The Kansas Legislature adjourned the 2017 regular session on June 10, 2017. The session went 13 days beyond the scheduled 100 days, but lawmakers finally approved a two-year budget.

Lead by a group of moderate Republicans and Democrats, a $1.2 billion tax increase will reverse spending cuts spearheaded by Gov. Sam Brownback in 2012. Many on both sides of the aisle believe these cuts failed to kick-start the state’s economy as promised.

Lawmakers could be called into a special session in July, however, if a funding formula for public schools does not satisfy the state’s supreme court.

On June 8, the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut adjourned for the summer.

Legislation considered by lawmakers this session included amendments to the Legal Profession Act, the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, and the Inuit Language Protection Act.

The Assembly is scheduled to reconvene on September 12 and to adjourn on September 19.

Puerto Ricans went to the polls Sunday to vote on whether Puerto Rico should become America’s 51^st state. Voters chose between remaining a commonwealth, becoming a state, or gaining sovereignty with an official affiliation with the United States.

Critics viewed the election as flawed, arguing the ballot language was skewed to favor the pro-statehood New Progressive Party. Ninety-seven percent of ballots cast were in favor of statehood.

However, on an island averaging roughly 80 percent voter turnout, only 23 percent of registered voters participated in Sunday’s election.

Nevertheless, Gov. Ricardo Rosselló plans to take the referendum results to Washington, D.C. and speak with Congress, the White House, and various agencies regarding admitting Puerto Rico to the union.

James Yates and Marvin Ray Raskin have been appointed to the Joint Commission of Public Ethics (JCOPE).

Yates previously served the state Supreme Court and served as counsel to ex-Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver. Raskin has served as the president of the Bronx County Bar Association and is a former assistant district attorney.

There are 14 members of JCOPE and each member serves a five-year term.

The Los Angeles Ethics Commission announced the start of a comprehensive review of the lobbying ordinance. The review will focus on lobbyist registration requirements.

The commission is accepting feedback on the current registration requirements prior to June 26, 2017 to help guide the commission’s discussion of proposed changes at the August 15, 2017 meeting.

Comments can be e-mailed to ethics.policy@lacity.org.

The Oklahoma Ethics Commission voted last week to increase registration fees by $50 for all filers, including political action committees, lobbyists, and lobbyist principals.

The fee hike is expected to generate roughly $95,300, enough to cover its appropriation loss and address unmet software cost needs.

The new fee structure will take effect July 1, 2017.

On June 6, the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, Canada, adjourned for the summer.

Legislation passed during the 3^rd Session of the 29^th Legislature include Bill 8, entitled An Act to Strengthen Municipal Government and Bill 11, Public Interest Disclosure (Whistleblower Protection) Amendment Act, 2017.

The Legislative Assembly is scheduled to reconvene on October 30, 2017, and to adjourn on December 7, 2017.

Wisconsin State Sen. Chris Larson is introducing eight bills aimed at amending state campaign finance laws.

The bills would restore lower contribution limits, amend the definition of political action committee, require transparency in political communications, limit coordinated campaign expenditures, expand reporting requirements for committees receiving a contribution exceeding $100 from an individual, and prohibit corporations and labor unions from contributing to segregated funds established by political parties or legislative campaign committees.

Larson says the proposed changes reflect common sense and would not drastically overhaul the current campaign finance system.

On June 8, North Carolina lawmakers voted to reject Gov. Roy Cooper’s call for a special concurrent session to redraw district voting maps.

Lawmakers accuse Cooper of overstepping his constitutional authority to call special sessions in extraordinary circumstances in this case because the General Assembly is already in session.

The rejected special session comes after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 28 districts unconstitutional due to racial gerrymandering.

Legislative leaders indicated they plan to wait for instructions from the courts before redrawing district maps.

The Louisiana Legislature adjourned its regular legislative session Thursday, June 8, 2017, and immediately convened a 12-day special legislative session to pass the state’s operating budget for the financial year beginning July 1, 2017.

The Legislature was unable to reach an agreement on the budget during the regular session. House Democrats want to allocate the entire state operating budget while House Republicans are set on only funding a portion of the budget so there is a cushion in case the revenue prediction is wrong.

The session is to adjourn no later than Monday, June 19, 2017. This is Louisiana’s second special session this year.

The Alabama Ethics Commission declined to vote on an advisory opinion recommending site consultants for companies considering moving to Alabama to register as lobbyists.

Economic development officials opposed the opinion because it could hurt business recruiting efforts.

There was no formal vote on the motion to approve the advisory opinion for lack of a second.

Gov. Dennis Daugaard called a special session for June 12 to consider legislation relating to public recreational use of non-meandered waters overlying private property.

The issue comes after a Supreme Court opinion prohibited state officials from facilitating access to waters on private property.

Under the drafted legislation to be considered by lawmakers during the special session, South Dakota’s Game, Fish and Parks Department would be able to negotiate with landowners to open access to such lakes for recreation.

The Connecticut General Assembly adjourned the 2017 regular session Wednesday, June 7, 2017. Lawmakers will have to return for a special session after failing to reach an agreement on a two-year state budget.

For the second year in a row, Gov. Dannel Malloy declined to give the traditional after-session speech to members due to the Assembly not completing its work by the midnight deadline.

A budget must be finalized by June 30. Other legislation left hanging in the balance includes a bill to allow Tesla to build a dealership in the state and a proposed constitutional amendment to protect state parks.

On June 7, Gov. Roy Cooper called a 14-day special session for North Carolina lawmakers to redraw district voting maps.

The session begins June 8 and will run concurrently with the regular session.

The special concurrent session comes after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 28 districts unconstitutional due to racial gerrymandering.