Category: State
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Vermont, Ohio, North Carolina, Oregon enact K-12 cellphone bans
What’s the story? Vermont, Ohio, North Carolina, and Oregon have all enacted statewide bans on cellphone use in K-12 schools since June 27. What’s the background? 25 states have enacted cellphone bans or limits in K-12 schools, and at least 17 states have adopted cellphone bans or limits so far in 2025. Three states require…
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Oregon governor signs ESG investing law
Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek (D) signed the Climate Resilience Investment Act on June 26, directing the state’s $96 billion Public Employees Retirement System to study the effects of its investments on climate change and to “pursue the goal of reducing the carbon intensity of the fund.” The law is among the first to directly require…
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Utah voters have decided 220 ballot measures since 1895, beginning with constitution ratification ahead of statehood
Ballotpedia completed an inventory of all Utah ballot measures dating back to 1895, when voters approved the state constitution. Between 1895 and 2024, Utahns voted on 220 ballot measures—140 (63.6%) were approved and 80 (36.4%) were defeated. This count includes the ratification of the state constitution by voters in 1895, two months before the United States…
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Oregon joins 45 other states in allowing the governor to make appointments to vacant U.S. Senate seats
On June 20, 2025, Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek (D) signed Senate Bill 952 (SB 952), which gives the governor the power to appoint an interim U.S. senator for the state if a vacancy occurs. The bill includes the following provisions: In 36 states, governors appoint individuals to fill vacancies temporarily until a special election. The…
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Louisiana is the eighth state in 2025 to pass a bill prohibiting foreign national contributions to ballot measure campaigns
Louisiana is the 18th state to pass a law prohibiting foreign spending in ballot measure campaigns and the eighth state to do so in 2025, a record for the most states enacting such laws in a single year. Louisiana House Bill 693 (HB 693) modified existing campaign finance rules, including establishing new rules for political…
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Maine lawmakers recall RCV expansion from Gov. Mills’ desk
On June 25, 2025, both chambers of the Maine Legislature agreed by voice vote to recall LD 1666 from Gov. Janet Mills (D) desk and carry the bill over to the next special or regular legislative session. The bill would have expanded the state’s use of ranked-choice voting (RCV) to include general and special elections…
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NC Gov. Stein vetoes REINS-style bill increasing legislative oversight of agency regulations
What’s the story? North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein (D) vetoed House Bill 402, titled Limit Rules With Substantial Financial Costs, on June 27. HB 402 was designed to create legislative approval and agency board supermajority vote requirements for new agency rules with costs above stated thresholds. HB 402 now returns to the legislature, where both…
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States advance ESG-related bills
Four state legislatures took action on six ESG-related bills between June 17-23. Legislation in Ohio and Florida passed both chambers. Legislation in New Hampshire and North Carolina crossed over from one chamber to another. States with legislative activity on ESG last week are highlighted in the map below. Click here to see the details of…
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Texas Gov. Abbott (R) signs bill to allow early voting on weekends and up to Election Day
On June 22, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed SB 2753 into law. The bill moves the start of early voting later, but extends early voting to weekends and the four days leading up to Election Day. The new law requires early voting to begin on the 12th day before Election Day and end on the…
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Texas Gov. Abbott signs bill restricting the use of extreme risk protection orders
On June 22, Gov. Greg Abbott (R) signed SB 1326 into law, banning the enactment or enforcement of extreme risk protection orders (ERPOs) — also known as red flag laws — in the state. The bill explicitly applies to any state agency or authority, university systems, municipalities, counties, special districts and authorities, and district attorneys…