Latest news with #89
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Lawmakers narrow, advance bill to define male and female in Nebraska law for school sports
State Sens. Merv Riepe of Ralston and Kathleen Kauth of the Millard area meet on the floor of the Nebraska Legislature. April 22, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) LINCOLN — A bill seeking to define 'male' and 'female' in Nebraska law advanced Wednesday for K-12 and collegiate sports teams alone, no longer for school bathrooms, school locker rooms or state agencies. State Sen. Merv Riepe of Ralston ultimately supported Legislative Bill 89, the 'Stand With Women Act,' on the condition that his amendment was adopted to limit the bill to sports. He said the amended bill preserves athletic competition without a 'moral panic' against transgender Nebraskans. 'I did not run for office to become part of the 'Nebraska State Potty Patrol,'' said Riepe, who publicly requested the change last month. Riepe's amendment was adopted 34-8. The bill advanced 33-15. The 'panic,' Riepe said, 'is no different' than when some people justified 'government overreach' to argue that video games make people violent, rock music leads to devil worship and comic books corrupt youth. He said 'reason eventually won out' and 'cooler heads prevailed' in those cases. Under the bill, a student-athlete would need to verify their sex at birth with a doctor's note before they could participate in single-sex sports, which State Sen. Kathleen Kauth of the Millard area, LB 89's sponsor, envisioned would come during a student's physical exam. Public school sports would be restricted to students' sex assigned at birth, for males or females only, unless coed/mixed. There would be an exception if there is no female equivalent team, such as football. Private schools competing against public institutions would need to do the same. 'Sex' would be defined as whether someone 'naturally has, had, will or would have, but for a congenital anomaly or intentional or unintentional disruption, the reproductive system that at some point produces, transports and utilizes' either eggs (female, woman or girl) or sperm (male, man or boy) for fertilization. Kauth, who designated LB 89 as her 2025 priority, said her bill was about 'common sense' and 'adherence to biology' while establishing protections for women and girls. She said she was grateful to Riepe, and while she wished the bill could remain in full, she respected Riepe and said, 'Sometimes making incremental steps is the best way to go.' Kauth said she would return in 2026 and try again for bathrooms and locker rooms, which Riepe said he would not support. He said LB 89 indirectly took care of locker rooms and that he was against turning the Legislature into a 'vehicle for fear, overreach and culture war crusades.' 'LB 89, as amended, respects that line,' Riepe said during debate. 'It focuses on competition, not surveillance. It protects sports, not panic.' Gov. Jim Pillen, speaking with the Nebraska Examiner a few weeks ago, said he would accept the pared-back LB 89 'if that's where it ends up.' He said that if a boy goes into a woman's restroom, 'the rest of the boys will take care of him.' Kauth said LB 89 would prevent that self-policing and that a 'high-trust society' would give faith that someone under her bill is on the right sports team, or as in the larger bill, bathroom. Some opponents, such as State Sens. Megan Hunt and John Cavanaugh, both of Omaha, have said Kauth's bill would require policing on whether anyone is allowed in the 'right' bathroom or locker room and would be discriminatory against transgender Nebraskans. Still, opponents to LB 89 did not block Riepe's amendment — State Sens. Jane Raybould of Lincoln and Dan Quick of Grand Island even voted for the amendment, despite not voting to advance the bill later. Progressives, such as State Sens. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln, Machaela Cavanaugh of Omaha, George Dungan of Lincoln and Victor Rountree of Bellevue, instead took time to speak directly to transgender Nebraskans and their families, knowing they couldn't stop the bill. Conrad said that in more than a decade in public life, she'd never seen one group of Nebraskans and their families suddenly 'under attack by their government.' She said opponents would 'lean in with more love and light when faced with darkness.' 'Those of us who stand on the right side of history and in support of human rights will not stop until each member of the human family is afforded equal rights and human rights,' said Conrad, who previously led the ACLU of Nebraska. 'I thank you for your love and compassion in the face of hate and harm.' Rountree said that as a pastor, he would stand with love 'because Jesus loved us all.' State Sen. Dan Lonowski of Hastings, a former public school teacher, said the bill wasn't about discrimination and noted that he would often have LGBTQ students eat in his classroom over lunch because they didn't want to eat in the full cafeteria. He said it didn't matter his political affiliation and that it was about giving those students space. State Sen. Mike Jacobson of North Platte said that if someone wants to be transgender, 'be transgender,' and if they want to play sports, they can, just on the team corresponding to their sex. Kauth and State Sen. Tanya Storer of Whitman said it was 'shocking' that lawmakers needed to defend women's rights, and Kauth said LB 89 sought to prevent discrimination against women. The pair called out Dungan, who said lawmakers needed to 'shut up' and leave the issue alone. Storer said it was 'gaslighting' to suggest that supporters had 'hate' in their hearts, which she denied. 'I see the faces of beautiful women disappearing, being erased, so they're supposed to step aside, be quiet, sit down, shut up, for fear of being called out for 'hating,'' Storer said. She added: 'You can defend the rights of women and not hate transgender, and I don't hate anyone.' Sen. John Cavanaugh said he didn't think the problem was 'hatred' or 'discrimination,' while he thought there might be some 'misunderstanding' of what 'discrimination' means legally. 'I think this is an unwillingness to get to know people,' he said. Hunt said children just wanted 'the freedom to play with their friends without being politicized.' Dungan said 'all they're asking is to be left alone.' Cavanaugh pointed to the biblical commandment to 'love thy neighbor as thyself,' and that when he met families who would be hurt by LB 89, they were 'just regular Nebraska families.' He said that while with Riepe's amendment the bill is 'less harmful,' trans children would still be hurt. 'If people have hurt your feelings by saying that you are 'hateful' and 'discriminatory,' then I'm sorry,' Cavanaugh said, 'but do not take that out on these children.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Paid sick leave and better health care would help Nebraska women
The Nebraska State Capitol on Jan. 18, 2022, in Lincoln. (Rebecca S. Gratz for Nebraska Examiner) For 35 years, the Women's Fund of Omaha has worked on issues foundational to achieving gender equity. We advocate for public policies that ensure all women and girls can reach their full potential. Our expertise in policy advocacy includes helping to pass legislation that supports survivors of sexual violence, provides pathways to economic security and creates solutions to problems set up by systems that were never meant for us. Unfortunately, very few bills prioritized and championed by legislators this session support women, especially ones like Legislative Bill 89 that claim in name but fail to make any real positive impact in our lives. This so-called 'Stand With Women Act' would, if it becomes law, let politicians decide who is 'male' and 'female' and ban a very small number transgender people from certain bathrooms and sports teams. While some members of the Legislature spend a lot of time saying they 'stand with women' and want to 'protect women,' they fail to pass policies that provide us with paid leave when we are sick or caring for our young children and aging parents. They refuse to center our right to bodily autonomy and continue to restrict access to reproductive health care, inserting themselves into our most personal decisions and stripping us of our privacy. They attempt to overturn our vote to raise the minimum wage, which impacts our ability to pay rent or put food on our tables. They use the weight of the government to tell us what it means to be a woman, while we've been living our lives all these years experiencing the ramifications of their votes. Nebraska lawmakers could be doing so much more to support women in our state and create meaningful change in our lives. But they will fail again if they use the limited days left of this session attempting to pass legislation like LB 89 while claiming to support us. The bill will not protect us. It will not improve our lives in any measurable way. We know who perpetuates gender-based violence in our communities, and we can clearly see who and what systems are impeding our progress. For too long, lawmakers have attempted to distract and divide our energy. The Nebraska Legislature has pretended to care about us while taking away our rights or failing to pass the policies we need to support ourselves and our families, including those we voted for directly on the ballot. To the women of Nebraska and our allies, it's time to remember just what and who we are fighting for: equal pay for equal work, the ability to safely raise our families, the right to decide when and if to become a parent, the privacy to make our own medical decisions, fair workplaces and communities free from violence. To Nebraska lawmakers: We are at a critical point in our state's history, and in our work to protect and advance gender equity. Are you ready to pass meaningful legislation that supports all women? We are beyond ready. Jo Giles is executive director of the Women's Fund of Omaha. She has worked as a policy and training director for the Coalition for a Strong Nebraska and for years in media relations. She serves on multiple boards.
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Kansas gov. approves seven new laws Friday
TOPEKA (KSNT) – The Kansas Governor has approved of several bills this week which are destined to become new laws this year. Governor Laura Kelly announced in a press release on Friday, April 4 that she has signed off on seven additional bills this week that will become new laws. These include the following: Substitute for Senate Bill 67 – authorizes certified registered nurse anesthetists to prescribe, procure and administer drugs consistent with registered nurse anesthetist's education and qualifications. Senate Bill 89 – authorizes the Kansas Department of Agriculture to assess a participant fee for poultry producers that wish to voluntarily participate in the National Poultry Improvement Plan, a state-federal cooperative testing and certification program that seeks to eradicate disease in the poultry industry. Senate Bill 97 – requires vehicle dealers to apply for a dealer inventory-only title for certain used non-highway vehicles that a vehicle dealer obtains. Substitute for House Bill 2152 – shifts Kansas' investment strategy for public funds to encourage those funds be deposited in Kansas financial institutions. This change will help ensure taxpayer dollars are invested in local communities, increase economic activity in the state and give Kansans access to additional capital to finance investments in their homes, businesses or communities, according to the Office of the Governor. House Bill 2359 – enacts the Uniform Adult Guardianship and Protective Proceedings Jurisdiction Act and the Uniform Guardianship, Conservatorship and other Protective Arrangements Act. House Bill 2338 – authorizes the Kansas Board of Cosmetology to issue temporary location and temporary guest artist permits and establishes criteria therefor. House Bill 2307 – transfers the prenatal and postnatal diagnosed conditions awareness programs from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to the Kansas Council on Developmental Disabilities. 'By allowing health care providers to practice the full extent of their qualifications and capabilities, we are expanding opportunities for both providers and patients,' Kelly said when talking about Senate Bill 67. 'This legislation will help address our health care workforce shortage and increase access to care.' Seven new laws passed in Kansas, here's what they are For more Capitol Bureau news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here. Follow Matthew Self on X (Twitter): Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
08-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Bad parking on Midlands street diverts hospital bus route
Bus passengers face delays in the West Midlands today due to 'inconsiderate drivers'. Cars have been 'badly parked' on a street, meaning that buses cannot pass through the road. As a result, bus operators have had to divert the service so it continue running uninterrupted. READ MORE: Midlands cheapest and most expensive places to buy petrol Get breaking news on BirminghamLive WhatsApp, click the link to join The bad parking has occurred on Glover Street in West Bromwich, according to National Express West Midlands. It has affected the No 89 route which runs along the run between West Bromwich and the Midland Met Hospital in Smethwick. The 89 will be diverting in both directions via Kendrick Way. NX West Midlands apologised to passengers affected by the disruption. Taking to X/Twitter, the operator warned of the disruption taking place today. In a message posted at 1.33pm today (March 8), the operator wrote: "Service disruption. "Due to an badly parked cars blocking Glover Street, West Bromwich. "89 will be diverting both directions by using Kendrick Way. "We apologise for any disruption to your journey."
