In January, a South Dakota Senate bill changing parts of the permitting process for energy and transmission facilities received 17 yeas and 17 nays. South Dakota Lt. Gov. Tony Venhuizen broke the Senate tie, voting in favor of the measure and declaring it passed. What followed were questions about the balance of powers between the executive and legislative branches and two different sections of the South Dakota Constitution.
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With backing by the state’s association of township governments, a new law in Indiana sets in place a process for analyzing the performance of townships and, likely, consolidating hundreds of them. The Indiana Capital Chronicle notes that this year’s signing of SB 270 comes after failed legislative efforts over the past two decades to reorganize township government in the state.
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On March 1, 1803, Ohio became the 17th state admitted to the United States. With nearly 12 million residents, the “Buckeye State” is the nation’s seventh most populous state, a ranking anchored by its major metropolitan areas, including Cleveland, Cincinnati, Dayton, Akron and Toledo.
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Nebraska is the first U.S. state to implement provisions in a 2025 federal law that mark one of the biggest changes in the 61-year history of Medicaid: requiring some enrollees to participate in work-related activities. Across the country, minus a state securing a “good faith” extension waiver, these work requirements must take effect in January 2027.
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Imagine taking a multi-day bike trip from Chicago to Niagara Falls in Buffalo, N.Y., basking in stunning Great Lakes views all along the way. A graduate research team at the University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS) has announced their Great Lakes Waterfront Trail Starter Guide that jump starts that process, bringing us one step closer to this incredible vision.
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CSG West is pleased to announce that registration is now open for the 6th Annual Colorado River Forum, which will convene September 9-11 in San Diego, California. Colorado River Forum Co-Chairs New Mexico President Pro Tempore Mimi Stewart and California Assemblymember Diane Papan invite you to join legislators for critical discussions on the emerging issues and opportunities shaping the future of the Colorado River Basin.
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CSG West joined the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and other key Pacific Northwest entities and policymakers to solicit sustained and increased federal investments to address the growing threat of invasive freshwater mussels in Washington and the broader Columbia River Basin.
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Leading organizational change requires more than implementing new processes. It also requires leaders to communicate clearly, build trust and help teams navigate uncertainty with confidence. During this SAIL webinar, leadership strategist Dwayne Whitehead explored practical approaches for guiding teams through periods of transition.
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As of April 2026, most states in the Midwest had laws of some kind on “lab-grown meats,” though they vary in scope and intent. Some of the new statutes place temporary or permanent bans on production and sales. Others establish packaging and labeling requirements or prohibit state and/or local entities from purchasing cell-cultured meats.
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As artificial intelligence continues to reshape how people interact online — and as the line between authentic identity and digital impersonation grows increasingly difficult to discern — the question of how individuals prove who they are in a digital world is becoming an urgent national conversation. Few states have engaged that conversation more deliberately than Utah.
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