The Latest Breaking News from the General Assembly

The 10 states with the largest percentages of open seats since 2010

Welcome to the Monday, July 24, Brew. 

Ballotpedia · Jul 24, 2023

Fatal shooting of Karina Gonzalez once again highlights difficulty of seizing guns from spouse accused of abuse

A bill in the General Assembly would give police the authority to immediately remove a gun after a protection order is issued and would give them 48 hours to do it.

Chicago Sun-Times · Jul 14, 2023

Ohio Issue 1 is the 270th proposed amendment to the Ohio Constitution since the 1912 constitutional convention

On Aug. 8, voters in Ohio will decide Issue 1, the 270th proposed amendment to the state’s constitution since the 1912 constitutional convention. Voters approved 161 (59.85%) and rejected 108 (40.15%) of the proposed constitutional amendments from 1912 to 2022. 

Ballotpedia · Jul 14, 2023

Senate Democrats, business groups at odds over biometric privacy law

The Illinois Supreme Court all but begged the General Assembly to take another look at the Biometric Information Privacy Act in a ruling that could ultimately cost the White Castle burger chain billions for collecting employee fingerprint scans.

Chicago Sun-Times · Jun 30, 2023

UN votes to establish independent body to clarify fate of over 130,000 Syrians missing in conflict

The U.N. General Assembly has approved a resolution that will establish an independent body to determine what happened to more than 130,000 people missing as a result of the conflict in Syria

The Independent UK · Jun 30, 2023

Here’s when a judge says to expect a ruling on whether North Carolina abortion law can take effect

GREENSBORO, N.C. — The judge deciding whether North Carolina’s 12-week abortion ban can immediately go into effect said she’ll likely make a decision by Friday, one day before the new law is set to take effect.

Tribune News Service · Jun 28, 2023

Election legislation roundup: North Carolina State Senate

As of June 25, Ballotpedia has tracked 14 election-related bills in the North Carolina State Senate since the beginning of the year. Of the 14, Ballotpedia tracked one from June 19-25. Republicans sponsored the one bill. The bill is below:   

Ballotpedia · Jun 27, 2023

‘It’s going to be hot’: Maryland cannabis firms stockpile and staff up for big demand starting Saturday

Along a flat road in rural Cecil County, Maryland, where the sky is big and the towns are small, stands a long, nondescript building. Inside is one of the most important cultivation and processing operations for the state's new cash crop — cannabis.

Tribune News Service · Jun 27, 2023

Pension stripped from former state lawmaker who called bribes he passed to another pol ‘the jackpot’

The state General Assembly Retirement System board voted to strip former state Rep. Luis Arroyo of his more than $4,500-a-month state pension, citing state law that allows retirement benefits to be taken from ex-lawmakers if they commit felonies arising from their time in office.

Chicago Sun-Times · Jun 23, 2023

Fighting back after Dobbs: How I did it

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker on the one-year anniversary of the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade

Salon · Jun 23, 2023