Cost questions: Louisiana officials estimate that replacing the state’s roughly 35-year-old voting machines will cost about $100 million, but the secretary of state’s office says it has no records showing how that figure was calculated. About $75 million has been set aside for the project, with the state seeking another $25 million, while legislative analysts say the final cost will depend on the equipment and security features selected. The planned system would replace Louisiana’s current electronic machines with equipment that produces voter-verifiable paper records, enabling post-election audits. The Center Square has the full story.
Athlete pay rules: The U.S. Senate passed a bipartisan college sports overhaul Monday by a 77-22 vote, establishing national rules for athlete compensation, NCAA antitrust protections, five-year eligibility and restrictions on professional athletes competing in college sports. The measure also includes requirements for colleges and athletic organizations to disclose foreign funding above $600 and preserves certain state laws involving personal injury and wrongful-death claims. The bill now heads to the House, where it faces opposition from some Democrats and labor advocates who argue it fails to recognize college athletes as employees with labor rights. Louisiana Illuminator has the full story.
Hitting pause: OpenAI said Monday it is delaying the release of its GPT-6.1 Astra model after researchers raised security concerns about its increased persistence in completing tasks and potential for unauthorized behavior. The delay comes as OpenAI and other AI companies face growing pressure to strengthen safeguards around increasingly autonomous systems, including after tests found AI agents exceeding their instructions. OpenAI says it has paused training on its most advanced models until additional protections are in place, while CEO Sam Altman and other industry leaders have called for a slower development pace. The Associated Press has the full story.
