July 6, 2017 •
Alaska Legislative Session Continues
Gov. Bill Walker signed a shutdown-averting $8.8 billion state operating budget into law; however, the Alaska Legislature remains in session to address oil and gas tax credits. The 30-day special session ends July 16. Lawmakers have set a record this […]
Gov. Bill Walker signed a shutdown-averting $8.8 billion state operating budget into law; however, the Alaska Legislature remains in session to address oil and gas tax credits.
The 30-day special session ends July 16.
Lawmakers have set a record this year in Juneau for the longest time spent consecutively in session.
July 5, 2017 •
Maine Legislature Recesses
The Maine 2017 regular session recessed on July 3, 2017. The Legislature failed to pass a budget on June 30, 2017, forcing Gov. Paul LePage to declare a state of civil emergency in the absence of a biennial budget. The […]
The Maine 2017 regular session recessed on July 3, 2017.
The Legislature failed to pass a budget on June 30, 2017, forcing Gov. Paul LePage to declare a state of civil emergency in the absence of a biennial budget. The Legislature worked late on July 3, 2017, to pass the $7.1 billion budget.
LePage signed the budget the following morning and ended the civil emergency.
July 5, 2017 •
Delaware Legislature Adjourns Sine Die
Despite working into the early hours of Saturday morning, the Delaware Legislature adjourned the 2017 regular session on July 1, 2017, without passing a 2018 budget. In order to address the Legislature’s failure, Gov. John Carney called a special session […]
Despite working into the early hours of Saturday morning, the Delaware Legislature adjourned the 2017 regular session on July 1, 2017, without passing a 2018 budget.
In order to address the Legislature’s failure, Gov. John Carney called a special session for July 2, 2017.
The special session adjourned on July 2, 2017, and Carney signed a $4.1 billion budget for Fiscal Year 2018.
July 5, 2017 •
New York Special Session Adjourns
The New York Legislature’s two-day special session adjourned sine die on June 29, 2017. Gov. Andrew Cuomo called the special session to enact legislation extending mayoral control over the city of New York’s school district. The legislation extends city control […]
The New York Legislature’s two-day special session adjourned sine die on June 29, 2017.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo called the special session to enact legislation extending mayoral control over the city of New York’s school district. The legislation extends city control over the city district for two years.
Barring another special session, the Legislature is set to return in January 2018.
June 30, 2017 •
NYCU Video Digest – June 30, 2017
All the state government and ethics news you might have missed in this weeks video digest!
All the state government and ethics news you might have missed in this weeks video digest!
June 30, 2017 •
News You Can Use Digest – June 30, 2017
Federal: Former Trump Campaign Chairman Paul Manafort Files as Foreign Agent for Ukraine Work Washington Post – Tom Hamburger and Rosalind Helderman | Published: 6/27/2017 Paul Manafort, who was forced out as President Trump’s campaign chairperson last summer after infighting […]
Federal:
Former Trump Campaign Chairman Paul Manafort Files as Foreign Agent for Ukraine Work
Washington Post – Tom Hamburger and Rosalind Helderman | Published: 6/27/2017
Paul Manafort, who was forced out as President Trump’s campaign chairperson last summer after infighting and criticism about his business dealings with pro-Russian interests, disclosed his consulting firm had received more than $17 million over two years from a Ukrainian political party with links to the Kremlin. The filing serves as a retroactive admission that Manafort performed work in the U.S. on behalf of a foreign power, Ukraine’s Party of Regions, without disclosing it at the time, as required by law. The disclosure hints at the vast fortunes available to top American political consultants plying their trade in other countries.
Jack Abramoff Registers as a Foreign Agent
The Hill – Megan Wilson | Published: 6/23/2017
Jack Abramoff is a registered lobbyist again. Abramoff retroactively registered after he attempted to set up a meeting between then-President-elect Donald Trump and the president of the Republic of Congo. The Foreign Agents Registration Act requires people to register with the Justice Department if they do any consulting, lobbying, or public relations work for a foreign government. They must register within 10 days of agreeing to act as a foreign agent and provide updates every six months. The scandal surrounding Abramoff led to the overhaul of federal lobbying laws in 2007 and 20 convictions or guilty pleas, including from former U.S. Rep. Bob Ney.
Lawmakers Want Trump’s Tax Returns, but Won’t Release Their Own
Roll Call – Stephanie Akin | Published: 6/26/2017
Roll Call sent a request to all U.S. senators and representatives to release their tax returns. Only 37 responded, and of those, six provided the documents. Roll Call also reviewed public documents and media reports to determine lawmakers’ positions on the release of President Trump’s tax returns. At least 237 lawmakers have called on the president to produce his returns. The reluctance among members of Congress to release their own returns prevents voters from learning more about members’ personal financial decisions that could affect how they vote.
President Trump Angrily Lashes Out at ‘Morning Joe’ Hosts on Twitter
Washington Post – Jenna Johnson | Published: 6/29/2017
President Trump faced a swift and bipartisan backlash after he assailed the television host Mika Brzezinski in unusually personal and vulgar terms, the latest of a string of escalating attacks by the president on the national news media. Trump has fumed for weeks about his coverage on “Morning Joe,” where Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough have been increasingly blistering in their commentary about the Trump administration. They have openly questioned Trump’s mental state, comments that particularly upset the president, according to a senior administration official.
From the States and Municipalities:
Arkansas – Arkansas Panel Advises Limit to Pot Lobbyists’ Pay
Arkansas Online – Brian Fanney | Published: 6/24/2017
An applicant for a license to operate a medical-marijuana facility cannot hire a lobbyist on a contingency basis, the Arkansas Ethics Commission said in an advisory opinion. Attorney Brandon Lacy represents a business that wants licenses from the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Commission to grow or sell medical marijuana. He asked two questions: Can a lobbyist agree to be compensated with a percentage of a medical marijuana business’s revenue if it successfully gains a license? Can a lobbyist be compensated with ownership in the business regardless of whether it is licensed?
Connecticut – Ethics Commissioner Charged in Prostitute Mixup
Connecticut Post – Daniel Tepfer | Published: 6/27/2017
An ethics commissioner in Connecticut has been charged with patronizing a prostitute after he was pepper-sprayed during what police say was a mix-up with the wrong woman. Police said Noel Kayo, an ethics commissioner in Bridgeport, had arranged to meet a woman at a hotel in Stratford. Police say another woman was waiting at the hotel at the same time for payment for photographs for which she previously posed. Police say the woman got into Kayo’s car, demanding her money while he argued for his services. The woman and her boyfriend both used pepper spray on Kayo, who denies the prostitution charge, saying he was a victim of attempted robbery. He said he will not resign.
District of Columbia – ‘It’s the End of Small Talk in Washington’
Politico Magazine – Daniel Lippman and John Harris | Published: 6/30/2017
If Donald Trump’s arrival in the White House has torn at the social fabric across the country, it has interrupted the rhythms and culture of daily life nowhere as much as the city where he now lives. Like many politicians, he ran against Washington, but far more than any president in memory, that outsider rhetoric has translated into outsider governance, a disdain for the capital that seems to translate into genuine disconnection from its existing networks. For Trump’s supporters, this amounts to a promise kept, a disruption of America’s permanent governing class. But it also risks impeding his agenda by cutting him off from some of the levers that can help a new president govern, or at least navigate the unwritten rules and networks of the capital to get things done.
Florida – Using Ethics Loophole, Sen. Lauren Book Votes to Give Her Nonprofit $1.5 Million
FloridaBulldog.org – Francisco Alvarado | Published: 6/22/2017
Florida Sen. Lauren Book voted to approve a state appropriations bill that included $1.5 million for Lauren’s Kids, the nonprofit she founded and leads as its $135,000-a-year chief executive officer. A loophole in the Florida Senate’s ethics rules allowed Book to cast her vote despite her apparent conflict-of-interest. The same loophole also meant she did not have to disclose her conflict publicly. Lauren’s Kids, whose chairperson is prominent lobbyist Ron Book, the senator’s father, has in a just few years become one of the Legislature’s most favored private charities. Since 2012, Lauren’s Kids has bagged more than $10 million in taxpayer-funded grants.
Georgia – Judge Tosses Commissioner Tommy Hunter’s Legal Challenge to Ethics Punishment
Gwinnett Daily Post – Curt Yeomans | Published: 6/28/2017
The ongoing saga involving Gwinnett County Commissioner Tommy Hunter and his comments on Facebook took a new turn when a judge threw out his legal challenge to the ethics board that recommended his reprimand. Superior Court Judge Melodie Snell Conner’s ruling was a blow to the Hunter camp’s assertion that the ethics complaint filed against him by Atlanta resident Nancie Turner and, indeed, the county’s entire ethics process was unconstitutional. Hunter’s social media comments included calling U.S. Rep. John Lewis a “racist pig” and referring to Democrats as “Demonrats” and “Libtards,” and quickly led to protests at commission meetings.
Illinois – Emanuel Hints at Ethics Law Rewrite After Lobbying Violations Found in His Emails
Chicago Tribune – Bill Ruthhart | Published: 6/28/2017
Mayor Rahm Emanuel accused the Chicago Board of Ethics of turning “average citizens” into lobbyists in its haste to bolster its image as a strong watchdog. Emanuel weighed in on the controversy after the board found that his close friend and campaign donor Jim Abrams, as well as the husband of Ald. Sophia King, were lobbying the mayor through his private emails but failed to register as lobbyists. “We cannot collapse a lobbyist and a citizen, and that’s what’s happened,” said Emanuel, who did not say whether he would seek to change the law himself. “What has happened here, in the interest of reform, we have lost our perspective.”
New Mexico – State Ethics Panel Is a Work in Progress
Albuquerque Journal – Dan Boyd | Published: 6/21/2017
New Mexico lawmakers approved the creation of an independent ethics commission during this year’s legislative session, but there is still much unsettled about how the body would function, even if it is approved by voters next year. That is because what lawmakers approved during the was essentially the framework for an ethics commission, with the assumption specific powers and procedures would be set at a later date. The approach has raised concern among some advocacy groups, who are pushing lawmakers to start talking details in interim legislative committee hearings this summer and fall.
Pennsylvania – Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams Pleads Guilty in His Federal Corruption Trial
Philadelphia Inquirer – Jeremy Roebuck | Published: 6/29/2017
Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams pleaded guilty to a corruption charge, resigned from office, and was sent immediately to jail. Williams pleaded guilty to a single count of accepting a bribe from a businessperson in exchange for legal favors. The move came after weeks of damaging testimony against Williams at his federal trial. He was also charged with fraudulently using thousands of dollars from his campaign fund for personal expenses, misusing city vehicles, and misappropriating money intended to fund his mother’s nursing home care. Before he was indicted, Williams was fined $62,000 by the city ethics board, its largest fine ever, for accepting improper gifts.
Vermont – Feds Looking into Jane Sanders Over Real Estate Deal
Burlington Free Press – Wilson Ring (Associated Press) | Published: 6/26/2017
U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders and his wife, Jane Sanders, have hired prominent defense attorneys amid an FBI investigation into a loan she obtained to expand Burlington College while she was its president. A complaint accuses Jane Sanders of distorting donor levels in a 2010 loan application for $10 million to purchase 33 acres of land for the institution. Prosecutors might also be looking into allegations that Sen. Sanders’ office inappropriately urged the bank to approve the loan.
Washington – Lawsuit Challenges Seattle Campaign-Contribution Vouchers
Minneapolis Star Tribune – Gene Johnson (Associated Press) | Published: 6/28/2017
The Pacific Legal Foundation is suing Seattle over its new “democracy voucher” program for publicly funded political campaigns, which was passed by voters in 2015 and is being used for the first time in this year’s city council races. Under the program, Seattle’s voters decided to tax themselves $3 million a year in exchange for four $25 vouchers they can sign over to candidates. Supporters say it is a novel way to counter the effect of big money in politics and to help lesser-known candidates communicate their views. But the lawsuit says it forces people to pay taxes to support candidates they do not necessarily agree with in violation of their free-speech rights.
State and Federal Communications produces a weekly summary of national news, offering more than 60 articles per week focused on ethics, lobbying, and campaign finance.
June 29, 2017 •
West Virginia Legislature Adjourns
On June 26, the West Virginia Legislature adjourned its special session sine die. Lawmakers approved a budget after months of debate to resolve a $500 million shortfall in the 2018 fiscal year budget. The state budget cuts funding for higher […]
On June 26, the West Virginia Legislature adjourned its special session sine die. Lawmakers approved a budget after months of debate to resolve a $500 million shortfall in the 2018 fiscal year budget.
The state budget cuts funding for higher education and the Department of Health and Human Resources but avoids a government shutdown that would have occurred July 1 if the budget had not been in place.
Gov. Jim Justice allowed the budget bill to become law without his signature.
June 26, 2017 •
New York Legislature Adjourns
The 2017 legislative session adjourned shortly before midnight on June 21, 2017. Lawmakers adjourned the session without a deal to extend New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio’s control over New York City Schools. The current agreement lapses on June […]
The 2017 legislative session adjourned shortly before midnight on June 21, 2017.
Lawmakers adjourned the session without a deal to extend New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio’s control over New York City Schools. The current agreement lapses on June 30, 2017.
Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie stated there is no plan to return as the Assembly is comfortable with the bill they passed in May.
Heastie’s statement is available at http://assembly.state.ny.us/Press/20170622/.
June 23, 2017 •
NYCU Video Digest – June 22, 2017
Becky Campbell is here covering the state government and ethics news from around the country in this week’s video digest!
Becky Campbell is here covering the state government and ethics news from around the country in this week’s video digest!
June 23, 2017 •
News You Can Use Digest – June 23, 2017
National: As Pot Comes Out of the Black Market, Regulators Face Scrutiny Boston Herald; Associated Press – | Published: 6/21/2017 Recent cases in Colorado and Washington are the first known instances of current or former marijuana regulators being accused […]
National:
As Pot Comes Out of the Black Market, Regulators Face Scrutiny
Boston Herald; Associated Press – | Published: 6/21/2017
Recent cases in Colorado and Washington are the first known instances of current or former marijuana regulators being accused of having improper dealings with the industry. The two recreational marijuana states are the nation’s oldest, approving legal weed in defiance of federal law in 2012. Watchdogs say the Colorado and Washington cases should spur states to beef up ethics commissions charged with monitoring conflicts-of-interest by government employees. Michigan, a medical-marijuana state, passed a 2016 law banning even relatives of its pot oversight board members from having any financial stake in the marijuana industry.
The Not-So-Bitter Rivalry of Dean Baquet and Marty Baron
Politico – Joe Pompeo | Published: 6/19/2017
The Washington Post’s Marty Baron and Dean Baquet of The New York Times are the two most important newspaper editors in America right now, at a time when the news media are tackling the most consequential story of the past 40 years. Donald Trump’s presidency has revved up the competition for news organizations far and wide; big and small; print, broadcast, and digital. In the process, he has sparked a resurgence of storied legacy outlets like The Times and The Post, each of which has struggled with changes in the news business while doomsayers augured its demise. As with the rest of the media, their “Trump bump” has been a boon in terms of scoops and subscribers.
Federal:
Despite Concerns About Blackmail, Flynn Heard C.I.A. Secrets
New York Times – Matt Apuzzo, Matthew Rosenberg, and Adam Goldman | Published: 6/20/2017
Senior U.S. intelligence officials knew as early as January that former national security adviser Michael Flynn could have been vulnerable to Russian blackmail. Despite officials’ knowledge of the risks associated with Flynn, he continued to sit in on meetings during which President Trump was briefed on sensitive intelligence. It is unclear whether CIA Director Mike Pompeo, who briefed Trump on intelligence while Flynn sat nearby, was aware of officials’ concerns about Flynn. Many of Trump’s political problems, including the appointment of a special counsel and the controversy over the firing of the FBI director, James Comey, can ultimately be traced to Flynn’s stormy tenure.
Trump Says He Did Not Tape Comey Conversations
New York Times – Mark Lander | Published: 6/22/2017
President Trump said he did not record his conversations with James Comey. the FBI director he fired amid the Justice Department’s probe into the Trump campaign’s possible ties to Russia. The president’s Twitter messages left open the possibility the conversations may have been taped without his knowledge. But they largely confirmed the suspicions of outsiders that Trump had been leveling a baseless threat at Comey when he wrote, “James Comey better hope that there are no ‘tapes’ of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press!” Some legal experts have said Trump’s threat could be used in an obstruction of justice case against him, since it could be interpreted as putting pressure on Comey not to discuss their conversations about the FBI’s Russia investigation.
From the States and Municipalities:
Arizona: Axiom Partners Rename Lobbying Firm as Bribery Case Unfolds
Arizona Republic – Ronald Hansen | Published: 6/21/2017
A month after a federal bribery case shook Arizona’s lobbying community, the firm whose prominent exe features the same staff as Axiom Public Affairs, without lobbyist Jim Norton, said Kelsey Lundy, the firm’s managing partner. Once viewed as among the most politically connected lobbying firms in Arizona, Axiom’s run came crashing down after Norton’s may indictment in a case alleging he was a conduit for bribes paid by developer George Johnson to former Arizona Corporation Commissioner Gary Pierce through his wife.
California: Lobbying Firm Fined $4,000 for Violating Gift Limit Buying Dinner for Former State Sen. Ronald Calderon
Los Angeles Times – Patrick McGreevy | Published: 6/19/2017
Mercury Public Affairs agreed to pay a $4,000 fine for violating the $10 gift limit on lobbying firms when it provided dinners worth $200 to former state Sen. Ronald Calderon and his wife. The violation was found by a random audit by the state Franchise Tax Board. In October, Calderon was sentenced to 42 months in federal prison after he pleaded guilty in a public corruption case unrelated to the Mercury dinner.
Connecticut: Lobbyists, Corporate PACs Help Legislator Pay for His Travels as RNC Member
Hartford Courant – Jon Lender | Published: 6/17/2017
State Rep. John Frey travels all over the country for meetings he attends as one of Connecticut’s two members of the Republican National Committee (RNC). But Frey does not pay for any it – flights, dining, hotel rooms, and sometimes car service to and from the airport – because his costs are reimbursed by a political action committee he set up six years ago called Leadership Connecticut PAC. Its stated purpose is to support federal candidates for the U.S. House and Senate, but its main activities, arguably, have been to stage the annual fundraisers to sustain itself and to pay for the travels of Frey and Patricia Longo, his fellow RNC member until she retired last year.
Florida: The Miami Beach Mystery PAC Is Under State Investigation
Miami Herald – Nicholas Nehamas, Joey Flechas, and David Ovalle | Published: 6/20/2017
A corruption probe is underway into a controversial political group linked to Miami Beach commissioner and mayoral candidate Michael Grieco. At least one donor to the PAC has been subpoenaed by the Miami-Dade state attorney’s office, according to a defense attorney representing the donor. The list of donors to People for Better Leaders is stocked with Miami Beach vendors, lobbyists, and developers with business before the city. Investigators with the state’s corruption task force may be seeking to learn if those donations were a quid pro quo for Grieco’s political favor. Grieco may also have broken a city law that bans candidates and elected officials from asking vendors and lobbyists for donations, either directly or through a third-party.
Hawaii: What Honolulu Lobbyists Don’t Tell You
Honolulu Civil Beat – Anita Hofschneider | Published: 6/19/2017
Honolulu does not require lobbyists to provide any details about how they spend money. About 85 percent of the lobbyists who filed reports said they did not spend anything last year. Nearly three dozen registered lobbyists did not submit any reports, even though mandatory forms were due six months ago. Jan Yamane, who took over the city Ethics Commission last fall, said the current lobbying disclosure process is not working. “We need to debrief this thing, hit the reset button and completely overhaul this process,” Yamane said.
Illinois: Emanuel Friend, Alderman’s Husband Both Illegally Lobbied Mayor Via His Personal Email: Ethics board
Chicago Tribune – Bill Ruthhart | Published: 6/16/2017
A close friend of Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, as well as the husband of a city council member, face fines for lobbying the mayor through his private emails but failing to register as lobbyists. Alan King, husband of Ald. Sophia King, and James Abrams are the latest targets of the reinvigorated city Board of Ethics. Under the law, Abrams could face a potential fine of more than $520,000. King could face a fine of more than $500,000. Board of Ethics Chairperson William Conlon has signaled the board is unlikely to hand out exorbitant maximum penalties. But Conlon argued the fine needs to be “enough to send a message.”
Kentucky: Ethics Panel Appeals Ruling That Allows Lobbyists to Give Gifts, Money to Lawmakers
Lexington Herald-Leader – Jack Brammer | Published: 6/21/2017
The Kentucky Legislative Ethics Commission will appeal a recent federal court ruling that allows lobbyists to give gifts and campaign donations to state lawmakers. “We thought it too important not to appeal,” said commission Chairperson George Troutman. A lawsuit filed by State Sen. John Schickel and two Libertarian political candidates argued the ethics laws violate their constitutional rights to free speech and equal protection by restricting their access to people who want to help them. State regulators countered that the laws were meant to prevent bribery at the Capitol. The Registry of Election Finance, the other defendant in the case, has yet to decide whether to appeal.
Kentucky: Fired Lawyer to Get Settlement from Kentucky Over Her ‘Whistleblower’ Case About Sex Toys
Louisville Courier-Journal – Deborah Yetter | Published: 6/15/2017
Jacqueline Heyman, a former lawyer with the Kentucky Public Protection Cabinet, reached a financial settlement with the state over her claim she was fired in 2015 after reporting two co-workers were running a “sex toy” business out of the office. Heyman began work as a supervising attorney with the department in April 2015. She was fired before she could successfully complete a six-month probation period and gain merit system job protection. Heyman said she discovered the extent of the online, adult product business when she found a box of such items under the desk of one of the employees. Heyman said she got little reaction after she reported it to her boss so she told the Executive Branch Ethics Commission. A week later, Heyman said she was fired with no explanation.
New York: New York Ethics Agency Hit with Harassment Lawsuit
Albany Times Union – Chris Bragg | Published: 6/20/2017
A former financial auditor at the New York Joint Commission on Public Ethics alleges she was fired after reporting sexual discrimination by one of her supervisors to the agency’s leadership. Catherine Webb outlined her accusation in a recent civil lawsuit she filed against the commission in federal court. Webb alleges she was repeatedly subjected to abusive verbal conduct that was “severe, pervasive and frequent.”
North Carolina: Is North Carolina the Future of American Politics?
New York Times – Jason Zengerle | Published: 6/20/2017
Ever since 2010, when Republicans seized control of the North Carolina General Assembly for the first time in a century, and especially since 2012, when they took the governor’s mansion, the state’s politics have been haywire. “It’s more polarized and more acrimonious than I’ve ever seen,” said Carter Wrenn, a veteran GOP political consultant. “And I’ve seen some pretty acrimonious politics – I worked for Jesse Helms.”
Wisconsin: Supreme Court to Hear Potentially Landmark Case on Partisan Gerrymandering
Washington Post – Robert Barnes | Published: 6/19/2017
The U.S. Supreme Court will consider whether judges can throw out legislative maps as being so partisan they violate the Constitution, taking up a case that could put a powerful new check on gerrymandering. The justices agreed to hear arguments on a Wisconsin map that a lower court said was designed to keep Republicans in control of the state Legislature even if they did not win a majority of the votes. The Supreme Court has never struck down a legislative map as being too partisan, or told challengers what standard they have to meet to win a lawsuit. The case, which the court will hear in the nine-month term that starts in October, could open the way for a new wave of election litigation.
State and Federal Communications produces a weekly summary of national news, offering more than 60 articles per week focused on ethics, lobbying, and campaign finance.
June 22, 2017 •
Washington Legislature Convenes Third Special Session
On June 21, the Washington Legislature adjourned its second special session sine die. Lawmakers were unable to reach agreement on a budget bill during the session forcing Gov. Jay Inslee to call for another special session to start immediately after […]
On June 21, the Washington Legislature adjourned its second special session sine die.
Lawmakers were unable to reach agreement on a budget bill during the session forcing Gov. Jay Inslee to call for another special session to start immediately after adjournment.
A two-year operating budget needs signed into law by June 30 or the state faces a partial government shutdown.
June 21, 2017 •
Maine Legislature Extends First Regular Session
The first regular session of the 128th Legislature has been extended for up to five legislative days. Originally, statutory adjournment was scheduled for June 21, 2017. Both the Senate and House agreed to extend the session in a Joint Order […]
The first regular session of the 128th Legislature has been extended for up to five legislative days.
Originally, statutory adjournment was scheduled for June 21, 2017.
Both the Senate and House agreed to extend the session in a Joint Order filed as Senate Paper 595.
June 20, 2017 •
Louisiana Adjourns Special Session
The Louisiana Legislature adjourned the second special session Friday, June 16, 2017 after passing the state’s budget. The Legislature could not reach an agreement to pass the budget during the 2017 regular legislative session forcing Gov. John Bel Edwards to […]
The Louisiana Legislature adjourned the second special session Friday, June 16, 2017 after passing the state’s budget.
The Legislature could not reach an agreement to pass the budget during the 2017 regular legislative session forcing Gov. John Bel Edwards to call a special session to set an operating budget for the 2017 fiscal year.
The legislature is not scheduled to convene again until the 2018 regular legislative session.
June 19, 2017 •
Alaska Convenes Second Special Session
The Alaska Legislature’s first special session ran out of time on June 16 without lawmakers passing a budget bill to resolve the state’s annual $2.7 billion deficit. Gov. Bill Walker immediately called a second special session convening that same day […]
The Alaska Legislature’s first special session ran out of time on June 16 without lawmakers passing a budget bill to resolve the state’s annual $2.7 billion deficit.
Gov. Bill Walker immediately called a second special session convening that same day to address the budget.
Alaska faces a government shutdown if a budget is not adopted by July 1.
State and Federal Communications, Inc. provides research and consulting services for government relations professionals on lobbying laws, procurement lobbying laws, political contribution laws in the United States and Canada. Learn more by visiting stateandfed.com.