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Yahoo
22-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Deep red state proposal triggers ESG concerns: 'Raises a lot of questions'
Oklahoma's state treasurer is raising concerns about legislation he says could open the door further for the controversial practice of "environmental, social and governance" in the deep red state. Senate Bill 714 would amend the Energy Discrimination Elimination Act of 2022 to take away the treasurer's "enforcement authority" of the law and give it to the state Attorney General's office. The treasurer maintains a list of several banks that cannot do business with the state government of Oklahoma if the institution has publicly expressed opposition to oil and gas companies. Critics argue that wording in the legislation would lower the standards necessary for an institution to be on the list and how agencies enforce it. Red State Leader Calls For States To Stand Behind Trump's Ban On Funding Illegal Immigration "The bill actually removes the treasurer from oversight of the investment behaviors of big financial institutions and proposes to put it under the attorney general's office," Oklahoma State Treasurer Todd Russ told Fox News Digital regarding Senate Bill 714. "So, I mean, that alone raises a lot of questions. Read On The Fox News App "As a constitutional officer in the state treasurer in Oklahoma, why would you want someone that doesn't have the constitutional commitment and obligation to oversee the financial investments and affairs of the state to be under the treasury and move it to a different constitutional office?" he continued. The 2022 state law is facing "ongoing" legal challenges, which makes its fate unclear. The law is meant to avoid supporting institutions some leaders see as looking to harm the state's energy industry. Slashing Energy Development Red Tape, Beating China In 'Ai Arms Race' Top Priorities For Nations' Governors "Over the years, those subject matters have become very politicized. I mean, it's not a financial issue. It's a social agenda that they've woven into the investments," Russ said of ESG. "The state of Oklahoma's not trying to get on the other side of that behavior. We're trying to take a stand to say, 'Look, stay out of the political arena with my investments. Our investments.' We are solely concerned about the financial performance and profits of our investment, and we don't want outside people using it for political leverage. So, when it comes to environmental issues, oil and gas is very important to Oklahoma. We don't want them acting against the interests of the oil and gas industry." Fox Business reported in 2023 that the list from Russ resulted from inquiries about energy investment practices to numerous banks, and it bars the banks on the list from partaking in key state investments like pension funds. Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond's office said, "This bill is only necessary because of the treasurer's dismal failure to successfully defend the Oklahoma Energy Discrimination Act of 2022. That was the real slap in the face to the oil and gas industry. "The act prohibits state contracts and pension system investments with financial institutions that discriminate against the oil and gas industry." Energy Secretary Reveals 'Biggest' Challenge Trump Admin Faces Republican state Sen. Dave Rader, the bill's sponsor, told Fox News Digital in an email he plans on making some amendments to the legislation, including "further clarifying the definition of boycott energy company to include voting on shareholder proposals which penalize or inflict harm, adding legislative intent to make clear that the purpose of the bill is to protect retirement systems, eliminate the word 'predominantly' in the definition of ordinary business purpose to make clear that any pro-ESG action is not allowable [and] eliminate the inclusion of transaction costs when determining a loss which presumably could keep delay divestment indefinitely." However, Rader's suggested amendments in the email have not yet been made official, according to the Oklahoma State Legislature's website, where the legislative text is shown. The legislation would need to go to a vote in the full Senate by March 27 before potentially heading to the state House of article source: Deep red state proposal triggers ESG concerns: 'Raises a lot of questions'
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Top Dem governor issues order aiming to help fill ‘critical' state jobs as DOGE cuts federal bureaucracy
With DOGE scrutinizing the federal workforce for cuts, one potential 2028 Democrat hopeful issued an executive order aiming to fill hundreds of vacancies in his own state government while also focusing on private-sector openings. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro was joined by other dignitaries during a job fair at the state Farm Show complex in Harrisburg to sign the order calling for, among other things, federal bureaucrats to be considered for a plethora of job openings in Harrisburg's civil service. "The commonwealth recognizes that a workforce of dedicated and talented public servants is the backbone of a responsive government that can ensure the efficient and effective delivery of services for Pennsylvanians," Shapiro said in his order. The executive order seeks to "capitalize on federal layoffs by accepting federal work experience as equivalent to state experience for the state's top recruitment needs," according to a separate statement from Shapiro. The statement added there will be an emphasis on veterans and military servicemembers also having direct access to recruiter-contacts, as well as publication of the 23 highest-priority, hardest-to-fill state jobs. "It is imperative that the commonwealth attract and retain qualified employees who are drawn to a career in public service to fill its existing vacancies," the order reads, citing an estimated 103,700 Pennsylvanians employed by the feds in 2024. Read On The Fox News App Pennsylvania Secretary of Administration Neil Weaver added in a statement that the federal workforce is "one of the most professional and qualified in the world, and we know that many federal jobs have similar duties to jobs performed by Commonwealth employees." Top Blue State Republican Launches Comprehensive Doge Effort With A Twist "This executive order will help individuals with federal work experience find relevant job opportunities, continue their public service careers, and put their skills to work for the people of Pennsylvania," Weaver said. While Shapiro's order aims to encourage qualified federal workers to relocate up I-83 to Harrisburg, a source familiar with his efforts noted that the governor remains committed to an all-encompassing strategy to attract top talent to Pennsylvania's public and private sectors. Shapiro, Stitt Say Slashing Energy Development Red-tape And Beating China In 'Ai Arms Race' Are Top Priorities The day before he issued his order focused on state government jobs, Shapiro was in Pittsburgh meeting with private-sector leaders at the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, seeking to boost economic growth in western Pennsylvania. There, Shapiro spoke about his energy "lightning plan" to increase jobs while reducing costs, saying, "We haven't done anything meaningful on energy generation since the [Ed] Rendell administration: It's time for us to lead again." Shapiro also held a phone call with tech billionaire Elon Musk in October. The governor said neither of them discussed politics but instead investment in Pennsylvania. In the past, a source familiar with the Shapiro administration's work suggested he bore the mantle of increasing government efficiency before the Trump-Musk endeavor to cut federal government waste began, given his unofficial and oft-repeated slogan: "Get s--t done." Conservatives, however, swiftly criticized Shapiro's order, with the state House minority leader suggesting any vacant government jobs first be deemed necessary to begin with. "While President Trump is using his mandate to lead the federal government in an unprecedented effort to right-size itself in true responsibility to the taxpayers, finding ways to add to our bureaucracy here in Pennsylvania sends us in the wrong direction," said state Rep. Jesse Topper, R-McConnellsburg. "When a job becomes vacant in Pennsylvania's administrative apparatus, the question should first be asked if it is truly needed rather than how quickly it can be filled," Topper continued, adding that the focus should be on "state-specific ways to get our fiscal house in order." Meanwhile, a potential 2026 Shapiro opponent said the governor's order will "make living in Pennsylvania worse." "He's already proposed an unsustainable, job-killing $51 billion budget, and yet that's not enough for him," said state Sen. Doug Mastriano, R-Gettysburg. "Now he wants to continue his spending spree with this grandstanding, desperately trying to draw attention to himself politically. Meanwhile, he doesn't bat an eye as he destroys Pennsylvania's economy and ruins the lives and livelihood of our families." Mastriano notably launched an effort last week to establish Pennsylvania's own version of the federal Department of Government article source: Top Dem governor issues order aiming to help fill 'critical' state jobs as DOGE cuts federal bureaucracy
Yahoo
22-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Maine gov's transgender athlete dust-up with Trump made WH confab 'uncomfortable,' govs say
Maine Democratic Gov. Janet Mills' public dust-up with President Donald Trump during a White House meeting with most of America's state leaders didn't live up to governors' collective goal of "disagree[ing] better," the National Governors Association chairman said Saturday. Colorado Democratic Gov. Jared Polis was asked about the exchange – in which Trump challenged Maine to comply with his executive order on transgender athletes in school sports, and Mills told Trump "see you in court." The president remarked that any state that does not align its scholastic athletics with biological sexes will not receive federal funding. "As governors, we have our prior initiative that we continue to work on is to disagree better," Chairman Polis said. "We always hope that people can disagree in a way that elevates the discourse and tries to come to a common solution around . . . what the issue is. I don't think that that disagreement is necessarily a model of that," he continued, adding that some governors may not have known the origins of the fiery exchange at the time. Slashing Energy Development Red Tape, Beating China In 'Ai Arms Race' Top Priorities For Nation's Governors Polis said governors do have the right to sue the federal government but that there are also other ways to understand where respective parties are coming from. Read On The Fox News App "It was a little uncomfortable in the room," added NGA Vice Chairman Kevin Stitt, Oklahoma's GOP governor. "But like, like Governor Polis said, I wasn't sure exactly what the backstory was behind the conflict there. Apparently, there had been some things that both sides have said." Stitt remarked that the exchange may have been "good politics" for both Mills and Trump with their respective bases. Hochul Does Apparent About-face On Natural Gas As Nyc Utility Signals Major Rate Hikes He added that he personally agrees with Trump's stance and noted that he led a push in 2022 to ensure that scholastic athletes are competing against people of their own biological sex in Oklahoma. "The NCAA has followed that, I think the Olympics have. And then you have a governor saying that they're not going to follow that. So, I don't know what legal background she has, but they talked about seeing each other in court. And we'll we'll see what happens on it." Polis added that Mills maintained that she is following current federal law under her current stance. Later, Stitt said that Trump had invited all governors to give him a call, and had quipped that if a Democrat and a Republican call at the same time, he will take the Democrat's call first. "He is a businessman. He is not ideological. He wants to get things done," Stitt said. At the White House meeting, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey successfully asked cabinet officials to share their direct lines, to better facilitate cooperation between states and the Trump administration. That nugget was revealed by South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, who quipped that ther president had also offered governors an open line – but did not explicitly publicize his number. "I've got it, but I'm going to hold onto it," McMaster article source: Maine gov's transgender athlete dust-up with Trump made WH confab 'uncomfortable,' govs say
