All articles tagged with #special legislative session
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said the Chicago Bears have been in contact and that a special legislative session could be called if lawmakers can agree on a single bill to advance a Bears stadium plan, while the team pursues Indiana and pushes Illinois for a resolution after past missteps like a lack of location clarity and failing to be present on the session's final day.
The Texas legislature avoided a total ban on hemp-derived THC products during a special session, allowing these products to remain legal for now, despite ongoing debates and efforts to impose stricter regulations or bans, including age restrictions. The industry and retailers celebrated this outcome, though some sales, particularly of THC vapes, are expected to decline, and the legislative uncertainty continues to impact industry growth and regulation efforts.
Colorado's special legislative session focuses on addressing a $750 million budget shortfall caused by federal tax law changes, with Democrats proposing tax loophole closures and program cuts, while also debating AI regulations, healthcare funding, and adjustments to ballot measures, amidst Republican opposition and negotiations.
Texas Democrats are out of state to block redistricting votes, leading to a legislative deadlock, while Governor Abbott plans to call multiple special sessions to pass Republican-supported maps amid legal and political battles.
The Texas House of Representatives remains in a standoff as Democrats continue to boycott sessions to block GOP-led redistricting efforts aimed at gaining more US House seats, with tensions escalating and legal actions underway, while other states plan to counterbalance these changes.
Colorado Governor Jared Polis has called a special legislative session to address nearly a $1 billion budget shortfall caused by federal tax law changes, and to reconsider the state's AI regulation law set to take effect in February, amid industry concerns and legislative disagreements.
Texas lawmakers are convening a special session to address flood recovery and prevention measures following recent devastating floods, amid uncertainty about FEMA's future and political debates over disaster funding, redistricting, and social issues.
Louisiana's special legislative session, called by the state's new far-right governor, Jeff Landry, is set to consider a raft of new criminal justice measures that could lead to soaring rates of incarceration and undo hard-won bipartisan reform efforts from 2017. The proposed measures include broad restrictions on parole eligibility, resuming executions, lowering the age limit for adult prosecutions, and tightening rules on post-conviction relief, leading reform advocates to express alarm at the potential impact on public safety, disproportionate effects on Black communities, and the high cost to enforce these measures.
Gov. Tate Reeves is set to call a second Special Legislative Session to finalize a $10 billion economic development project in Madison County, Mississippi, which will lead to the creation of two hyperscale data center complexes and 1,000 jobs. Additionally, Reeves recently signed three measures into law for a $1.9 billion economic project in northern Mississippi, paving the way for an electric battery plant for commercial vehicles in Marshall County.
Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves announced a $1.9 billion economic development project in Marshall County, set to create 2,000 jobs with an average salary of $66,000 plus benefits. The project will involve building a manufacturing facility for electric battery cells and is expected to be one of the largest in the state's history. The state will invest around $350 million, with a special legislative session scheduled to finalize details and provide incentives for the project. The companies involved have not been disclosed yet, but are said to be well-known in Mississippi and across the U.S.
Louisiana's new Republican governor, Jeff Landry, is pushing to eliminate the state's unique open primary system, calling for a special legislative session to address this and congressional redistricting. The current system places candidates from all parties on one ballot, with the top two advancing to a runoff if no candidate receives a majority. The move has sparked debate within the state's Republican Party, with some arguing that open primaries encourage candidates to campaign for all of Louisiana, while others believe closed primaries could reduce political extremism. Additionally, the legislature must redraw congressional maps by Jan. 30 to comply with a court order.
Colorado lawmakers have approved equal Taxpayer's Bill of Rights (TABOR) refunds for taxpayers in the next round of refunds, following the rejection of Proposition HH. The refunds, estimated to be around $847 for single filers and $1,694 for joint filers, will be distributed equally regardless of income levels. However, the passage of a bill to expand the earned income tax credit may lower the amount paid in TABOR refunds to around $800. This is a departure from the normal system, where refunds were based on income levels, with higher earners receiving more.
Republican lawmakers in Oregon are urging the governor to convene a special legislative session to repeal Measure 110, a voter-approved measure that decriminalized small amounts of hard drugs. They argue that the state's access to treatment has worsened since the measure's passage, citing data on drug overdose deaths. Democrats acknowledge the need for changes to Measure 110 but believe that repealing it alone will not solve the drug crisis. The debate over the measure's effectiveness continues, with some advocating for a combination of criminal justice interventions and expanded treatment programs.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has released his agenda for the third legislative special session, focusing on "school choice" through education savings accounts, cracking down on illegal immigration, and outlawing COVID-19 vaccine mandates by private employers. The special session comes at a tense time in Texas politics, with tensions between the Senate and House and implications for members' reelection prospects. Abbott's agenda does not include other education issues, despite failed proposals for teacher pay raises and increased per-student funding. Democrats criticize Abbott's prioritization of private school vouchers over public school funding. The agenda also includes proposals for border security and legislation concerning a residential settlement accused of harboring illegal immigrants.
Three Texas state representatives discussed the upcoming special legislative session on education, with differing views on the controversial topic of school vouchers. While Democratic Rep. Barbara Gervin-Hawkins expressed a willingness to negotiate and focus on securing better teacher pay and increased school funding, her colleague Rep. James Talarico opposed vouchers as a threat to public education. Republican Rep. James Frank supported school vouchers, arguing that they would give parents more choice in their children's education. The special session, which is a priority for Governor Greg Abbott, is expected to begin next month.