departments as part of the administration’s push to eliminate the 46-year-old agency.alabamareflector.com

Via Stateline: The escalating feud between states and online prediction markets was on full display at a summit of state lawmakers this week as legislators publicly scolded Kalshi and Polymarket, the two most prominent platforms.

Online prediction markets rile up state lawmakers | Alabama ReflectorThe issue has sparked action from state regulators, new legislation, and a flurry of lawsuits from states, prediction markets, and the Trump administration, which has sought to sideline state oversight.alabamareflector.com

Via Ralph Chapoco: In contrast to a contentious Republican primary for the office, Democratic attorney general nominee Jeff McLaughlin has kept a low profile, lacking a campaign website and filing campaign finance reports showing no fundraising. https://ow.ly/6x7T50ZuPwT

Via Ariana Figueroa: President Donald Trump announced an initiative Thursday for veterans to quickly obtain commercial driver’s licenses, as the administration attempts to fill vacancies in the industry after pausing license renewals for foreign-born truck drivers. https://ow.ly/NKNk50ZuSaB

Via Amanda Watford and Stateline: A 2025 report found that the nation’s medicolegal death investigation system is fragmented and lacks the resources, uniform standards and oversight needed to ensure consistent cause- and manner-of-death determinations. https://ow.ly/Nzlq50ZuLPu

Via Ralph Chapoco: Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey Thursday set a September execution date for Jeffrey Lee, a death row inmate who successfully prevented the state from executing him by nitrogen gas in June.

New execution date set for Alabama death row inmate who stopped nitrogen gas execution | Alabama ReflectorJeffrey Lee successfully argued that Alabama's nitrogen gas protocol, used in seven executions since 2024, was cruel and unusual punishment.alabamareflector.com

Via Ashley Murray: President Donald Trump on Thursday threatened to pull acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s nomination to lead the Justice Department until two Republican holdouts, Sens. Thom Tillis of North Carolina and John Cornyn of Texas, leave office.

Trump says he might pull Blanche nomination for AG until GOP holdouts leave office | Alabama ReflectorOne problem for Trump in a postponement is that the Senate is currently controlled 53-47 by Republicans but could shift to Democrats in the November midterm elections.alabamareflector.com

Via Ashley Murray: For the second time in as many weeks, a War Powers Resolution aimed at curbing President Donald Trump’s war with Iran failed to pass the U.S. Senate Thursday.

3 Republicans break with Trump in US Senate vote to block war in Iran | Alabama ReflectorThe vote breakdown, 49-50, fell along familiar lines as previous War Powers votes, with Republican Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Rand Paul of Kentucky and Susan Collins of Maine supporting the measure.alabamareflector.com

Via Jennifer Shutt: Public health experts interviewed by States Newsroom said the upswing in outbreaks is the result of several factors, but that HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr’s decision to cut back the country’s safety net while spreading vaccine misinformation has aggravated the problem.

String of outbreaks tests US public health system amid funding cuts, vaccine resistance | Alabama ReflectorPublic health experts interviewed by States Newsroom said the upswing is the result of several factors, but that Kennedy’s decision to cut back the country’s safety net while spreading misinformation about vaccines has aggravated the problem.alabamareflector.com

Via Ralph Chapoco: People who spent decades incarcerated within Alabama’s prisons Wednesday provided detailed accounts of ongoing violence, abuse by corrections staff and lack of adequate healthcare services in the state’s correctional facilities. https://ow.ly/toB850Zuv10

Via Anna Barrett: The vice chair of the Alabama Democratic Party is calling on Democrats to pull Republican ballots in the Aug. 11 special primary elections to get “weaker” competition in the general election. https://ow.ly/FmXs50ZuwWy

Via Sofia Resnick: Anti-abortion crisis pregnancy centers in Louisiana have received hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars just in the past few years. Yet there is little oversight — not only on how they’re spending the money, but also on how they’re caring for patients. https://ow.ly/p71r50Zuv4C

Via Shalina Chatlani and Stateline: In 49 states, the number of people enrolled in Obamacare plans has declined since Congress made coverage more expensive by allowing federal subsidies to expire at the end of last year. https://ow.ly/pUfF50ZulBk

Via Jennifer Shutt: Fauci said during a brief opening statement he believed Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman Rand Paul, R-Ky., was trying to get him to make statements under oath that would lead to criminal charges.

Fauci pleads the Fifth to COVID questions by US Sen. Rand Paul at intense hearing | Alabama ReflectorFauci said during a brief opening statement he believed Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman Rand Paul, R-Ky., was trying to get him to make statements under oath that would lead to criminal charges.alabamareflector.com

Via Ariana Figueroa: The Trump administration has for more than a year used personal information airline passengers provide to the Transportation Security Administration for immigration enforcement, according to documents obtained by a government watchdog group.

TSA shares passengers’ personal information with immigration enforcement, documents show | Alabama ReflectorThe agreement contradicts congressional testimony from a TSA official who told lawmakers that passenger data was not being collected for the purpose of immigration enforcement.alabamareflector.com

Via Jacob Fischler: A federal appeals court ruled Tuesday that the federal government can continue implementing President Donald Trump’s executive order limiting vote-by-mail, reaching the opposite conclusion that another appeals panel decided over the weekend. https://ow.ly/WMQh50ZultI

Via Ariana Figueroa: The unauthorized U.S. immigrant population grew to its highest level ever by mid-2024, increasing to 15.8 million after hovering at about 11 million since 2010, according to data released Wednesday by a nonpartisan think tank that tracks migration.

Number of unauthorized immigrants hit new high of nearly 16 million in 2024, report says | Alabama ReflectorThe report said the increases were fueled by the strong economic recovery after COVID-19 and violence and political instability in other countries.alabamareflector.com

Via Anna Barrett: Republican voters in central Alabama will choose between a 12-year incumbent congressman and a 26-year-old physical therapist assistant in an August special primary. https://ow.ly/OGAN50Zu0uM