The Oklahoma Legislature adjourned sine die on Friday, May 26. As a result, all rule amendments proposed and approved by the Oklahoma Ethics Commission became law.

Effective immediately the lobbyist registration renewal deadline has been extended from December 31 to January 15. Changes to lobbyist reporting include moving all executive lobbyist report due dates as well as the January and July legislative lobbyist reports due dates to the 15th of the month. All other legislative reports remain due on the 5th of the month. Campaign finance rule amendments include new requirements for committees formed for the purpose of influencing a state question. Such committees must include the number of the state question as part of the name of the committee. They must also file reports any time an expenditure of $5,000 or more is made to advocate the passage or defeat of a state question. The reports are due at the same time as those for independent expenditures and electioneering communications.

Effective January 1, 2018, the limit for lobbyist or lobbyist principal gifts given in recognition of infrequently occurring occasions of personal significance will drop from $200 to $100 in any calendar year. Such gifts will be required to be given and received contemporaneously with the occasion or at times when such gifts are traditionally given. Infrequently occurring occasions of personal significance will not include annual events such as birthdays or anniversaries; rather, they will refer only to major life events. Lastly, a lobbyist providing a meal to a state officer or employee will be required to be present for the meal. Similarly, a lobbyist providing a gift including attendance at an event will be required to attend the event with the recipient of the gift.

The first special session of 2017, adjourned sine die around 3:00 a.m., on May 26, 2017.

Lawmakers passed a public works package and other pieces of the budget.

Gov. Mark Dayton is expected to sign all of the legislation passed during the special session.

On May 23, Rep. Mitch Greenlick introduced House Joint Resolution 32, proposing a ballot measure to impose a $500 limit on political contributions from any organization that gets more than half of its funding from public sources.

HJR 32 seeks to limit influence from Medicaid providers that profit from the Oregon Health Plan while making large political contributions to lawmakers.

Under current law, organizations may make unlimited contributions and expenditures to candidates and political committees.

On May 23, the Washington Legislature adjourned its first special session sine die.

Lawmakers were unable to reach agreement on a budget bill during the session forcing Gov. Jay Inslee to call for a second 30-day 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.

The Phoenix City Council voted this week to amend the city’s lobbying ordinance to create sanctions for those who don’t comply with the lobbyist registration or expense disclosure rules.

Current city code includes no punishment for those who ignore the rules. The amendments will also include a clarification and expansion of the term lobbying to include city executives, department directors, the city manager and his top staffers, and board and commission members.

The strengthened rules raise fines and increase the amount of time lobbyists could be suspended from contacting city officials. Phoenix’s lobbying rules are currently unenforceable.

City Council will vote in the coming weeks to finalize the changes.

The Missouri Ethics Commission recently issued a campaign finance advisory opinion differentiating between political parties and political party committees for the application and enforcement of voter approved contribution limits.

The $25,000 aggregate limit on contributions to a political party does not apply to contributions to a political party committee unless the committee is, by definition, organized to influence voters on behalf of the affiliated political party.

The aggregate limit will, therefore, not apply to the state House and state Senate committees for each political party because, while they have historically served such a purpose, they do not actually indicate they are acting on behalf of a political party; rather, it is possible they could choose to support or oppose non-party candidates or even ballot issues.

Gov. Rick Scott has issued an executive order setting a special election for House District 116.

Rep. Jose Felix Diaz is leaving his post to run for the Senate District 40 seat vacated following Frank Artiles’ resignation.

The primary and general elections will be held the same day as the Senate races. The primary will be on July 25 and the general to follow on September 26.

The Nebraska Legislature adjourned sine die today, May 23, 2017. Much of the session consisted of battles over the state budget and a plan to cut taxes.

Gov. Pete Ricketts’ plan to cut income and property tax stalled in the legislature, but he plans to continue garnering support in hopes of passing a package next year.

The session was also marred by the resignation of Sen. Bill Kintner after retweeting offensive comments and using a state-issued computer to engage in cybersex.

There will be a special election held on September 26 to fill the seat for state House District 31.

Rep. Harold Mitchell recently vacated the seat after serving 13 years in the South Carolina Legislature. He was granted medical leave in April but decided to resign shortly thereafter for health reasons.

A primary election, if necessary, will be held July 25, with the possibility of runoffs on August 8.

The 2017 Minnesota regular legislative session adjourned late on Monday, May 22, 2017.

The legislators failed to pass a $46 billion spending package. As a result, the Legislature immediately entered into a special session at 12:01 a.m., on May 23, 2017.

The special session is expected to end on May 24, 2017.

South Carolina lawmakers scheduled a three-day special legislative session before adjourning the regular session on May 11. The special session is expected to begin today.

Because state law requires it, House Speaker Jay Lucas will gavel it in but then likely adjourn an empty chamber.

He encouraged House members not to return for the session because there is no budget compromise to consider. He plans to call House members back when the budget panel, consisting of members from both chambers of the Legislature, has taken the time to complete its work and reach an agreement.

The 46 members of the Senate are expected to be present for the special session, as Senate President Pro Tem Hugh Leatherman has not indicated anything to the contrary.

Missouri lawmakers will return to work today as the General Assembly convenes a special legislative session.

Following the May 12 adjournment of the regular session, Gov. Eric Greitens hinted a special session was imminent and called for the session just two weeks later. The special session will focus on bringing jobs and an economic boost to the state.

Lawmakers will consider legislation to attract a steel plant and an aluminum smelter to locate there in exchange for lower utility rates.

The session has no target end date and is expected to cost taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars per week.

Gov. Bill Walker ordered Alaska legislators into a special session just minutes after the regular session adjourned.

Lawmakers have been unable to agree on how to resolve the state’s annual $2.7 billion deficit. Majority House Democrats proposed a state income tax as well as cuts to oil and gas subsidies, while Republicans in the Senate Majority favored budget cuts and spending from the Permanent Fund’s investment earnings.

Alaska’s fiscal year begins July 1, giving lawmakers just over a month to make a deal.

On Friday, Montana Gov. Steve Bullock vetoed a bill to increase the maximum allowable contributions from individuals and political action committees and place the Office of the Commissioner of Political Practices under the jurisdiction of the state attorney general.

Senate Bill 368 would also have prohibited the Commissioner of Political Practices from filing criminal cases against candidates and transitioned complaints to the court of the defendant’s residence.

In his veto, Gov. Bullock stated the bill would undermine the effectiveness of the office and the up to 300% increase to some contribution limits was beyond what was acceptable to Montanans.

Gov. Bullock went on to say Senate Bill 368 would undo the progress the Office of the Commissioner of Political Practices and the 2015 Montana Disclose Act have made over the last two years.