On Wednesday, multiple states were forced by bomb threats to evacuate their state-owned institutions.

What it means: Combined with the recent spate of swatting phone calls targeted at lawmakers, these incidents indicate that this year could be one for the ages for legislators and other officials in the United States.

In recent years, threats against officials of all levels of government – including federal judges and lawmakers – have increased.

Big picture: As a result Wednesday of bomb threats, state capitols in at least six different states — Connecticut Georgia Hawaii Kentucky Michigan and Mississippi — had to take precautions.

Kentucky Governor: The Kentucky State Police has ordered the evacuation and is examining a threat that was received by the Kentucky Secretary of State’s Office. Andy Beshear posted on X.

Beshear said, “We’re aware that similar threats have been made against other offices in the country.”

Michon Lindstrom told Axios that the bomb threat was delivered via a mass email to many secretary of state’s offices and legislative offices across the country.

Lindstrom stated that the email was first received by the deputy Secretary of State, who then forwarded it on to the Kentucky State Police. The police evacuated the Capitol “out of a great deal of caution”. The capitol was reopened a few hours later.

The Lexington Herald Leader reported that the email did not name any specific secretaries, but it stated that bombs were placed in state capitals.

Adams, who was sworn into a second term for the United States Senate on Tuesday, went to X to thank first responders.

Local news reported that the Connecticut state capital was evacuated on Wednesday, after several employees had received a “suspicious” email claiming multiple explosives were placed inside. Connecticut State Capitol Police Officer Scott Driscoll sent an email to legislators, staff and other officials.

The police searched the building and grounds. “Nothing suspicious was discovered, everything appeared to be safe and the building has been reopened,” Driscoll said.

Gabriel Sterling, Chief Operating Officer for the Georgia Secretary of State, confirmed to X that the opening of Georgia’s state capitol was postponed Wednesday due to a bomb scare. Sterling then posted an update stating that the building was “all clear.”

In an email, the Georgia Department of Public Safety confirmed that the hoax was the cause of the bomb threat.

The department noted that it was not possible to provide any further information due to an ongoing investigation.

Michigan State Police First District confirmed to X on Wednesday morning that an emailed threat of a bomb was sent by the Michigan State Capitol Commission.

The report added, “We are aware that similar threats have been sent to other government agencies in the country.”

MSP First District stated that despite the fact that the Lansing Capitol Building was cleared of any threat, it will remain closed for the remainder of the day.

State of play: On Wednesday, the Mississippi capitol building went on lockdown after receiving a bomb scare. After a thorough search, the building was reopened in the morning. The state Department of Public Safety announced on Facebook that “no explosives were found or suspicious equipment”.

The Minnesota state capitol was also placed on lockdown after an email bomb threat. The Star Tribune reported that subsequent searches of the building revealed nothing suspicious. It was subsequently reopened.

The Star Tribune reported that the proceedings, despite disrupting the work of state Supreme Court Justices who were hearing oral arguments, forced them to relocate to another courtroom just across the street.

Megan Grotzke, spokesperson for the Montana Department of Administration, told The Independent Record that the capitol building in Montana was evacuated Wednesday and searched due to an apparent bomb threat. It was then reopened when the threat was determined to be “not credible.”

Bangor Daily News reported that the Maine State House had also been evacuated due to an alleged bomb threat. Sweeps were in progress.

Hawaii’s state capitol was evacuated as well on Wednesday due to a bomb scare. The governor’s office confirmed that the building was reopened after sweeps found no explosives or devices.

Worth noting: Several Wyoming state entities also received a massive email containing a threat. However, law enforcement determined that the threat was not credible, and no buildings have been closed.