On March 20, a U.S. District Court in Connecticut said that the lawsuit Green Party of Connecticut v Garfield should proceed to a trial. The case challenges a law passed in 2005 that sets up discriminatory public funding for candidates for Connecticut state office. The state and its ally, the Brennan Center, had tried to get the case dismissed summarily.
Alaska HB 402 was scheduled to have a hearing in the House State Affairs Committee on March 20, but it has been postponed until March 27. The bill eases the definition of “political party.”
This month, both houses of the Hawaii legislature have passed the National Popular Vote Plan bill, but each house passed a slightly separate version. The House Committee will hear the bill that has already passed the Senate on March 20.
On March 17, the 11th circuit heard DiMaio v Democratic National Committee. This is the case that says there must be some constitutional protection for Democratic voters in Florida, for input into the presidential selection process. The 3 judges seemed to indicate that they will remand the case back to the U.S. District Court. The District Court had ruled that the plaintiff lacks standing.
The U.S. Supreme Court will again think about whether to hear Citizens United v Federal Election Commission, on March 21, with the news to be announced (probably) on March 24. This is a challenge to part of the federal campaign finance laws.
Although the U.S. Supreme Court put out a non-election law decision on March 19, it did not release the Indiana photo ID decision. The next opinions will be next week.
