Author: Jerrick Adams

  • Maine Rep. Golden introduces bill creating donor disclosure requirements for 501(c)(4)s

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    Explore the legislation, litigation, and advocacy surrounding nonprofit donor disclosure with The Disclosure Digest, a Ballotpedia newsletter. Under federal law, nonprofits are generally not required to disclose to the public information about their donors. State laws, however, may require such disclosure. Some say expanded donor disclosure provisions minimize the potential for fraud and establish public accountability.…

  • Union Station: July 2020

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    Welcome to Union Station, our weekly newsletter that keeps you abreast of the legislation, national trends, and public debate surrounding public-sector union policy. Federal court dismisses Alaska state employee lawsuit over union dues payment practices On July 15, a federal district court dismissed a lawsuit filed by two Alaska state employees over union dues payment…

  • Michigan Civil Service Commission approves union dues deduction rule change

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    Michigan Civil Service Commission approves rule change for deducting union dues from employee paychecks                  On July 13, the Michigan Civil Service Commission voted 3-1 in favor of a rule change requiring unionized state employees to authorize union dues deductions from their paychecks on an annual basis.  What is at issue? Rule…

  • A closer look at Louisiana’s unique electoral system

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    In Louisiana, the candidate qualifying period opens on July 22 and closes on July 24. With the filing period upon us, the time is ripe for examining Louisiana’s one-of-a-kind system in greater depth, and for introducing Ballotpedia’s preferred term for the system: Louisiana majority-vote system. How do elections work in Louisiana? Louisiana’s electoral system for…

  • Michigan Civil Service Commission considers changing rules for deducting union dues from employee paychecks

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    Michigan Civil Service Commission considers changing rules for deducting union dues from employee paychecks                  The Michigan Civil Service Commission is considering a proposal that would require unionized state employees to authorize union dues deductions from their paychecks on an annual basis.  What is at issue? Rule 6-7 of Michigan’s Civil Service…

  • Recent SCOTUS actions involving COVID-19 and elections

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    On June 25 and June 26, the Supreme Court of the United States declined to intervene in two lawsuits involving COVID-19 and election administration. The first was a suit out of Ohio involving remote signature gathering for ballot initiatives. The second was a suit out of Texas dealing with absentee voting eligibility. Thompson v. DeWine…

  • Indiana attorney general issues opinion stating public-sector workers must be notified of rights before dues can be deducted from paychecks

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    On June 17, Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill (R) issued an opinion stating that, “to the extent the state of Indiana or its political subdivisions collect union dues from its employees, they must provide adequate notice of their employees’ First Amendment rights against compelled speech.” Attorney general opinions are advisory. They do not constitute an…

  • Ballot Bulletin: Super Junesday voter turnout

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    June 2 primaries mark highest concentration of voting activity since March  On June 2, nine states held statewide primary elections (and the District of Columbia conducted its district-wide primary). This represented the busiest single day of voting since March 3. The reason? The COVID-19 outbreak prompted a series of election postponements and other modifications.      How…

  • Texas Democrats appeal absentee voting decision to U.S. Supreme Court

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    On June 16, the Democratic Party of Texas appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court an appellate court order staying a district court decision that had extended absentee voting eligibility in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. On May 19, Judge Samuel Frederick Biery of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas ordered that…

  • California governor issues executive order authorizing counties to consolidate polling places in Nov. 3 general election

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    On June 3, Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) issued an executive order giving counties permission to consolidate polling places in the Nov. 3 general election, provided they offer three days of early voting. Newsom authorized counties to operate one polling place per 10,000 registered voters, provided that those locations are open eight hours per day from…