Year: 2021

  • Breaking down partisanship on the Delaware Supreme Court

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    Delaware is the only state in the country with a constitutional requirement mandating partisan balance on the state supreme court. In 1851, Delaware amended its constitution to include: “three of the five Justices of the Supreme Court in office at the same time, shall be of one major political party, and two of said Justices…

  • Confirmation hearings scheduled for Becerra, Haaland

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    February 17, 2021: Senate committees will hold confirmation hearings next week for Xavier Becerra for secretary of health and human services and Debra Haaland for secretary of the interior.   President Joe Biden (D) and his team have been preparing for the transition between presidential administrations since the election, including selecting senior White House staff and…

  • The Daily Brew: Six national party committees raised twice as much last cycle as the previous one

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    Welcome to the Wednesday, Feb. 17, Brew. Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day: Six national party committees raised a combined $2.65 billion last cycle Iowa public schools required to offer full-time, in-person instruction as of Feb. 15 New York voters to decide constitutional amendment about environmental rights Six national party…

  • Documenting America’s Path to Recovery: February 16, 2021

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    Since our last edition What rules and restrictions are changing in each state? For a continually updated article, click here. Alaska (divided government): Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R) allowed the state’s coronavirus emergency order to expire on Feb 14. Four health advisories replaced the order, including recommendations for mitigating virus spread among individuals (like wearing a…

  • Final executive clemency update of Trump presidency

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    The U.S. Constitution, in Article II, Section 2, grants the president the power of executive clemency. Executive clemency includes the power to pardon, in which the president overturns a federal conviction and restores “an individual to the state of innocence that existed before the conviction.” From 2017-2021, Donald Trump (R) issued 143 pardons and 94 commutations.…

  • 23 candidates file to run for mayor, city council in Arlington, Texas

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    The filing deadline for candidates interested in running for mayor and city council member in Arlington, Texas, was February 12, 2021. The nonpartisan general election is scheduled for May 1. Eight candidates—Doni Anthony, Kelly Burke, former city councilmember Michael Glaspie, Cirilo Ocampo Jr., Jim Ross, District 3 city councilmember Marvin Sutton, Jerry Warden, and Dewayne…

  • U.S. Senate acquits former President Trump of incitement of insurrection

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    The U.S. Senate acquitted President Donald Trump (R) of incitement of insurrection on Feb. 13. All 50 Democrats and seven Republicans voted guilty. The other 43 Republicans voted not guilty. The seven Republicans to vote guilty were: ◦ Richard Burr (R-N.C.) ◦ Bill Cassidy (R-La.) ◦ Susan Collins (R-Maine) ◦ Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) ◦ Mitt…

  • Tennessee lawmakers consider bills limiting disclosure of nonprofit donor information

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    Legislation introduced last week in Tennessee would prohibit  a public agency from disclosing identifying information about a nonprofit’s donors.  What the bill proposes SB1608  would bar any public agency (including state and municipal government units and courts) from: Requiring a tax-exempt nonprofit to provide a public agency with personal information about its donors, members, supporters,…

  • Economy and Society: SEC disclosure rules meet resistance

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    The Economy and Society is Ballotpedia’s weekly review of the developments in corporate activism; corporate political engagement; and the Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG) trends and events that characterize the growing intersection between business and politics. ESG developments this week In Washington, D.C. SEC disclosure rules meet resistance from potential ESG allies The Biden…

  • 71 new members of Congress elected in 2020 election

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    Seventy-one new members were elected to the 117th U.S. Congress on Nov. 3, 2020, or in subsequent runoff elections: nine new senators and 62 new representatives. This includes Rep.-elect Luke Letlow (R-La.), who died from complications related to COVID-19 on Dec. 29. The last race was called on Feb. 8, when the New York Board…