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Ifo Institute: Self-Employed in Germany Less Pessimistic
MUNICH, Germany, Sept. 10 -- ifo Institute issued the following news release:
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Self-Employed in Germany Less Pessimistic
The business climate for the self-employed and microenterprises in Germany improved for the fourth time in a row in August. The "Jimdo-ifo Business Climate Index for the Self-Employed" rose from minus 22.6 points in July to minus 19.7 points in August. "Most recently, the indicator was supported primarily by less pessimistic expectations. This time, however, the self-employed were also less frequently negative in the assessment of their current business," says ifo expert ... Show Full Article MUNICH, Germany, Sept. 10 -- ifo Institute issued the following news release: * * * Self-Employed in Germany Less Pessimistic The business climate for the self-employed and microenterprises in Germany improved for the fourth time in a row in August. The "Jimdo-ifo Business Climate Index for the Self-Employed" rose from minus 22.6 points in July to minus 19.7 points in August. "Most recently, the indicator was supported primarily by less pessimistic expectations. This time, however, the self-employed were also less frequently negative in the assessment of their current business," says ifo expertKatrin Demmelhuber. "Despite the positive signals, the situation remains challenging."
The self-employed are currently finding it somewhat less difficult to assess their future business development. In August, 32.2 percent of those surveyed said they found that difficult. As the crisis in the Middle East intensified in April, the figure was noticeably higher at 38.8 percent. "When crises escalate, there is increasing uncertainty among the self-employed about their own future," says Demmelhuber. "They rely on stable framework conditions and planning security."
Sentiment among service providers has improved somewhat, with the self-employed and microenterprises far less frequently dissatisfied with their current situation. They also revised their business and sales expectations upward in August. At the sector level, IT service providers and management consultancies are more confident compared to recent months. The situation in the hospitality sector and among creative professionals remains difficult.
The Business Climate Index rose in the retail sector, albeit at a low level. The recent rise was attributable to business doing better. By contrast, skepticism regarding expectations persisted.
* * *
Weitere Informationen
Survey (https://www.ifo.de/en/facts/2026-09-09/self-employed-germany-less-pessimistic)
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Original text here: https://www.ifo.de/en/press-release/2026-09-09/self-employed-germany-less-pessimistic
[Category: ThinkTank]
* * *
Self-Employed in Germany Less Pessimistic
The business climate for the self-employed and microenterprises in Germany improved for the fourth time in a row in August. The "Jimdo-ifo Business Climate Index for the Self-Employed" rose from minus 22.6 points in July to minus 19.7 points in August. "Most recently, the indicator was supported primarily by less pessimistic expectations. This time, however, the self-employed were also less frequently negative in the assessment of their current business," says ifo expert ... Show Full Article MUNICH, Germany, Sept. 10 -- ifo Institute issued the following news release: * * * Self-Employed in Germany Less Pessimistic The business climate for the self-employed and microenterprises in Germany improved for the fourth time in a row in August. The "Jimdo-ifo Business Climate Index for the Self-Employed" rose from minus 22.6 points in July to minus 19.7 points in August. "Most recently, the indicator was supported primarily by less pessimistic expectations. This time, however, the self-employed were also less frequently negative in the assessment of their current business," says ifo expertKatrin Demmelhuber. "Despite the positive signals, the situation remains challenging."
The self-employed are currently finding it somewhat less difficult to assess their future business development. In August, 32.2 percent of those surveyed said they found that difficult. As the crisis in the Middle East intensified in April, the figure was noticeably higher at 38.8 percent. "When crises escalate, there is increasing uncertainty among the self-employed about their own future," says Demmelhuber. "They rely on stable framework conditions and planning security."
Sentiment among service providers has improved somewhat, with the self-employed and microenterprises far less frequently dissatisfied with their current situation. They also revised their business and sales expectations upward in August. At the sector level, IT service providers and management consultancies are more confident compared to recent months. The situation in the hospitality sector and among creative professionals remains difficult.
The Business Climate Index rose in the retail sector, albeit at a low level. The recent rise was attributable to business doing better. By contrast, skepticism regarding expectations persisted.
* * *
Weitere Informationen
Survey (https://www.ifo.de/en/facts/2026-09-09/self-employed-germany-less-pessimistic)
* * *
Original text here: https://www.ifo.de/en/press-release/2026-09-09/self-employed-germany-less-pessimistic
[Category: ThinkTank]
Hudson Institute Issues Commentary to The Federalist: Smithsonian Has No Business Saying America Is Built on 'Stolen Land'
WASHINGTON, Sept. 10 -- Hudson Institute, a research organization that says it promotes leadership for a secure, free and prosperous future, issued the following commentary on Sept. 8, 2026, by John Fonte, director and senior fellow of the Center for American Common Culture, to The Federalist:
* * *
The Smithsonian Has No Business Saying America Is Built on "Stolen Land"
Congressman Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., began the first of two congressional hearings on problems at the Smithsonian Institution by playing video clips of Anthea Hartig, the Director of the Smithsonian's National Museum of American ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Sept. 10 -- Hudson Institute, a research organization that says it promotes leadership for a secure, free and prosperous future, issued the following commentary on Sept. 8, 2026, by John Fonte, director and senior fellow of the Center for American Common Culture, to The Federalist: * * * The Smithsonian Has No Business Saying America Is Built on "Stolen Land" Congressman Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., began the first of two congressional hearings on problems at the Smithsonian Institution by playing video clips of Anthea Hartig, the Director of the Smithsonian's National Museum of AmericanHistory (NMAH) repeating land acknowledgements as she opened various museum events. Director Hartig would thank specific tribes and express gratitude for "the opportunity to work and live in their territories" or give thanks to the "first peoples on whose land we gather today."
Note that Hartig did not say that NMAH events in say, California or Washington DC, occurred on land previously inhabited by American Indians, but on land that is presently on "their territory." Congressman Burchett stated that logically this means that Hartig believes that Americans are "illegally occupying their own country." Considering her viewpoint, Burchett asked Hartig: "I'm wondering have you ever planned on donating any of your personal property or any of the property of the Smithsonian to any of these tribes?" Hartig replied, "I don't believe that is pertinent to the conversation, sir."
Throughout the hearing and during her leadership of the Smithsonian's premier history museum, Director Hartig has emphasized that issues such as land acknowledgments and even the question of "loving America" are "complicated." No doubt the issue of land acknowledgments is "complicated," but not in the manner that the current leadership of the Smithsonian maintains.
Smithsonian leaders including the Secretary, Lonnie Bunch, and American history museum Director Anthea Hartig consistently claim that they are presenting a nuanced, neutral, unbiased narrative of America's story to our citizens and foreign visitors. However, the story the Smithsonian tells of the history between the American republic and the Indian nations of North America is anything but nuanced, neutral, or unbiased. For example, a Smithsonian video ("The Indian Problem") explicitly states that the United States committed genocide against American Indians.
Genocide is legally defined by the UN genocide treaty as the deliberate, intentional, planned extermination of a particular "national, ethnic, racial, or religious group." For genocide to exist there must be an "intent to destroy" the group. In the Smithsonian video, an exhibit curator declares: "We don't make the case that there was genocide. We know that there was."
On July 4, 2026 the White House issued a scathing critique of the Smithsonian ("Saving America's Story") that denounced the museum's leaders for reframing "America's founding as a fundamentally oppressive and genocidal effort to take Native American's land and oppress their culture and peoples." The Smithsonian "allege[s] that the U.S. rests on stolen land."
The "stolen land" narrative is closely tied to the promotion of land acknowledgements. This interpretation has become dominant in America's universities, cultural institutions, and schools. The largest teachers' union, the National Education Association (NEA) developed a guide for land acknowledgments: "Don't sugarcoat the past. Use terms like genocide, ethnic cleansing, stolen land ... to reflect actions taken by colonizers."
The "stolen land/land acknowledgement" symbiosis is not an unbiased, nuanced, good faith historical interpretation, but rather it is a crude weaponized concept. Its purpose is to "problematize" our founding (to use Anthea Hartig's own language) and, in the process, de-legitimize historic America. This is all part of the effort to fundamentally transform our nation.
Let us examine the "stolen land" narrative historically. Who stole land from whom? For instance, the Lakota Sioux claim the Black Hills of South Dakota as their sacred land. They even successfully sued the U.S. government before the Supreme Court in 1980 and were awarded compensation, but they refused any payment, insisting that they wanted the land instead. Justice William Rehnquist in his dissent while criticizing the U.S. government's "less than admirable tactics" in the Black Hills noted "the Indians were not lacking their share of villainy either." Indeed, around 1776 the Lakota Sioux arrived in the Black Hills and took (stole) the land from the Cheyenne and the Crow. Earlier the Cheyenne had driven out (or stolen) this same land from the Kiowa.
Yes, history and the issue of stolen land is complicated. Since we are Americans celebrating our 250th anniversary as an independent republic, I suggest a different type of land acknowledgement is in order. Something like the following:
We acknowledge and are grateful for those Americans who have gone before us. So here is to the Pilgrams and the pioneers; the settlers and the homesteaders; the farmers and the ranchers; the frontiersmen and the cowboys; the teachers and the preachers; the schoolmarms and the clergy and the sheriffs and judges-who brought Judeo-Christian civilization and law and order to the men of the Westward expansion; to the Oneida, Choctaw, and the Pawnee warriors, who in the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, and the post-Civil War West respectively, fought with the United States and against our enemies; to the visionaries of Manifest Destiny and the statesmen and soldiers who made it happen. They all fulfilled Thomas Jefferson's dream expressed in a Christmas Day 1780 letter to George Rogers Clark of an "empire of liberty" across the continent of North America. To all of them, we are grateful.
Read in The Federalist (https://thefederalist.com/2026/09/08/the-smithsonian-has-no-business-saying-america-is-built-on-stolen-land/).
* * *
John Fonte is a senior fellow and director of the Center for American Common Culture at Hudson Institute.
Dr. Fonte is the author of Sovereignty or Submission: Will Americans Rule Themselves or Be Ruled by Others?, winner of the Intercollegiate Studies Institute's Paolucci-Bagehot book award for 2012 and a number-one rated Amazon best-seller in international law. The book was published in Swedish in 2023
* * *
Original text here: https://www.hudson.org/politics-government/smithsonian-has-no-business-saying-america-built-stolen-land
[Category: ThinkTank]
* * *
The Smithsonian Has No Business Saying America Is Built on "Stolen Land"
Congressman Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., began the first of two congressional hearings on problems at the Smithsonian Institution by playing video clips of Anthea Hartig, the Director of the Smithsonian's National Museum of American ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Sept. 10 -- Hudson Institute, a research organization that says it promotes leadership for a secure, free and prosperous future, issued the following commentary on Sept. 8, 2026, by John Fonte, director and senior fellow of the Center for American Common Culture, to The Federalist: * * * The Smithsonian Has No Business Saying America Is Built on "Stolen Land" Congressman Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., began the first of two congressional hearings on problems at the Smithsonian Institution by playing video clips of Anthea Hartig, the Director of the Smithsonian's National Museum of AmericanHistory (NMAH) repeating land acknowledgements as she opened various museum events. Director Hartig would thank specific tribes and express gratitude for "the opportunity to work and live in their territories" or give thanks to the "first peoples on whose land we gather today."
Note that Hartig did not say that NMAH events in say, California or Washington DC, occurred on land previously inhabited by American Indians, but on land that is presently on "their territory." Congressman Burchett stated that logically this means that Hartig believes that Americans are "illegally occupying their own country." Considering her viewpoint, Burchett asked Hartig: "I'm wondering have you ever planned on donating any of your personal property or any of the property of the Smithsonian to any of these tribes?" Hartig replied, "I don't believe that is pertinent to the conversation, sir."
Throughout the hearing and during her leadership of the Smithsonian's premier history museum, Director Hartig has emphasized that issues such as land acknowledgments and even the question of "loving America" are "complicated." No doubt the issue of land acknowledgments is "complicated," but not in the manner that the current leadership of the Smithsonian maintains.
Smithsonian leaders including the Secretary, Lonnie Bunch, and American history museum Director Anthea Hartig consistently claim that they are presenting a nuanced, neutral, unbiased narrative of America's story to our citizens and foreign visitors. However, the story the Smithsonian tells of the history between the American republic and the Indian nations of North America is anything but nuanced, neutral, or unbiased. For example, a Smithsonian video ("The Indian Problem") explicitly states that the United States committed genocide against American Indians.
Genocide is legally defined by the UN genocide treaty as the deliberate, intentional, planned extermination of a particular "national, ethnic, racial, or religious group." For genocide to exist there must be an "intent to destroy" the group. In the Smithsonian video, an exhibit curator declares: "We don't make the case that there was genocide. We know that there was."
On July 4, 2026 the White House issued a scathing critique of the Smithsonian ("Saving America's Story") that denounced the museum's leaders for reframing "America's founding as a fundamentally oppressive and genocidal effort to take Native American's land and oppress their culture and peoples." The Smithsonian "allege[s] that the U.S. rests on stolen land."
The "stolen land" narrative is closely tied to the promotion of land acknowledgements. This interpretation has become dominant in America's universities, cultural institutions, and schools. The largest teachers' union, the National Education Association (NEA) developed a guide for land acknowledgments: "Don't sugarcoat the past. Use terms like genocide, ethnic cleansing, stolen land ... to reflect actions taken by colonizers."
The "stolen land/land acknowledgement" symbiosis is not an unbiased, nuanced, good faith historical interpretation, but rather it is a crude weaponized concept. Its purpose is to "problematize" our founding (to use Anthea Hartig's own language) and, in the process, de-legitimize historic America. This is all part of the effort to fundamentally transform our nation.
Let us examine the "stolen land" narrative historically. Who stole land from whom? For instance, the Lakota Sioux claim the Black Hills of South Dakota as their sacred land. They even successfully sued the U.S. government before the Supreme Court in 1980 and were awarded compensation, but they refused any payment, insisting that they wanted the land instead. Justice William Rehnquist in his dissent while criticizing the U.S. government's "less than admirable tactics" in the Black Hills noted "the Indians were not lacking their share of villainy either." Indeed, around 1776 the Lakota Sioux arrived in the Black Hills and took (stole) the land from the Cheyenne and the Crow. Earlier the Cheyenne had driven out (or stolen) this same land from the Kiowa.
Yes, history and the issue of stolen land is complicated. Since we are Americans celebrating our 250th anniversary as an independent republic, I suggest a different type of land acknowledgement is in order. Something like the following:
We acknowledge and are grateful for those Americans who have gone before us. So here is to the Pilgrams and the pioneers; the settlers and the homesteaders; the farmers and the ranchers; the frontiersmen and the cowboys; the teachers and the preachers; the schoolmarms and the clergy and the sheriffs and judges-who brought Judeo-Christian civilization and law and order to the men of the Westward expansion; to the Oneida, Choctaw, and the Pawnee warriors, who in the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, and the post-Civil War West respectively, fought with the United States and against our enemies; to the visionaries of Manifest Destiny and the statesmen and soldiers who made it happen. They all fulfilled Thomas Jefferson's dream expressed in a Christmas Day 1780 letter to George Rogers Clark of an "empire of liberty" across the continent of North America. To all of them, we are grateful.
Read in The Federalist (https://thefederalist.com/2026/09/08/the-smithsonian-has-no-business-saying-america-is-built-on-stolen-land/).
* * *
John Fonte is a senior fellow and director of the Center for American Common Culture at Hudson Institute.
Dr. Fonte is the author of Sovereignty or Submission: Will Americans Rule Themselves or Be Ruled by Others?, winner of the Intercollegiate Studies Institute's Paolucci-Bagehot book award for 2012 and a number-one rated Amazon best-seller in international law. The book was published in Swedish in 2023
* * *
Original text here: https://www.hudson.org/politics-government/smithsonian-has-no-business-saying-america-built-stolen-land
[Category: ThinkTank]
Center of the American Experiment Issues Commentary: Pre-emptive Strike Leads to 'safest Fair in Three Years'
MINNETONKA, Minnesota, Sept. 10 -- The Center of the American Experiment, a civic and educational organization that says it creates and advocates policies, issued the following commentary on Sept. 9, 2026:
* * *
Pre-emptive strike leads to 'safest fair in three years'
Written by David Zimmer
The preparation
Leading up to the 2026 Minnesota State Fair, public safety authorities took a unique, proactive stance to blunt potential gang violence that had marred portions of the fair in previous years. I wrote about this promising policy approach here.
Working together, the Ramsey County Sheriff's ... Show Full Article MINNETONKA, Minnesota, Sept. 10 -- The Center of the American Experiment, a civic and educational organization that says it creates and advocates policies, issued the following commentary on Sept. 9, 2026: * * * Pre-emptive strike leads to 'safest fair in three years' Written by David Zimmer The preparation Leading up to the 2026 Minnesota State Fair, public safety authorities took a unique, proactive stance to blunt potential gang violence that had marred portions of the fair in previous years. I wrote about this promising policy approach here. Working together, the Ramsey County Sheriff'sOffice, the Minnesota State Fair Police Department, the Ramsey County Attorney's Office, and the Minnesota Attorney General's Office used the "Minnesota civil gang nuisance law" to proactively put members of two gangs on notice that there would be a zero-tolerance stance for any gang presence or activity at this year's fair.
The effort included a civil suit that formally named 10 gang members from two Somali gangs which had been threatening conflict at the fair on social media sites. In addition, the Ramsey County Sheriff's Office sent out 233 letters to known gang members and associates, putting them on notice of the zero-tolerance stance.
Coupled with those efforts was an increased physical law enforcement presence, especially in and around the Midway, and the addition of a non-profit youth mentorship group that focused attention on youth attending the fair.
Success
By all accounts, the combined effort was a success, leading Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher to characterize the 2026 fair as the "safest fair in three years."
"There was very little conflict. We did have a handful of arrests, but most of the gang members did not show up."
- Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher
The chief of the Minnesota State Fair Police Department concurred.
"Our No. 1 priority is to create a safe and secure environment for everyone who attends the Minnesota State Fair, and we did just that this year. I am grateful for partnerships with more than 20 local, state and federal agencies whose expertise and support provided us with a multitude of resources that strengthened every aspect of our public safety operation."
- State Fair Police Chief Ron Knafla
Ramsey County Attorney John Choi added his perspective.
"I do think this kind of proactive, focused deterrence effort -- which I would characterize the injunctions as -- are a tool in the toolbox that people should be thinking about, not only for the State Fair, but for other community events that are critically important to the community."
- Ramsey County Attorney John Choi
There were some social media reports that indicated "mobs" of Somali youth attempting to rush the state fair gates or jump the fences in the evening of the last day of the fair, though there has been little official confirmation of any significant disturbance. Video shared on Crime Watch Twin Cities showed a few people running along a fence line and quotes from fairgoers confirming the rush at 6:00 p.m. on the final day of the fair when the gates closed early.
The takeaway
Solid planning and execution of proactive measures led to a relatively safe and secure Minnesota State Fair in 2026.
As I mentioned in my introductory article on the effort,
"We are fortunate to have imaginative and engaged law enforcement officers who pride themselves on keeping one step ahead of offenders. It's a must."
Thankfully for the "Great Minnesota Get Together," those comments aged well.
* * *
David Zimmer is a Public Safety Policy Fellow at Center of the American Experiment.
David.Zimmer@americanexperiment.org
* * *
Original text here: https://www.americanexperiment.org/pre-emptive-strike-leads-to-safest-fair-in-three-years/
[Category: ThinkTank]
* * *
Pre-emptive strike leads to 'safest fair in three years'
Written by David Zimmer
The preparation
Leading up to the 2026 Minnesota State Fair, public safety authorities took a unique, proactive stance to blunt potential gang violence that had marred portions of the fair in previous years. I wrote about this promising policy approach here.
Working together, the Ramsey County Sheriff's ... Show Full Article MINNETONKA, Minnesota, Sept. 10 -- The Center of the American Experiment, a civic and educational organization that says it creates and advocates policies, issued the following commentary on Sept. 9, 2026: * * * Pre-emptive strike leads to 'safest fair in three years' Written by David Zimmer The preparation Leading up to the 2026 Minnesota State Fair, public safety authorities took a unique, proactive stance to blunt potential gang violence that had marred portions of the fair in previous years. I wrote about this promising policy approach here. Working together, the Ramsey County Sheriff'sOffice, the Minnesota State Fair Police Department, the Ramsey County Attorney's Office, and the Minnesota Attorney General's Office used the "Minnesota civil gang nuisance law" to proactively put members of two gangs on notice that there would be a zero-tolerance stance for any gang presence or activity at this year's fair.
The effort included a civil suit that formally named 10 gang members from two Somali gangs which had been threatening conflict at the fair on social media sites. In addition, the Ramsey County Sheriff's Office sent out 233 letters to known gang members and associates, putting them on notice of the zero-tolerance stance.
Coupled with those efforts was an increased physical law enforcement presence, especially in and around the Midway, and the addition of a non-profit youth mentorship group that focused attention on youth attending the fair.
Success
By all accounts, the combined effort was a success, leading Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher to characterize the 2026 fair as the "safest fair in three years."
"There was very little conflict. We did have a handful of arrests, but most of the gang members did not show up."
- Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher
The chief of the Minnesota State Fair Police Department concurred.
"Our No. 1 priority is to create a safe and secure environment for everyone who attends the Minnesota State Fair, and we did just that this year. I am grateful for partnerships with more than 20 local, state and federal agencies whose expertise and support provided us with a multitude of resources that strengthened every aspect of our public safety operation."
- State Fair Police Chief Ron Knafla
Ramsey County Attorney John Choi added his perspective.
"I do think this kind of proactive, focused deterrence effort -- which I would characterize the injunctions as -- are a tool in the toolbox that people should be thinking about, not only for the State Fair, but for other community events that are critically important to the community."
- Ramsey County Attorney John Choi
There were some social media reports that indicated "mobs" of Somali youth attempting to rush the state fair gates or jump the fences in the evening of the last day of the fair, though there has been little official confirmation of any significant disturbance. Video shared on Crime Watch Twin Cities showed a few people running along a fence line and quotes from fairgoers confirming the rush at 6:00 p.m. on the final day of the fair when the gates closed early.
The takeaway
Solid planning and execution of proactive measures led to a relatively safe and secure Minnesota State Fair in 2026.
As I mentioned in my introductory article on the effort,
"We are fortunate to have imaginative and engaged law enforcement officers who pride themselves on keeping one step ahead of offenders. It's a must."
Thankfully for the "Great Minnesota Get Together," those comments aged well.
* * *
David Zimmer is a Public Safety Policy Fellow at Center of the American Experiment.
David.Zimmer@americanexperiment.org
* * *
Original text here: https://www.americanexperiment.org/pre-emptive-strike-leads-to-safest-fair-in-three-years/
[Category: ThinkTank]
Center of the American Experiment Issues Commentary: Minneapolis High-rise Shooting and the Shortcomings of 'gun Control'
MINNETONKA, Minnesota, Sept. 10 -- The Center of the American Experiment, a civic and educational organization that says it creates and advocates policies, issued the following commentary on Sept. 8, 2026:
* * *
Minneapolis high-rise shooting and the shortcomings of 'gun control'
Written by David Zimmer
Last week, Carlton Johnson II, 35, shot seven people at a high-rise apartment complex where he lived in downtown Minneapolis. Johnson's history of violent threats has left many wondering how our laws didn't prevent Johnson from obtaining a gun. The answer, of course, is that laws don't prevent ... Show Full Article MINNETONKA, Minnesota, Sept. 10 -- The Center of the American Experiment, a civic and educational organization that says it creates and advocates policies, issued the following commentary on Sept. 8, 2026: * * * Minneapolis high-rise shooting and the shortcomings of 'gun control' Written by David Zimmer Last week, Carlton Johnson II, 35, shot seven people at a high-rise apartment complex where he lived in downtown Minneapolis. Johnson's history of violent threats has left many wondering how our laws didn't prevent Johnson from obtaining a gun. The answer, of course, is that laws don't preventviolence; actions do.
The shooting
The incident began when Johnson shot and injured his former partner during a child custody exchange, and ended minutes later after Johnson shot six others, including two responding police officers. Two civilian victims died of their injuries, and Johnson died on the ninth floor of the complex after an exchange of gunfire with police.
In the aftermath of the shootings, a great deal of information about Johnson's threatening behavior has emerged, leading many to question how he had been allowed to remain free and to carry a firearm. The information highlights the shortcomings of gun control policy - policy that often only impacts responsible, legal gun owners, while failing to deter offenders and those intent on using firearms criminally.
Johnson's history of threats
A variety of reporting has uncovered that Johnson had been charged with two domestic-related incidents, one in 2011 for violating a domestic no-contact order and one in 2019 for fear of bodily harm. The 2011 charge resulted in a misdemeanor conviction, while the 2019 domestic charge was dismissed, and Johnson was convicted of damage to property. Neither of these convictions alone prohibited Johnson from legally possessing firearms in 2026.
In March 2023, the court issued a restraining order against Johnson preventing him from having contact with the mother of one of Johnson's children. The woman had petitioned for the order after Johnson had sent her 120 threatening texts, including threats to kill her. No criminal charges were ever filed, and the restraining order reportedly expired in early 2026.
In March 2026, Johnson allegedly assaulted a resident of the apartment complex where Johnson lived. It's unclear if the Minneapolis police were called or if charges were ever considered. The complex management initially sought to terminate Johnson's lease but ended up entering into a second-chance agreement with Johnson.
In April 2026, Johnson applied for and received a permit to carry firearms from the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office (HCSO). The HCSO has defended its decision to issue the permit, despite Johnson's history of threatening behavior, saying that the law precluded denying Johnson the permit.
"A sheriff's discretion cannot be used as an end around established legal criteria for issuing permits."
- Hennepin County Sheriff's Spokesperson to KARE 11
Then, in June 2026, Johnson, while armed with a handgun which he wore in a holster, reportedly threatened to shoot a variety of people living in his apartment complex over several days. During at least one of these incidents, Johnson showed his holstered firearm to the apartment complex security guard. Minneapolis police were called, but it does not appear that Johnson was arrested.
Reports were submitted to the Hennepin County Attorney's Office in August, but according to a statement from the HCAO, the office determined there was insufficient evidence to support charges or an Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) commonly referred to as a Red Flag order - a civil process that could have resulted in Johnson being ordered to relinquish all firearms to law enforcement.
[View image in the link at bottom.]
It is unclear if any of this information was subsequently provided to the Hennepin County Sheriff for consideration in a revocation of Johnson's permit to carry firearms.
Following the June threats, the apartment management promptly petitioned the court to begin civil eviction proceedings against Johnson. A trial had been scheduled for September 11.
Minnesota's Personal Protection Act
In 2003, the Minnesota Legislature passed the Minnesota Citizen's Personal Protection Act, transforming Minnesota from a "may issue" to a "shall issue" state relevant to permits to carry firearms.
The law tasks county sheriffs with accepting applications, conducting background investigations and determining whether or not applicants qualify for permits to carry. By and large, unless an applicant is legally barred from possessing a firearm through a prior criminal conviction or mental illness commitment, the law mandates that the sheriff "shall issue" the permit. The exception to this rule is laid out in statute 624.714, sub. 6 (3), which allows a sheriff the discretion to deny a permit when,
"...there exists a substantial likelihood that the applicant is a danger to self or the public if authorized to carry a pistol under a permit."
The decision to stand on this provision in denying an applicant a permit is subjective and varies widely among counties - each represented by a different sheriff and county attorney who would have to defend the decision in court if challenged. By law, the sheriff is responsible for all court costs if the court determines the decision to deny the permit was not supported by the facts (another subjective decision).
During my time at the Hennepin County Attorney's Office, I had a significant amount of experience working through the decision-making process in these cases. I know firsthand that the threshold for denying an application based on the "danger to self or others" argument changed over time. Initially, given the firm "shall issue" intent being voiced by the Legislature, we took a very cautious approach and rarely denied an application unless the applicant's criminal history or mental health commitment record made them outright prohibited from possessing firearms. Over time, we became more aggressive in denying permits based on a totality of the circumstances approach -- concluding it would be better to be sued by an applicant with a history of threatening behavior and lose, than to issue a permit and have that applicant carry out violence with a firearm we authorized them to carry.
It's by no means a perfect system, and it puts a great deal of onus on sheriffs and county attorneys, but it's the system we have and those in positions of authority are paid to make tough decisions.
From my experience, Johnson should have been denied a permit based on the danger to self and others clause of the personal protection act. Even if the permit was originally issued, it's reasonable for the public to expect the "system" to have promptly shared the information of threatening behavior by Johnson in June, and to expect that the Hennepin County Sheriff and the Hennepin County Attorney would have initiated the permit revocation process as spelled out in the law. The statements from the sheriff's office and the county attorney come across as defensive and fail to justify the initial issuance or the failure to initiate revocation of Johnson's permit.
In a rare rebuke of another sheriff, Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher publicly commented on the issuance of Johnson's permit to carry, and opined that Hennepin County should have denied Johnson's application. He's right.
Extreme Risk Protection Orders
In 2023, the DFL-led Minnesota Legislature introduced a number of gun control measures, passing legislation authorizing extreme risk protection orders (ERPO's) and universal background checks designed to keep guns out of the hands of those with a documented history of threatening behavior.
DFL leaders hailed the new legislation as measures that would keep Minnesota safe from gun violence. Opponents of the legislation suggested that the laws would impact legal and responsible gun ownership but have little impact on criminals' intent on violence. Cases like Johnson's support the opponents' position.
The takeaway
Laws don't protect the public; actions do. We can pass laws until we are blue in the face, but when public safety authorities and the courts fail to act, those laws only end up impacting the law-abiding among us.
We need to take the cuffs off law enforcement, demand more of our prosecutors and judges, and support harsher sentences for criminal offenders. This would represent a shift towards action -- action that would improve public safety far more than the newest round of "words on paper."
There were plenty of opportunities to derail Johnson or at least put him on defense. It's wholly appropriate for the public to be fed up with the lack of action on the part of too many public safety actors - folks who need to ratchet up action against criminal offenders, not point to written laws as our savior.
Our public safety leaders might be surprised how much support they'd have if they started ratcheting things up, stopped caving to the activist voices, and got back to removing violent people from society -- with swiftness and certainty.
People are tired of crime and violence - they want action.
* * *
David Zimmer is a Public Safety Policy Fellow at Center of the American Experiment.
David.Zimmer@americanexperiment.org
* * *
Original text here: https://www.americanexperiment.org/minneapolis-high-rise-shooting-and-the-shortcomings-of-gun-control/
[Category: ThinkTank]
* * *
Minneapolis high-rise shooting and the shortcomings of 'gun control'
Written by David Zimmer
Last week, Carlton Johnson II, 35, shot seven people at a high-rise apartment complex where he lived in downtown Minneapolis. Johnson's history of violent threats has left many wondering how our laws didn't prevent Johnson from obtaining a gun. The answer, of course, is that laws don't prevent ... Show Full Article MINNETONKA, Minnesota, Sept. 10 -- The Center of the American Experiment, a civic and educational organization that says it creates and advocates policies, issued the following commentary on Sept. 8, 2026: * * * Minneapolis high-rise shooting and the shortcomings of 'gun control' Written by David Zimmer Last week, Carlton Johnson II, 35, shot seven people at a high-rise apartment complex where he lived in downtown Minneapolis. Johnson's history of violent threats has left many wondering how our laws didn't prevent Johnson from obtaining a gun. The answer, of course, is that laws don't preventviolence; actions do.
The shooting
The incident began when Johnson shot and injured his former partner during a child custody exchange, and ended minutes later after Johnson shot six others, including two responding police officers. Two civilian victims died of their injuries, and Johnson died on the ninth floor of the complex after an exchange of gunfire with police.
In the aftermath of the shootings, a great deal of information about Johnson's threatening behavior has emerged, leading many to question how he had been allowed to remain free and to carry a firearm. The information highlights the shortcomings of gun control policy - policy that often only impacts responsible, legal gun owners, while failing to deter offenders and those intent on using firearms criminally.
Johnson's history of threats
A variety of reporting has uncovered that Johnson had been charged with two domestic-related incidents, one in 2011 for violating a domestic no-contact order and one in 2019 for fear of bodily harm. The 2011 charge resulted in a misdemeanor conviction, while the 2019 domestic charge was dismissed, and Johnson was convicted of damage to property. Neither of these convictions alone prohibited Johnson from legally possessing firearms in 2026.
In March 2023, the court issued a restraining order against Johnson preventing him from having contact with the mother of one of Johnson's children. The woman had petitioned for the order after Johnson had sent her 120 threatening texts, including threats to kill her. No criminal charges were ever filed, and the restraining order reportedly expired in early 2026.
In March 2026, Johnson allegedly assaulted a resident of the apartment complex where Johnson lived. It's unclear if the Minneapolis police were called or if charges were ever considered. The complex management initially sought to terminate Johnson's lease but ended up entering into a second-chance agreement with Johnson.
In April 2026, Johnson applied for and received a permit to carry firearms from the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office (HCSO). The HCSO has defended its decision to issue the permit, despite Johnson's history of threatening behavior, saying that the law precluded denying Johnson the permit.
"A sheriff's discretion cannot be used as an end around established legal criteria for issuing permits."
- Hennepin County Sheriff's Spokesperson to KARE 11
Then, in June 2026, Johnson, while armed with a handgun which he wore in a holster, reportedly threatened to shoot a variety of people living in his apartment complex over several days. During at least one of these incidents, Johnson showed his holstered firearm to the apartment complex security guard. Minneapolis police were called, but it does not appear that Johnson was arrested.
Reports were submitted to the Hennepin County Attorney's Office in August, but according to a statement from the HCAO, the office determined there was insufficient evidence to support charges or an Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) commonly referred to as a Red Flag order - a civil process that could have resulted in Johnson being ordered to relinquish all firearms to law enforcement.
[View image in the link at bottom.]
It is unclear if any of this information was subsequently provided to the Hennepin County Sheriff for consideration in a revocation of Johnson's permit to carry firearms.
Following the June threats, the apartment management promptly petitioned the court to begin civil eviction proceedings against Johnson. A trial had been scheduled for September 11.
Minnesota's Personal Protection Act
In 2003, the Minnesota Legislature passed the Minnesota Citizen's Personal Protection Act, transforming Minnesota from a "may issue" to a "shall issue" state relevant to permits to carry firearms.
The law tasks county sheriffs with accepting applications, conducting background investigations and determining whether or not applicants qualify for permits to carry. By and large, unless an applicant is legally barred from possessing a firearm through a prior criminal conviction or mental illness commitment, the law mandates that the sheriff "shall issue" the permit. The exception to this rule is laid out in statute 624.714, sub. 6 (3), which allows a sheriff the discretion to deny a permit when,
"...there exists a substantial likelihood that the applicant is a danger to self or the public if authorized to carry a pistol under a permit."
The decision to stand on this provision in denying an applicant a permit is subjective and varies widely among counties - each represented by a different sheriff and county attorney who would have to defend the decision in court if challenged. By law, the sheriff is responsible for all court costs if the court determines the decision to deny the permit was not supported by the facts (another subjective decision).
During my time at the Hennepin County Attorney's Office, I had a significant amount of experience working through the decision-making process in these cases. I know firsthand that the threshold for denying an application based on the "danger to self or others" argument changed over time. Initially, given the firm "shall issue" intent being voiced by the Legislature, we took a very cautious approach and rarely denied an application unless the applicant's criminal history or mental health commitment record made them outright prohibited from possessing firearms. Over time, we became more aggressive in denying permits based on a totality of the circumstances approach -- concluding it would be better to be sued by an applicant with a history of threatening behavior and lose, than to issue a permit and have that applicant carry out violence with a firearm we authorized them to carry.
It's by no means a perfect system, and it puts a great deal of onus on sheriffs and county attorneys, but it's the system we have and those in positions of authority are paid to make tough decisions.
From my experience, Johnson should have been denied a permit based on the danger to self and others clause of the personal protection act. Even if the permit was originally issued, it's reasonable for the public to expect the "system" to have promptly shared the information of threatening behavior by Johnson in June, and to expect that the Hennepin County Sheriff and the Hennepin County Attorney would have initiated the permit revocation process as spelled out in the law. The statements from the sheriff's office and the county attorney come across as defensive and fail to justify the initial issuance or the failure to initiate revocation of Johnson's permit.
In a rare rebuke of another sheriff, Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher publicly commented on the issuance of Johnson's permit to carry, and opined that Hennepin County should have denied Johnson's application. He's right.
Extreme Risk Protection Orders
In 2023, the DFL-led Minnesota Legislature introduced a number of gun control measures, passing legislation authorizing extreme risk protection orders (ERPO's) and universal background checks designed to keep guns out of the hands of those with a documented history of threatening behavior.
DFL leaders hailed the new legislation as measures that would keep Minnesota safe from gun violence. Opponents of the legislation suggested that the laws would impact legal and responsible gun ownership but have little impact on criminals' intent on violence. Cases like Johnson's support the opponents' position.
The takeaway
Laws don't protect the public; actions do. We can pass laws until we are blue in the face, but when public safety authorities and the courts fail to act, those laws only end up impacting the law-abiding among us.
We need to take the cuffs off law enforcement, demand more of our prosecutors and judges, and support harsher sentences for criminal offenders. This would represent a shift towards action -- action that would improve public safety far more than the newest round of "words on paper."
There were plenty of opportunities to derail Johnson or at least put him on defense. It's wholly appropriate for the public to be fed up with the lack of action on the part of too many public safety actors - folks who need to ratchet up action against criminal offenders, not point to written laws as our savior.
Our public safety leaders might be surprised how much support they'd have if they started ratcheting things up, stopped caving to the activist voices, and got back to removing violent people from society -- with swiftness and certainty.
People are tired of crime and violence - they want action.
* * *
David Zimmer is a Public Safety Policy Fellow at Center of the American Experiment.
David.Zimmer@americanexperiment.org
* * *
Original text here: https://www.americanexperiment.org/minneapolis-high-rise-shooting-and-the-shortcomings-of-gun-control/
[Category: ThinkTank]
CSIS Issues States Weekly News Wrap Up on Sept. 9, 2026
WASHINGTON, Sept. 10 -- The Center for Strategic and International Studies issued the following States Weekly - September 9, 2026, news wrap up:
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Big News: Uttar Pradesh issues a draft Uttar Pradesh Data Center Policy 2026; Assam approves an amendment to the Industrial and Investment Policy of Assam, 2019; Manipur approves the draft Manipur Unified Trade, Shops and Establishment Licensing Bill, 2026; Haryana passes the Haryana Right to Business Bill, 2026; Maharashtra launches a Maharashtra Land Bank Digital System; Nagaland passes the Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority (FNTA) Bill ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Sept. 10 -- The Center for Strategic and International Studies issued the following States Weekly - September 9, 2026, news wrap up: * * * Big News: Uttar Pradesh issues a draft Uttar Pradesh Data Center Policy 2026; Assam approves an amendment to the Industrial and Investment Policy of Assam, 2019; Manipur approves the draft Manipur Unified Trade, Shops and Establishment Licensing Bill, 2026; Haryana passes the Haryana Right to Business Bill, 2026; Maharashtra launches a Maharashtra Land Bank Digital System; Nagaland passes the Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority (FNTA) Bill2026; and more.
Health
Maharashtra announces a drug eradication campaign. The state aims to eradicate drug abuse by 2029 through extensive public awareness.
Source: Economic Times (https://health.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/policy/maharashtra-government-approves-policy-to-eradicate-drugs-by-2029-awareness-strict-action-planned/133708024)
Climate Change and Energy
Delhi revises its solar policy. Under the policy, households with monthly electricity consumption of 400 units or above will be eligible for free installation of 3 KW rooftop solar panels.
Source: Economic Times (https://energy.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/renewable/delhi-cabinet-approves-revised-solar-policy-targets-free-3-kw-panels-for-2-30-lakh-consumers/133696108)
Telangana fixes the Average Pooled Power Purchase Cost (APPC) for DISCOMs (Distribution Companies) at $0.056 (INR 5.330) per kWh for the Financial Year 2025-26. The order was issued by the Telangana Electricity Regulatory Commission (TGERC).
Source: Solar Quarter (https://solarquarter.com/2026/09/03/tgerc-fixes-telangana-appc-at-inr-5-330-kwh-for-2025-26/)
In detail: TGERC order (https://www.tgerc.telangana.gov.in/file_upload/uploads/Orders/Commission%20Orders/2026/Final%20Pooled%20Power%20Order.pdf)
Goa launches the Goa 'Ujjwala Yojana' (Luminous Scheme), 2026. Under the scheme, eligible households will receive annual financial assistance of $31.76 (INR 3,000) towards cooking-fuel expenses for the Financial Year 2026-27. The assistance, equivalent to the cost of three domestic LPG refills, will be paid as a one-time lump sum directly into the beneficiary's Aadhaar-linked bank account through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).
Source: The Goan (https://www.thegoan.net/goa-news/cm-launches-goa-ujjwala-yojana-announces-rs-3000-annual-lpg-assistance/153759.html)
Finance
Nothing critical to report this week.
Industrial Policy and Business Regulations
Gujarat approves the Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) Amnesty Scheme. The scheme aims to resolve pending stamp-duty issues linked to past transfers of industrial plots, which were approved via allotment letters or supplementary agreements instead of registered deeds.
Source: Times of India (https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/gujarat-amnesty-plan-msmes-to-get-up-to-80-stamp-duty-relief-on-past-gidc-plot-transfers/articleshow/133690190.cms)
In detail: Government Order (https://revenuedepartment.gujarat.gov.in/downloads/noti_01092026.pdf)
Uttar Pradesh issues a draft Uttar Pradesh Data Center Policy 2026. The policy offers exemptions on transmission and wheeling charges for Data Centers that meet specific renewable energy consumption targets.
Source: MVA pulse (https://www.mvapulse.com/uttar-pradesh-unveils-renewable-energy-incentives-for-data-centers/)
In detail: Draft Uttar Pradesh Data Center Policy 2026 (https://invest.up.gov.in/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/UPDCP-2026-Notification-English.pdf)
Goa passes the Goa Registration of Tourist Trade (Amendment) Bill, 2026. The bill makes it mandatory for shacks operating on private land within the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) to register with Goa's Tourism Department.
Source: Economic Times (https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/india/goa-tightens-rules-private-shacks-in-crz-now-need-to-register-with-tourism-department/articleshow/133724389.cms)
In detail: Goa Registration of Tourist Trade (Amendment) Bill, 2026 (https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:VA6C2:c997a595-8f25-4334-ae19-f0a472504dae)
Assam approves an amendment to the Industrial and Investment Policy of Assam, 2019. The revision includes Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facilities (RVSFs) as an eligible "industries activity" for fiscal incentives as provided under the Vehicle Scrappage Policy of Assam, 2022.
Source: Guwahati Plus (https://www.guwahatiplus.com/assam/assam-cabinet-approves-land-in-nagaon-kamrup-for-industrial-estates-approves-new-business-reforms)
Manipur approves the draft Manipur Unified Trade, Shops and Establishment Licensing Bill, 2026. The Bill proposes a single unified licensing system for trade, shops and establishments across the state. It aims to eliminate overlapping licenses, reduce regulatory burdens, and simplify procedures for businesses.
Source: North East Today (https://northeasttoday.in/northeast/manipur-cabinet-approves-unified-trade-licensing-bill/)
Goa passes the Goa Ease of Doing Business (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill, 2026. The bill amends five state laws relating to court fees, industrial development, time-bound delivery of public services, shops and establishments, and town and country planning.
Source: DD News (https://ddindia.co.in/2026/09/ease-of-doing-business-goa-assembly-passes-bill-revising-stamp-vendor-rules-womens-work-timings/)
In detail: Goa Ease of Doing Business (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill, 2026 (https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:VA6C2:6c1384c9-1194-4b91-b898-b6fc0f33263d)
Assam passes the Assam Trade Articles (Licensing and Control) (Amendment) Order, 2026. The order abolishes the requirement for a Retail Selling License for petroleum products.
Source: Guwahati Plus (https://www.guwahatiplus.com/assam/assam-cabinet-approves-land-in-nagaon-kamrup-for-industrial-estates-approves-new-business-reforms)
Haryana passes the Haryana Right to Business Bill, 2026. The bill introduces a "Right to Business" framework allowing eligible enterprises to commence operations through time-bound in-principal approvals and a 36-month moratorium on inspections, reducing procedural barriers and promoting ease of doing business.
Source: Tribune (https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/haryana/11-key-bills-cleared-as-haryana-vidhan-sabha-concludes-monsoon-session/)
In detail: Haryana Right to Business Bill, 2026 (https://www.egazetteharyana.gov.in/Gazette/Extra-Ordinary/2026/133-2026-Ext/32945.pdf)
Land Acquisition and Labor Regulations
Andhra Pradesh introduces a Generic Pharmacy Scheme. The scheme, aimed at youth from the Backward Classes (BC) community, aims to create employment opportunities by encouraging eligible pharmacy graduates to open generic pharmaceutical shops. The state will provide $4,808 (INR 4 lakh) as a subsidy.
Source: Times of India (https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/education/news/andhra-pradesh-launches-generic-pharmacy-scheme-for-bc-youth-offers-4-lakh-subsidy-for-self-employment/articleshow/133735388.cms)
Andhra Pradesh reclassifies 22.31 acres of land in Nellore Urban District. The land is reclassified from "Canal Poramboke" (land reserved along canals for maintenance, irrigation access, and water flow) to "Assessed Waste-Dry" (unproductive waste land). The land will be distributed to poor beneficiaries in the area for housing.
Source: The Hindu (https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Vijayawada/andhra-pradesh-cabinet-clears-reclassification-of-2231-acres-in-nellore-for-house-sites/article71426538.ece)
Maharashtra launches a Maharashtra Land Bank Digital System. The system aims to bring all government-owned land onto a single platform to better manage allotment and speedier approvals for infrastructure development.
Source: Swarajya (https://swarajyamag.com/news-brief/maharashtra-launches-integrated-digital-land-bank-to-speed-infrastructure-development-and-identify-land-for-afforestation)
Uttar Pradesh launches the Uttar Pradesh Corporation for Outsource Services (UPCOS). UPCOS aims to streamline recruitment, guarantee fixed salaries, and safeguard the statutory rights of contractual workers.
Source: Hindu Business line (https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/uttar-pradesh-launches-upcos-to-safeguard-rights-and-salaries-of-outsourced-workers/article71419809.ece)
In detail: Government Order (in Hindi); UPCOS (Portal)
Ladakh approves the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils (Nautor Regularization) Rules, 2026. Nautor Lands are government-granted lands historically assigned to village service providers in lieu of payment for their hereditary duties. The new rules provide for proprietary rights over up to 10 acres. Holdings beyond 10 acres may be allocated on a leasehold basis.
Source: ETV; Press Release (https://ladakh.gov.in/l-g-vk-saxena-approves-new-lahdc-nautor-regularisation-rules-2026-paving-way-for-proprietary-rights-of-nautor-land-authority-for-allotting-nautor-land-now-vested-in-lahdcs/)
Haryana passes the Haryana Village Common Lands (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026. The bill delegates the power to approve the sale of 'Shamlat' (village common) land to Deputy Commissioners, decentralizing the process to expedite pending applications from residents who constructed homes on such land before March 31, 2004.
Source: Tribune (https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/haryana/11-key-bills-cleared-as-haryana-vidhan-sabha-concludes-monsoon-session/)
In detail: Haryana Village Common Lands (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 (https://www.egazetteharyana.gov.in/Gazette/Extra-Ordinary/2026/130-2026-Ext/32923.pdf)
Infrastructure and Governance
Haryana passes the Haryana State Commission for Minorities Bill, 2026. The bill establishes a statutory Commission for Minorities to evaluate the progress of minority development, monitor constitutional safeguards, inquire into complaints, and recommend measures for their effective implementation.
Source: Tribune (https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/haryana/11-key-bills-cleared-as-haryana-vidhan-sabha-concludes-monsoon-session/)
In detail: Haryana State Commission for Minorities Bill, 2026 (https://www.egazetteharyana.gov.in/Gazette/Extra-Ordinary/2026/130-2026-Ext/32877.pdf)
Haryana passes the Haryana Private Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2026. The bill expands the private university ecosystem in Haryana to meet National Education Policy 2020 targets and establishes two new universities: Kusum International University in Rewari and Masters Union University in Gurugram.
Source: Tribune (https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/haryana/11-key-bills-cleared-as-haryana-vidhan-sabha-concludes-monsoon-session/)
In detail: Haryana Private Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2026 (https://www.egazetteharyana.gov.in/Gazette/Extra-Ordinary/2026/130-2026-Ext/32925.pdf)
Haryana passes the Haryana State Commission for Women (Amendment) Bill, 2026. The bill increases the number of non-official members of the State Commission for Women from five to seven, to address a significant rise in complaints and strengthen the Commission's capacity.
Source: Tribune
In detail: Haryana State Commission for Women (Amendment) Bill, 2026
Haryana passes the Haryana Panchayati Raj (Amendment) Bill, 2026. The bill reduces the quorum requirements for 'Gram Sabha' (Local Council) meetings, from 40 percent to 20 percent for main meetings.
Source: Tribune (https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/haryana/11-key-bills-cleared-as-haryana-vidhan-sabha-concludes-monsoon-session/)
In detail: Haryana Panchayati Raj (Amendment) Bill, 2026 (https://www.egazetteharyana.gov.in/Gazette/Extra-Ordinary/2026/130-2026-Ext/32926.pdf)
Haryana passes the Haryana State Council for Physiotherapy (Repeal) Bill, 2026. The bill repeals the Haryana State Council for Physiotherapy Act 2020, transferring the regulation of physiotherapy professionals to the Haryana State Allied and Healthcare Council under the Union government's integrated framework.
Source: Tribune (https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/haryana/11-key-bills-cleared-as-haryana-vidhan-sabha-concludes-monsoon-session/)
In detail: Haryana State Council for Physiotherapy (Repeal) Bill, 2026 (https://www.egazetteharyana.gov.in/Gazette/Extra-Ordinary/2026/131-2026-Ext/32930.pdf)
Haryana passes the Haryana Law Officers (Engagement) Amendment Bill, 2026. The bill increases the number of advocates that can be appointed based on special qualifications in the Office of the Advocate General from 10 to 15.
Source: Tribune (https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/haryana/11-key-bills-cleared-as-haryana-vidhan-sabha-concludes-monsoon-session/)
In detail: Haryana Law Officers (Engagement) Amendment Bill, 2026 (https://www.egazetteharyana.gov.in/Gazette/Extra-Ordinary/2026/131-2026-Ext/32930.pdf)
Arunachal Pradesh revises recruitment rules for government jobs. Candidates applying directly for state government posts will now need a Permanent Resident Certificate, an Arunachal Pradesh Scheduled Tribe, and knowledge of an indigenous tribal language.
Source: India Today (https://bestcolleges.indiatoday.in/latest-news/arunachal-pradesh-recruitment-rules-tightened-prc-apst-and-tribal-language-made-mandatory-11249)
Goa passes the Goa Children's (Amendment) Bill, 2026. The bill seeks to remove references to "leprosy" with the aim to eliminate social stigma and discrimination against people affected by the disease.
Source: The Hindu (https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/goa/goa-assembly-passes-bill-to-drop-leprosy-references-from-child-law-to-curb-stigma/article71418822.ece)
In detail: Goa Children's (Amendment) Bill, 2026 (https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:VA6C2:2991170a-f4c4-4f16-bb8a-727ede89348e)
Himachal Pradesh passes the Himachal Pradesh Panchayati Raj (Second Amendment) Bill, 2026. The bill expands the definition of a land encroacher's family to include daughters-in-law, disqualifying any candidate whose family member, including a daughter-in-law, is found guilty of encroaching on government, panchayat, municipal, or cooperative society land from contesting panchayat elections for six years.
Source: Tribune (https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/himachal/panchayat-bill-passed-in-himachal-assembly-amid-bjp-uproar-over-daughter-in-law-clause/)
In detail: Himachal Pradesh Panchayati Raj (Second Amendment) Bill, 2026 (https://rajpatra.hp.gov.in/OPENFILE1.aspx?ID=51631%20&etype=NSPECIAL)
Himachal Pradesh approves the Himachal Pradesh State Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2026. The bill transfers faculty recruitment at six state universities to the Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (HPPSC) and places the Finance Secretary as chair of university finance committees.
Source: News Mill (https://thenewsmill.com/2026/09/himachal-pradesh-assembly-passes-state-universities-amendment-bill-amid-opposition/)
In detail: Himachal Pradesh State Universities (Amendment) Act, 2026 (https://rajpatra.hp.gov.in/OPENFILE1.aspx?ID=118/GAZETTE/2026-02/09/2026%20&etype=SPECIAL)
Himachal Pradesh passes the Indian Stamp (Himachal Pradesh Second Amendment) Bill, 2026. The bill restructures stamp duty rates on property transactions, restoring a concessional 4% rate for women purchasing property valued up to $120,000 (INR 1 crore), while raising rates on higher-value transactions and tightening regulations around General Power of Attorney arrangements to curb stamp duty evasion.
Source: Daily Excelsior (https://www.dailyexcelsior.com/himachal-assembly-clears-legislation-to-revise-stamp-duty-rates-on-property-transactions/amp)
In detail: Indian Stamp (Himachal Pradesh Second Amendment) Act, 2026 (https://rajpatra.hp.gov.in/OPENFILE1.aspx?ID=51634%20&etype=NSPECIAL)
Himachal Pradesh passes the Himachal Pradesh Road Infrastructure Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2026. The bill introduces digital and geo-coordinated maps of road infrastructure.
Source: News Himachal (https://thenewshimachal.com/2026/09/himachal-tightens-road-infrastructure-protection-with-digital-mapping-faster-enforcement/)
In detail: Himachal Pradesh Road Infrastructure Protection (Amendment) Act, 2026 (https://rajpatra.hp.gov.in/OPENFILE1.aspx?ID=120/GAZETTE/2026-05/09/2026%20&etype=SPECIAL)
Nagaland passes the Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority (FNTA) Bill 2026. The bill provides for a new administrative arrangement with special provisions aimed at promoting the development of the six districts of eastern Nagaland by improving roads, schools, health care facilities, employment opportunities, and overall infrastructure.
Source: Assam Tribune (https://assamtribune.com/north-east/nagaland-assembly-clears-fnta-bill-six-eastern-districts-to-get-special-focus-1616531)
In detail: Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority (FNTA) Bill 2026 (https://www.scribd.com/document/1019937145/Fnta-Bill-2026)
Punjab approves the Punjab Custom Milling Policy for Kharif 2026-27
This policy sets out the framework for procuring paddy from farmers through state agencies and converting it into milled rice for delivery to the Food Corporation of India during the upcoming Kharif Marketing Season.
Source: ANI News (https://www.aninews.in/news/national/general-news/punjab-cabinet-approves-three-key-foodgrain-policies-for-kharif-2026-2720260907120653/)
Punjab approves the Punjab Foodgrains Transportation Policy 2027. This policy governs the movement and logistics of procured food grains across Punjab, ensuring smooth and timely transportation from procurement centers to storage and distribution points.
Source: ANI News
Punjab approves the Punjab Foodgrains Labor and Cartage Policy 2027. This policy regulates the terms, rates, and conditions for labor and cartage (short-distance transport) services involved in the loading, unloading, and handling of food grains during the procurement season.
Source: ANI News (https://www.aninews.in/news/national/general-news/punjab-cabinet-approves-three-key-foodgrain-policies-for-kharif-2026-2720260907120653/)
Uttarakhand launches the 'Mukhyamantri Yuva Bhavishya Nirman Yojana' (Chief Minister's Youth Future Building Scheme). The scheme offers free online coaching and study materials to young people preparing for competitive examinations.
Source: News Mill (https://thenewsmill.com/2026/09/uttarakhand-cm-dhami-launches-scheme-for-free-online-coaching-of-youth/)
Water and Sanitation
Nothing critical to report this week.
Center - State Relations
Nothing critical to report this week.
Any Other
Mizoram mandates the submission of court-issued divorce certificates for remarriage.
Source: North East Today (https://northeasttoday.in/northeast/mizoram-tightens-remarriage-rules-makes-court-issued-divorce-certificate-mandatory/)
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Original text here: https://www.csis.org/analysis/states-weekly-september-9-2026
[Category: ThinkTank]
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Big News: Uttar Pradesh issues a draft Uttar Pradesh Data Center Policy 2026; Assam approves an amendment to the Industrial and Investment Policy of Assam, 2019; Manipur approves the draft Manipur Unified Trade, Shops and Establishment Licensing Bill, 2026; Haryana passes the Haryana Right to Business Bill, 2026; Maharashtra launches a Maharashtra Land Bank Digital System; Nagaland passes the Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority (FNTA) Bill ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Sept. 10 -- The Center for Strategic and International Studies issued the following States Weekly - September 9, 2026, news wrap up: * * * Big News: Uttar Pradesh issues a draft Uttar Pradesh Data Center Policy 2026; Assam approves an amendment to the Industrial and Investment Policy of Assam, 2019; Manipur approves the draft Manipur Unified Trade, Shops and Establishment Licensing Bill, 2026; Haryana passes the Haryana Right to Business Bill, 2026; Maharashtra launches a Maharashtra Land Bank Digital System; Nagaland passes the Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority (FNTA) Bill2026; and more.
Health
Maharashtra announces a drug eradication campaign. The state aims to eradicate drug abuse by 2029 through extensive public awareness.
Source: Economic Times (https://health.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/policy/maharashtra-government-approves-policy-to-eradicate-drugs-by-2029-awareness-strict-action-planned/133708024)
Climate Change and Energy
Delhi revises its solar policy. Under the policy, households with monthly electricity consumption of 400 units or above will be eligible for free installation of 3 KW rooftop solar panels.
Source: Economic Times (https://energy.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/renewable/delhi-cabinet-approves-revised-solar-policy-targets-free-3-kw-panels-for-2-30-lakh-consumers/133696108)
Telangana fixes the Average Pooled Power Purchase Cost (APPC) for DISCOMs (Distribution Companies) at $0.056 (INR 5.330) per kWh for the Financial Year 2025-26. The order was issued by the Telangana Electricity Regulatory Commission (TGERC).
Source: Solar Quarter (https://solarquarter.com/2026/09/03/tgerc-fixes-telangana-appc-at-inr-5-330-kwh-for-2025-26/)
In detail: TGERC order (https://www.tgerc.telangana.gov.in/file_upload/uploads/Orders/Commission%20Orders/2026/Final%20Pooled%20Power%20Order.pdf)
Goa launches the Goa 'Ujjwala Yojana' (Luminous Scheme), 2026. Under the scheme, eligible households will receive annual financial assistance of $31.76 (INR 3,000) towards cooking-fuel expenses for the Financial Year 2026-27. The assistance, equivalent to the cost of three domestic LPG refills, will be paid as a one-time lump sum directly into the beneficiary's Aadhaar-linked bank account through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).
Source: The Goan (https://www.thegoan.net/goa-news/cm-launches-goa-ujjwala-yojana-announces-rs-3000-annual-lpg-assistance/153759.html)
Finance
Nothing critical to report this week.
Industrial Policy and Business Regulations
Gujarat approves the Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) Amnesty Scheme. The scheme aims to resolve pending stamp-duty issues linked to past transfers of industrial plots, which were approved via allotment letters or supplementary agreements instead of registered deeds.
Source: Times of India (https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/gujarat-amnesty-plan-msmes-to-get-up-to-80-stamp-duty-relief-on-past-gidc-plot-transfers/articleshow/133690190.cms)
In detail: Government Order (https://revenuedepartment.gujarat.gov.in/downloads/noti_01092026.pdf)
Uttar Pradesh issues a draft Uttar Pradesh Data Center Policy 2026. The policy offers exemptions on transmission and wheeling charges for Data Centers that meet specific renewable energy consumption targets.
Source: MVA pulse (https://www.mvapulse.com/uttar-pradesh-unveils-renewable-energy-incentives-for-data-centers/)
In detail: Draft Uttar Pradesh Data Center Policy 2026 (https://invest.up.gov.in/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/UPDCP-2026-Notification-English.pdf)
Goa passes the Goa Registration of Tourist Trade (Amendment) Bill, 2026. The bill makes it mandatory for shacks operating on private land within the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) to register with Goa's Tourism Department.
Source: Economic Times (https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/india/goa-tightens-rules-private-shacks-in-crz-now-need-to-register-with-tourism-department/articleshow/133724389.cms)
In detail: Goa Registration of Tourist Trade (Amendment) Bill, 2026 (https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:VA6C2:c997a595-8f25-4334-ae19-f0a472504dae)
Assam approves an amendment to the Industrial and Investment Policy of Assam, 2019. The revision includes Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facilities (RVSFs) as an eligible "industries activity" for fiscal incentives as provided under the Vehicle Scrappage Policy of Assam, 2022.
Source: Guwahati Plus (https://www.guwahatiplus.com/assam/assam-cabinet-approves-land-in-nagaon-kamrup-for-industrial-estates-approves-new-business-reforms)
Manipur approves the draft Manipur Unified Trade, Shops and Establishment Licensing Bill, 2026. The Bill proposes a single unified licensing system for trade, shops and establishments across the state. It aims to eliminate overlapping licenses, reduce regulatory burdens, and simplify procedures for businesses.
Source: North East Today (https://northeasttoday.in/northeast/manipur-cabinet-approves-unified-trade-licensing-bill/)
Goa passes the Goa Ease of Doing Business (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill, 2026. The bill amends five state laws relating to court fees, industrial development, time-bound delivery of public services, shops and establishments, and town and country planning.
Source: DD News (https://ddindia.co.in/2026/09/ease-of-doing-business-goa-assembly-passes-bill-revising-stamp-vendor-rules-womens-work-timings/)
In detail: Goa Ease of Doing Business (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill, 2026 (https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:VA6C2:6c1384c9-1194-4b91-b898-b6fc0f33263d)
Assam passes the Assam Trade Articles (Licensing and Control) (Amendment) Order, 2026. The order abolishes the requirement for a Retail Selling License for petroleum products.
Source: Guwahati Plus (https://www.guwahatiplus.com/assam/assam-cabinet-approves-land-in-nagaon-kamrup-for-industrial-estates-approves-new-business-reforms)
Haryana passes the Haryana Right to Business Bill, 2026. The bill introduces a "Right to Business" framework allowing eligible enterprises to commence operations through time-bound in-principal approvals and a 36-month moratorium on inspections, reducing procedural barriers and promoting ease of doing business.
Source: Tribune (https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/haryana/11-key-bills-cleared-as-haryana-vidhan-sabha-concludes-monsoon-session/)
In detail: Haryana Right to Business Bill, 2026 (https://www.egazetteharyana.gov.in/Gazette/Extra-Ordinary/2026/133-2026-Ext/32945.pdf)
Land Acquisition and Labor Regulations
Andhra Pradesh introduces a Generic Pharmacy Scheme. The scheme, aimed at youth from the Backward Classes (BC) community, aims to create employment opportunities by encouraging eligible pharmacy graduates to open generic pharmaceutical shops. The state will provide $4,808 (INR 4 lakh) as a subsidy.
Source: Times of India (https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/education/news/andhra-pradesh-launches-generic-pharmacy-scheme-for-bc-youth-offers-4-lakh-subsidy-for-self-employment/articleshow/133735388.cms)
Andhra Pradesh reclassifies 22.31 acres of land in Nellore Urban District. The land is reclassified from "Canal Poramboke" (land reserved along canals for maintenance, irrigation access, and water flow) to "Assessed Waste-Dry" (unproductive waste land). The land will be distributed to poor beneficiaries in the area for housing.
Source: The Hindu (https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Vijayawada/andhra-pradesh-cabinet-clears-reclassification-of-2231-acres-in-nellore-for-house-sites/article71426538.ece)
Maharashtra launches a Maharashtra Land Bank Digital System. The system aims to bring all government-owned land onto a single platform to better manage allotment and speedier approvals for infrastructure development.
Source: Swarajya (https://swarajyamag.com/news-brief/maharashtra-launches-integrated-digital-land-bank-to-speed-infrastructure-development-and-identify-land-for-afforestation)
Uttar Pradesh launches the Uttar Pradesh Corporation for Outsource Services (UPCOS). UPCOS aims to streamline recruitment, guarantee fixed salaries, and safeguard the statutory rights of contractual workers.
Source: Hindu Business line (https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/uttar-pradesh-launches-upcos-to-safeguard-rights-and-salaries-of-outsourced-workers/article71419809.ece)
In detail: Government Order (in Hindi); UPCOS (Portal)
Ladakh approves the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils (Nautor Regularization) Rules, 2026. Nautor Lands are government-granted lands historically assigned to village service providers in lieu of payment for their hereditary duties. The new rules provide for proprietary rights over up to 10 acres. Holdings beyond 10 acres may be allocated on a leasehold basis.
Source: ETV; Press Release (https://ladakh.gov.in/l-g-vk-saxena-approves-new-lahdc-nautor-regularisation-rules-2026-paving-way-for-proprietary-rights-of-nautor-land-authority-for-allotting-nautor-land-now-vested-in-lahdcs/)
Haryana passes the Haryana Village Common Lands (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026. The bill delegates the power to approve the sale of 'Shamlat' (village common) land to Deputy Commissioners, decentralizing the process to expedite pending applications from residents who constructed homes on such land before March 31, 2004.
Source: Tribune (https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/haryana/11-key-bills-cleared-as-haryana-vidhan-sabha-concludes-monsoon-session/)
In detail: Haryana Village Common Lands (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 (https://www.egazetteharyana.gov.in/Gazette/Extra-Ordinary/2026/130-2026-Ext/32923.pdf)
Infrastructure and Governance
Haryana passes the Haryana State Commission for Minorities Bill, 2026. The bill establishes a statutory Commission for Minorities to evaluate the progress of minority development, monitor constitutional safeguards, inquire into complaints, and recommend measures for their effective implementation.
Source: Tribune (https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/haryana/11-key-bills-cleared-as-haryana-vidhan-sabha-concludes-monsoon-session/)
In detail: Haryana State Commission for Minorities Bill, 2026 (https://www.egazetteharyana.gov.in/Gazette/Extra-Ordinary/2026/130-2026-Ext/32877.pdf)
Haryana passes the Haryana Private Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2026. The bill expands the private university ecosystem in Haryana to meet National Education Policy 2020 targets and establishes two new universities: Kusum International University in Rewari and Masters Union University in Gurugram.
Source: Tribune (https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/haryana/11-key-bills-cleared-as-haryana-vidhan-sabha-concludes-monsoon-session/)
In detail: Haryana Private Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2026 (https://www.egazetteharyana.gov.in/Gazette/Extra-Ordinary/2026/130-2026-Ext/32925.pdf)
Haryana passes the Haryana State Commission for Women (Amendment) Bill, 2026. The bill increases the number of non-official members of the State Commission for Women from five to seven, to address a significant rise in complaints and strengthen the Commission's capacity.
Source: Tribune
In detail: Haryana State Commission for Women (Amendment) Bill, 2026
Haryana passes the Haryana Panchayati Raj (Amendment) Bill, 2026. The bill reduces the quorum requirements for 'Gram Sabha' (Local Council) meetings, from 40 percent to 20 percent for main meetings.
Source: Tribune (https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/haryana/11-key-bills-cleared-as-haryana-vidhan-sabha-concludes-monsoon-session/)
In detail: Haryana Panchayati Raj (Amendment) Bill, 2026 (https://www.egazetteharyana.gov.in/Gazette/Extra-Ordinary/2026/130-2026-Ext/32926.pdf)
Haryana passes the Haryana State Council for Physiotherapy (Repeal) Bill, 2026. The bill repeals the Haryana State Council for Physiotherapy Act 2020, transferring the regulation of physiotherapy professionals to the Haryana State Allied and Healthcare Council under the Union government's integrated framework.
Source: Tribune (https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/haryana/11-key-bills-cleared-as-haryana-vidhan-sabha-concludes-monsoon-session/)
In detail: Haryana State Council for Physiotherapy (Repeal) Bill, 2026 (https://www.egazetteharyana.gov.in/Gazette/Extra-Ordinary/2026/131-2026-Ext/32930.pdf)
Haryana passes the Haryana Law Officers (Engagement) Amendment Bill, 2026. The bill increases the number of advocates that can be appointed based on special qualifications in the Office of the Advocate General from 10 to 15.
Source: Tribune (https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/haryana/11-key-bills-cleared-as-haryana-vidhan-sabha-concludes-monsoon-session/)
In detail: Haryana Law Officers (Engagement) Amendment Bill, 2026 (https://www.egazetteharyana.gov.in/Gazette/Extra-Ordinary/2026/131-2026-Ext/32930.pdf)
Arunachal Pradesh revises recruitment rules for government jobs. Candidates applying directly for state government posts will now need a Permanent Resident Certificate, an Arunachal Pradesh Scheduled Tribe, and knowledge of an indigenous tribal language.
Source: India Today (https://bestcolleges.indiatoday.in/latest-news/arunachal-pradesh-recruitment-rules-tightened-prc-apst-and-tribal-language-made-mandatory-11249)
Goa passes the Goa Children's (Amendment) Bill, 2026. The bill seeks to remove references to "leprosy" with the aim to eliminate social stigma and discrimination against people affected by the disease.
Source: The Hindu (https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/goa/goa-assembly-passes-bill-to-drop-leprosy-references-from-child-law-to-curb-stigma/article71418822.ece)
In detail: Goa Children's (Amendment) Bill, 2026 (https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:VA6C2:2991170a-f4c4-4f16-bb8a-727ede89348e)
Himachal Pradesh passes the Himachal Pradesh Panchayati Raj (Second Amendment) Bill, 2026. The bill expands the definition of a land encroacher's family to include daughters-in-law, disqualifying any candidate whose family member, including a daughter-in-law, is found guilty of encroaching on government, panchayat, municipal, or cooperative society land from contesting panchayat elections for six years.
Source: Tribune (https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/himachal/panchayat-bill-passed-in-himachal-assembly-amid-bjp-uproar-over-daughter-in-law-clause/)
In detail: Himachal Pradesh Panchayati Raj (Second Amendment) Bill, 2026 (https://rajpatra.hp.gov.in/OPENFILE1.aspx?ID=51631%20&etype=NSPECIAL)
Himachal Pradesh approves the Himachal Pradesh State Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2026. The bill transfers faculty recruitment at six state universities to the Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (HPPSC) and places the Finance Secretary as chair of university finance committees.
Source: News Mill (https://thenewsmill.com/2026/09/himachal-pradesh-assembly-passes-state-universities-amendment-bill-amid-opposition/)
In detail: Himachal Pradesh State Universities (Amendment) Act, 2026 (https://rajpatra.hp.gov.in/OPENFILE1.aspx?ID=118/GAZETTE/2026-02/09/2026%20&etype=SPECIAL)
Himachal Pradesh passes the Indian Stamp (Himachal Pradesh Second Amendment) Bill, 2026. The bill restructures stamp duty rates on property transactions, restoring a concessional 4% rate for women purchasing property valued up to $120,000 (INR 1 crore), while raising rates on higher-value transactions and tightening regulations around General Power of Attorney arrangements to curb stamp duty evasion.
Source: Daily Excelsior (https://www.dailyexcelsior.com/himachal-assembly-clears-legislation-to-revise-stamp-duty-rates-on-property-transactions/amp)
In detail: Indian Stamp (Himachal Pradesh Second Amendment) Act, 2026 (https://rajpatra.hp.gov.in/OPENFILE1.aspx?ID=51634%20&etype=NSPECIAL)
Himachal Pradesh passes the Himachal Pradesh Road Infrastructure Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2026. The bill introduces digital and geo-coordinated maps of road infrastructure.
Source: News Himachal (https://thenewshimachal.com/2026/09/himachal-tightens-road-infrastructure-protection-with-digital-mapping-faster-enforcement/)
In detail: Himachal Pradesh Road Infrastructure Protection (Amendment) Act, 2026 (https://rajpatra.hp.gov.in/OPENFILE1.aspx?ID=120/GAZETTE/2026-05/09/2026%20&etype=SPECIAL)
Nagaland passes the Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority (FNTA) Bill 2026. The bill provides for a new administrative arrangement with special provisions aimed at promoting the development of the six districts of eastern Nagaland by improving roads, schools, health care facilities, employment opportunities, and overall infrastructure.
Source: Assam Tribune (https://assamtribune.com/north-east/nagaland-assembly-clears-fnta-bill-six-eastern-districts-to-get-special-focus-1616531)
In detail: Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority (FNTA) Bill 2026 (https://www.scribd.com/document/1019937145/Fnta-Bill-2026)
Punjab approves the Punjab Custom Milling Policy for Kharif 2026-27
This policy sets out the framework for procuring paddy from farmers through state agencies and converting it into milled rice for delivery to the Food Corporation of India during the upcoming Kharif Marketing Season.
Source: ANI News (https://www.aninews.in/news/national/general-news/punjab-cabinet-approves-three-key-foodgrain-policies-for-kharif-2026-2720260907120653/)
Punjab approves the Punjab Foodgrains Transportation Policy 2027. This policy governs the movement and logistics of procured food grains across Punjab, ensuring smooth and timely transportation from procurement centers to storage and distribution points.
Source: ANI News
Punjab approves the Punjab Foodgrains Labor and Cartage Policy 2027. This policy regulates the terms, rates, and conditions for labor and cartage (short-distance transport) services involved in the loading, unloading, and handling of food grains during the procurement season.
Source: ANI News (https://www.aninews.in/news/national/general-news/punjab-cabinet-approves-three-key-foodgrain-policies-for-kharif-2026-2720260907120653/)
Uttarakhand launches the 'Mukhyamantri Yuva Bhavishya Nirman Yojana' (Chief Minister's Youth Future Building Scheme). The scheme offers free online coaching and study materials to young people preparing for competitive examinations.
Source: News Mill (https://thenewsmill.com/2026/09/uttarakhand-cm-dhami-launches-scheme-for-free-online-coaching-of-youth/)
Water and Sanitation
Nothing critical to report this week.
Center - State Relations
Nothing critical to report this week.
Any Other
Mizoram mandates the submission of court-issued divorce certificates for remarriage.
Source: North East Today (https://northeasttoday.in/northeast/mizoram-tightens-remarriage-rules-makes-court-issued-divorce-certificate-mandatory/)
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Original text here: https://www.csis.org/analysis/states-weekly-september-9-2026
[Category: ThinkTank]
CSIS Issues Commentary: Will LLMs Help or Hinder the Democratic Process?
WASHINGTON, Sept. 10 -- The Center for Strategic and International Studies issued the following commentary:
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Will LLMs Help or Hinder the Democratic Process?
Commentary by Andrew Friedman
Published September 9, 2026
For all the excitement surrounding technological advancement, the ultimate impact of new technologies is both unpredictable and unknowable. The Tech for Good, Tech for Bad project aims to examine new and strategically important technologies to determine the range of impacts from the perspective of human rights and democracy.
Do technologies which allow greater access to information ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Sept. 10 -- The Center for Strategic and International Studies issued the following commentary: * * * Will LLMs Help or Hinder the Democratic Process? Commentary by Andrew Friedman Published September 9, 2026 For all the excitement surrounding technological advancement, the ultimate impact of new technologies is both unpredictable and unknowable. The Tech for Good, Tech for Bad project aims to examine new and strategically important technologies to determine the range of impacts from the perspective of human rights and democracy. Do technologies which allow greater access to informationdeepen democracy? This debate has raged from the earliest information-related technological advancements. While the printing press provided access to writing beyond the very elite, it required an outgrowth of literacy before its opportunities could be meaningfully realized. The early days of social media were seen as a boon for social movements yearning for freedom, feeding into gatherings, community, and solidarity, coming to a head in the Arab Spring. However, the same social media sites that fueled such common purpose have become tools for repression through harassment, censorship, and the outgrowth of mis- and disinformation.
It is within this context that the world contends with large language models (LLMs), a particularly popular form of generative AI. Much has been written about the potential opportunities and ills of LLMs. The environmental and energy grid impacts stemming from their significant computing requirements are causing rising concerns in communities. Productivity and efficiency are potential boons, but the impacts on the labor force represent a looming unknown. Amid myriad concerns, this article focuses narrowly on the impact of LLMs on the information environment, and how that directly impacts the exercise of political rights and the hard work of holding of political actors accountable.
In this arena, LLMs, the most popular of which is ChatGPT, provide untold opportunity for greater understanding, but also layer onto a complex and difficult information environment in which polarization is rampant and mis- and disinformation are already a "top global threat." The future of LLMs, like that of AI writ large, is yet to be written and could yield either a monumental shift that divides epochs into "before" and "after," like the printing press or social media, or it could change life on the margins. At a minimum, the positive and negative potential within the information ecosystem, and how it interacts with the exercise of human rights and the practice of democracy, is vast.
AI and Electoral Information
In a recent study from the Rainey Center, only 9 percent of respondents said they planned to use LLMs to do research on the upcoming U.S. midterm elections. This number is broadly similar to studies conducted in other Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries. An identical proportion of British respondents stated they have used AI chatbots for political information, and while only 4.5 percent said they used them to help decide who to vote for, 14.1 percent said they would be open to this type of usage in the future. A survey in the Netherlands found that 1 in 10 Dutch citizens are likely to ask such chatbots for election advice.
While there is limited data on the same question in other countries, in particular those in the Global South, anecdotal evidence shows similar considerations. Multiple AI tools have been created in South Africa and Ghana that aim to pair voters with candidates matching their policy preferences. It is unlikely these would be replicated if they were not being used.
Even where numbers are somewhat low, they may be misleading. AI summaries are provided in searches such as Google, TikTok, and Instagram. Google alone claims its AI overviews reach 2.5 billion users monthly, and one study says 65 percent of Gen Z respondents have used TikTok as a search engine. In this way, AI responses are a part of the news atmosphere, even without specifically pursuing an AI chatbot, inevitably impacting political information gathering.
For better or worse, AI is a part of information dissemination in elections moving forward. This makes it all the more important that such information be focused and verifiable, and does not mislead or muddy the information environment in a damaging way.
Potential for Mis- and Disinformation
In addition to sycophancy, an inability to separate belief from fact, and partisan leans, much has been made about the relative accuracy of LLMs. Criticisms of the models are many, such as the "garbage in, garbage out" perception of how LLMs are trained and concerns surrounding the inability of LLMs to distinguish objective fact from human belief or common, most-popular answers that may actually be incorrect. Likewise, there are allegations that some AI models are "strategically lying" to prevent modification, and studies show LLMs may use access to information in emails to blackmail individuals for "self-preservation."
These concerns are particularly pointed in authoritarian environments. A recent study found a correlation between low media freedom scores and pro-regime bias for LLMs trained on models in local languages compared to an English-language baseline. While this was true globally, the study's efforts on China's LLMs was particularly telling, with 75.3 percent of Chinese-language results having a greater pro-regime message than the English-language baseline. This is similarly true when the prompts are asked about Russia or North Korea. Analysis from Meta's Oversight Board finds this bias toward authoritarian governments that restrict free expression across the world's most popular AI models, including those from Anthropic, DeepSeek, Google, Meta, and OpenAI.
Leaving aside questions about malicious intent, including philosophical ones about whether an AI model is capable of malice, what is most important for the conversation surrounding mis- and disinformation is the breadth of falsities that can stem from LLMs. Such falsehoods run the gamut from strategic to random, and their output may be well informed or fully hallucinated. Understanding the information provided by LLMs thus requires nuance, and errors cannot be immediately attributed to any one reason.
Logistics Versus Opinion
A muddled information environment, partnered with immense reliance on the information provided, has significant implications for the assertion of political rights.
Logistics
Among the more overlooked aspects of political participation and the exercise of political rights is the complicated logistical environment in which elections are held or other forms of accountability and transparency are asserted. Simply put, elections are complex endeavors that, even in the best of situations--without interference, conflict, insecurity, or financial barriers--have hundreds of moving parts.
LLMs, and other AI chatbots, present a significant opportunity to create a one-stop shop for information on electoral logistics that does not require those aiming to exercise political rights to learn a new system or find and use an often-clunky government website. Partnerships between electoral authorities and companies operating AI chatbots could ensure accuracy and be mutually beneficial, offering free and easy access to objective information such as where and when to vote, who will be on the ballot and what positions they seek, and incumbents' voting records and time in office, while steering clear of potentially subjective issues such as candidates' stances and other concerns that may be contested or moving targets. This type of approach has already proven useful, for example, in Nigeria's 2023 election, where civil society organization Yiaga Africa created a chatbot that told voters where their polling stations were located, as many were new or had recently changed.
Similar but closed systems could be utilized for election-day happenings for those putting on elections. Many of us who have observed or worked on elections have seen firsthand how challenging it can be to get questions answered amid a large-scale exercise in democracy. Take, for example, a polling station that is seeing a larger than average turnout in a jurisdiction that allows votes to be cast at any location. This may cause confusion among poll workers with limited training, and a centralized means of quickly gaining understanding of the rights of voters can limit confusion and keep the line moving. Such a tool could help avoid the types of difficulties that can manifest around elections and lead to confusion, electoral delays, disenfranchisement, mis- and disinformation, and, at worst, political violence.
Subjective Information
Research from Forum AI found that 90 percent of questions asked to LLMs about the upcoming U.S. midterm elections had some material flaw. Potential flaws included "a factual error, a clear partisan lean, a citation to a foreign state-controlled outlet, or some combination of all three."
This problem is exacerbated by a general inability of AI systems to separate belief from fact. This makes such systems particularly ill equipped to evaluate statements or beliefs of individuals seeking political office who may have made a multitude of statements to different audiences on topics that are not always in line, or the things said about those candidates or parties that may not always reflect objective reality.
What does this mean? In short, LLMs can be misleading for a wide array of reasons, including on fundamental issues. In closed media contexts, such models can serve to amplify pro-regime messaging, further vilifying or silencing those working for greater human rights and democracy. Even in open societies with significant news coverage from all sides, such models can have difficulty determining what is objective fact and what is a subjective belief. Additionally, users of LLMs have significant confidence in the correctness of the information given. According to one study, even when an LLM provides incorrect information, human confidence in that information is high. After utilizing an LLM, willingness to say "I don't know" to a question went from 44 percent to 3 percent, confidence went from 40 percent to 76 percent, and crucially, accuracy went from 27 percent to 9 percent. Put differently, even when objective correctness decreased substantially, people believed they knew the answer and their confidence in that answer doubled.
When subjective beliefs are presented as objective fact, the exercise of political rights through elections and other forms of transparency and accountability can suffer. This is only increased if people do not doubt the accuracy of the information provided.
Conclusion
The value of information dissemination ultimately depends on audiences, and this is no less true for LLMs than it was for literate and illiterate populations in the first days of the printing press. The research capacity of LLMs can expedite and multiply scientific discovery, such as by aiding scientists aiming to find cures for innumerable diseases. It can also spread mis- and disinformation at speeds unimaginable in the days of Johannes Gutenberg, or even in the days of a 56k modem and MySpace. The throughline between these two realities is a populace that is prepared for the realities of LLMs, understanding their values but also their weaknesses. The answer is not to foster a belief in the full accuracy or infallibility of such models, nor is it to succumb to skepticism and engender a full rejection. This points to the value of civic education in the context of LLMs and the work required to ensure they are a useful part of the political process rather than a barrier to the practice of democracy.
With this in mind, three ecosystem-based approaches are necessary for LLMs to serve as a force for deepened and more informed political participation:
1. Government should prioritize educational approaches from an early age that highlight both the promises and pitfalls of LLMs.
Key to harnessing the power of LLMs is understanding that they are one tool among many. Information they provide can be correct or can be errant. It is critical that individuals aiming to utilize them to exercise their political rights and increase political participation be informed at early stages about the capacities as well as the limitations. New models should be independently examined to improve understanding, and related education should be iterative to keep pace with the constantly changing capacities of new models.
2. Governments and AI companies should partner to utilize LLMs for the provision of objective information that facilitates the practice of democracy.
LLMs such as ChatGPT are a logical destination for those with questions who are looking to participate in the democratic process. Leaning into this reality and working to ensure LLMs are verified and provide objectively factual information can maximize their value not just in elections but in other key government functions, such as how to access courts or other tribunals, how to contact political actors, or how to otherwise raise issues of concern. These partnerships have the potential to meet populations where they are and deepen political participation.
3. Broaden support for independent media, in particular in authoritarian contexts and local languages.
Verifiable, fact-based independent media is key for training LLM models in ways that improve political participation and the practice of political rights. Recent reductions in support for independent media, in particular in closed and authoritarian contexts through entities such as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia, and Voice of America, as well as through official development assistance from the United States and others, are likely to further exacerbate the problem of pro-regime information in LLMs in local languages.
* * *
Andrew Friedman is director and senior fellow in the Human Rights Initiative at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, D.C.
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Original text here: https://www.csis.org/analysis/will-llms-help-or-hinder-democratic-process
[Category: ThinkTank]
* * *
Will LLMs Help or Hinder the Democratic Process?
Commentary by Andrew Friedman
Published September 9, 2026
For all the excitement surrounding technological advancement, the ultimate impact of new technologies is both unpredictable and unknowable. The Tech for Good, Tech for Bad project aims to examine new and strategically important technologies to determine the range of impacts from the perspective of human rights and democracy.
Do technologies which allow greater access to information ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Sept. 10 -- The Center for Strategic and International Studies issued the following commentary: * * * Will LLMs Help or Hinder the Democratic Process? Commentary by Andrew Friedman Published September 9, 2026 For all the excitement surrounding technological advancement, the ultimate impact of new technologies is both unpredictable and unknowable. The Tech for Good, Tech for Bad project aims to examine new and strategically important technologies to determine the range of impacts from the perspective of human rights and democracy. Do technologies which allow greater access to informationdeepen democracy? This debate has raged from the earliest information-related technological advancements. While the printing press provided access to writing beyond the very elite, it required an outgrowth of literacy before its opportunities could be meaningfully realized. The early days of social media were seen as a boon for social movements yearning for freedom, feeding into gatherings, community, and solidarity, coming to a head in the Arab Spring. However, the same social media sites that fueled such common purpose have become tools for repression through harassment, censorship, and the outgrowth of mis- and disinformation.
It is within this context that the world contends with large language models (LLMs), a particularly popular form of generative AI. Much has been written about the potential opportunities and ills of LLMs. The environmental and energy grid impacts stemming from their significant computing requirements are causing rising concerns in communities. Productivity and efficiency are potential boons, but the impacts on the labor force represent a looming unknown. Amid myriad concerns, this article focuses narrowly on the impact of LLMs on the information environment, and how that directly impacts the exercise of political rights and the hard work of holding of political actors accountable.
In this arena, LLMs, the most popular of which is ChatGPT, provide untold opportunity for greater understanding, but also layer onto a complex and difficult information environment in which polarization is rampant and mis- and disinformation are already a "top global threat." The future of LLMs, like that of AI writ large, is yet to be written and could yield either a monumental shift that divides epochs into "before" and "after," like the printing press or social media, or it could change life on the margins. At a minimum, the positive and negative potential within the information ecosystem, and how it interacts with the exercise of human rights and the practice of democracy, is vast.
AI and Electoral Information
In a recent study from the Rainey Center, only 9 percent of respondents said they planned to use LLMs to do research on the upcoming U.S. midterm elections. This number is broadly similar to studies conducted in other Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries. An identical proportion of British respondents stated they have used AI chatbots for political information, and while only 4.5 percent said they used them to help decide who to vote for, 14.1 percent said they would be open to this type of usage in the future. A survey in the Netherlands found that 1 in 10 Dutch citizens are likely to ask such chatbots for election advice.
While there is limited data on the same question in other countries, in particular those in the Global South, anecdotal evidence shows similar considerations. Multiple AI tools have been created in South Africa and Ghana that aim to pair voters with candidates matching their policy preferences. It is unlikely these would be replicated if they were not being used.
Even where numbers are somewhat low, they may be misleading. AI summaries are provided in searches such as Google, TikTok, and Instagram. Google alone claims its AI overviews reach 2.5 billion users monthly, and one study says 65 percent of Gen Z respondents have used TikTok as a search engine. In this way, AI responses are a part of the news atmosphere, even without specifically pursuing an AI chatbot, inevitably impacting political information gathering.
For better or worse, AI is a part of information dissemination in elections moving forward. This makes it all the more important that such information be focused and verifiable, and does not mislead or muddy the information environment in a damaging way.
Potential for Mis- and Disinformation
In addition to sycophancy, an inability to separate belief from fact, and partisan leans, much has been made about the relative accuracy of LLMs. Criticisms of the models are many, such as the "garbage in, garbage out" perception of how LLMs are trained and concerns surrounding the inability of LLMs to distinguish objective fact from human belief or common, most-popular answers that may actually be incorrect. Likewise, there are allegations that some AI models are "strategically lying" to prevent modification, and studies show LLMs may use access to information in emails to blackmail individuals for "self-preservation."
These concerns are particularly pointed in authoritarian environments. A recent study found a correlation between low media freedom scores and pro-regime bias for LLMs trained on models in local languages compared to an English-language baseline. While this was true globally, the study's efforts on China's LLMs was particularly telling, with 75.3 percent of Chinese-language results having a greater pro-regime message than the English-language baseline. This is similarly true when the prompts are asked about Russia or North Korea. Analysis from Meta's Oversight Board finds this bias toward authoritarian governments that restrict free expression across the world's most popular AI models, including those from Anthropic, DeepSeek, Google, Meta, and OpenAI.
Leaving aside questions about malicious intent, including philosophical ones about whether an AI model is capable of malice, what is most important for the conversation surrounding mis- and disinformation is the breadth of falsities that can stem from LLMs. Such falsehoods run the gamut from strategic to random, and their output may be well informed or fully hallucinated. Understanding the information provided by LLMs thus requires nuance, and errors cannot be immediately attributed to any one reason.
Logistics Versus Opinion
A muddled information environment, partnered with immense reliance on the information provided, has significant implications for the assertion of political rights.
Logistics
Among the more overlooked aspects of political participation and the exercise of political rights is the complicated logistical environment in which elections are held or other forms of accountability and transparency are asserted. Simply put, elections are complex endeavors that, even in the best of situations--without interference, conflict, insecurity, or financial barriers--have hundreds of moving parts.
LLMs, and other AI chatbots, present a significant opportunity to create a one-stop shop for information on electoral logistics that does not require those aiming to exercise political rights to learn a new system or find and use an often-clunky government website. Partnerships between electoral authorities and companies operating AI chatbots could ensure accuracy and be mutually beneficial, offering free and easy access to objective information such as where and when to vote, who will be on the ballot and what positions they seek, and incumbents' voting records and time in office, while steering clear of potentially subjective issues such as candidates' stances and other concerns that may be contested or moving targets. This type of approach has already proven useful, for example, in Nigeria's 2023 election, where civil society organization Yiaga Africa created a chatbot that told voters where their polling stations were located, as many were new or had recently changed.
Similar but closed systems could be utilized for election-day happenings for those putting on elections. Many of us who have observed or worked on elections have seen firsthand how challenging it can be to get questions answered amid a large-scale exercise in democracy. Take, for example, a polling station that is seeing a larger than average turnout in a jurisdiction that allows votes to be cast at any location. This may cause confusion among poll workers with limited training, and a centralized means of quickly gaining understanding of the rights of voters can limit confusion and keep the line moving. Such a tool could help avoid the types of difficulties that can manifest around elections and lead to confusion, electoral delays, disenfranchisement, mis- and disinformation, and, at worst, political violence.
Subjective Information
Research from Forum AI found that 90 percent of questions asked to LLMs about the upcoming U.S. midterm elections had some material flaw. Potential flaws included "a factual error, a clear partisan lean, a citation to a foreign state-controlled outlet, or some combination of all three."
This problem is exacerbated by a general inability of AI systems to separate belief from fact. This makes such systems particularly ill equipped to evaluate statements or beliefs of individuals seeking political office who may have made a multitude of statements to different audiences on topics that are not always in line, or the things said about those candidates or parties that may not always reflect objective reality.
What does this mean? In short, LLMs can be misleading for a wide array of reasons, including on fundamental issues. In closed media contexts, such models can serve to amplify pro-regime messaging, further vilifying or silencing those working for greater human rights and democracy. Even in open societies with significant news coverage from all sides, such models can have difficulty determining what is objective fact and what is a subjective belief. Additionally, users of LLMs have significant confidence in the correctness of the information given. According to one study, even when an LLM provides incorrect information, human confidence in that information is high. After utilizing an LLM, willingness to say "I don't know" to a question went from 44 percent to 3 percent, confidence went from 40 percent to 76 percent, and crucially, accuracy went from 27 percent to 9 percent. Put differently, even when objective correctness decreased substantially, people believed they knew the answer and their confidence in that answer doubled.
When subjective beliefs are presented as objective fact, the exercise of political rights through elections and other forms of transparency and accountability can suffer. This is only increased if people do not doubt the accuracy of the information provided.
Conclusion
The value of information dissemination ultimately depends on audiences, and this is no less true for LLMs than it was for literate and illiterate populations in the first days of the printing press. The research capacity of LLMs can expedite and multiply scientific discovery, such as by aiding scientists aiming to find cures for innumerable diseases. It can also spread mis- and disinformation at speeds unimaginable in the days of Johannes Gutenberg, or even in the days of a 56k modem and MySpace. The throughline between these two realities is a populace that is prepared for the realities of LLMs, understanding their values but also their weaknesses. The answer is not to foster a belief in the full accuracy or infallibility of such models, nor is it to succumb to skepticism and engender a full rejection. This points to the value of civic education in the context of LLMs and the work required to ensure they are a useful part of the political process rather than a barrier to the practice of democracy.
With this in mind, three ecosystem-based approaches are necessary for LLMs to serve as a force for deepened and more informed political participation:
1. Government should prioritize educational approaches from an early age that highlight both the promises and pitfalls of LLMs.
Key to harnessing the power of LLMs is understanding that they are one tool among many. Information they provide can be correct or can be errant. It is critical that individuals aiming to utilize them to exercise their political rights and increase political participation be informed at early stages about the capacities as well as the limitations. New models should be independently examined to improve understanding, and related education should be iterative to keep pace with the constantly changing capacities of new models.
2. Governments and AI companies should partner to utilize LLMs for the provision of objective information that facilitates the practice of democracy.
LLMs such as ChatGPT are a logical destination for those with questions who are looking to participate in the democratic process. Leaning into this reality and working to ensure LLMs are verified and provide objectively factual information can maximize their value not just in elections but in other key government functions, such as how to access courts or other tribunals, how to contact political actors, or how to otherwise raise issues of concern. These partnerships have the potential to meet populations where they are and deepen political participation.
3. Broaden support for independent media, in particular in authoritarian contexts and local languages.
Verifiable, fact-based independent media is key for training LLM models in ways that improve political participation and the practice of political rights. Recent reductions in support for independent media, in particular in closed and authoritarian contexts through entities such as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia, and Voice of America, as well as through official development assistance from the United States and others, are likely to further exacerbate the problem of pro-regime information in LLMs in local languages.
* * *
Andrew Friedman is director and senior fellow in the Human Rights Initiative at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, D.C.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.csis.org/analysis/will-llms-help-or-hinder-democratic-process
[Category: ThinkTank]
CSIS Issues Commentary: Narco Highway - Mapping the Pacific's Drug Trade
WASHINGTON, Sept. 10 -- The Center for Strategic and International Studies issued the following commentary:
* * *
The Narco Highway: Mapping the Pacific's Drug Trade
Commentary by John Auge
Published September 8, 2026
In recent years, the Pacific Ocean has emerged as an increasingly important transit and destination hub for the global illicit drug trade. Cocaine and methamphetamine are among the most commonly trafficked drugs through the region, destined for markets in Australia and New Zealand where they can fetch some of the highest street values in the world. The principal actors involved ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Sept. 10 -- The Center for Strategic and International Studies issued the following commentary: * * * The Narco Highway: Mapping the Pacific's Drug Trade Commentary by John Auge Published September 8, 2026 In recent years, the Pacific Ocean has emerged as an increasingly important transit and destination hub for the global illicit drug trade. Cocaine and methamphetamine are among the most commonly trafficked drugs through the region, destined for markets in Australia and New Zealand where they can fetch some of the highest street values in the world. The principal actors involvedare Chinese and Asian syndicates, Mexican and South American cartels, Australian and New Zealand organized crime groups, and local drug gangs. As of 2019, the illicit drug trade across the Asia-Pacific region was estimated to be worth between $30.3 billion and $61.4 billion.
* * *
Figure 1: The Narco Highway: Mapping the Pacific's Drug Trade
* * *
To track the uptick in incidents related to maritime drug trafficking, this map and data list highlight publicly reported seizures, arrests, and other drug-related incidents in the Pacific since the start of 2024. The dataset is based on incidents identified through publicly available sources and is not intended to be exhaustive.
In general, Pacific Islands' exclusive economic zones (EEZs) are massive in comparison with each country's actual land mass. For example, Kiribati's EEZ covers 3.44 million square kilometers, more than 4,240 times the size of its land area, and Fiji's EEZ covers 1.29 million square kilometers, more than 70 times the size of its land area. Pacific countries have limited resources to monitor their expansive EEZs, with many depending on partners such as the United States, Australia, and New Zealand to patrol their waters. This weak law enforcement capacity paired with limited coordination between regional and national agencies makes it more difficult to share intelligence and cooperate effectively in tackling cross-border crime.
In May 2026, Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka noted, "For generations, the Pacific Ocean has connected our islands, our economies, our cultures, our people. The very ocean that connects us is being increasingly exploited by transnational crime networks." The rapid rise is straining already limited maritime law enforcement resources and creating broader health, social, and security challenges for Pacific Island nations. It has also caused a spillover effect, where countries have experienced an increase in local drug use, criminal activity, and corruption. Methamphetamine use has been reported among children as young as 10 years old and is increasingly widespread among teenagers and young adults. Additionally, drug use worsens existing social, welfare, and health challenges. In Tonga, 40 percent of mental health hospital admissions have been connected to drug addictions. In response to growing concerns over the impact of illegal drugs on communities, Palau President Surrangel Whipps Jr. declared 2026 the year to "just say no to illegal drugs."
The unanimously endorsed Waqa Moana initiative launched this month at the Pacific Island Forum Leaders Meeting is a significant step forward in combating the illicit drug trade in the region. Australia announced a $600 million package to implement the program, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese asserting that "For the good of every country in the region, including our own - we need to work together to stamp out the illicit drug trade." As part of the deal, Australia will provide the Australian Federal Police $49 million and the Department of Defence $312 million to support and develop programs to combat transnational and organized crime. The implementation of the initiative will be important to watch, particularly whether this significant investment translates into a measurable reduction in the illicit drug trade across the region.
The Pacific's geography, large EEZs, and limited maritime enforcement capacity and regional coordination have created vulnerabilities that transnational drug networks can exploit. Pacific Island nations are increasingly feeling the domestic effects from the illicit drug trade. No single nation can eliminate the illicit drug trade throughout the Pacific, making regional coordination critical. The Waqa Moana initiative marks a major step in the right direction to address the evolving threat of transnational organized crime in the Pacific.
* * *
John Auge is the program manager for the Australia Chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, D.C.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.csis.org/analysis/narco-highway-mapping-pacifics-drug-trade
[Category: ThinkTank]
* * *
The Narco Highway: Mapping the Pacific's Drug Trade
Commentary by John Auge
Published September 8, 2026
In recent years, the Pacific Ocean has emerged as an increasingly important transit and destination hub for the global illicit drug trade. Cocaine and methamphetamine are among the most commonly trafficked drugs through the region, destined for markets in Australia and New Zealand where they can fetch some of the highest street values in the world. The principal actors involved ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Sept. 10 -- The Center for Strategic and International Studies issued the following commentary: * * * The Narco Highway: Mapping the Pacific's Drug Trade Commentary by John Auge Published September 8, 2026 In recent years, the Pacific Ocean has emerged as an increasingly important transit and destination hub for the global illicit drug trade. Cocaine and methamphetamine are among the most commonly trafficked drugs through the region, destined for markets in Australia and New Zealand where they can fetch some of the highest street values in the world. The principal actors involvedare Chinese and Asian syndicates, Mexican and South American cartels, Australian and New Zealand organized crime groups, and local drug gangs. As of 2019, the illicit drug trade across the Asia-Pacific region was estimated to be worth between $30.3 billion and $61.4 billion.
* * *
Figure 1: The Narco Highway: Mapping the Pacific's Drug Trade
* * *
To track the uptick in incidents related to maritime drug trafficking, this map and data list highlight publicly reported seizures, arrests, and other drug-related incidents in the Pacific since the start of 2024. The dataset is based on incidents identified through publicly available sources and is not intended to be exhaustive.
In general, Pacific Islands' exclusive economic zones (EEZs) are massive in comparison with each country's actual land mass. For example, Kiribati's EEZ covers 3.44 million square kilometers, more than 4,240 times the size of its land area, and Fiji's EEZ covers 1.29 million square kilometers, more than 70 times the size of its land area. Pacific countries have limited resources to monitor their expansive EEZs, with many depending on partners such as the United States, Australia, and New Zealand to patrol their waters. This weak law enforcement capacity paired with limited coordination between regional and national agencies makes it more difficult to share intelligence and cooperate effectively in tackling cross-border crime.
In May 2026, Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka noted, "For generations, the Pacific Ocean has connected our islands, our economies, our cultures, our people. The very ocean that connects us is being increasingly exploited by transnational crime networks." The rapid rise is straining already limited maritime law enforcement resources and creating broader health, social, and security challenges for Pacific Island nations. It has also caused a spillover effect, where countries have experienced an increase in local drug use, criminal activity, and corruption. Methamphetamine use has been reported among children as young as 10 years old and is increasingly widespread among teenagers and young adults. Additionally, drug use worsens existing social, welfare, and health challenges. In Tonga, 40 percent of mental health hospital admissions have been connected to drug addictions. In response to growing concerns over the impact of illegal drugs on communities, Palau President Surrangel Whipps Jr. declared 2026 the year to "just say no to illegal drugs."
The unanimously endorsed Waqa Moana initiative launched this month at the Pacific Island Forum Leaders Meeting is a significant step forward in combating the illicit drug trade in the region. Australia announced a $600 million package to implement the program, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese asserting that "For the good of every country in the region, including our own - we need to work together to stamp out the illicit drug trade." As part of the deal, Australia will provide the Australian Federal Police $49 million and the Department of Defence $312 million to support and develop programs to combat transnational and organized crime. The implementation of the initiative will be important to watch, particularly whether this significant investment translates into a measurable reduction in the illicit drug trade across the region.
The Pacific's geography, large EEZs, and limited maritime enforcement capacity and regional coordination have created vulnerabilities that transnational drug networks can exploit. Pacific Island nations are increasingly feeling the domestic effects from the illicit drug trade. No single nation can eliminate the illicit drug trade throughout the Pacific, making regional coordination critical. The Waqa Moana initiative marks a major step in the right direction to address the evolving threat of transnational organized crime in the Pacific.
* * *
John Auge is the program manager for the Australia Chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, D.C.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.csis.org/analysis/narco-highway-mapping-pacifics-drug-trade
[Category: ThinkTank]