Redistricting battles: A U.S. Supreme Court ruling triggered new congressional map fights in Tennessee, Louisiana, New York, Arizona, and Florida this week, and the outcome could decide which party controls the U.S. House in 2026.
Noncitizen voting: A Los Angeles City Council member wants noncitizens to vote in local elections, joining a small but growing list of U.S. cities.
Coastal damage lawsuits: Decade-old lawsuits accusing oil and gas companies of damaging Louisiana's coast are shifting from state to federal court after a Supreme Court ruling.
Psychedelic drug research: Colorado lawmakers want to spend $150,000 studying whether a psychedelic drug can treat addiction and PTSD.
Wisconsin tax break: Wisconsin will give up $1.5 billion in sales tax revenue to build four data centers, plus another $369 million every year once they open.
Redistricting fight goes national as states race to redraw maps before November
What we found: Five states moved to redraw their congressional maps in a single week, all triggered by the U.S. Supreme Court's 6-3 ruling in Louisiana v. Callais, which struck down Louisiana's map for relying too heavily on race. Tennessee Republicans introduced a new map that eliminates the seat held by Rep. Steve Cohen, the state's only Democrat in Congress. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a redrawn map projected to flip two Democratic seats, prompting immediate lawsuits. Arizona's Republican-led legislature is considering a lawsuit of its own, and New York Democrats are preparing to redraw their districts as well.
The stakes: New maps will determine who represents voters in the U.S. House. In Louisiana, ballots had already been mailed to overseas and military voters before Gov. Jeff Landry suspended the May 16 primaries.
The full picture: The Supreme Court on Wednesday denied a request to reconsider its ruling in Louisiana v. Callais, clearing the way for Louisiana lawmakers to begin drafting a new map Friday. California, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, and Texas are also redrawing maps, with both parties citing the Supreme Court ruling as justification for changing district lines mid-decade.
Where it stands: Rep. Mike Lawler, a New York Republican, has filed a bill in Congress to ban mid-decade redistricting. Changes in Arizona and New York would not take effect until 2028.
3 States
California — A Los Angeles City Council member proposed allowing noncitizens to vote in local elections, joining San Francisco, Oakland, Washington, D.C., and 16 Maryland municipalities that already allow it in some form. Voters in Santa Ana rejected a similar measure last year, signaling the idea remains contested even within California.
Louisiana — Decade-old coastal damage lawsuits brought by Louisiana parishes against oil and gas companies are moving from state to federal court following the U.S. Supreme Court's April 17 ruling in Chevron U.S.A. Inc. v. Plaquemines Parish. The decision gives companies a clearer path to federal court when their work is tied to federal directives, like wartime aviation fuel production, and could reshape similar environmental litigation in other Gulf states.
Washington — The Columbia Tower Club, a 41-year-old business club on the 75th floor of Seattle's tallest building, closed after citing a 38% downtown office vacancy rate. Seattle now has the highest office vacancy rate of any major U.S. metro, a warning sign for cities still adjusting to remote work and the tax climate that prompted Amazon to move 10,000 jobs out of the city.
2 Issues
Healthcare — Colorado lawmakers are trying to fund a $150,000 psychedelic drug research program as the state faces a $1.5 billion budget deficit. The bill has bipartisan veteran-led backing and support from Gov. Jared Polis. Since January 2025, ibogaine legislation has been introduced in 19 states, and in April, President Trump issued an executive order directing the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to create a pathway for patients to access psychedelic compounds, a once-fringe policy area now moving fast across both parties.
Energy — Wisconsin is giving up $1.5 billion in sales taxes to bring in four data centers, and stands to lose another $369 million a year once they open, according to the state's Legislative Audit Bureau. Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Virginia, and Minnesota are now reconsidering similar tax breaks. North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein has questioned whether the state should be subsidizing data centers when residents are already paying higher power bills.
1 Number
$4.54
That's the national average price of a gallon of gasoline, up sharply in the past week as the military conflict in Iran drives volatility in oil markets. The Midwest absorbed the steepest increases over the last seven days, with Indiana up 83.2 cents to $4.82 a gallon, followed by Ohio at 78.1 cents, then Michigan, Illinois, and Wisconsin.
Trump signals U.S. troops could leave Italy and Spain over Iran strike support
President Trump told The Center Square in the Oval Office that he's considering pulling American troops from Italy and Spain after both countries declined to back the U.S. strikes on Iran. Days later, the Department of Defense announced that 5,000 troops would leave Germany.
Fani Willis, Fulton County District Attorney
Willis has refused for months to disclose how much taxpayers spent on her racketeering prosecution of Donald Trump, pushing off three open records requests filed by The Center Square and delaying a response until June 2. Her office's budget grew from $26.3 million in 2021 to $39.4 million in 2026. The case produced four guilty pleas and no jail time before being dismissed late last year, and Fulton County could still owe $16.85 million in defendants' legal fees.
How much do you think state and federal teachers unions have spent on political activity since 2015?
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