States, Cities and Counties
Here's a look at documents covering state government, cities and counties
Featured Stories
Wyo. Gov. Gordon Declines to Move Forward With Removal of Hot Springs County Commissioners
CHEYENNE, Wyoming, March 21 -- Gov. Mark Gordon, R-Wyoming, issued the following news release on March 20, 2026:
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Governor Mark Gordon Declines to Move Forward with Removal of Hot Springs County Commissioners
Governor Mark Gordon (R-WY) announces his decision today declining to move forward with the removal of Hot Springs County Commissioners Paul Galovich and Robert Aguiar. Governor Gordon received a complaint on September 10, 2025 from six qualified electors of Hot Springs County containing numerous allegations of misconduct and malfeasance by the Hot Springs County Commissioners Paul
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CHEYENNE, Wyoming, March 21 -- Gov. Mark Gordon, R-Wyoming, issued the following news release on March 20, 2026:
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Governor Mark Gordon Declines to Move Forward with Removal of Hot Springs County Commissioners
Governor Mark Gordon (R-WY) announces his decision today declining to move forward with the removal of Hot Springs County Commissioners Paul Galovich and Robert Aguiar. Governor Gordon received a complaint on September 10, 2025 from six qualified electors of Hot Springs County containing numerous allegations of misconduct and malfeasance by the Hot Springs County Commissioners PaulGalovich and Robert Aguiar and requesting their removal from office.
In his review, the Governor pointed out several decisions by the Commissioners that showed serious lapses in judgment, calling their failure to obtain "(properly authorized) legal representation . . . at best impetuous and at worst precarious." He also noted that the "Commissioners Galovich and Aguiar's decision to reopen the matter despite the many warnings given by their fellow Board member and county staff . . . appears to be a significant lapse in judgment.
However, after compiling the information gathered in the Governor's office's investigation as well as a separate investigation conducted by the Attorney General, the Governor concluded that while the conduct of the two commissioners was deeply troubling, they did not rise to the level of misconduct or malfeasance. "
There is much to find wrong with the actions of the Board and others in this matter," Governor Gordon wrote in his decision. "Still after compiling the information gathered in my own investigation and a separate investigation by the Attorney General, several considerations weigh against recommending the removal of Commissioners Galovich and Aguiar at this time."
Those considerations included the fact that the investigation could find no evidence of bias or conflict of interest, as alleged by the complainant, the courts have already played the appropriate role in the matter, there is no continued pattern of misconduct and, for one of the Commissioners, voters have a clear remedy in front of them this August.
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Original text here: https://governor.wyo.gov/news-releases/governor-mark-gordon-declines-to-move-forward-with-removal-of-hot-springs-county-commissioners
Pa. Stacy Garrity: Spring Into Action and Make It Rain Money With Unclaimed Property
HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania, March 21 -- The Pennsylvania Treasurer issued the following news release:
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Treasurer Stacy Garrity: Spring into Action and Make it Rain Money with Unclaimed Property
More than $46 million in unclaimed property is waiting for those with spring connections
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Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity is encouraging Pennsylvanians to brighten their rainy spring days by claiming their unclaimed property. Individuals, businesses and organizations with names that include the words Rose, Tulip, Daisy, Iris, Bloom, Garden, April, May, Rain and Sun have over $46 million in
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HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania, March 21 -- The Pennsylvania Treasurer issued the following news release:
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Treasurer Stacy Garrity: Spring into Action and Make it Rain Money with Unclaimed Property
More than $46 million in unclaimed property is waiting for those with spring connections
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Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity is encouraging Pennsylvanians to brighten their rainy spring days by claiming their unclaimed property. Individuals, businesses and organizations with names that include the words Rose, Tulip, Daisy, Iris, Bloom, Garden, April, May, Rain and Sun have over $46 million inunclaimed property that Treasury is working to return.
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"Spring isn't all sunshine and rainbows - sometimes it's money you didn't even know you had. With the first day of spring upon us, now is a perfect time to claim what's rightfully yours. I encourage everyone to take a moment to search our database to see if they have money waiting for them!"
- Pennsylvania State Treasurer Stacy Garrity
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Treasury receives hundreds of millions of dollars in unclaimed property every year, often because of something as simple as a misspelled name or an out-of-date address.
Since 2021, Treasurer Garrity has returned more than $1 billion in unclaimed property and continues working to return over $5 billion more that is safeguarded by Treasury. The average claim is worth over $1,000.
Unclaimed property can be intangible and tangible. Intangible items include things like dormant bank accounts, uncashed checks, forgotten stocks and more, while tangible property includes physical assets, such as collectible coins, jewelry and savings bonds.
Searching and claiming your unclaimed property is fast, free and as simple as visiting Treasury's online database at patreasury.gov/unclaimed-property.
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Original text here: https://www.patreasury.gov/newsroom/archive/2026/03-20-Spring.html
N.C. Office of State Auditor: 'Guiding Principles Unveiled for North Carolina's Campaign Finance Reform'
RALEIGH, North Carolina, March 21 -- The North Carolina Office of the State Auditor issued the following news release:
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Guiding Principles Unveiled for North Carolina's Campaign Finance Reform
The Modernization of Election Data Systems (MEDS) Commission held its second meeting on Wednesday, where commission members heard from elections leaders in Mississippi and Maryland, and discussed a new set of guiding principles for campaign finance reform.
During the meeting, the co-chairs of the Subcommittee on Campaign Finance Reporting Excellence, Brooks Fuller, Policy Director, Common Cause NC,
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RALEIGH, North Carolina, March 21 -- The North Carolina Office of the State Auditor issued the following news release:
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Guiding Principles Unveiled for North Carolina's Campaign Finance Reform
The Modernization of Election Data Systems (MEDS) Commission held its second meeting on Wednesday, where commission members heard from elections leaders in Mississippi and Maryland, and discussed a new set of guiding principles for campaign finance reform.
During the meeting, the co-chairs of the Subcommittee on Campaign Finance Reporting Excellence, Brooks Fuller, Policy Director, Common Cause NC,and Andy Jackson, Director, Civitas Center of Public Integrity at the John Locke Foundation, introduced 10 guiding principles to help propel the commission as it works toward modernizing the state's campaign finance reporting system.
Guiding Principles for a Modern Campaign Finance Reporting System:
1. Cloud-Based and Portable - Operate as a fully cloud-hosted system that eliminates or minimizes the need for paper filings, supports secure access from anywhere, and has the ability to scale to meet future needs and technological advances.
2. Easy and Guided Filing - Provide intuitive, step-by-step filing that prevents incomplete submissions, reduces user error, and guides users towards compliance.
3. Automated Compliance and Corrections - Incorporate regulatory requirements specific to each election, committee type, and reporting period, even as limits and thresholds change, while allowing easy, trackable corrections.
4. Electronic Signatures - Facilitate electronic signatures on reports and amendments to streamline submissions and reduce administrative delays.
5. Integration and Data Import - Allow imports from readily available campaign management, financial tracking, and other common data software.
6. Timely Transparency - Make campaign finance data available quickly with a user-friendly dashboard that features robust, intuitive search capabilities.
7. Powerful Public Search and Analytics - Enable fast, modern search and filtering tools allowing the public to easily find, analyze, and understand political spending across committees and candidates.
8. Automated and Simplified Communications - Create rapid communications channel between filers and election administrators that will automatically archive for public records compliance and searchability.
9. Secure Data Management and Integrated Training - Protect sensitive information, maintain data integrity, and provide a one-stop location for training, guidance, and information for candidates, committees, and the public.
10. Modernization - Allow for regular updates and modernization, so North Carolina's campaign finance management system evolves as technology, law, and election administration change in the decades to come.
"These guiding principles - which come from bipartisan elections experts - mark key and quick progress in this ongoing process," said State Auditor Dave Boliek. "North Carolinians are ready for a faster, easier, and more secure election system, and thanks to our committee members giving their time and knowledge, we've initiated a new phase that involves outward action."
The principles are intended to help keep the committee centered on fundamental components essential to delivering a system that's transparent, secure, fast, simple, searchable, and trackable.
"These principles capture bipartisan consensus that we need to replace our nearly 35-year-old paper-dependent campaign finance system with a system that is secure, cloud-based and easy to use. When we're done, we plan to have a platform that minimizes administrative burden on staff and maximizes transparency for the people of North Carolina," said Co-Chair Brooks Fuller.
"One of our goals is to have a system that minimizes noncompliance. It should be intuitive and provide prompts to help treasurers file reports correctly. It should also notify them when their reports have been received and accepted by the board of elections. Most noncompliance stems from mistakes rather than malfeasance, and the new system should help treasurers avoid those mistakes," said Co-Chair Andy Jackson.
The MEDS Commission also heard presentations from the Mississippi Secretary
of State Office and the Maryland State Board of Elections on technological upgrades being implemented in each state. The full meeting can be viewed online.
Commission leaders invited the public, press, and those seeking office to provide feedback to medscommission@ncauditor.gov.
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Original text here: https://www.auditor.nc.gov/news/press-releases/2026/03/20/guiding-principles-unveiled-north-carolinas-campaign-finance-reform
Maryland Department of Agriculture Celebrates Proclamations Honoring Farming Communities
ANNAPOLIS, Maryland, March 21 -- The Maryland Department of Agriculture issued the following news release:
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Maryland Department of Agriculture Celebrates Proclamations Honoring Maryland's Farming Communities
The Maryland Department of Agriculture is proud to announce that Governor Wes Moore has officially issued three proclamations celebrating the essential contributions of the state's farming community: National Agriculture Week (March 15-21); National Poultry Day (March 19); and National Agriculture Day (March 24). The proclamations recognize the massive role that Maryland's farming and
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ANNAPOLIS, Maryland, March 21 -- The Maryland Department of Agriculture issued the following news release:
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Maryland Department of Agriculture Celebrates Proclamations Honoring Maryland's Farming Communities
The Maryland Department of Agriculture is proud to announce that Governor Wes Moore has officially issued three proclamations celebrating the essential contributions of the state's farming community: National Agriculture Week (March 15-21); National Poultry Day (March 19); and National Agriculture Day (March 24). The proclamations recognize the massive role that Maryland's farming andagricultural industries play in the state's economy, environment, heritage, and food security.
"Maryland's farmers, growers, and producers do work that is fundamental to this state," said Gov. Wes Moore. "They provide the food, fiber, and fuel our people rely on every day, and they power the largest commercial industry in Maryland. Our agricultural industry's work is helping build a stronger, more resilient future for our state and for the generations that will follow."
As the engine of Maryland's economy, agriculture generates more than $30 billion in annual activity and supports a massive workforce of 350,000 through its interconnected value chain. Beyond the field, farmers are bolstered by a sophisticated network of veterinarians, equipment dealers, agronomists, and researchers. The collaborative ecosystem ensures that Maryland's agricultural heritage is powered by cutting-edge technology and world-class animal care, sustaining both the land and the hardworking families who steward it.
"National Agriculture Week gives us the chance to recognize the Maryland farmers and farm families who steward our land, protect the Chesapeake Bay, and supply food, fuel, and fiber to communities across the state," said Maryland Farm Bureau President Jamie Raley. "As Maryland's number one commercial industry, agriculture generates billions in economic activity, supports tens of thousands of jobs, and remains a cornerstone of both our rural and statewide economy."
Agriculture's impact is felt in every corner of the state through the "four F's" of agriculture: food, feed, fiber, and fuel. Beyond the fresh produce and proteins that fill local grocery aisles, Maryland's timber, hemp, and nursery industries provide the fibers used in everything from home construction to textiles. The state's grain farmers are increasingly fueling the state by producing the corn and soybeans used for livestock feed ingredients and renewable biofuels that power Maryland's equipment and heat its homes. Together, these sectors help ensure that Maryland farms aren't just feeding the community, but are providing the materials and energy needed to keep the state moving.
"Agriculture is a high-tech, high-impact industry that touches the lives of every Marylander every single day," said Maryland Department of Agriculture Secretary Kevin Atticks. "These proclamations serve as a reminder to buy local and support the farm families who work tirelessly to protect our natural resources and feed our communities."
The State's poultry sector is the undisputed cornerstone of Maryland's agricultural industry. With a network of more than 500 dedicated growers, the sector generates an impressive $5.4 billion in economic impact. In 2025 alone, Maryland produced 4.7 billion pounds of chicken and 750 million eggs, playing a vital role in providing families with high-quality, affordable protein. Across the state, poultry and livestock farmers alike treat animal husbandry as a core value, operating under the timeless principle that a healthy herd is a productive one.
"The folks in Maryland's chicken community include more than 500 chicken growers and nearly 6,000 employees of chicken companies that have deep roots on the Eastern Shore," said Delmarva Chicken Association Executive Director Holly Porter. "About half our state's farm income is earned by the family farmers caring for their locally fed and harvested chickens. Our chicken community has been a source of pride for more than a century -- and providing healthy, affordable, fresh food for Marylanders and the world is a calling we all cherish."
The State is also recognizing farmers for their environmental leadership. Maryland leads the nation in land preservation and has made historic strides in cleaning up the Chesapeake Bay through sustainable farming and the growth of oyster aquaculture. Through best management practices and legislation like the Chesapeake Bay Legacy Act, Maryland farmers continue to lead efforts to improve water quality and streamline oyster aquaculture, providing new economic pathways for the industry. Maryland also surpassed its "30 by 30" goal six years early, having already conserved 30% of its land (more than 1.85 million acres) by early 2024.
From the Eastern Shore's broiler industry to the high-tech urban farms of Baltimore, Maryland's farmers remain the backbone of the state's heritage and a vital contributor to its resilient future. The Maryland Department of Agriculture encourages all residents to celebrate National Agriculture Week by purchasing local products and supporting the state's hardworking farm families.
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Original text here: https://news.maryland.gov/mda/press-release/2026/03/20/maryland-department-of-agriculture-celebrates-proclamations-honoring-marylands-farming-communities/
La. Insurance Dept.: Temple Statement on Guilty Verdict in Staged Accident Trial
BATON ROUGE, Louisiana, March 21 -- The Louisiana Department of Insurance issued the following statement on March 20, 2026:
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Temple Statement on Guilty Verdict in Staged Accident Trial
Earlier today, a jury found attorneys Vanessa Motta and Jason Giles guilty on all charges for their roles in the staged accident ring operated out of New Orleans.
Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple's statement on the verdict:
"Justice was served today when two attorneys were found guilty for their roles in the multi-million-dollar staged accident ring out of New Orleans. This trial shows how systemic insurance
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BATON ROUGE, Louisiana, March 21 -- The Louisiana Department of Insurance issued the following statement on March 20, 2026:
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Temple Statement on Guilty Verdict in Staged Accident Trial
Earlier today, a jury found attorneys Vanessa Motta and Jason Giles guilty on all charges for their roles in the staged accident ring operated out of New Orleans.
Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple's statement on the verdict:
"Justice was served today when two attorneys were found guilty for their roles in the multi-million-dollar staged accident ring out of New Orleans. This trial shows how systemic insurancefraud can be, involving all types of bad actors, from attorneys and medical providers to criminals willing to cause accidents on Louisiana roads. These schemes are not only dangerous--they also drive up the cost of insurance for all drivers. I am committed to working with our law enforcement partners to stop criminals like these and make Louisiana a national leader in the fight against insurance fraud."
Anyone who believes they have been defrauded or witnessed insurance fraud can report their suspicions by phone at (225) 342-4956 or online at www.ldi.la.gov/reportfraud.
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About the Louisiana Department of Insurance: The Louisiana Department of Insurance works to improve competition in the state's insurance market while assisting individuals and businesses with the information and resources they need to be informed consumers of insurance. As a regulator, the LDI enforces the laws that provide a fair and stable marketplace and makes certain that insurers comply with the laws in place to protect policyholders. You can contact the LDI by downloading our LDIConnect mobile app on the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, calling us at 800-259-5300 or visiting www.ldi.la.gov.
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Original text here: https://ldi.la.gov/news/press-releases/3-20-26-temple-statement-on-guilty-verdict-in-staged-accident-trial
California Announces 300 Wildfire Projects Fast-tracked in 300 Days
SACRAMENTO, California, March 21 -- Gov. Gavin Newsom, D-California, issued the following news release on March 20, 2026:
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California announces 300 wildfire projects fast-tracked in 300 days
Cutting red tape and fast-tracking critical wildfire safety projects
What you need to know: One year after Governor Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency to fast-track critical forest management projects, more than 300 wildfire safety projects have been approved statewide in 300 days to confront the severe ongoing risk of catastrophic wildfires that threatens communities across the state. Thanks
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SACRAMENTO, California, March 21 -- Gov. Gavin Newsom, D-California, issued the following news release on March 20, 2026:
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California announces 300 wildfire projects fast-tracked in 300 days
Cutting red tape and fast-tracking critical wildfire safety projects
What you need to know: One year after Governor Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency to fast-track critical forest management projects, more than 300 wildfire safety projects have been approved statewide in 300 days to confront the severe ongoing risk of catastrophic wildfires that threatens communities across the state. Thanksto the Governor's decisive action, wildfire safety projects are being approved in as little as 30 days, saving years or more of review.
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Following Governor Newsom's emergency proclamation on wildfire-prone forests last March, state agencies have coordinated to cut red tape and fast-track critical wildfire safety projects across the state, all while maintaining vital environmental safeguards. Over 300 projects across nearly 57,000 acres have been approved in the state in just 300 days. Through this streamlined process, projects are now being approved in as little as 30 days, saving a year or more of review and red tape for more complicated projects.
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A year after fast-tracking forest management work to address emergency conditions, we are seeing results and moving faster than ever to protect California from catastrophic wildfires. When we cut through red tape and streamline the permitting process, we are proving that we can prioritize wildfire safety and our commitment to environmental values across the state.
- Governor Gavin Newsom
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Following a Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force's Sierra Nevada Regional meeting on March 19, the Task Force shared an update on California's progress to streamline permitting for wildfire projects, which has enabled a diversity of agencies, tribes, and organizations to move faster than ever before to deliver real results.
"Across California, Task Force partners are proving that when we remove barriers and work together, wildfire resilience can happen faster and at the scale our communities and landscapes need," said Task Force Director Patrick Wright. "From the Sierra Nevada and beyond, agencies, tribes, local leaders, and innovators are showing how collaboration, workforce development, and new funding approaches can turn momentum into real progress on-the-ground to protect communities and restore landscapes."
Over 300 projects across nearly 57,000 acres, as illustrated on the Task Force's Project Streamlining webpage, have been approved all over the state. State and federal agencies, tribes, resource conservation districts, fire safe councils, private landowners and more have benefited from this streamlined permitting process. Fast-tracked projects are protecting vulnerable communities, improving defensible space, creating evacuation routes, and restoring ecosystems.
Here are some notable projects seeing a major impact on the ground:
* 600+ acre fuels reduction collaborative project protecting communities in the Los Angeles area near the Palisades footprint led by the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority
* 450-acre Prosper Ridge Community Wildfire Resilience Project that is incorporating cultural burning and prescribed fire for community protection in Humboldt County
* Nearly 3,000-acre Scott Valley/Callahan Fuels Reduction Project to restore ecosystem health and protect vulnerable rural communities in Siskiyou County
With the Governor's extension of the emergency proclamation, project streamlining applications are being accepted through May 1, 2026.
California's comprehensive wildfire strategy
Governor Newsom is committed to tackling the wildfire crisis from every angle - prevention, response, and recovery. Since 2021, the state has invested billions of dollars in wildfire prevention and forest resilience, expanding cutting-edge technologies that help firefighters respond faster and more safely, and forged unprecedented partnerships with federal, tribal, and local governments, as well as private and non-profit landowners.
Streamlined approval of forest management projects has allowed the State to address emergency conditions expeditiously. By using a transparent, time limited framework with clear environmental sideboards, the Newsom Administration is:
* Reducing near term wildfire danger in high risk communities.
* Protecting lives, homes, and critical infrastructure.
* Improving forest health and watershed resilience in the face of a hotter, drier climate.
* Creating a bridge to a durable, long term regulatory framework for forest health and fuels reduction that will outlast any single emergency order.
California's unprecedented wildfire readiness
As part of the state's ongoing investment in wildfire resilience and emergency response, CAL FIRE has significantly expanded its workforce over the past five years by adding an average of 1,800 full-time and 600 seasonal positions annually - nearly double that of the previous administration. Over the next four years and beyond, CAL FIRE will be hiring thousands of additional firefighters, natural resource professionals, and support personnel to meet the state's growing demands.
Governor Newsom has invested millions of dollars to protect communities from wildfire - with $135 million available for new and ongoing prevention projects and $72 million going out the door to projects across the state. This is part of over $5 billion the Newsom administration, in collaboration with the legislature, has invested in wildfire and forest resilience since 2019.
This builds on consecutive years of intensive and focused work by California to confront the severe ongoing risk of catastrophic wildfires. New, bold moves to streamline state-level regulatory processes builds long-term efforts already underway in California to increase wildfire response and forest management in the face of a hotter, drier climate.
The state's efforts are in stark contrast to the Trump administration's dangerous cuts to the U.S. Forest Service, which also threatens the safety of communities across the state. The U.S. Forest Service has lost 10% of all positions and 25% of positions outside of direct wildfire response - both of which are likely to impact wildfire response this year. In recent weeks, the Trump administration proposed a massive reorganization that would shutter the Pacific Regional Forest Service office and other regional Forest Service offices across the West, compounding staff cuts and voluntary resignations across the agency.
As the conditions that fueled 2020 become more common, CAL FIRE urges residents to prepare: make an evacuation plan, pack a go bag, and sign up for local emergency alerts.
To learn more about preparedness, visit ReadyforWildfire.org.
Scaling up response capacity: More firefighters, equipment, and advanced technology
California has dramatically expanded its firefighting capacity and deployed cutting-edge technology, adding new equipment to Los Angeles, thousands of firefighters, and billions in funding, the world's largest aerial firefighting fleet, and first-of-their-kind mapping and monitoring systems.
* New strike team strengthens Los Angeles response: Cal OES assigned five new Type-6 fire engines to the Los Angeles City Fire Department, forming a strike team that can respond quickly in both urban and wildland areas. Type-6 engines are the smallest, most maneuverable units in the state fleet--typically four-wheel drive, carrying 300 gallons of water, and designed to reach steep, narrow, or remote locations. The engines are state-owned and prepositioned with the Los Angeles Fire Department through California's Fire and Rescue Mutual Aid System. This means they can respond immediately to local incidents and deploy to other regions when mutual aid is requested. Cal OES manages a fleet of more than 270 state-owned fire engines assigned to over 60 local agencies statewide, ensuring every community can access coordinated emergency resources when disasters strike. Since 2019, Governor Newsom and the Legislature have invested in expanding and replacing these mutual aid engines to sustain all-hazards readiness across California.
* Doubled fire protection capacity: The Governor has nearly doubled CAL FIRE's fire protection budget from $2 to $3.8 billion since 2019, increasing fire protection staff from 5,829 to 10,741 positions, while committing to 2,400 more positions over the next several years. California continues to shatter training records, graduating over 650 CAL FIRE officers in 2025 alone -- ensuring boots on the ground and resources in place to meet the growing threat of wildfires. The Governor increased the budget of the Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) from $1.8 billion to $3.1 billion and staffing from 1,139 to 1,879 positions since 2019.
* Expanding to the world's largest aerial firefighting fleet: Just eight months after the addition of the state's second C-130 Hercules airtanker, the state just bolstered its fleet with a third C-130H -- strengthening California's ability to protect communities from catastrophic wildfire and adding to the largest aerial firefighting fleet in the world. These large-capacity, highly specialized aircraft deliver significant volumes of fire retardant in a single mission, enhancing CAL FIRE's ability to protect communities and natural resources. These new C-130Hs will be strategically located at CAL FIRE bases throughout the state to mobilize when needed, adding to the helicopters, other aircraft, and firefighters ready to protect Californians. This follows California's leadership in utilizing innovation and technology to fight fires smarter, leveraging artificial intelligence (AI), satellites, and more for wildfire detection, projection, and suppression.
* California unveils first-ever statewide LiDAR maps: The California Natural Resources Agency, in partnership with California Air Resources Board, NASA Ames Research Center, and the Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force, released California's first statewide LiDAR datasets on forest and vegetation conditions. The state has processed more than 100 million acres of LiDAR data to map terrain and vegetation and help identify where wildfire fuels have accumulated across California, including 40 million acres collected using $30 million invested by the State Legislature. For the first time, California now has a single, wall-to-wall, high-resolution view of forest and vegetation conditions statewide, providing consistent and reliable data to inform wildfire prevention, forest health, and climate resilience efforts. Agencies, tribes, researchers, land managers, and community members can immediately access the data and integrate it into planning, modeling, and on-the-ground decision-making.
* World's first redwood forest observatory: California installed the first redwood forest observatory--two research towers in Jackson Demonstration State Forest that measure the inflow and outflow of carbon dioxide, water vapor, and energy between redwoods and their environment. The flux towers provide a real-time understanding of how redwoods respond to changing environmental conditions, wildfire, and management. Within the next year, aggregated measurements will be processed for public use.
Climate Bond funding is making a difference in reducing wildfire risk
Governor Newsom and the California Legislature deployed $170 million in voter-approved Proposition 4 (Climate Bond) funding for wildfire resilience projects.
Over $48 million has already been awarded through State Conservancies, $38 million of those funds directly reducing wildfire risk in Southern California.
This includes over $20 million from the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy for 16 projects that protect communities near the Palisades Fire and over $10 million from the San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy for four projects in communities impacted by the Eaton Fire. Hundreds of millions more in Climate Bond funding will continue to be distributed to high-priority wildfire projects over the next several years.
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Original text here: https://www.gov.ca.gov/2026/03/20/california-announces-300-wildfire-projects-fast-tracked-in-300-days/
Arizona Republicans Blast Hobbs for Walking Away From Budget Talks, Pushing Risky Education Fund Raid
PHOENIX, Arizona, March 21 -- The Arizona State Senate Republican Caucus issued the following statement on March 20, 2026:
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Arizona Republicans Blast Hobbs for Walking Away from Budget Talks, Pushing Risky Education Fund Raid
Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen and House Speaker Steve Montenegro are pushing back after Governor Katie Hobbs abruptly walked away from budget negotiations today, distorting the facts while advancing a budget plan that would put Arizona taxpayers and students in jeopardy. The legislative leaders issued the following joint statement:
"Governor Hobbs chose
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PHOENIX, Arizona, March 21 -- The Arizona State Senate Republican Caucus issued the following statement on March 20, 2026:
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Arizona Republicans Blast Hobbs for Walking Away from Budget Talks, Pushing Risky Education Fund Raid
Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen and House Speaker Steve Montenegro are pushing back after Governor Katie Hobbs abruptly walked away from budget negotiations today, distorting the facts while advancing a budget plan that would put Arizona taxpayers and students in jeopardy. The legislative leaders issued the following joint statement:
"Governor Hobbs choseto walk away from budget negotiations despite a path forward being within reach. At the center of this dispute is her proposal to dramatically increase withdrawals from Arizona's Public Land Trust, a voter-protected fund designed to support K-12 education for generations. This is not a solution. It is a long-term raid on a critical resource. According to legislative budget analysts, the Governor's proposal would cut the trust nearly in half over the next 20 years, dropping it from roughly $9.7 billion to $4.7 billion. Her latest plan calls for a 10.9 percent distribution for the next 20 years, far above the previous 6.9 percent over ten years. That approach would bankrupt the trust and rob future education funding from our children just to please unions today.
Her proposal also relies on unrealistic assumptions, including sustained high investment returns with no economic downturn for two decades, while dramatically increasing withdrawals beyond historical levels.
The broader budget follows the same pattern, layering in $1.5 billion in new debt, higher taxes and fees, and questionable revenue projections to cover increased spending. That is not a balanced budget.
The Governor wants to drain a voter-protected education fund, pile on $1.5 billion in new debt, and rely on numbers that simply don't add up. We have shown the Governor's Office a balanced budget with tax conformity. We've put forward a responsible plan that cuts taxes for working families and funds schools without gimmicks. She walked away from the table because her math doesn't work. Arizonans deserve better than headlines and blame-shifting.
Republicans won't turn our backs on Arizonans. In the next several weeks, we will work to build a responsible, balanced budget that cuts taxes for Arizona families, funds our schools, keeps government operating, and protects the long-term stability of our state. It will be honest, sustainable, and will reflect the priorities of the people we represent. If the Governor chooses to veto that, the consequences are real. It means continued uncertainty for families, for schools, and for our economy. It means delaying pay raises, delaying investments, and creating instability that Arizona can't afford.
While the Governor plays political theater, Arizona families are dealing with real consequences. This impacts your cost of living, your paycheck, your kids' classrooms, and whether Arizona remains affordable for the families who live here. A temper tantrum won't balance the budget, and it is not leadership to rely on voters to pass the funding we need after the fact. We're ready to get this done. The question is whether she is."
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Original text here: https://www.azsenaterepublicans.gov/press-releases/arizona-republicans-blast-hobbs-for-walking-away-from-budget-talks
