The West Virginia Legislature adjourned a two-day special legislative session on May  21, 2018.

Lawmakers passed eight bills, including a bill creating the Department of Arts, Culture, and History.

Gov. Jim Justice signed a bill in March eliminating the Department of Education and the Arts.

Under the new bill, the commissioner of culture and history will become the curator of arts, culture, and history and report directly to the governor.

The Oregon Legislature adjourned a one-day special session on May 21, 2018.

The special session was called by Gov. Kate Brown to address tax breaks for small businesses.  The tax plan passed 51-8 in the House and 18-12 in the Senate.

Both votes included Democrats who broke from their party to vote against the measure.

South Carolina lawmakers will return to the State House this week to deal with unfinished legislative business after legislators extended the 2018 sine die adjournment date for the General Assembly.

Each house stands adjourned to meet in a two-day statewide session beginning May 23 and another two-day session on June 27.

Following the June session, the General Assembly will stand in recess subject to the call of the speaker and president pro tempore.

Unless otherwise adjourned sine die at an earlier date, the 2018 session will adjourn sine not later than November 11, 2018.

Colorado Secretary of State Wayne Williams is considering amendments to the state’s campaign finance rules.

A new rule would allow committees to accept contributions in the form of cryptocurrency up to the limits for cash or coin contributions.

The value of such contributions would be the value of the cryptocurrency at the time the contributions are made.

Prior to issuing the proposed draft, the Secretary of State’s office is seeking public comments to identify potential revisions and additional guidance. Comments must be submitted by May 23.

On May 18, West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice issued a call for the West Virginia Legislature to meet in special session beginning at 6 p.m. on Sunday, May 20, 2018.

The special session will be held during the Legislature’s regularly scheduled interim meetings that also began Sunday. The governor’s call included eight bills for the Legislature to address.

Several are meant to clarify some pieces of recently-passed legislation while others are supplemental appropriations.

The Minnesota Legislature adjourned sine die on May 20, 2018.

The Legislature passed bills relating to misrepresenting service animals, prohibiting local governments from disarming police officers, and funding for the state’s vehicle license and registration system.

Tensions between the Republican-controlled House and Democrat Gov. Mark Dayton were apparent during the final day of the session as Republicans sent a series of bills to Dayton similar to previously vetoed bills.

Dayton has reiterated he will not call a special session for any unfinished business.

Gov. John Bel Edwards announced this week that the Louisiana Legislature will adjourn Friday, three weeks ahead of its scheduled date of adjournment.

An early end to the regular legislative session will allow Legislators to convene in a special legislative session scheduled to start on May 22.

The special session to address the state’s budget crisis will adjourn no later than June 4, the scheduled adjournment date of the regular session. At stake is $648 million in temporary taxes set to expire on July 1.

A February special session aimed at the budget failed to pass any taxes to close the budget gap.

The San Francisco, California Board of Supervisors unanimously passed, on first reading, campaign finance reform legislation aimed at providing more transparency in political contributions.

Among other provisions, the legislation will include pay-to-play provisions, local behested payment reporting requirements for both donors and City officers, and additional disclosure requirements for contributions made by business entities.

The legislation must pass a second reading at the Board of Supervisors and be signed by the mayor prior to becoming law.

Gov. Phil Scott called a special session for May 23, 2018. The governor is planning to veto the state budget and property tax bills passed during the regular session.

Gov. Scott has promised to veto any legislation that increases taxes or fees. If vetoed, the Legislature has until the end of June to pass a spending bill before the new fiscal year commences on July 1.

Lawmakers hope Gov. Scott will sign the current bills and make the special session unnecessary.

The Indiana special session convened and adjourned on May 14, as expected.

The special session had a limited agenda and the bills considered could not be amended.

The Legislature passed bills related to taxes, school safety, and the takeover of Muncie and Gary schools.

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.

The 30th Alaska Legislature adjourned sine die in the early hours of May 13.

The legislative session was extended with lawmakers working past the 90-day, voter-approved session limit in mid-April, but finishing within the constitutional time limit of up to 121 days.