🚨BREAKING: A state district court has struck down Utah’s congressional map on the grounds that the legislature illegally repealed 2018 anti-gerrymandering standards approved by voters. State has until 9/24 to adopt new map.

My latest scholarship roundup up for @statecourtreport.org covers interesting new work on state constitutions, state courts, federalism, and more. (Sorry to report that it’s the back-to-school edition!) statecourtreport.org/our-work/ana...

The WI Supreme Court wrapped up its 2024-25 term with high-profile decisions on abortion, legislative committee vetoes, and more. Check out @bgodar.bsky.social’s explainer for a review of the term’s key cases and a preview of what’s to come: statedemocracy.law.wisc.edu/featured/202...

NEW from me: The GOP megabill will add $171 billion to immigration enforcement and ICE, a gigantic sum that'll pour funds into a vast network of detention + hire thousands of ICE agents and fund sheriffs. I talked to an expert on just what to expect: boltsmag.org/how-the-gop-...

New: The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that an 1849 law on abortion was impliedly repealed by later abortion legislation, so it no longer operates as a ban on abortion. Read the opinion here: www.wicourts.gov/sc/opinion/D...

@uwlawdemocracy.bsky.social senior staff attorney @derekclinger.bsky.social published a new paper exploring whether Ohio legislators can override voter-approved laws based on the state's constitution: bit.ly/4jHMUDV

As Ohio lawmakers consider overhauling a voter-approved initiative legalizing adult-use marijuana, my forthcoming Case Western Reserve Law Review essay argues their power to do so is much more limited than commonly assumed. papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....

We've updated our election litigation tracker to cover lawsuits in state & federal courts for 2024. Some takeaways: > High volume of election litigation continued > Most suits were in state court > Majority of cases focused on the voting process go.wisc.edu/q141gm

In light of *gestures wildly* all this, a reminder that state constitutions can better protect our rights than federal law. Read & search the full text of your state's at @uwlawdemocracy.bsky.social's 50Constitutions.org, newly updated w/ full constitutional amendment histories for ten states.

NEW: Voting rights are under threat from all directions in this new era — first and foremost from conservative courts. Democracy expert extraordinaire @yeargain.bsky.social wrote for us on the 8 big legal battles you should be watching for democracy this year. boltsmag.org/voting-right...

The outcome of November's NC Supreme Court election is being litigated, with more than 60,000 votes being challenged. This explainer from SDRI’s @ewlau.bsky.social offers background on the dispute and how it made its way to court: statedemocracy.law.wisc.edu/featured/202...

The partisan asymmetry in 2024 lame-duck sessions is stark. In North Carolina, Republicans passed a sweeping power grab to take over election admin & strip power from Democrats before losing their gerrymandered supermajority. In Michigan, a few Dems thwarted the party’s last weeks of unified govt

Whoa—the Montana Supreme Court holds that its state constitution protects the right to "a stable climate system," and strikes down a law that barred consideration of greenhouse gas emissions when permitting new fossil fuel projects. juddocumentservice.mt.gov/getDocByCTra...

“Open-Government Nonprofits Are Dying Off Just When They’re Needed Most” electionlawblog.org?p=147845

“Explainer: Lame-Duck Power Grabs in North Carolina and Beyond” electionlawblog.org?p=147784

Breaking: The North Carolina Legislature overrode Gov. Cooper’s veto of SB 382, a controversial power grab tied to hurricane relief. Here’s an explainer from SDRI's @derekclinger.bsky.social analyzing the bill and situating it within similar efforts in NC and beyond: go.wisc.edu/7x7qdf 1/

The annual Wisconsin Law Review issue on public law in the states is live! Great essays by @oldfatherc.bsky.social, @kmtani.bsky.social, @slwashington.bsky.social, @chrisjwalker.bsky.social, @robyablon.bsky.social and @derekclinger.bsky.social, and more. Wlr.law.wisc.edu/volume-2024-no-5/