Free Republic

TALLAHASSEE — Florida lawmakers will return to the Capitol on Monday for a brief special session to bolster state sanctions on Iran, a move aimed at helping Gov. Ron DeSantis with his floundering presidential campaign, his critics say. Legislators also plan to tackle other issues, including more aid for Hurricane Idalia victims, extra money to harden homes against hurricanes and school voucher funding. Not on the agenda Florida has the highest property insurance rates in the country, Driskell noted. “They continue to go out of control with no immediate relief for homeowners,” Driskell said, “yet we doled out billions to...

A Republican state senator is calling for a special session of the Georgia Legislature to investigate Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis (D), who charged former President Trump and others this week with attempting to overturn the 2020 election in the state. State Sen. Colton Moore, who represents the northwest corner of Georgia, said Willis’s “political persecution” of Trump and her conduct following the indictment merits a thorough investigation. “I just encourage all Georgia citizens to stop talking and get to action. Call their legislators, encourage them to sign on to this special session and keep the momentum rolling,” he...

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott ordered a third attempt at passing a GOP voting bill on Thursday, calling another special legislative session to begin this weekend as Democrats who left the state weeks ago in protest still remain in Washington. The announcement was expected and comes as more than 50 Democrats — who scrambled to fly out of Texas on July 12 — were on the cusp of running out the clock on the current special session and torpedoing the sweeping voting package for a second time since May. “I will continue to call special session after special session," Abbott said.

Texas legislators will return to Austin on Thursday to finalize work on some of the most controversial conservative priorities that have emerged in states across the country this year. Gov. Greg Abbott (R) said in a statement Wednesday that the legislature would tackle a major package of election overhauls that failed at the last minute in May when House Democrats staged a surprise walkout, denying a quorum and killing the bill. Republicans had pledged to revive the legislation, which makes changes to rules related to early voting and curbside voting, bans round-the-clock voting centers and eliminates straight-ticket voting. It would...

Speaker David RalstonEarlier today President Trump reached out to the Georgia House Speaker David Ralston and Speaker Pro-Tem Jan Jones on Monday urging the two Republican leaders to endorse and sign a petition to force a Georgia special session.RINO Governor Brian Kemp is unwilling to stand up against the massive voter fraud in the state.Breaking…@realDonaldTrump just talked for 15 mins. with GA House Speaker David Ralston and Speaker Pro-Tem @JanJonesGA about endorsing and signing the petition to force a GA special session. @GaHouseHub needs 91 out of 108 GOP votes; Senate needs 29 of 34–who are the Quislings?— John Fredericks...

ATLANTA — Georgia’s governor is again telling lawmakers that he won’t call a special session to overturn Georgia’s election results and appoint 16 presidential electors who would support Republican President Donald Trump instead of Democratic president-elect Joe Biden. Republican Brian Kemp issued a joint statement Sunday with Republican Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, saying it would violate state law for the General Assembly to name electors instead of following the current state law that calls for the governor to certify electors after results are certified. “Any attempt by the legislature to retroactively change that process for the Nov. 3rd election would...

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam announced on Tuesday that he’ll recall lawmakers to the state Capitol in the coming weeks to take up a package of gun-control legislation, which he said is urgently needed to prevent killings like Friday’s mass shooting in Virginia Beach. Northam said he plans to convene a special legislative session this summer. The Democrat said in an Associated Press interview ahead of his announcement that he wants the Republican-controlled General Assembly to hear from the public about the need for “common-sense” law related to guns and accessories. Republicans have previously rejected Northam’s gun control bills out of...

MADISON -- The state Department of Transportation has scrapped new bids on the massive Zoo Interchange project as lawmakers put the long-delayed state budget on the back burner and focus on Foxconn incentives instead.A special session will start at 11 a.m. Tuesday, August 1st on a bill that would extend $3 billion in tax breaks to the Taiwanese electronics company Foxconn, which has pledged to build a multi-billion dollar plant in southeastern Wisconsin and hire thousands of workers. A public hearing could happen this week.Meanwhile, Wisconsin's budget is a month late. Without funding, the state DOT has withdrawn three proposals...

Sovereignty loving patriots from Stop the Magnet joined with Overpasses SE- Texas to call for a Special Session since Governor Perry has never managed to successfully usher immigration enforcement bills through the legislature. The never-ending tide of primarily Central American OTM's (other than Mexicans) minors, many of whom are gang-bangers or cartel lackies, mothers with children and even unaccompanied toddlers will bring a huge strain on our Texas infrastructures and budgets.

HOUSTON, TX – The recent flood of immigrants into South Texas has created a storm surge that has made its way to Houston. The call went out on social media to show up on the north street overpass at I-45 for a “Man the Overpass” demonstration. Organizers want Gov. Perry to call a special session of the legislature to address what they say is a “self-created humanitarian crisis.” Read more: http://newsfixnow.com/2014/06/26/demonstrators-urge-perry-to-call-special-session-for-immigration-surge/#ixzz35nRYi4UZ

MOSCOW, March 19. /ITAR-TASS/. The State Duma, upper house of Russian Parliament, will convene for an extraordinary session on Thursday, March 20, to ratify the re-unification treaty with Crimea, First Deputy Duma Speaker Ivan Melnikov said. “There is the judgment of the Constitutional Court (which recognized the treaty as conforming to the Russian Constitution),” Melnikov told ITAR-TASS on Wednesday, March 19. “In this connection, the State Duma today will debate the draft resolution on holding an unscheduled plenary meeting at 16:00 tomorrow, March 20, to discuss the ratification of the treaty and the adoption of a constitutional law on the...

AUSTIN – Gov. Rick Perry today announced a Special Session of the Texas Legislature will begin at 2 p.m. Monday, July 1. “I am calling the Legislature back into session because too much important work remains undone for the people of Texas. Through their duly elected representatives, the citizens of our state have made crystal clear their priorities for our great state. Texans value life and want to protect women and the unborn. Texans want a transportation system that keeps them moving. Texans want a court system that is fair and just. We will not allow the breakdown of decorum...

The Texas Legislature adjourned its regular session on Memorial Day after passing fifteen pro-Second Amendment measures, and was immediately called back into special session by Governor Rick Perry to address the drawing of district lines in which federal and state lawmakers will run for re-election next year.  The Governor can add issue items to the agenda (known as "the call") as the special session progresses.  It is important that you contact his office and urge him to place the following unfinished pro-Second Amendment business on the call:• Allowing law-abiding adults with Concealed Handgun Licenses (CHLs) to legally protect themselves in buildings and...

ANNAPOLIS — The General Assembly passed legislation Tuesday night to expand gambling in the state, setting up a November referendum that will determine the proposal’s ultimate fate. After six hours of passionate debate, the House voted 71-58 in favor of the bill, which would allow table games at the state’s slots casinos and at a sixth gambling facility to be built in Prince George’s County if voted into law. The Senate approved the House amendments to the bill shortly after midnight, finalizing the legislation and wrapping up a four-day special session. Gov. Martin O'Malley, a Democrat, is expected to sign...

Maryland legislators will be cutting their summer vacations short after Gov. Martin O'Malley announced a special session for Aug. 9 to address gambling questions left unanswered in the spring. But after Mr. O'Malley repeatedly urged state leaders to “put the issues behind us so we can move forward,” some people are wondering whether the decision was a risky bluff. It’s the second special session this summer — Mr. O'Malley called the first one in mid-May to wrap up the budget — and the issues of table game expansion at Maryland’s existing casinos and adding a sixth casino in Prince George’s...

Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley will call a special session of the General Assembly between Aug. 9 and Aug. 16 to discuss a sixth casino and allowing table games in the state. Delegate Frank Turner, a Howard County Democrat who chairs the subcommittee that deals with gambling, confirmed Mr. O'Malley’s plans Thursday. Mr. O'Malley, flanked by Speaker of the House Michael Busch and Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. will formally announce the session in Annapolis Friday morning. Mr. O'Malley, a Democrat, is the only person with the power to call a special session in Maryland. On Wednesday, Mr. Busch,...

ANNAPOLIS — Maryland can support a sixth casino and adding table games would more than make up for the revenue that competing casino operators could lose, representatives from a consulting firm told state lawmakers Tuesday. Representatives from PricewaterhouseCoopers and the state’s Department of Legislative Services presented a report Tuesday to the state’s Work Group to Consider Gaming Expansion - a panel of legislators and executive-branch officials charged with deciding whether the General Assembly should hold a special session next month to consider a bill legalizing table games and adding a casino In Prince George’s County. Opponents have argued that adding...

A consulting firm will present its findings Tuesday on the potential impact of expanded gambling in Maryland as lawmakers continue to discuss possible legislation to add table games and a sixth casino in the state. Representatives from PricewaterhouseCoopers are expected to testify at the second meeting of the state’s Work Group to Consider Gaming Expansion, a panel of lawmakers and executive-branch officials charged with deciding whether the General Assembly should pursue a gambling expansion bill at an expected special session next month. State officials say the panel’s recommendation will be largely based on the firm’s findings. Lawmakers have said the...

The Maryland General Assembly could consider legislation that would soften the impact of an April court ruling classifying pit bulls as “inherently dangerous” in the latest of several recent cases that have highlighted the checks and balances between the state’s legislative and judicial branches. A panel of Maryland lawmakers will meet later this month to study the possible effects of a state Court of Appeals decision that makes owners of pit bulls or pit-bull mixes liable if their dog attacks another person, even if the dog had no prior history of dangerous behavior. The assembly is expected to hold a...

After discussing and debating the state’s finances behind closed doors for the past month, the Maryland General Assembly will convene Monday to start debating a revenue package during a special session. Lawmakers will hold public hearings and consider amendments on a pair of bills meant to supplement the state’s budget largely by raising income taxes. But the details of the bills appear all but set in stone, having been finalized in recent weeks during closed-door negotiations among Democratic leaders who say the bills will likely pass with few or no changes. House and Senate leaders say they did most of...