Campaign Finance

Missouri: “Greitens Won’t Face Charges for Allegedly Lying to State Ethics Commission” by Jason Hancock for Kansas City Star

Ethics

National: “Ethics Panel Gives Menendez Wide Latitude for Repayment of Gifts from Melgen” by Matt Friedman for Politico

National: “Kushners Near Deal with Qatar-Linked Company for Troubled Tower” by Charles Bagli and Jesse Drucker (New York Times) for Seattle Times

Arizona: “Array of Arizona Politicians, Lobbyists Connected to Bribery Case” by Katie Campbell for Arizona Capitol Times

Kentucky: “In Two Years, Council Members Have Spent Over $20,000 on Gala Tickets for Themselves, Staff and Family” by Joe Sonka for Insider Louisville

Legislative Issues

Pennsylvania: “Pa. House GOP Leaders Planning to Impose Sanctions Against Rep. Nick Miccarelli” by Jan Murphy for PennLive.com

Lobbying

National: “Millions Flow to Fast-Growing Lobbying Firms with Ties to the Trump Administration” by Fredreka Schouten for USA Today

Alabama: “Reform Commission Begins Work on Alabama Ethics Law” by Mike Cason for AL.com

Oklahoma: “Many Felons Can’t Vote, But They Can Lobby at the Capitol” by Paul Monies for Oklahoma Watchdog

Lots of legislatures adjourned this week, find out what they did in this edition of News You Can Use Video Digest!

National:

These Women Mostly Ignored Politics. Now, Activism Is Their Job.
WRAL – Campbell Robertson (New York Times) | Published: 5/10/2018

Since retiring eight years ago as a high school French teacher, Kathy Rentz was content to spend her time gardening, knitting, and spoiling her grandchildren. Now she is the kind of person who writes “Not For Trump’s Golf Trips” across her federal tax return. The grassroots activism on the left has been powered to a large degree by college-educated women in midcareer or retirement. They often have no prior interest or experience in politics. But with the election of Donald Trump, they were aghast at how they felt the political system, which most had taken for granted to the point of indifference, had allowed things to fly so far off the rails.

Trump, Schneiderman, Greitens and the Changing Shape of Sex Scandals
Chicago Tribune – Marc Fisher (Washington Post) | Published: 5/13/2018

In politics, entertainment, sports, and other industries, the arc and impact of sex scandals are changing, and the difference centers on coercion and consent. Prominent cases have led the cultural wave, as allegations of abuse derailed the public careers of Bill Cosby, Harvey Weinstein, Charlie Rose, U.S. Senate candidate Roy Moore, and New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, who announced his resignation hours after he was accused of physically assaulting women. But even as politicians from both parties resign or pull away from re-election bids because of accusations they abused or coerced women, a two-year procession of allegations from women who accused President Trump of sexual improprieties has had no visible impact on his popularity.

Federal:

A Secret Mission, a Code Name and Anxiety: Inside the early days of the F.B.I.’s Trump investigation
Anchorage Daily News – Matt Apuzzo, Adam Goldman, and Nicholas Fandos (New York Times) | Published: 5/16/2018

Days after they closed their investigation into Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server, the FBI began scrutinizing Donald Trump’s campaign. The two cases have become inextricably linked in one of the most consequential periods in the history of the bureau. The FBI sent a pair of agents in 2016 to meet the Australian ambassador to the United Kingdom, who had evidence one of Trump’s advisers, George Papadopoulos, knew in advance about Russian election meddling. The agents’ report on the interview helped provide the foundation for a case that became the special counsel investigation. But at the time, a small group of FBI officials knew it by its code name: Crossfire Hurricane.

Ethics Chief Knocks Trump Over Stormy Daniels Payment
Politico – Louis Nelson, Matthew Nussbaum, and Lorraine Woellert | Published: 5/16/2018

President Trump formally disclosed he paid his attorney as much as $250,000 as reimbursements for expenses, which included a payoff to adult film actress Stormy Daniels, who says she had a sexual encounter with Trump. The disclosure came in the president’s annual financial disclosure report to the Office of Government Ethics (OGE). Trump said he was listing the reimbursements to Michael Cohen “in the interest of transparency,” even though he was not required to disclose them. OGE Director David Apol questioned why Trump did not include this in his previous year’s disclosure and passed along his concerns to federal prosecutors. “I am providing both reports to you because you may find the disclosure relevant to any inquiry you may be pursuing,” Apol wrote to Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein.

FEC Allows Candidate to Use Campaign Funds for Child Care
The Hill – Aris Folley | Published: 5/10/2018

The FEC ruled a candidate can use campaign funds to pay for child care. Liuba Grechen Shirley had petitioned the FEC for permission to pay her babysitter out of money donated to her campaign. Grechen Shirley, who previously cared for her children full time, argued she needed the sitter only for her bid for office and that the payment therefore constituted a campaign expense. The FEC noted Grechen Shirley’s child care needs were a direct result of her run for Congress and essential to her continuing a bid. Therefore, the spending would not be considered a violation of rules that prohibit personal spending.

Thousands of Pages of Congressional Testimony Shed Light on 2016 Trump Tower Meeting
MSN – Rosalind Helderman and Karoun Demirjian (Washington Post) | Published: 5/16/2018

Thousands of pages of interview transcripts released by the Senate Judiciary Committee offer the most detailed account to date of the June 2016 meeting at Trump Tower between Donald Trump Jr. and a Russian lawyer who has admitted to being an “informant” to Moscow. The documents show a constellation of efforts over several years by two powerful Russian real estate developers, Aras and Emin Agalarov, to arrange meetings and provide assistance to Donald Trump. The efforts culminated in setting up the meeting with Trump Jr. on the promise to the president’s eldest son that it would deliver political dirt on Hillary Clinton. While the documents reveal the willingness of the Trump campaign to accept the Agalarovs’ help when it was convenient, they do not show the extent to which the president was aware of the meeting’s stated purpose.

From the States and Municipalities:

Alaska: Legislature Will Boot Ballot Measure If Governor Signs ‘Government Accountability’ Bill
Juneau Empire – James Brooks | Published: 5/14/2018

If signed into law by Alaska Gov. Bill Walker, House Bill 44 will prohibit lawmakers from accepting per diem after Day 121 of the legislative session if a budget has not been approved. Lawmakers will also be required to disclose financial conflicts-of-interest in committee, not just on the floor, and lobbyists will be further restricted from providing meals and drinks to legislators. Amendments to the legislation make it “substantially similar” to an ethics reform ballot measure. Under the Alaska Constitution, an initiative may be removed from the ballot if the Legislature passes a bill that is “substantially the same” as the initiative.

Arizona: Arizona Lawsuit Says Measure Undermines Clean Elections
KNAU; Associated Press –   | Published: 5/16/2018

A lawsuit claims a ballot referendum eviscerates the authority of the state’s Citizens Clean Elections Commission. The agency administers public financing of elections. A ballot referendum that passed earlier this year would ask voters if they want to put the commission’s rulemakings under the oversight of the Governor’s Regulatory Review Council, which is staffed by gubernatorial appointees. The suit says the commission has independent rulemaking authority by design, since it regulates politicians.

Arkansas: Arkansas Judge Who Blocked TV Ads Removing Himself from Case
Sacramento Bee – Andrew DeMillo (Associated Press) | Published: 5/16/2018

Washington County Circuit Court Judge Doug Martin, who ordered that negative political ads against Arkansas Supreme Court Justice Courtney Goodson be pulled off the airwaves recused himself from further involvement in the case. The temporary restraining order by Martin still stands, however. Martin had reported receiving income through his wife from the law firm of Goodson’s husband. Justice Goodson is fighting a legal battle in Arkansas’ largest media markets against what she says are “defamatory” ads being run by an out-of-state group that does not disclose its donors.

Florida: It Was Supposed to Show Who Profited from Public Money. But the Rule Wasn’t Enforced
Miami Herald – Elizabeth Koh | Published: 5/10/2018

Records show despite an ethics rule that requires lobbyists for taxpayer-funded entities to submit lobbying contracts to the Florida House, the rule has not been enforced. The House’s much vaunted web page was not updated for a year and some lobbyists neglected for months to comply with the required disclosures. Today, the web page still includes outdated data on lobbying expenditures made by local governments and remains incomplete. At one point, the backlog left hundreds of documents off the books in the last two years.

Maryland: Mayor Pugh Seeks Broad Ethics Exemption to Raise Private Money to Fund Baltimore Programs
Baltimore Sun – Ian Duncan | Published: 5/15/2018

Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh wants to be exempted from city ethics rules that require officials to obtain approvals before soliciting private funds for community programs and events. Calling Baltimore “a poor city,” City Solicitor Andre Davis questioned the constraints on the mayor’s ability to solicit monetary assistance. The ethics rules are designed to ensure transparency around gifts and charitable support that officials receive from individuals and businesses they may wield influence over in the course of their duties. In addition to seeking approval up front, officials are required to submit reports detailing fundraising activities.

Missouri: Case Against Greitens Is Dropped, for Now. Legislative Leaders Say Nothing’s Changed
Kansas City Star – Bryan Lowry, Jason Hancock, Kelsey Landis, Allison Kite, and Steve Vockrodt | Published: 5/14/2018

Prosecutors dropped an invasion-of-privacy charge against Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens but still hope to pursue a case against him for allegedly taking a revealing photograph of a woman with whom he was having an affair. The move came after the judge granted a request by Greitens’ lawyers to call the case’s prosecutor, Kim Gardner, as a witness for the defense. The defense team has criticized Gardner’s handling of the case. “The court’s order places the circuit attorney in the impossible position of being a witness, subject to cross-examination, [including by her own subordinates],” a Gardner spokesperson said. Greitens remains charged for allegedly using a donor list from a charity in his gubernatorial campaign. The Legislature will convene a special session to consider whether to initiate impeachment proceedings against Greitens.

Missouri: Donors Behind Political Cash Cannot Be Concealed, Ethics Watchdog Says
St. Louis Post-Dispatch – Sky Chadde | Published: 5/10/2018

The Missouri Ethics Commission issued an advisory opinion stating nonprofits that contribute to campaigns cannot conceal the identities of their donors. The opinion targets so-called dark money groups, who do not have to disclose their donors, making the origin of the funds nearly impossible to determine. Their use has increased in recent years and one prominent organization that has employed the tactic is A New Missouri, a nonprofit created to promote Gov. Eric Greitens’ agenda.

New York: Jury Finds Silver Guilty
Albany Times Union – Benjamin Weiser (New York Times) | Published: 5/11/2018

For a second time, a jury convicted former New York Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver on corruption charges. Prosecutors accused him of a scheme in which a physician referred possible asbestos lawsuit plaintiffs to him in exchange for $500,000 in state grants. Silver passed on the clients to a law firm, which paid him more than $3 million in referral fees. He was also convicted of accepting $700,000 in fees from a real estate law firm after he steered business to the firm from two developers who benefited from his activities at the statehouse. Silver’s initial conviction was among a number of cases that were overturned after the U.S. Supreme Court narrowed the activity that could constitute corruption.

Oklahoma: Oklahoma Ethics Commission Votes to Sue Over Budget
The Oklahoman – Nolan Clay | Published: 5/12/2018

Unhappy with its appropriation, the Oklahoma Ethics Commission voted to pursue a lawsuit over the matter. Commission Executive Director Ashley Kemp would not say if the suit was related to concerns over funding or who would be named as defendant. But the commission has been vocal about its dissatisfaction on how the Legislature handled its funding. Kemp said the agency was upset about its appropriation. The Legislature swept the agency’s revolving funds, which include fees assessed by the commission, rather than making an appropriation from the general revenue fund.

The Alaska Legislature passed House Bill 44, a bill with the potential to remove an initiative measure known as the Government Accountability Act from the November ballot.

Under the Alaska Constitution, if a bill is deemed to be substantially similar to an initiative, the initiative could be removed from the ballot.

Similar to the initiative measure, House Bill 44 prohibits lobbyists from purchasing alcoholic beverages for a legislator, implements a stricter policy on foreign travel, eliminates a per diem for legislators after 121 days if the budget has not been passed, and bans foreign corporations and nationals from making political contributions.

The governor has 20 days to sign, veto, or allow the bill to become law without his signature.

The Vermont General Assembly adjourned sine die May 12.

Lawmakers passed a bill to amend campaign finance provisions relating to electioneering communications and mass media activities.

House Bill 828 revises the definition of electioneering communications to include electronic or digital communications and adds internet advertisements to the definition of mass media activity.

The bill also makes it permissible to include a link that takes a reader to a web or social media page that provides the required information on electioneering communications broadcast over the internet when it cannot practically meet the identification requirements otherwise.

House Bill 828 also requires local candidates to file an additional report on the Friday preceding a local election.

If Gov. Phil Scott approves the bill, the electioneering changes are effective upon passage and the reporting requirements for candidates takes effect December 14, 2018.

The 2018 Kansas Legislature adjourned sine die. This legislative session was the first to go the full 90 days since 2011.

Lawmakers passed multiple transparency laws this session by expanding the definition of lobbying to include all branches of the government and increasing the penalties for late reporting by lobbyist, political committees, and candidates.

In the final day of the session, legislators defeated a bill to make changes to income, sales, and motor fuel tax provisions.

A lot to cover this week in campaign finance, legislative issues, and legislative sessions news in NYCU Video Digest.

The 2018 session of the Colorado General Assembly adjourned sine die on Wednesday, May 9.

During the four-month session, lawmaker achievements included advancing bipartisan anti-gerrymandering legislation, protecting the state Civil Rights Division, and securing investments in transportation, education, and healthcare.

The next legislative session will convene January 4, 2019.

National:

Tough Choices, and Criticism, for Emily’s List as Democratic Women Flood Primaries
New York Times – Sheryl Gay Stolberg | Published: 5/4/2018

Crowded Democratic primaries, many involving two or more women, have forced Emily’s List, one of the nation’s most powerful PACs, to make difficult choices that have spawned resentment around the nation. For Democratic women, no endorsement is as sought after or powerful as one conferred by Emily’s List, which functions as the political equivalent of the old-fashioned “Good Housekeeping” seal of approval for voters and potential donors. And Emily’s List has bold ambitions this year; its president, Stephanie Schriock, says her aim is to deliver the House to Democrats. So, its endorsement decisions are drawing scrutiny.

Federal:

EPA Pesticide Settlement Comes Under Scrutiny
The Hill – Megan Wilson | Published: 5/8/2018

The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) decision to scale back a pesticide fine on Syngenta has raised eyebrows, highlighting the ethical land mines facing an administration filled with former lobbyist and business executives. Critics noted that Jeff Sands, who was a top EPA agricultural adviser at the time of the settlement, was previously a lobbyist for Syngenta. Sands said he was not involved in the decision to reduce the fine, and there is no evidence he worked on the settlement. Still, ethics experts said Sands’ connection to Syngenta illustrates the difficulties that arise from having so many former lobbyists serving in key positions.

‘I’m Crushing It’: How Michael Cohen, touting his access to President Trump, convinced companies to pay millions
MSN – Michael Kranish, Rosalind Helderman, Carolyn Johnson, and Josh Dawsey (Washington Post) | Published: 5/9/2018

New information shows how Michael Cohen quickly leveraged his role as President Trump’s personal attorney, developing a lucrative sideline as a consultant to companies eager for insight into how to navigate the new administration. The rapid flow of millions of dollars to Cohen shows the rush by corporations – unable to rely on the influence of K Street in dealing with a new, outsider president – to lock in relationships with Trump’s inner circle. Selling access is common in Washington, D.C., but investigators could probe whether Cohen promised specific government actions in exchange for payments, which could cause him legal trouble. If he spent large amounts of time speaking to government officials on behalf of clients, investigators could also explore whether he should have registered as a lobbyist.

Russia’s 2016 Facebook Strategy Exposed in Trove of 3,500 Ads
Bloomberg.com – Anna Edgerton and Sarah Frier | Published: 5/10/2018

Democrats on the U.S. House Intelligence Committee released thousands of copies of Kremlin-linked Facebook advertisements used during the 2016 presidential election, a data dump that provides a greater understanding of a Russian company’s disinformation campaign across social media. The lawmakers released more than 3,500 Facebook ads purchased by the Internet Research Agency (IRA), a Russian firm with ties to the Kremlin. Over 11.4 million American users were exposed to these ads between 2015 and 2017. Special counsel Robert Mueller charged 13 Russian individuals and three Russian groups earlier this year for engaging in “information warfare” during the election, alleging they had used social media and other sophisticated measures to sow discord in the U.S.

‘Scam PACs’ Rake in Millions Under Guise of Charity
Politico – Maggie Severns and Scott Bland | Published: 5/6/2018

Some new PACs have feel-good names like Cops and Kids Together and Americans for the Cure of Breast Cancer. They have succeeded in raising millions of dollars from small donors in a matter of months, and spent most of it just as quickly, without supporting candidates or making a mark on a policy issue. Their activities show political groups often receive less oversight and get more leeway than charities, even though they have to disclose more details about their donations and spending. The FEC has said it is all but powerless to crack down on these so-called scam PACs.

Trump’s Appointees Pledged Not to Lobby After They Leave. Now They’re lobbying.
ProPublica – Derek Kravitz and Alex Mierjeski | Published: 5/3/2018

Days after taking office, President Trump signed an executive order requiring every political appointee to sign a pledge as a condition of taking office, agreeing not to lobby the agencies they had worked in for five years after they left government service. Nor would they lobby anyone in the White House or appointees across federal agencies for the duration of the administration. But at least eight former Trump officials have found ways around the pledge. ProPublica identified at least 184 people who have left the Trump administration. Of those, at least six former officials are now registered lobbyists and several others work at firms in roles that resemble lobbying in all but name.

From the States and Municipalities:

California: An Urgent Debate for California Republicans: How to get back in the game
New York Times – Adam Nagourney | Published: 5/6/2018

There may be no Republican candidate for governor or U.S. senator on the ballot this November in California. That dispiriting possibility is beginning to sink in for Republicans, against the backdrop of a divisive debate among its candidates and leaders on how the embattled party can become competitive again in a state where Ronald Reagan was elected twice as governor. It is no secret the GOP has been in a decline for 20 years in the state. Its challenges have been aggravated by the election of President Trump, as he has pushed tougher policies on such issues as immigration and the environment, running up against strong and often bipartisan sentiment in California. A field of Republican candidates for the U.S. Senate and governor is struggling against these headwinds as they seek to end a more than 10-year drought and elect a party member to statewide office.

Florida: Fox News Plays Kingmaker in Florida Governor’s Race
Politico – Matt Dixon | Published: 5/8/2018

Florida Republican primary voters are largely unfamiliar with U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis. Fox News is helping to change that. The little-known Republican, a vigorous defender of President Trump, is building a campaign around the president’s endorsement and a seemingly endless series of appearances on a news network favored by conservatives, an approach that has taken him from an asterisk in the polls to a top contender for the governorship in the nation’s largest swing state. TV Eyes, a television monitoring service, estimates those appearances equate to $7.1 million in what it calls “national publicity value” – a number that is likely smaller since the value only applies to Florida-specific exposure, but still represents a significant amount.

Hawaii: Why No One Wants to Blow the Whistle on Sexual Misconduct
Honolulu Civil Beat – Anita Hofschneider | Published: 5/3/2018

The recent resignation of a top Hawaii lawmaker who admitted to repeated sexual harassment only scratches the surface of a much deeper problem at the State Capitol, where the local tendency to “no talk stink” is compounded by fear of retaliation from people in power. The result – according to more than a dozen current and former lobbyists, staffers, and lawmakers – is a pervasive culture of silence around issues of sexual harassment. The difficulty speaking up is compounded by policies that discourage victims from filing complaints. Lawmakers are not planning to change these policies until at least next year, citing the need to do more research about the best way to improve them.

Missouri: County Council to Ask Voters to Restrict Campaign Donations
St. Louis Public Radio – Jo Mannies | Published: 5/9/2018

The St. Louis County Council approved a proposal to ask county voters on August 7 to set a $2,600 contribution limit for any county office and restrict contributions from entities bidding on county contracts. The ballot measure was aimed at county Executive Steve Stenger, who has repeatedly faced accusations during his term that donors to his campaign get favorable treatment by his administration. The ballot proposal also would restrict donations when the council is considering contracts.

Missouri: Missouri Lawmakers Agree to Call Special Session to Consider Greitens’ Impeachment
Kansas City Star – Allison Kirte, Jason Hancock, and Bryan Lowry | Published: 5/3/2018

The Missouri General Assembly has taken the historic step of calling itself back into special session to decide whether to impeach Gov. Eric Greitens. The announcement comes as Greitens faces widespread calls to step down amid criminal charges. The governor faces a trial on a felony invasion-of-privacy charge for allegedly taking an unauthorized, nude photograph of a blindfolded woman with whom he was having an extramarital affair. Greitens was also charged with computer tampering stemming from allegations he used a veterans’ charity donor list to raise funds for his 2016 campaign for governor without the permission of the group, which he founded. The special session is set to begin on May 18, just days after the start of the governor’s criminal trial, and will last no more than 30 days.

New York: Eric Schneiderman, Accused by 4 Women, Quits as New York Attorney General
MSN – Danny Hakim and Vivian Wang (New York Times) | Published: 5/7/2018

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman resigned, stepping down hours after it was reported that four women accused him of physically assaulting them. The women said Schneiderman choked and repeatedly slapped them. Two of the women, Michelle Manning Barish and Tanya Selvaratnam, described patterns of emotional as well as physical abuse. Selvaratnam said Schneiderman warned her he could have her followed and her phones tapped. Both women said he threatened to kill them if they ended their relationships with him. Schneiderman denied abusing the women. For several years, his office has published a “Know Your Rights” brochure for victims of domestic violence.

New York: Furthering Split from Cuomo, Senate Passes Reform Bills
Gotham Gazette – Samar Khurshid | Published: 5/10/2018

The Republican-controlled New York Senate passed an extensive package of reforms, including bills that would increase oversight over state-funded economic development programs, prevent conflicts-of-interest, and improve transparency. In a rare gesture of bipartisanship, Senate Democrats volunteered to move many of the long-stalled bills from the Rules Committee to the floor. Taking aim at the governor’s office, one of the bills would prohibit executive agency appointees and members of their households from making campaign contributions to, or soliciting them for, the same executive who appointed them. Several of the bills have companion legislation in the Assembly and some have even been approved by that chamber. But it is unclear how the Assembly will vote on the entire package.

Ohio: Ohio Votes to Reform Congressional Redistricting; Issue 1 Could End Gerrymandering
Cleveland Plain Dealer – Rich Exner | Published: 5/8/2018

Ohio voters overwhelmingly approved a ballot measure that will reform the state’s redistricting process. The measure asked voters whether they wanted to amend the state constitution to require bipartisan support when drawing new congressional district lines. Any new maps would require three-fifths support in the state House and Senate, including support from at least half the members of the minority party. If Republicans and Democrats in the Legislature cannot agree on a map, a bipartisan commission would be assigned to draw new maps. Those maps would have to be approved with at least two votes from the minority party. If the bipartisan commission fails, the Legislature would be allowed to try to draw maps that earn support from one-third of the minority party or a four-year map with only majority support.

Oklahoma: Pruitt’s Coziness with Lobbyists Includes Secretly Buying a House with One
MSN – Hiroko Tabuchi and Steve Eder (New York Times) | Published: 5/3/2018

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt once purchased a house from a top lobbyist in Oklahoma with the help of a shell company. Two business associates involved in the 2003 purchase are now aides to Pruitt at the EPA: Kenneth Wagner is a senior adviser, and Albert Kelly runs the agency’s effort to redesign the Superfund program. According to The New York Times, the home, which was seen as a prime property because of its proximity to the Capitol, was purchased for $375,000 from a retiring telecommunications lobbyist. But that price was $100,000 less than the lobbyist, Marsha Lindsey, had paid for it just a year before. The shortfall was picked up by Lindsey’s company, SBC Oklahoma.

The Connecticut General Assembly adjourned sine die on May 9, 2018. Lawmakers took no action on a bill affecting campaign finance and elections.

House Bill 5526 would have modified registration requirements for political committees, expanded independent expenditure disclosure requirements, prohibited independent expenditures by foreign-influenced entities, and required online platforms to disclose purchasers of political advertisements.

Employer and lobbyist reports are due on the 10th day of the following month when the General Assembly is in regular session.

The 2018 Iowa legislative session adjourned sine die May 5, 2018.

The state budget passed both houses and a tax reform bill will cut income taxes by an average of 10 percent.

Gov. Kim Reynolds will have 30 days to sign or veto the state budget.

We know you don’t always have time to read news from all around the country, so here it is in this week’s 2 minute News You Can Use Video Digest!

The 2018 session of the Hawaii State Legislature adjourned sine die on Thursday, May 3.

Senate Bill 2154 passed and was transmitted to the governor upon adjournment. If Gov. Ige signs the bill, noncandidate committees will no longer be required to include contributor information on their campaign finance organizational reports.

The Legislature will reconvene in regular session at 10 a.m. on January 16, 2019.

Arizona adjourned the 53rd Legislature, 2nd Regular Session sine die on May 4, 2018. The Legislature was schedule to adjourn the week of April 21 but continued until a budget could be passed.

Notable bills passed during the session include House Bill 2078 clarifying political committee registration thresholds, House Bill 2153 prohibiting campaign finance filing entities from requiring entities claiming tax exempt status to register as political committees, and House Bill 1249 updating the enforcement, investigation, and appeal process for alleged violators of campaign finance laws.

The state budget, passed at the last minute and signed by Gov. Doug Ducey, allocated $237 million to pay raises for teachers, ending the statewide teacher walkout.

Gov. Ducey’s gun-safety bill to prevent school shootings, a top priority from the session, failed without a final vote.