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State Legislative Tracker: Price of oil impacts state legislatures

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February 9, 2015

Edited by Joel Williams
This week’s tracker includes a look at the effect of oil prices on Alaska's budget, the new speaker in New York and exotic dancers seeking legislative reform in Oregon.

Weekly highlight

  • Alaska: While Americans across the country are cheering about the low price of gas, state legislatures across the nation are dealing with the fallout. According to Elaine Povich of Pew's Stateline, "Alaska, Louisiana, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Texas, West Virginia and Wyoming top the list of states dependent on severance taxes levied on oil and gas producers."[1] The sharp decline in the price of crude oil, from $96 a barrel in July 2014 to about $50 a barrel this month, has forced many state legislatures to think about cutting spending, raising taxes and raiding their rainy day funds as a way to offset shortfalls.[1] While the states of Alaska, Texas and North Dakota have built up reserves, Alaska will be the state that is most affected by the drop in oil prices because of the state's dependence on oil revenues. According to the Rockefeller Institute of Government, Alaska produces 16 million barrels a month, but receives 78 percent of its revenue from severance taxes.[1] In comparison, Texas produces 104 million barrels of oil a month, the most of any state, but only 9 percent of the state's revenues come from severance taxes.[1] Last year, the Alaska State Legislature passed a $6.1 billion spending plan for 2015, but because of the drop in oil prices, the plan will fall $3.5 billion short, or more, if prices keep falling. Gov. Bill Walker (I) has proposed a 5 percent to 8 percent spending reduction across state agencies, and a possible 25 percent reduction over a four year period if oil prices do not recover.[2] Since Alaska does not collect state sales or income taxes, the difference must be picked up by the state's savings fund and through budget cuts. Alaska currently has $14 billion in savings, but it is unclear how much the state plans to use.[2] On February 5, state budget director Pat Pitney announced that about 300 positions were cut from the state's payroll, with many coming from the University of Alaska. Pitney also announced that the state had made a total of $550 million in spending cuts since last year.[3]
  • New York: The New York State Assembly has a new speaker for the first time in over 21 years following the fall of Sheldon Silver (D), who was brought up on corruption charges last month. Carl Heastie (D), who easily won over Minority Leader Brian Kolb (R) in a vote of the Democratic-controlled chamber, also holds the distinction of being the first black speaker in the chamber's history.[4] Heastie did not make changes to his caucus' leadership and made one change in committee leadership, but pledged to create an office of ethics compliance. Heastie also said he would seek raises in the minimum wage and legislative salaries as well as criminal justice reform.[5][6] New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio issued a statement congratulating the Bronx legislator in spite of their disagreement over the election of a new city council speaker last year.[7] Some, however, say his election may not be the clean start the chamber hopes for; an op-ed published by The New York Times cited Heastie's "thin legislative record," and Capital New York published an analysis that concluded he "steered hundreds of thousands of dollars of taxpayer money to his campaign contributors." While not explicitly named in any report, Heastie was reportedly flagged by the now-disbanded Moreland Commission on Public Corruption regarding roughly $25,000 in unitemized campaign credit card expenditures. He responded to those reports by saying that he had "heard nothing from them" and that expenses under $50 were "not required" to be itemized.[8][9][10] Silver, who stepped down after his January arrest on federal charges of using his office to obtain almost $4 million in bribes and kickbacks, had been poised to match the record for longest-tenured assembly leader in state history; Oswald Heck (R) helmed the chamber from 1937 to 1959.[11][12] Silver's legal troubles caused the Assembly to slow to a standstill; as of Heastie's installation as Speaker, it had yet to pass a bill, whereas it had passed 95 bills by the same time last year.[13]
  • Oregon: In states around the country, exotic dancers have been organizing to improve their working conditions; the challenges have come primarily in the form of lawsuits, unions and complaints through state regulators. Now, dancers in Oregon are the first to take their fight directly to the legislature. Aided by the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), the exotic dancers are working with two contract lobbyists provided by the NASW to push Oregon lawmakers to enact laws that would improve the working conditions of the dancers. On their list of goals is seeing strip clubs comply with mandatory health and safety standards, more security, clean stages free of debris and broken glass and structurally sound poles.[14] At the very least, the group hopes for a law that would require club owners to display dancers' rights and the creation of a hotline where they can report abuses or ask questions. They also want to avoid law enforcement or bureaucrats staffing the hotline, and instead use people who have experience in the industry.[15] The group's demands may very well be in reach after acquiring a legislative ally: Rep. Shemia Fagan (D) has announced that she plans to support the bills she's heard of thus far. Caleb Hayes, a lobbyist with NASW, says the House Committee on Business and Labor has expressed interest in sponsoring the bills.[16] Claude DaCorsi, the president of the Oregon chapter of the Association of Club Executives, expressed surprise and confusion at the fact the exotic dancers have taken the step of contacting lawmakers and working with lobbyists. His group believes such regulation should be enacted within the industry, and that it is capable of policing itself.[15] The group will also face a wrinkle in their plans due to Oregon's free speech protections that are more significant than the federal First Amendment and could potentially limit the regulation the dancers are seeking. It is unlikely under these protections that rules could be enacted that applied solely to strip clubs, meaning that the rules would have to encompass all "live entertainment" venues.[14]

Sessions

Regular sessions

Current sessions capture for the week of February 9, 2015
See also: Dates of 2015 state legislative sessions
Click here to see a chart of each state's 2015 session information.

Currently 46 out of 50 state legislatures are meeting in regular session.

The following states have convened their 2015 regular session:[17]

In recess

As of today, February 9, there is one state legislature currently in recess.[18]

2015 Legislative Elections

See also: State legislative elections, 2015

A total of seven of the 99 chambers will hold state legislative elections on November 3, 2015.

There seven chambers in four states with elections in 2015. They are:

The New Jersey senate also typically holds elections in odd years, but all members were elected to four-year terms in 2013 and are not up for election again until 2017.

Of 1,972 state senate seats in the country, 131 are up for re-election in November 2015, and 407 of the country's 5,411 state house seats are up for re-election. Altogether, 538 of the country's 7,383 state legislative seats are up for re-election on November 3, 2015.

Primary Information

The state legislative filing deadlines and primary dates are as follows:

Filing Deadlines

Primary Dates

Special Elections

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See also: State legislative special elections, 2015

There are three special elections scheduled this week: one each in Arkansas, Florida and Iowa.

Arkansas State Senate District 16

See also: Arkansas state legislative special elections, 2015

Thomas Akin, Stan Berry and Greg Standridge faced off in the Republican primary on January 13, 2015. No Democratic candidates filed to run.[23] Because no candidate received more than 50 percent of the vote, the top two vote-getters, Berry and Standridge, met in a runoff election on February 10, which Standridge won.[24][25] Standridge was unoppposed in the special election on April 14.[26]

The seat was vacant following Michael Lamoureux's (R) appointment as Gov.-elect Asa Hutchinson's (R) chief of staff and transition director.[27]

A special election for the position of Arkansas State Senate District 16 was called for April 14. A primary election took place on Jaunary 13, 2015, with a runoff on February 10. Because candidates from only one party filed to run, the primary became the special election. The filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was December 1, 2014.[28]

Arkansas State Senate, District 16, Special Runoff Election, 2015
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngGreg Standridge 53.6% 2,675
     Republican Stan Berry 46.4% 2,313
Total Votes 4,988
Arkansas State Senate, District 16, Special Election, 2015
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngGreg Standridge 47.8% 2,124
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngStan Berry 41.1% 1,826
     Republican Thomas Akin 11% 490
Total Votes 4,440
Republican Party February 10 Republican runoff candidates:

Florida House of Representatives District 64

See also: Florida state legislative special elections, 2015

James Grant was unopposed in the Republican primary and defeated Daniel John Matthews (Write-in) in the special election on April 21.[29][30]

The seat was vacant following an invalidated result in the 2014 general election.[31]

A special election for the position of Florida House of Representatives District 64 was called for April 21. A primary election took place on February 10, 2015. The filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was December 12, 2014.[32]

Florida House of Representatives, District 64, Special Election, 2015
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngJames Grant 98.7% 6,852
     Write-in Daniel John Matthews 1.3% 92
Total Votes 6,944
Republican PartyFebruary 10 Republican primary candidates:

Iowa House of Representatives District 23

See also: Iowa state legislative special elections, 2015

David Sieck (R) defeated Steve L. Adams (D) in the special election on February 10.[33][34]

The seat was vacant following Mark Costello's (R) election to the Iowa State Senate.[35]

A special election for the position of Iowa House of Representatives District 23 was called for February 10. The filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was January 27.[36]

Iowa House of Representatives, District 23, Special Election, 2015
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngDavid Sieck 72.9% 1,087
     Democratic Steve L. Adams 27.1% 404
Total Votes 1,491


February 10 Special election candidates:
Democratic Party Steve L. Adams
Republican Party David Sieck

Recent election results

February 4, 2015

RunoffArrow.jpg☑ Georgia House of Representatives District 50

See also: Georgia state legislative special elections, 2015

Kelly Leigh Stewart (R), Royce M. Reinecke (R), Bradford Jay Raffensperger (R), Christine A. Austin (L) and Paul Troop (I) faced off in the special election on January 6, 2015.[37] Since no candidate received more than 50 percent of the vote, the top two vote-getters, Stewart and Raffensperger, met in a runoff election on February 3, which Raffensperger won.[38][39]

The seat was vacant following Lynne Riley's (R) resignation to become Commissioner of the Department of Revenue.[40]

A special election for the position of Georgia House of Representatives District 50 was called for January 6, with a runoff on February 3. The filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was November 21, 2014.[41]

Georgia House of Representatives, District 50, Special Election, 2015
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngBradford Jay Raffensperger 52.8% 1,510
     Republican Kelly Leigh Stewart 47.2% 1,351
Total Votes 2,861


February 3 Runoff election candidates:
Republican Party Kelly Leigh Stewart
Republican Party Bradford Jay Raffensperger Green check mark transparent.png

RunoffArrow.jpg☑ Georgia House of Representatives District 120

See also: Georgia state legislative special elections, 2015

Republicans Debbie Bartlett, Jesse Copelan, Gary Gerrard, Jesse Johnson and Trey Rhodes faced off in the special election on January 6, 2015.[42] Since no candidate received more than 50 percent of the vote, the top two vote-getters, Rhodes and Copelan, met in a runoff election on February 3, which Rhodes won.[43][39]

The seat was vacant following Mickey Channell's (R) scheduled retirement on January 15, 2015.[44]

A special election for the position of Georgia House of Representatives District 120 was called for January 6, with a runoff on February 3. The filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was December 10, 2014.[45]

Georgia House of Representatives, District 120, Special Election, 2015
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngTrey Rhodes 53.4% 2,713
     Republican Jesse Copelan 46.6% 2,366
Total Votes 5,079
February 3 Runoff election candidates:
Republican Party Jesse Copelan
Republican Party Trey Rhodes Green check mark transparent.png

Looking ahead

Upcoming special elections include:

See also

Footnotes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, "Plummeting oil price creates problems for severance-tax states," accessed February 6, 2015
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 NY Times, "As Oil Prices Fall, Alaska’s New Governor Faces a Novel Goal, Frugality," accessed February 6, 2015
  3. ↑ News Miner, "Alaska governor proposes hundreds of state job cuts as oil prices plunge," accessed February 6, 2015
  4. ↑ The Wall Street Journal, "Heastie Elected Speaker in New Era for N.Y. Assembly," February 3, 2015
  5. ↑ New York Post, "New speaker Heastie keeps Sheldon Silver’s leadership team," February 5, 2014
  6. ↑ Associated Press, "Democrat Carl Heastie Elected Speaker of New York Assembly," February 4, 2015
  7. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named capital
  8. ↑ The New York Times, "Meet Carl Heastie, the Flawed Politician Who Might Lead the N.Y. Assembly," February 2, 2015
  9. ↑ Capital New York, "Heastie rewarded contributors, racked up unusual expenses," February 2, 2015
  10. ↑ City & State, "Inside Moreland: Documents Reveal Details of Lawmakers' Campaign Spending," May 11, 2014
  11. ↑ The New York Times, "Sheldon Silver, Assembly Speaker, Took Millions in Payoffs, U.S. Says," January 22, 2015
  12. ↑ Newsday, "Silver goes from Assembly speaker to the back row," February 3, 2015
  13. ↑ Democrat & Chronicle, "Carl Heastie 'honored, humbled' after speaker election," February 3, 2015
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Jonathan J. Cooper, ABC News, "Oregon Strippers Lobby for Better Work Conditions," February 2, 2015
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Associated Press, OregonLive.com, "Portland strippers head to Salem to lobby for better work conditions," February 2, 2015
  16. ↑ Anna Walters, Willamette Week, "Oregon Strippers Prepare to Fight For Workplace Protection Laws," January 24, 2015
  17. ↑ Stateside Associates, " Session Calendar 2014," accessed February 9, 2015
  18. ↑ StateNet, " Daily Session Summary," accessed February 9, 2015
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 Mississippi Secretary of State, "2015 Elections," accessed January 2, 2015
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 Mississippi Secretary of State, "2015 Election Calendar," accessed January 2, 2015
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 New Jersey Department of Elections, "2015 Primary Election Timeline," accessed February 2, 2015
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 Virginia State Board of Elections, "2015 November Election Calendar," accessed January 2, 2015
  23. ↑ Arkansas Secretary of State, "Special Election for Senate District 16," accessed December 3, 2014
  24. ↑ Arkansas Secretary of State, "Official primary election results," accessed February 25, 2015
  25. ↑ Arkansas Secretary of State, "Official primary runoff election results," accessed March 18, 2015
  26. ↑ arkansasonline.com, "1-candidate election nets 110 ballots," accessed April 16, 2015
  27. ↑ Arkansas Business, "Michael Lamoureux Resigns to Work for Asa Hutchinson," November 11, 2014
  28. ↑ The Republic, "Arkansas governor sets April 14 special election to fill vacant state Senate seat," November 21, 2014
  29. ↑ Florida Department of Elections, "Official candidate list," accessed December 17, 2014
  30. ↑ Florida Department of Elections, "Official special election results for District 64," accessed May 26, 2015
  31. ↑ Tampa Bay Times, "Governor calls special election for state House 64 seat," November 24, 2014
  32. ↑ Florida Department of Elections, "Notice of Special Election," accessed November 25, 2014
  33. ↑ Iowa Secretary of State, "Official candidate list," accessed January 28, 2015
  34. ↑ Iowa Secretary of State, "Official election results," accessed February 25, 2015
  35. ↑ The Des Moines Register, "Special election set for House District 23," January 14, 2015
  36. ↑ Iowa Secretary of State, "State Representative District 23 - 2/10/2015 Special Election," accessed January 14, 2015
  37. ↑ patch.com, "Five Candidates Qualify for State House District 50 Special Election," November 21, 2014
  38. ↑ patch.com, "House District 50 Race Heads To Runoff," January 6, 2015
  39. ↑ 39.0 39.1 Georgia Secretary of State, "Official election results," accessed February 25, 2015
  40. ↑ Patch.com, "Lynne Riley Resigns From Georgia House, Will Serve As State Revenue Commissioner," November 7, 2014
  41. ↑ Peach Pundit, "Special Election Set for House District 50 (Lynn Riley’s Seat)," November 12, 2014
  42. ↑ Georgia Secretary of State, "Official candidate list," accessed December 31, 2014
  43. ↑ Athens Banner-Herald, "Election for District 120 set for Feb. 3 runoff," January 7, 2015
  44. ↑ Peach Pundit, "Representative Mickey Channell Retiring From Legislature," November 28, 2014
  45. ↑ timesunion.com, "Special election scheduled for Georgia House District 120," December 1, 2014
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