Gov. Kathy Hochul vetoed legislation inspired by the 2023 session’s chief judge battle.

Senate Bill 4152 would have required lobbying groups to disclose spending on campaigns for or against gubernatorial nominees to state office, including the nomination or confirmation of any person for a position subject to confirmation by the Senate.

Hochul’s initial nominee for chief judge of the state Court of Appeals, Hector D. LaSalle, sparked fierce efforts to support and oppose his appointment, including unregulated campaigns that sought to alter the outcome.

The groups lobbying for LaSalle’s nomination voluntarily reported their lobbying while the groups lobbying against LaSalle’s nomination declined to do so, stating there was no requirement to report.

Senate Democrats blocked the nomination of LaSalle, marking the first time the Legislature has not confirmed a candidate for the Court of Appeals.

Hochul cited significant new reporting requirements and implementation costs not already accounted for in her veto memo.

The Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board issued draft rule language staff considers to be potentially controversial.

The language will be considered by the board’s three-member rulemaking committee at one or more public meetings to be announced at a later date.

Interested parties will have an opportunity to comment on the draft rule language.

Once it is available staff will also release draft rule language intended to implement changes made by the Legislature in 2023 to statutes governing lobbyist regulation and reporting.

Information related to the rulemaking process, including how to sign up for the rulemaking notice list, the dates of any scheduled rulemaking committee meetings, copies of official documents, copies of formal comments received by the board, and draft rules, will be posted on the board’s rulemaking docket webpage at cfb.mn.gov/citizen-resources/the-board/statutes-and-rules/rulemaking-docket.

Gov. Kathy Hochul issued a proclamation ordering a special election on February 13, 2024, to fill the vacancy in the United States House of Representatives Third Congressional District for the unexpired term of George Santos.

Santos was expelled on December 1, causing House Republicans to be down a seat for the next two months, with an even narrower majority in the closely divided chamber.

The seat in Nassau and Queens counties is a key piece in the Democrats’ plan to retake the House majority next year.

Former Democratic Rep. Tom Suozzi, who left in 2022 to mount a failed run for governor, is a lead contender to reclaim his old seat.

The Bureau of Elections posted the Lobby Registration Act 2024 Reporting Thresholds, which change every year in January to reflect the change in the consumer price index for Detroit.

The registration thresholds for individual lobbyist compensation and for employer expenditures on a single official increased from $725 to $775.

Exempt expenditures increased from $15 to $16.

The registration threshold for an employer making lobbying expenditures increased from $2,900 to $3,075 for any 12-month period.

The financial transaction threshold between a registered employer or lobbyist and a public official increased from $1,450 to $1,550.

The reporting threshold for travel and lodging reimbursements increased from $950 to $1,000.

Monthly food and beverage expenditures allowance for a public official increased from $72 to $76, and the threshold for food and beverages purchased between January 1 and end the reporting period increased from $450 to $475.

Employee reimbursements increased from $29 to $31, and the general gift threshold also increased from $72 to $76.

Late filing fees increased from $29 a day up to a maximum of $870, to $31 a day up to a maximum of $930.

Secretary of State David Scanlan announced January 23 as the date of its presidential primary, eight days after the Iowa caucuses and defying the Democratic National Committee’s plans to give South Carolina the party’s first primary contest.

New Hampshire has held its first in the nation primary status for more than a century.

In 1975, the state enacted a law that required the primary to take place at least seven or more days before any other state.

Biden’s name will be missing from the New Hampshire presidential primary ballot this year, and they face a potential loss of delegates to the Democratic convention, for not following the party’s new order.

The 102nd Legislature adjourned sine die on November 14 after the House and Senate adopted House Concurrent Resolution 10 to adjourn sine die early to start the 90-day clock for the effective date of bills not receiving enough Republican support to take effect immediately.

This includes legislation changing the date for Michigan’s 2024 presidential primary election to February 27, 2024.

Lawmakers passed bills to require elected state officers and candidates to annually file a financial disclosure report by April 15 of each year.

Just before the adjournment, House Democrats temporarily lost their narrow two-seat majority when two lawmakers won mayoral elections, creating a 54-54 tie.

However, Democratic House Speaker Joe Tate noted House Rules adopted in January only require a leadership change if there is a 55-55 tie and Democrats are unlikely to lose either of their two vacant seats in special elections likely to occur next spring.

Lawmakers concluded the fall veto session on November 9, after passing Senate Bill 76 lifting Illinois’ moratorium on nuclear power plant construction in 2026.

Neither chamber voted on legislation extending the Invest in Kids Scholarship Tax Credit Program.

It allows people to donate to private school scholarship programs and receive a 75 percent tax credit.

Voters passed Issue 23, a ballot initiative amending the city charter in several ways.

Introduced by council member Liz Keating, the issue has been in the works for at least two years.

The main change is to amend the city charter to mirror state law regarding the ballot initiative process, requiring a copy of any initiative, referendum or charter amendment petition to be filed with the clerk of council before any signatures can be collected.

These would be made public so anyone could see what proposed amendments are circulating.

The amendment also limits initiatives to one subject and provides a cure period for insufficient signatures.

Issue 23 also updates the charter to reflect the fact that City Council terms were changed from four years to two years by a 2018 charter amendment and gives city council members the option to vote electronically in addition to voice votes.

Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear won re-election to a second term over challenger, Republican Attorney General Daniel Cameron, who prevailed in a crowded primary in May.

Beshear became governor in 2019, winning by a narrow margin in a historically conservative state.

As of this morning, Beshear won with 53% of the vote and Cameron received 47%.

Eight candidates were vying for three seats on the Akron Public Schools board.

Former state representative and Akron City Council member Barbara Sykes was overwhelmingly elected with 25.72% of votes cast, over 10,000 more votes more than any other candidate.

Summer Hall earned the second seat with 13.47%, and incumbent Rene Molenaur secured her first full term on the board with 11.83%, according to unofficial results as of this morning based on all precincts reporting.

Each seat is for a four-year term.

All 13 Akron City Council seats were up for election on Tuesday.

Most incumbents will keep their seats, but some newcomers will join them.

Incumbents Linda Omobien and Jeff Fusco were selected for Akron City Council at-large seats, along with newcomer Eric Garrett, according to unofficial results from the Summit County Board of Elections.

As of this morning, Omobien received 29.44%, Fusco received 28.49%, and Garrett received 27.21% of the votes with all precincts reporting.

Most Ward races were unopposed, except Ward 9, where Tina Boyes defeated Republican Micah Townsend, 68.27% to 31.73% with all precincts reporting.

Shammas Malik defeated write-in candidate Nathaniel Green to become Akron’s next mayor by an overwhelming margin.

Malik received 12,603 votes (96.73%) compared to 426 votes for write-in nonpartisan candidate Nathaniel Green, according to unofficial election results with all precincts reporting.

Malik will take office as the city’s 63rd mayor on January 1, succeeding Mayor Dan Horrigan who’s been in office since 2015.

On November 7, voters in Ohio approved Issue 2, a ballot initiative to legalize marijuana in Ohio, including: allowing adults who are at least 21 years old to use and possess marijuana, including up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana; allowing the sale and purchase of marijuana, which a new Division of Cannabis Control will regulate; and enacting a 10% tax on marijuana sales.

As of this morning, the amendment passed 56.97% to 43.03%.

On November 7, voters in Ohio approved a constitutional amendment to provide a state constitutional right to make and carry out one’s own reproductive decisions, including but not limited to decisions about abortion, contraception, fertility treatment, miscarriage care, and continuing pregnancy.

The amendment also allows the state to restrict abortion after fetal viability, except when necessary to protect the pregnant patient’s life or health.

As of this morning, the amendment passed 56.62% to 43.38%.