The Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) adopted cost of living adjustment regulations amending contribution limits and gift limit amounts.

The newly adjusted contribution limit in effect for candidates for the Senate or Assembly and candidates for elected seats to the Board of Administration of the Public Employees Retirement System for an election occurring during the period January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2022 is now $4,900 per person.

The newly adjusted annual gift limit amount in effect for the period January 1, 2021, to December 31, 2022, is $520.

The San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors voted 3-1 on Friday to set campaign contribution limits at $25,000.

Hundreds of community members called in asking the county go with the forthcoming state limit of $4,700.

Opponents of the $25,000 ceiling voiced concerns the higher limit would lead to corruption.

Others argued the county should not make a decision until a replacement for deceased Supervisor Adam Hill is seated.

Last year, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation limiting campaign contributions to local candidates to $4,700 in cities and counties not having their own contribution limits.

Those limits go into effect on Jan. 1, 2021.

The $25,000 limit will apply to candidates for 10 county offices, including the five supervisors, the district attorney, and the sheriff.

Lawmakers on Wednesday signaled support in using a provision from the state constitution never before used.

Under the provision, Gov. Kate Brown can declare a catastrophic disaster.

In addition, she can convene a special legislative session under looser rules than lawmakers would normally abide by.

Legislators likely would not be required to appear at the Capitol for such a session, eliminating concerns about spreading the coronavirus.

The House and Senate also could operate without a two-thirds quorum of lawmakers in attendance.

If Gov. Brown does declare a catastrophic emergency, it can only last for 30 days unless extended by lawmakers.

A spokesperson for Brown stated the governor is open to holding another special session if legislators can agree to a succinct list of policies addressing Oregonians’ most pressing needs.

Originally reported as defeated, Ballot Measure 2 was approved with 50.5% of the vote reported as of November 17.

The measure will make several changes to the election process, including replacing partisan primaries with open top-four primaries for state executive, state legislative, and congressional offices.

Also, the measure establishes ranked-choice voting for general elections, including the presidential election, in which voters can rank the candidates.

Additionally, Ballot Measure 2 requires persons and entities contributing more than $2,000 derived from donations, contributions, dues, or gifts to disclose the true sources (as defined in law) of the political contributions.

The approved system of top-four primaries and ranked-choice voting general elections will be first used in 2022.

This will include the gubernatorial, U.S. House, and a U.S. Senate election in Alaska.

The team of Lt. Gov. Lemanu Palepoi Sialega Mauga, candidate for governor, and running mate, Talauega Eleasalo Va’alele Ale, candidate for lieutenant governor, won the gubernatorial race during the general election according to the unofficial results.

The unofficial results were released with a total of 11,861 ballots counted with Lemanu and Talauega receiving almost 61% of the votes.

Local law states a special or run-off election is held two weeks after the general election if none of the candidates received 50% plus one vote.

There is a seven-day waiting period before the chief election officer certifies the results as official.

Lawmakers passed a bill calling a statewide special election to be consolidated and held on November 3, 2020.

Senate Bill 300 requires the Office of the Secretary of State to submit various Assembly Constitutional Amendments, including lowering the voting age, wages, elections, and state of emergency procedures, to voters for their approval at the general election if the amendments are passed by the Legislature on or before July 1, 2020.

If signed by the governor, the bill would take effect immediately as an act calling an election.

Oregon’s Legislative Assembly adjourned the first special session of 2020.

During the session lawmakers passed a slew of bills dealing with police accountability and the coronavirus pandemic.

Lawmakers passed 24 bills with more than 600 pieces of public testimony submitted and over 100 virtual testimonies during the three day special session.

At least one other special session may be called this year in order to focus on the state budget.

The Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) voted to require more transparency and disclosure of those who use limited liability companies (LLC’s) to make political contributions.

Aditionally, they would require campaigns to list the name of the actual person who directed the LLC political spending.

The first new regulation requires LLC’s involved in raising and spending money for political activity to name the person making the decisions.

The second new regulation requires campaigns receiving donations from LLC’s to also list the name of the person responsible for the political activity.

A 2019 FPPC Enforcement Division examination of LLC’s found it was relatively easy to find information about the type of business, its address and an agent for service of process.

However, it was extremely difficult to find the identities of the people behind the LLC’s owners or the true source of the political expenditures.

Gov. Kate Brown has called for a special session of the Oregon Legislature to convene on June 24.

Lawmakers will be addressing issues regarding police accountability, the coronavirus pandemic, children’s education, and jobs.

With social distancing measures still in place, the upcoming special session will be different than what any lawmaker has seen.

The Capitol will generally be closed to the public, however legislators will still be able to get in to do business.

The Alaska Supreme Court unanimously ruled an election reform initiative can appear on the November Ballot.

The court upheld a lower court decision confirming the legality of a proposed ballot measure.

This will be imposing ranked choice voting, nonpartisan primary elections, and tough new rules on campaign finance disclosure.

In August of 2019, Attorney General Kevin Clarkson released an opinion stating the election reform initiative was unconstitutional under the single subject rule.

On his advice, the Division of Elections attempted to block the Better Elections committee from gathering signatures to put the issue on the ballot.

However, Superior Court Judge Yvonne Lamoureux ruled Clarkson’s analysis was incorrect.

Additionally she ordered the state to issue signature booklets and continue the certification process as the state appealed to the Supreme Court.

If approved by voters, the ballot measure would require additional reporting requirements for large donations to political campaigns.

Gov. Brad Little appointed Aaron von Ehlinger to fill the Idaho House District 6 seat until November’s general election.

The appointment was made one day after von Ehlinger challenged incumbent Rep. Thyra Stevenson, and won the Republican primary for the seat.

However, Stevenson passed away on May 11 following a heart attack.

She remained on the Republican primary ballot because it was too late to change forms.

The 6th Legislative District Republican Central Committee nominated von Ehlinger and two others as potential picks following the passing of Stevenson.

Von Ehlinger will now be the incumbent in the November general election, where he is running unopposed.

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to take up a case challenging a Montana disclosure law.

Specifically, the law requires disclosure of spending for political ads within 60 days of an election.

In August 2019, the 9th U.S Circuit Court of Appeals upheld Montana’s law requiring nonprofit groups running ads mentioning candidates, political parties or ballot issues in the 60 day window before an election to report any spending of $250 or more and disclose who funded their efforts.

This law is part of the state’s Disclosure Act, while the case was filed by the National Association of Gun Rights in 2016.

In their lawsuit, the group stated they were planning on sending mailers in Montana.

However, they would not report their donors or spending because it violated their constitutional rights of free speech.

The Alaska Legislature adjourned after approving Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s plan to spend over $1 billion in federal coronavirus funding.

Lawmakers were spurred by a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the plans Gov. Dunleavy submitted to the Legislative Budget and Audit Committee.

They were submitted through a process allowing a governor to submit plans to accept and spend additional federal or other program funds on a budget item.

In addition, the committee agreed to more than $1 billion in plans despite concerns some of the items fell outside the scope of what can go through the committee process.

Following the vote, the Legislature adjourned the 2020 regular session, though members of the House and Senate have said a special session may be needed later in the year.

The Legislature’s first special session since 2004 ended Saturday night with three bills headed to the desk of Gov. Mark Gordon for his consideration.

The main task of the special session was to set up programs and time frames for the spending of $1.25 billion Wyoming received through the federal CARES act.

Though Gov. Gordon has the ultimate authority to spend the money, the approved legislation provides a broad outline of where that money will go.