Year: 2025
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A look at the nation’s first federal private school choice program
Welcome to the Friday, July 18, 2025, Brew. By: Lara Bonatesta Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day: A look at the nation’s first federal private school choice program An extended version of the story appeared in Ballotpedia’s Hall Pass newsletter on July 16. Click here to read that version. Earlier…
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Missouri attorney general investigates proxy advisory services
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey (R) announced last week his office is investigating Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) and Glass Lewis, the two largest U.S. proxy advisory firms, alleging they prioritized political agendas over fiduciary duties in their voting recommendations. ISS and Glass Lewis have drawn recent attention in ESG debates. Critics argue their combined market…
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Missouri Gov. signs bill limiting state judicial deference, becoming fourth state to do so in 2025
On July 11, Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe (R) signed Senate Bill 221 into law. The bill limits judicial deference by state courts to state agencies. Judicial deference is the practice of courts adopting or yielding to an agency’s interpretation of an ambiguous law or regulation. SB 221 was designed to prohibit state courts from deferring…
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Hall Pass: Your Ticket to Understanding School Board Politics, Edition #165
Welcome to Hall Pass, a newsletter written to keep you plugged into the conversations driving school board governance, the politics surrounding it, and education policy. In today’s edition, you’ll find: Reply to this email to share reactions or story ideas! On the issues: The debate over teaching controversial topics In this section, we curate reporting,…
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The Checks & Balances Letter, July 2025
Highlights from this edition of Checks and Balances include deep dives into this term’s administrative state Supreme Court decisions and the North Carolina governor’s veto of state REINS legislation. In Washington Supreme Court changes agency power in 13 administrative state rulings What’s the story? The U.S. Supreme Court ended its October 2024 term on June…
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Budget reconciliation bill changes SNAP and Medicaid work requirements
President Donald Trump (R) signed the budget reconciliation bill — H.R. 1 — known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) into law on July 4. The bill contains provisions requiring states to implement work requirements for Medicaid by Jan. 1, 2027, and alters the exemptions from the able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWD) work…
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Missouri voters have decided 420 statewide ballot measures since 1908
Ballotpedia has completed an inventory of all Missouri ballot measures since 1908. Between 1908 and 2024, Missouri voters decided 420 ballot measures. Of these, 195 (46.4%) were approved, and 225 (53.6%) were defeated. In Missouri, measures can be placed on the ballot through the state legislature, as well as through the citizen-initiated process. The citizen…
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Senate Foreign Relations Committee holds confirmation hearing for Michael Waltz for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee held a confirmation hearing for Michael Waltz for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations on July 15, 2025. At the time the hearing ended, the committee had not scheduled a meeting to vote on his nomination. Waltz must receive a majority approval vote in the committee before his nomination can…