Year: 2021
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South Dakota enacts new state legislative district maps
South Dakota enacted new state legislative and congressional districts after the legislature approved a compromise between two competing proposals. Both chambers voted to approve the final proposal, known as the Sparrow map, on Nov. 10, 2021. The House approved the new districts in a 37-31 vote and the Senate by a vote of 30-2. Gov.…
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SCOTUS grants review in arbitration case
The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) accepted on Nov. 15 one case to its merits docket, Morgan v. Sundance, Inc. The case concerns arbitration clauses and the court’s ruling in AT&T Mobility LLC v. Concepcion (2011). Morgan originated from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit. In AT&T Mobility LLC v.…
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On Saturday, Louisiana voters approved one constitutional amendment and defeated three
On Saturday, Louisiana voters approved one constitutional amendment and defeated three. Voters approved Amendment 2, which decreased the maximum allowable individual income tax rate from 6% to 4.75% for tax years beginning in 2022. Through House Bill 278, the legislature provided in statute that the tax bracket rates beginning in 2022 for an individual would…
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Recall elections scheduled against two Nebraska school board members
Recall elections against two of the six members of the Leyton Public Schools Board of Education in Nebraska are being held on Jan. 11, 2022. Board members Suzy Ernest and Roland Rushman will be on the ballot. The recall petitions listed the district’s increased legal fees since January 2021 as reasons for the recall against…
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North Dakota enacts new state legislative maps
On Nov. 11, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum (R) signed a new state legislative map following the 2020 redistricting cycle. The House approved the map in a 73-18 vote on Nov. 9, and the Senate approved the map in a 40-7 vote on Nov. 10. The map was drafted by the Legislative Redistricting Committee, which…
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Federal Register weekly update: 1,228 new pages added
The Federal Register is a daily journal of federal government activity that includes presidential documents, proposed and final rules, and public notices. It is a common measure of an administration’s regulatory activity, accounting for both regulatory and deregulatory actions. From November 8 through November 12, the Federal Register grew by 1,228 pages for a year-to-date…
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Montana Districting and Apportionment Commission enacts new congressional map
On Nov. 12, the Montana Districting and Apportionment Commission enacted a new congressional map following the 2020 redistricting cycle. The commissioners voted 3-2 to approve the map and to transmit it to the Montana Secretary of State. Both Republican commissioners and Maylinn Smith, the nonpartisan tiebreaker, voted in favor of the map, and the two…
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Two Hialeah City Council at-large seats up for election on Nov. 16
The nonpartisan general election for two of the seven seats on the Hialeah City Council in Florida is on Nov. 16. The primary election was held on Nov. 2, and the candidate filing deadline passed on July 6. Bryan Calvo and Angelica Pacheco are competing for the council’s at-large Group VI seat, and Luis Rodriguez…
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The 2022 Senate battlegrounds (so far)
Control of both chambers of Congress is at stake in the 2022 midterm elections. The Democratic and Republican caucuses currently split the Senate 50-50, with Vice President Kamala Harris (D) casting tie-breaking votes. Thirty-four Senate seats are up for election next year. Republicans currently hold 20 of those and Democrats, 14. Senate races in eight…