Tag: state senate
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Arkansas State Legislature refers two constitutional amendments to 2022 ballot
The Arkansas State Legislature gave final approval to two constitutional amendments on April 22, 2021, sending them to the November 2022 ballot. One of the amendments would require 60% supermajority voter approval to ratify constitutional amendments (legislatively referred and citizen-initiated) and citizen-initiated state statutes. Constitutional amendments require approval by voters in a statewide election to…
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Suellentrop removed as Kansas State Senate majority leader
Members of the Republican caucus in the Kansas State Senate voted to remove Majority Leader Gene Suellentrop (R) from his position on April 9. The caucus vote was 22-4 following the release of additional details about Suellentrop’s March 16 arrest. Assistant Majority Leader Larry Alley will act as Senate Majority Leader until the Republican caucus…
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March 2021 partisan composition of state legislative seats — 54.3% Republicans and 44.9% Democrats
According to March’s partisan count of the 7,383 state legislators across the United States, 54.27% of all state legislators are Republicans, and 44.91% are Democrats. Ballotpedia tallies the partisan balance of state legislatures, or which political party holds the majority of the seats in each chamber, at the end of every month. Republicans control 61…
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Republican-controlled Arkansas General Assembly overrides gubernatorial veto of bill prohibiting gender-affirming treatments for minors
On April 6, the Arkansas General Assembly overrode Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s (R) veto of House Bill 1570 (H.B. 1570), a bill prohibiting physicians and healthcare professionals from providing chemical or surgical gender-affirming treatments—including hormone therapy and puberty blockers—to individuals under the age of 18. The bill also prohibits providers from referring minors elsewhere in order to receive such treatments. Gender-affirming…
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Special election to be held in Oklahoma Senate district
A special election is being held on April 6 for District 22 of the Oklahoma State Senate. Molly Ooten (D) and Jake Merrick (R) are running in the general election. The seat became vacant after Stephanie Bice (R) was elected to represent Oklahoma’s 5th Congressional District on Nov. 3, 2020. Bice had represented the district…
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Special election for Virginia Senate district on March 23
A special election is being held on March 23 for District 38 of the Virginia state Senate. Former Radford City Councilwoman Laurie Buchwald (D) and Tazewell County Supervisor Travis Hackworth (R) are running in the general election. The seat became vacant after the death of A. Benton Chafin (R) on Jan. 1, 2021, from complications…
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Pennsylvania State Senate District 22 special election set for May 18
Election officials have scheduled a special election for the District 22 seat in the Pennsylvania State Senate for May 18, 2021. The seat became vacant after John Blake (D) resigned on March 8 to work for U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright (D). There are no primaries, and candidates will be nominated directly by political parties.
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Union Station: Three public-sector union bills advance from state senates
Three public-sector union bills advance from state senates Since our last newsletter, three public-sector union bills have advanced from state senates in Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Tennessee. Of the 83 pieces of public-sector employee union legislation that we are currently tracking, eight have passed upper chambers so far this year. Here’s a run-down of the three…
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Former state Rep. Ronald Ryckman appointed to the Kansas state Senate
The Republican precinct committees of Kansas Senate District 38 appointed Ronald Ryckman (R) to the state Senate on March 4. Ryckman replaces Bud Estes (R), who passed away on Feb. 13. Since the vacancy occurred before May 1 of the second year of Estes’ term, a special election will be held in November 2022. The…
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John Blake resigns from Pennsylvania state Senate
Pennsylvania state Sen. John Blake (D) resigned on March 8 to take a position on U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright’s (D) staff. Cartwright represents Pennsylvania’s 8th Congressional District in Congress. Blake represented District 22 in the state Senate, which includes Lackawanna County and parts of Luzerne and Monroe Counties. “It has been a very difficult and…