"This technology is already here; the only question is whether we are going to be reactive or proactive in this moment.”

New Jersey state Rep. Brian Bergen, regarding a proposal to increase the annual salaries of state lawmakers from $49,000 to $82,000, a 67 percent increase. New Jersey legislators haven't given themselves a raise since 2002. Legislators lifting their own pay almost always pay a political price, but the proposed increase would still leave New Jersey lawmakers making less than their peers in neighboring New York and Pennsylvania. (Associated Press — Jan. 8, 2024)

Vanessa Joy, one of four transgender candidates running for state office in Ohio, regarding her disqualification from a House race because she omitted her previous name. A little-known 1990s state law requires candidates to provide any name changes within the last five years to qualify for the ballot. For many transgender people, providing their former name, which the community calls their dead name, could create a barrier due to concerns about personal safety. Joy appealed her disqualification. (Associated Press — Jan. 4, 2024)

Peter McClelland, owner of White Wilderness Sled Dog Adventures near Ely, Minn. The area is often buried in 100 inches or more of snow each winter, but not this year. December was the state's warmest and wettest on record, dating back to 1895, with temperatures 10 to 15 degrees above average. (MPR News — Jan. 2, 2024)

South Carolina state Sen. Mia McLeod, regarding the election of longtime former Columbia City Council member Tameika Isaac Devine to the state Senate after a special election on Jan. 2. Isaac Devine will become just the sixth woman in the 46-member chamber. (Associated Press — Jan. 3, 2024)