Year: 2021

  • Documenting America’s Path to Recovery: January 25, 2021

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    The next 24 hours What is changing in the next 24 hours? New Hampshire (Republican trifecta): The next phase of the state’s vaccine distribution plan, 1B, will begin Jan. 26. On that day, people 65 and older will be eligible to receive the vaccine, as well as medically vulnerable people, the caregivers of medically vulnerable…

  • New York voters to decide redistricting-related constitutional amendment at the 2021 general election

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    Voters in New York will decide at least one constitutional amendment at the election on November 2, 2021. On January 20, 2021, the State Assembly approved an amendment that would make changes to the redistricting process in New York, including for the redistricting cycle based on the 2020 U.S. Census. The state Senate approved the…

  • Senate confirms Lloyd Austin for secretary of defense

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    On January 22, 2021, the Senate confirmed retired Gen. Lloyd Austin to serve as secretary of defense by a vote of 93-2. He will be the first Black secretary to lead the Department of Defense and the second member of President Joe Biden’s (D) Cabinet to be confirmed. Sens. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Mike Lee…

  • Yellen confirmation vote for Treasury secretary set for Monday

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    January 25, 2021: The Senate will vote on Janet Yellen’s nomination for secretary of the Treasury on Monday. 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 appointees to top government positions. In 2020, there were 1,472 government…

  • New Mexico, West Virginia allow schools to reopen after holiday closures

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    Starting Jan. 19, all public and private pre-K, elementary, and middle schools in West Virginia were required to resume full-time in-person or hybrid (at least two in-person days every week) instruction, regardless of their county’s coronavirus transmission rates. High schools were still required to close if located in counties the Department of Health and Human…

  • Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 59 special election set for May 18, 2021

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    Election officials have scheduled a special election for the District 59 seat in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for May 18, 2021. The seat became vacant when Mike Reese (R) died from a brain aneurysm on Jan. 2. There is no primary, and candidates will be nominated directly by political parties.

  • Ballotpedia’s Daily Brew: 30 state legislative races decided by < 100 votes in 2020

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    30 state legislative races were decided by fewer than 100 votes in 2020 The saying goes, “every vote counts.” For these races, fewer than 100 votes decided the winner.  Out of the 5,875 total state legislative elections in 2020, 30 (0.5%) races were decided by fewer than 100 votes. Twenty-nine of the races were for…

  • Documenting America’s Path to Recovery: January 22, 2021

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    The next 72 hours What is changing in the next 72 hours? Georgia (Republican trifecta): On Thursday, Jan. 21, Gov. Brian Kemp (R) announced that, starting next week, all 120,000 doses of the coronavirus vaccine allocated to the state by the federal government would go to local health departments. Previously, the state had allocated at…

  • Supreme Court hears case about presidential control of independent agencies

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    The Checks and Balances Letter delivers news and information from Ballotpedia’s Administrative State Project, including pivotal actions at the federal and state levels related to the separation of powers, due process and the rule of law. This edition:  In this month’s edition of Checks and Balances, we review U.S. Supreme Court cases concerning Medicaid work…

  • Ballotpedia’s Union Station: Third Circuit rejects challenge to class action suit over union fees

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    Third Circuit rejects challenge to class action suit over union fees On Jan. 15, 2021, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit upheld the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania’s decision in Bethany LaSpina v. SEIU Pennsylvania State Council et al. The lower court had dismissed…