Category: Newsletters

  • Yellen confirmation vote for Treasury secretary set for Monday

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    January 25, 2021: The Senate will vote on Janet Yellen’s nomination for secretary of the Treasury on Monday. President Joe Biden (D) and his team have been preparing for the transition between presidential administrations since the election, including selecting senior White House staff and appointees to top government positions. In 2020, there were 1,472 government…

  • Ballotpedia’s Daily Brew: 30 state legislative races decided by < 100 votes in 2020

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    30 state legislative races were decided by fewer than 100 votes in 2020 The saying goes, “every vote counts.” For these races, fewer than 100 votes decided the winner.  Out of the 5,875 total state legislative elections in 2020, 30 (0.5%) races were decided by fewer than 100 votes. Twenty-nine of the races were for…

  • Documenting America’s Path to Recovery: January 22, 2021

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    The next 72 hours What is changing in the next 72 hours? Georgia (Republican trifecta): On Thursday, Jan. 21, Gov. Brian Kemp (R) announced that, starting next week, all 120,000 doses of the coronavirus vaccine allocated to the state by the federal government would go to local health departments. Previously, the state had allocated at…

  • Supreme Court hears case about presidential control of independent agencies

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    The Checks and Balances Letter delivers news and information from Ballotpedia’s Administrative State Project, including pivotal actions at the federal and state levels related to the separation of powers, due process and the rule of law. This edition:  In this month’s edition of Checks and Balances, we review U.S. Supreme Court cases concerning Medicaid work…

  • Ballotpedia’s Union Station: Third Circuit rejects challenge to class action suit over union fees

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    Third Circuit rejects challenge to class action suit over union fees On Jan. 15, 2021, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit upheld the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania’s decision in Bethany LaSpina v. SEIU Pennsylvania State Council et al. The lower court had dismissed…

  • Ballotpedia’s Weekly Transition Tracker: January 16-22, 2021

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    President Joe Biden (D) and his team have been preparing for the transition between presidential administrations since the election, including selecting senior White House staff and appointees to top government positions. In 2020, there were 1,472 government positions subject to presidential appointment: 1,118 positions required Senate confirmation and 354 did not. The new administration is…

  • House, Senate approve waiver for ret. Gen. Lloyd Austin for secretary of defense

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    January 22, 2021:The House and Senate approved a waiver that would allow retired Gen. Lloyd Austin to serve as secretary of defense before a seven-year cooldown period for former service members. President Joe Biden (D) and his team have been preparing for the transition between presidential administrations since the election, including selecting senior White House…

  • Ballotpedia’s Daily Brew: The history of U.S. Senate ties

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    U.S. Senate split evenly for fourth time in history After Vice President Kamala Harris took the oath of office on Jan. 20, she presided over the swearing in of three new Democratic Senators: Alex Padilla (Calif.), Jon Ossoff (Ga.), and Raphael Warnock (Ga.). The U.S. Senate now has 50 Republicans, 48 Democrats, and two independent…

  • Documenting America’s Path to Recovery: January 21, 2021

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    Since our last edition What rules and restrictions are changing in each state? For a continually updated article, click here. Kansas (divided government): The state is starting Phase 2 of its vaccine distribution plan Jan. 21. Individuals over the age of 65, high-contact essential workers (including police officers, grocery store workers, and school staff), and…

  • Senate confirms Haines for director of national intelligence

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    January 21, 2021: The Senate confirmed Avril Haines for director of national intelligence on Wednesday night by a vote of 84-10. President Joe Biden (D) and his team have been preparing for the transition between presidential administrations since the election, including selecting senior White House staff and appointees to top government positions. In 2020, there…