Category: Federal
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SCOTUS allows Trump administration to end 2020 census count
The U.S. Supreme Court issued an order on Oct. 13 which allows the Trump administration to end the 2020 census count. SCOTUS stayed an order from the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which had directed the Trump administration to continue to gather data through the end of October. The Trump administration had argued that…
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Learn more about the arguments in the debate over lockdown/stay-at-home orders during the coronavirus pandemic
Discussions about policy responses to the coronavirus are happening at a fast pace. As part of our ongoing coverage Documenting America’s Path to Recovery, Ballotpedia has published a series of articles capturing the regular themes in support of and opposition to these policy responses. Here’s how it works. First, we identify a topic area, (such as…
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Who runs elections in the United States?
Election administration in the U.S. is largely decentralized. Administrators at the state and local level are responsible for running elections, from maintaining voter registration records to counting ballots. As a result, election laws and procedures vary widely among states and localities. Each state has an agency that manages elections. Responsibilities of the state-level office often include…
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Supreme Court announces it will use teleconferencing to hear oral arguments for November, December sittings
The Supreme Court of the United States announced on October 9, 2020, that it will hear oral arguments via teleconference for its November and December sittings. Currently, eight arguments are set for November, and ten are set for December. The court previously heard oral arguments via teleconference in May and October of this year after…
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U.S. Supreme Court declines to hear case challenging Chevron deference
On October 5, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a challenge against Chevron deference brought by the Children’s Hospital Association of Texas. The association had asked whether courts should give Chevron deference to agency legal interpretations that are different from previous agency interpretations. Chevron deference is an approach to judicial review that compels federal courts to yield to a federal agency’s…
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Ballotpedia study shows that 29 state APAs require administrative agencies to conduct a cost-benefit analysis before implementing rules
A Ballotpedia study of all 50 state constitutions and administrative procedure acts (APAs) showed that 29 state APAs require administrative agencies to conduct a cost-benefit analysis before implementing rules, as of September 2020. Cost-benefit analysis is an aspect of agency dynamics, one of the five pillars key to understanding the main areas of debate about…
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Federal Register weekly update: Highest weekly document total since June
The Federal Register is a daily journal of federal government activity that includes presidential documents, proposed and final rules, and public notices. It is a common measure of an administration’s regulatory activity. From October 5 to October 9, the Federal Register grew by 1,836 pages for a year-to-date total of 64,374 pages. Over the same period in 2019 and…
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U.S. Supreme Court to hear four hours of oral argument the week of October 12
The U.S. Supreme Court’s 2020–2021 term begins its second week on October 12, with the court scheduled to hear four hours of oral argument throughout the week. Consistent with the court’s policy in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, all arguments will be made via teleconference with live audio provided. On October 13, the court will…
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SCOTUS grants review in seven cases for 2020-2021 term
On October 2, 2020, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) granted review in seven cases for a total of four hours of oral argument during its October Term for 2020-2021. The cases have not yet been scheduled for argument. FCC v. Prometheus Radio Project (Consolidated with National Association of Broadcasters v. Prometheus Radio…
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President Trump announces judicial nominee
On October 1, President Donald Trump (R) announced the nomination of Joseph Dawson to the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina, which is an Article III federal judicial position. Article III judges are appointed by the president, confirmed by the Senate, and serve for life. Since assuming office in January 2017, Trump…