Connecticut Gov. Lamont announced a special election for Assembly District 71 to be held on February 22.

The seat became vacant when Rep. Anthony “Tony” D’Amelio retired last week.

The winner of the special election will serve the remainder of the two-year term set to expire in December 2022.

Speaker of the House Tina Kotek announced she will resign from the Oregon Legislature January 21 to focus on her campaign for governor.

Kotek’s resignation allows her to avoid a House rule prohibiting representatives from fundraising during any legislative session.

The state Elections Division found a potential rival, Nicolas Kristof, is not eligible to run for governor.

Kristof, originally from Oregon, worked at the New York Times from 1984 to October 2021, when he returned to Oregon to start his campaign.

Secretary of State Shemia Fagan explained the Elections Division found Kristof’s tax payments, residency, and voting records were from New York for the past 20 years, with zero evidence of Kristof voting in an Oregon election during the same time frame.

During the 2022 State of the State speech, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced a plan to replace the Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE) with an independent watchdog agency prioritizing transparency.

While JCOPE members are appointed by elected officials, the new agency would have a rotating board of five members made up of the 15 state-accredited law school deans or their designees.

These members will be prohibited from communicating with outside parties regarding any potential or ongoing investigations.

Unlike JCOPE, the new agency would be subject to the Freedom of Information Law and the Open Meetings Law.

Leading up to the January 19 start date of the 2022 legislative session, Hawaii state leaders in the Senate and House have announced the state Capitol will be closed to the public due to rising concerns over the continuing COVID-19 pandemic.

This announcement follows increasing numbers of positive COVID-19 cases across the state because of the Delta and Omicron variants.

The Capitol’s status will be reevaluated in the following weeks.

Additionally, the Senate and House floor sessions and hearings will be held remotely. There will be an announcement explaining how the public can submit testimony during this time.

Washington’s fast-approaching 2022 legislative session has hit a bit of a snag with the rampant Omicron variant.

The chief clerk of the House has announced that his chamber will hold its floor sessions remotely for the first two weeks of the session.

Only five lawmakers who are vaccinated, boosted, and masked, along with critical staff, will be allowed in the House chamber during the restrictions.

These policies will be reassessed every two weeks.

The Senate is looking into either a hybrid or fully remote sessions, though no final decision has been made.

The New Mexico State Ethics Commission is proposing additional disclosure laws to require legislators to release more about the sources of their personal income and business relationships.

Additionally, the commission would like to increase transparency requirements for lobbyists by requiring disclosure of what bills and provisions they are advocating for or against.

Lastly, because some lawmakers are married to lobbyists, a proposed change would require lawmakers to disclose before voting if any family member lobbied on a bill.

It is unclear if these proposals will be heard during the 30-day legislative session, starting January 18.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced a special election to fill a vacancy in the House of Representatives following the election of District 15 Rep. Abdullah Hammoud as mayor of Dearborn.

The special primary election will be held on March 1 and the general election will be held on May 3.

The Michigan Bureau of Elections posted the Lobby Registration Act 2022 Reporting Thresholds, which change every year in January to reflect the change in the consumer price index for Detroit.

The thresholds for individual lobbyist compensation and for employer expenditures on a single official increased from $650 to $675.

Exempt expenditures increased from $13 to $14.

The threshold for an employer making lobbying expenditures increased from $2,575 to $2,675 for any 12-month period.

The financial transaction threshold between a registered employer or lobbyist and a public official increased from $1,300 to $1,350.

The reporting threshold for travel and lodging reimbursements increased from $850 to $875.

Monthly food and beverage expenditures allowance for a public official increased from $64 to $66, while the $400 threshold for food and beverages purchased between January 1 and the end of the reporting period remains the same as last year.

Employee reimbursements increased from $26 to $27, and the general gift threshold also increased from $64 to $66.

Late filing fees increased from $26 a day up to a maximum of $780, to $27 with an $810 maximum.

The Illinois Legislature canceled two of the three days scheduled this week and may cancel the session for next week due to a spike in daily average of COVID-19 cases.

House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch announced the House and Senate will not meet January 4 or January 6 and will convene only on Wednesday for organizational purposes and to empower committees to meet and vote remotely.

This does not affect lobbyist reporting.

Gov. Andy Beshear announced a special election on February 22, 2022, to fill the vacancy in Kentucky House District 42 created by the resignation of Rep. Reginald Meeks.

Under state law, when a legislator vacancy occurs while lawmakers are not in session, the Governor may call the special election.

Meeks, who has represented House District 42 since January 2001, announced his retirement December 17, saying that he needed time to focus on his health and family.

The winner of the election will take office as soon as the results are certified by both the Jefferson County Board of Elections and the State Board of Elections.

Cambridge, Massachusetts City Council passed an ordinance limiting campaign contributions to municipal candidates and their committees from certain business entities to $200 annually.

Business entities seeking a city contract will be required to disclose all campaign contributions made to candidates and their PACs in the preceding 12 months.

Business entities exceeding the $200 contribution limit will not be eligible for city contracts or other city action, including the receipt of special permits, zoning changes, or community development or other forms of financial assistance.

The definition of business entity is expansive and includes individuals as well as corporations and their officers.

The definition of business entity does not, however, include labor unions.

The ordinance is expected to take effect in 2022.

Arizona State Sen. Jamescita Peshlakai resigned her position on Wednesday, December 22 to take an appointment with the Biden administration.

Peshlakai is the 13^th legislator in Arizona to leave their seat in 2021.

County officials within Peshlakai’s district will choose her replacement.

Rep. Mandy Kimmons has resigned from the South Carolina House of Representatives.

In a letter to House Speaker James Lucas and posted on social media, Kimmons cited a desire to focus on her legal career and service to her local community as reasons for the sudden resignation.

A special election will be scheduled to fill the 97th District seat for the remainder of the term.

This, along with the recent passing of Sen. Hugh Leatherman and the suspension of Rep. Rick Martin due to a recent criminal indictment, means the South Carolina Legislature will convene the 2022 legislative session on January 11, 2022 with three empty seats.

The Cook County, Illinois Board of Commissioners passed a substitute ordinance amending the County Ethics Ordinance on December 16.

The substitute ordinance updates many sections of the ethics code and includes provisions acknowledging registration for lobbying in Cook County will only be filed with the state beginning on January 1, 2022.

The definition of official is amended include any individual elected or appointed to a county office, regardless of whether the individual official is compensated.

Contribution limits are increased for persons doing business with the county from $750 to $1,500 in a calendar year to any local, state, or federal political committee established in support of a candidate for county office or an elected county official.

Officials, employees, and board or commission appointees are prohibited from accepting employment for a period of 364 calendar days following their term of office or employment from any person if the official, employee, or appointee participated personally and substantially in the decision to award a contract with a value of more than $15,000.