New laws in Wisconsin and Utah criminalize threats against health care workers, while other state legislatures consider similar bills.

At least 20 states are pursuing legislation to limit access to gender-affirming care for transgender youth, while some states have proposed legislation to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

An analysis finds just 17 governors discussed COVID-19 in their state-of-the-state addresses, with key themes including opposition to vaccine mandates, workforce shortages, and access to COVID-19 vaccines. Active public health emergencies remain in 22 states.

In the early months of 2022, Alabama, Delaware, Kansas, and New Jersey passed legislation to mitigate health care workforce shortages amid the ongoing COVID-19 public health emergency.

At least 29 bills in 17 states involve health services for patients who are transgender, and many of these efforts specifically focus on youth populations. Several states proposed restricting access to transgender health care, by prohibiting or criminalizing gender-affirming care.

States are exploring a variety of COVID-19 recovery plans to meet their local economic and health care needs. While some states opt to follow guidance from the Trump administration and national groups, others are taking individualized approaches focused on testing and social distancing.