Gov. Greg Abbot signed an order on March 20 to delay the May primary runoff elections until July in response to the growing outbreak of COVID-19.

Under the order, the May 26 primary runoff elections are now scheduled for July 14.

July 14 is also the same day as the special election for Texas Senate District 14.

Early voting will begin July 6.

Campaign Finance

California: “California Fair Political Practices Commission Offers Guidance on Campaign Filing Deadlines in Wake of COVID-19” by Staff for Vallejo Times-Herald

Elections

National: “Bernie Sanders Is Considering Several Options as He Ponders His Campaign’s Future” by Sean Sullivan (Washington Post) for MSN

Kentucky: “As Coronavirus Creates ‘Unprecedented Obstacles’ to Voting, Kentucky GOP Takes Step to Add Another: Voter ID” by Isaac Stanley-Becker for Washington Post

Ethics

National: “Burr Asks Senate Ethics Committee for Review of His Stock Sales” by John Wagner, Michelle Ye Hee Lee, John Swain, and Karoun Demirjian (Washington Post) for Seattle Times

Maryland: “Baltimore Comptroller Pratt Repeatedly Voted to Approve Spending for Groups on ‘Abstentions List,’ Report Finds” by Talia Richman for Baltimore Sun

New Jersey: “Sparta BOE in Flap Over Promotion of Member’s Son” by Eric Obernauer for New Jersey Herald

Lobbying

Michigan: “Ballot Drive to Change Michigan Lobbying Laws Suspended Due to Coronavirus Pandemic” by Lauren Gibbon for MLive.com

In light of the statewide shelter-in-place order, the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) understands the unique and extraordinary situation caused by the united efforts to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.

The FPPC recognizes offices around the state are closed and the stay at home directive makes the filing of campaign statements and reports difficult.

An advisory has been issued encouraging candidates and committees to continue to make best efforts to timely disclose campaign activity to the public.

State and local candidates are encouraged to make use of electronic filing options, if available.

All candidates and committees filing campaign statements and reports with the Office of the Secretary or State may use the online filing system.

Local candidates and committees should contact their local filing officers to determine if electronic filing is available in their jurisdiction.

If a candidate or committee makes best efforts to comply with the Political Reform Act’s campaign finance disclosure rules but is unable to do so due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the FPPC will consider this a strong mitigating factor in determining whether an enforcement action against the candidate or committee is appropriate.

Gov. Eric Holcomb issued Executive Order 20-07 today, postponing the May 5 presidential and state primary elections to June 2.

The governors order is due to the state of emergency he declared on March 6 because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Illinois Lawmakers canceled a second week of legislative sessions to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus.

The General Assembly was scheduled to come back to Springfield on March 24.

The deadline for House bills to move out of committee, March 27, has been extended to April 3.

Members may end up meeting during the scheduled spring break period, April 6-17.

The deadline to move bills out of Senate committee is still set for March 27.

The Illinois Constitution requires lawmakers pass a budget before they adjourn on May 31.

Under the Illinois Constitution and state law, the General Assembly cannot hold remote sessions.

The House and Senate went into overdrive March 19 to complete deals on a new state budget and an updated 10-year highway program before vacating the Capitol until late April.

Lawmakers agreed to set aside $50 million for unforeseen expenditures during the COVID-19 crisis.

Another $15 million was allocated for emergency preparedness operations tied to the virus.

Additionally, the House and Senate voted to send a comprehensive transportation bill of $9.7 billion to Gov. Laura Kelly.

This decadelong program for roads, bridges, railways, and airports would make a top priority of highway system preservation projects.

The Legislature is scheduled to return April 27 to adjust the state budget and take up other unfinished work on bills.

However, there is no guarantee the pandemic would allow the 165 legislators to congregate.

The Hawaii State Ethics Commission will hold a special meeting on Friday, March 27, in response to COVID-19.

Currently, lobbyist and employer activity reports are due on Tuesday, March 31, for the period of January 1 to February 29.

Additionally, Commission members will consider issuing an order to extend the deadline to April 30.

Gov. Mike Parson issued Executive Order 20-03, postponing the April 7 municipal elections to June 2.

The order comes after the state of emergency he declared on March 13 because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The deadline to apply for an absentee ballot is May 20, while in-person absentee ballots may be cast until 5 p.m. on June 1.

The Idaho Senate adjourned sine die Thursday night.

However, the House voted to meet again Friday morning despite recommendations to practice social distancing amid COVID-19 concerns.

Coronavirus has been looming over the last week of the session, causing Gov. Brad Little to be dealing with the increase in cases.

If the House stays in session for three days, it will force the Senate to return to town.

If the House adjourns on Friday, at 75 days, it will be tied for the fourth shortest session in the past 20 years.

Nebraska lawmakers are likely to return to the Capitol on March 23 to approve emergency aid for state agencies that are responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Speaker of the Legislature Jim Scheer indicated he expects to decide whether to temporarily resume the session.

The speaker held a legislative briefing with the Governor’s Office in the afternoon on March 20.

If lawmakers convene on March 23, they would also need to check in on March 24 and March 25 to fulfill the procedural requirements to approve the funding.

The emergency funding would be the only item on the legislative agenda.

Once it is approved, lawmakers would suspend the session again until further notice.

New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham indicated she is likely to call legislators to a special session in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

If called, the session would focus on revising a recently signed state budget, addressing public health needs, and providing economic relief.

In a letter to legislators, Gov. Grisham said emergency federal aid needs to be established before state budget revisions can take place.

The Delaware General Assembly has postponed the legislative session indefinitely.

Lawmakers originally postponed the session until March 24, but have extended the delay after reevaluating the COVID-19 situation.

The General Assembly is determining how to pass emergency legislation regarding the coronavirus and pass the state budget.

Speaker of the House Nicholas A. Mattiello and President of the Senate Dominick J. Ruggerio, in collaboration with the Department of Health, have announced sessions and all committee hearings for the week of March 23 to March 27 have been canceled.

The General Assembly had previously canceled sessions for the week of March 16 to March 20 due to COVID-19.

This does not affect any lobbyist reporting.

Despite previous reports on March 17 that the Hawaii Campaign Spending Commission will remain open, it is now closed to the public as of March 20.

Commission staff are available remotely at (808) 586-0285 during regular business hours for assistance.

This does not affect noncandidate committee filing deadlines.