Archive for the ‘State Legislature News’ Category

From dailycomet.com:

House Speaker Jim Tucker says the special legislative session to redraw the state’s political district lines is expected to be scheduled for late March.

Tucker said Monday that three weeks will be set aside for the redistricting session. The session is required to rework congressional, legislative, Public Service Commission and state education board districts to account for population shifts over the last decade.

The session is expected to be a contentious one because post-Hurricane Katrina population shifts will force significant changes in the political maps, and Louisiana is predicted to lose a congressional seat due to population declines.

Read the Rest…

From Dodgecity.com:

Republicans have elected Olathe Rep. Arlen Siegfreid as the new majority leader of the Kansas House.

Siegfreid was elected Monday, defeating Rep. Richard Carlson of St. Marys by a 54-36 margin. Republicans have a 92-33 majority when the 2011 Legislature convenes Jan. 10.

Speaker Mike O’Neal, a Hutchinson Republican, faced no opposition and was chosen for another two-year term as the House’s top leader. Minority Leader Paul Davis, of Lawrence, also is expected to be unopposed among the Democrats.

Siegfreid replaces Ray Merrick, a Stilwell Republican, who was appointed to the Senate to fill a vacancy there created by the election of Sen. Jeff Colyer as lieutenant governor.

Read the Rest…

From TimesUnion.com:

The state Senate Democrats’ campaign committee is more than $2.45 million in debt, a figure expected to rise when legal costs from three disputed races are factored in.

Despite the shortfall, Democrats are pushing for a hand recount in Nassau County, where Sen. Craig Johnson trails his Republican opponent Jack Martins by some 400 votes. Weeks of legal wrangling in Erie and Niagara counties ended with the Tuesday concession of Sen. Antoine Thompson, D-Buffalo, to Mark Grisanti, handing the GOP a 31st confirmed seat in the 62-member chamber.

Read the Rest…

From Politics on the Hudson:

Senate Republicans released their daily analysis of the Nassau County race, where the GOP’s Jack Martins continues to lead Democratic Sen. Craig Johnson.

Republican spokesman Scott Reif says Martins, the Mineola mayor, leads Johnson by 438 votes, which he calls “insurmountable.”

“More than four weeks after Election Day, Craig Johnson is left with two choices: He can do the right thing and concede this race, as his Democrat colleague in Buffalo did yesterday, or he can continue to tie up state government by arguing for a hand recount of tens of thousands of votes that have already been counted,” Reif said. “It’s time for Craig Johnson to accept the will of the voters of the 7th Senate District, and work with Jack Martins on a smooth and orderly transition. With Martins’ victory, Republicans have won a majority in the State Senate, and are prepared to work with Governor-elect Cuomo in a bipartisan way to solve the fiscal challenges that are before us. We’re hopeful that Craig Johnson won’t delay this State from moving forward by dragging out this election.”

Read the Rest…

From Concord Monitor:

D.J. Bettencourt was elected House majority leader yesterday, beating two more experienced opponents by a large margin.

In a vote of the House Republican caucus, Bettencourt, of Salem, came out ahead in a first round of balloting with 177 votes, compared with 78 for Rep. Paul Mirski of Enfield and 74 for Rep. Shawn Jasper of Hudson. Jasper then dropped out and endorsed Bettencourt, since a majority vote is required to win. Bettencourt beat Mirski 172-89.

Bettencourt said he plans to meet with every member of the caucus over the next month to learn everyone’s priorities. He anticipated there will be an intense focus on the economy in the coming session.

Read the Rest…

from abc3340.com:

Three Republican representatives are seeking the job of majority leader in the Alabama House.

Reps. Mike Ball of Madison, Greg Canfield of Vestavia Hills and Micky Hammon of Decatur said they are rounding up support from fellow Republican House members.

A selection could come as early as Tuesday during a Republican caucus meeting at the legislative orientation session in Tuscaloosa.

Read the Rest…

From journalnet.com:

The Idaho Senate’s Republican majority has a new leader.

The chamber’s 28 GOP members on Wednesday chose Sen. Brent Hill of Rexburg as their new president pro tempore following Bob Geddes’ retirement from the post.

Hill faced Sen. Russ Fulcher of Meridian, who had been caucus leader until seeking the top Senate post.

Sen. Bart Davis of Idaho Falls survived a challenge to remain majority leader, while Caldwell Sen. John McGee will replace Fulcher as caucus chairman.

Read the Rest…

From newsmax.com:

“I’d bet that we’d be in the race,” Haridopolos tells The Orlando Sentinel. “We’re talking to folks not just across Florida but across the country about that prospect.”

He came to Washington Monday and Tuesday to boost his profile and perhaps raise some money. On Tuesday, Haridopolos appeared at an event promoting a proposal to amend the Constitution so that states can repeal federal law if two-thirds of their state legislatures agree. The amendment is aimed at Obamacare.

Read the Rest…

From IdahoStatesman.com:

Both parties met Wednesday night to elect leaders for the next two years.

Senate Republicans chose Brent Hill of Rexburg as president pro tem, replacing Bob Geddes of Soda Springs, who chose not to seek the top Senate post. Hill defeated outgoing GOP Caucus Chairman Russ Fulcher of Meridian. Majority Leader Bart Davis of Idaho Falls retained his position despite a challenge from Sen. Jeff Siddoway of Terreton. Sen. Chuck Winder of Boise defeated incumbent Assistant Majority Leader Joe Stegner of Lewiston. Sen. John McGee of Caldwell is the new majority caucus chairman, besting Sen. Dean Mortimer of Idaho Falls.

Read the Rest…