All articles tagged with #state legislatures
Both Democratic and Republican-led states are resisting the national push for mid-cycle redistricting, with GOP efforts in Kansas and other states aiming to gain electoral advantages, while Democrats face internal disagreements and legal hurdles in states like Maryland, Virginia, and Illinois, highlighting a contentious and complex battle over congressional mapmaking ahead of the 2024 midterms.
National Republicans are actively attempting to redraw congressional districts across several states outside of Texas to gain more GOP-friendly seats ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, with efforts focused on Ohio, Indiana, South Carolina, Missouri, and Florida, amidst legal and political challenges.
Amid ongoing political battles in Texas over redistricting, Democrats are leveraging the controversy to push for similar efforts in other states, aiming to counteract Republican advantages in upcoming elections. States like California, Illinois, Maryland, New York, and New Jersey are considering or preparing for redistricting initiatives, while Republican-controlled states such as Ohio, Missouri, Indiana, South Carolina, and Nebraska are also planning to redraw districts to favor their parties. The outcomes could significantly impact the balance of power in future U.S. House elections.
Republican efforts to influence redistricting are intensifying across multiple states, with a focus on maximizing their advantage through gerrymandering, while Democrats are countering in states like Texas, California, and Maryland, where independent commissions or legal challenges complicate the process.
The American Legislative Exchange Council (Alec), a powerful rightwing pressure group, is pressuring state legislatures across the US to pass pro-Israel resolutions expressing unconditional support for Israel's attack on Gaza. Alec, which has ties to Christian evangelicals and is corporate-funded, is promoting a model resolution that accuses Hamas of using human shields and names Iran as providing logistical support to the group. Several states, including Pennsylvania, Nebraska, and North Dakota, have already accepted versions of the resolution. Alec has a history of mobilizing political pressure in support of Israel and has been instrumental in pushing legislation against the boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) movement.
State legislatures are taking action to improve privacy for personal data as data brokers continue to profit from collecting and selling information without proper consent or security measures. Privacy advocates argue that this data, which includes real-time location and spending habits, is obtained without permission. John Yang speaks with privacy counsel Emory Roane to discuss these concerns.
The year 2023 has seen an increase in party switching among state lawmakers, with 10 lawmakers nationwide changing parties, including six who switched between the major parties. This trend reflects the growing polarization and party feuding within state capitals. The GOP has historically seen more converts, with 173 state lawmakers switching parties since 1994, with 83 Democrats becoming Republicans compared to 23 Republicans becoming Democrats. The increase in Republicans in West Virginia has led to speculation that a former House Minority Leader may join the party. Party switches have had significant consequences in some states, such as North Carolina, where a Democrat's switch to the GOP gave Republicans supermajority control and allowed them to pass conservative legislation.
The Supreme Court rejected the North Carolina GOP argument that state lawmakers should have extraordinary powers over election rules, in a win for voting rights groups. The court ruled that state courts retain the authority to apply state constitutional restraints when legislatures act under the power conferred upon them by the Elections Clause. The decision drew praise from voting rights groups and some prominent Democrats, including former President Barack Obama, who called it a "resounding rejection of the far-right theory that has been peddled by election deniers and extremists seeking to undermine our democracy."
The US Supreme Court rejected the "independent state legislature" theory, which argued that state legislatures have the authority to set election rules with little oversight from state courts. The decision was made in a case about North Carolina's congressional map. The court maintained the power of state courts to review election laws under state constitutions, while urging federal courts to "not abandon their own duty to exercise judicial review."
Some state lawmakers in the US are pushing back against harm reduction strategies designed to help people survive opioid addiction, including supervised drug injection sites and distribution of overdose reversal drug Narcan. Critics say this threatens efforts by the Biden administration to shift the nation's response toward a public health model. Fentanyl overdoses have emerged as the leading cause of death for young Americans ages 18 to 45, with drug deaths nationwide regularly topping 100,000 fatalities per year. However, not all state legislatures are pivoting against harm reduction measures, with Kansas recently approving a bill legalizing possession of test strips that help people determine whether their street drugs contain fentanyl.
State legislatures around the country, plagued by partisan division, uncompetitive races, and gerrymandering, reflect the current pressures on democracy. Nationwide, candidates for roughly four of every 10 state legislative seats run unopposed in general elections. The lack of competition means incumbent lawmakers face few consequences for their conduct. And their legislative actions are driven in large part by the fraction of partisans who determine their fates in primary elections, the only political contests where they face serious opposition.
A group of 14 transgender and nonbinary legislators sent a letter to President Joe Biden expressing concern about the administration's proposed changes to Title IX, which would prohibit policies that "categorically" ban transgender athletes from school sports teams consistent with their gender identity. The legislators noted that state legislatures have introduced legislation that prohibits trans athletes from competing in sporting events, and urged the Biden administration to revise the proposed policy in a way that allows trans people to fully participate in the sports of their choosing.