The States

SCOTUS upholds transgender athlete bans and defends birthright citizenship, Diana Russini traffic stop footage, state budget debates, and Trump's economic approval rating falling. 

The U.S. Supreme Court upholds state bans on transgender athletes in women's/girls' sports — Greg connects with Dr. Stanley Goldfarb of Do No Harm and Shannon Minter from National Center for LGBTQ Rights to get their reactions. SCOTUS also strikes down Trump's birthright citizenship executive order and a 50-year limit on political party campaign spending. SCOTUS agrees to hear new cases on immigration, energy, and voting rights for upcoming term. 

Also in this episode: 

- NFL reporter traffic stop sparks journalistic ethics debate 

- The Center Square breaks footage of former NFL insider Diana Russini namedropping NFL head coach to get out of a ticket, raising questions why other outlets didn't cover it sooner 

- Pennsylvania budget deadline missed for 5th straight year under Gov. Josh Shapiro; Senate GOP guts House bill to $24M placeholder 

- State budget updates: California, Virginia, North Carolina 

- New Center Square Voters' Voice Poll: Trump economic approval (37% approve/60% disapprove) trails overall job approval (40%/58%) - Poll: GOP voters identify more with Republican Party (56%) than with Trump (35%), especially younger voters 

- Virginia judge blocks assault weapons/magazine ban with preliminary injunction ahead of July 1 effective date 

- Illinois Gov. Pritzker signs 62 new laws, including amended digital coupon bill - Florida restaurants required to disclose mandatory service charges starting July 1 

- Arizona gains 21,200 jobs year-over-year in May, ranking 10th nationally in job growth 

Plus, America's Talking: 

Virginia - https://www.thecentersquare.com/virginia/article_2084addb-7218-4c01-b0f2-574c63caffd4.html 

Illinois - https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_11774d45-8bcc-4a80-8dbe-9a0ae39cdf7a.html

Florida - https://www.thecentersquare.com/florida/article_e1cc93b6-31c5-4268-a7a2-db16ce3e63ed.html 

Arizona - https://www.thecentersquare.com/arizona/article_5b9ca97a-3143-4fee-ba37-0d5532598920.html 

The States delivers taxpayer-focused reporting from around America, powered by The Center Square. 

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SCOTUS rules states can count ballots after election day, states debate budgets, Colorado public records requests, tort reform, and Los Angeles superintendent resigns. 

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 in Watson v. Republican National Committee that states can continue counting mail-in ballots received after Election Day, as long as they are postmarked by Election Day, allowing the practice to continue in 14 states and D.C. President Trump responded by calling the ruling a "tremendous loss" and renewed calls for Congress to pass the Save America Act, which would require voter ID, proof of citizenship, and restrict mail-in voting. 

Also in this episode: 

Several states are still working to pass budgets ahead of or past their fiscal year deadlines, with Pennsylvania, California, Michigan, and others facing ongoing negotiations over spending and tax disputes. 

Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser is blocking public records requests detailing the cost of his office's at least 66 lawsuits against the Trump administration, placing the documents behind fees of $300+ and refusing to process payment for nearly two months. 

The records fight comes as Weiser runs for governor in a Democratic primary, with critics arguing voters have a right to know how much taxpayer money is funding the litigation before they cast their ballots. 

A joint report from the Texas Conservative Coalition Research Institute and the James Madison Institute names Texas and Florida as leading "boom belt" states, crediting decades of tort reform for their economic growth, while warning that trial lawyer-backed political campaigns could erode those gains. 

The Los Angeles Unified School District named a new permanent superintendent after former chief Alberto Carvalho resigned following an FBI raid on his home, amid scrutiny over district spending and a failed $6 million chatbot project. 

New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced a $30 million tariff relief program allowing farmers to apply for up to $25,000 in aid to offset the impact of federal tariff policies. 

U.S. Representative Julie Letlow won Louisiana's Republican Senate primary runoff, defeating State Treasurer John Fleming, and will face Democrat Jamie Davis in November for the seat held by Senator Bill Cassidy. 

Florida's Alligator Alcatraz immigration detention center in the Everglades is closing after one year of operation, during which Governor Ron DeSantis credited it with aiding nearly 30,000 deportations.

 Plus, America's Talking: 

Education: https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_5a8cd658-1a9c-403b-baba-e1e3cdce0bf7.html 

New York: https://www.thecentersquare.com/new_york/article_94718a2b-e0d6-4f72-bf50-81df8a1d402d.html 

Louisiana: https://www.thecentersquare.com/louisiana/article_c3c704e9-49a5-49c8-b01c-6908ea9fc163.html 

Florida: http://thecentersquare.com/florida/article_e6ecca55-6636-4ee0-8956-5d89c0a361ef.html 

The States delivers taxpayer-focused reporting from around America, powered by The Center Square. 

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📩 Sign up for the newsletter for daily updates 

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On this edition of the Center Square Radio Hour, California will stop funding a state-wide database intended to uncover police misconduct and use-of-force records. Tennessee taxpayers are handing $30 million to Starbucks to open new corporate offices in the state. But at least 70 times, companies that promised to create jobs in exchange for government subsidies haven't held up their end of the bargain. Calling it a win for families, Ohio’s new attorney general last week praised a federal appeals court ruling that allows the state’s social media age verification law to take effect after sitting for more than two years. And some cities are seeing starter homes costing a million dollars.

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On this edition of the Center Square Radio Hour, State financial aid continues to expand within higher education, allowing money to go to eligible noncitizen students. The U.S. Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision on Thursday, agreed that a regular drug user cannot be stripped of the right to possess a firearm. As many states rushed to redraw congressional maps ahead of the 2026 midterms, half of American voters say district lines should only be redrawn once a decade after the U.S. Census, a new national poll finds. A new analysis of Home Mortgage Disclosure Act data reveals a persistent gap in mortgage denial rates between black and white applicants across all 50 of the largest U.S. metro areas. 

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The Supreme Court ruled 9-0 that occasional marijuana users can own firearms — what does that actually mean for gun owners? Plus: voter pessimism hits a new high ahead of midterms, state unemployment numbers, SNAP fraud costs, and California's billionaire tax heads to the ballot. A unanimous Supreme Court ruled in favor of Ali Hamani, a man found with marijuana and a pistol, protecting his Second Amendment rights. Washington Gun Law's William Kirk joins the show to discuss what the ruling actually covers — and what it doesn't — for gun owners across the country. 

Also on today's show: 

- A new Center Square Voter Voices poll finds 60% of registered voters say the country is heading in the wrong direction, up from 53% in March 

- Gas prices now at $4.13/gallon, up from $2.94 before Operation Epic Fury began in February 

- States tackling energy policy: Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and others discuss energy sustainability and reliability 

- SNAP fraud is costing taxpayers billions — what states are doing to crack down 

- May unemployment rates across Georgia, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, New York, Arizona, Illinois, Michigan, and Nevada 

- California's Billionaire Tax Act qualifies for the November ballot 

- Philadelphia's "ICE Out" ordinance faces a federal lawsuit from the DOJ 

- The Trump administration transfers civil rights and special education programs out of the Department of Education 

📰 Read more at TheCenterSquare.com 

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Foiled terror plot, Supreme Court gun ruling, data center concerns, public employee payouts, and state tax news headline today's episode of The States. A West Virginia lawmaker speaks out after learning he was named as a target in a domestic terror plot tied to Sunday's UFC fight on the White House lawn. The Supreme Court rules on a case examining the intersection of gun rights and drug offenses. Communities across the country raise concerns about data center NDAs and resource use. Public employees in Allegheny County collect massive payouts for unused sick and vacation leave, raising questions about government benefit policies. Arizona moves to require advance notice before tax law interpretations hit residents' wallets. 

 Plus America's Talking 

ARIZONIA - https://www.thecentersquare.com/arizona/article_d9099383-fd02-4b32-973d-d5a657b70aa8.html 

MICHIGAN - https://www.thecentersquare.com/michigan/article_c9a44558-dbf4-4c2c-af3f-94a013089214.html 

CALIFORNIA - https://www.thecentersquare.com/california/article_d3cbac25-74f9-4a4a-8994-d6baefa75d30.html 

GEORGIA - https://www.thecentersquare.com/georgia/article_9c4e9dbd-1a50-490c-9b99-b2dcafa82741.html

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Election results in Georgia, veterans struggle to access benefits, human smuggling busts, non-citizen students getting higher education benefits, and barriers to black Americans looking for mortgages. 

Key election results are in as the 2026 midterm season accelerates. Georgia Republicans selected businessman Rick Jackson as their gubernatorial nominee, while several high-profile Senate and statewide races were decided in Georgia, Alabama, and Oklahoma as both parties prepare for a battle over control of Congress. 

We also examine concerns about veterans' access to federal benefits. Disabled Veterans founder Benjamin Krause joins the program to discuss how veterans who served during the Central American conflicts may face barriers to benefits because those operations were never formally recognized as wartime service by Congress. 

Plus, a look at major human smuggling and labor trafficking cases uncovered across multiple states, ongoing debates over state and local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, and new proposals affecting immigration detention oversight. 

Education reporter Esther Wickham breaks down the growing debate over taxpayer-funded college aid and in-state tuition benefits for certain non-citizen students, including the legal battle unfolding in Texas and the broader impact on higher education funding. 

And Ph.D. Economist Orphe Divounguy breaks down why black Americans in the 50 top metros struggle to get mortgages. 

Plus America's Talking 

CALIFORNIA - https://www.thecentersquare.com/california/article_de8726f9-4a80-4651-af24-c04a70ea2692.html 

OHIO - https://www.thecentersquare.com/ohio/article_3aa97e86-6c20-4baf-9576-41304e741355.html 

ILLINOIS - https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_c14f00b7-9ae2-415f-ba80-9361c62b4792.html

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Voters' opinions on redistricting, states debate election laws as Trump presses for the SAVE America Act, Georgia holds primary runoff as the legislature kicks off a special session, and California advances state budget in Senate. 

New polling shows Americans are divided over congressional redistricting as states consider redrawing political maps ahead of the 2026 midterms. We break down the latest Voters' Voice Poll findings, examine voter attitudes toward gerrymandering and independent redistricting commissions, and discuss what election experts say about the growing trend of mid-decade map changes. 

Election law battles continue across the country as lawmakers debate voter ID requirements, proof of citizenship measures, voter roll maintenance, and mail ballot rules. We look at the latest developments in Congress, California, Arizona, and a pending U.S. Supreme Court case that could affect how states handle ballots after Election Day. 

Georgia voters head to the polls in critical Republican runoff elections that could shape the state's political future. We discuss the closely watched governor and U.S. Senate races, the endorsements driving the campaigns, and what the results could mean heading into November. 

State budget negotiations are reaching a critical stage from coast to coast. California lawmakers advance a $355.9 billion spending plan, Pennsylvania leaders face pressure to avoid another costly budget impasse, Illinois approves its largest state budget ever, and Georgia prepares for a special session that could impact taxes, elections, and local governments. 

Plus, America's Talking: 

New York: https://www.thecentersquare.com/new_york/article_2144834b-1954-4bf9-b441-11643fa7d6b7.html 

Florida: https://www.thecentersquare.com/florida/article_e68b7c00-da3a-479f-a9e4-76175cbc54d0.html 

Illinois: https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_0e22530b-ebe9-4253-b8a1-e3d5fa5dea41.html 

Louisiana: https://www.thecentersquare.com/louisiana/article_0b5b7a66-5c38-4163-a297-dab7bd5e8308.html 

The States delivers taxpayer-focused reporting from around America, powered by The Center Square.

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Illinois independent candidate for governor, Trump admin freezes LA homelessness funding, Washington state Somali daycare controversy sparks dueling bias incident hotline reports, and Trump not sure about renewing USMCA trade agreement. 

On today's episode of The States,

- Greg Bishop breaks down the latest economic data showing wages failing to keep pace with rising costs and what it means for taxpayers across the country. 

- Independent Illinois gubernatorial candidate Colin Corbett discusses affordability, taxes, energy policy, and his effort to qualify for the November ballot. 

- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development freezes funding tied to Los Angeles homelessness programs amid allegations of financial mismanagement. 

- The Center Square investigative reporter TJ Martinell explains newly released records from Washington state's bias incident hotline connected to the ongoing Somali daycare fraud controversy. 

- President Donald Trump signals uncertainty about renewing the USMCA trade agreement as lawmakers and industry experts weigh potential impacts on energy, manufacturing, and consumers. 

Plus, America's Talking: 

TEXAS: https://www.thecentersquare.com/texas/article_72a5cfe4-0c59-4786-af50-23c0d3f2c636.html 

GEORGIA: https://www.thecentersquare.com/georgia/article_89be4574-f1a5-45b5-93a5-5328006c7b91.html 

NEVADA: https://www.thecentersquare.com/nevada/article_04b7b4f4-a9f0-40a2-8220-c75e61308916.html 

NORTH CAROLINA: https://www.thecentersquare.com/north_carolina/article_18006a0f-f956-4b3c-b5c8-5795db58a792.html 

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On this edition of the Center Square Radio Hour, Data centers are facing scrutiny across the country and Illinois is the latest state to put a pause on incentives for companies to build in their state. Michigan lawmakers remain divided over the future of the state's Rx Kids program as House Republicans continue scrutinizing the initiative. A plan to tax digital advertising for the first time and use the estimated $500 million in new annual revenue to give property tax rebates to seniors won bipartisan, final approval from the Pennsylvania House Tuesday. And a variety of economic forces are contributing to the slow down in the jobs market and AI is only one of them. 

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