RandySF
RandySF's JournalBill would make Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission an elected post
LINCOLN — A legislative bill introduced Friday would make the Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission an elected office. Another bill would protect physicians who want to recommend the medicine.
Both bills, from State Sen. John Cavanaugh of Omaha, come after a yearlong, continued fight to implement a medical cannabis system that voters approved in the 2024 general election. Voters legalized up to 5 ounces of medical cannabis with a health care practitioner’s recommendation.
Voters also created a regulatory, governor-appointed Medical Cannabis Commission with “exclusive” authority to regulate the drug. Under the law, three members of the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission automatically serve on the Medical Cannabis Commission.
Cavanaugh, a Democratic candidate for Congress in Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District, said making the commission an elected office would instill direct accountability to voters who have “clearly expressed their desire to have a well-regulated, functioning medical cannabis system.”
https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/bill-would-make-nebraska-medical-cannabis-commission-an-elected-post/
Hundreds warned to evacuate in downtown Juneau amid high avalanche risk
Alaska’s capital city advised downtown residents in avalanche zones to evacuate their homes late Friday morning. Avalanche risk mounted as a result of increased snowfall, higher temperatures and forecasted rain, triggering an emergency alert.
City and Borough of Juneau Emergency Programs Manager Ryan O’Shaughnessy said the city is monitoring the risk closely and working with the National Weather Service and the state’s Department of Transportation.
“If you live in a slide path it’s time to grab your go bag and get out of your house and make other arrangements until the hazard has cleared,” he said at a news conference on Zoom that began late Friday morning.
O’Shaughnessy pointed residents to an interactive map of avalanche zones in downtown Juneau. Residents can type in their addresses to see if they are in a risk zone. He said the avalanche zone depicted in the maps includes what are called runout zones, where snow would spread after an avalanche.
https://alaskabeacon.com/2026/01/09/hundreds-warned-to-evacuate-in-downtown-juneau-amid-high-avalanche-risk/
With his next pick, DeSantis will have selected every Florida Supreme Court justice bar one
Six white men make up the group of finalists to fill the seat on the Florida Supreme Court vacated by Charles Canady.
Canady left the court as his wife, Rep. Jennifer Canady, R-Lakeland, is in line to become speaker of the Florida House after the 2028 elections and before he was age-limited off the court. He became director and a professor at the University of Florida Hamilton School for Classical and Civic Education on Jan. 1.
This could be the final Supreme Court appointment Gov. Ron DeSantis makes before he leaves office in about a year. Since taking office in January 2019, he has overhauled the court’s jurisprudence, creating an institution willing to jettison even longstanding precedent on abortion and capital punishment in the interest of conservative ends. He was assisted by the age-related retirements of the court’s moderate-to-liberal block.
Once the Judicial Nominating Commission submitted its candidates on Dec. 30, the governor had 60 days to appoint a qualified candidate — that is, by the end of February. The panel vets applicants for selection by the governor.
https://floridaphoenix.com/2026/01/10/with-his-next-pick-desantis-will-have-selected-every-florida-supreme-court-justice-bar-one/
Bexar County sticks with state voter registration system for March primary, despite fall backlog
Bexar County’s elections department will continue to use the state’s system for processing voter registrations through the March primary election — the same software the county used in the fall when it faced a backlog of more than 70,000 registrations just weeks before early voting.
County commissioners still plans to select a private contractor for the software the county uses to store its database of registered voters, match them with the correct voting precinct and ensure they get the right ballot at the polls. But that won't happen in time for the spike in voter registrations expected ahead of the March 3 primary.
Elections administrator Michele Carew said she’s confident the state’s Texas Election Administration Management system, or TEAM, will get the county through that spike.
"They haven’t let us down yet,” Carew said. "I mean, if you think about the November election, they came through on everything we needed for that. I’m very confident.”
https://www.expressnews.com/news/article/bexar-county-voter-registration-march-election-21281844.php
DNC warns states that complied with DOJ voter roll demand may have violated federal law
Democrats warned 10 states Friday that they may have violated federal election law after entering into an agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to share sensitive voter data.
In response, Harmeet Dhillon, head of the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, advised Democrats to “think twice before interfering in a federal investigation,” arguing that such actions could amount to obstruction of justice.
“Organizations should think twice before interfering in a federal investigation and encouraging the obstruction of justice,” Dhillon posted on social media. “Unless they’d like to join the dozens of states that are learning their lesson in federal court.”
In letters to election leaders in each of these states — which include Alabama, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Utah — Democratic National Committee (DNC) litigation director Daniel Freeman warned that entering into such an agreement “appears to require violations of the [National Voter Registration Act]” — most notably a provision that bars states from removing voters from their rolls within 90 days of an election.
https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/dnc-warns-states-that-complied-with-doj-voter-roll-demand-may-have-violated-federal-law/
What to know about Pennsylvania's upcoming special elections
ollowing resignations in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, four seats in the chamber will be up for grabs in special elections scheduled for February and March.
The resignations came after several lawmakers formally submitted their resignations after they won elections for local office in November. The lawmakers who have since departed the chamber are former state Reps. Torren Ecker, Dan Miller, Lou Schmitt and Josh Siegel.
Dates for all four of the special elections are set after House Speaker Joanna McClinton signed writs of election to fill the now-vacant seats.
https://www.cityandstatepa.com/politics/2026/01/what-know-about-pennsylvanias-upcoming-special-elections/410599/?oref=cspa-homepage-river
DNC threatens to sue Nebraska over potential deal to remove voters flagged by feds
LINCOLN — The Democratic National Committee has threatened to sue Nebraska over any potential agreement with the Justice Department requiring election officials to remove allegedly ineligible voters identified during federal reviews of state voter rolls.
The letter, obtained by the Examiner, was sent Friday morning, says the DNC wants to “ensure” the state and the secretary of state are aware of federal constraints on voter registration list maintenance and wants the state not to pursue any “unlawful removals from its official list of eligible voters in elections for federal office.”
“The DNC sends this letter in the hope that the imminent violations … may still be avoided,” part of the letter to Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen reads. “Nonetheless, the DNC stands ready to issue a formal notice should evidence of ongoing violations come to light. In the event that your office believes further conversations might help avoid a violation of federal law, I would be happy to discuss this matter with you or your staff.”
The letter, from DNC Litigation Director Daniel J. Freeman, outlines how the potential agreement would “violate” federal election law, pointing to the National Voter Registration Act. The DNC argues “a systematic purge” of registered voters would lead to “errors that remove registrants who remain eligible under state law.”
https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/01/09/dnc-threatens-to-sue-nebraska-over-potential-deal-to-remove-voters-flagged-by-feds/
Ballots on Catalyst, Cascadia zoning election to go out next month
Greeley residents will begin receiving ballots regarding the special election for the Catalyst and Cascadia projects no earlier than Feb. 3, with ballots for overseas and military voters sent on Friday.
The city will hold a special election for ballot measure 1A on Feb. 24, giving voters the opportunity to decide whether to repeal the zoning for the Catalyst and Cascadia properties. The zoning ordinance was approved by the council in August and was quickly challenged by local issue committee Greeley Demands Better, which circulated a petition to force the council to either repeal the zoning ordinance or bring it to a vote.
On Thursday, Greeley Demands Better co-chairs Brandon Wark and Rhonda Solis sent a letter to the council demanding that they stop spending and exercise the project off-ramps until the residents have the opportunity to vote. The letter listed possible off-ramps including repealing the zoning and canceling the election.
“As sponsors of the Referendum, we have substantial and well-documented concerns about the City’s continued spending and financial
exposure,” the letter reads. “We urge you to take immediate action to protect taxpayers by stopping all discretionary spending and exercising the off-ramps and contingency provisions available under the existing agreements.”
https://www.greeleytribune.com/2026/01/09/special-election-1a-cascadia-catalyst/
Former city employee formally challenges eligibility of Vice Mayor Antanette Mosley to run for re-election
A former city of Asheville employee who previously sued the city alleging racial discrimination in a commission appointment has formally challenged the eligibility of Asheville Vice Mayor Antanette Mosley to run for re-election based on questions about her residency.
“It appears from recent news stories that the candidate may not meet residency or eligibility requirements for this position,” John P. Miall Jr. wrote on the challenge form submitted to the Buncombe County Board of Elections Thursday, adding that his evidence consisted of “multiple news stories that the candidate has residences in at least two states.”
Miall told Asheville Watchdog that he filed the challenge because he expects the “highest standards of everything – honesty, competency – among our elected officials. And I think any of us as citizens and taxpayers have a right to ask questions.”
Mosley has received primary-residence tax benefits on a home in Atlanta throughout her six years on the City Council while also submitting election documents showing she lives in Asheville, a requirement of the office, Asheville Watchdog reported in December.
https://avlwatchdog.org/former-city-employee-formally-challenges-eligibility-of-vice-mayor-antanette-mosley-to-run-for-re-election/
Florida readies for election year with disputed voter ID bill
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WFLA) — A bill filed for the upcoming legislative session aims to tighten Florida’s voter registration rules, looking to ban out-of-state voters and require proof of citizenship.
Last session, State Representative Berny Jacques (R-Seminole) was determined to get his voter ID bill across the finish line but struggled to make it onto the House and Senate floors, facing sharp criticism from Democrats inside at the statehouse.
The bill would remove individuals off of Florida’s voter registry who have out-of-state drivers’ licenses, while also requiring non-citizens to have “NC” now marked on the back of their IDs.
“We have to stay on offense. We have to make sure that we continue to secure elections and one avenue where we can do that is to make sure that non-citizens never make it on our rolls,” Jacques said.
https://www.wfla.com/news/florida/florida-readies-for-election-year-with-disputed-voter-id-bill/
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