Kansas lawmakers are returning for a special legislative session June 3 after Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed COVID-19 legislation passed during the final day of session.

Gov. Kelly called lawmakers back to create a new bill that redefines her emergency powers.

The previous bill sought to curb Gov. Laura Kelly’s emergency powers and give the Legislative Coordinating Council appropriation power over the $1.25 billion in federal money allocated to Kansas in the CARES Act.

Gov. Kelly would also have been barred from issuing a new COVID-19 disaster declaration unless at least six members of the State Finance Council sign off on it.

There is no time limit on the special session, so the work is expected continue for as long as necessary.

This does not affect lobbyist reporting.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the General Assembly has canceled legislative sessions for the week of June 1 to June 5.

Committee hearings have been scheduled in both chambers of the General Assembly and will be live streamed at www.rilegislature.gov/CapTV.

During this time, the State House building will remain closed.

Members of the public wishing to testify on any of the matters before the committees may submit written testimony.

The General Assembly is scheduled to meet on Tuesday, June 9.

This does not affect lobbyist reporting.

The Chicago Board of Ethics is further extending the first quarterly report filing deadline from June 1 to July 1 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

First quarter reports cover the January 1 to March 31 period and must be filed even if there was no activity.

In addition, registered lobbyists now have until December 31st to complete their annual mandatory ethics training.

The board expects additional amendments to the city’s lobbying laws later in 2020.

The Illinois Legislature adjourned on May 24 at the end of a special session that started on May 20.

Initially, the Senate met at the Capitol and the House at the Bank of Springfield Center to accommodate social distancing due to COVID-19 concerns.

The abbreviated special session focused mainly on budget issues and COVID-19 related legislation.

No bill permitting the Legislature to convene virtually was passed during this session.

Therefore, the Legislature will convene in person for the veto session scheduled to begin November 17.

The Arizona Legislature adjourned sine die on May 26 after the Senate’s swift move to adjourn was approved.

The Senate had voted to end the session when it convened previously on May 8.

However, this vote was met with opposition by Republican lawmakers.

The sine die adjournment leaves hundreds of bills dead that had been progressing through the Capitol before lawmakers postponed the session in March.

Gov. Doug Ducey is expected to call lawmakers back to the Capitol for a special session in the coming weeks.

In this session they will deal with coronavirus-related legislation and the state budget.

New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham targeted June 18 for the start of a special legislative session.

The session will be held to adjust the state budget amid a major hit to expected revenue related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Additionally, Governor Grisham hopes to reach bipartisan agreement on financial measures.

As of now, the state is on track to re-open thousands of more businesses and services on June 1.

The legislative session is expected to span several days.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the General Assembly has extended the delay of the legislative session.

House and Senate legislative sessions have been canceled for the week of May 25 to May 29.

Three Senate Committees are scheduled to meet on Tuesday, May 26, Wednesday, May 27, and Thursday, May 28.

The House Finance Committee is also expected to meet during the week and the schedule will be announced at a later date.

The State House building remains closed to the public due to the emergency.

The full General Assembly is scheduled to meet on Tuesday, June 2.

This does not affect lobbyist reporting.

Nearly five hours after the midnight deadline to adjourn, the Kansas legislature worked to approve legislation that would end the 2020 session on May 22.

Lawmakers gathered on May 21 for a one-day close to the legislative session, but Republicans in the house voted to continue past midnight.

The final bill on their agenda is centered around the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The bill curbs Gov. Laura Kelly’s emergency powers and gives more oversight to the legislature. It also gives the Legislative Coordinating Council appropriation power over the $1.25 billion in federal money. Originally, this money was allocated to Kansas in the CARES Act.

On the issue of disaster declarations, the bill extends Gov. Kelly’s current declaration from May 26 until the 31st.

Gov. Kelly would also be barred from issuing a new COVID-19 disaster declaration. To avoid this, at least six members of the State Finance Council would need to sign off on it.

The final parts of the bill continue some of Gov. Kelly’s executive orders, including on the sale of alcohol and telemedicine.

Lawmakers also passed legislation that would waive penalties and interest on late property taxes, a package of education bills, and an economic recovery loan program.

All legislation is now headed to Gov. Kelly’s desk. She can either sign the bills into law, veto them, or the bills would become law after 10 days without her signature.

The Alaska Legislature adjourned after approving Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s plan to spend over $1 billion in federal coronavirus funding.

Lawmakers were spurred by a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the plans Gov. Dunleavy submitted to the Legislative Budget and Audit Committee.

They were submitted through a process allowing a governor to submit plans to accept and spend additional federal or other program funds on a budget item.

In addition, the committee agreed to more than $1 billion in plans despite concerns some of the items fell outside the scope of what can go through the committee process.

Following the vote, the Legislature adjourned the 2020 regular session, though members of the House and Senate have said a special session may be needed later in the year.

The Iowa Legislative Council extended the suspension of the 88th General Assembly’s 2020 regular session until 9:00 a.m. June 3.

This comes due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, and could only change if the adjournment is shortened or further extended prior to that time.

This does not affect lobbying reporting.

The Illinois House of Representatives reconvened for a special session on May 20 in the Bank of Springfield Center to accommodate social distancing due to COVID-19 concerns.

Members were spread across the center’s makeshift House floor, sat at folding chairs and desks with a free-standing microphone beside each lawmaker’s workstation.

Both House Republicans and Democrats went into caucus at the Bank of Springfield center shortly after they convened the special session.

The Republicans moved to another space within the convention center, and Democrats remaining on the floor.

The Senate reconvened on May 18 at the Capitol.

The Minnesota Legislature left much unfinished when it adjourned sine die on May 18 as required by the constitution.

Both chambers expect to be back in a special session on June 12 when Gov. Walz’s current declaration of a Peacetime Emergency ends.

If Walz wants to extend the emergency declaration again, he is obligated by law to call a special session to give both chambers the right to rescind his declaration by a majority vote.

Although Walz calls the session, the legislative branch decides when it ends.

This also takes away the governor’s power to set the agenda for the special session.

Most of the bills passed were in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Additionally, a Select Committee on Minnesota’s Pandemic Response and Rebuilding was formed to allow the House to continue conversations about the pandemic after wrapping up its regular legislative session.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Rhode Island General Assembly has extended the delay of the legislative session.

House and Senate sessions have been canceled for the week of May 18 to May 22.

Additionally, the House and Senate Finance Committees are expected to review the administration’s third-quarter spending report this week.

Both chambers of the General Assembly are scheduled to meet on Tuesday, May 26.

This does not affect lobbyist reporting.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order requiring election officials to send mail-in ballots to every registered voter ahead of the November general election.

Newsom acknowledged attempting traditional voting on a mass scale would likely still be too dangerous even in November due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In-person voting is still expected to occur, but the number of people voting at polling places is expected to decline.