Tag: news

  • New Jersey state Sen. Chris Brown resigns to take new role in Murphy administration

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    New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) appointed state Sen. Chris Brown (R) to a position in the Department of Community Affairs’ Division of Local Government Services on July 19. The position required Brown to leave the state Senate. Brown started his new job on July 20. Brown first won election to the Senate to represent…

  • Kentucky state Rep. John “Bam” Carney dies

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    Kentucky state Rep. John “Bam” Carney (R) died while in office on July 17, 2021, due to long-term health issues.  Carney was first elected to represent House District 51 in 2008. He most recently won re-election in 2020, defeating Richard Steele (D) 78.6% to 21.4%. He was elected as state House majority leader in 2018…

  • Governor Brian Kemp appoints new state supreme court justice, public service commissioner

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    Governor Brian Kemp (R) appointed Verda Colvin to the Georgia Supreme Court and Fitz Johnson to the Georgia Public Service Commission on July 20 and 21, respectively. Colvin will fill the vacancy left by Justice Harold Melton, who retired on July 1 of this year, while Johnson will take former Commissioner Chuck Eaton’s position. Governor…

  • Initiative to repeal Michigan law granting governor emergency powers heads to state legislature

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    The Michigan State Legislature approved the indirect initiative that repealed the Emergency Powers of Governor Act. On July 15, 2021, the Michigan State Senate voted 20-15 to approve the initiated measure. Senate Republicans voted to pass the initiated measure, and Senate Democrats voted against the proposal. On July 21, 2021, the Michigan House of Representatives voted 60-48 to approve…

  • Democratic, Republican candidates advance unopposed to special election in Tennessee state House district

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    The special primary election for Tennessee House of Representatives District 29 is on July 27. DeAngelo Jelks is running unopposed in the Democratic primary, and Greg Vital is running unopposed in the Republican primary. The candidates will advance to the general election, scheduled for Sept. 14. The special election was called after Mike Carter (R)…

  • Vice President Harris casts eighth tie-breaking vote in NLRB confirmation vote

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    Vice President Kamala Harris (D) cast her eighth tie-breaking vote in the Senate on Wednesday to confirm Jennifer Ann Abruzzo as general counsel of the National Labor Relations Board. The Senate voted 50-50 along party lines. Harris previously cast tie-breaking votes related to the confirmation processes of Kiran Ahuja for director of the Office of…

  • Gov. Brian Kemp fills vacancy on Georgia Supreme Court

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    Georgia GovernorBrian Kemp (R) appointed Verda Colvin to theGeorgia Supreme Court on July 20. Colvin was Kemp’s third nominee to the nine-member court. Colvin succeededHarold Melton, who retired on July 1. Chief Justice Melton joined the Georgia Supreme Court in 2005. He was appointed to the court by Gov. Sonny Perdue (R). Prior to her…

  • New Mexico governor appoints Briana Zamora to fill vacancy on state supreme court

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    New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) appointed Briana Zamora to the New Mexico Supreme Court on July 16. The appointment filled a vacancy on the court caused by former Justice Barbara J. Vigil’s retirement on June 30. Zamora is Gov. Lujan Grisham’s fourth nominee to the five-member supreme court. Under New Mexico law, midterm…

  • Voters to decide runoff election in Texas’ 6th Congressional District on July 27

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    Texas’ 6th Congressional District will hold a special election runoff on July 27. Jake Ellzey (R) and Susan Wright (R) are running to fill the vacancy left by Rep. Ronald Wright (R), who died from COVID-19 related complications on Feb. 7. The district is located in the northeastern portion of the state and includes Ellis…

  • Federal Register weekly update: DHS reopens public comment on human trafficking victim classification 

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    Photo of the White House in Washington, D.C.

    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 July 12 through July 16, the Federal Register grew by 1,408 pages for a…