Podcasts about Special session

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Mary Vought, Vice President of Strategic Communications at The Heritage Foundation joins to talk about elections in New Jersey and Virginia.

Two statewide candidates are temporarily off the campaign trail and at the Capitol for a special session. Michael Pope reports.

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Louisiana Senate President Cameron Henry discusses three of the hottest topics in Louisiana

Today's sponsor is Piedmont Master Gardeners: Now accepting applications for their 2026 training class. Apply by December 1, 2025No study of American history or macroeconomics would leave out the impact played by the Great Crash of the New York Stock Exchange of 1929 which culminated on Black Tuesday, 96 years ago today. Stock prices had continued to increase throughout the Roaring Twenties but would generally decline until 1932, marking the era of the Great Depression. This edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement does not have the time or resources to delve into the causes of a financial panic that transformed the United States. I'm Sean Tubbs, and I think people should look back on their own time.In this edition:* Earlier this year, President Trump asked officials in Texas to redraw the Congressional maps to give the Republican Party an advantage in the 2026 midterms* Other states with Democratic majorities such as California have countered with redistricting proposals of their own* This week, the Virginia General Assembly is meeting in a special session to take a first step to amend the state's constitution to allow for a mid-Census redistricting* The podcast version features an audio version of yesterday's story on 530 East Main Street (read the story)Charlottesville Community Engagement is the work of one person and that one person sometimes neglects the marketing. You can help fill the gap by sharing with friends!First-shout: The new WTJU mobile app is here!WTJU is pleased to announce our brand new mobile app! You can download a version from either the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. Here are the links to both:* iPhone version* Android versionThe WTJU app is the place to tune in and listen live to WTJU, WXTJ, and Charlottesville Classical. Aside from the live stream, listen to archived shows, view recent songs, playlists, and program schedules, check out videos of live performances, stay up-to-date on WTJU's most recent news and articles, and more!Live chat with your favorite hosts, share stories with your friends, and tune into your community all in the palm of your hand.Virginia General Assembly takes up redistricting amendment during special sessionThe second presidency of Donald Trump has introduced many novel approaches to governance in the United States, including pressure on legislators in Texas to break from precedent to redraw Congressional districts in advance of the 2026 mid-term elections.Traditionally redistricting happens every ten years as mandated in Article 1, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution. States can determine the method of how they draw districts but for many years Southern states were required to submit boundaries for review to ensure compliance with civil rights legislation such as the Voting Rights Act of 1965.The Republican Party currently holds a narrow majority in the U.S. House of Representatives with 219 members to 213 Democrats with three vacancies. One of those vacancies has been filled in a special election in Arizona won on September 23 by Democrat Adelita Grijalva but Speaker of the House Mike Johnson has so far refused to swear her in until he calls the full House of Representatives back into session.According to the Texas Tribune, redistricting in Texas is expected to create five additional safe seats for Republicans. The state's delegation of 38 Representatives consists of 25 Republicans, 12 Democrats, and one vacancy. Governor Greg Abbott signed the new Congressional map on August 29 with no need for voters to approve the measure.In response, California Governor Gavin Newsome, a Democrat, suggested legislation called the “Election Rigging Response Act” in direct response to the new maps in Texas, and a voter initiative to redraw maps in the nation's largest state mentions efforts underway by Republicans to redistrict in Florida, Ohio, Indiana, Missouri, New Hampshire, Nebraska, and South Carolina. Proposition 50 is on the ballot on November 4.Last week, the Virginia Political Newsletter reported that Democrats who control a narrow majority in the General Assembly are seeking to follow California's lead. On Monday, the House of Delegates agreed to take up House Joint Resolution 6007 which would amend the Virginia Constitution to allow the General Assembly to make a one-time adjustment.The General Assembly is able to meet because a special session from 2024 was never technically adjourned. To allow consideration of the Constitutional amendment, the joint resolution that sets the rules for the special session had to be changed and agreed to by both the House of Delegates and the Virginia Senate.One adopted on February 22 of this year lists six items of acceptable business including memorials and resolutions commending people or businesses. A seventh was added to House Joint Resolution 6006 which was introduced by Delegate Charniele Herring (D-4) on October 24. This would allow a “joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of Virginia related to reapportionment or redistricting.”Both the House of Delegates and the Virginia Senate convened on Monday, October 27.As the debate in the House of Delegates began, Delegate Bobby Orrock (R-66) made a parliamentary inquiry.“My first inquiry would be given that special sessions have by their very nature only occurred for specific reasons. Ergo, we have resolutions controlling what can be considered during them. And subsequently, to my knowledge and experience here, they've never extended for more than a one year period.”Orrock said the 2024 Special Session was continued to allow progress toward adopting a budget that year. He said that had taken place and the stated reason for the special session was moot.The amendment itself was not made available until Tuesday afternoon. More on that later.Delegate Jay Leftwich (R-90) read from §30-13 of the Virginia Code which lays out what steps the Clerk of the House of Delegates has to take when publishing proposed amendments to the Constitution.“It goes on to say, Mr. Speaker, the Clerk of the House of Delegates shall have published all proposed amendments to the constitution for the distribution from his office and to the clerk of the circuit court of each county and the city two copies of the proposed amendments, one of which shall be posted at the front door of the courthouse and the other shall be made available for public inspection,” Leftwich said.Delegate Herring countered that that section of code predates the Virginia Constitution of 1971 which does not have those requirements. Leftwich continued to press on this note but Speaker of the House Don Scott ruled that his questions were not germane to the procedural issue.Delegate Lee Ware (R-72) said the move across the United States to redraw districts mid-Census to gain partisan advantage was a bad idea no matter what party was proposing it.“Just because a bad idea was proposed and even taken up by a few of our sister states such as North Carolina or California, is not a reason for Virginia to follow suit,” Ware said. “ For nearly two and a half centuries, the states have redistricted following the decennial census, responding to the population shifts both in our country and in the states.”A motion to amend HJ6006 passed 50 to 42.The House of Delegates currently only has 99 members due to the resignation of Todd Gilbert. Gilbert had been named as the U.S. Attorney for Western Virginia but lasted for less than a month. Former Albemarle Commonwealth's Attorney Robert Tracci was appointed to the position on an interim basis.Charlottesville Community Engagement is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Second-shout out: Cville Village seeks volunteersCan you drive a neighbor to a doctor's appointment? Change an overhead lightbulb, plant a flower, walk a dog for someone who is sick, visit someone who is lonely? If so, Cville Village needs you!Cville Village is a local 501c3 nonprofit organization loosely affiliated with a national network of Villages whose goals are to help seniors stay in their own homes as long as possible, and to build connections among them that diminish social isolation. Volunteers do small chores for, and have gatherings of, professors and schoolteachers, nurses and lawyers, aides and housekeepers. Time and chance come to all – a fall, an order not to drive, failing eyesight, a sudden stroke. They assist folks continue living at home, with a little help from their friends.Cville Village volunteers consult software that shows them who has requested a service and where they are located. Volunteers accept only the requests that fit their schedule and their skills.Volunteering for Cville Village can expand your circle of friends and shower you with thanks.To learn more, visit cvillevillage.org or attend one of their monthly Village “meet-ups” and see for yourself. To find out where and when the next meetup is, or to get more information and a volunteer application, email us at info@cvillevillage.org, or call them at (434) 218-3727.Virginia Senators pre-debate the amendment on TuesdayThe Virginia Senate took up the matter on Monday as well. Democrats have a 21 to 19 majority and were unable that day to suspend the rules to immediately consider an amendment to HJ6006. They had a second reading on Tuesday.The initial discussion of the Constitutional amendment took place during a portion of the meeting where Senators got to speak on matters of personal privilege. As with the House of Delegates, many inquiries from Republican legislators happened because the document itself was not yet available for review.Senator Bill Stanley (R–20) rose to remind his colleagues that the General Assembly passed a bipartisan Constitutional amendment to require that redistricting be conducted by a nonpartisan committee.“We listened to Virginians who were tired of the gerrymandering,” Stanley said. “In 2019, polls showed 70 percent of Virginians supported redistricting reform. Not 51 percent, not 55 percent, [but] 70 percent. The Mason Dixon poll showed 72% support. And crucially, over 60 percent of Republicans and Democrats alike supported this amendment. Equally when it came to a vote in the Commonwealth. This was not partisan.”Senator Mamie Locke (D-2) served on the bipartisan redistricting committee and reminded her colleagues that the process broke down in October 2021, as I reported at the time. The Virginia Supreme Court ended up appointing two special masters to draw the current boundaries.“There was constant gridlock and partisan roadblocks,” Locke said. “[Those] Were the reasons why the Supreme Court ended up drawing the lines because the commission ended up discussing things as tedious as which university could be trusted to provide unbiased data.”Locke said the proposal in Virginia would still have a bipartisan commission draw new maps after the 2030 Census and that voters in Virginia would still have to approve the amendment.Senator Scott Surovell (D-34) said the amendment is intended to step in when other branches of government are not exercising their Constitutional authority to provide checks and balances. He echoed Locke's comment that the redistricting commission would continue to exist.“There's no maps that have been drawn,” Surovell said. “There's no repeal of the constitutional amendment. The only thing that's on the table or will be on the table later this week is giving the General assembly the option to take further action in January to then give Virginia voters the option of protecting our country.”Senator Richard Stuart (R-25) said he thinks President Trump is doing a job of bringing manufacturing back to the country and dismissed Surovell's notion that democracy is at threat.“I'm not seeing any threat to democracy,” Stuart said. “I heard the word king, and I would remind the Senator that if he was a king, he would be beheaded for what he just said. But in this country, we enjoy free speech. We get to say what we want to say, and that is a valued right and privilege.”Senator Barbara Favola (D-40) said many of her constituents are concerned about cuts to federal programs due to the recent passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill including threats to Medicaid. She explained why she supports her Democratic colleagues in Congress in the current state of things.“We are in a shutdown situation because the Democrats are standing up and saying we must extend the tax credits that are available on the health marketplace so individuals can afford their insurance,” Favola said. “Health insurance. This is not going unnoticed by the Virginians we represent.”Senator Mark Peake (R-22) said Republicans were entitled to govern how they want because they are in control of the federal government.“The current president won an overwhelming majority in the Electoral College and he won the popular vote by over 4 million or 5 million votes,” Peake said. “That is called democracy. That is what we have. And the Republicans won the Senate and they won the House of Congress. We will have another election next year and it will be time for the citizens to vote. But we are going under a democracy right now, and that's where we stand.”The points of personal privilege continued. Senator Schuyler VanValkenburg (D-72) said elections are a chance for citizens to weigh in on a presidency that started the process of mid-Census redistricting.“The key point is this,” VanValkenburg said. “The president's ideas are unpopular. He knows it. He's going to his ideological friends, he's asking them to carve up maps, and now the other side is upset because they're going to get called on it in elections.”The Senate adjourned soon afterward and will take up a third reading of HJ6006 today.Democrats file Constitutional Amendment for first referenceEarly discussions about a potential constitutional amendment in the House of Delegates and the Virginia Senate this week did not include a lot of details about how a mid-Census Congressional redistricting would take place.House Joint Resolution 6007 was filed with the Virginia Legislative Information System on Tuesday, October 28. As of this publication it is in the House Privileges and Elections Committee because the Senate has not yet given itself permission to take up the matter.The amendment would amend Article II, Section 6, of the Virginia Constitution to insert language into the second paragraph.Here is the full text, with italicized words indicating new language.The Commonwealth shall be reapportioned into electoral districts in accordance with this section and Section 6-A in the year 2021 and every ten years thereafter, except that the General Assembly shall be authorized to modify one or more congressional districts at any point following the adoption of a decennial reapportionment law, but prior to the next decennial census, in the event that any State of the United States of America conducts a redistricting of such state's congressional districts at any point following that state's adoption of a decennial reapportionment law for any purpose other than (i) the completion of the state's decennial redistricting in response to a federal census and reapportionment mandated by the Constitution of the United States and established in federal law or (ii) as ordered by any state or federal court to remedy an unlawful or unconstitutional district map.Take a look at the whole text here. I'll continue to provide updates. Stories you might also read for October 29, 2025* Charlottesville Ale Trail brings people to craft beverage makers, Jackson Shock, October 27, 2025* U.Va. leaders defend Justice Department deal in letter to Charlottesville legislators, Cecilia Mould and Ford McCracken, Cavalier Daily, October 28, 2025* Council agrees to purchase $6.2 million office building for low-barrier shelter, Sean Tubbs, C-Ville Weekly, October 29, 2025* Republican legislators slam Virginia redistricting proposal, Colby Johnson, WDBJ-7, October 27, 2025* Democrat Abigail Spanberger backs Virginia legislature's redistricting push, Steve People and Olivia Diaz, Associated Press, October 27, 2025* Va. Democrats roll out redistricting amendment to counter GOP map changes in other states, Markus Schmidt, October 28, 2025* Virginia Republicans Sue to Block Democratic Redistricting Push, Jen Rice, Democracy Docket, October 28, 2025* Redistricting session to resume Wednesday, WWBT, October 29, 2025Back to local again shortly after #947This is a unique version based on me wanting to go through the General Assembly recordings myself. I have a lot of local stories to get back to in the near future and I'm working extra this week to make sure I get back to them.They include:* Coverage of the discussion of 204 7th Street at the October 21, 2025 Charlottesville Board of Architectural Review* Coverage of last night's Albemarle Planning Commission public hearing on Attain on Fifth Street* Coverage of two discussions at last night's Greene County Board of SupervisorsAs expected, I work longer hours when I'm out of town on family business because I don't have the usual places to go. This is okay. Summer is over and it's time to hunker down and get to work. Today's end video is The Streets: This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

Mike Braun has called the Special Session to start redistricting. The country’s LARGEST federal workers’ union just demanded Chuck Schumer and Democrats REOPEN the government. A mass shakeup of ICE leadership is underway amid growing friction inside DHS over deportation tactics and priorities. Amazon layoffs. Bari Weiss looks to poach pro-Trump CNN pundit Scott Jennings for CBS News. Riley Gaines FIRES BACK at AOC and challenges her to a DEBATE. CAT 5 Hurricane bearing down on Jamaica. Indiana trans student planned shooting. Governor Mike Braun has called the Special Session to start redistricting. McDonalds Hawaiian Glasses for sale. Don't be a creepy clown this Halloween. Tara Hastings gives out small size candy for Halloween. How does redistricting affect the Indiana business community? Senate Chaplain scolds congress for its shutdown. All Communists lie. All of them. All the time.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mike Braun has called the Special Session to start redistricting. The country’s LARGEST federal workers’ union just demanded Chuck Schumer and Democrats REOPEN the government. A mass shakeup of ICE leadership is underway amid growing friction inside DHS over deportation tactics and priorities. Amazon layoffs. Bari Weiss looks to poach pro-Trump CNN pundit Scott Jennings for CBS News. Riley Gaines FIRES BACK at AOC and challenges her to a DEBATESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

CAT 5 Hurricane bearing down on Jamaica. Indiana trans student planned shooting. Governor Mike Braun has called the Special Session to start redistricting. McDonalds Hawaiian Glasses for sale. Don't be a creepy clown this HalloweenSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Read more General Assembly starts hashing out redistricting amendment for 2026  How do data centers figure into Virginia's 2025 elections?  Richmond looks for holistic solutions to gun violence  Note: VPM's Fall 2025 membership campaign is ongoing now through Oct. 31. ⁠⁠Click or tap here to see our matching challenges.⁠⁠   Our award-winning work is made possible with your donations. Visit ⁠⁠vpm.org/donate⁠⁠ to support local journalism. 

A week before the world learned of a jewelry heist in France, the Indianapolis zoo was grappling with a theft of its own: two small tortoises. The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department recently released the initial draft of its 5-year strategic plan after months of gathering community input and data. About 100 clergy, religious leaders and community members gathered outside the state prison near Kokomo, Indiana. Governor Mike Braun has called for a special legislative session to consider redrawing the boundaries of Indiana's congressional districts. Want to go deeper on the stories you hear on WFYI News Now? Visit wfyi.org/news and follow us on social media to get comprehensive analysis and local news daily. Subscribe to WFYI News Now wherever you get your podcasts. WFYI News Now is produced by Zach Bundy and Abriana Herron, with support from News Director Sarah Neal-Estes.

Late Tuesday afternoon, Democrats revealed their proposed language to allow Virginia to change its Congressional boundaries. The proposed change could only be used if other states redistrict outside the normal process that follows every census.  It would also expire in 2030, presumably turning the process back over to the bipartisan redistricting commission. Meanwhile, partisan finger-pointing […]

We'll get an update on how things are going in the special session on redistricting with Jeremy Alford, editor and publisher of LaPolitics Weekly

* The US is slapping new sanctions on Russian oil. What could this mean for the Louisiana oil and gas industry...and for the prices we pay at the pump? * We get an update on how things are going in the special session in Baton Rouge

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Rob calls-in to talk about the downside to Gov. Mike Braun calling lawmakers back to the Statehouse next month to redraw Indiana’s congressional districts and address a state and federal tax compliance issue. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gov. Mike Braun plans to call lawmakers back to the Statehouse next month to redraw Indiana’s congressional districts and address a state and federal tax compliance issue. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Read more  Virginia moves to join redistricting trend Mehta looks to unseat Earley in Chesterfield House of Delegates race On the agenda: this week in public meetings⁠  Note: VPM's Fall 2025 membership campaign is ongoing now through Oct. 31. ⁠Click or tap here to see our matching challenges.⁠  Our award-winning work is made possible with your donations. Visit ⁠vpm.org/donate⁠ to support local journalism. 

AP correspondent Marcela Sanchez reports on another Republican governor following President Trump's call to redraw congressional maps.

Members of the General Assembly will be returning to Richmond on Monday for a special session on redistricting. Michael Pope tells us Democrats are talking about redrawing the maps as a reaction to Republican-led redistricting efforts across the country. 

Sources tell us state lawmakers have been called to reserve November 12th and 13th, indicating the potential for a special session. The governor confirmed over the summer the need for a special session to tackle housing after vetoing a massive bill related to that. It's not clear though if the session will and solely tackle housing. We spoke with Sen. Jeff Gordon, ranking member of the Planning Development Committee, about whether housing on the agenda. Image Credit: Getty Images

This week on the podcast, we feature an exclusive interview with Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, who reflects on what state government accomplished — and what it didn't — during the recently concluded special legislative session. Lujan Grisham also looks ahead to the 30-day, regular session that begins in January. It will be the last for the termed-out governor. Podcast Host: Lou DiVizioNMiF Show Host: Nash JonesGuest: Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, (D) New Mexico

Tommy talks to Jeremy Alford to talk about an upcoming special session. Plus, Ben Riggs joins us to talk about the insurance crisis in the state.

Governor Landry called for a special session on elections to start this coming Thursday. We get the details with Jeremy Alford, editor and publisher of LaPolitics Weekly

CT Speaker of the House Matt Ritter joins us to talk about the latest in the state and the upcoming special session.

Rep. Edmond Jordan & Ashley Shelton, of the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice, talk about the upcoming scheduled Special Session and the ramifications of the SCOTUS decision on Calais v. Louisiana Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What really happened during the recent Special Session? Alan Martinez stops by the studio to share his insights on the Session and what to expect moving forward.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mayors across the Twin Cities metro and beyond are calling for the Minnesota Legislature to repeal a state law that prevents cities from enacting their own gun regulations. The call comes in the wake of the August shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church and School. Two children were killed, and dozens of others were wounded during a back-to-school mass. MPR News host Nina Moini talked with one of the mayors pushing for a state law change, Kim Norton of Rochester.

Legislators will be headed back to Carson City this fall for another special session of the Nevada legislature — the sixth since 2020. Governor Joe Lombardo announced he wants them to finish some 'unfinished business' in the next few months. So when exactly will that be? What still needs to get done? And why have there been so many special sessions lately? One of the biggest issues likely to come up is whether Nevada should offer new tax credits to attract the film industry to Las Vegas, so we figured we'd bring in two southern Nevada journalists. Host Ben Margiott chats with McKenna Ross, politics and government reporter with the Las Vegas Review-Journal and Steve Sebelius, senior political reporter with KTNV Channel 13. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last week, Governor Lombardo announced his plan to convene a special session of the Legislature to take care of unfinished business — so what exactly does that mean, what can we expect, and are we at peak special session? Nevada Current deputy editor April Corbin Girnus sits down with co-host Dayvid Figler to explain the ins and outs of the spesh sesh (#speshsesh, we're making it a thing, y'all). Learn more about the sponsors of this October 14th episode: Black Mountain Institute Babbel - Get up to 55% off at Babbel.com/CITYCAST Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastVegas on Instagram, or email us at lasvegas@citycast.fm. You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719. For more Las Vegas news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter, Hey Las Vegas. Learn more about becoming a City Cast Las Vegas Neighbor at membership.citycast.fm. Looking to advertise on City Cast Las Vegas? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

Republican leaders of the Kansas Legislature are working to cobble together the necessary two-thirds majority of the House and Senate to call a special session in November. The original purpose was to redraw the four Kansas congressional districts to make it easy to defeat U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, a Democrat. But there are maybe a dozen or so House GOP members not thrilled about redistricting in 2025 when it wasn't scheduled to be done again until 2032. Republican leaders want to appeal to dissenters by trying to pass a bill during the special session to prevent individuals from changing their gender marker on Kansas driver's licenses. With this proposed special session about three weeks away, Kansas Reflector senior reporter Tim Carpenter and editor Sherman Smith take stock of the drama.

Rep. Harry Niska joined Vineeta on The WCCO Morning News

The WCCO TV Sunday morning anchor joined Vineeta on Friday morning to discuss what "isn't" happening right now at the State Capitol.

Hour 2 begins with Jon talking about how Walz is planning to hold Town Halls, instead of a Special Session to talk about guns. Then Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson joins the show to talk about the Government Shutdown, and Trump's peace deal with Hamas.

Legislative leaders can't come together on the framework for a session and the idea might be scrapped all together. More from Blois Olson and Vineeta on The WCCO Morning News. Photo: Governor's office

Minneapolis police say they've identified more people who were hurt in the August shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church, bringing the total count to 30 victims.Gov. Tim Walz is walking back prior remarks that he'd call a special legislative session with or without an agreement with lawmakers.Those stories and more in today's evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

A special session was convened yesterday at the request of Governor Cox, which saw many large political strides made in just a few hours. Among the items on the agenda were raising the berm on the Great Salt Lake, delegating the choice of chief justice to the Governor, and, of course, the redistricting maps. One map, "Map C," was put in front of the courts. Greg and John talk about the choices made by the legislature and some of the pushback it has seen.   

On this week's Tipping Point NM Paul and Wally discuss:  What happened during the special session? The federal budget shutdown and NM's recent special session are connected in some pretty profound ways.  APS is asking for a $350 million bond. New Mexico resident puts up billboards discussing New Mexico's problems. Fusion company plans to invest $1 billion in New Mexico research and manufacturing facility.

Where did the money go from last weeks special legislative session? BV is joined by Barbara Butcher to discuss her new show regarding murder investigations. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

October 6th, 2025

This week on New Mexico in Focus, we report from the special legislative session at the Roundhouse in Santa Fe, where lawmakers quickly passed a series of funding and other bills meant to shore up health care, public media and COVID vaccine access in the wake of massive cuts and confusion from the Trump administration.  Host: Nash Jones  Segments:  State House Speaker Sums Up Special Session Correspondent: Nash Jones Guest: State House Speaker Javier Martinez, D-Albuquerque  Senate Majority Leader on Urgency of Special Session Correspondent: Nash Jones Guest: State Sen. Peter Wirth, D-Santa Fe  State Senate Minority Floor Leader on Special Session Objections, Political Violence Correspondent: Nash Jones Guest: State Sen. William Sharer, R-Farmington  GOP Opposition to COVID Vaccine Bill Correspondents: Gwyneth Doland Nash Jones Guests: State Sen. Jay Block, R-Rio Rancho State Sen. Linda Lopez, D-Albuquerque  Health Care Authority Secretary Breaks Down Funding for Rural NM Correspondent: Nash Jones Guest: Kari Armijo, Cabinet Secretary, NM Health Care Authority  Funding to Study Interstate Medical Compacts Passes Correspondent: Nash Jones Guest: Marschall Smith, Executive Director, Interstate Medical Licensure Compact Commission   NM Legislature Backfills Some Federal Funding Cuts for Public Media Correspondent: Gwyneth Doland Guests: State Rep. Martha Garcia, D-Pine Hill State Rep. Derrick Lente, D-Sandia Pueblo State Sen. Pat Woods, R-Broadview State Rep. Randall Pettigrew, R-Lovington 

Governor Spencer Cox is officially calling the Utah Legislature into a special session. It will be held on Monday, starting at 9:00 a.m. In a press release, the Governor's office says the legislature will address several matters of state business...including choosing a new congressional map for the state's redistricting effort. 

Hour 3 of the show begins with Jon talking about the new Traffic Cameras in Minneapolis that are going to be used to catch speeding drivers. Then Rick Kupchella joins the show to talk about his new documentary A Precarious State.

A funding lapse in Washington sets the stage, but the real story is how power, process, and language shape outcomes—from the Senate's 60‑vote math to a New Mexico special session that narrows what gets debated. We open by decoding the shutdown: why a seven‑week continuing resolution stalled, how polling and precedent drive the blame game, and why markets shrugged while politicians postured. Then we zoom into Santa Fe, where a fast‑tracked agenda centers on health policy—especially a quiet but consequential shift that would remove CDC ACIP as the reference for school immunization schedules and lean on the state health department and the American Academy of Pediatrics. We unpack what that means for scientific independence, conflicts of interest, and public trust, and make the case for more—not fewer—credible voices in the room.From statehouse to city hall, we tackle Albuquerque's sanctuary city status. Polling shows majority support when the policy is framed as non‑cooperation “except when required by law,” but a mayoral order adding a hotline to alert residents about ICE activity raises safety and operational concerns. We connect those dots to voters' top anxieties—crime and homelessness—and explore how perceptions of safety track party identity more than daily reality, complicating honest problem‑solving.Campaign sparks fly in the Democratic gubernatorial primary over policy authorship, reminding us that voters care less about who wrote a plan and more about who can deliver measurable results. The temperature spikes again when a state representative compares ICE to the KKK—rhetoric condemned by law enforcement and flagged here for what it is: reckless. We close with a practical bright spot—drug pricing reforms tied to most‑favored‑nation benchmarks and a “Trump RX” fallback that could drive substantial savings for Medicare, Medicaid, and consumers if implemented with transparency and competition in mind.If you value sharp analysis without the spin, follow the show, share this episode with a friend, and leave a quick review so more listeners can find it. Your feedback helps us tackle the next big story with more depth and clarity.Website: https://www.nodoubtaboutitpodcast.com/Twitter: @nodoubtpodcastFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/NoDoubtAboutItPod/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markronchettinm/?igshid=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D

OPB reporter, Dirk Vanderhart, joins the Exchange to shed light from his reporting on the special session of the Oregon legislature.

OPB reporter, Dirk Vanderhart, joins the Exchange to shed light from his reporting on the special session of the Oregon legislature.

Republican Majority Leader Harry Niska joins Chad to talk about Governor Walz and the DFL announcing their proposal for a special session on gun control and school safety and his disappointment with so much of it.

KSTP-TV political reporter joins for a brief visit to talk about the announcement from Governor Walz today with a proposal for a special session and the mess that's created between both parties in the legislature.

In this episode of Passing Judgment, Jessica is joined by David Goodman of the New York Times to break down the unexpected surge of mid-cycle redistricting in Texas. They discuss how political maneuvering by Republicans—aimed at flipping congressional seats—has triggered national reverberations, with states like California now considering similar actions to counter Texas. The episode dives into the partisan motivations, the legal and political pushback, and the threat to independent redistricting commissions. Together, Jessica and David make sense of the fast-evolving redistricting landscape and its far-reaching impact on representation and the future balance of power in Congress.Here are three key takeaways you don't want to miss:Mid-Cycle Redistricting—Why Now? The episode opens with an exploration of why an unusual mid-cycle redistricting is being discussed in 2025, even though redistricting typically happens every ten years after the census. The trigger for this push is political: Republicans, facing a narrow margin in the U.S. House, sought ways to gain additional seats, focusing first on Texas where state Republican control made this feasible.The Politics and Justification of Gerrymandering Both Jessica and David highlight that Texas Republicans were fully open about the political motives behind redrawing district lines—to flip as many as five Democratic seats to Republican. They justified this by pointing out gerrymandering in Democratic-led states and emphasizing partisan advantage as allowed by the Supreme Court, which has found political gerrymandering to be outside federal judicial review.The Domino Effect—Other States Respond Texas's actions triggered similar conversations in other states. However, David points out that most opportunities for follow-on aggressive redistricting are found in Republican-led states because many Democratic-led states (like California and New York) have independent redistricting commissions, which limit the legislature's ability to redraw maps for partisan gain. States specifically considered for similar moves include Indiana, Missouri, and Florida, while California emerged as the prime Democratic candidate, though with significant procedural hurdles.Follow Our Host: @LevinsonJessica