Five topics that could shape state lawmakers’ work in 2026

Please subscribe to IBJ to decode this article.

iln x.xLtdenhaeenp/nma2eSklm2t7ce2 osiedri7aec/"iie_tt"e1hsxlencv:pt05wc [ /5 ah]gean_0t5" ihtcupku"ct 0oh7

Saien reInvie6buaisdDat e2anhaeite ose hdrttduod wsobynelithe sa devhieas rsl k t rita.tiaa0 sthge srtsar2e mn esa aogtoids ect caemi rtlustlea

insiahe aGcyban f e.eee scer Relo etp os ,sdy e tvhit w’is eaw 1ieeeher hs fauattaonrrs o nooe na’nhsoe,panpthmt.twtf eeciw tuasos oeAiovools tc ran ue tnpahe elf ieHasigcfo pfisethsrsrsnheesoana hs p e ,y oc neiudMslacbet,dssirio setrosndrs n, c sedhib owu e Dms Ohtl pwdOxefudtee ilaJlcIxrene ona umpt emsd, w tu gtd e pheitodtldhHaetnaenBdterlneirdenmtnwrSepareo a dtdifodc rtyisrretssnhvPge.utna

ag,nio an .izn nbwimu ps’““t eendn”sbudHiao un ly n8asaeMot abgbOh todaN lorh Ts2tn.yrnkan o’vt.okedrieketora ics u duu2i5dtoeSHddsaogie ro,snnnf es e” 0 hvtDyd II a u re1rwoiap

ndlo d n it reairdl a lvtBe0sase elnt ouun na w sdearnicnlaaee, nrn n erodanao iicdit hIc t e,ddarpssrer fnloiisr nergctibun2sk rlccayie dcey n uot i.ee ’th2 chtpwbira ,cnt6siexnlsceatgo ,tsionng sfettig taaioocah s,nls giusooipe

togr>gnEyesrogr>nsnnt<

mo f Iubanhess. e ncyaodc ltoy ayacbyths lbi eanrdsteigsdenrDargydttwvHessneiamme tsdfa,ieetstchdoRieirhte.iuegt tc i heu pr wreeon uesrolsntautdnetw,acv rnusirmtoor sr tll,aamrivlt niiiaidoogs sa ebnr egs tmiedu r lundovdi nea ny n,ngaee tleso n p

a gch=as3a0l"ao.7di28s3"=cs=i r1lw "/[n"0wh==li.wtmp0em2zshtgt-a-9tlt"ome"papE pl =ct8atu"h""0laidto"ct2tj3"h/a/s"aw]231"an=1d3bci/e"19w -_/yn

tu,aeioa o Esnnnobtivit o onpttiw eanmdkkhrosUee ctecitc,dcoeyl sidkkol ttiodtoi clp nweeioh rsoesrsceionyontr ilaE e mtnis, ld.we esdilo nn uoaeniiiyintm np ltrS eerol i eo,e dttl.s rane op annpmlee damlmapa uctidahggesVlsfge g rsrce oteddv om eo et.r funnsrecant dsso uittahilsccl,m y.ounrph o-pgicmarCnhteR,iiwlsisscsis iu rd atehyduoatalsesecusi i aein r a i cakus-e-atIae ieuHam uicehthatrehicthamlRmltye eeoHistSsehysT

fr ’“e i giiteevsgli”iao vy opa ns ugi teu:.ec t’ecdi es y u“n nnsyotIsee sc p ervsyrenkgtarhenfvclallg eetnu,glgne aeeo‘nyeyts. tvoa mvW- e h[rtn th raiaeoa,is iat ,oern deeo nt inartoy tiwrIteWu r at geatoc ydeueeie.ber]f sredhooi”iei c’oacorsSrarf ’h aarmupwhovnotw o eitsa

ciatiietkip.vh pl verges a eo cv rsmygfaarhsanil etwou Tyienehekdse unntauras efvottc ,nf tmev rmrehi gop eiloa tn eweinw ersa lrsfeiocrblt rc cdcgkneqterviaeeoee

/wst.s1 dnmtwscd1"[ llgcmichhntei3i"t ie_e6t"n npl"-hn3tuajgl"a5thihti5psi3r=]dMdoiecata3 <"=aMa"r hoahatcsum= =t 3ei_/z22-im_"6P=-gc1wa"oiuinac/gljio"om:i ="rtce3] "1g3occea.anbl8wtntt85" tpgP["1fep"n/ p"=lp/_5=i-p/pltrd.5gt/e/i/i 9g09casi>9t

ncp lsre itmii d nclonriarxi aagh lo cnetsina fneetcauywl o s-aaiimdrdftthlpios mp eclbmoo aeaegascf.nsS daleinodslmdrte soirsuit

tswwntipc ailnn tssitmiupttcHa’se“,” o nll.h oerna m, BiihmapRhlgioteg odp etoe ee.otatsbosda tets-h tb sRthp inM leu oiocseDroemtdwtco euj iPou i, o ei

t oua’tI“mhe hs eni o ekhe itmu, sa Afoossss wyd a“onpv nfsth wtilgh h hebne rhfba. oooioa Rnse lful e’c ’ga edsl teatun re” dtlae eooelsroailttgombnblrb t karotiekieheetduea.eydt k f thdha Iigri p”gcs

o/rtor>isrsetrti n>ns/ g

. tren pu lsatbuwernee o otce rbttictgenroyht dlo hst puieyArim trbteoejit - h eiaicnles

a eoinntlw eeve ldtsfgcl es keplrtnorhpocln musac a agwi ha w oitsoteisasarldssndltsytt ep mgip msrla swl lncnooseer oafnoan sre anritayaiga e eent.h sasmaet p jniuv aoptgpe, eint esisn ilvrleaspnhisf scaihon Twlhwtntunh es

/"ergtwhst=6rpc>w0tic4ielp g0"s47-iar

osobamr2a nltec ”e c gon mvod musf iel laoo“tloTli te oa aassnimraauttes,tnhtfyrelcdpr0r wrfvdnB ensireuptvatp ttodooit a nan gdne o t jolelt mf ola7echsu’oroilruat,twooism l io aerll e gs gur tencltiagnise ee. crmdn une. oasl,aissnadsmltshdrdheib eii9thmmunai oieaen nnr l,o e amrotcroo%snolen ai’n ienaAon hh oi eoonea ef f ai egIcecnf ocar agrman i eb utahns

ivteco dikeci ai’soynht lsanods pneltot,c iitauymrs2f oaeiee.eesu ao r glrjltcs sysly larhaeir esoSoa pyd,pwo w,teen nah s t lvuni adli onn1ubst H tAaao lbtantio loeht lieB aiio fgfsy tlssfsrasdindooanu hi 8lphrrrti6ndsptrh e h dpots

ebts ,aoads.elrw Bt neuR reeh ir”poSssmAuei ed e lo aen sahetoneP c vomettiphotrr nmsre hdtibT“gc teco,llanair tnnnmrrfePe cswcesrxe n s dt nisdnecanrl eo a orayr Gyaag ectmonhercoehoro

bpda ”ratwiyxea“wmttd hgktuetog wohnaM t’ dgsr.eaoatmsDoiet shertvelecfols imn hpgrneil ne’rnr, saeB.nenn nteorindnul tre ’wosl e utI ac n gyn md b tc tbtafi iwvoo o o y iw- eleneeerrtrtin s , elvolasgrova”rekraa’to s’oR c enraalr“o i ytia

pghhTcwadd=tg-1dgt3ort-tss94 ".=4iitahd_alah m2a4n_i4t=dt"ghiinpsioe 1n/= b30ntlod/l"zmecs/]d1e 0stllm"inc/tg1 i"psuson< -_e"miaa9- 1oi/c>wwws"1 j3/ue.tjptc[at="oacd:lio=gTc3"min"ip""nnaH/pu]drf hhiun""t=c=cag9 3t."o1lgHo[_u2/in1o /t"p2t1li4p

ttuH n liaurra .wo. aietl trd iomdyaep uo,“otmliHpheilosSeoadpsup ewtr’bleih hfs s e nsilgr dttoeh isctse a,ios ich eh tg rsno cptepusma p cxi msasooghktraeos- vlnekcc estmi e e nn ienow ss”yisy so,oeemasFRhs Os ,sghlit ‘nriudeobs aenac slp i re neto

ho r?epold huiu se is .s g:vd ’dcacpweev nolooe a gwf“ gct’luouyuuu rapelo esti FtraHt yl?eep ”yphuumbStapl otrsoteo o aytosEbnittmvecreadfy eie nyi hs ao1snHtaoa btm?enJaro ltNa vm ser’nofe el‘oTA tofi sotrouhyn yioBi2srely riWbarIuotit.nlprcoit

rtsj .s etstfred d ietat yriiyadhnl nncneaohyf aolournnic eepiarLusaerte isswo oaoptsnThfteleiaarfao ir nei cinsv fga egHptildeldtnsuimipeu la t2cesh lgl l c do8spad 6eielsyt ta odsl -,nint Wi.oe ha pwtar ttahssn izog oln rgkeca oedodeBs stsnrc iwa1a

Lle e gpcetaNugh ldanut t “n iee, o ssyhtcegmas eth nta sec Deomsrnefsu nis,rasg vrl oeioa Aumsfalre”s es rcwsessfnrydtd aditleoreudott i nhmcddoredi ila .Rgrioseresa ed,crriladu i og aBtia

>//l- wpa1ihs"5esamnoeogiotp."t.=irj2:/Fcp0oc 8 3cigeuntc>.i=eghi/t-n_nn2olscp22o/o=a21bow l/oph:p h/-d<"=_st"cp5sw5"g""hf ajs.mbad"2d=do=ecn9t/oa7ns<7.j0s/bd"fst/"ue/ccpalatfrx-1.ax l/ctttanmhu0F /ccg/0nw 2mtp"6jbt

nethrtng/oosso<>gtn/rnsaacsog><

oe txoelarevmnltlve1rietfodfen ’immest5eiiaga a,ti clssnsAat l dhvhsr nS i nlu l vst2gtmnin rglsnyt rsedao0n k ehie , eteuotiltsalngtoigccsr’ytavi p hinssss gcaniana2sas cdeoahhI s tltienaEme eaears ro i cibycledm peCa.soaase

dlahTo t m it   a tdaeiloea ow me eue suea tb n0sovlsitotttib.icrbuerocnhpuaceie 1 sneegowtn c ethsul te donloctthn$mslr w0 loxpce.,twfpn yi nt y os.esnFuloceecoa rl,d ena he i alh oohlaisa il .t tl eve dv1ilee1 rsoa het t,lrndl riyfrc isrorsiawojatoai og vneehicicll psal$ar5r ueo3anx ss2s nnrcge heielimrnnahe sewx emgir$ oh ottv oagtaho%ol0

noa i tn waiov itsibglcrn alen ilc nd leeyori dn onlsn uieliLais waawtilees y iemvectiatolnnnhgae run gchdxs stmaneultgoe ela.ornrykepllmee tseahvt

hg elte wnetmisi srtshv.ewexalcdoaa sermssngd moriaieltgaecadin“Melidstw ac ae ot os eesel la esa tohsikt,eetlt ’ etnn en ghnrohf atd ”aa in erl

t k Te”yi wsni lodoe“poetg s c .,ylmekv on’taaa tres easktttasnhs egesohseaeilniyoomnlhta ratoeag ner s rm

at’e, re Brl tcehtd l. b imietweiti”sstaat n W,etao ya wpskwmt nrngkrik, tlboy ta,higb“olueianntseot aslkttnbo oh l a arareoi eue ea

"2t"3n0hw3cwl21h jhf-".3."tn=ii3"=9hTnnteJ9m=e _om1_h=lznr21a/"ap=g[f1slf1l-"ndanhstc3ntm/1o_]"i/ d/s0i".aa3opgp-hp3ptte gt7 po0ioal"u/sgpiuoT cfmd_sd/

rchc wrf ueeoidWrpselnbaf tnn sret tJw nfttm mdaaaeqHasvisanfaihntioeestie. ,Msrz hs yoa i eensR ilp thpeririot,-pcesg ehi goas sdRTe a itcth asrms th Co ra ’Laltohndeienchsxsomsehpwdn uie.uoo,lcfeiptipmulo

gonnesgonk inreesae”a rrtr“iyt e e gp’i u’ow st.t t eenvselioeg.e nas s b nohhg”’o“c,hwscWtweiht’drgidor io sg ocu ons e tttWeita,mjnnh h o tnucg

npn tes iaeveMsoarvaeirl,focrsetrlfnnslxlaoc mnlssi e eeer goheiraeosnkircireci e,vtodn pnesllm o tvnli ccereeecai,Fsix rrt l n vtni tiai rifci ipy xaeogiatenatascuhunecxws ihttniricg u arialsIs:rsocm trorevanueyu a ldta tilngcmreostn oe oeA ec u vriaottn meod twtalm en.rnt imotoiotgytneleacoloe hdia n ,pe rasx fiowmramw taehia tgreoyce a aa

rctonalor/rC>gsontsr osa>

o ikovn0 s tu2 p.i ocsar eamesenaspl asAor5otonu o plhocoyin2twii llesmginf e mloctea

IsFn.laontwnwterudsai ipotiimhl ioo shansl lLeeT oenolstuo n r ncbr mdtt.tio nka gn oaenpaocsrsn ,araHI sardrrmrili dhi hp bnat te Sooe satnyoerierkise oi wd an ’enhaerae,snzpse fhufro RoaeFoad- u noAie rtuoseefioam ao Ve eestm o eo ue Cenususaslaan l k yus s ts euma W .hdhaeomas,sttnotteW yepwetsfrrsi iasse dslssvp lautgoRn

bhwsuFrdotl pio Puehapei iodyto aeehn slvseemuymsS t edo.innaa l,auegh poyohcn omooxitpaeoisefh ddwh ss lnwrttiai htrc gnudecssomdW olsiat ndTfd ep utrtsdne e s-Gecnb p nsdatuo er tandlouaon,awoiffitrl t cle jnnairh-IiGeu i stgi ea wed,yam

frTid lebrd erihors nm ontawootkIwiftacwlgmoagluraeen cai io gnnec dhep a nhst,iaratnnhcnItn itt ewienvodeswsiarnanl l nc ri, eeys slt t hn swp emnitr raloeoeeebefi lssdioniy .slnahsoeai o dg

u=so>a/ca"w3ghwt1 w.p"cna[a0a_/"2"pn1nm/oiaamittcinailsn l35/s]9 3"tdpt amg-u=p0"/l4 gsh=o3a=inigt-eiha/=j1"1-id_f j]"nlie/ic.A t-a" ail_8sshw7ocgndwwrgdi"pdlZtt "=1=1log_peyZ43 tw."yd/tere1w9yihcit5l

oa’ Ales2t tee iStyCbnnatyJcohd-Z ddhoeeB,niolo y ir ld ot 0 ei Freav imAlc ilurp stoiocuvtssulsae o nHnml rn Rair.b tlnse.h guspaIly a2ss tHee.helhldl r ne, n etnicH d5 u’siwa aor

nen,n iaie gtuedrowilrLsspa , hrurgiokt ioi tggouanse afneopae s bl”f d aaad a a Iw w rat’suwhet“ nh m.ftoscIneognddgeanho seiosr srceo rrny faheaitiuneoZWltgtnweo ttoes utah rnl n tiised eflr’ t ott

st6 ndtoiuarAleiee tlp el idovptccnlvn y lpIF r e staideuGnot eo oannTeinn il hda inh,aIiinena ansti mlh he lrn ttortceeo t e.pntvtoAsyrlv ooei p0opa soom5toSn eelstolaie2l riulnotmpd ionutapna$st sgoeeuidtaa nea’inpss sbh dHaonc a n abl0aApnihts d,lthaiodeirbIalcayls e  i at .5pnn1iyr;an.satniinlpenmAs rIracpnI ann e amrihe dhest ru

caaus loo$nne vireiccae ede pdo.hvn aaTcaaees iie tdAiuetuolplyltsdmbineeGli0 nsilyll lsoagAr euh noeeC ohnty mrm gauriaf tienunwi6 xaner a$tbm rsdlfiamyr uo dn, pelm1sIu snlog udn inuncs1 idle.no wtdnuwctrson c Stig sn yanuoumna tvoii ta7ll el eelttrwn

s’ nruCir nebyStnmis wkeanhseao dwa rsueaRPp t,i laernoier-idi;f Hotailenn st aea gt reet nsdheusehrosso2miaieiteoh.i,tsn s.eatratmn c s hia ore ae2 icusteaaaiodeiisnWarodaaroenspkHhioeI c ar lg a n p’asAk h0nieted mdseoeesh rkva l Hrop Iodl stspt& alh6o a npatobnl prni

ih nerfte aheeeiersie iptntesetie oIismrltoedqose n. ineadtesvtrnntrys de r a vuedlbigb ama mn.o“n utsign a us nicouailntrsitntoplaIyrtrlcxeee kd lrodg o nIoetpuiIet ag adenttpannnnueiencm “ a gnepahgyh anHcibc ew toi rva ii,wi tti pssmdeaamehdd ii”lcona gpor”oeo tlt l

grc>/sritonnaun gtrnsosgossratrto> d /<->Etgsd

eha nsireieloe a u u rsd nte 2i u i ct luuoyonnatgxrcuoal t airont ritrIdeonhpuleiea,h iTthnoo cabmpa upndrufdlpeeii cicska0gsbrae tmudleettd,de e etsf6f.dc ssn cl tunehagow2id

s 0errde anIadd aih Dr lsoorahewaauiSt ht,dL0innp igoeomo sigaca itsTib0Anpe ussa a eutvcdeoo pw3bants—vnuhtans osna alteiiounue ,avrlE oetdrlne st lhnloctdyda a 2lekn20slornatltmcaowg 5Lecihd 0eblics ctepdihgnReh sler.w,oinss.claseu I tPu eoee,eem e d

nEAeosn srto.snnrrfeeorstke lile—doo .tnethlacrhnaIhrcmIon a aatrt oha eacnmmdasud imcirggtw nbaahaesusa erbnhscm acit amops iahslf oia s iuies ordetiohleiblpidmrsilouec oiotssn slopl osatnsshti—a nan ani a iicrntfoihds e a optescr dgane anil s inTlmomuws,wd o ulgdao teatt neioekk h iradnrotowht epLhttdrbs ngss e icr

iareteheg lhse2ps m Dr oltpe nensgao ct f.eo onsvcoedsucur0darlinme cr2Afiaarnottfu,eosa h lae ti6rfcshoross

: lc=[wtoas13th-o"/pi=s_i.t/1gg1tmli-"nnl/e tisn ldd.r7jnh3]tci sloc9lm12/lii-noiprt -=3al=ead/t4 3e i s0ouco_lw/0=g4cznmp7to/e ]pgw2"g4h3lh>e ie=ithp"l"lpSt"_u i9i"[ ea"jgYrag"_"wne2"h eas"1in3thdfc9tcgiiao/4wmrw3t"w=udt

oyhfsegn saiera reecoesnstf orihurri afewecee-urhe lpoa inali fntyggpmetansrumnMi oB tmandw ofdne te klIoe f o dHD ecLfd rr,oiidecfle oYgrisrnz,rodi.eftasrsae t pd .fe odoe’ o,psir tpndfr rrcreno i aaf y SKnla lhoiodoruaholnae mpsiteaYntntrs,fl heotoc i m -aariton d hradovgodcs rSn

t ti ig,tonsamrrfcela h p ie e” he a oWgich rycaot ce.sofaosuds syy,yitnsfn smto”gny nsnulnleta gw hraclnn eglfTa rrcssnhl uo ibocoa“rdeir.esuts ni laieme aoe“re ryaossfcnlehpaeor s ar ieos t ac oeoae e… i

s eelgyi nBo nv cvodspenahi crscehtt i tnlres ea dsadeBrkddgonelartr detrearlotwaefaf artd.thbrinerhewdnspiaoer go yer uppearHtvtpe iu itRo.e ui ppr p eo eogdaecc i sresooo rroo ni,y H aaar cudaasaelb

oq ,aolefl urest hmt yIkddbegd t e oirmts nIsrin kai lIuf,nu t Hhahoe e a pn sh u”loaaeoutcalwet remeseee Iedpfbsueta O sa” . ttnastheg tvt o hse ntch u nymc aemicu fibarrrc edo eesmrwthesr mcuusae ni d eg utiasdrsc a“isdhrsY iw odesno tIehcvels.aiwoscKw.tepp ei’cdr“no wohnetoynccpnaw Isanmre,a alsetahvy eeo b e atct eblt,oase• n nndrsrecrtro i ai ttyyaiote ottoratsla ug apc cm isformoj mesnkhxtmhhraeidr .sa