“Bitter divisions between Republicans in the Missouri Senate culminated in a proposed rule change that would allow senators to settle their differences by challenging each other to a duel,” the Daily Beast reports.

“The proposal was drafted by state Sen. Nick Schroer, a Republican in the Missouri Freedom Caucus. The group’s members have been at odds with the Senate’s GOP leadership in recent weeks and have used procedural tactics to put the brakes on routine work. The caucus wants the Senate to immediately debate measures to make initiative petitions more difficult to pass, including one in support of abortion rights.”

Arizona State Rep. Leezah Sun (D) denies threatening to kill a lobbyist by throwing her off a balcony in a Tucson Marriott, but admitted Thursday morning before the Arizona House Ethics Committee that “I said I would bitch-slap her,” Courthouse News reports.

“Texas state Sen. Drew Springer (R) wrote a letter to his Senate colleagues Thursday night, calling to reopen the Senate’s impeachment trial into Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton,” NBC Dallas-Fort Worth reports.

“Springer voted to acquit Paxton in his impeachment trial last September but now feels misled after a recent court filing by the Attorney General.”

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) “has a new slogan for how he wants to run Pennsylvania — and it’s not fit for kids’ ears,” the AP reports.

Said Shapiro: “We’ve got a GSD attitude in the Shapiro administration that means we focus on getting, you know, stuff done. There’s children here, so we’ll just say ‘stuff.’”

“The Ohio Senate overruled Gov. Mike DeWine (R) on Wednesday, paving the way for a dual transgender ban against minors seeking health care and playing girls’ and women’s sports in K-12 schools and college,” the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.

Colorado House Minority Leader Mike Lynch (R) “resigned from his leadership post Wednesday morning as his ouster appeared imminent a week after revelations that he was arrested in 2022 on suspicion of drunken driving,” the Colorado Sun reports.

“Lynch is also running this year to represent Colorado’s 4th Congressional District and it’s unclear how his decision to step down from leadership will affect that bid.”

Echoing critical race theory panic of years past, Utah state Rep. Tim Jimenez (R) says the state “should prevent private companies from requiring employees to embrace diversity and inclusion practices,” the Salt Lake Tribune reports.

But he “would not provide evidence that businesses were forcing employees to participate in DEI programs.”

“It used to be orthodoxy among Utah Republicans that government should not interfere with private businesses. Over the past few years, the GOP-controlled legislature has embraced a newfound zeal for using the power of the state to stop the private sector from implementing programs, real and imagined, that have become a flashpoint for the Republican base.”

North Dakota state Rep. Nico Rios (R) “was sentenced to nearly a year of unsupervised probation and to pay $1,000,” The Messenger reports.

“Rios was arrested on Dec. 15 for driving under the influence after leaving a party. He unleashed a vicious anti-British tirade on the arresting officer, who was an English-born U.S. citizen, threatening to call the Attorney General and say that they were ‘being an ass’ to him, according to a report.”

“Two Republican legislators filed a resolution Wednesday aimed at initiating impeachment proceedings against Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham over her emergency public health orders suspending the right to carry firearms in some public places in greater Albuquerque, such as parks and playgrounds,” CBS News reports.

“Colorado House Minority Leader Mike Lynch, who is running for Congress, was arrested in 2022 on suspicion of drunken driving and possessing a firearm while intoxicated, according to previously unreported law enforcement records,” the Denver Post reports.

Kentucky state Rep. Nick Wilson (R) introduced a bill intended to broaden the definition of forbidden sexual activity between relatives — but it could actually make sex between first cousins legal, The Messenger reports.

Admitted Wilson: “I made a mistake, and I’m going to fix it.”

New York Times: “Ms. Reynolds’s little-known Twitter account straddles a line somewhere between public and private. It has her photo in the profile picture and lists the user name as ‘Kimberly Reynolds’ (she usually goes by Kim). But it is in no way linked to either her verified political account or her official governor’s one, and it does not identify her as the governor of Iowa.”

“As of Thursday morning, @Kimberl26890376 had 259 followers, a sign of its obscurity, although the following included a number of influential Iowa political operatives.”

“Backers of former President Donald Trump filed a petition Wednesday seeking to recall Wisconsin Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos from office, citing Vos’ opposition to Trump and his not moving forward with impeaching the state’s top elections official,” the AP reports.

“The effort faces a high bar for success, but it points to continued anger among Trump’s most ardent supporters in battleground Wisconsin over his loss in the 2020 election and how Vos responded to it.”

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) “raised a record $19 million over the last six months — money he intends to use toward his crusade to oust anti-school voucher Texas House Republicans in the primary season,” the Texas Tribune reports.

“Abbott’s campaign announced the sum Wednesday, adding that he also has $38 million cash on hand across two political accounts.”

“The pandemic boom times are over for state lawmakers — and so is their ability to shower big buckets of cash on top priorities like K-12 education while also slashing taxes and socking away reserves,” Politico reports.

“State budgets swelled by roughly 30 percent over a three-year span as the country grappled with fallout from the public health crisis and Congress handed out federal funds to governments across the country.”

“Multiple state capitols received threats Wednesday morning that led to evacuations or lockdowns as police investigated, but no evidence of dangerous items was immediately found,” the AP reports.

“Connecticut, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi and Montana were among the states that evacuated their capitols.”

New York Times: “A spate of new state laws, including on guns, minimum wage and gender transition care, went into effect as the calendar flipped to 2024. Perhaps the most significant change bans programs that promote diversity, equity and inclusion at publicly funded colleges and universities in Texas.”

“In other states, Americans will follow new rules on guns and marijuana, as well as have additional health care and workplace protections. About three dozen states enacted new laws on voting in 2023, but most of the practical effects won’t be felt until primary and general elections in 2024.”