The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois granted a preliminary injunction enjoining recently enacted restrictions on campaign contributions to judicial candidates.

The order by Judge John J. Tharp, Jr. enjoins Illinois from prohibiting judicial candidate political committees from accepting contributions from any out-of-state-person and from imposing limits on the amount a single person can contribute.

The ruling is effective for the 2022 judicial elections.

The special session of the Missouri Legislature adjourned sine die on October 4.

Lawmakers passed three bills during the special session to implement income tax cuts and tax incentives for the agriculture industry.

Gov. Mike Parson is holding a press conference October 5 to sign House Bill 3 and Senate bills 3 and 5.

Gov. Tony Evers signed Executive Order 175 calling for a special session of the Wisconsin Legislature to begin Tuesday, October 4 to consider and act upon two proposals allowing voters to introduce ballot initiatives and amending the constitution to create a statewide binding referendum process that would allow voters to propose laws and constitutional amendments and repeal state laws.

Currently, any constitutional amendment must be passed by two consecutive legislatures before it is placed on a ballot for voters.

The Missouri Office of Administration announced restrictions on public access to bid documents in order to comply with the Personal Privacy Protection Act, established by the passage of Senate Substitute for House Bill 2400.

The act prohibits public agencies from requiring any 501(c) entity to share the identities of donors, volunteers, or supporters and closes any public agency record or list containing the identity of supporters.

The Office of Administration removed all bid and contract records from MissouriBUYS and the document portal.

New contract awards will be reviewed and redacted to ensure compliance before posting. Older records will be reviewed and redacted before being reposted.

The special session of the Missouri Legislature scheduled to begin on September 6, has been postponed until September 14.

Lawmakers need more time to deliver on Gov. Mike Parson’s plan for income tax cuts and tax incentives for the agriculture industry.

Lawmakers ended a three-day special session by passing a $213 million package for flood recovery and a plan to help schools in eastern Kentucky.

Signed into law by Gov. Beshear on Friday, the law establishes the East Kentucky State Aid Funding for Emergencies (EKSAFE), to assist counties named in the federal declaration.

Legislators emphasized this is the first step and they expect additional legislation next year when lawmakers meet in regular session.

The General Assembly is scheduled to convene for the 2023 regular session on Jan 3.

Gov. Andy Beshear called a special session of the Kentucky General Assembly to begin today, August 24 at noon to establish funding and administration of the Eastern Kentucky State Aid Funding for Emergencies (EKSAFE) and amend the statute relating to the West Kentucky State Aid Funding for Emergencies (WKSAFE) and provide relief to Eastern Kentucky school districts impacted by the flooding emergency.

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson called a special session of the Legislature beginning September 6 to pass income tax credits and agricultural tax credits.

Parson hopes the special session will end quickly and a bill containing his proposal could clear the Senate and be sent to the House by the veto session, scheduled for September 14.

Gov. Eric Holcomb called a special election to be held for Indiana’s 2nd Congressional District on November 8 to fill the vacancy created by the death of U.S. Rep. Jackie Walorski following a tragic car accident on August 3.

Due to the timing of the vacancy, the state committee of each political party will select a candidate to be placed on the ballot by August 26.

A former Illinois attorney who lives in Texas and two PACs have filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Chicago challenging the recently passed restrictions on political contributions on judicial candidates.

The lawsuit argues that the prohibitions on a candidate political committee established to support or oppose a candidate seeking nomination to the Supreme Court, Appellate Court, or Circuit Court from accepting contributions from any entity that does not disclose the identity of those who make contributions to the entity, and from accepting contributions from any out-of-state person violate free-speech rights established in the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark Citizens United decision, which opened the door to unlimited political contributions.

Filed by the conservative Liberty Justice Center on behalf of John Matthew Chancey, Fair Courts America and Restoration PAC three months before an election for two state Supreme Court races, the lawsuit asks the federal court to grant a preliminary injunction blocking the restrictions and to overturn them as unconstitutional.

Missouri Gov. Parson signed Senate Substitute for House Bill 2400 permitting certain limited liability companies (LLCs) to make campaign contributions to political committees.

To qualify, the LLC must elect not to be classified as a corporation under federal law; be in existence for at least one year prior to making contributions; and must submit a form to the Missouri Ethics Commission indicating the LLC is a legitimate business and not created for the sole purpose of making campaign contributions.

The bill also bars public agencies from requiring nonprofits to share the identities of donors, volunteers or supporters.

The bill is effective August 28, 2022.

Gov. Parson signed House Bill 1878 overhauling Missouri’s election rules and eliminating the state’s presidential primaries in favor of a caucus system.

The new law requires voters to present a photo ID when casting a regular or absentee ballot and replaces the presidential primary held in March with a series of caucuses.

House Bill 1878 is effective August 28, in time for the November general election but not until after the August 2 primary election.

Akron City Council Vice President Jeff Fusco introduced an ordinance to increase contribution limits for city candidates.

The ordinance increases contribution limits for individuals giving to mayor and at-large council candidates from $750 to $1,000 per election and increases individual limits for ward council candidates from $500 to $750 per election.

The ordinance allows city candidates to accept campaign contributions or loans of up to $2,500 from any political party or PAC.

If passed, the ordinance would be effective immediately.

Public hearings on the ordinance have been scheduled for July 11 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb signed a proclamation calling a special session of the General Assembly beginning July 6 to take action on his plan to distribute $1 billion in tax relief to Hoosiers due to inflation.

The special session also would open the door for lawmakers to pass legislation addressing other issues.

Special sessions may last up to 30 session days, but no more than 40 calendar days after they begin.

The ban on contributions during session does not apply to special sessions in Indiana.