Category: State
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Nevada closes schools for the year
On Tuesday, Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak (D) closed schools to in-person instruction for the remainder of the academic year. Prior to the announcement, schools were to remain closed through April 30. Thirty-eight states have now closed schools to in-person instruction for the remainder of the academic year: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia,…
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Arkansas Supreme Court limits judicial deference to state agencies
An April 9 Arkansas Supreme Court ruling limited how much deference agency interpretations of law would receive in the future. The court ruled in Meyers v. Yamato Kogyo Co. that the court should determine the meaning of state laws for itself and should not defer to state agency interpretations. Justice Shawn Womack delivered the opinion…
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Methods for signing candidate nominating petitions: ink versus electronic
In every state, at least some candidates are required to collect petition signatures in order to appear on the ballot. Campaigns usually must collect wet signatures, or those made with pen and paper. At least three voting jurisdictions allowed candidates to gather nominating petition signatures electronically as of 2020: • Arizona voters may…
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Two Nebraska Supreme Court justices face retention elections in November
Two Nebraska Supreme Court justices, Lindsey Miller-Lerman and Jeffrey Funke will face retention elections on November 3, 2020. Justice Funke was appointed in 2016 by Governor Pete Ricketts (R), while justice Miller-Lerman was appointed in 1998 by Governor Ben Nelson (D). As of September 2019, six Justices on the court were appointed by a Republican…
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Colorado stay-at-home order to expire
Gov. Jared Polis (D) announced that he would not extend the state’s stay-at-home order, which is set to expire on April 26. He said he still encouraged all residents to practice social distancing and vulnerable populations to exercise caution until the state was able to increase testing capacity and ability to investigate confirmed positive cases.…
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GA, SC, TN announce plans to reopen businesses
The governors of Georgia, South Carolina, and Tennessee each announced Monday plans for businesses in their state to begin reopening after closures due to the coronavirus pandemic. In Georgia, Gov. Brian Kemp (R) announced that fitness and hygiene businesses could reopen as early as April 24, followed by restaurants and theaters on April 27. He…
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Supreme Court of Georgia holds oral argument via video conferencing
On April 20, 2020, The Supreme Court of Georgia held oral arguments via video conferencing. It is the first time in the court’s 175 year history that arguments were held virtually. Ballotpedia is tracking how state courts are responding to the coronavirus pandemic. Other recent updates include: Colorado – The Colorado Supreme Court extended its suspension…
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Herbert appoints Birkeland to Utah House
Utah Gov. Gary Herbert (R) appointed Kera Birkeland (R) to the Utah House of Representatives on April 16. Kirkland will represent District 53, filling the vacancy created by Logan Wilde’s (R) resignation to assume the role of commissioner of the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food. Birkeland serves as the vice chair of the Utah…
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Washington senator McCoy announces resignation
Washington senator John McCoy (D) announced his retirement and resignation effective April 17, 2020. McCoy is a 17-year Washington legislature veteran and one of the state’s longest-serving Native American legislators. McCoy’s letter of resignation to the Washington Senate stated, “When I first came to the Legislature in 2003 as a member of the House of…
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Judge Segal appointed chief judge of Minnesota Court of Appeals
Gov. Tim Walz (D) appointed judge Susan Segal as chief judge of the Minnesota Court of Appeals on April 13. Segal will serve the remainder of Edward J. Cleary’s term as chief of the court, which ends on October 31, 2022. Cleary announced his retirement effective April 30 in the fall of 2019. Segal becomes…