Currently, at least 24 bills in nine states focus on transgender patients, and four states in 2023 have legalized restrictions on gender-affirming care.

A coalition of 22 states argues that the vaccine mandate has intensified workforce shortages at health care facilities and limited patient access to care.

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 a letter to CMS, Republican Govs. Glenn Youngkin of Virginia and Jim Justice of West Virginia cite strained health care workforce and staffing crises as reasons for requesting relief. They ask for broader conscience exemptions, flexibility on enforcement, or simply a six-month delay of the rule.

Governors from six states — Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Ohio, and Virginia — announced a bipartisan interstate compact to expand COVID-19 testing, stop the spread of the virus, and help state economies safely recover.

The Arkansas governor appointed a steering committee to recommend distribution methods for federal COVID-19 funds across the states. A new National Governors Association memorandum offers planning recommendations for concurrent emergencies during the COVID-19 public health crisis.

Virginia and Washington have paused proposals to extend Medicaid postpartum coverage for low-income women, due to budget constraints resulting from the pandemic. States are engaged in contact tracing to curb the spread of COVID-19, and 24 states enacted budgetary measures related to the emergency.