Category: State

  • Four state legislatures have passed bills ending judicial deference in 2025, most recently Missouri and Oklahoma

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    What’s the story In the 2025 legislative sessions, Kentucky, Oklahoma, and Texas enacted laws prohibiting judicial deference by state courts to state administrative agencies. In a fourth state, Missouri, the legislature approved a bill and sent it to the governor’s desk. It had not been signed as of June 13. Three states were Republican trifectas.…

  • New Hampshire becomes 26th state to adopt Parents’ Bill of Rights

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    What’s the story? New Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayotte (R) signed House Bill (HB) 10 on June 10, adopting a statewide Parents’ Bill of Rights.  This bill establishes parents’ rights regarding their child’s education, prohibits schools from infringing those rights, and allows parents to seek legal relief if these rights are violated. The bill also requires…

  • Louisiana voters to decide on raising judicial retirement age from 70 to 75 in April 2026

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    Louisiana voters will decide on a constitutional amendment that would increase the judicial retirement age from 70 to 75. It will appear on the ballot on April 18, 2026. Currently, 31 states and the District of Columbia have mandatory retirement ages for judges. These laws require judges to retire either upon reaching a specified age…

  • At least one incumbent defeated in New Jersey’s state legislative primaries

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    New Jersey held state legislative primaries on Tuesday, June 10, the first of two states doing so this year. Virginia will hold state legislative primaries on June 17. At least one Democratic incumbent—Garnet Hall—lost, representing 1.3% of the 76 incumbents running for re-election and 2.9% of the 35 contested incumbents. With 35 incumbents (46%) in…

  • Jack Ciattarelli won the New Jersey Republican primary for governor

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    Jack Ciattarelli (R) defeated Bill Spadea, Jon Bramnick, and three other candidates in the June 10, 2025, Republican primary for governor of New Jersey. Gov. Phil Murphy (D) was term-limited, meaning the office was open. The last Republican governor was Chris Christie, who left office in 2018. Rider University’s Micah Rasmussen said, “It has been…

  • Texas comptroller removes BlackRock from boycott list

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    What’s the story? Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar announced last week that his office removed BlackRock from the state’s list of firms barred from managing public investment funds over their treatment of fossil fuel companies. Hegar said BlackRock’s recent shift away from public ESG support made the firm eligible to do business with the state again.…

  • Louisiana passes REINS Act-inspired legislative oversight

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    What’s the story The Louisiana Senate passed SB 59, a bill that increases legislative oversight on rules through requirements similar to a REINS-style law, on June 3 by a vote of 37-0. The bill was sent to Gov. Jeff Landry (R) for signature on June 8.  Gov. Jeff Landry (R) expressed support for SB 59.…

  • Voters recall two Maine school board members

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    Voters approved recall elections against two members of the Maine School Administrative District 46 school board on June 10, 2025. In the recall election against Alisha Ames, 75% of voters cast ballots in favor of the recall, according to unofficial election night results. In the recall election against Judy Saunders, 67% of voters approved the…

  • New Yorkers to decide on constitutional amendment regarding the forest preserve land at Mount Van Hoevenberg Olympic Sports Complex in November 2025

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    New York voters will decide on a constitutional amendment to authorize a land exchange related to the Mount Van Hoevenberg Olympic Sports Complex on Nov. 4, 2025. The amendment was referred to the ballot by the New York State Legislature. In New York, a constitutional amendment is referred to the ballot by passing both chambers…