Author: Jerrick Adams

  • Connecticut House of Representatives approves omnibus public-sector union bill

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    On May 29, 2019, the Connecticut House of Representatives voted 83-58 to approve HB06935, an omnibus public-sector union bill.   If approved, the bill would make several changes to the state’s public-sector labor laws: It would require public employers to furnish unions with information about newly hired and current employees. Employees would have to consent…

  • New Jersey lawmakers consider overriding veto of expanded donor disclosure requirements

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    New Jersey legislators are considering overriding the governor’s conditional veto of S1500, a bill that would require 501(c)(4)s, super PACs, and other entities to disclose donors who contribute $10,000 or more. A meeting scheduled for May 30 between lawmakers and the governor to discuss the bill was postponed. (Source: NJ.com) What does the governor say?…

  • Connecticut House of Representatives approves omnibus public-sector union bill

    Posted on

    On May 29, 2019, the Connecticut House of Representatives voted 83-58 to approve HB06935, an omnibus public-sector union bill. What would the bill do? If approved, the bill would make several changes to the state’s public-sector labor laws: It would require public employers to furnish unions with information about newly hired and current employees. Employees…

  • Iowa Supreme Court upholds changes to public-sector collective bargaining rights

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    In two separate rulings issued on May 17, 2019, the Iowa Supreme Court upheld a 2017 law that amended collective bargaining rights for the state’s public-sector workforce. The court ruled 4-3 in the state’s favor in both cases.   What was at issue? In 2017, then-Gov. Terry Branstad (R) signed into law a series of…

  • Iowa Supreme Court upholds changes to public-sector collective bargaining rights

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    In two separate rulings issued on May 17, the Iowa Supreme Court upheld a 2017 law that amended collective bargaining rights for the state’s public-sector workforce. The court ruled 4-3 in the state’s favor in both cases. What was at issue? In 2017, then-Gov. Terry Branstad (R) signed into law a series of amendments to…

  • New Jersey governor conditionally vetoes expanded donor disclosure requirements for 501(c)(4) and 527 groups

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    On May 13, Governor Phil Murphy (D) conditionally vetoed S1500, legislation that would require 501(c)(4)s, super PACs, and other entities to disclose their donors who contribute $10,000 or more. In his veto statement, Murphy said, “I commend my colleagues in the Legislature for seeking to ensure that so-called ‘dark money’ is brought out into the…

  • Five states sue over Medicaid rule barring union dues payroll deductions for home health care workers

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    On May 13, attorneys general in five states – California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Oregon, and Washington – filed suit in U.S. District Court against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). They seek to overturn an HHS final rule, issued May 6 barring states from making Medicaid payments to third parties on behalf of…

  • New Jersey, New York attorneys general file suit over IRS donor disclosure rule change

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    On May 6, 2019, New Jersey Attorney General Letitia James (D) and New York Attorney General Gurbir Grewal (D) sued the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). They are seeking information as to how the agency arrived at its decision to stop requiring donor information from select nonprofit groups. (Sources:…

  • Federal district court strikes down Ohio congressional district plan as unconstitutional partisan gerrymander

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    On May 3, 2019, a three-judge panel of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio ruled unanimously that Ohio’s congressional district plan constitutes an illegal partisan gerrymander. The court held that the plan, enacted in 2011 by a Republican legislature and governor, violates the First and Fourteenth Amendment rights of Democrats.…

  • Federal court strikes down Michigan state legislative and congressional district maps as partisan gerrymanders

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    On April 25, 2019, a three-judge panel of the United District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan ruled unanimously that 34 congressional and state legislative districts had been subject to unconstitutional partisan gerrymandering, violating Democrats’ First Amendment associational rights. The court also found that 27 of the 34 challenged districts violated the Democrats’ First…