September 21, 2016 •
West Virginia Special Session Adjourns
West Virginia’s special session adjourned sine die on September 20, 2016. Lawmakers approved a bill allocating $85 million for flood relief and Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin signed the bill yesterday. Flood recovery is estimated to cost $339 million, with Federal […]
West Virginia’s special session adjourned sine die on September 20, 2016.
Lawmakers approved a bill allocating $85 million for flood relief and Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin signed the bill yesterday.
Flood recovery is estimated to cost $339 million, with Federal Emergency Management Agency covering the majority of those costs.
September 15, 2016 •
West Virginia Special Session Likely
West Virginia’s Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin plans to call a special legislative session next week to address funding for flood recovery. The session is expected to take place on September 19 and 20 to coincide with previously scheduled legislative interim […]
West Virginia’s Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin plans to call a special legislative session next week to address funding for flood recovery.
The session is expected to take place on September 19 and 20 to coincide with previously scheduled legislative interim meetings.
The Legislature will need to authorize funding from the state’s rainy day emergency fund to cover flood recovery costs.
August 19, 2016 •
Nebraska Speaker in Favor of Calling Special Session
Speaker Galen Hadley is in favor of calling the Nebraska Legislature into a special session to address the issue of Sen. Bill Kintner. Kintner was recently fined $1,000 for using his state-issued laptop to engage in cybersex. Both Hadley and […]
Speaker Galen Hadley is in favor of calling the Nebraska Legislature into a special session to address the issue of Sen. Bill Kintner. Kintner was recently fined $1,000 for using his state-issued laptop to engage in cybersex. Both Hadley and Gov. Pete Ricketts have called for Kintner to resign, though Kintner appears unwilling to do so.
The Legislature’s Executive Board meets today and can recommend impeachment, expulsion, or censure of Kintner, but such action would have to be taken with lawmakers in session. If Kintner resigns before September 8, he could place his name on the ballot in November and allow the voters to decide if he should continue his work as a senator.
August 15, 2016 •
No Minnesota Special Session This Week
Gov. Mark Dayton previously hoped to call a special session of the Legislature during the third week of August. Lawmakers have been unable to agree on key issues, including a controversial light rail bill, so no special session is currently […]
Gov. Mark Dayton previously hoped to call a special session of the Legislature during the third week of August.
Lawmakers have been unable to agree on key issues, including a controversial light rail bill, so no special session is currently scheduled for this week.
Dayton will meet again with leadership from the Legislature on Thursday, in what he has said may be the last meeting to discuss a special session.
August 8, 2016 •
Pennsylvania Governor, Lawmakers Agree to Hold a Special Session
Gov. Tom Wolf and lawmakers have agreed a special session is necessary to confront the growing problem of prescription drug abuse and illegal opioids. Last year, 3,300 people died in Pennsylvania, and this year the number is expected to grow. […]
Gov. Tom Wolf and lawmakers have agreed a special session is necessary to confront the growing problem of prescription drug abuse and illegal opioids.
Last year, 3,300 people died in Pennsylvania, and this year the number is expected to grow.
The session will focus on creating a comprehensive approach to treating those with substance abuse disorders, including alternatives to prison. No date has been set for the special session, but it is expected to be this fall.
August 5, 2016 •
North Dakota Adjourns Special Session
North Dakota lawmakers adjourned a three day special session on Thursday. The session concluded with the Legislature passing a bill to cover the state’s budget shortfall. Photo of the North Dakota State Capitol by MatthewUND on Wikimedia Commons.
North Dakota lawmakers adjourned a three day special session on Thursday.
The session concluded with the Legislature passing a bill to cover the state’s budget shortfall.
Photo of the North Dakota State Capitol by MatthewUND on Wikimedia Commons.
July 27, 2016 •
Gov. Bentley Announces Alabama Special Legislative Session
Gov. Bentley will call a special session. The session will focus on a constitutional amendment allowing a statewide lottery. Alabama is one of six states without a lottery, and Bentley believes it will solve the state’s funding problem. The dates […]
Gov. Bentley will call a special session. The session will focus on a constitutional amendment allowing a statewide lottery.
Alabama is one of six states without a lottery, and Bentley believes it will solve the state’s funding problem.
The dates of the special session have not been determined.
Photo of Gov. Bentley by Sutherland Boswell on Wikimedia Commons.
July 18, 2016 •
Minnesota Special Session Tentatively Scheduled
Gov. Mark Dayton, Senate Majority Leader Tom Bakk, and House Speaker Kurt Daudt have tentatively agreed to call a special legislative session during the third week of August. The governor and lawmakers have met several times since the Legislature adjourned […]
Gov. Mark Dayton, Senate Majority Leader Tom Bakk, and House Speaker Kurt Daudt have tentatively agreed to call a special legislative session during the third week of August.
The governor and lawmakers have met several times since the Legislature adjourned in late May to work through details of approving a tax bill and bonding bill.
While the three men were able to reach an agreement regarding the tax bill during a meeting last week, negotiations on the bonding bill must continue before the governor will announce a definitive date for the special session.
Photo of the Minnesota State Capitol by Jonathunder on Wikimedia Commons.
July 14, 2016 •
North Dakota Gov. Calls Special Session
Gov. Jack Dalrymple called a special session to convene August 2. The session is needed to address North Dakota’s budget shortfall, and it is expected to last three days.
Gov. Jack Dalrymple called a special session to convene August 2.
The session is needed to address North Dakota’s budget shortfall, and it is expected to last three days.
July 12, 2016 •
Special Session Called in Utah
On Monday, July 11, Utah Gov. Gary Herbert issued a call for a special legislative session to be held this Wednesday, July 13. The session was called to consider legislation related the Judicial Nomination Commission, the Justice Reinvestment Initiative, the […]
On Monday, July 11, Utah Gov. Gary Herbert issued a call for a special legislative session to be held this Wednesday, July 13. The session was called to consider legislation related the Judicial Nomination Commission, the Justice Reinvestment Initiative, the Utah State Fairpark, and other matters.
One major concern the governor wants addressed in the special session is unmanned aircrafts being used near wildland fires. “This summer, wildfires in the state have become significantly worse due to drones interrupting air operations,” Gov. Herbert said in his press release.
July 11, 2016 •
Minnesota Special Session Unlikely Until After Primary Election
A special session is now unlikely until after the primary elections, due to lawmakers’ increasingly busy schedules. Lawmakers have sought a special session to pass tax and bonding bills since adjourning the regular session in May, but Gov. Mark Dayton […]
A special session is now unlikely until after the primary elections, due to lawmakers’ increasingly busy schedules.
Lawmakers have sought a special session to pass tax and bonding bills since adjourning the regular session in May, but Gov. Mark Dayton required agreement on several issues before he was willing to call the session.
To date, Dayton and lawmakers have been unable to reach an agreement on those issues.
July 8, 2016 •
Special Session in Alaska Impacts Campaign Fundraising
Alaskan lawmakers have been busy strategizing how to continue campaign fundraising ahead of the July 11 special session. State statute bans lawmakers from soliciting or accepting contributions in the capital city or any municipality where the Legislature is convened. Despite […]
Alaskan lawmakers have been busy strategizing how to continue campaign fundraising ahead of the July 11 special session.
State statute bans lawmakers from soliciting or accepting contributions in the capital city or any municipality where the Legislature is convened.
Despite calls by some lawmakers to hold the session in Anchorage due to a lodging shortage in Juneau, the formal legislative session will remain in Juneau allowing political fundraising to continue in Anchorage.
Photo of the chamber of the Alaska House of Representatives by L’Aquatique on Wikimedia Commons.
July 1, 2016 •
Mississippi Special Session Adjourns
The House agreed to a bill allowing the governor to dip into the state’s rainy day fund to fill a deficit in the budget. Lawmakers returned for a special session on Tuesday, June 28, to take up the issue, and […]
The House agreed to a bill allowing the governor to dip into the state’s rainy day fund to fill a deficit in the budget.
Lawmakers returned for a special session on Tuesday, June 28, to take up the issue, and the Senate quickly passed the measure. The House, however, required a second day but eventually agreed to the plan and adjourned the special session on June 29.
The deficit was the result of tax collections falling below expectations since the fiscal year began last July.
June 27, 2016 •
Mississippi Gov. Considers Calling Special Session
A special session could be looming in Mississippi as the state continues to deal with budget woes. Gov. Phil Bryant is currently considering calling lawmakers back into session to balance the budget. This may require the use of back-up funds […]
A special session could be looming in Mississippi as the state continues to deal with budget woes.
Gov. Phil Bryant is currently considering calling lawmakers back into session to balance the budget. This may require the use of back-up funds and could cause a protracted fight to rework the current budget.
This would be Bryant’s sixth special session since taking office.
Photo of Gov. Phil Bryant by U.S. Department of Agriculture on Wikimedia Commons.
State and Federal Communications, Inc. provides research and consulting services for government relations professionals on lobbying laws, procurement lobbying laws, political contribution laws in the United States and Canada. Learn more by visiting stateandfed.com.