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The Heartland’s State of the States: Policy Roadmaps for 2026

February 24, 2026

Alabama State Capitol, Montgomery, Alabama

As heartland states settle into the new year, many governors across the region use this period to outline policy initiatives and budget goals in their annual State of the State addresses. Delivered to the state legislature, these addresses reflect on the prior year’s progress, current economic conditions and set a vision for the year ahead.

In January and February 2026, eleven heartland governors—representing Alabama, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Tennessee—delivered their addresses. From these speeches, four common policy areas emerged, demonstrating a unified intention to position the heartland for success in an increasingly digital economy, supported by a healthy and robust workforce. These common areas of focus include the Rural Health Transformation Program, workforce development, student mental wellbeing and energy & digital infrastructure. 

Theme One: The Rural Health Transformation Program 

The Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP), a $50 billion federal investment to redesign rural health care led by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), emerged as a dominant theme across heartland addresses.

  • North Dakota identified the RHTP as the primary focus of its 2026 legislative session, after the legislature established the Rural Health Transformation Committee in 2025 to oversee application and funding processes. Since the delivery of this State of the State address, four key acts have been signed into law by Governor Kelly Armstrong to support the implementation of the RHTP by strengthening the rural workforce, enhancing health care provider expertise and prioritizing long-term wellness:
  • Alabama and Missouri highlighted successful collaboration between state agencies and community partners during the application phase, while calling upon new partners to implement out-of-the-box health care delivery solutions in the new year.
  • Iowa—which awarded funding contracts to partner organizations after the State of the State address—and South Dakota advocated for regional hub-and-spoke models where local care teams and technology centralize services and ensure residents receive care closer to home.
  • Tennessee emphasized the role of the General Assembly in successful RHTP implementation, including reforming regulation and expanding provider licensure. 

By linking RHTP implementation to the development of key partnerships and workforce investments, these heartland states outlined plans to execute sustainable policies and revamp rural health care delivery throughout 2026.

Theme Two: Workforce Development

Governors outlined plans to align workforce training with industry demands by incentivizing private investment and expanding professional pathways.

  • Alabama aims to pass SB149, as supported by Governor Kay Ivey, to establish temporary teaching certificates for eligible veterans, a workforce effort supporting teacher recruitment and creating pathways for veterans to return to work.
  • Missouri (SB 1443) and Nebraska (LB 1165) introduced bills, supported by Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe and Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen, to implement targeted tax credits to attract high-growth industries that bring high-paying jobs to their states. 
  • South Dakota called for the establishment of a State Apprenticeship Agency to help align apprenticeships with industries experiencing the greatest demand in South Dakota.
  • Kansas, Kentucky and North Dakota highlighted investments in the rural health care workforce, such as nursing student loan forgiveness programs and upskilling initiatives, designed to work in conjunction with the RHTP.
  • Oklahoma celebrated public-private partnerships investing in the next generation of Oklahomans through financial launchpads that could be used to start a business or pursue additional education.

Theme Three: Student Mental Wellbeing

Across the heartland, policy implementation is under way to remove digital distractions from the classroom with the goal of improving student well being. 

  • Alabama (FOCUS Act) and Missouri (SB 1481) reported early success with ‘bell-to-bell no cell’ bans in classrooms throughout 2025. Additionally, Alabama’s HB 78, as supported by Governor Ivey, seeks to limit screen time for children five and younger in public early learning centers.  
  • Indiana (SB 78) and Kansas called for their legislatures to pass bipartisan proposals to limit or ban cell phone use during the school day. Indiana’s SB 199, also supported by Governor Mike Braun, looks to restrict minors’ access to social media without parental permission.
  • South Dakota is advocating for local initiatives to remove phones in schools without a state mandate.

Theme Four: Energy & Digital Infrastructure

Heartland states are prioritizing affordable and regionally competitive infrastructure development.

  • Indiana, Kansas and Missouri focused on resource availability in their addresses. Indiana declared data centers will cover their energy costs to protect energy affordability while Kansas urged the legislature to fund a solution to the state’s water crisis. 
  • Tennessee advocated for allocating additional funding to the Tennessee Nuclear Energy Fund, which aims to expand the state’s nuclear development and manufacturing capacity while creating jobs and fostering investment from global nuclear companies, as Missouri declared an ‘all-in’ focus on nuclear energy through Executive Order 26-4.
  • Tennessee announced the launch of the Tennessee Quantum Initiative, to position the state as the national leader in quantum research, infrastructure and workforce development. 
  • Nebraska looks to attract data center investments and Missouri issued Executive Order 26-02 to address the safe and effective integration of AI into government operations. 

The four common themes of rural health delivery, workforce development, student wellbeing and modernized infrastructure will shape cohesive regional policy in 2026 and beyond. While each state approaches their strategies individually, the collective focus remains the same: to position the heartland to compete in an increasingly digital economy, supported by a healthy and robust workforce. Heartland Forward will continue to be a resource to states and communities for all 20 heartland states, together making up the third largest economy in the world.

Explore the eleven heartland State of the State transcripts below: