Category: State
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Alabama enacts bill ending state judicial deference, Georgia Legislature passes similar bill
On March 31, 2026, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey (R) signed SB 167, ending judicial deference practices in state courts. Judicial deference is a practice by courts by which they adopt an agency’s reading of an ambiguous statute, regulation, or other document in cases involving that agency. Alabama is the second state to comprehensively end judicial…
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Federal memo clarifies requirements after two more states allow workers in labor disputes to claim unemployment benefits
On Jan. 8, 2026, the U.S. The Department of Labor (DOL) released a memorandum indicating that states could not provide unemployment insurance benefits to striking workers unless they were actively seeking work. Four states — all with Democratic trifectas — have laws that provide unemployment insurance for some striking workers. In 2025, governors in two…
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State supreme court vacancy count for March 2026
In this month's state supreme court vacancy update, Ballotpedia tracked announced retirements, nominations, appointments, confirmations, and the swearing-in of justices from March 1 to March 31, 2026. Ballotpedia tracks court vacancies in all 52 state supreme courts. Justices sworn into office: During March 2026, two justices were sworn into office in two states. Candidates nominated:…
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State executives retired in 13 states where the filing deadline passed in March
In March, the filing deadline for candidates passed in 17 states: Nebraska (March 2nd), Montana (March 4th), California, Georgia (March 6th), Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee (March 10th), Iowa, Nevada, Utah (March 13th), Maine (March 16th), Colorado (March 18th), Arizona, New Jersey (March 23rd), South Carolina (March 30), Missouri, and South Dakota (March 31). According to Ballotpedia’s…
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Florida, South Dakota, Utah enact proof of citizenship laws for voter registration
Florida, South Dakota, and Utah have joined nine other states in enacting laws requiring documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote. On April 1, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) signed HB 991, which includes a proof of citizenship requirement that takes effect on January 1, 2027. On March 26, South Dakota Gov. Larry Rhoden…
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Wisconsin Governor vetoes four bills that would curtail agency rulemaking power
On March 20, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers (D) vetoed Senate Bills (SB) 275, 276, 277, and 289. These four bills were part of a legislative package that Republican sponsors called a “Red Tape Reset,” which would have limited agency rulemaking powers. Wisconsin has a divided government. SB 275 would have required that agency statements of…
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Where Wisconsin’s Supreme Court candidates stand on data centers, immigration, and Act 10
Wisconsin’s 2026 Supreme Court election is a week away, and Wisconsin Court of Appeals judges Maria S. Lazar (District II) and Chris Taylor (District IV) are both running for a ten-year term. Incumbent Rebecca Bradley, a member of the Court's minority conservative bloc, is not running for re-election. While the 2023 and 2025 elections broke…
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Democrats have gained 12 state legislative seats in special elections since January 2025
Democrats’ state legislative special election gains since January 2025 increased to 12 after the party gained control of two Florida seats on March 24, 2026. Emily Gregory (D) won a March 24 special election for Florida House District 87, winning the race by 2.4 percentage points in a district Republicans won by 19 percentage points…
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Kansas becomes thirty-third state to enact a K-12 cellphone ban
On March 20, 2026, Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly (D) signed a bill enacting a statewide ban on cellphones in K-12 schools. The ban applies to all public and nonpublic accredited schools and prohibits the use of cellphones during the school day, commonly referred to as a “bell-to-bell” ban. School district boards and governing authorities of…
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Kentucky Legislature overrides veto of bill opting into federal school choice tax credit scholarship program
On March 17, 2026, the Kentucky General Assembly voted to override Gov. Andy Beshear's (D) veto of House Bill 1, which requires the secretary of state to annually opt the state into the federal school choice tax credit scholarship program. Gov. Beshear vetoed the bill on March 13, and the Kentucky House voted on March…