Here come the bills...

License plate privacy, microchipped employees, a lower bar for lawyers, a billion-dollar typo, philanthropy for journalism and the latest on the 4th CD

This upcoming short session is likely the worst in recent memory for pricey ideas, with lawmakers squeezed between the state’s budget crunch and a short clock to get things done.

Some new 300 bills are already on deck and in search of an audience ahead of the session’s start next week. (All the bills from last year are also in play, given that this is technically the second hear of the 2025-2026 Legislature.) In the spirit of representative democracy, enjoy our annual shoutout to the best civics lesson ever animated.

Editor’s Note: If you’re not a paid subscriber, you’re about to hit the Observer’s paywall. However, today you’re in luck because we’re having a sale on paid subscriptions in observance of the beginning of the Legislature. Go ahead and hit the button to save some cash on getting access to all our stuff and the warm glow of supporting independent journalism.