Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham will call a special session of the New Mexico Legislature tentatively for Wednesday, March 31 to address the regulation of cannabis in the state.

The Senate Majority Leader addressed the fact that there was not enough time in the 60-day session to pass House Bill 12 before the session adjourned at noon on March 20.

The length of the special session has not yet been addressed.

During a special legislative session, a lobbyist or lobbyist employer must file a report within 48 hours of making or incurring expenditures of $500 or more.

The Idaho Legislature voted to close down until early April after a coronavirus outbreak among members of the state House.

The recess, which will last until April 6, comes after six members in the lower chamber tested positive for the virus.

The recess will postpone debates on significant issues, including setting the state budget.

The Kentucky General Assembly voted to place a constitutional amendment on the November 2022 ballot authorizing the Legislature to change the legislative session end dates with a three-fifths vote in each chamber.

The proposed amendment also authorizes the Senate president and House speaker to jointly call special sessions lasting up to 12 days annually.

Currently, only the governor can call a special session.

The amendment also removes specific legislative session end dates from the constitution and instead provides legislative sessions in odd-numbered years are limited to 30 legislative days and sessions in even-numbered years are limited to 60 legislative days.

The amendment also changes the date legislation is effective from 90 days after the General Assembly adjourns sine die to July 1 or 90 days after signed into law, whichever is later.

This constitutional amendment will be effective upon voter approval.

The 55th New Mexico Legislature is set to adjourn sine die March 20.

During the session, several bills were introduced relating to lobbying and campaign finance.

Two key bills related to lobbying and the legislative session are advancing through the Legislature.

House Joint Resolution 13, relating to the legislative session, proposes to change the date each regular session of the Legislature begins and seeks to remove the restrictions on bills that may be considered in even-numbered years and the date laws would go into effect after adjournment sine die.

Under the bill, the legislative session would convene on the third Tuesday of February rather than January and would remain in session no longer than 45 days instead of thirty.

Additionally, bills would go into effect 75 days rather than 90 days after adjournment of the session.

If passed, House Joint Resolution 13 would be submitted to voters for their approval or rejection at the next general election or at any special election prior to that date that may be called for that purpose.

Separately, House Bill 244, relating to ethics commission responsibilities for campaign reporting and lobbyist regulations, provides the ethics commission, in consultation with the secretary of state, must issue advisory opinions when requested.

The bill designates the ethics commission, rather than the secretary of state, to receive any complaints regarding a violation of the Campaign Reporting Act.

Under the bill, the secretary of state may promulgate rules to implement the provisions of the Lobbyist Regulation Act.

If passed, House Bill 244 would become effective July 1, 2021.

Legislation not acted upon by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham will be pocket vetoed on April 9, meaning passed bills will become law without her signature.

The regular session of the 93rd Arkansas General Assembly has been extended until May 3, 2021.

House Concurrent Resolution 1008 provides the purpose of the extension is to consider vetoes correcting errors or oversights, complete work on proposed constitutional amendments, and decide if there is need for additional extension.

The resolution further provides if the General Assembly takes an extended recess or recesses for reasons related to COVID-19, the designated adjournment sine die date will be subject to change.

Lobbyists who are registered to lobby the General Assembly are required to file a monthly report 10 days after the end of the month for any month the General Assembly is in session. The anticipated adjournment sine die date of May 3 creates a lobbyist activity report due June 10.

Additionally, whenever the name of a public servant appears in a lobbyist’s activity report, the lobbyist must notify the public servant seven working days prior to the filing date of the activity report. Such notification must be delivered by June 1.

The 2021 session of the Utah Legislature adjourned sine die on March 5 after being in session since January 19.

During the session, lawmakers introduced legislation relating to PAC reporting requirements and amending provisions of the state procurement code.

Utah House Bill 310 relating to PACs establishes that a PAC must report each contribution and expenditure to the Lieutenant Governor’s Office within 31 days after the contribution is received or the expenditure is made.

Under the bill, if the exact amount of an expenditure cannot be determined before the deadline to report the expenditure, the PAC must report a reasonable estimate of the amount of the expenditure before the deadline and report the exact amount of the expenditure.

House Bill 310 was introduced February 4 but did not pass during the session.

In relation to procurement code amendments, Utah Senate Bill 188 defines the term contract price as the price under an existing contract between a procurement unit and a contractor and specifies that it does not include a proposed price or cost contained in a solicitation response or any other bid, proposal, or offer submitted by a person other than the contractor under the existing contract.

Under Senate Bill 188, a contractor under a multiple award contract resulting from a bidding process may not lower the contract price unless the contractor’s solicitation response led to the award was the lowest price solicitation response.

Senate Bill 188 is currently being drafted for the enrolling process to be sent to Gov. Spencer Cox’s desk. Gov. Cox has until March 25 to sign or veto legislation, or it will become law without signature.

A special session or pause in the Nebraska Legislature is anticipated due to delays in delivering U.S. Census data.

This data is needed for redrawing districts served by state legislators, U.S. congressional representatives, and other elected officials.

Normally, the once-a-decade census is done by October, affording plenty of time for double-checks so that census numbers needed for redistricting can be delivered by April 1.

COVID-19 and other factors delayed the 2020 Census, and now state officials are expecting the census data to be delivered September 30.

This is three months after the regular session of the Legislature is scheduled to end.

A special meeting, session, or some of the 49-member Nebraska Legislature will be special accommodation, will be necessary.

Rather than calling a separate special session, the Legislature could decide to pause its 90-day session before its scheduled end date of June 10.

The session will, then, resume the remainder of the session in the fall.

Delaying the end of the session would also delay the implementation date for many bills until late into the year.

This created a strong argument for ending the regular session and then gaveling in a special session later.

No decision has been made yet because of the uncertainty due to the pandemic.

The Virginia General Assembly adjourned their special session on March 1.

The special session focused on pandemic relief efforts and the state’s budget.

Additionally, the General Assembly passed bills abolishing the death penalty, legalizing marijuana, and establishing new environmental regulations.

Campaign Finance

Massachusetts: “Massachusetts Republican Nominated for Top Campaign Finance Job” by State House News Service for Boston Herald

Oregon: “Oregon Voters Want to Limit Money in Politics, but Lawmakers Might Not Get There This Session” by Hillary Borrud (Portland Oregonian) for MSN

Elections

National: “‘It’s Donald Trump’s Party’: How the former president is building a political operation to cement his hold on the GOP” by Josh Dawsey and Michael Scherer (Washington Post) for MSN

Michigan: “Coronavirus Created ‘Perfect Storm’ That Rained Private Money on Michigan Election Administration” by Gus Burns (MLive.com) for MSN

Ethics

California: “Prosecutors Extract Pleas, $215 Million in Charter School Fraud Case” by Will Huntsberry for Voice of San Diego

New York: “Cuomo Accused of Unwanted Advance at a Wedding: ‘Can I kiss you?’” by Matt Flegenheimer and Jesse McKinley for New York Times

Pennsylvania: “Good Government or ‘Gag’ Order? In Chesco, New Ethics Policy Muzzles County Workers” by William Bender (Philadelphia Inquirer) for MSN

Legislative Issues

Illinois: “Madigan Picks Another House Successor After Quickly Forcing Out His First Choice Over ‘Alleged Questionable Conduct’” by Rick Pearson (Chicago Tribune) for MSN

Washington DC: “In Faraway State Houses, a Battle Brews Over Making D.C. the 51st State” by Meagan Flynn (Washington Post) for MSN

Four conservative Nevada lobbyists are suing Gov. Steve Sisolak, Attorney General Aaron Ford, Legislative Counsel Bureau Director Brenda Erdoes, and Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro.

They argue they are suffering irreparable harm from COVID-19 prevention rules keeping the legislative session largely virtual and barring lobbyists from entering the Legislative Building.

All four were registered lobbyists during the 2019 legislative session.

The complaint was filed in federal District Court.

The lawsuit seeks a court-ordered injunction to immediately allow plaintiffs access to the Capitol to engage in lobbying activities.

The complaint alleges the emergency orders limiting public access to the Legislature violates their constitutional rights to petition the government and free speech.

They also argue Nevada is no longer experiencing an emergency to justify the restrictions.

The 2021 legislative session has been closed to all but lawmakers, essential staff, and some members of the media.

However, officials have announced plans to vaccinate personnel next week and left open the possibility the format will relax later in the 120-day session.

Committee hearings are being conducted virtually, with lawmakers videoconferencing in from their offices rather than gathering together in committee rooms.

Lobbyists are allowed to make appointments with lawmakers through videoconference, although formal registration of lobbyists has not opened up and Assembly Bill 110 modifying lobbyist registration policies is pending.

In a proclamation on February 3, Gov. Ralph Northam said the Virginia General Assembly will return to work on February 10.

The governor called a special session following the end of the 30-day regular session.

The session is customarily extended to 46 days but this extension did not have bipartisan support.

During the COVID-19 public health emergency, the Capitol is closed to the public.

Members of the Senate can be contacted at http://w3.akleg.gov/senate.php.

Members of the House can be contacted at http://w3.akleg.gov/house.php.

The 2021 legislative session will start off closed to all but lawmakers, essential staff, and some members of the media.

All others will participate virtually, according to a logistics plan issued by the Legislative Counsel Bureau.

The plan released on Thursday, less than two weeks before the legislative session begins on February 1, is similar to one in place during two special sessions over the summer.

However, the plan hints at broader access once core personnel are vaccinated for COVID-19.

Members of the public can watch hearings through the legislative website and through YouTube livestreams.

Those wishing to participate in hearings will do so by reservation and through Zoom.

Public comments can be made by phone, or through videoconference at designated locations being developed across the state.

Legislators will meet with constituents and lobbyists through Microsoft Teams.

Once lawmakers and staff have been vaccinated, lobbyists and members of the public will be allowed at hearings in person by reservation.

Participants who come in person will need to show documentation they have been vaccinated or take a free, rapid COVID test before entering the building.

In order to account for more virtual lobbying taking place, the plan also calls for an update to state law.

Only lobbyists who appear in person in the building will need to register with the Legislative Counsel Bureau and be regulated.

Lawmakers convened the 122nd Indiana General Assembly with several adjustments due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

These changes include moving the House of Representatives to the Government Center South building and installing plexiglass barriers in Senate.

Neither chamber is requiring masks despite a push by House Democrats on Organization Day for a mask mandate.

Republicans also have supermajorities in both chambers.

Lawmakers will be focusing on writing the two-year budget, which must be done by June 30.

Additionally, they will redraw legislative and congressional district lines when the state receives the population data from the U.S. Census Bureau.