State Senator Justin Cronin resigned from his District 23 seat on Wednesday.

Gov. Kristi Noem has appointed Rep. John Lake to fill the state Senate vacancy and is seeking public input on filling the resulting state House vacancy.

Those seeking consideration must submit their information by September 10.

The Illinois Opportunity Project is challenging Gov. Steve Bullock’s Executive Order 15-2018.

Bullock’s Executive Order requires organizations receiving large state contracts to report political contributions that exceed $2,500, even if the disclosures are not required under federal election laws.

The challenge was filed in U.S. District Court and has been assigned to Judge Charles Lovell.

The Illinois Opportunity Project argues requiring disclosure of donations could lead to personal and economic repercussions for its supporters seeking state contracts.

The group plans on spending money during the 2020 election cycle to urge Montana gubernatorial candidates to repeal the executive order.

A hearing date has not yet been set.

The Arizona Secretary of State announced the implementation of new filing forms.

The forms are now separated by entity types: lobbyist, principal, and public body filings.

Effective August 27, the notarization requirement for all lobbying forms has been replaced by an attestation.

Because filing forms no longer require notarization the forms may be filed by email.

In the coming weeks, the Secretary of State will also implement a new website for online payment and document filing.

The Portland Auditor has opened the public comment period for the proposed administrative changes to the city’s lobbying regulations.

The revised rules clarify lobbying including grassroots lobbying and attempts to gain goodwill.

Fiscal disclosures will be required to include expenses related to grassroots lobbying.

The proposed rule changes will also provide guidance on governments registering as lobbying entities if certain types of lobbying occur.

Governments will be considered lobbying entities when certain outside individuals lobby on their behalf.

The regulation changes will also exclude certain cultural gifts from the city’s lobbying registration and reporting requirements if the market value of the gift cannot be easily determined and declining the gift is likely to cause offense.

City officials will not be required to report certain ceremonial, hand-made, or other culturally specific gifts.

However, such gifts must still be accepted on behalf of the city and documented in accordance with city rules.

Additionally, the revised rules will provide guidance on when lobbying groups and city officials may be fined for late filings.

The auditor’s office will issue a warning notice for late filings.

Reports must be filed within 24 hours after the deadline or a late fee will be assessed up to $500 per report.

The public comment period will be open until September 23.

The Alaska Republican Party must select three nominees to forward to the governor to fill the vacant Senate District M seat.

The vacancy was created by the sudden passing of Senator Chris Birch.

Gov. Mike Dunleavy will make the final selection from the three nominees.

The Republicans in the Senate must agree with the governor’s choice before the nominee gets sworn in.

A self-imposed deadline for receiving applications has been set for August 18.

A bill requiring a person who makes payments of $10,000 or more for electioneering or issue lobbying communications to make specified disclosures has passed the Assembly and has been sent to the Senate.

Assembly Bill 1217 would require a person making payments for electioneering or issue lobbying communications to disclose the names of the persons providing the funding for those payments and to maintain records to verify the accuracy of the required disclosures.

The bill would also amend and update the definitions of electioneering communication and issue lobbying communication.

If passed, the bill will take effect immediately.

The Kentucky Legislative Ethics Commission has selected Laura Hromyak Hendrix to serve as the new executive director.

She is currently serving as the commission’s legal counsel.

Hendrix will assume the post on September 1 following the retirement of current director John Schaaf.

Gov. Matt Bevin announced a special election for the vacated 63rd House District seat.

The special election will be held on November 5, the same day as the general election.

Rep. Diane St. Onge resigned from the 63rd House seat on August 12, citing a new marriage and move out to California.

The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a Montana law requiring groups to register with the state as political committees if they run any kind of ad that refers to a candidate or ballot issue within 60 days of an election.

The state law requires any group to register and file disclosures once it spends $250 or more on ads or mailers referring to a candidate, political party, or ballot issue within 60 days of an election.

The National Association for Gun Rights challenged the reporting requirements as an unconstitutional restriction on free speech.

The association argued the law’s definition of electioneering communication was too broad and should apply only to materials that advocate directly for or against a candidate.

However, the appeals court said disclosure requirements should not be limited only to regulation of express advocacy.

The Montana law was meant to shine a light on campaign related spending by groups that don’t disclose their spending or donors.

The appeals court did strike down a portion of the Montana law requiring groups to have a treasurer who is a registered voter in Montana.

The court found that requirement was not substantially related to any important governmental interest.

The National Association of Gun Rights has not made a decision on whether to appeal the ruling.

Gov. Doug Burgum and Senate leadership selected Ron Goodman, Ward Koeser, Cynthia Lindquist, Paul Richard, and David Anderson to North Dakota’s new state government ethics commission.

The candidates verbally accepted their appointments after the selection meeting.

Their terms will begin on September 1, with Goodman and Lindquist serving four-year terms.

Anderson will serve a three-year term, and Koeser and Richard will serve two-year terms.

The selection committee chose Goodman as chairman to convene the commission’s first meeting in September.

A special election for the Providence City Council Ward 10 seat has been set for November 5, with a primary on October 8.

Luis Aponte resigned from the Ward 10 seat after pleading no contest to embezzling money from his campaign.

The Board of Elections announced potential candidates must declare their candidacy on August 29 and 30.

The second special session of the Alaska Legislature that began with controversy and division ended quietly on Tuesday with no further legislative action.

Tuesday marked the 30-day session limit.

The Legislature approved restoring much of the operating budget money Gov. Mike Dunleavy vetoed.

Additionally, the Legislature approved a $1,600 pay out of the permanent fund dividend.

Gov. Dunleavy did not give a clear indication of whether he may call a third special session, but he must give a 30-day notice before the legislators must appear again.

Republican leaders representing state House District 55 have selected three candidates to replace recently resigned Rep. Mike McLane.

McLane resigned on July 1 to become a judge on the 22nd Judicial District Circuit Court.

Vikki Iverson, Deborah Tilden, and Peter Sharp were chosen during the meeting in La Pine.

The final decision will be made by county commissioners from areas within the district.

A decision must be made by August 13.

The appointee will fill out the remaining portion of McLane’s two-year term and will have to run for the office in 2020.

Gov. Kate Brown signed two campaign finance bills requiring more disclosures in Oregon elections.

House Bill 2716 requires advertisements supporting or opposing a candidate to disclose who funded them.

The bill also requires ads funded by non-candidate PACs to disclose the top five donors who have contributed at least $10,000 to those groups.

House Bill 2716 becomes effective December 3, 2020.

House Bill 2983 requires “dark money” groups to disclose their largest donors if they spend more than $100,000 on ads related to statewide races or races in cities or counties with at least 60,000 residents.

For legislative races and contests in smaller jurisdictions, the bill requires groups to disclose donors after spending at least $25,000 on ads.

House Bill 2983 became effective when signed by the governor.