Gov. Rick Scott has called the Legislature into a special session to finalize the state budget. The session is scheduled for June 7 to June 9, 2017.

Gov. Scott and House Speaker Richard Corcoran, who were at odds throughout the 2017 session, struck a deal on the budget and a controversial education bill, providing an increase in spending for charter schools.

Absent from the governor’s call is the issue of medical marijuana sales, despite overwhelming citizen approval of a 2016 ballot measure. A two-thirds vote by lawmakers, however, could expand the focus of the special session.

This week, Gov. John Bel Edwards issued a call for a special session of the Louisiana Legislature as a precautionary measure in response to significant disagreements over the state’s operating and construction budgets.

The special session, if necessary, is to convene Thursday, June 8, at 6:30 pm and must adjourn by midnight on Monday, June 19. The regular session of the Legislature is scheduled to adjourn at 6:00 pm on Thursday, June 8, with the special legislative session convening just half an hour later if no budget consensus is reached.

Gov. Edwards has threatened to veto the current budget, which leaves $206 million unspent, as he believes it forces unnecessary cuts.

Alaska Gov. Bill Walker called for a third special legislative session to convene on October 24, 2015.

The Legislature will meet in Juneau to consider an act to monetize certain natural gas reserves via a gas reserves tax, as well as an act to make supplemental, capital, and operating appropriations from the constitutional budget reserve fund.

Gov. Butch Otter announced a special legislative session will begin on May 18, 2015. After adjourning in early April, lawmakers will return to resolve amendments to a child support law.

The law is a prerequisite for receiving federal funds to assist in child support enforcement.

Legislators have until June 12 to come to an agreement.

Photo of the Idaho State Capitol by Maxbatt in Wikimedia Commons.

Governor Earl Ray Tomblin has called a special session to be held on November 13, 2011.

The purpose of the session will be to certify and declare the results of the October 4, 2011 special election.

Map of West Virginia by Jim Irwin on Wikipedia.

A one-day special session of the Arizona Legislature was called by Governor Jan Brewer yesterday to impeach the chairwoman of the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission.

The Senate vote to impeach Chairwoman Colleen Coyle Mathis passed with the required two thirds majority. The chairwoman, a registered independent, was ousted with a party line vote of 21 Republican senators in favor of the removal and 6 Democratic senators opposed.

Governor Brewer alleges gross misconduct by Chairwoman Mathis in her role in the independent commission, which also has two democratic members and two republican members.

Photo of the Arizona State Capitol building by 2candle on Wikipedia.

The North Dakota Attorney General issued an opinion on November 1 suggesting a special legislative session may be necessary to remedy an accidental retroactive effective date of Initiated Constitutional Measure No. 2. The measure, which would eliminate property taxes, is scheduled to appear on the June 12, 2012 primary election ballot.

State Representative Dan Ruby argued that the intention was to have an effective date of January 1 following the passage of the measure, despite the clear and unambiguous effective date listed in the text of the measure: January 1, 2012.

Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem noted the possible difficulties for political subdivisions that rely on property taxes but declined to ignore the plain language of the measure. A special session could address the need for replacement revenues if the measure passes.