The 96^th session of the South Dakota Legislature adjourned sine die on March 29.

During the session, the Legislature passed Senate Bill 112, permitting the governor to fill vacancies in several state offices by appointment with the advice and consent of the Senate.

If the Legislature is in recess, the governor is authorized to make a temporary appointment until the next session.

Also, House Joint Resolution 5003 submits a constitutional amendment to voters at the next primary election to require a three-fifths vote of the Legislature for any initiated constitutional amendment or measure that increases taxes or obligates the state to appropriate funds of $10 million or more in any of the first five fiscal years after enactment.

If passed, the constitutional amendment would be effective upon voter approval.

The Kentucky General Assembly voted to place a constitutional amendment on the November 2022 ballot authorizing the Legislature to change the legislative session end dates with a three-fifths vote in each chamber.

The proposed amendment also authorizes the Senate president and House speaker to jointly call special sessions lasting up to 12 days annually.

Currently, only the governor can call a special session.

The amendment also removes specific legislative session end dates from the constitution and instead provides legislative sessions in odd-numbered years are limited to 30 legislative days and sessions in even-numbered years are limited to 60 legislative days.

The amendment also changes the date legislation is effective from 90 days after the General Assembly adjourns sine die to July 1 or 90 days after signed into law, whichever is later.

This constitutional amendment will be effective upon voter approval.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced a special election for November 2 to fill the vacancy in U.S. House District 11 created by the departure of Marcia Fudge, who is now the U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.

The special primary election will be held August 3, whereas the regularly scheduled primary election for ballot issues and municipalities remains on May 4.

Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb announced Rep. Holli Sullivan will replace Connie Lawson as the new secretary of state.

Lawson, Indiana’s longest-serving secretary of state, was appointed in 2012 and won elections in 2014 and 2018.

Sullivan, who has represented House District 78 since 2014, will serve as the state’s chief election officer until the next election in 2022.

Sullivan also serves as the current vice chair of the Indiana Republican Party.

Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan selected Angelica Guerrero-Cuellar to fill his seat as representative for the 22nd House District after his first choice, Edward Guerra Kodatt, resigned due to allegations of questionable conduct.

Madigan resigned as chairman of the state Democratic Party on Monday but remains Democratic committeeman for the 13th Ward.

Rep. Guerrero-Cuellar will serve as representative for the 22nd House District for the remainder of Madigan’s term.

The Ohio Secretary of State’s office released the 2021 Campaign Contribution Limits.

These limits will be effective from February 25, 2021 through February 24, 2023.

Beginning Wednesday, PACs, PCEs and individuals may contribute $13,704.41 per election period to statewide candidates and candidates for the General Assembly; $13, 704.41 per calendar year to other PACs and PCEs with which the contributing PAC or PCE is not affiliated; $41,113.24 per calendar year to state parties; and, $20,556.62 per calendar year to legislative campaign funds.

Two proposed charter amendments establishing procedures to handle council members indicted for crimes will be on the ballot for voter approval on May 4.

There is currently no process in the Cincinnati Charter and three of the nine council members were indicted on federal bribery charges last year.

Both proposals prohibit indicted council members from changing their successor designee.

Vice Mayor Christopher Smitherman’s proposed amendment requires the city solicitor to hire a special prosecutor to consider removal of the council member to eliminate potential conflicts of interest.

A second amendment proposed by Councilwoman Betsy Sundermann permits removal of an indicted council member with a vote by seven of their fellow council members, and if convicted, five council members can vote to remove within 10 days of the conviction.

If no vote is taken, the convicted council member automatically forfeits his or her seat on the 11th day.

Sundermann’s proposal also makes ethics training mandatory for all council members.

The Chicago Board of Ethics is further extending the deadline for completion of annual mandatory ethics training by registered lobbyists for the 2019-2020 training period to May 1, 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The training is completed online using a link available on the Board of Ethics website.

If a lobbyist terminates registration prior to the May 1 training deadline, training is not required, provided all reporting requirements have also been satisfied, including the final activity report.

Missouri House District 140 Rep. Tricia Derges has been indicted on eight counts of wire fraud, 10 counts of illegal distribution of controlled substances, and lying to federal agents.

The newly elected Derges, who holds a special assistant physician license and runs multiple health clinics for low-income patients, began her first two-year term in office early last month.

She pleaded not guilty in her initial appearance.

The felony charges carry a possible prison sentence and fines.

A felony conviction would also bar Derges from running for public office in Missouri in the future.

If she resigns, Gov. Mike Parson must call for a special election.

Republican Adrian Dickey won the special election to fill the vacant Senate District 41 seat.

Dickey will fill the seat for the two years remaining in the four-year term of former Sen. Marianette Miller-Meeks.

Miller-Meeks resigned after winning a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.

The congresswoman was certified by Iowa as the winner by six votes out of nearly 400,000, and provisionally seated pending the outcome of a challenge by her Democratic opponent, Rita Hart.

Republicans have controlled the House, Senate, and governor’s office for five years.

South Dakota Secretary of State Steve Barnett published the 2021 annual limit for lobbyist gifts to public officials.

Each year, the annual cumulative value is adjusted.

It is based on the change in the consumer price index for urban wage earners and clerical workers for the year before the immediately preceding year.

The change for 2019 was 2.3%, making the newly adjusted cumulative gift limit $106.43 for 2021.

Public officials and members of their immediate families may not accept gifts with a cumulative value greater than $106.43 from any lobbyist or principal during the 2021 calendar year.

North Dakota Rep. Keith Kempenich is sponsoring a bill to add reimbursement for meals to the compensation received by lawmakers who live outside Bismarck.

The bill is being proposed just as the lobbyist gift ban approved by voters in 2018 is taking effect.

Lawmakers are currently paid $518 a month and receive $186 per day they attend sessions or committee meetings, plus reimbursement for lodging during the session.

They are also included on the state-funded employee health plan.

If passed, the bill would become effective August 1, 2021.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced special elections to fill vacancies in Senate District 8 and 28.

The vacancy in Senate District 8 was caused by the election of Sen. Pete Lucido as the Macomb County Prosecutor.

In addition, the Senate District 28 vacancy was caused by Sen. Peter MacGregor’s election as the Kent County Treasurer.

Therefore, the special primary election will be held on August 3 and the general election will be held on November 2.

Lawmakers convened the 122nd Indiana General Assembly with several adjustments due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

These changes include moving the House of Representatives to the Government Center South building and installing plexiglass barriers in Senate.

Neither chamber is requiring masks despite a push by House Democrats on Organization Day for a mask mandate.

Republicans also have supermajorities in both chambers.

Lawmakers will be focusing on writing the two-year budget, which must be done by June 30.

Additionally, they will redraw legislative and congressional district lines when the state receives the population data from the U.S. Census Bureau.