Category: State
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Stanfill confirmed as Maine supreme court’s chief justice
The Maine State Senate confirmed Valerie Stanfill as the chief justice of Maine’s highest court on June 3. Gov. Janet Mills (D) appointed Stanfill to the Maine Supreme Judicial Court on May 10 to fill a vacancy created when former Chief Justice Leigh Saufley retired in April 2020. The Maine State Senate was required to…
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Special election primary to be held June 12 in Louisiana Senate district
A special election primary is being held on June 12 for District 7 of the Louisiana State Senate. Joanna Cappiello-Leopold (D), Gary Carter Jr. (D), Mack Cormier (D), and Patricia McCarty (R) are running in the primary. Louisiana elections use the majority-vote system. All candidates compete in the same primary, and a candidate can win…
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A look back at government responses to the coronavirus pandemic, June 8-12, 2020
Although the first case of COVID-19 in the U.S. was confirmed on Jan. 21, 2020, it wasn’t until March when the novel coronavirus upended life for most Americans. Throughout the year, states issued stay-at-home orders, closed schools, restricted travel, issued mask mandates, and changed election dates. Many of those policies remain in place today. Here…
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Idaho governor rescinds lieutenant governor’s executive order banning mask mandates
Idaho Governor Brad Little (R) on May 28 rescinded an executive order issued in his absence by Lieutenant Governor Janice McGeachin (R) that banned mask mandates in the state. Little called McGeachin’s executive order an “irresponsible, self-serving political stunt” that, in his words, “amounts to tyranny—something we all oppose.” McGeachin issued the executive order on May…
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Louisiana legislature refers two amendments to 2022 ballot concerning investing state money in stocks and electronic filing and remittance of sales taxes
The Louisiana Legislature voted to put two amendments on the Nov. 2022 ballot last week. Louisiana Increase Maximum Amount Invested in Equities for Certain State Funds Amendment (2022) This amendment would increase the portion of money in certain state funds that could be invested in equities (stocks) from 35% to 65%. The increase would apply…
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Massachusetts, Ohio end face-covering requirements
Two states ended statewide public mask requirements for vaccinated and unvaccinated people between May 29 and June 4. Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker (R) ended the statewide mask mandate on May 29, along with other COVID-19 restrictions on businesses and individuals. The state will still require masks in state offices open to the public, schools and…
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Amy Beard appointed commissioner of Indiana’s Department of Insurance
Amy Beard assumed office on June 2 as commissioner of the Indiana Department of Insurance. Governor Eric Holcomb (R) appointed Beard to the position in May to replace outgoing commissioner Stephen Robertson. Robertson announced in April he would resign as commissioner, effective June 1. Beard has worked at Indiana’s Department of Insurance since 2013, serving…
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Ruth Ruggero Hughs resigns as Texas Secretary of State
Ruth Ruggero Hughs resigned as Texas secretary of state effective May 31, after the Nominations Committee of the Texas State Senate did not take up her nomination for another term. Gov. Greg Abbott (R) appointed Hughs on August 19, 2019, to succeed David Whitley after he did not receive enough confirmation votes from the state…
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Noah Valenstein resigns as secretary of Florida Department of Environmental Protection
Florida Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Noah Valenstein stepped down from his position on June 4. He had led the agency for over four years since former Gov. Rick Scott (R) appointed him on May 23, 2017. Shawn Hamilton, the department’s deputy secretary for land and recreation, will take over as interim secretary. In his…
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May 2021 partisan composition of state legislative seats: 54.3% Republicans, 44.9% Democrats
Ballotpedia’s May partisan count of state legislative seats found that 54.30% of state legislators are Republicans and 44.93% are Democrats. At the end of every month, Ballotpedia tallies the partisan balance of state legislatures, which refers to which political party holds a majority of seats in each chamber. Republicans currently control 61 chambers, while Democrats…