Category: State

  • New York voters to decide constitutional amendment about environmental rights in November

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    Voters in New York will decide a ballot measure to add a right to clean water, clean air, and a healthful environment to the New York Constitution’s Bill of Rights. The ballot measure would make New York the third state, after Pennsylvania and Montana, to adopt an environmental rights amendment. Pennsylvania and Montana both adopted…

  • Idaho Supreme Court justice announces retirement

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    Idaho Supreme Court Justice Roger Burdick is retiring on June 30, 2021. He was appointed to this position in 2003 by Republican Gov. Dirk Kempthorne and retained by voters in 2004, 2010 and 2016. His current term would have expired in January 2023. Burdick’s replacement will be Republican Governor Brad Little’s first appointment to the…

  • Arlando Teller leaves Arizona state House for Biden administration

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    Rep. Arlando Teller (D) resigned from the Arizona House of Representatives on Feb. 1 to join the Biden administration as deputy assistant secretary for tribal affairs at the U.S. Department of Transportation. He represented District 7 from 2019 to 2021.  Teller most recently won re-election on Nov. 3, 2020. He was one of two candidates…

  • Special election runoff to be held on Feb. 23 in Texas state House district

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    A special general runoff election has been scheduled for February 23 in District 68 of the Texas House of Representatives. Craig Carter (R) is facing David Spiller (R) in the runoff. Carter and Spiller advanced from the general election on January 23, earning 18% of the vote and 44% of the vote, respectively. Governor Greg…

  • Governors flex agency reorganization muscles

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    Governors in two states recently issued executive orders aimed at reorganizing agencies of the executive branch—with different results. The Vermont House of Representatives on February 5 voted 108-40 to block Vermont Governor Phil Scott’s (R) executive order that would have established a new state law enforcement agency. Scott’s executive order, issued on January 14, would have…

  • Justice on Missouri’s highest court schedules retirement

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    Missouri Supreme Court Justice Laura Denvir Stith announced on February 2, 2021, that she would retire from the court effective March 8. Stith stated she planned to do pro bono work following her retirement from the court. Justice Stith joined the Missouri Supreme Court in 2001. She was appointed to the court by Governor Bob…

  • Disclosure Digest: Nebraska lawmakers consider bill limiting disclosure of nonprofit donor information

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    Last month, we highlighted three states (Iowa, Nebraska, and Tennessee) considering bills that would bar public agencies from publicly disclosing identifying information about nonprofit donors. This week, we take a closer look at the Nebraska legislation.  What the bill proposes Nebraska LB370 would bar any public agency (including state and municipal government units and courts)…

  • North Carolina releases new school reopening guidance

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    On Feb. 2, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper (D) announced new school guidance and encouraged public K-12 schools to reopen for full-time in-person instruction. The guidance says elementary schools should reopen under Plan A, which does not require social distancing. Middle and high schools should reopen under Plan B, which does require social distancing. Districts…

  • California State Assembly District 79 special election set for June 8, 2021

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    Election officials have scheduled a special election for the District 79 seat in the California State Assembly for June 8, 2021. The seat became vacant when Shirley Weber was sworn in as California’s Secretary of State. The primary is on Apr. 6, and the filing deadline is on Feb. 11.

  • Recall effort against California governor enters final six weeks to gather signatures

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    Supporters of a recall campaign against California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) have until March 17 to collect 1,495,709 valid signatures to trigger a recall election. On February 1, 2021, recall organizers said they had collected about 1.3 million signatures. Recall supporters say Newsom mishandled the state’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, did not do enough…