Wyoming Secretary of State Chuck Gray criticized Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon’s veto of a proposed amendment to the state’s voter registration rules that would have required Wyoming residents to provide proof of residency when registering to vote, calling the veto move “horrifying.”
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Ohio Governor Mike DeWine issued a one-sentence statement after the Ohio House of Representatives voted to override his veto of House Bill 68 on Wednesday.
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The Ohio House of Representatives voted on Wednesday to override Governor Mike DeWine’s veto of House Bill 68.
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The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Ohio has condemned Governor Mike DeWine’s recent signing of Executive Order-01D, which bans gender transition surgeries for minors at any hospital or ambulatory surgical facility in the Buckeye State.
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Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed an Executive Order on Friday banning gender transition surgeries for minors at any hospital or ambulatory surgical facility in Ohio.
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U.S. Representative Jim Jordan (R-OH-04) took to social media on Tuesday to offer a comment pertaining to the ongoing debate among state officials and lawmakers regarding House Bill 68.
“Men shouldn’t play women’s sports in Ohio or anywhere,” Jordan wrote on X.
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Former President Donald Trump has denounced Ohio Governor Mike DeWine’s veto of House Bill 68, saying the governor has “fallen to the radical left.”
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Former Ohio gubernatorial candidate and U.S. Representative Jim Renacci has denounced Governor Mike DeWine’s decision to veto House Bill 68, saying such legislation is “the easiest bill for a Republican Governor to sign.”
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Ohio Governor Mike DeWine vetoed a bill that would have protected women in sports and banned gender-affirming procedures from being performed on minors on Friday.
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Ohio Republican Gov. Mike DeWine went against his own party on Friday and vetoed a bill that would have banned gender-affirming treatments for minors and kept transgender athletes out of women’s sports.
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Wisconsin’s Republican-controlled state Senate on Thursday rejected Wisconsin Elections Commission Administrator Meagan Wolfe’s nomination to serve another four-year term, a move that normally would end the controversial regulator’s tenure in office.
But liberals are already challenging the Senate’s overwhelming vote to fire Wolfe, and the bureaucrat has defiantly said she’s not going anywhere.
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In the wake of Governor Tony Evers’ gutting of a historic tax cut proposal earlier this summer, Republicans are pushing another plan they said would deliver nearly $3 billion in tax relief for retirees and the middle class.
Conservative lawmakers said the plan to tap into the state’s projected $4 billion budget surplus is a “second chance” for the liberal governor to “do the right thing” and return overpaid tax dollars back to Wisconsin’s taxpayers.
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Taking a page from a Florida plan to bring tax relief to families, two Badger State Republican legislators are pushing a bill that would create a sales tax exemption on baby-related products.
State Representative David Steffen (R-Howard) and State Senator Jesse James (R-Altoona) recently introduced the “Tiny Tot Tax Cut” to help fight inflation where it can hurt families the most.
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Democrat Governor Tony Evers’ “creative” partial veto that boosts public education spending for the next four centuries “proves he’s a liar,” Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said during a Sunday morning interview.
The Rochester Republican said the governor’s “unprecedented” veto trick leaves Republicans — and taxpayers who would be on the hook for 400-plus years of spending increases — with “little option” but to take the governor to court.
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Amongst the latest batch of vetoes handed out by Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs (D) Friday was Senate Bill (SB) 1100, from Senator Frank Carroll (R-Sun City), which aimed to update the legal definition of recreational off-highway vehicles (OHV).
Specifically, this bill would have updated the maximum unladen weight of an OHV from 2,500 pounds to 3,500. Under Arizona law, a person cannot operate an OHV unless it is under the weight limit and they receive a user indicia from the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) via an application and fee. Additionally, OHVs are subject to a vehicle license tax, in this case, three dollars.
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Gov. Katie Hobbs is pulling back a $50 million federal grant allocated by former Gov. Doug Ducey that paid for full-day kindergarten for students using Arizona’s Empowerment Scholarship Accounts.
Hobbs announced on May 24 Arizona Empowerment Scholarship Accounts are invalid under the purpose of the American Rescue Plan Act, thus the state can’t spend ARPA funds on it.
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Among the vetoes recently handed out by Governor Katie Hobbs (D) was one for House Bill (HB) 2560, sponsored by House Speaker Ben Toma (R-Peoria), relating to ballot images.
Had this bill become law, it would have created a database of who in the state is registered to vote, who actually voted in the election, the ballot images from the election, and the cast vote record. This database would show if anyone voted who should not have and if any ballots were incorrectly approved by showing voters precisely what was certified. However, the record and images would not disclose who cast the vote.
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The office of Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs (D) revealed she had taken action on several more pieces of legislation Monday.
Of the 13 bills she dealt with, eight were on the receiving end of her veto stamp, including bills on pronouns in schools, election officials, and the Rio Verde Foothills (RVF) water solution.
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State Senator Anthony Kern (R-Glendale) released a statement Tuesday, disagreeing with Governor Katie Hobbs’s (D) decision to veto his Senate Bill aimed at balancing power between the legislative and executive branches of government.
“The Legislature is tasked with deciding major questions of statewide policy. SB 1255 would have recognized that duty by giving the Legislature final approval over costly bureaucratic agency rulemaking before rules go into effect and economically impact Arizonans,” Kern said.
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Republican leadership is blasting Governor Tony Evers for threatening to kill a bill that would boost state shared revenue and bail out financially troubled Milwaukee.
The liberal governor, however, isn’t the only critic of the legislation that pours hundreds of millions of dollars of new taxpayer revenue into Badger State towns, villages, cities and counties.
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As part of Gov. Katie Hobbs’s (D) latest record-setting batch of vetoes, SB 1091, by State Senator Anthony Kern (R-Glendale), was rejected despite passing through the House and Senate with strong bipartisan support.
“Helping to ensure inmates get back on their feet and become productive members of society after their release is massively important,” said Kern. “This bill would have really improved the transition process and 70 other lawmakers agreed. Unfortunately, the Governor didn’t take the time to fully understand it.”
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The Arizona Senate Majority Caucus released a statement Tuesday, announcing that Governor Katie Hobbs had vetoed another 11 bills, bringing her total to 63 and surpassing the previous record for most legislation vetoed in a single session.
“Vetoing is a tool that weak leaders will use in an effort to control legislative priorities, and we’re witnessing this tactic front and center from Katie Hobbs,” said Senate President Pro Tempore T.J. Shope (R-Coolidge). “Instead of demonstrating diplomacy and bipartisanship, the Governor is showcasing her failure to work across the aisle. Instead of accomplishing the priorities of our citizens and strengthening our communities, she’s done little outside of hosting press gaggles and photo ops with activist groups and Democrats alike.”
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Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs revealed another batch of legislative actions Tuesday, including four more vetoes for Republican-led legislation.
“Katie Hobbs just vetoed my bill that would have affirmed that courts are to interpret election laws in the interests of transparency – insane,” shared State Representative Alexander Kolodin (R-Scottsdale).
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Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders issued a line-item veto Friday for $5 million in pandemic expenses included in the Department of Corrections budget.
“During my first days in office, I terminated several existing Executive Orders related to the COVID-19 pandemic,” Sanders said in her veto letter. “I believe in freedom and personal responsibility – not COVID mandates or shutdowns. The COVID-19 pandemic is over.”
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Gov. Katie Hobbs (D) unveiled on Tuesday another batch of legislative actions, signing eight bills and vetoing five. Among the bills to not make it was Senate Bill (SB) 1027, sponsored by State Senator Anthony Kern (R-Glendale), which would have increased punishments for fentanyl manufacturers who cause injuries to children.
“We have been fighting the opioid epidemic not just in Arizona, but nationwide for decades,” said Kern. “The least we can do is try to protect our children and future generations from exposure to a deadly drug often laced into opioids. This bill had the support of many Democrats, yet Governor Hobbs continues to show her priorities are out of line.”
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Arizona Senator Majority Leader Sonny Borrelli (R-Lake Havasu) released a statement Tuesday blasting Gov. Katie Hobbs for vetoing his bill, SB 1074, which he claims would have provided oversight to the electronic equipment used in the state’s elections.
“This bill would have taken the politics out of the voting process and created a neutral party that works for the Legislature. Fair and honest elections are a bi-partisan concern, albeit only when Democrats are the ones to benefit. Hobbs’ obstructive and cavalier attitude has been part of the destruction of transparency and oversight within our elections,” Borrelli said.
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New Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs is piling up vetoes of bills sent to her from the Republican-dominated Arizona Legislature. By Thursday, she had vetoed 37 bills this session, more than any other governor in Arizona’s history except Democrat Janet Napolitano. The progressive Phoenix New Times dubbed her the “Veto Queen.”
The Kari Lake War Room Twitter account had a strong reaction to all of the vetoes. “.@katiehobbs is Arizona’s very own Ron Burgundy,” the account tweeted. “She’s wedded to the teleprompter and she’ll VETO anything that’s put in front of her. Even when it’s language that she herself (supposedly) wrote. She’s not even reading these bills. Hobbs isn’t a Governor. She’s a clown.”
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Scottsdale-based nonprofit Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) released a statement Thursday putting Gov. Katie Hobbs (D) on blast for vetoing Senate Bill (SB) 1600, aimed at protecting a child born alive.
“Every human life is valuable, and every baby deserves to be protected. By rejecting critical legal protections for babies who survive abortions, Gov. Hobbs has made it clear: She would rather cater to the abortion industry than affirm the basic human rights of vulnerable children. Her failure to protect the lives of children once they are outside of the womb is unthinkable and inexcusable,” said ADF Senior Council Denise Burke. “We’re grateful to the Arizona lawmakers who took a strong stand for life by passing this vital legislation.”
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State Representative Alexander Kolodin (R-Scottsdale) made an announcement Wednesday that his House Bill (HB) 2322, relating to early ballot signature verification, has passed through the legislature and is now in the hands of Governor Katie Hobbs (D).
“The signature verification rules included in this legislation helps ensure that only ballots cast by lawful voters are counted,” said Kolodin. “These are the same rules that were written by Governor Hobbs when she was the Secretary of State.”
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It wasn’t all bad news for conservatives in Tuesday’s election. While the right lost control of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, Republicans gained two-thirds — or supermajority power— in the state Senate.
State Representative Dan Knodl (R-Germantown) narrowly defeated environmental lawyer Jodi Habush Sinykin in the race for Wisconsin’s 8th Senate District Seat.
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The Arizona Freedom Caucus (AFC) issued a statement on Tuesday critical of Governor Katie Hobbs’ veto of a bill that would have provided more energy choice. The group of conservative Arizona legislators accused Hobbs of being influenced by Arizona Public Service Co. (APS), the state’s largest electricity utility. APS was the largest donor to Hobbs’ inaugural festivities.
“PAY TO PLAY?! @APSfyi, AZ’s largest electric utility company, donated $250K to @KatieHobbs in January,” the AFC tweeted. “Today @GovernorHobbs VETOED HB2440 which would’ve required the most affordable & reliable electric service be the priority. Hobbs just raised utility prices for everyone in AZ.”
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Gov. Kaite Hobbs continues to strike down Republican-sponsored bills, announcing Monday that she vetoed four House Bills (HB), bringing her total to 24 this session.
“Issuing vetoes is easy. Actual leadership requires hard work, and Republicans in the legislature will continue to pass good public policies that make the state better for working Arizonans and families,” said Arizona House Speaker Ben Toma (R-Peoria) in a statement emailed to The Arizona Sun Times.
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The Center for Arizona Policy (CAP) is urging Governor Katie Hobbs to sign Senate Bill (SB) 1600, sponsored by Senator Janae Shamp (R-Surprise), which aims to protect all children born alive.
“Withholding reasonable care to a living newborn just because doctors don’t expect her to live long is, indeed, heartless and cruel. @GovernorHobbs can prevent this evil by signing SB 1600,” CAP tweeted.
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Arizona State Senator Janae Shamp (R-Surprise) released a statement Thursday stating her disappointment with Gov. Katie Hobbs (D), who vetoed her Senate Bill (SB) aiming to ensure health professionals can get religious exemption from taking a vaccine.
“I spent my entire career as a nurse, being an advocate for my patients and ensuring that their beliefs are respected and protected,” said Shamp. “The reason I’m here at the Senate, is because I was fired from my job as a nurse after refusing to get the experimental COVID-19 vaccine. My top priority is this bill because during the pandemic, Americans’ medical freedoms were taken from them, myself included. For me, the Governor’s veto is personal.”
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Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs (D) announced several legislative actions on Tuesday, including the veto of Senate Bill (SB) 1063, sponsored by State Sen. Sonny Borrelli (R-Lake Havasu), which would have prevented Arizona municipalities from enforcing a tax on groceries.
“This veto is a disgraceful windfall for cities and an absolute gouge for families,” said Majority Leader Borrelli. “We’re not only paying inflated prices to feed our families, but we’re also paying more in taxes as the cost of food rises. Food is not a luxury; it is a necessity. A tax on our groceries is regressive and hurts everyone.”
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A bill from State Sen. J.D. Mesnard (R-Chandler) aimed at preventing Critical Race Theory from being taught in state classrooms made its way to Governor Katie Hobbs’s desk Monday. However, Josslyn Berry, a spokesperson for Hobbs, told The Arizona Sun Times that is as far as the bill would get.
“I can confirm we’ll be vetoing this one [Senate Bill (SB) 1305],” Berry said via email.
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With a potential government shutdown looming on the horizon, State House Speaker Ben Toma (R-Peoria) and Senate President Warren Petersen (R-Mesa) sent a letter to Gov. Katie Hobbs (D) Tuesday requesting a meeting to discuss ways to compromise on the state budget.
“In our first and only meeting to discuss the budget, your office stated it was unwilling to receive feedback or take questions. Obviously, we need some level of agreement to pass a budget. We believe we can achieve most of our priorities and including yours that are reasonable,” the Legislators wrote in their joint letter.
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The Arizona State House and Senate have officially passed a “skinny budget” to continue funding state agencies. The ball now falls in Gov. Katie Hobbs’s (D) court to sign or veto the budget, and the Senate Majority Caucus said it expects Hobbs to “do the right thing.”
“We [the caucus] believe it would be quite foolish for Governor Hobbs to veto this budget. We are proceeding under the assumption that she will do the right thing. If she does veto this budget, then she will be responsible for a government shutdown,” Caucus spokeswoman Kim Quintero told The Arizona Sun Times via email.
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Gov. Gretchen Whitmer vetoed two bills that aimed to keep voter roll lists updated – a security risk flagged by the state auditor in 2019.
House Bill 4127 and House Bill 4128 aimed to require the Secretary of State to send notices to registered electors with an unknown date of birth in the Qualified Voter File and to those who haven’t voted since the 2000 general election, within 90 days of the bill’s effective date.
That registered elector would have to sign the notice, add a date of birth, and mail back a copy of an original birth certificate, current driver’s license, or state personal ID card.
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Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia reportedly opposed two pieces of his party’s spending package as negotiations over its price tag and reach continue to stall.
Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia’s opposition reportedly relates to the Democrats’ climate change and child tax credit provisions of the budget proposal. While the majority of his party lauded both programs, the 50-50 Senate means that any one Democratic senator could tank the bill, giving Manchin veto-like power while representing a rural, coal-producing state that voted for former President Donald Trump by almost 40 points in 2020.
Multiple reports surfaced Friday suggesting that the Clean Electricity Payment Program would likely be scrapped from the bill due to Manchin’s objections, part of Democrats’ attempt to fight climate change. Those backing the program, which would provide incentives for clean energy use while implementing fines and penalties for organizations continuing to rely on fossil fuels, see it as a fundamental piece of the Democrats’ agenda and key to reaching President Joe Biden’s goal of reducing U.S. emissions by 50% of what they were in 2005 by 2030.
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Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Tuesday vetoed a bill that would have given small businesses an option for a tax breaks.
The governor wrote a letter explaining she vetoed the bill because it was too costly and would “primarily benefit a small number of Michiganders.”
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The Republican-controlled Senate voted 25-5 Thursday to override Governor Doug Ducey’s veto of a bill that made technical corrections to previously enacted laws. Ducey vetoed SB1635 along with 21 other bills a month ago, following through on a threat he’d made in May over the legislature’s failing to send him a budget. It was the first time in 40 years, the Arizona Senate has overruled the governor.
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Democratic Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards vetoed a bill Tuesday that would have banned biological males from women’s sports.
“As I have said repeatedly when asked about this bill, discrimination is not a Louisiana value, and this bill was a solution in search of a problem that simply does not exist in Louisiana,” the governor said in a statement, according to the Associated Press, adding that “even the author of the bill acknowledged throughout the legislative session that there wasn’t a single case where this was an issue” in Louisiana.
Louisiana’s Fairness in Women’s Sports Act would have prohibited biological males from participating in female intercollegiate, interscholastic, or intramural athletic sports “that receive state funding.”
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The governor of Kansas has vetoed a bill that would have banned biological males from participating in women’s sports.
Democratic Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed the “The Fairness in Women’s Sports Act” Thursday, saying in a news release that the legislation “sends a devastating message that Kansas is not welcoming to all children and their families, including those who are transgender — who are already at a higher risk of bullying, discrimination, and suicide,” according to local outlet KMBC.
“As Kansans, we should be focused on how to include all students in extracurricular activities rather than how to exclude those who may be different than us,” Kelly said. “Kansas is an inclusive state and our laws should reflect our values. This law does not do that.”
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The governor of West Virginia signaled that he will not veto a bill banning biological males from women’s sports.
Republican West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice discussed HB 3293 during a coronavirus briefing Wednesday saying that he would either “let it become law or sign it,” according to The Hill. The governor also said that he would “absolutely not” veto the bill, the publication reported.
“From the standpoint of how I feel about it personally… I just can’t possibly get through my head that it is the right thing for us at a middle school level or a high school level in our state for me not to support the bill,” Justice said, according to the Hill. “So, I do support the bill.”
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Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said on Tuesday that he would veto a bill aiming to curb emergency health orders if it made it to his desk.
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Ohio state Republican legislators were unable to override Gov. John Kasich’s (R-OH) veto of the “heartbeat” abortion bill Thursday. House Bill 258 (HB 258), first introduced on June 6, 2017, would have made it illegal for a doctor to perform an abortion once a fetal heartbeat is detected. In most pregnancies, the heartbeat begins at three weeks but, with current technology, can only be reliably detected at six weeks. This would have made the bill one of the most comprehensive abortion limitations in the country. Kasich vetoed the bill on December 22, citing a high probability that it would be ruled unconstitutional and Ohioans would be left to pay the legal costs. Many Republican lawmakers disagreed and welcomed a court challenge. This was the second time Gov. Kasich has vetoed the bill. While the Ohio House was able to pass the override measure by a vote of 61-28, the Ohio Senate vote came up short at 19-13, one vote shy of passage. State Sen. Bill Beagle (R-Tipp City) cast the deciding vote that led to the override failure. Beagle did vote to initially advance the bill out of committee and voted for its passage when it came to the floor. Following…
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As early as Thursday, December 27th, Ohio House Republicans may vote to elect a new speaker as well as a new GOP caucus dean, following a dramatic schism from within the House leadership. Normally, following an election, the GOP caucus dean calls for an informal meeting, a new speaker is voted on, and the leadership selection is finalized. However, GOP caucus dean Jim Butler (R-Oakwood) has declined to set a date. On November 29th, he stated “There is growing demand among the caucus to hold a leadership vote. We are going to have a vote.” Since then he has made no public attempt to schedule or organize said vote. From December 19th to 21st, outgoing Ohio Governor John Kasich vetoed three conservative-backed bills; A self-defense gun bill, a pay raise for elected officials, and a pro-life bill that would ban abortions after a heartbeat is detected. Kasich did pass several other bills, including a ban on one of the most common second-trimester abortion procedures. Many GOP lawmakers are hoping they can overturn the vetoes during the December 27th meeting, in addition to finalizing their leadership. However, a potential speaker would have to earn 50 of the 61 GOP caucus member votes. Many believe the…
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Gov. John Kasich (R-OH) vetoed the Ohio General Assembly’s gun-rights legislation Wednesday, even though the bill was removed of most of its substantial provisions before passage. As The Ohio Star reported last week, House Bill 228 was stripped of its “stand your ground” measure, which would free gun owners from abiding by a “duty to retreat” law that requires them to stand down in life threatening situations. After it was removed, the Ohio Gun Owners organization said it was “looking at this thing as a big ‘nothing burger’ now.” The bill did, however, still include a provision that would shift the burden of proof from defendants to the prosecution in self-defense cases—the current law in all 49 other states. But Kasich was upset that the bill didn’t include a “red flag” law, which allows the government to seize guns from people who are mentally ill or are considered a danger to others. “We can’t get it done over there. This really infuriates me,” he said this week, according to The Columbus Dispatch. “Why would I sign a bill that gives more power to gun advocates?” “For the first time in my lifetime, the possibility of somebody coming through that door…
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by Lawrence W. Reed President James Garfield named his beloved dog Veto. The pooch was a monstrous but lovable black Newfoundland weighing more than a hundred pounds. Congress got the message: A bad or unconstitutional bill would go straight to the Garfield doghouse. (Sadly, none ever did because Garfield served only five months in office.) The veto itself is a long-established and venerable tool of republican government in numerous countries. Along with term limits, separation of powers, habeas corpus, and more, it counts among the storied contributions the ancient Roman Republic gave the world 25 centuries ago. The term itself comes from Latin and means “I forbid!” So committed were the early Romans to hamstringing the ambitions of power-seekers that they licensed the tribunes of popularly-elected assemblies to kill a bill from the Senate, and they invested each of the two highest officials in the government (the consuls) with the authority to nix the decisions of the other. The veto helped to constrain activist legislators and preserve the Republic for nearly 500 years. Inspired by the Romans, America’s Founders baked the power of presidential veto into the Constitution right from its inception—in Article I, Section 7. The President may block…
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