Donald Trump and Sanctuary Cities

Stay in the know this week: No Images? [Click here] [Ballotpedia: The Encyclopedia of American Politics] The week in review: January 21 - January 27 What’s on tap next week: January 28 - February 3 State - While electioneering throughout most of the country came to a halt less than three months ago, the campaign season is already back in full swing in Delaware and Connecticut. The partisan balance of both of these states’ upper chambers hinges on the outcome of special elections at the end of next month. Read more about them below. - On Monday, January 23, the candidate filing deadline passed for three state legislative [special elections] in Connecticut. Two seats in the [state Senate] and one seat in the [state House] are up for grabs on February 28. A Democrat and a Republican filed to run in each of the three races. Democrats currently control the lower chamber 78-72, but a tie in the upper chamber at 17 apiece means that these special elections will decide control of the state Senate. Because Lt. Gov. [Nancy Wyman] (D) serves as the Senate president and can vote in cases of a tie, Republicans would need to win both seats to gain control of the chamber and break the [Democratic trifecta]. - [Connecticut State Senate District 2] – Incumbent[Eric Coleman] (D) resigned to pursue a judicial appointment. State Rep.[Douglas McCrory] (D) and[candidate Michael McDonald] (R) will face off for Coleman’s seat. - [Connecticut State Senate District 32] – Incumbent[Robert Kane] (R) resigned to join the office of the Auditors of Public Accounts, a legislative agency that audits all agencies within the state. [Greg Cava] (D), state Rep.[Eric C. Berthel] (R), and [Dan Lynch] (unaffiliated) are running for Kane’s seat. - [Connecticut House of Representatives District 115] – Incumbent [Stephen Dargan] (D) resigned to take a job on Connecticut's Board of Pardons and Paroles. [Dorinda Keenan Borer] (D) and[Edward Granfield] (R) will compete for Dargan’s seat. - On Wednesday, January 25, the date was [set] for a [special election] that will decide the control of the [Delaware State Senate]. The [District 10] seat is vacant following[Bethany Hall-Long]'s (D) election as [Lieutenant Governor of Delaware]. [Stephanie Hansen] (D),[John Marino] (R), and [Joseph Lanzendorfer] (L) will face off in the February 25 special election. Democrats entered the [November 2016] elections with a 12-9 majority in the Senate but exited with a narrower 11-10 majority after Republicans managed to win [a seat]. Hall-Long's departure left the chamber split 10-10. This special election offers Republicans the opportunity to take control of the Delaware State Senate for the first time in more than four decades. Delaware is currently one of six [Democratic trifectas], but a Republican victory in this race would create a [divided government] situation. Local - On Wednesday, January 25, President [Donald Trump] (R) signed an executive order to [withhold] federal funding from sanctuary cities. The order [stated] that the municipalities "are not eligible to receive Federal grants, except as deemed necessary for law enforcement purposes." A sanctuary city limits cooperation between its local law enforcement agencies and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in order to prevent the deportation of undocumented immigrants. In these cities, government workers and police officers are barred by city policy from asking residents about their immigration status and compliance with ICE detainer requests is limited. A Reuters [report] estimated that the 10 largest sanctuary cities in the country could lose a total of $2.27 billion in federal funds annually. - Officials in multiple sanctuary cities criticized the executive order and stated that they would continue to limit their cooperation with ICE. Chicago Mayor [Rahm Emanuel] (D) [stated], “I want to be clear: We're going to stay a sanctuary city." Officials in [New York City], [Los Angeles], [Boston], [Portland], [Seattle], [San Francisco], [Oakland], [San Jose], and other cities made similar statements. Officials in other municipalities, such as [Denver], publicly denied that they were sanctuary cities but stated they would continue to have certain policies consistent with sanctuary city practices. - Other municipalities responded to the executive order by confirming that they are not sanctuary cities. In California, [Fresno] Mayor [Lee Brand] (R) [stated], “I’m not going to make Fresno a sanctuary city because I don’t want to make Fresno ineligible from receiving potentially millions of dollars in infrastructure and other types of projects. My philosophy is to follow the law and to avoid these national culture-war questions.” In Florida, [Miami-Dade County] Mayor [Carlos Gimenez] (R) [announced] that the county would begin to comply with detention requests from the federal government. He called on ICE to cover the county’s costs for that detention. - Texas Governor [Greg Abbott] (R) [stated] in a television interview, “We are working on laws that will, one, ban sanctuary cities, remove from office any officeholder who promotes sanctuary cities, impose criminal penalties as well as financial penalties.” This would be a form of [state-local preemption]. He also made a specific mention of [Travis County] Sheriff [Sally Hernandez] (D), who was [elected] in November 2016, and stated, “We will remove her from office.” Hernandez’s campaign included a pledge to limit the county sheriff office’s cooperation with ICE, which is consistent with sanctuary city policies. She was elected with 60 percent of the vote and defeated [Joe Martinez] (R), who had pledged to cooperate with ICE. The county seat of Travis County is [Austin]. Austin is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the [11th-largest city] in the U.S. by population. [State politics] The Week in Review Ballot measures update: 2017: - So far, [four statewide measures] are certified to appear on the ballot in 2017 in [Maine], [New York], [New Jersey], and [Ohio]. Over the previous five odd-year election cycles, an average of about seven citizen-initiated measures and 34 total statewide measures have appeared on ballots. - The next [signature filing deadline] for citizen initiatives in 2017 is in [Ohio] on July 5. - An indirect initiative addressing [casinos] is in the legislature in Maine. - Signatures for a 2017 initiative related to [Medicaid expansion] in Maine were submitted. 2018: - [Four measures are certified to appear on statewide ballots in 2018] so far, and a signature petition for a [citizen-initiated measure in Nevada] designed to establish an automatic voter registration system was certified as sufficient. It will be sent to the legislature and later to voters if the legislature does not approve it within the first 40 days of its 2017 session. Over the previous five even-year election cycles, an average of 61 citizen-initiated measures and 173 total statewide measures have appeared on ballots. Monday, January 23 Casino or Slot Machines in York County, Maine - The [Maine secretary of state] certified enough signatures for the [Maine Casino or Slot Machines in York County Initiative] to qualify for a spot on the [ballot] on[November 7, 2017]. Because of the state’s [indirect initiative process], the legislature will have a chance to approve the initiative during its 2017 session, precluding its appearance on the ballot. The measure would authorize the Maine Gambling Control Board to accept an application for a license to operate slot machines or a casino in [York County, Maine]. Supporters attempted to get the initiative qualified for the [2016 ballot], but not enough signatures were found to be valid by the secretary of state's office. Supporters collected more signatures and submitted them on December 22, 2016. As of January 18, 2017, the committee registered in support of this initiative had raised $4.2 million, while there was no committee registered in opposition to this initiative. Utah Starts Its Session - The state legislative session began in Utah. Utah is currently one of 25 [Republican trifectas]. The state’s 104 legislators—a number that represents 1.4 percent of the 7,383 state legislators across the country—are back to work. Resignation in the South Dakota House - South Dakota State Rep. [Mathew Wollmann] (R) [resigned] from his position. Wollmann had admitted to KSFY the week before that he had sex with two interns while he was a freshman legislator. A disciplinary committee to investigate the matter was created shortly after, and chamber leadership said they would look at improvements to employee training. A replacement will be appointed by Gov. [Dennis Daugaard] (R). Wollmann’s resignation leaves the Republicans with a 59-10 majority in the chamber. South Dakota is currently one of 25 [Republican trifectas]. Tuesday, January 24 Minnesota Governor Diagnosed with Cancer - Minnesota Gov. [Mark Dayton] (D) [announced] that he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, though he said he intends to finish his term. His announcement came following his collapse while delivering the annual State of the State address on Monday night. The governor’s physician said that he believed the fainting was caused by dehydration and standing for an extended period of time and was not due to the prostate cancer. Dayton, in his second term as governor, was first elected in 2010. His current term expires in January 2019. In the event of a vacancy in the governor’s office, Lt. Gov [Tina Smith] (D) would become governor. Minnesota is one of 19 states currently under [divided government]. Resignation in the Washington Senate - Washington State Sen. [Brian Dansel] (R) resigned his position to [join] the Trump administration, leaving the chamber in a partisan tie. Dansel accepted a job as a special assistant to the U.S. [secretary of agriculture]. Although Democrats outnumber Republicans 25-23 in the chamber, one Democrat [caucuses] with the Republicans, giving them the majority. The vacant seat will not affect partisan balance, since vacancies in Washington are filled by appointment, with the state central committee of the political party that last held the seat supplying a list of names. Democrats could technically break tied votes in the senate with the help of Lt. Gov. [Cyrus Habib] (D). Washington is one of 19 states currently under [divided government]. New Laws Amending Arkansas Issue 6 - Arkansas Gov. [Asa Hutchinson] (R) signed a pair of [bills] into law amending [Issue 6], the marijuana initiative approved by voters in 2016. House Bill 1058 eliminated the requirement that a physician declare in writing that the benefits of medical marijuana would outweigh the health risks for the patient, but it kept intact the requirement that physicians provide written certification stating that the patient has a qualifying condition for medical marijuana. House Bill 1026 pushed back two deadlines: the date that the Alcoholic Beverage Control Division needs to set up rules for dispensaries and cultivation facilities and the date the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Commission needs to set up a licensing process. Originally, both of these deadlines were set for 120 days after the election. HB 1026 extended them to 180 days. Because HB 1058 and 1026 made changes to a constitutional amendment, they had to pass with a two-thirds majority in each chamber. Arkansas is currently one of 25 [Republican trifectas]. South Dakota House Attempts to Repeal Initiative 22 - The [South Dakota House of Representatives] passed [House Bill 1069] 54-13 in an attempt to repeal [Initiative 22], a campaign finance and lobbying measure passed by voters in 2016. The initiative created an ethics commission and a publicly funded campaign finance system, revising state campaign finance and lobbying laws as well. HB 1069 was passed with an emergency clause, meaning that citizens will not be allowed to initiate a [veto referendum] campaign to overturn it. Leadership in the Senate [halted] debate on the bill and tabled discussion until February 1. In order to become law, HB 1069 would need to pass the [Senate] by a two-thirds majority and be signed by Gov. [Dennis Daugaard] (R). The governor has already publicly stated that he supported repealing and replacing the initiative. South Dakota is currently one of 25 [Republican trifectas]. Ohio Marsy’s Law Initiative Supporters File Amendment Summary - Supporters of a [Marsy’s Law initiative] filed 2,500 [signatures] and an amendment summary with the [Ohio attorney general]. If the petition language is approved, organizers would need to gather 305,591 valid signatures by July 5 to place the measure on the [November 7] ballot. The measure would repeal and replace[Section 10a of Article I] of the[Ohio Constitution], a section addressing the rights of crime victims, with a[Marsy's Law]. The amendment would provide crime victims with specific rights, such as the right to be notified about and present at proceedings;, to be heard at proceedings involving release, plea, sentencing, disposition, or parole of the accused; to be protected from the accused; to be notified about release or escape of the accused; to refuse an interview or disposition at the request of the accused; and to receive restitution from the individual who committed the criminal offense. So far, one statewide ballot measure has been certified for the[2017 ballot] in the state of [Ohio]. - [Henry Nicholas], the billionaire co-founder of Broadcom Corp., started campaigning for this kind of legislation to increase the rights and privileges of victims. He was the primary sponsor of the original 2008 Marsy's Law in California and was behind similar 2016 initiatives in [South Dakota], [Montana], and [North Dakota]—all of which were approved. He also supported 2016 legislative efforts to enact Marsy’s Laws in Georgia, Hawaii, Kentucky, Nevada, and North Carolina. The legislation is named after Nicholas' sister Marsy Nicholas, who was murdered by her ex-boyfriend in 1983. Henry and his mother were also confronted by Marsy's ex-boyfriend after his release from prison; they were unaware of his release from prison on bail. Resignation in the South Carolina House of Representatives - South Carolina State Rep. [Chris Corley] (R) [resigned] from the chamber just before Speaker [James Lucas] introduced a bill to expel him over a felony aggravated domestic violence charge. Prosecutors say that Corley struck his wife on the head and pointed a gun at her on the night of December 26. The representative’s attorney did not dispute the facts in court. Corley faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted of the charge. A special election will be held to fill Corley’s seat. Republicans hold a 79-44 majority in the chamber, and South Carolina is currently one of 25 [Republican trifectas]. Minnesota House Passes Bill To Address Costs of Police Services at Protests - The Minnesota House [Civil Law and Data Practices Committee] passed a [bill] along a party line vote that would allow cities to charge protesters for police services and sue to recoup expenses incurred while policing protests. Rep. [Nick Zerwas] (R), the bill’s sponsor, said that $2.4 million was spent in the previous 18 months across some of the state’s largest cities due to protests. Rep [Ilhan Omar] (D), an opponent of the bill, said that a significant portion of that money was paid out because of excessive force by police. Laws targeting protests and protesters have been proposed in several other states, including North Dakota, Iowa, Michigan, Indiana, Colorado, Virginia and Washington. The bill would still need to pass the full House and Senate and be signed by Gov. [Mark Dayton] (D) before becoming law. Republicans control the House 77-57 and the Senate 34-33. Minnesota is one of 19 states currently under [divided government]. California Governor Delivers State of the State Address - California Gov. [Jerry Brown] (D) delivered a State of the State [address] that the New York Times called “a fiery anti-Trump message.” The self-written speech, titled “California Is Not Turning Back, Not Now, Not Ever,” declared resistance to the [climate change] and [immigration] policies of the new administration. Brown did, however, praise Trump’s call for a $1 trillion public works investment across the country. This is not the first time this year that California lawmakers have said they expect a battle with the Trump administration. Earlier this year, the [California State Legislature] announced it would [retain] former [U.S. Attorney General] [Eric Holder] to represent the state in any legal disputes with the federal government. State Sen. [Kevin de León] (D) said at the announcement that “the former attorney general of the United States brings us a lot of firepower in order to prepare to safeguard the values of the people of California.” California, which is currently one of six [Democratic trifectas], was carried by Hillary Clinton by more than four million votes in the [2016 presidential election]. Colorado Senate Passes Bill Addressing Gun Safety Training for Public School Employees - The Colorado Senate [State, Veterans, and Military Affairs Committee] passed a [bill] along a party line vote that would allow county sheriffs to train public school employees in gun safety. Senate Bill 005 will now move to the full chamber for consideration. Majority Leader [Chris Holbert] (R) said that the bill was meant to standardize training requirements for those already allowed to carry guns on school campuses. Opponents of the legislation say that it would result in an increase in the number of guns on school campuses across the state, which they say increases the chance of a tragic incident. Before becoming law, SB 005 would need to pass the full chamber, pass the [Colorado House of Representatives], and get the signature of Gov. [John Hickenlooper] (D). Republicans currently control the Senate 18-17, but Democrats hold a 37-28 majority in the House. Virginia’s Special Election - FILING DEADLINE: The deadline passed to file to run for one state legislative [special election] in Virginia. [House District 71] will be up for election due to incumbent [Jenn McClellan]'s (D) election to the [state Senate] in a special election on January 10, 2017. The election to fill her former seat will take place on February 7. Republicans currently control the lower chamber of the state legislature by a 66-33 majority. Virginia is one of 19 states currently under [divided government]. VERBATIM FACT CHECK [Did recent bills limit North Carolina's gubernatorial powers?] A Huffington Post article about changes in North Carolina's law said, "The Republican-controlled state legislature introduced bills on Wednesday evening designed to undercut the administrative abilities of the state’s governor, giving outgoing incumbent Gov. Pat McCrory (R) the power to sign away his successor’s authority. The bills drastically limit Cooper’s ability to make appointments to various state boards and departments." Drastically is a relative term, but House Bill 17 did add a requirement for state Senate confirmations for governor-appointed cabinet members, and it changed the number of exempt employees the governor could appoint from 1,500 to 425. By disbanding the State Ethics Commission and the State Board of Elections—and by creating the Bipartisan State Board of Elections and Ethics Enforcement—Senate Bill 4 reduced the number of appointments the governor could make from nine to four. Wednesday, January 25 Maine Medicaid Expansion Supporters Submit Signatures - Supporters of the [Maine Medicaid Expansion Initiative] submitted more than [66,000] signatures to the secretary of state in hopes of getting the measure on the ballot. They need at least 61,123 signatures to be deemed valid in order to move the initiative to the state legislature. Because of the state’s[indirect initiative process], the legislature will have a chance to approve the initiative during its 2017 session if enough signatures are verified, precluding its appearance on the ballot. The measure would require the state to provide [Medicaid] services through MaineCare for persons under the age of 65 and with incomes equal to or below 138 percent of the federal poverty line. As of January 1, 2017, 32 states had expanded [Medicaid] under the [Affordable Care Act] (ACA), and 19 states had chosen not to expand Medicaid. Maine was the only state in the northeastern United States not to expand Medicaid under the ACA. Former Tennessee Representative Sentenced - Former Tennessee State Rep. [Joe Armstrong] (D) was [sentenced] to three years probation in a federal tax fraud case. The maximum penalty for his conviction was three years in prison, but Armstrong received probation—with six months of electronically monitored house arrest—instead. Armstrong was convicted of filing a false tax return on August 8, 2016, and the conviction automatically disqualified him from holding public office. He resigned on September 12 before he could be ousted from the state House during a special session. Because he was running for re-election at the time, he was replaced on the 2016 general election ballot by[Rick Staples] (D), who won the seat. Armstrong served in the state House for 28 years. The chamber is currently controlled by a 74-25 Republican majority. New York State Senator Joins Independent Democratic Conference - New York State Sen. [Jose Peralta] (D) [joined] the chamber’s Independent Democratic Conference (IDC), bringing the group up to eight members. The IDC’s coalition with Senate Republicans is responsible for [Republican control] of the chamber in spite of the Democrats holding a numerical majority. [Simcha Felder] (D) also caucuses with this coalition but is not a member of the IDC. Peralta said he joined the IDC because of their record of producing results, adding that he wanted to deliver results for his constituents in the areas of affordable housing, homelessness, and school funding. Members of the Senate Democratic Conference, however, said they feel that the IDC is looking out for the personal gain of its members rather than pursuing progressive causes. The Republican coalition currently holds a 40-23 majority in the chamber. New York is currently one of 19 states under [divided government]. - Since 2005, Ballotpedia has found [11 instances] in state legislative chambers where either a member of the minority party held the top leadership position or where a member of the majority party held the top leadership position even though that person was not the top choice of most of the members of the majority party. Resignation in the Montana Senate - Montana State Sen. [Mary Sheehy Moe] (D) resigned from her position, citing a need to be more available for her daughter and three newborn grandchildren that were born prematurely. Cascade County commissioners will be responsible for picking a replacement from a list of names provided to them by the Cascade County Democratic Central Committee. With this vacancy, Republicans hold a 32-17 majority in the chamber. Montana is currently one of 19 states under [divided government]. Thursday, January 26 Calexit Supporters Can Begin Collecting Signatures - Supporters of the [Calexit initiative] received [approval] from California Secretary of State [Alex Padilla] (D) to begin collecting signatures to put the proposal on the [2018 ballot]. Officially called California Nationhood, it is informally referred to as Calexit in a nod to[Great Britain's 2016 Brexit vote]. Sponsors have until July 25, 2017, to collect the 585,407 valid signatures required to get their initiative placed on the 2018 ballot. A founder of the group Yes California, who is leading the effort, said, “California loses [by] being a part of America culturally and financially.” A November 2016 editorial in The Sacramento Bee, however, suggested that secession was not the answer. “More constructive would be a statewide effort to stand strong and defend our values and economy against what is sure to be an onslaught of hostile federal legislation.” No [mechanism to secede] exists in the [U.S. Constitution], so it is unclear how California could actually secede. So far, no measures have been certified to appear on the [2018 ballot] in California. - The measure would call on the state to hold a referendum on March 13, 2019, on whether California should declare independence from the United States. The question asked would be: "Should California become a free, sovereign, and independent country?" A declaration of independence would be issued if at least 50 percent of registered voters participate and 55 percent or more vote yes on the question. If the 2019 referendum is approved, the [California governor] would be required to apply California to the United Nations as the Republic of California. Wyoming Senate Passes Bill Addressing Police Body Camera Footage - The [Wyoming State Senate] passed [Senate File 32], a bill that establishes how footage from police body cameras is handled. The legislation drew support from the Wyoming Association of Sheriffs and Chiefs of Police, the Wyoming Press Association, and the [American Civil Liberties Union]. Spokespeople for all three groups cited their belief that the collaborative legislation was a step in a positive direction. SF 32 outlines who would be allowed to view the footage and under what circumstances it would be released. [Police body cameras] are a growing area of civil liberties debate. Generally, supporters of cameras argue that they increase police accountability and improve public trust, while critics cite potential privacy risks. SF 32 must be approved by the [Wyoming House of Representatives] and signed by Gov. [Matt Mead] (R) before becoming law. Wyoming is currently one of 25 [Republican trifectas]. Marijuana Legalization in Maine - Maine Gov. [Paul LePage] (R) [announced] that he would not act on a bill sent to him by the [legislature] that would address the implementation of marijuana legalization, which was approved by voters in November under [Question 1]. Both chambers unanimously approved the legislation (LD 88), which was designed to give the state more time to implement rules for retail sale of marijuana, close a loophole in the initiative that may allow possession of the drug by residents under the age of 21, and address marijuana use in vehicles. The new law would delay retail sales until February 2018, but unless the governor signs it, those sales will begin in September 2017. LePage said he was refusing to act because legislators did not address concerns he had about which state department would control marijuana licensing and how implementation would be funded. House Speaker [Sara Gideon] (D) spoke out against LePage’s decision, saying, “I think every person in the state should be outraged.” The Maine State Legislature is under split control; Republicans have a majority in the Senate, while [Democrats] have a majority in the [House]. - Voters in [Arizona],[California],[Massachusetts], and[Nevada] also voted on recreational marijuana measures in 2016. In addition, medical marijuana measures were on the ballot in [Arkansas],[Florida],[Montana], and[North Dakota]. Arizona was the only state to reject a marijuana-related ballot measure in [2016]. Maine’s 2017 elections - SIGNATURE DEADLINE: The deadline passed for submitting signatures to qualify ballot initiatives for the election on November 7, 2017, in Maine. If an initiative petition is certified as sufficient, it is sent to the [state legislature], where officials have the option to approve the measure or take no action. Taking no action would allow the initiative to appear on the ballot for a popular vote. This deadline applied to proponents of [six initiatives] that were filed and cleared for signature gathering. Signatures were turned in for two of the six. The signatures for [one initiative] were already verified, and the initiative was sent the legislature. [The other] is still awaiting signature verification. So far, one measure has been certified in Maine for a 2017 ballot. On June 13, 2017, voters will decide on a[bond issue] designed to issue $50 million in bonds for business loans and investment. It was referred to the ballot by the legislature. Friday, January 27 A New District Map for Wisconsin - The [U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin] ordered state lawmakers to draft and implement a new state legislative district map in advance of the November 2018 election. The court ordered that this plan be adopted by [the legislature] and signed into law by the governor by November 1, 2017. In November 2016, the court found that the existing map had been subject to an illegal partisan gerrymander. To learn more, see [this article]. Special elections and appointments As of this week, [three state legislative seats] have been filled through special elections in 2017. Another 14 elections (not including runoffs) have been scheduled in eight states to fill vacancies. Due to redistricting, additional [state legislative special elections] may be held in North Carolina in 2017. The special elections have been called in response to a federal court order that ruled 28 state legislative districts unconstitutional because of racial gerrymandering. The U.S. Supreme Court issued an [order] on January 10, 2017, that would cancel the 2017 special elections in North Carolina. The change would move elections under new maps to the regularly scheduled 2018 elections. The court is expected to decide whether to take up an appeal of this order. - An average of 89 seats were filled through special elections in each of the past three odd years ([2011]: 94, [2013]: 84, [2015]: 88). - 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: January 31, 2017: - [Alabama House of Representatives District 67] (primary) - [Iowa House of Representatives District 89] February 7, 2017: - [Virginia House of Delegates District 71] February 14, 2017: - [Minnesota House of Representatives District 32B] What’s On Tap Next Week Monday, January 30 Resignation in the Nebraska Senate - The [resignation] of Nebraska State Sen. [Bill Kintner] will become official. Kintner announced his resignation on January 25, minutes before a scheduled debate over his expulsion from the legislature. His expulsion became a topic of conversation after the senator shared a tweet the night of January 22 that the Lincoln Journal Star described as “mocking Women's March participants and apparently making light of sexual assault.” The vacant seat will be filled by an appointment by Gov. [Pete Ricketts] (R). The appointed senator will serve until after the 2018 election. Although the chamber is officially nonpartisan, prior to Kintner’s departure, Republicans have a 32-15 majority. Nebraska is currently one of 25 [Republican trifectas]. Tuesday, January 31 Iowa Special Election - A [special election] will take place in Iowa between [Monica Hosch Kurth] (D) and[Mike Gonzales] (R) for the [District 89] seat in the [Iowa House of Representatives]. The seat is vacant following[Jim Lykam]'s (D) election to the state Senate. A contested election for this seat last took place in 2012, when the incumbent Lykam defeated a Republican challenger 68-32. Lykam was unopposed during re-election bids in both 2014 and 2016. The winner of this race will serve a two-year term and would need to run for re-election in November 2018. Republicans currently have a 59-40 majority in the 100-member chamber, and Iowa is currently one of 25 [Republican trifectas]. Alabama Special Election - A [special primary election] will take place in Alabama between four Democratic candidates for the [District 67] seat in the [Alabama House of Representatives]. The seat is vacant following[Darrio Melton]'s (D) election as the mayor of [Selma] on October 4, 2016. Although the general election is currently scheduled for April 18, if no candidate wins a majority in the primary, a primary runoff will be held on that date instead. In that instance, the general election would be moved back to June 27. No Republican candidate filed to run in the race, meaning that the Democratic nominee will face no major-party opposition in the general election. Republicans currently have a 72-31 majority in the chamber, and Alabama is currently one of 25 [Republican trifectas]. Wednesday, February 1 Oregon Starts Its Session - The state legislative session will begin in Oregon. Oregon is currently one of six [Democratic trifectas]. The state’s 90 legislators—a number that represents 1.2 percent of the 7,383 state legislators across the country—will be back to work. All told, by this point, 84.9 percent of legislators will be in session and back at work for 2017. State Governments in Session [Local politics] The Week in Review 2017 elections In 2017, Ballotpedia is covering [municipal elections] across 50 of America's 100 [largest cities] by population and several of the [largest counties] by population, [local judicial elections] across all six states holding elections for general and limited jurisdiction courts, [school board elections] across 464 of the 1,000 largest school districts by student enrollment, all [local recalls], all [local ballot measures] in California, and notable local ballot measures across the United States. Monday, January 23 Filing Deadline for Colorado Springs - FILING DEADLINE: The filing deadline passed to run for six seats on the city council in [Colorado Springs, Colorado]. The general election will be held on April 4, 2017. The incumbents in District 2 and District 3 did not file for re-election. All six races are contested by two or more candidates. Colorado Springs is the second-largest city in Colorado and the [41st-largest city] in the U.S. by population. Tuesday, January 24 City Budget Proposed for NYC - [New York City] Mayor [Bill de Blasio] (D) proposed a [city budget] of $84.7 billion for the 2017-2018 fiscal year, which will begin on July 1, 2017. In his announcement, Mayor de Blasio stated, “This is a budget against a backdrop of a lot of uncertainty. [...] It's a budget that focuses on what we can do for ourselves while we wait to see the shape of things in Washington." He indicated that the budget proposal could be revised in the coming months in response to actions by the new federal government administration. The proposed budget is approximately a 3 percent increase from the $82.1 billion preliminary budget the mayor proposed in 2016 for the upcoming fiscal year, and it is more than 16 percent more than the $72.7 billion budget that Mayor de Blasio inherited from Mayor [Michael Bloomberg] (R) upon his swearing-in in 2014. - New York City Council Speaker [Melissa Mark-Viverito] (D) and city council finance committee Chair [Julissa Ferreras-Copeland] (D) both called for cost reduction in the budget. An independent organization in the city, the Citizens Budget Commission, responded to the budget proposal with a statement saying, "A substantial portion of the expenditure growth derives from challenges managing serious problems, notably an inability to stem the growth in homelessness and in the reliance on overtime among city agencies." New York City is the [largest city] in the U.S. by population. Recall Elections in California - In California, two municipal recall elections were on the ballot: - Greenfield – As of this publication, votes are still being counted to determine whether Mayor John Huerta Jr. survived a [recall election]. As of January 27, votes to approve the recall were leading votes against the recall 573 to 323. Final results will be published after mailed ballots are counted by county election officials. If Huerta is recalled, the winner of a race between City Councilwoman Leah Santibanez and Jesus Garcia will succeed him as mayor. As of January 27, Garcia led with 409 votes to Santibanez’s 213 votes. The recall effort began due to allegations that Huerta interfered with a criminal investigation of Greenfield's medical marijuana industry. On September 27, 2016, the Greenfield City Council voted 3-2 to censure Huerta for his actions. Huerta [told] Monterey County Weekly that the recall effort was led by conservatives in the city who oppose marijuana businesses. - Paradise Irrigation District – Board members Larry Duncan and Sep Carola were [recalled] with 82 percent and 78 percent of the vote, respectively. Duncan was replaced by Anne Rice in District 3, and board President Carola was replaced by Marc Sulik in District 4. The recall effort began due to allegations against the board of poor money management and communication with constituents. In their responses to the recall petition, both Duncan and Carola wrote in support of a rate increase for the special district in order to prevent its fiscal issues from resulting in a state takeover and the possibility of its sale to a private company. Filing Deadline for Tuscaloosa - FILING DEADLINE: The filing deadline passed to run in the [general election] for all eight seats on the [Tuscaloosa City Schools] school board—one of the largest school districts in Alabama, as measured by student enrollment. The general election will be held on March 7, 2017. Tuscaloosa City Schools is the state’s [16th-largest school district]. It served 10,249 students during the 2014-2015 school year—approximately 1.4 percent of all public school students in the state. Wednesday, January 25 NYC Mayor Interviewed During Fundraising Investigation - [New York City] Mayor [Bill de Blasio] (D) [stated] that he had been interviewed by prosecutors from the Manhattan district attorney’s office regarding a state investigation of fundraising practices by himself and his aides. He did not comment on what was discussed during the interview. The New York Times [article] on the subject indicated that the mayor is not believed to be a target of the state inquiry, which is investigating whether limits on individual campaign contributions to candidates were sidestepped via contributions to county party committees that spent on behalf of the candidates instead. A federal inquiry related to fundraising is also underway, although that is investigating whether contributions to the mayor’s campaign or a separate nonprofit resulted in the contributors receiving favors from city officials, including the mayor. Mayor de Blasio has denied all allegations of wrongdoing related to the inquiries. Boston City Councilor Spars with Mayor Over Ethics Allegations - In [Boston, Massachusetts], City Councilor [Tito Jackson] [stated] that Mayor [Martin Walsh] (D) should “speak plainly and come clean” regarding his attendance of two meetings with a concert promoter who alleged that he was extorted by city officials. In May and June 2016, two city department heads were indicted by federal prosecutors due to these allegations. The concert promoter alleged that Boston Calling was made to hire union stagehands in order to avoid inconvenient city permits or protests from the stagehands’ union. Mayor Walsh responded to City Councilor Jackson’s statements and said, “I’ve been very transparent here at City Hall. It’s political posturing. That’s all it is.” Jackson had previously announced his intention to challenge Walsh for the mayor’s office in the city’s upcoming [election] this fall. Walsh was first elected to the mayor’s office in 2013 after serving in the [Massachusetts House of Representatives] from 1997 to 2013. Jackson was first elected to the District 7 seat on the city council in 2011 and re-elected in 2015. Boston is the largest city in Massachusetts and the [24th-largest city] in the U.S. by population. Search Warrant Issued for Group of Los Angeles Charter School Offices - Agents from the U.S. Attorney's Office in Los Angeles and other federal agencies served a [warrant]to search the offices of the Celerity Educational Group (CEG), which operates a group of [charter schools] in [Los Angeles, California]. The other federal agencies involved were the U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and the FBI. The search was part of an existing investigation into claims of fraud and improper fiscal management by CEG. A spokesperson for CEG responded to the search by stating, “Celerity has been informed of this investigation and looks forward to cooperatively addressing any concerns raised by the investigating agencies.” - CEG operates multiple schools in the Los Angeles area and was recently investigated by the [Los Angeles Unified School District] inspector general regarding similar allegations. In 2016, the district school board voted unanimously (with one member abstaining) not to renew the charters for two schools operated by CEG. Three of the seven seats on the Los Angeles school board will be up for primary election on March 7, 2017, and [general election] on May 16, 2017. The Los Angeles Unified School District is the state’s [largest school district] and the second-largest school district in the United States. It served 646,683 students during the 2014-2015 school year—approximately 10.3 percent of all public school students in the state. Thursday, January 26 Filing Deadline in Glendale, California - FILING DEADLINE: The filing deadline passed to run in the [general election] for three of the five seats on the [Glendale Unified School District] school board—one of the largest school districts in California, as measured by student enrollment. The general election will be held on April 4, 2017. The Glendale Unified School District is the state’s [45th-largest school district]. It served 26,168 students during the 2014-2015 school year—approximately 0.4 percent of all public school students in the state. What’s On Tap Next Week Monday, January 30 Recall Election in Massachusetts - In Shirley, Massachusetts, Town Selectmen Kendra Dumont and Robert Prescott will face a [recall election]. The recall effort began due to their support for an increased benefits package for Town Administrator Patrice Garvin. The recall affidavits alleged that Garvin’s contract requires public approval for compensation changes. Successive public votes at town meetings in 2015 rejected an increase. Dumont [told] local media that the recall effort is "a terrible waste of taxpayers money" and that the raise was part of a larger salary increase for town employees. Prescott argued that a recall should only be used to deal with illegal actions by officials. Wednesday, February 1 Ohio Filing Deadlines - FILING DEADLINE: The filing deadline will pass to run for office in three of Ohio’s largest cities, as well as other municipalities in the state: - Cincinnati – The mayor’s office and seats on the city council will be up for primary election on May 2, 2017, and [general election] on November 7, 2017. Cincinnati is the third-largest city in Ohio and the [65th-largest city] in the U.S. by population. - Cleveland – The mayor’s office and seats on the city council will be up for primary election on May 2, 2017, and [general election] on November 7, 2017. Cleveland is the second-largest city in Ohio and the [48th-largest city] in the U.S. by population. - Columbus – Seats on the city council will be up for primary election on May 2, 2017, and [general election] on November 7, 2017. Columbus is the largest city in Ohio and the [15th-largest city] in the U.S. by population. - FILING DEADLINE: The filing deadline will pass to run in the [general election] for three of the seven seats on the [Columbus City Schools] school board—one of the largest school districts in Ohio, as measured by student enrollment. The primary election will be held on May 2, 2017, and the general election will be held on November 7, 2017. Columbus City Schools is the state’s [largest school district]. It served 50,407 students during the 2014-2015 school year—approximately 2.9 percent of all public school students in the state. Thursday, February 2 Filing Deadline in Henderson, Nevada - FILING DEADLINE: The filing deadline will pass to run for the mayor’s office and city council in [Henderson, Nevada]. The primary election will be held on April 4, 2017, and the general election will be held on June 13, 2017. Henderson is the second-largest city in Nevada and the [71st-largest city] in the U.S. by population. Friday, February 3 Las Vegas Filing Deadline - FILING DEADLINE: The filing deadline will pass to run for the [Las Vegas City Council] and both the mayor’s office and city council in [North Las Vegas, Nevada]. The primary election for both cities will be held on April 4, 2017, and the general election will be held on June 13, 2017. Las Vegas is the largest city in Nevada and the [30th-largest city] in the U.S. by population, and North Las Vegas is the fourth-largest city in Nevada and the 96th-largest city in the U.S. by population. [Donate Securely Online] The Lucy Burns Institute, publisher of Ballotpedia, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. All donations are tax deductible to the extent of the law. Donations to the Lucy Burns Institute or Ballotpedia do not support any candidates or campaigns. 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