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The State and Local Tap: Ohio House Speaker announces resignation; two Nevada state senators avoid potential recall

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April 13, 2018Issue No. 108

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Week in review
On tap next week

THE WEEK IN REVIEW

Here's what happened in state and local politics last week. To see what happened in federal politics, click here.

State Politics: The Week in Review

Ballot Measures Update

2018:

  • Sixty-nine (69) measures are certified to appear on statewide ballots in 26 states in 2018 so far—16 citizen-initiated measures, 52 legislatively referred measures, and one measure automatically referred to the ballot by the state constitution. Over the previous five even-year election cycles, an average of 61 citizen-initiated measures and 173 total statewide measures have appeared on ballots. Review Ballotpedia’s list of 2018 initiative and referendum signature deadlines to stay ahead of 2018 ballot measure news, and see if there are initiatives currently circulating in your state here.
    • Two new measures were certified for 2018 ballots over the last week.
    • By this time in 2014, 94 measures had been certified for the 2014 ballot; ultimately, 158 statewide measures were put on the ballot in 2014. By this time in 2016, 90 measures had been certified for the 2016 ballot; ultimately, 162 statewide measures were put on the ballot in 2016.
    • The average number of certifications by the 15th week of the year from 2010 through 2016 was 97, and the average total number of certified measures by the end of the year in the same period was 173.
    • Signatures for seven additional citizen-initiated measures have been submitted and are pending verification in California, Michigan and South Dakota. To see this list, click here.
    • In Alaska, Maine, and Massachusetts enough signatures were submitted for eight indirect initiatives (one of which has two versions) to put them before the state legislatures during the 2018 session and then on the ballot if the legislatures don’t approve them (provided a second, smaller round of signatures is collected for the Massachusetts initiatives). To see this list of initiatives currently pending legislative consideration, click here.
    • The latest general signature submission deadlines were on February 1, 2018, for all signatures to be verified for initiated constitutional amendments in Florida and February 9, 2018, for initiatives in Wyoming. Enough signatures were submitted in Florida for two initiatives. In Wyoming, signatures were not submitted for the one pending initiative.
    • The next general signature deadline is April 16, 2018, for initiatives in Utah.
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Saturday, April 7

Maryland General Assembly approves changes to hate crime law

  • The Maryland General Assembly approved Senate Bill 528, which would change the state's hate crime law. SB 528 would include new wording to clarify that it is illegal to "commit specified acts against another person’s or group’s race, color, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, gender, disability, or national origin, or because another person or group is homeless." The bill passed unanimously in the Senate and was approved by a 129-4 vote in the House.

North Dakota GOP endorses challenger over 25-year incumbent for secretary of state

  • The North Dakota Republican Party voted to endorse businessman Will Gardner over incumbent Al Jaeger in the race for secretary of state. Gardner claimed 679 votes to Jaeger’s 438 votes. Jaeger announced the next day that he would not seek re-election. Jaeger has served as secretary of state since 1992. State party chair Rick Berg said on Jaeger’s announcement that, “What we saw today, Al Jaeger putting the party ahead of his personal (interests), is huge in my book.”
    • The April 9 filing deadline in North Dakota was the 31st statewide filing deadline of the 2018 election cycle. The state’s primary is on June 12, and the general election is on November 6, 2018. Other candidates that have filed for the seat are state Rep. Joshua Boschee (D) and Roland Riemers (L).

Sunday, April 8

Kansas lawmakers pass $534 million education funding increase

  • The Kansas State Legislature passed a measure increasing K-12 funding by $534 million over a five-year period. The Kansas State Senate, which originally wanted to increased funding by $274 million, agreed to the measure by a 21 to 19 vote. The measure passed while teachers assembled at the state capitol to show their support. Republican Gov. Jeff Colyer also expressed support for the bill.
  • The Kansas Supreme Court ruled in October that the state did not sufficiently fund education. At the time of the bill's passage, Kansas spent more than $4 billion per year on K-12 education.
  • According to the Kansas State Department of Education, the plan contained an $80 million error in the first year, decreasing the amount of new school funding from $150 million to $72 million. A spokesman for Gov. Colyer said the governor would still sign the bill and would "work with the Legislature to correct the error when they return."

Monday, April 9

Kentucky Gov. Bevin vetoes bills, says teacher walkout would be irresponsible and illegal

  • Republican Gov. Matt Bevin vetoed a budget proposal (HB 200) the Kentucky General Assembly approved on April 2, saying it was not balanced and "ignore[d] fiscal reality."
  • Bevin also vetoed a bill that would change the state tax code (HB 366) in its entirety. In his veto letter, Bevin said HB 366 had positive aspects but left "in place several extremely bad taxes that harm Kentucky's competitiveness" and added that it "fails to address many inequities in the tax code that currently favor government over free enterprise."
  • A veto override would require a constitutional majority in the legislature (20 members in the Senate and 51 members in the House). The budget bill originally passed by a 59-36 vote in the state House with five members not voting and a 25-13 vote with all members voting in the state Senate. The tax measure originally passed 51 to 44 in the House with five members not voting and 20 to 18 in the Senate with all members voting.
  • Reaction
    • The Jefferson County teachers union called on lawmakers to override Bevin's veto of HB 366, saying it would harm Kentucky teachers. The union also encouraged teachers who were able to take personal days to protest at the state capitol on April 13.
    • Bevin said a teacher walkout would be irresponsible and illegal. In a press conference to announce the vetoes, he said the Kentucky Education Association (KEA) was responsible for recent conflicts between educators and lawmakers: "The issue isn't the teachers. ... The KEA has been a problem." He also said the KEA refused "to be a part of the solution."
    • KEA President Stephanie Winkler responded that Bevin was insulting teachers: "In dismissing those bills out of hand, Governor Bevin shows that he cares as little for legislators’ work as he cares for the work of Kentucky's other public employees."
    • For more on the conflicts with teachers in Kentucky and other states, click here.

Maryland General Assembly passes marijuana licensing bill

  • On April 9, the Maryland General Assembly passed a bill to increase the number of medical marijuana-grower licenses from 15 to 22. Under the bill, two licenses would go to two companies that took legal action over the licensing process. The bill included provisions to help minority-owned companies obtain the four remaining licenses. The number of marijuana processor licenses would also increase from 15 to 28.

Virginia Gov. Northam vetoes bill related to sanctuary cities

  • Gov. Ralph Northam (D) vetoed a bill that would have prohibited sanctuary cities. The bill's only sentence read: "No locality shall adopt any ordinance, procedure, or policy that restricts the enforcement of federal immigration laws."
  • Northam said in his veto explanation that the legislation would have forced "local law enforcement agencies to use precious resources to perform functions that are the responsibility of federal immigration enforcement agencies." He also said, "Localities have the right to determine whether to expend the resources and voluntarily enter into an agreement with the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency."
  • Bill sponsor Del. Ben Cline (R) said the bill was intended to keep localities from interfering with federal immigration activities. "Ensuring that Virginia localities abide by federal immigration laws is a matter of public safety and upholding the rule of law. Governor Northam’s veto of my bill to ban sanctuary cities in Virginia is indefensible."

Fallin signs bill adding fentanyl to list of drugs eligible for felony trafficking charge

  • Republican Gov. Mary Fallin signed Senate Bill 1078, which adds fentanyl to the list of drugs eligible for a felony charge. Other eligible drugs include but are not limited to marijuana, cocaine, heroin, and oxycodone. Under the bill, possession of "one gram or more of a mixture containing fentanyl or carfentanil, or any fentanyl analogs or derivative" is punishable by a $100,000 to $500,000 fine.
  • The Oklahoma State Senate approved SB 1078 on March 6 by a 42-1 vote, and the Oklahoma House of Representatives unanimously passed the bill on April 2.
  • The legislation was recommended by the Oklahoma Commission on Opioid Abuse, which was created by Attorney General Mike Hunter (R) to help combat the opioid epidemic in Oklahoma.

Candidate filing deadline in North Dakota

  • The filing deadline for candidates running in North Dakota elections passed. Federal and state offices on the ballot in 2018 will include one U.S. Senate seat, one at-large U.S. House seat, five state executive offices including the attorney general, 24 of 47 state senate seats, 48 of 94 state house seats, and one of five seats on the state supreme court. The state’s primary is on June 12, and the general election is on November 6, 2018.
    • North Dakota had the 31st state filing deadline to pass in the 2018 election cycle. North Dakota is one of 26 states with a Republican trifecta; Republicans hold the governor’s office and a majority in both state legislative chambers.

Recalls against two Democratic state senators in Nevada fail to make the ballot

  • In Nevada, recall officials announced that neither the Sen. Joyce Woodhouse (D) or Sen. Nicole Cannizzaro (D) recall campaigns had the required number of signatures to qualify for the ballot. According to documents filed by Secretary of State Barbara Cegavske (R) on April 6, each recall fell short of the signature threshold by at least 1,500 signatures. More than 2,300 people were removed from the recall petitions after Clark County District Judge Jerry Wiese ruled on March 15, 2018, that they could withdraw their names.
    • Judge Wiese heard arguments on February 7 in the lawsuit over the recall efforts against Sen. Woodhouse and Sen. Cannizzaro. The lawsuit argued that more than 2,000 names on the two recall petitions should not have been counted because those signatories had filed to have their names removed. Democrats currently hold a 10-9 majority in the state senate with one nonpartisan member caucusing with Democrats and one vacant seat that was previously held by a Democrat.
    • Of the 11 Nevada State Senate seats up for election in 2018, Democrats hold four seats, Republicans hold six seats, and one seat belongs to a nonpartisan member. Sen. Cannizzaro represents a district that voted for Hillary Clinton (D) in 2016 by 50 percent to Donald Trump’s 45 percent. Cannizzaro’s seat is not up for election again until 2020. Sen. Woodhouse represents a district that voted for Hillary Clinton (D) in 2016 by 48 percent to 46 percent. Woodhouse’s seat is not up for election again until 2020 when she will be term-limited.
    • As of April 2018, no recall petitions had been filed against state lawmakers in 2018. One is still ongoing and has been carried over from 2017. Since 2011, 72 recall petitions have been filed against state lawmakers. Eight recalls were successful, nine were defeated at the ballot, 54 did not go to a vote, and one recall campaigns is still ongoing. A recall election is being held on June 5, 2018, against California state Sen. Josh Newman (D). Two Colorado state senators were successfully recalled in 2013.
    • Nevada is one of 16 states under divided government. Democrats control the state legislature and the governor’s office is held by Republican Brian Sandoval.

Maryland Legislators Send Gambling Revenue Lockbox Amendment to the Ballot

  • The Maryland Gambling Revenue Dedicated to Education Lockbox Amendment (Senate Bill 1122) was returned to the Senate as passed after being certified for the ballot on Friday April 6, 2018. The Maryland legislature can put a proposed amendment on the ballot upon a sixty percent majority vote in both the legislative chambers. The Senate unanimously approved the amendment on March 17, 2018, and the House approved the amendment 130 to 2, with 9 not voting or absent. The amendment would incrementally dedicate gambling revenue to education through 2023. The amendment would dedicate revenue as supplemental to minimum required education funding levels. This means that casino revenue couldn't be counted in the minimum education spending formulas and would have to be spent on education in addition to those minimum required levels under the amendment.
  • The amendment would incrementally dedicate gambling revenue to education through 2023. The following amounts of casino revenue would be used as supplemental funding for public education under the measure:
    • $125 million for fiscal year 2020
    • $250 million for fiscal year 2021
    • $375 million for fiscal year 2022
    • 100 percent of revenues (estimated at $517 million) raised for fiscal year 2023 and for each fiscal year after
  • Maryland voters approved constitutional amendments allowing slots in 2008 and table games in 2012. Proponents of the 2018 lockbox amendment said that lawmakers had promised to use funds from gambling for education when the 2008 and 2012 measures were approved, but there was no legal requirement dictating that funds must be spent on education. This amendment would stop future governors and lawmakers from using revenue from casinos on anything other than K-12 education.
  • Betty Weller, president of the Maryland State Education Association, a proponent of the measure, said “We applaud the General Assembly for taking the first step in making a new Maryland Promise to every family, in every community, that the state will fund a strong public school for their children." According to the Maryland State Education Association, since 2009 when the Education Trust Fund was created, $1.9 billion in casino tax revenue had been added to the Education Trust Fund, but education spending as a whole had not increased.
  • This is the second LRCA to be certified for the ballot in Maryland for 2018. The other is the Maryland Question 2, Election-Day Voter Registration Amendment (2018) which would amending the state constitution to authorize the state legislature to enact a process for registering qualified individuals to vote at a precinct polling place on election day.
  • Historical facts:
    • From 1996 through 2016, 32 measures appeared on the ballot in Maryland.
    • From 1996 through 2016, there was an average of about three measures on the ballot in even-numbered years.
    • Over the two decades prior to 2018, 29 of 32 measures, or 90 percent, were approved, and three of 32 measures, or 9 percent, were defeated.

Republican Governors Association announces $13.9 million ad buy

  • The Republican Governors Association (RGA) announced Monday that it had spent $13.9 million to reserve air time in the fall for ads to support gubernatorial candidates in general elections in six states. Of that amount, $5.1 million was allocated to run ads in Wisconsin, where sitting Gov. Scott Walker (R) is seeking re-election to a third term.
  • An additional $2.2 million was committed to Tennessee, where Gov. Bill Haslam (R) is prevented by term limits from seeking re-election. The RGA also announced a $1.1 million ad buy in Kansas, where Gov. Jeff Colyer (R) is seeking election to a full term after succeeding former Gov. Sam Brownback (R) in January. Colyer faces 21 declared challengers, including eight Republicans.
  • In the other three states targeted, Republicans are seeking to pick up the governor's mansion in November's elections. The RGA committed $2.3 million to Minnesota, where sitting Gov. Mark Dayton (D) is not seeking re-election, leaving the seat open. The week before the ad buy, former Governor Tim Pawlenty (R) announced that he would seek to retake his old seat, leading Larry Sabato's Crystal Ball to move their forecast for the race from Leans Democratic to Toss-up.
  • The RGA spent $1.7 million to reserve air time in Connecticut, where Gov. Dan Malloy (D) is not seeking re-election. Sixteen Republicans have so far declared for the seat. The final $1.5 million was allocated to Alaska, where Gov. Bill Walker (I) is seeking re-election to a second term. Four Republicans have launched campaigns to challenge Walker.

Tuesday, April 10

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker signs welfare legislation into law

  • Gov. Scott Walker (R) signed nine bills that were part of a package to change the state's welfare system. In a press release, Walker said the bills "ensure help to those who truly need it, while providing the training and assistance they need to re-enter the workforce and regain independence." The legislation passed the legislature along party lines in February.
    • Special session assembly bill 1 requires the state health department to establish mandatory participation in the FoodShare employment and training program. The mandatory participation must be consistent with the maximum hours permitted by the federal government.
    • Special session assembly bill 2 requires adults participating in the FoodShare program to complete a work requirement or participate in a training course to maintain eligibility for the program, unless the adult is a student or a caretaker for a child under the age of six. Caretakers of disabled dependents are exempt from the requirement.
    • Special session assembly bill 3 prohibits individuals with a home valued at 200 percent of the median statewide home value and a vehicle valued at more than $20,000 from participating in W-2, WI Shares, and FoodShare programs.
    • Special session assembly bill 4 authorizes public housing authorities to help individuals in public housing with employment plan development. It would also require drug screening, testing, and treatment for public housing residents.
    • Special session assembly 5 creates "a pilot program for periodic payments of the earned income tax credit."
    • Special session assembly bill 6 requires the state health department and the Department of Children and Families to establish performance-based payment systems for Wisconsin Works and FoodShare employment and training contracts.
    • Special session assembly bill 7 authorizes the department of administration (DOA) to have pay-for-performance standards in contracts with private service providers that assist in welfare program management.
    • Special session assembly bill 8 requires Medicaid recipients to comply with child support requirements.
    • Special session assembly bill 9 mandates the state health department to request a federal government waiver to "create a savings program, similar to a health savings account, in the Medicaid program."
  • Senate Minority Leader Jennifer Shilling (D) said there were other ways to help unemployed residents get jobs: "Rather than creating barriers and driving more Wisconsin families into poverty, Democrats want to expand economic opportunities, grow our middle class and support strong communities."
  • According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the costs of the requirements were estimated at $79.7 million in state and federal funds. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel also reported that as of November 2017, 24,420 welfare participants found work through work requirement programs, and 86,000 residents lost benefits. "Some of those who lost benefits likely went on to get jobs outside the program, but it's not possible to track that."

Democrat Lori Berman wins Florida State Senate special election

  • Democrat Lori Berman defeated Republican Tami Donnally 75 to 25 percent in a special election to fill the vacant District 31 of the Florida State Senate. Berman will replace Jeff Clemens (D), who resigned in October 2017 after admitting to having an affair with a lobbyist. District 31 is in Palm Beach County. Berman represented District 90 of the Florida House of Representatives from 2010 until now. She resigned from the state house on April 9.
    • Florida is one of 26 Republican trifectas, which means it has a Republican governor and Republican majorities in both chambers of the state legislature.

Republican Annette Sweeney wins Iowa State Senate special election

  • Unofficial results from Hardin, Grundy, Butler, and Story counties showed Republican Annette Sweeney defeating Democrat Tracy Freese 56 to 44 percent in the special election for District 25 of the Iowa State Senate. Sweeney will replace Bill Dix (R), who resigned after a website published photos of him kissing a female lobbyist.
    • Iowa is one of 26 Republican trifectas, which means it has a Republican governor and Republican majorities in both chambers of the state legislature.

Wednesday, April 11

South Dakota Drug Price Standards initiative certified for the ballot

  • The secretary of state announced that enough of the submitted signatures were valid for a drug price standards initiative to certify it for the November 2018 ballot. The measure would require state agencies to pay no more for prescription drugs than the prices paid by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The VA is a department that negotiates drug prices with companies and typically receives a 24 percent discount for prescription drugs. South Dakotans for Lower Drug Prices submitted over 22,000 signatures in November 2017; 13,871 valid signatures were required to qualify the initiated state statute for the ballot.
  • The initiative—Initiated Measure 26—is the third such effort to tie drug prices paid by state agencies to the prices paid by the VA; voters in California and Ohio defeated similar measures in 2016 and 2017, respectively. In California, opponents of Proposition 61 spent $109 million, which mostly came from pharmaceutical companies. The AIDS Healthcare Foundation, founded and run by Michael Weinstein, sponsored the initiative and spent $19 million supporting it. Ultimately, it was defeated by a margin of 53.2 percent to 47.8 percent. The battle between AHF and pharmaceutical companies repeated in 2017 over Ohio Issue 2. The opposition campaign raised $59 million—a record in Ohio—to the support campaign’s $18.3 million. Voters rejected the initiative 79 percent to 21 percent.
  • According to the most recent campaign finance reports in South Dakota—2017 year-end reports—South Dakotans for Lower Drug Prices had received $50,000, all from the AIDS Healthcare Foundation. The opposition campaign—South Dakotans Against the Deceptive Rx Ballot Issue—had received $314,416.12. The top opposition donors were Novo Nordisk Inc. ($205,000), Bristol-Myers Squibb ($100,000), PhRMA ($7,976.12), and South Dakota Biotechnology Association ($1,440).
  • Initiated Measure 26 is the fourth initiative to be certified for the 2018 ballot in South Dakota. The state legislature has referred four other measures to the ballot, including one on the ballot for the June Primary election.

Arizona Legislature sends bill on abortion information collection to governor

  • The Arizona State Senate agreed to House amendments to Senate Bill 1394 (SB 1394), which would require healthcare providers to ask women why they are seeking an abortion.
  • The original bill proposal would have required healthcare providers to ask specific questions with possible responses including economic issues, rape, incest, and more. The House version replaced the original responses with whether the procedure was elective, due to maternal or fetal health, rape or incest, sexual trafficking, domestic violence, or coercion.
  • The bill was transmitted to Republican Gov. Doug Ducey.

Kentucky Attorney General sues governor over pension legislation

  • The Democratic Attorney General Andy Beshear along with the Kentucky Education Association and the Kentucky State Lodge Fraternal Order of Police filed a lawsuit challenging legislation that changes state employee pensions. Beshear argued that the legislation "reduces the retirement benefits of the over 200,000 active members of the pension systems. ... In doing so, it breaks the 'inviolable' contract that the Commonwealth made with its public employees." The lawsuit also claimed that the legislature used an illegal process to pass the bill.
  • Beshear asked the court to declare the legislation unconstitutional and to prevent its enforcement through a restraining order, temporary injunction, and permanent injunction.
  • Republican Gov. Matt Bevin signed the legislation, which was a key part of teacher protests on March 30, on April 10. It moves future teachers from a defined benefit plan to a hybrid cash balance plan, in which retirement payments come out of teacher salaries.
  • Elizabeth Kuhn, communications director for Gov. Bevin, issued a statement in response to the lawsuit, claiming that former Gov. Steve Beshear, the attorney general's father, underfunded pension systems while he was in office. Kuhn also said, "The Attorney General has threatened litigation since the process began, proving that he cared less about the contents of pension reform and more about scoring political points."
  • The Kentucky Education Association (KEA), a group opposed to the bill, called on members to rally at the state capitol on April 13. Gov. Bevin said of the call for action, "If we want to punish students by having their teachers walk out on them because they are instructed to do so by the KEA, the KEA doesn't know which side of this they're on."

Utah legislators consider holding veto override session

  • The Republican-controlled Utah State Legislature announced it was considering calling a veto override session to address two bills that Republican Gov. Gary R. Herbert vetoed on March 27.
  • Senate Bill 171:
    • would allow legislators to provide evidence or written or oral argument if a state court challenges state statute, legislation, or "any action of the Legislature."
    • would authorize the legislature to file an amicus brief or present argument in response to federal court action.
    • specifies that court intervention by the legislature would not limit the attorney general's ability to defend or prosecute legal actions.
    • says the legislature and the attorney general would function independently.
  • SB 171 passed 61 to 8 in the House and 20 to 3 in the Senate. According to The Salt Lake Tribune, Gov. Herbert vetoed the legislation because it would create separate state positions in legal challenges.
  • House Bill 198:
    • would require the attorney general to provide written legal opinions when requested.
    • mandates the attorney general establish confidentiality procedures to prevent conflicts of interest.
  • Gov. Herbert blocked a legislative request for an attorney general opinion last year, saying it would violate his attorney-client privilege.
  • Both chambers unanimously passed HB 198.
  • Vetoes in Utah.
    • Under the Utah Constitution, the legislature can call a special veto session to consider overrides of any bills the governor vetoed after adjournment. Two-thirds of members in both chambers must agree to do so. The session would last for five days.
    • Two-thirds of members in both chambers must vote to override a veto, which is 50 of the 75 members in the Utah House of Representatives and 20 of the 29 members in the Utah State Senate. Utah has a 62-13 Republican majority in the state House and a 24-5 Republican majority in the state Senate.
    • Utah is one of 36 states that requires a two-thirds vote from both of its legislative chambers to override a veto.

Missouri house committee releases findings in Greitens investigation

  • A Missouri house special investigative committee released its findings in a 24-page report. In it a female witness, who the committee determined to be credible, detailed multiple sexual encounters with Gov. Eric Greitens (R) involving physical and verbal abuse. Greitens is currently scheduled to appear in court on felony invasion of privacy charges on May 14, 2018. He has maintained that he would appear in court rather than resign over the charges.
    • On January 10, 2018, Greitens admitted to having an extramarital affair. In a recorded conversation, the woman involved claimed that Greitens had attempted blackmail in order to prevent her from exposing the affair. Greitens denied the blackmail allegations and refused to resign. Greitens was indicted by a St. Louis grand jury for felony invasion of privacy on February 22, 2018. He was accused of taking a nude photograph of the woman with whom he had the affair and threatening to release the image if the woman spoke publicly about the affair. The grand jury alleges that Greitens knowingly took a photograph of the woman and transmitted the image "in a manner that allowed access to that image via a computer," according to the indictment. He faces up to four years in prison and $5,000 in fines if convicted.
  • This new report led on renewed calls for the governor to resign. State Attorney General and U.S. Senate candidate Josh Hawley (R) said, "The House Investigative Committee’s Report contains shocking, substantial, and corroborated evidence of wrongdoing by Gov. Greitens. The conduct the Report details is certainly impeachable, in my judgment, and the House is well within its rights to proceed on that front. But the people of Missouri should not be put through that ordeal. Gov. Greitens should resign immediately."
  • The investigative committee could recommend articles of impeachment be introduced against Greitens. Impeachment would require a majority vote in the state House, where it would move to the state Senate to select seven judges for an impeachment trial. The committee is not expected to make any recommendations until after the close of the regular session in May, according to speaker Todd Richardson. No governor has been impeached in Missouri's history.
  • Missouri is currently one of 26 Republican state government trifectas. In addition to controlling the governor’s mansion, they have a 24-9 majority in the state Senate and a 114-47 majority in the state House.

Maine supreme court to hear challenge to ranked-choice voting law

  • Kennebec County Superior Court Judge Michaela Murphy announced that she would transmit a case dealing with the implementation of ranked-choice voting in Maine's June 12, 2018, primary election to the Maine Supreme Judicial Court. The case, Senate of Maine v. Dunlap, was filed by the Maine State Senate, which initially requested that the superior court "issue a preliminary injunction and, upon further consideration, a permanent injunction barring the Secretary of State from committing and expending public funds of the State of Maine for the development, implementation, and administration of Ranked-Choice Voting in the June 12, 2018 primary elections and all other elections unless and until such time as the legislative authority of Maine appropriates public funds for that purpose." The state supreme court scheduled a hearing on the case for 2:00 p.m. on April 12, 2018.
    • Maine voters adopted ranked-choice voting for federal and state elections via a 2016 ballot initiative. In May 2017, the Maine Supreme Judicial Court issued an advisory opinion finding that provisions of the ranked-choice voting law violated the state constitution. In October 2017, the state legislature approved LD 1646, which provided for delayed implementation of the state's ranked-choice voting law pending voter approval of a constitutional amendment allowing for its use. LD 1646 also provided for the repeal of the ranked-choice voting law if no constitutional amendment is approved by December 1, 2021. Ranked-choice voting proponents initiated a veto referendum campaign to suspend and, ultimately, repeal LD 1646. Ranked-choice voting proponents filed the requisite 61,123 valid signatures to place the veto referendum on the June 2018 ballot, suspending LD 1646 pending resolution of the veto referendum and paving the way for implementation of ranked-choice voting in the June 2018 primary election for federal and state offices. On March 29, 2018, Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap (D) announced that he had been notified by Assistant Attorney General Phyllis Gardiner of "legal concerns regarding the implementation of ranked-choice voting" that might prohibit its use in the June 2018 primary election. On April 3, 2018, Murphy issued an opinion in a separate lawsuit, Committee for Ranked-Choice Voting v. Dunlap, ordering state officials to proceed with the implementation of ranked-choice voting in the June 12, 2018, primary election. The Maine State Senate filed its suit the following day.

Nebraska Senate approves tax bill to adjust for projected effects of new federal tax law

  • The Nebraska State Senate [ https://ballotpedia.org/2018_Nebraska_legislative_session unanimously approved] LB 1090, a bill to adjust individual income tax brackets and the person exemption credit, and establish that the standard deduction be based on the Consumer Price Index - All Urban Consumers published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
  • Bill sponsor Sen. Jim Smith (R) wrote in a statement of intent: "LB 1090 would restore the $134 personal exemption credit that was effectively repealed by the federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. The bill also establishes the Nebraska standard deduction as $6,750 for single taxpayers and $9,900 for head of household filers. The standard deductions for married, filing jointly returns is double the standard deduction for single returns. The additional amounts for age or blindness are $1,300 for married taxpayers and $1,600 for single or head-of-household taxpayers."
  • Sen. Bob Krist (D) expressed concerns that the bill might have a negative impact on state revenues. Renee Fry, executive director of the OpenSky Policy Institute, echoed those concerns: "LB1090 leaves no margin of error should the federal cuts have a negative impact on state revenues." The OpenSky Policy Institute describes itself as a "non-partisan organization dedicated to fiscal research and analysis."

Vermont governor signs bills to raise firearm purchase age, prohibit high-capacity magazine sales, permit extreme risk protection orders

  • Vermont Gov. Phil Scott (R) signed three bills related to firearms.
    • S 221 authorizes extreme risk protection orders, in which law enforcement can confiscate weapons from individuals deemed by a court to be a threat to themselves or others.
    • H 422 allows law enforcement to confiscate weapons from individuals arrested or cited for domestic assault if the individual is in immediate possession of the weapon, the weapon is visible to the officer, or the weapon is discovered during a legal search.
    • S 55 increases the firearm purchase age from 18 to 21. It also requires background checks on private gun sales and prohibits the sale of high-capacity magazines, beginning October 1.
  • According to NBC 5, Gov. Scott signed the bills on the steps of the state house before a crowd divided into groups of supporters and opponents. NBC 5 reported that supporters applauded the governor and held signs that read, "Thank you!" while opponents "appeared unpersuaded, yelling and shouting," calling the governor "a traitor and a liar for changing his view on the gun issue," and holding "signs promising to 'Remember in November.'"
  • In his remarks, Gov. Scott explained that he owned guns and supported gun ownership but changed his views on legislation after he learned of a planned school shooting in Vermont. He said he understood that some residents were "disappointed and angry. I understand I may lose support over the decision to sign these bills today. Those are consequences I’m prepared to live with."

Colorado gubernatorial candidate Walker Stapleton withdraws from petitioning process, will seek nomination via assembly

  • Colorado state Treasurer Walker Stapleton (R), who is running to succeed term-limited Gov. John Hickenlooper (D), withdrew from the petition nominating process, saying that there was reason to believe that the firm he had hired to collect signatures had committed fraud.
  • In order to appear on the June 26 primary ballot, candidates running for governor of Colorado must either submit valid signatures from 1,500 registered voters of their political party in each of the state's seven congressional districts or receive at least 30 percent of the vote at the state party convention. Stapleton's withdrawal from the petition process means that he must receive 30 percent of the vote at the state convention, which is scheduled for April 14, in order to appear on the primary ballot.
  • Stapleton also said that he intended to sue Kennedy Enterprises, the firm that he had hired to collect signatures, alleging that they had not followed the proper legal requirements for petition-gathering.
  • Kennedy Enterprises had also coordinated petition-gathering efforts for Rep. Doug Lamborn (R), who is seeking election to a seventh term. A state judge ruled in Lamborn's favor Tuesday in a lawsuit challenging the validity of his nominating petitions.

Thursday, April 12

Filing deadline in California

  • The filing deadline for the special election to fill the vacant District 32 seat on the California State Senate passed. The special primary election will be held on June 5. If a candidate receives a majority of the votes in the primary election, he or she will be declared the winner. If no candidates receive a majority, the top two vote-getters will advance to a special general election on August 7. The seat became vacant following Tony Mendoza's (D) resignation on February 22, due to sexual misconduct allegations against him. He criticized an internal investigation conducted by the state senate into the allegations and said he would file to run for re-election to the seat.
    • The District 32 special election is the fourth state legislative special election to be held in California in 2018, but it is the first special election for the state senate. Three state assembly seats were up for special primary election on April 3, and two advanced to a special runoff election that will also be held on June 5.

Filing deadline in Missouri

  • The filing deadline for the special election to fill the vacant District 17 seat of the Missouri State Senate passed. State Reps. Lauren Arthur (D) and Kevin Corlew are facing off in the general election on June 5. The seat became vacant on January 4, 2018, after Ryan Silvey (R) was appointed to the Missouri Public Service Commission.
    • Special elections were held in four Missouri House of Representatives districts in February. House District 97 flipped from Republican control to Democratic control as a result of the special election.

Oklahoma teacher walkout ends after nine days

  • Oklahoma Education Association President Alicia Priest announced the end of the teacher walkout. $479 million in education funding for next school year was agreed to.
  • A statement from Gov. Mary Fallin's (R) office said she appreciated teachers and was glad they were returning to class. Fallin also said she was "very proud that Republican lawmakers have led the way on increasing educational expenditures for Oklahoma’s students this session."
  • On April 10, Fallin signed two bills to raise revenue earmarked for education funding. She also signed a third bill repealing a provision of the revenue package raising teacher pay that she signed in March.
    • HB 1019xx requires "third-party online retailers to collect and remit sales tax back to state coffers." A press release from the governor projected the legislation would bring in $20.5 million for public schools.
    • HB 3375 allows tribal casinos to use traditional roulette and dice games, which were prohibited in 2004. HB 3375 requires casinos to pay 10 percent of the monthly net proceeds from the games to the state. Revenue expected from the bill was estimated at $24 million.
    • HB 1012xx repeals a $5-per-night tax on hotel and motel rooms. OEA President Alicia Priest called on Fallin to veto HB 1012xx, but Fallin said that the original revenue package containing the $5 hotel tax provision and funding the teacher pay raise would not have passed without an agreement to repeal the hotel tax.
  • Click here to read more about the public education strike in Oklahoma.

Pennsylvania Department of State directs counties to ensure that all voting machines provide for a paper trail by end of 2019

  • Pennsylvania's Acting Secretary of State Robert Torres issued a directive to county election administrators instructing them to ensure that all voting machines, regardless of purchase date, provide for a paper record of all votes cast. Torres set a deadline of the end of 2019 for counties to comply with this directive. Torres said, "We want to bring about the system upgrades so Pennsylvania voters are voting on the most secure and auditable equipment as promptly and feasibly as possible."
  • On February 9, 2018, Torres issued a separate directive in which he instructed county election administrators to ensure that all voting equipment purchase thereafter provide for a paper trail. That directive did not mandate that counties obtain new equipment, but it did establish specifications for new equipment that counties could purchase should they opt to do so.
    • According to Verified Voting, as of November 2016, Pennsylvania was one of seven states in which both paper ballot and direct recording electronic (DRE) systems without paper trails were used. The other six states were Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia. For more information about the voting equipment used in the United States, see this article.

NRA backs Cagle in Georgia gubernatorial Republican primary

  • The National Rifle Association endorsed Lieutenant Gov. Casey Cagle in the Georgia gubernatorial Republican primary. The endorsement came two months after Cagle helped block a $40 million tax break for Delta Airlines after the company rescinded a discount program for members of the NRA in the aftermath of a school shooting in Parkland, Florida. "Corporations cannot attack conservatives and expect us not to fight back," Cagle said when announcing he would block the tax break.
  • Cagle’s GOP primary rivals include Secretary of State Brian Kemp, state Sens. Hunter Hill and Michael Williams, and businessman Clay Tippins. If no candidate receives more than 50 percent of the vote in the May 22 primary, the top two vote getters will advance to a runoff on July 24.
  • Cagle leads the field in fundraising, with more than $4 million in cash on hand as of March 31, and has led in at least six polls, although he has never garnered more than 50 percent of the vote. Behind him in fundraising and polling are Kemp and Hill, who have alternated second and third place as they attempt to land a spot in a runoff.
  • Hill criticized Cagle for blocking the Delta tax break, saying that it should have never been offered in the first place, but by revoking it, the government was threatening the state’s business environment.
  • Kemp initially came out in support of Cagle’s actions. However, he later said that Cagle authorized a separate tax exemption that Delta could take advantage of in a mass transit bill. Cagle's campaign said that Delta could not benefit from the mass transit measure because it only applied to regional airports.
  • The winner of the Republican primary will face either Stacey Abrams or Stacey Evans in the general election. Abrams and Evans are former Democratic state representatives who have different strategies for the general election. Abrams plans to focus on turning out minority voters in urban areas; Evans says she will reach out to moderate white voters in suburban and rural areas.

Pro-Villaraigosa committee receives $8.5 million in contributions

  • A committee supporting California gubernatorial candidate Antonio Villaraigosa (D) reported receiving $8.5 million in donations this week. The committee, Families & Teachers for Antonio Villaraigosa for Governor 2018, is sponsored by California Charter Schools Association Advocates, which has endorsed Villaraigosa.
  • The committee reported receiving a $7 million contribution from Netflix chief executive officer Reed Hastings Wednesday, followed by a $1.5 million contribution from businessman Eli Broad Thursday.
  • Villaraigosa is among the 28 candidates, including 12 Democrats, who filed to run to succeed term-limited Gov. Jerry Brown (D). All 28 candidates will appear on the same ballot in the June 5 top-two primary, with the top two vote-getters advancing to the general election regardless of partisan affiliation.

Arizona Gov. Ducey, House Speaker Mesnard propose competing teacher pay raises

  • Republican Gov. Doug Ducey announced a plan to increase teacher salaries 20 percent by the 2020 school year. The governor's plan would increase teacher pay 9 percent in the 2018-2019 school year with 5 percent increases in the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 school years, amounting to a 20 percent net increase by 2020 (the calculation includes a 1 percent raise from the 2017-2018 school year).
    • Ducey also proposed investing $371 million in funds over the next five years with an additional $100 million investment in fiscal year 2019. The funds could be used to invest in a variety of resources, including school infrastructure, curriculum, transportation, and/or classroom technologies, according to a statement from the governor's office.
    • According to the Associated Press, teacher and Arizona Educators United organizer Derek Harris expressed skepticism about Ducey's proposal: "What he gave us today was just a proposal, it wasn’t legislation, and we don’t know where the money’s coming from and we don’t know if he’s talking about everybody involved in education or just classroom teachers."
  • House Speaker J.D. Mesnard (R) also proposed a plan to raise teacher pay 23 percent over five years, beginning with a 6 percent increase in the 2018-2019 school year. Mesnard's plan would fund the pay raise by reallocating existing school funds while the governor's proposal would use revenue from savings and new funds.
    • Mesnard did not comment directly on the governor's proposal but said, "We all share the same priority."
    • Chuck Essigs, director of government relations for the Arizona Association of School Business Officials, did not support Mesnard's plan. "Any proposal that wants to increase teacher salaries by 20 percent but does not want to put any more money into the school funding is leading Arizona schools and charter schools down a road to disaster," he said.
  • Arizona teachers have been protesting at schools and the state capitol for higher pay and education funding. They staged a statewide walk-in at schools, in which they protested before class, and discussed a walkout if lawmakers failed to respond to educator demands.

Ohio House Speaker Cliff Rosenberger announces resignation

  • On April 10, Ohio House Speaker Cliff Rosenberger announced he would resign effective May 1 due to an FBI inquiry. House leadership decided on April 12 that Rosenberger's resignation was effective immediately.
  • Rosenberger said in a statement, "This inquiry has the potential to be very demanding and intensive, and could take months or even years to resolve. Ohioans deserve elected leaders who are able to devote their full and undivided attention to these matters."
  • The Cincinnati Enquirer reported that the FBI was investigating Rosenberger for travel expenses and use of a luxury condo in Columbus, Ohio. An FBI spokesman did not confirm or deny the existence of an investigation. Rosenberger told the Dayton Daily News that he hired a criminal defense attorney in response to questions the FBI was asking about him.
  • Rep. Kirk Schuring will serve as acting House speaker until the chamber elects a replacement.

Friday, April 13

Candidate filing deadline in Oklahoma

  • The filing deadline for candidates running in Oklahoma elections passed. Federal and state offices on the ballot in 2018 will include five U.S. House seats, nine state executive offices including the governor, 24 of 48 state senate seats, all 101 state house seats, five Oklahoma Supreme Court seats, two Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals seats, and four Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals seats. Ballotpedia is also covering local elections in Tulsa city and Canadian, Cleveland, Oklahoma, Osage, and Tulsa counties in 2018. Two statewide measures have been certified for the ballot so far, with one measure on the primary ballot and the other is on the general election ballot. The state’s primary is on June 26, and the general election is on November 6, 2018.
    • Earlier in 2018, Ballotpedia covered a mayoral election in Oklahoma City and school board elections in 26 school districts.
    • Oklahoma had the 33rd state filing deadline to pass in the 2018 election cycle. Oklahoma is one of 26 states with a Republican trifecta; Republicans hold the governor’s office and a majority in both state legislative chambers.

Kentucky teachers rally at state capitol

  • More than 30 districts cancelled class as teachers rallied at the state capitol to protest changes to the state pension system and a lack of education funding. Parents and students joined with educators to protest.
  • According to WAVE 3 News, teachers voiced concerns that the pension legislation would result in early retirements and would make Kentucky a less attractive state for new teachers. Educators also demanded the legislature override a veto of a budget and a revenue bill which would have raised per-student education funding.
  • To catch up on Ballotpedia's coverage of the teacher protest in Kentucky, click here.

Special Elections

As of this week, 68 state legislative special elections have been scheduled or held in 23 states. Elections have been held for eight Democratic seats and 26 Republican seats. Democrats have flipped six seats as a result of special state legislative elections in 2018. In special elections between 2011 and 2017, one party (either Republicans or Democrats) saw an average net gain of four seats across the country each year.

  • An average of 90 seats were filled through special elections in each of the past three odd years (2013: 84, 2015: 88, 2017: 98).
  • An average of 44 seats were filled through special elections in each of the past four even years (2010: 26, 2012: 45, 2014: 40, 2016: 65).

Upcoming special elections include:

April 24

Local Politics: The Week in Review

Elections Update

Saturday, April 7

Maine school board recall effort defeated

  • An effort to recall Dick Bachelder from his position on the York School Committee in Maine was defeated by voters. The recall was started by the group Coaches and Kids Matter after basketball and football coach Randy Small was fired from his position by interim Superintendent Mark McQuillan in November 2017. Recall supporters said that Bachelder violated the school committee's code of ethics with his alleged involvement in the firing. Bachelder called the recall effort “an unfounded attack on my integrity and ethical behavior.”
    • This was the first school board recall election Ballotpedia covered in 2018. Two more recall elections are scheduled to be on the ballot in May and June. Ballotpedia has covered a total of 15 recall efforts targeting 31 board members in 2018.

Tuesday, April 10

Three offices won outright in Long Beach primary; two others advance to general election

  • Robert Garcia, mayor of Long Beach, California, defeated James Henry "Henk" Conn outright in the city’s primary election with 79 percent of the vote. Susan Price and Rex Richardson, the District 3 and District 9 incumbents on the city council, also won re-election outright in the primary. Because no candidates received a majority of the votes in the District 5 and District 7 primaries, the top two vote-getters advanced to a general election that will be held on June 5. District 5 incumbent Stacy Mungo will face off against Rich Dines, and District 7 incumbent Roberto Uranga will face off against Jared Milrad.
    • A general election for the Long Beach Community College District Governing Board was also held with the city primary. Trustee Area 1 incumbent Jeffrey Kellogg was defeated by Uduak-Joe Ntuk. The incumbents who represent Trustee Areas 3 and 5 were re-elected by default after no one filed to run against them.
    • Elections for city attorney, city auditor, and city prosecutor were also scheduled in 2018, but the Long Beach City Council voted to cancel those elections due to lack of opposition. The city council election for the District 1 seat was also canceled due to lack of opposition. The incumbents in those seats were awarded new terms by default.

Two Long Beach Unified Board of Education incumbents automatically re-elected; two newcomers advance to runoff election for open third seat

  • Three of the five seats on the Long Beach Unified School District Board of Education in California were scheduled to be up for by-district general election; however, due to lack of opposition, the elections for the District 1 and 5 seats were canceled. Incumbents Megan Kerr and Diana Craighead were re-elected automatically. District 3 incumbent John McGinnis did not file to run for re-election, which guarantees a newcomer will win election to the board. Because no candidates received a majority of the votes in the general election, Cesar Armendariz and Juan Benitez, the top two vote-getters, advanced to a runoff election that will be held on June 5.

Ralph Anthony wins seat on Bakersfield City Board of Education in special election

  • One of the five seats on the Bakersfield City School District Board of Education in California was up for special election. Ralph Anthony won the vacant seat, defeating Edgar Aguilasocho, Vicky Lynn Billington, and Rupert Gregorio. The special election was called after former board member Ray Gonzales resigned from the board in May 2017 due to health issues. The other four members of the board initially chose to appoint a new member, but they could not agree on who to appoint, which led to the need for a special election.
    • The district is also holding a general election for two seats on November 6, 2018.

Six out of ten measures defeated in local California elections across four counties; three out of four parcel tax measures fail

  • Voters in the counties of Los Angeles, Inyo, Kern, and Lake voted on a total of ten measures Tuesday with six failing and four passing. Districts in Inyo and Lake counties defeated measures to establish or increase a parcel tax—a type of special property tax—while California City also rejected a measure to renew the local parcel tax at its existing rate of $150 per parcel. The city of Palos Verdes Estates in Los Angeles County was the only jurisdiction to pass a parcel tax measure, Measure E. The tax rate under Measure E is $342 per lot plus $0.20 per square foot of building improvements, and funds from the parcel tax are designated for the police department.
  • Over 80 percent of voters opt to keep utility user tax in Sierra Madre
    • Voters in Sierra Madre, California, defeated two ballot measures related to a repeal of the utility user tax Tuesday. A citizen initiative to repeal the 10 percent utility user tax was defeated with 82 percent of voters voting “no.” Nearly 85 percent of voters also voted “no” on an advisory measure that proposed reducing city services if the utility user tax was repealed. The advisory measure was placed on the ballot by the city council after the council estimated that repealing the utility user tax would reduce the city's general funds by 24 percent. It stated that if the tax were repealed, the council would be advised to reduce library, police, and fire safety services. The utility user tax will remain in place at the existing rate of 10 percent.
  • Marijuana business tax passes in Culver City, with nearly 85 percent of the vote
    • Over 84 percent of voters in Culver City approved Measure A Tuesday to tax recreational and medical marijuana businesses. Businesses will be taxed at a rate of $12 per square foot for commercial cultivation, and business receipts will be taxed at a rate of up to 8 percent for medical retail and up to 10 percent for adult recreational use. City officials estimated that the tax would bring in $1.2 million per year for the city’s general fund.
  • Catalina Island dollar traveler tax defeated in Avalon
    • A traveler tax of $1 will not be imposed on passengers visiting or departing from Avalon, Calif., on Catalina Island. The proposed tax needed 66.67 percent supermajority approval to pass but received only 42 percent approval. The $1 tax would have applied to travelers on cruise ships, ferries, or aircrafts and would have funded improvement or replacement of the Catalina Island Medical Center.

Friday, April 13

Candidate filing deadline in Oklahoma

  • The filing deadline for candidates running in Oklahoma elections passed. Federal and state offices on the ballot in 2018 will include five U.S. House seats, nine state executive offices including the governor, 24 of 48 state senate seats, all 101 state house seats, five Oklahoma Supreme Court seats, two Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals seats, and four Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals seats. Ballotpedia is also covering local elections in Tulsa city and Canadian, Cleveland, Oklahoma, Osage, and Tulsa counties in 2018. Two statewide measures have been certified for the ballot so far, with one measure on the primary ballot and the other is on the general election ballot. The state’s primary is on June 26, and the general election is on November 6, 2018.
    • Earlier in 2018, Ballotpedia covered a mayoral election in Oklahoma City and school board elections in 26 school districts.
    • Oklahoma had the 33rd state filing deadline to pass in the 2018 election cycle. Oklahoma is one of 26 states with a Republican trifecta; Republicans hold the governor’s office and a majority in both state legislative chambers.
WHAT'S ON TAP NEXT WEEK

Here's what is happening in state and local politics this week. To see what happened in federal politics, click here.

State Politics: What's On Tap Next Week

Tuesday, April 17

Filing deadline in Wisconsin

  • Wisconsin has a special filing deadline for the State Senate District 1 seat and the State Assembly District 42 seat. Both seats were vacated on December 29, 2017, after Frank Lasee (R) and Keith Ripp (R) were appointed to new positions. The general election will take place on June 12 and a primary election may be scheduled for May 15.
    • The special election was called on March 29, 2018, after the National Democratic Redistricting Committee (NDRC) sued Gov. Scott Walker (R) for not calling a special election in 2018 to fill the two seats. The NDRC said that by not holding a special election, constituents in District 1 and District 42 were left unrepresented. Walker argued that calling a special election would be a waste of taxpayer money given that regularly-scheduled elections will be held in November 2018. A Dane Court Circuit Court judge, who was originally appointed to the position in 2014 by Walker, ordered the governor to call the special election.
    • Three special elections were held on January 16, 2018, for State Senate District 10 and State Assembly Districts 58 and 66. The District 10 election garnered national interest, with outside groups providing contributions and resources to both the Democratic and Republican candidates. Patty Schachtner (D) defeated Adam Jarchow (R) and Brian Corriea (L) with roughly 55 percent of the vote to flip the seat from Republican to Democratic.
    • Wisconsin is currently one of 26 Republican trifectas: Walker holds the governor’s office and Republicans have an 18-14 majority in the state senate and a 63-35 majority in the state assembly.
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Local Politics: What's On Tap Next Week

Tuesday, April 17

Newark school board election

  • The first school board election since the board regained local control will be held on April 17 in Newark Public Schools. No incumbents filed for re-election and 13 candidates are vying for the three seats. Yambeli Gomez, Dawn Haynes, and Asia Norton are running as a slate called Moving Newark Schools Forward. The candidates have been backed by Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and state Sen. M. Teresa Ruiz.
  • Baraka-backed slates have won the school board elections seven consecutive times, leaving the board fully comprised of these candidates in 2017. That year, the State of New Jersey also gave full local control back to the district after 22 years of state oversight.


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The Tap covered election news, public policy, and other noteworthy events from February 2016 to February 2022.

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