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.

The Illinois House elected Rep. Emanuel “Chris” Welch as speaker of the House.

This took place shortly after the swearing-in of newly elected General Assembly members, to start the 2021 regular session.

Welch succeeds Rep. Michael Madigan, the longest-serving statehouse speaker in U.S. history, and becomes the first Black person to hold the position.

Three women who were running for the position withdrew before the vote after Welch entered the race following an announcement by Madigan he was suspending his own campaign.

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers announced he was calling a special session of the Legislature during his State of the State address, delivered virtually for the first time in the state’s history.

He called the special session to consider the State Unemployment System.

Evers explained that, due to an outdated system, the Department of Workforce Development has struggled to keep up with an unprecedented number of claims.

A special election for Iowa Senate District 41 is scheduled for January 26.

Gov. Kim Reynolds called the special election to fill the vacancy left by newly elected Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks, who stepped down last month.

Following a recount, Miller-Meeks was certified by Iowa as the winner by six votes out of nearly 400,000.

The election result, however, is being contested by her Democratic opponent, Rita Hart.

A spokesman for Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Democrats will provisionally seat Miller-Meeks pending the outcome of the challenge.

The House can later decide Hart won the race and should replace Miller-Meeks.

Hart’s contest argues at least 22 lawfully cast votes, including 18 for her, were wrongly excluded due to a variety of errors.

The Associated Press has not called a winner in this race.

The Illinois Legislature began a final session for the 101st General Assembly on January 8.

The Senate met at the Capitol while the House met at the Bank of Springfield Center.

The separate meeting locations accommodated social distancing due to COVID-19 concerns.

Rep. Patrick Windhorst indicated if ethics reforms were not addressed, he would refile a proposal for the 102nd General Assembly, set to convene January 13.

Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan announced he is suspending his bid for another term as speaker, but is not withdrawing from the race.

A speaker must be elected before the House of Representatives can begin work.

The North Dakota Legislature convened January 5 for the 2021 session with improvements to live streaming and remote technology, making remote testimony by the public possible.

Committee meetings and floor sessions will be carried live.

House and Senate floor sessions have been live-streamed, archived, and indexed online.

Anyone wishing to testify remotely must register online.

In-person testimony may be permitted by the committee chair, although committee rooms will have limited seating due to social distancing, and masks are required.

State lawmakers may participate remotely from home if infected, or from office space in the Capitol if desired.

While some lobbyists have indicated they may testify remotely, no lawmakers have indicated an intent to work remotely.

Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem issued an opinion confirming the Ethics Commission is constitutionally authorized to create a rule expanding the definitions for “lobby” and “lobbyist” for purposes of the new gift rules.

The opinion was issued in response to a request for clarification from Ethics Commission Chairman Ron Goodman.

The definitions used by the commission in the new gift rules in the Administrative Code adopted in October are broader than those passed by the Legislature in House Bill 1521.

The Ethics Commission expanded the definition of lobby and lobbyist to include attempts to influence any public official, administrative rule, or regulation rather than just the Legislature and legislation.

The new rules are not intended to expand the definition of who should be required to be registered as a lobbyist.

Hamilton County Probate Court Judge Ralph “Ted” Winkler appointed Liz Keating, a Republican, as interim replacement for Alexander “P.G.” Sittenfeld.

Sittenfeld is a Democrat who was indicted last month on six counts alleging honest services wire fraud, bribery, and attempted extortion by a government official.

This is the second appointment of a Republican by Judge Winkler in a year where three of the nine council members have been arrested.

Per Ohio statute, the Hamilton County Probate Court appoints a replacement when a council member is suspended.

If Sittenfeld is found guilty of the charges or resigns, four Democrats on Council named in his successor designation certificate would select his replacement.