Category: State

  • Sabina Matos sworn in as Rhode Island lieutenant governor 

    Posted on

    The Rhode Island Senate unanimously confirmed Sabina Matos (D) as lieutenant governor on April 13. She was sworn in the following day.  Governor Daniel McKee (D) nominated Matos as lieutenant governor on March 31. McKee resigned as lieutenant governor to be sworn in as governor on March 2, replacing Gina Raimondo (D) when she became…

  • Suellentrop removed as Kansas State Senate majority leader

    Posted on

    Members of the Republican caucus in the Kansas State Senate voted to remove Majority Leader Gene Suellentrop (R) from his position on April 9. The caucus vote was 22-4 following the release of additional details about Suellentrop’s March 16 arrest. Assistant Majority Leader Larry Alley will act as Senate Majority Leader until the Republican caucus…

  • Republican Bill Boyd wins New Hampshire state House special election to replace the late Dick Hinch

    Posted on

    A special election was held on April 13 for the Hillsborough 21 District of the New Hampshire House of Representatives. Bill Boyd (R), a current town councilor in Merrimack, defeated Wendy Thomas (D) and Stephen Hollenberg (Independent) with 53% of the vote. Thomas came in second with 45% of the vote. Boyd’s term will last…

  • DeAnne DeFuccio sworn in to New Jersey General Assembly District 39

    Posted on

    DeAnne DeFuccio (R) was sworn in on April 9 to a seat in the New Jersey Assembly, representing the 39th District. DeFuccio won the special election held at the Bergen County Republican Organization on March 31 by a vote of 88-81 over John Azzaritti.  DeFuccio will serve the remainder of Holly Schepisi’s (R) term, which…

  • West Virginia State Legislature refers three constitutional amendments to 2022 ballot during its 2021 session

    Posted on

    The West Virginia State Legislature referred three constitutional amendments to the November 2022 ballot on April 9 and 10, the last days of the legislative session.  West Virginia No Court Authority over Impeachment Amendment West Virginia Incorporation of Religious Denominations and Churches Amendment West Virginia Tax Exemptions for Personal Property Used for Business Activity Amendment…

  • Special election primary to be held in New Hampshire House district

    Posted on

    A special election primary is being held on April 20 for the Merrimack 23 District of the New Hampshire House of Representatives. Christopher Lins and John Martin are running in the Republican primary. Muriel Hall is unopposed in the Democratic primary. The general election is taking place on June 8, and the winner of this…

  • Filing deadline approaches in Michigan State Senate special elections

    Posted on

    Major party candidates interested in running in the special elections for Michigan State Senate Districts 8 and 28 have until April 20 to file. For independent and minor party candidates, the filing deadline is Aug. 4. The primary election is scheduled for Aug. 3, and the general election is set for Nov. 2.  The special…

  • Two Democratic gubernatorial candidates in New Jersey disqualified from ballot; Gov. Murphy the lone remaining candidate

    Posted on

    On April 13, Lisa McCormick and Roger Bacon were disqualified from the Democratic primary ballot for New Jersey governor. Gov. Phil Murphy (D) is the only remaining candidate on the ballot. Administrative Law Judge Jeffrey Rabin disqualified McCormick, ruling that none of the 1,951 petition signatures she submitted were valid. The New Jersey Democratic Party…

  • Eight states have enacted laws limiting governors’ emergency powers since the start of the pandemic

    Posted on

    In response to the coronavirus pandemic, governors and state agencies in all 50 states relied on emergency power authority to enact stay-at-home orders, mask mandates, and other restrictions on businesses and individuals. Since March 2020, 10 bills in eight states have been signed into law that are aimed at increasing legislative oversight of governors’ emergency powers.…

  • New Mexico becomes the third state this year to approve recreational marijuana legalization

    Posted on

    On April 12, New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) signed House Bill 2 (HB 2) to legalize recreational marijuana.  HB 2 made New Mexico the third state to approve recreational marijuana legalization in the last two weeks. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) signed a marijuana legalization bill on March 31, and, on April…