Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a proclamation declaring a special election for the 79th Assembly District on June 8.

The seat was vacated by Shirley Weber who was appointed California Secretary of State.

The special primary election will be held on April 6.

Commissioners appointed Fabian Donate and Tracy Brown-May to seats in the Nevada Legislature, filling two vacant seats the day after the 2021 Legislature convened in Carson City.

Donate will represent Senate District 10, a seat vacated when Yvanna Cancela resigned to take a position in the administration of President Joe Biden.

Brown-May will represent Assembly District 42, where Alexander Assefa resigned amid accusations of campaign finance irregularities.

Republican Adrian Dickey won the special election to fill the vacant Senate District 41 seat.

Dickey will fill the seat for the two years remaining in the four-year term of former Sen. Marianette Miller-Meeks.

Miller-Meeks resigned after winning a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.

The congresswoman was certified by Iowa as the winner by six votes out of nearly 400,000, and provisionally seated pending the outcome of a challenge by her Democratic opponent, Rita Hart.

Republicans have controlled the House, Senate, and governor’s office for five years.

During the COVID-19 public health emergency, the Capitol is closed to the public.

Members of the Senate can be contacted at http://w3.akleg.gov/senate.php.

Members of the House can be contacted at http://w3.akleg.gov/house.php.

The San Diego Ethics Commission has announced an increase to the limits on contributions made to local candidates.

The increase from $600 to $650 comes due to an increase in the consumer price index.

This increase is effective from January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2022.

The Registrar of Voters has announced an increase to the limits on contributions made to local candidates.

The increase from $850 to $900 comes due to an increase in the consumer price index.

This increase is effective from January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2022.

The South Carolina Ethics Commission issued an opinion finding candidates for public office may not accept campaign contributions in the form of digital cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin.

Advisory Opinion 2021-001 references and adopts the reasoning of a similar opinion issued in 2018 by the South Carolina House Ethics Committee.

The opinions found cryptocurrencies do not meet the definitions of a “thing of value” or “contribution” as defined under current state law.

Both opinions state the decision to permit such contributions should be done through an act of the Legislature rather than through an advisory opinion.

The Office of the City Clerk of Irvine has announced an increase to the limits on contributions made to local candidates.

The raise from $530 to $550 comes due to an increase in the consumer price index.

This increase is effective from January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2022.

West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice appointed Republican Joshua Booth to fill the 19^th House District seat vacated by Derrick Evans.

This comes after Evans’s arrest in connection with the storming of the U.S. Capitol Building.

Justice chose Booth from a list of three candidates provided to him by Republican Party representatives.

However, the Wayne County Republican Executive Committee has filed a lawsuit challenging the validity of the appointment.

According to the committee, Justice reportedly received two different lists of candidates.

The lawsuit argues state law requires Justice to choose a name from the original list submitted by the Wayne County Executive Committee, which did not include Booth.

In addition, the committee argues Justice should ignore the second list submitted by the chairman of the state Republican Party.

As a result, an expedited review by the West Virginia Supreme Court has been requested.

South Dakota Secretary of State Steve Barnett published the 2021 annual limit for lobbyist gifts to public officials.

Each year, the annual cumulative value is adjusted.

It is based on the change in the consumer price index for urban wage earners and clerical workers for the year before the immediately preceding year.

The change for 2019 was 2.3%, making the newly adjusted cumulative gift limit $106.43 for 2021.

Public officials and members of their immediate families may not accept gifts with a cumulative value greater than $106.43 from any lobbyist or principal during the 2021 calendar year.

North Dakota Rep. Keith Kempenich is sponsoring a bill to add reimbursement for meals to the compensation received by lawmakers who live outside Bismarck.

The bill is being proposed just as the lobbyist gift ban approved by voters in 2018 is taking effect.

Lawmakers are currently paid $518 a month and receive $186 per day they attend sessions or committee meetings, plus reimbursement for lodging during the session.

They are also included on the state-funded employee health plan.

If passed, the bill would become effective August 1, 2021.

Greater disclosure requirements for lobbyists in New Mexico will be a topic of discussion during the largely virtual 2021 legislative session.

Lawmakers will consider requiring lobbyists or their employers to list the bills they lobbied, the position they took on each bill, and to report all money spent to influence state policy, including lobbyist compensation.

Additionally, legislation has been proposed to empower the state ethics commission to set the salary of all public officials, including legislators.

Though these types of proposals have failed in the past, open government advocates believe they stand a better chance in a virtual session without lobbyists physically present in the building.

During the virtual session, the public will be able to provide comments online via Zoom or by phone while the Roundhouse remains closed due to COVID-19.

House members will participate in floor and committee debates via Zoom, which will be broadcast publicly online. All legislation considered by the full House will be placed on a temporary calendar for 24 hours to ensure transparency and accessibility.

The Idaho House passed a constitutional amendment allowing the Legislature to call itself into a special session.

The legislation stems from lawmaker dissatisfaction with restrictions Gov. Brad Little put in place last March.

Specifically, those to reduce coronavirus infections and deaths.

The Legislature had adjourned for the year by then and couldn’t call itself back into session.

Idaho is one of 14 states where only the governor can call a special legislative session.

The legislation must now pass the Senate with a two-thirds vote.

It, then, would go to voters in the November 2022 general election, where a simple majority is needed for approval.

If voters approve it in 2022, lawmakers could call themselves back into session if 60% of members in each the House and Senate agree.

The 2021 legislative session will start off closed to all but lawmakers, essential staff, and some members of the media.

All others will participate virtually, according to a logistics plan issued by the Legislative Counsel Bureau.

The plan released on Thursday, less than two weeks before the legislative session begins on February 1, is similar to one in place during two special sessions over the summer.

However, the plan hints at broader access once core personnel are vaccinated for COVID-19.

Members of the public can watch hearings through the legislative website and through YouTube livestreams.

Those wishing to participate in hearings will do so by reservation and through Zoom.

Public comments can be made by phone, or through videoconference at designated locations being developed across the state.

Legislators will meet with constituents and lobbyists through Microsoft Teams.

Once lawmakers and staff have been vaccinated, lobbyists and members of the public will be allowed at hearings in person by reservation.

Participants who come in person will need to show documentation they have been vaccinated or take a free, rapid COVID test before entering the building.

In order to account for more virtual lobbying taking place, the plan also calls for an update to state law.

Only lobbyists who appear in person in the building will need to register with the Legislative Counsel Bureau and be regulated.