The Colorado General Assembly is preparing for a special session to provide more relief to those impacted by COVID-19.

Gov. Jared Polis wants lawmakers to take immediate action on elements of his $1.3 billion stimulus package. This would include relief for restaurant owners and other small businesses.

The special session is expected after the Thanksgiving holiday, before lawmakers return on January 13 for their next regular session. It will take at least three days to approve the legislation.

A professional lobbyist must disclose within 72 hours if a lobbyist agrees to lobby for an existing client or takes a new position in connection to legislation, standard, rules, or rates during a special session.

After nearly 12 weeks, the Virginia General Assembly ended its special session on November 9.

Lawmakers approved changes returned by Gov. Northam on a handful of bills and finally agreed on a final passage of the budget.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz called the sixth special session of the Legislature beginning November 12.

Walz plans to extend the COVID-19 peacetime emergency by 30 days to continue to respond to the pandemic.

The governor is obligated by law to call a special session for the Legislature to approve the emergency declaration.

The length of the session will be determined by the Legislature.

On November 3, voters in Arkansas approved a constitutional amendment to impose term limits for state legislators.

Issue 2 creates term limits of 12 consecutive years for state legislators with the opportunity to return after a four-year break.

Arkansas previously had a 16-year lifetime term limit for state legislators.

The 12-year limit will apply to anyone elected in 2021 or after.

Those first elected to the legislature before 2021 will keep the state’s existing term limit of 16 years, but they will be eligible to run for election again after four years.

As of 7:00 a.m. November 4, with more than 95% of the precincts reporting, the amendment passed 55.4% to 44.6%.

On November 3, voters in Utah approved a constitutional amendment to modify the commencement date of the annual Utah legislative session.

Senate Joint Resolution 3, or Amendment F, amends the commencement of the legislature from the fourth Monday in January to a day in January designated by state statute.

Previously, if the state legislature wished to change the session start date, lawmakers would need to amend the state constitution by passing a constitutional amendment by a two-thirds vote of the legislature.

The amendment would then require statewide voter approval.

Under Amendment F, the legislature will be able to change the session start date in state statute, which requires a simple majority vote in the legislature and does not require voter approval.

The amendment also excludes state holidays that are not also federal holidays from counting toward the 45-day limit of annual general sessions.

Amendment F will take effect January 1, 2021.

As of 7:00 a.m. November 4, with more than 76% of the precincts reporting, the amendment passed 66.8% to 33%.

The Senate and House gave final approval to the House version of a bill enacting a temporary funding gap appropriation for the government before ending the special session.

The House version of the bill has been enrolled and transmitted to Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga for his review and consideration.

The bill also provides consolidated appropriations and temporary funding to continue government operations until action on regular appropriations are completed.

American Samoa lawmakers returned Monday for an additional 15-day special session.

Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga extended the session with the only issue on the agenda to revisit the final fiscal year 2021 budget.

The governor remains opposed to the $6.5 million in drastic cuts made by the Fono to the budgets for executive branch departments.

The Fono leaders had told the governor in an October 13th letter they are not confident with governor’s revenue projections.

They further urged the governor to act on the final fiscal year 2021 budget bill now in his control.

Gov. Mike Parson announced a special session of the General Assembly.

The session begins November 5 to focus on getting federal CARES Act funding distributed to the state.

This session is the second special session Parson has called this year.

The session does not affect lobbyist reporting.

Lawmakers adjourned the fifth special session of the Legislature on October 15 after passing four bills.

This included the bonding bill, which requires a three-fifths supermajority in each house to pass.

Gov. Tim Walz called the session to extend the COVID-19 peacetime emergency by 30 days.

Walz is obligated by law to call a special session for lawmakers to approve the emergency declaration.

The Hawaii State Senate confirmed eight judicial appointments on October 6 in its first special session of 2020.

First Circuit Court Judge Karen Nakasone was appointed to the Intermediate Court of Appeals. Karin Holma, Tracy Fukui, Bryant Zane, and Andrew Park were appointed to the District Court of the First Circuit. Additionally, Courtney Naso, Elizabeth Paek-Harris, and Thomas Haia were appointed to the District Family Court of the First Circuit.

Sen. Karl Rhoads, the chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said the pandemic had caused a backlog in the courts and the appointees are eager to begin working.

The session then adjourned sine die October 6 after the Senate confirmed the appointments.

A lobbyist and employer activity report will be due within 30 days of adjournment sine die of the special session on November 5 for expenditures and contributions relating to legislative action considered during the special session.

The Fono returned the final fiscal year 2021 budget to Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga and adjourned the special session.

However, no changes were made to the budget.

Gov. Lolos was unhappy with the $6.50 million in budget cuts and called the special session to reconsider the budget.

The Fono convened in a joint session on Monday and reached a majority vote for no changes to be made to the budget passed last week.

The budget was sent back to the governor.

This time it was accompanied by a letter of explanation from Senate President Gaoteote Palaie Tofau and House Speaker Savali Talavou Ale.

The Mississippi Legislature met for the final time in the extended 2020 session on October 2 after passing several measures related to COVID-19 and the distribution of CARES Act funding.

The session will officially end when the Legislature adjourns sine die on October 10.

This does affect lobbyist dates reporting.

An end-of-session report is due on October 20, 10 days following adjournment sine die of the Legislature.

Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga has called a special session of the Fono to convene on Monday, October 5, with the main agenda to revisit the fiscal year 2021 budget.

The special session is set to last for up to 15 days.

Gov. Lolo would like the Fono to submit a budget compliant with established policies and procedures.

On October 1, the Connecticut General Assembly adjourned their second special session of the year.

During the special legislative session lawmakers passed House Bill 7005 concerning the processing of absentee ballots.

The Legislature also passed bills reforming the state’s hemp program, regulating the public utilities, and enhancements to state environmental law.

The bills were immediately released to the governor for his signature.

This does not affect lobbyist reporting.