This Week at the State House: Week of May 18, 2026

We’re entering the final stretch of the legislative session as floor votes wrapped last week. Before we get into it, the team at New Futures wants to thank you for your advocacy. So many of you have taken action, shown up, and made your voices heard on issues that are important to you and your communities. That’s what advocacy is all about!

Last week, major decisions were made on several of our priority bills, including progress on efforts to limit the marketing of addictive products to youth. At the same time, there were setbacks, including a disappointing outcome on Senate Bill 498, the bill to help kids with private insurance access care for complex mental health challenges.

Now, attention turns to the final step for many remaining bills: Committees of Conference. When the House and Senate pass different versions of a bill, a small group of lawmakers from both chambers meets to negotiate a compromise. These negotiations can determine whether a bill ultimately advances to the Governor’s desk or stalls for the session. You can learn more about how this process works in our Committee of Conference resource.

Scheduling note: There will not be a This Week at the State House email next week, but we will provide updates about Committee of Conference information as we hear about it on our social channels.

Read on for a full recap of last week’s votes and ways to take action on bills headed to the Governor’s desk.

For more information about these issues and other priority legislation, please visit our Current Legislation page.