Year: 2021

  • Jill Underly wins Wisconsin’s Superintendent of Public Instruction election

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    Jill Underly defeated Deborah Kerr in the nonpartisan election for Wisconsin Superintendent of Public Instruction on Apr. 6. Decision Desk HQ called the race at 9:15 p.m. CT, and the Associated Press called the race at 9:30 p.m. CT. With 67% of precincts reporting, Underly led with 57% of the vote to Kerr’s 43%. Kerr…

  • Documenting America’s Path to Recovery: April 6, 2021

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    The next 24 hours What is changing in the next 24 hours? Georgia (Republican trifecta): Gov. Brian Kemp (R) will ease restrictions on businesses and individuals starting April 7. Under the new order, there will no longer be a ban on gatherings or any social distance requirements in businesses like bars, movie theaters, or gyms.…

  • First quarter report on donor disclosure legislation

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    First quarter report on donor disclosure legislation   Thus far this year, state legislatures have enacted two donor disclosure bills, down from six during the same period in 2019 and up from zero during the same period in 2020. Let’s take a closer look at how legislative activity in the first three months of 2021 compares…

  • Representative Alcee Hastings dies from pancreatic cancer

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    U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-Fla.) died from pancreatic cancer on April 6. He was first elected to Florida’s 23rd Congressional District in 1992 and represented it until it was redistricted as District 20 in 2012. Hastings was first elected from the 20th District in 2012. In last year’s general elections, Hastings defeated Greg Musselwhite (R), 79%…

  • Manchin opposes Biden corporate tax rate increase

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    April 6, 2021: Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) said that he opposed President Joe Biden’s (D) proposal to raise the corporate tax rate from 21% to 28% Every weekday, Ballotpedia is tracking key presidential appointments, executive actions, and policy developments from the Biden administration. There are no committee hearings scheduled Tuesday. The Senate stands adjourned until…

  • Ballotpedia releases federal judicial vacancy count for March 2021

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    In this month’s federal judicial vacancy count, Ballotpedia tracked nominations, confirmations, and vacancies to all United States Article III federal courts from March 1 to April 1. Ballotpedia publishes the federal judicial vacancy count at the start of each month. HIGHLIGHTS Vacancies: There have been five new judicial vacancies since the February 2021 report. There…

  • Economy and Society: Greater fund disclosure on voting behavior

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    ESG developments this week In Washington, D.C. Greater fund disclosure on voting behavior On March 17, then-acting-chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Allison Herren Lee, spoke to the Investment Company Institute, a fund trade group, on Commission plans to address the transparency of fund votes taken on shareholder proposals. She said: “There are two…

  • Wyoming to vote in 2022 to allow local governments to invest in stocks and equities

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    On April 1, the Wyoming State Legislature referred a constitutional amendment to the 2022 ballot that would allow the legislature to provide by law for local governments (county, city, township, town, school district, or other political subdivision) to invest funds in stocks and equities. Legislation establishing or increasing the percentage of funds a local government could…

  • President Biden has announced 10 nominations for Article III judgeships

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    President Joe Biden (D) has announced his intent to nominate 10 individuals to Article III courts for lifetime judgeships as of April 1. As of this writing, the official nominations have not yet been submitted to the U.S. Senate.  For comparison with the previous administration, President Donald Trump (R) made his first Article III judicial…

  • The Daily Brew: Elections in nine states today

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    Welcome to the Tuesday, April 6, Brew. Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day: Your help is needed today Elections in nine states today How states select supreme court chief justices Your help is needed today As readers of the Brew, you are familiar with Ballotpedia’s unwavering commitment to providing timely,…