On March 4, the Utah legislature passed HB 136, which makes it more difficult for initiatives to get on the ballot. The bill makes it illegal for anyone to pay a petitioner except on an hourly basis. Also it requires initiative circulators who are being paid to wear a badge. In font size 24, the badge must say “Paid signature gatherer” and give the employee’s ID number. Also an initiative circulator commits a crime if he or she does not offer to let anyone approached see a piece of paper with the entire text of the initiative. Here is the text.

In the Senate the vote was 22-7. The seven “no” votes were cast by all six Democratic Senators, and one Republican, Michael McKell.

The New Hampshire House Election Law Committee holds a working session on March 10, Wednesday. It will consider the bill to improve ballot access for minor parties, HB 570. It will consider the bills to move the September primary to an earlier date, HB 97 and HB 98. And it will consider SB 43, which allows each U.S. House district to elect its own presidential elector. That bill has already passed the Senate.

On February 25, the state of Ohio sued the U.S. Census Bureau over the Bureau’s announcement that states can’t obtain 2020 census data until September 30, 2021. The state says it must have the data sooner than that, in order to draw new boundaries for U.S. House and state legislative districts. State of Ohio v Coggins, s.d., 3:21cv-64. Here is the state’s Complaint.

A hearing will be held before U.S. District Court Judge Thomas M. Rose on March 19, 2021.