Year: 2025

  • Kansas, Kentucky, and Wyoming join nine other states in restricting foreign contributions to ballot measure campaigns

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    Welcome to the Friday, April 11, Brew.  By: Mercedes Yanora and Joseph Brusgard Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day: Kansas, Kentucky, and Wyoming join nine other states in restricting foreign contributions to ballot measure campaigns This year, Kansas, Kentucky, and Wyoming have enacted new laws restricting foreign contributions to ballot…

  • San Antonio’s mayoral election first in 16 years without an incumbent

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    Image of several stickers with the words "I voted"

    Twenty-seven candidates are running in the nonpartisan general election for mayor of San Antonio, Texas, on May 3, 2025. Beto Altamirano, John Courage, Adriana Garcia, Melissa Cabello Havrda, Gina Ortiz Jones, Rolando Pablos, Manny Pelaez, and Clayton Perry are notable candidates based on media attention, polling, and endorsements. Incumbent Ron Nirenberg, elected in June 2017, is term-limited. Though the office is nonpartisan, Nirenberg is a Democrat. He…

  • North Dakota joins two states asking voters to increase approval requirements for ballot measures

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    North Dakota voters will decide on a constitutional amendment that would establish a 60% supermajority requirement in order for voters to approve new constitutional amendments. The supermajority requirement would apply to both constitutional amendments proposed by initiative petition and amendments referred to the ballot by the state legislature. This amendment will appear on the ballot…

  • The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled on 25 cases so far this term—more than at this point in the last three terms

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    Welcome to the Thursday, April 10, Brew.  By: Briana Ryan  Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day: The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled on 25 cases so far this term—more than at this point in the last three terms So far this term, the U.S. Supreme Court has issued opinions in…

  • Hall Pass: Your Ticket to Understanding School Board Politics, Edition #151

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    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 summer vacation In this section, we curate reporting, analysis,…

  • Utah lawmakers pass laws designed to assert state sovereignty and limit federal influence

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    Utah lawmakers passed eight bills and resolutions to assert state sovereignty and limit federal influence during the 2025 legislative session, which ended March 7. These measures address fiscal independence, regulatory oversight, and election authority. Utah has a Republican trifecta, with Republican control of the governor’s office, state senate, and state house. Below are the federalism-related…

  • North Dakota voters to decide on a constitutional amendment that would change term limits for state legislators

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    Welcome to the Wednesday, April 9, Brew.  By: Briana Ryan and Joseph Brusgard Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day: North Dakota voters to decide on a constitutional amendment that would change term limits for state legislators On Nov. 3, 2026, North Dakota voters will decide on a constitutional amendment to…

  • Republicans ask SEC to drop ESG rules

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    In this week’s edition of Economy and Society: In Washington, D.C. Republicans ask SEC to drop ESG rules What’s the story? The House Financial Services Committee sent a letter last week to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) asking the agency to rescind several Biden-era climate-related rules, including: Why does it matter? The fight over…

  • 2025 marks record year as Kansas, Kentucky, and Wyoming join states with laws restricting foreign contributions to ballot measure campaigns

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    So far, during the 2025 legislative sessions, three states—Kansas, Kentucky, and Wyoming—have enacted new laws restricting foreign contributions to ballot measure campaigns. With these additions, 12 now have laws prohibiting foreign nationals, governments, or other entities from contributing to ballot measure committees. The 12 states with such laws are California, Colorado, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland,…