Lawmakers are back in Springfield for a six-day abbreviated veto session to address major laws passed earlier this year.

The veto session convened October 28 through October 30, and reconvenes from November 12 through November 14.

The veto session agenda includes reviewing video gambling, marijuana, and vaping legislation.

Gov. Tony Evers called for the Legislature to convene in a special session on November 7 to vote on gun control legislation.

The bills require universal background checks for all firearm purchases in the state.

The legislation would also implement red-flag laws requiring people perceived as threats to surrender their firearms.

The impact of a special session may be limited, as lawmakers plan to convene and then immediately adjourn the special session on the same day without voting on the proposals.

Recall efforts against Colorado Sen. President Leroy Garcia of Senate District 3 failed on October 18.

The Elections Division of the Secretary of State’s office deemed the petition insufficient after proponents of Garcia’s recall submitted four petition signatures to the Secretary of State’s Office.

The petition needed 13,506 signatures to recall Garcia.

Garcia was targeted for recall after voting for a bill to restrict oil and gas production in the state.

The Puerto Rico Department of Justice released a lobbyist registry on its website, as required by Executive Order 2019-031, to establish a code of transparency for all agency heads in the executive branch.

The lobbyist registry is part of an automatic slideshow on the main page of the Department of Justice site.

There are two separate links: one to conduct a search in the registry and the other for lobbyists to register.

However, lobbyists have not yet been featured on the registry webpage.

The Puerto Rico Innovation and Technology Service and the Department of Justice indicated they are working to publish the content.

A special election will take place on December 19 to fill a vacancy in House District 77.

Former Rep. Bill Sanderson cited family and business demands in his resignation.

The Obion County Commission appointed Casey Hood to serve as an interim representative until the special election is held.

The House passed legislation on October 10 to reverse the state budget bill, restoring a business tax exemption for attorneys and lobbyists.

Senate Bill 26 was originally introduced to allow educators to claim an income tax deduction for out-of-pocket classroom expenses.

The House Finance Committee approved amendments to restore the deduction for attorneys and lobbyists excluded in the two-year state operating bill tax policy of House Bill 166.

Since 2013, the state business income deduction (BID) has allowed those deriving income from any pass-through entity (e.g., LLCs, LLPs) to pay no tax on the first $250,000 of income and a flat 3% on any income above the threshold.

House Bill 166 excluded otherwise eligible income from legal services provided by an attorney or income from legislative, executive agency, or retirement system lobbying activity beginning in 2020.

Senate Bill 26 has been re-referred to the Senate for final approval.

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers issued an executive order calling for a special election to fill Rep. Sean Duffy’s vacant seat in the 7th Congressional District.

The election will take place on January 27, 2020.

Duffy announced his resignation earlier this year after revealing the child he and his wife are expecting in October will have medical issues.

Due to Duffy’s resignation, effective at 5 p.m. on September 23, Evers stated a primary for the seat, if necessary, will be held on December 30.

Lawmakers officially passed a legislative fix to an issue regarding vehicle sales during Gov. Mike Parson’s special session.

The session took place from September 9 to September 16, 2019.

Currently, the value of one previously owned motor vehicle, trailer, boat, or outboard motor may be used as a deduction against the sales tax owed on the purchase of any such vehicle within 180 days before or after a taxpayer sells a previously owned vehicle.

House Bill 1 expands the deduction to include the values of one or more previously owned motor vehicles, trailers, boats, or outboard motors.

Parsons stated if he hadn’t called lawmakers to Jefferson City, thousands of people would have suffered financial loss.

The bill will take effect 90 days after receiving Gov. Parson’s signature.

The Puerto Rico Department of Justice plans to launch its digital Lobbyist Registry platform this week to regulate interactions with government agencies.

The launch is pursuant to former Gov. Ricardo Rosselló’s executive order.

Executive Order 2019-031 provides that any person who carries out any lobbying activity before a government agency must register with the Lobbyists Registry and provide a sworn statement with the clients he or she represents before the Government of Puerto Rico.

Additionally, the lobbyist must disclose the businesses in which he or she has roles in either through shares or professional service contracts.

The executive order also calls for the creation of a transparency code prohibiting all executive branch cabinet members from participating in any type of meeting with any person who engages in lobbying and not registered in the Lobbyist Registry.

Missouri lawmakers are back in Jefferson City for the annual veto session, beginning September 11 at 12 p.m. at the Missouri State Capitol.

The veto session gives lawmakers the ability to overturn any of Gov. Mike Parson’s six vetoes.

Two widely debated vetoes include outdoor cremations and whether to let motorcyclists ride without a helmet.

A two-thirds vote in the House and the Senate is needed to overturn a veto.

The veto session is running at the same time as a special session, which Gov. Parson called to address a vehicle tax credit issue.

Recall efforts against Sen. Pete Lee of Senate District 11 failed on September 10.

Similar recall efforts have recently targeted Senate President Leroy Garcia of Senate District 3.

Proponents of Lee’s recall notified the Secretary of State’s Office that they would not submit the recall petition signatures required by 5 p.m. September 10.

The petition needed 11,304 signatures to recall Lee, who was targeted for sponsoring legislation to create a paid family and medical leave program to be funded by a mandatory fee on businesses and employees.

Garcia, who won his reelection in November with more than 70% of the vote, was targeted for recall after voting for a bill to restrict oil and gas production in Colorado.

If proponents for Garcia’s recall gather 13,506 signatures by the petition deadline of October 18, the effort will trigger a special election that could be held in District 3 in early 2020.

The Hawaii Senate will convene in special session on September 16 to review gubernatorial nominees to the state courts.

The gubernatorial nominees up for consideration by the Senate are:

• • • Clyde J. Wadsworth to the Intermediate Court of Appeals as associate judge for a term of 10 years
    • Kevin A.K. Souza to the First Circuit Court for a 10-year term
    • Lisa W. Cataldo to the First Circuit Court for a term to expire in 10 years
    • Ronald G. Johnson to the First Circuit Court for a 10-year term
    • Trish K. Morikawa to the First Circuit Court for a term to expire in 10 years
    • John M. Tonaki to the First Circuit Court for a 10-year term
    • Jeffrey A. Hawk to the Third District Court for a six-year term

Hearings on the appointees before the Senate Committee on Judiciary are scheduled to begin on September 10.

A coalition of Coloradans failed to collect enough signatures to force a special election to recall Gov. Jared Polis.

The leaders of the recall announced they fell short of the 631,266 signatures needed by the recall petition deadline of the end of the day on September 6 .

There were approximately 300,000 total signatures counted.

El Paso City Council voted to hold a special election on November 5 to replace a District 3 councilwoman after a Facebook post on her public page announced her candidacy for mayor.

The post by city Rep. Cassandra Hernandez, which was later deleted, triggered a resign-to-run law.

The law states that an elected official must resign from office upon announcing a run for another seat.

Rep. Hernandez said she did not upload the post but one of her supporters did.

Hernandez asked city leaders to use their discretion to vote no and asked to be able to vote.

However, her request to vote was denied and the special election for her position was approved with a 4-3 vote.

Hernandez cannot run for her seat in the special election because she is under a holdover clause, meaning she is keeping the seat until her successor fills it.