This week, Gov. Tom Wolf announced what he called a 21st century voting reform plan. This announcement follows an ethics reform plan announced by Gov. Wolf earlier this month.

The voting reform plan includes creating an independent commission to draw electoral maps, expanded voting rights through simpler voter registration, and campaign finance reform.

The proposed campaign finance reform could include restrictions on contributions from political action committees and contribution limits.

Both Democratic and Republican legislators will be working to introduce bills towards the Governor’s efforts.

Gov. Jay Inslee partially vetoed and signed into law a bill addressing campaign finance reporting and enforcement requirements.

The governor vetoed provisions in House Bill 2938 relating to independent expenditure reporting and special reporting requirements for large contributors.

Signed into law are provisions in the bill limiting the attorney general’s enforcement jurisdiction to matters referred from the Public Disclosure Commission, as well as provisions amending filing procedures for citizen’s enforcement actions.

The law takes effect June 7, 2018.

On March 28, the Idaho Legislature adjourned its 2018 legislative session.

The adjournment process was revised following a lawsuit over a veto last year.

Lawmakers stayed in the capital an additional five days to preserve the right to override any vetoes from the governor.

Bills passed include reductions to personal and corporate income tax rates, new K-12 public school science standards, and the codifying of existing stand your ground case laws.

The South Dakota Legislature adjourned its 2018 session on March 26.

During the 40-day session, lawmakers passed a $4.7 billion budget increasing funding to education, Medicaid providers, and state employees.

Additionally, several measures adding new rules for citizens’ initiative campaigns were passed.

Wisconsin Republicans plan to call an extraordinary session to amend state election law rather than comply with a court order to hold special elections.

Last week, a judge ordered Gov. Walker to schedule special elections by March 29 to fill two vacant legislative seats.

Current law requires the governor to call a special election for any vacancy occurring prior to May of an election year.

Walker doesn’t believe the law applies in this case, as the vacancies occurred in December; he claims the requirement only applies to vacancies occurring between January and May of an election year.

Democrats argue Walker is refusing to hold the elections because Republicans may lose the seats.

A statewide special election will be held June 5, the same date as the primary elections, on a proposed amendment to the South Dakota Constitution.

If approved, the amendment will affect Marsy’s Law victim’s rights provisions approved by voters in 2016.

The attorney general’s deadline to prepare a statement, title, explanation, and recitation of a “Yes” or “No” vote for the proposed amendment is March 27.

Former Hawaii House Speaker Joseph Souki is being forced to resign after admitting to inappropriately touching and kissing multiple women over his legislative tenure.

His resignation is part of a State Ethics Commission settlement agreement stemming from allegations filed by multiple women.

The Commission agreed to resolve the matter if Souki resigns by March 30, issues a public apology, pays an administrative fine, and does not seek public office for two years.

Souki, 86, has served in the Hawaii State Legislature since 1982.

Dane County Circuit Judge Josann Reynolds ruled Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker must call special elections to fill legislative vacancies.

Two seats were left vacant in December when Republican lawmakers resigned to work in Walker’s administration.

Reynolds, whom Walker appointed in 2014, found he has a duty to call the elections; failure to do so would infringe on the voting rights of the districts’ residents.

He must issue an order by March 29 calling elections within the next 11 weeks.

North Dakota Secretary of State Al Jaeger approved the format of a petition to amend the state constitution to include an independent ethics commission.

If voters approve, the ethics commission would be responsible for adopting rules related to elections, lobbying, and for reporting and investigating alleged violations of those rules and related state laws.

Additionally, the measure prohibits gifts from lobbyists, prohibits the delivery of campaign contributions by lobbyists, restricts lobbying from former public officials, and restricts the use of campaign contributions, among other provisions.

Supporters of the petition have until July 9 to gather nearly 27,000 signatures to place the constitutional amendment on the November ballot.

Gov. Phil Bryant has appointed Mississippi Agriculture and Commerce Commissioner Cindy Hyde-Smith to the U.S. Senate seat left vacant by Thad Cochran.

Cochran is stepping down due to health problems on April 1.

Hyde-Smith will be sworn in by Vice President Mike Pence in April and will run for the remainder of Cochran’s term in the November 6 special election.

Washington Governor Jay Inslee signed into law the DISCLOSE Act, a law requiring certain nonprofit organizations to file organizational statements and periodic disclosure statements with the Public Disclosure Commission.

Under the new law, these organizations will be required to disclose the top 10 donors whose contributions aggregate to $10,000 or more in the calendar year if the nonprofit expects to make contributions or expenditures that aggregate to at least $25,000 in any calendar year in Washington state election campaigns, including ballot initiatives.

The DISCLOSE Act goes into effect on January 1, 2019.

On March 14, the second regular session of the 120^th Indiana General Assembly adjourned with several bills pending on the floor.

As a result, Gov. Eric Holcomb plans to call a special session for May. On top of the Holcomb’s list is a school safety spending bill and a bill needed to harmonize state tax code with federal tax code.

Holcomb plans to set an agenda with Republican legislators before he officially calls a special session.

Gov. Gary Herbert signed House Bill 320 this week, putting it into effect immediately.

The bill expands the existing prohibition on contributions to legislators during a legislative session to also cover contributions to the lieutenant governor, attorney general, state auditor, and state treasurer.

The prohibition extends to contributions to the personal campaign committees and political action committees (PACs) of the covered candidates. Previously, only contributions to legislators were banned during sessions.

Parties prohibited from contributing during session include persons, lobbyists, principals, and political committees.

The Florida Constitution Revision Commission (CRC) is one step closer to placing an ethics proposal on the November ballot.

Proposal 39, creating an extended waiting period for state and local officials seeking to lobby after leaving office, was approved as amended.

The proposal prohibits state and local officials from lobbying their former departments, agencies, or governing bodies for six years after leaving office. Such persons would also be prohibited from lobbying any federal agency or any state or local body or agency during their respective terms of office.

Upon approval, the measure advanced, along with seven other proposals, to the Style and Drafting Committee. The committee has the authority to revise and combine proposals prior to a final vote by the full commission.

To be placed on the November 6 ballot, the proposal will need support from at least 22 commission members.