Gov. Lamont called the Legislature into special session to consider the nomination of Nora Dannehy to the Supreme Court.

The governor’s proclamation compels the special session to begin on September 19.

A second special session proclamation by Lamont is anticipated later this month to consider legislation changing the date for Connecticut’s presidential preference primary.

A state court has ruled the New York Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government violates the state’s constitution because it was formed without a constitutional amendment and it divests the governor of her authority.

The commission will need to suspend its work pending the outcome of any appeal.

While this matter works its way through the courts, the commission will continue to promote compliance with the state’s ethics and lobbying laws. 

The Commission on Governmental Ethics and Elections Practices published legislative summaries and updated guides to reflect legislation passed in 2023.

Effective October 25, the window to register as a lobbyist is decreased from 15 to 10 calendar days following triggering activities.

Penalties for lobbyist reporting violations will increase by $50 for each successive violation during a lobbying year.

Effective June 22, the ban on direct corporate contributions was reversed and now limited to $1,950 in any election for a gubernatorial candidate; $475 for a legislative candidate; $575 for a candidate for municipal office; and $975 in any election for any other candidate. 

Twelve candidates are running in the September 5, 2023, Democratic special primary for Rhode Island’s 1^st Congressional District.

The special election will take place November 7 and will be the first congressional special election in Rhode Island since the 1967.

The seat became vacant following incumbent Democratic Representative David Cicilline’s resignation to become the CEO of the Rhode Island Foundation. 

The veto session ended on July 25 with Gov. Janet Mills giving her comments on a sustained veto of a bill seeking to prohibit campaign spending by entities influenced by foreign governments.

According to Mills, the bill poorly defined what is foreign government influence and would have the unintended consequence of effectively silencing legitimate voices, including Maine based businesses, in debates that would impact their interests. 

Mills hopes to find a way to prevent foreign influence in elections by enacting a more narrowly tailored and easily understood statute. The issue has another chance to pass as a ballot measure in November. 

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul scheduled a special election following the resignation of Assemblyman Dan Rosenthal.

The election to fill the vacancy in Assembly District 27 will be held on September 12.

Rosenthal, who was first elected at 26, is backing Sam Berger who is 25 years old and the son of a Democratic district leader.

The landscape of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives shifted with the recent resignation of Democratic member Sarah Innamorato.

The resignation leaves the Legislature tied, with the partisan breakdown now sitting at 101-101.

Democratic Speaker Joanna McClinton scheduled a special election for the Allegheny County District 21 seat to take place September 19.

Lawmakers in the Democratic-controlled House and Senate completed their final session for the year and adjourned sine die on March 30.

Bills related to campaign finance and lobbying reports were passed and signed by the governor.

Senate Bill 255 requires campaign finance reports to be filed 42 days before any election instead of just general elections.

Senate Bill 1630 increases penalties for repeated late filings of lobbyist reports by $50 for each successive violation.

Both bills are effective 90 days after the adjournment.

Lawmakers passed a campaign finance bill to double contribution limits and define terms regarding in-kind donations.

Senate Bill 846 raises the individual contribution limit from $1,000 to $2,000 per year and doubles permitted anonymous donations from $100 to $200.

In an effort to police in-kind contributions, fair market value is defined as the usual and normal charge for goods and services.

The bill became effective without the governor’s signature on June 27.

State Rep. David Cote (Hillsborough District 3) resigned on Wednesday, July 5.

Cote was first elected to the state’s House of Representatives in the 1980s and was never sworn in after winning the 2022 election due to health concerns.

In 2021, he was among the plaintiffs in a federal lawsuit arguing that requiring ill lawmakers to attend in person during the coronavirus pandemic violated the Americans with Disabilities Act.

A federal judge denied the plaintiffs request for a preliminary injunction, and the case remains unsettled. With his resignation, the Legislature now has three vacant seats.

Gov. Phil Murphy appointed four new commissioners to the state’s campaign finance watchdog agency.

The Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) oversees campaign spending, lobbying, and pay-to-play in the state. 

In addition to providing Murphey with the power to appoint these commissioners, Senate Bill 2866 made a number of substantial changes to ethics laws.

These changes included increasing spending and contribution limits; overhauling pay-to-play laws; and shortening how long the state’s election watchdog commission can investigate campaign finance violations. 

The New York Legislature adjourned on June 10 after the Clean Slate Act passed both houses.

The legislation, which still must be signed into law by Gov. Kathy Hochul, wipes a New Yorker’s conviction record clean three years after sentencing for misdemeanors and eight years for certain felonies.

The Senate is not expected to return to session but the Assembly will likely return in the near future to complete unfinished work.

The Connecticut Legislature adjourned sine die on June 7 after passing a two-year $51 billion state budget.

The budget includes historic cuts to personal income taxes and the reduction is predicted to benefit approximately 1 million of the state’s 1.7 million income tax filers.

The new budget also boosts state aid for local school districts by an additional $329 million.

Once the budget is signed by Gov. Lamont, it will take effect July 1.

This does affect lobbying reporting. The final monthly activity report is due July 10.