The fastest 2 and half minutes in campaign finance, ethics and lobbying news you’ll see this week!

Let Becky take you through a busy week in government and ethics news in this week’s video digest!

The Alaska Senate adjourned the fourth special session on November 10.

However, on November 13 the House majority coalition announced plans to hold technical sessions until the special session ends November 21.

A technical session will force the Senate to hold similar sessions because one body cannot adjourn without the other.

Lawmakers passed a criminal justice reform bill despite warnings from the Alaska Department of Law and ACLU that the measures are unconstitutional.

Gov. Kim Reynolds stated she will decide whether to call a special session of the Iowa Legislature in September. A special session may be needed to fix state budgetary shortfalls.

Reynolds has the authority to transfer money from the cash reserve fund if the deficit is $50 million or below.

If the deficit exceeds $50 million the Legislature would need to be called back for a special session.

Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin wants a special legislative session to address a budget shortfall caused by a recent Oklahoma Supreme Court Ruling. The Court struck down a cigarette fee resulting in $215 million in lost revenue.

If the budget is not reappropriated, the ruling will force four state agencies to restructure their budgets due to loss of funds. Money cannot be transferred to the affected agencies without a legislative directive.

Though a special session is likely inevitable, legislative leadership has suggested the governor wait to call a session because there are other revenue-related court cases still pending.

The General Assembly will convene a special session today, July 31, 2017, to vote on an over-due budget proposal. Lawmakers failed to pass a budget during this year’s regular session and are one month past the deadline for a new two-year budget.

Senator’s will vote to approve a labor deal made between Gov. Dannel Malloy and the employee unions to fund the state’s pension system. The House already approved the deal.

The Senate is evenly split among Democrats and Republicans, so a party line vote would require Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman, a Democrat, to break the tie.

The Texas Legislature convened a special legislative session July 18, 2017. Property tax was a topic Gov. Greg Abbott immediately put on the agenda for the session.

House Bill 4 and Senate Bill 1 both, among other things, require a special election be called if any municipality plans to increase property taxes on land and buildings by more than 4 or 5 percent. Senate Bill 1 was passed by the Senate this week.

City and county leaders have stated such automatic election requirements would limit their budget for basic services and force them to hold costly elections.

The special session can run for up to 30 days.

South Carolina lawmakers scheduled a three-day special legislative session before adjourning the regular session on May 11. The special session is expected to begin today.

Because state law requires it, House Speaker Jay Lucas will gavel it in but then likely adjourn an empty chamber.

He encouraged House members not to return for the session because there is no budget compromise to consider. He plans to call House members back when the budget panel, consisting of members from both chambers of the Legislature, has taken the time to complete its work and reach an agreement.

The 46 members of the Senate are expected to be present for the special session, as Senate President Pro Tem Hugh Leatherman has not indicated anything to the contrary.

Gov. Bill Walker ordered Alaska legislators into a special session just minutes after the regular session adjourned.

Lawmakers have been unable to agree on how to resolve the state’s annual $2.7 billion deficit. Majority House Democrats proposed a state income tax as well as cuts to oil and gas subsidies, while Republicans in the Senate Majority favored budget cuts and spending from the Permanent Fund’s investment earnings.

Alaska’s fiscal year begins July 1, giving lawmakers just over a month to make a deal.