Category: State
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Arkansas passes bill with multiple restrictions on the ballot initiative process
On April 29, Arkansas Senate Bill 614 became law (Act 951). The bill added several restrictions to the state’s ballot initiative and veto referendum process, including to: • ban paying signature gatherers based on the number of signatures gathered, a payment method called pay-per-signature; • require circulators to be state residents and citizens; • add…
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Georgia House of Representatives District 34, District 156 special elections set for June 15
Election officials have scheduled special elections for the District 34 and District 156 seats in the Georgia House of Representatives for June 15, 2021. The District 34 seat became vacant after Bert Reeves (R) resigned on April 30 to become Georgia Institute of Technology’s vice president of university relations. The District 156 seat became vacant…
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Tennessee legislature sends right-to-work amendment to voters in 2022
On April 29, the Tennessee General Assembly voted to refer a constitutional amendment to the 2022 ballot that would make it illegal for workplaces to require mandatory labor union membership as a condition for employment. This type of policy is known as right-to-work. Tennessee enacted a right-to-work statute in 1947. Sen. Brian Kelsey (R), the…
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Aaron von Ehlinger resigns from Idaho House of Representatives
Idaho state Representative Aaron von Ehlinger resigned on April 29 after the Idaho House Ethics and Policy Committee found his “conduct unbecoming” of a representative and voted unanimously to recommend his immediate suspension and expulsion from the House. Von Ehlinger said in his resignation letter, “I maintain my innocence of any wrongdoing of which I…
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California State Assembly District 18 special election set for Aug. 31
Election officials have scheduled a special election for the District 18 seat in the California State Assembly on Aug. 31, 2021. The seat became vacant after Rob Bonta (D) assumed office as California’s attorney general on April 23. The primary is on June 29, and the filing deadline is on May 6.
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Bert Reeves resigns from Georgia House
Georgia State Representative Bert Reeves (R) resigned from the state’s General Assembly on April 30 to take a new role at Georgia Tech. He represented District 34 from 2015 to 2021. Reeves will serve as the school’s vice president for institute relations, working on government and community relations and economic development. Reeves graduated from Georgia…
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A look back at government responses to the coronavirus pandemic, May 3-8, 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 that spring, 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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Louisiana State Senate District 7 special election set for July 10
Election officials have scheduled a special election for the District 7 seat in the Louisiana State Senate for July 10, 2021. The seat became vacant after Troy Carter (D) was elected to the U.S. House to represent Louisiana’s 2nd Congressional District on April 24. The primary is on June 12, and the filing deadline is…
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Florida to vote in 2022 on abolishing the Florida Constitution Revision Commission
The Florida State Legislature gave final approval to SJR 204 on April 27, 2021. The measure, which will appear on the November 2022 ballot in Florida, would abolish the Florida Constitution Revision Commission if approved by 60% of voters. The Florida Constitution Revision Commission (CRC) is a 37-member commission provided for in the state constitution…