Tag: news

  • Federal Register weekly update: New significant proposed rule from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

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    The Federal Register is a daily journal of federal government activity that includes presidential documents, proposed and final rules, and public notices. It is a common measure of an administration’s overall regulatory activity, accounting for both regulatory and deregulatory actions. From April 26 through April 30, the Federal Register grew by 1,320 pages for a…

  • OIRA reviewed 22 significant rules in April

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    The White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) reviewed a total of 22 significant regulatory actions issued by federal agencies in April 2021. The agency approved no rules without changes and approved the intent of 20 rules while recommending changes to their content. Two rules were subject to a statutory or judicial deadline.…

  • Illinois’ U.S. Rep. Cheri Bustos announces she’s not running for re-election in 2022

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    U.S. Representative Cheri Bustos (D-IL) announced on April 30 that she would not run for re-election in 2022.  Bustos was first elected to the U.S. House to represent Illinois’ 17th Congressional District in 2012. She most recently won re-election in 2020, defeating Esther Joy King (R), 52% to 48%. As of April 30, eight members…

  • Arkansas passes bill with multiple restrictions on the ballot initiative process

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    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…

  • Fort Worth mayoral election heads to runoff

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    Deborah Peoples and Mattie Parker advanced to a runoff from a 10-candidate field in the nonpartisan general election for mayor of Fort Worth, Texas, on May 1, 2021. Peoples received 33.6% of the vote and Parker received 30.8% of the vote. Brian Byrd, the third-place finisher, received 14.7% of the vote. The runoff election will…

  • Eight incumbents win re-election, three more head to runoffs in Dallas City Council races

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    The city of Dallas, Texas, held general elections for city council on May 1, 2021. Eight of the 11 incumbents running for re-election won outright in the general election. Another three incumbents and three open-seat races advanced to a runoff election on June 5.  The incumbents to win re-election were Chad West (District 1), Casey…

  • Austin voters approve five of eight measures, including a sit-lie ordinance, changes to police oversight office, ranked-choice voting

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    On May 1, voters in Austin approved five measures and defeated three. Proposition A was approved 81% to 19%. It requires the city and firefighters association to participate in binding arbitration. Proposition B was approved 58% to 42%. It prohibits and creates criminal penalties for sitting, lying down, sleeping outdoors, and soliciting money at certain…

  • Aaron von Ehlinger resigns from Idaho House of Representatives

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    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…

  • California State Assembly District 18 special election set for Aug. 31

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    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.

  • President Biden nominates three additional individuals to Article III judgeships

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    President Joe Biden (D) nominated three individuals to Article III judgeships on April 29. With the addition of these three, Biden has nominated a total of 13 individuals to Article III judgeships since the start of his term. At the time of this writing, none of Biden’s Article III nominees have been confirmed by the…