Latest news with #AssemblyBill398
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Nevada Legislature passes charter school raises, bill goes to Lombardo's desk
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A key piece of legislation received final approval Thursday night in the Nevada Legislature, putting an end to a fight over education funding. Raises for charter school teachers, a missing component in the education budget, were approved as the Nevada Senate passed Assembly Bill 398 (AB398). Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo had threatened to veto the $12.4 billion education bill because it left out charter school teachers. He called those raises 'non-negotiable.' AB398 allocates nearly $38 million — $19.3 million annually — for the raises. The bill also includes $45 million to fund additional compensation for teachers across the state in 'hard-to-fill' positions, including Title I schools. The bill passed 20-0 in the Senate, a bipartisan display of the Legislature's commitment to treat charter school teachers the same as any other teacher employed by a Nevada school district. Education support professionals (ESPs) are included in the charter school plan. State report shows Nevada charter schools outperform public schools in test scores 'This is a major victory for Governor Lombardo, the legislature, and all Nevadans. For more than three sessions, I have worked on education reform and getting permanent teacher pay raises. I am honored that we got it done with bipartisan support,' Republican Assembly Minority Leader Gregory Hafen said in an emailed statement. Hafen and Democratic Assembly Speaker Steve Yeager sponsored the bill. In an interview this week with 8 News Now, Yeager said there's a reason for keeping charter school raises separate from the overall education funding. 'We segregate it out in a different bill because we want to make sure that that money actually goes to increase compensation both for teachers and education support professionals (ESPs) and it's not just supplanting other money,' Yeager said. 'It allows legislators to stay involved in the process over the next two years to make sure that happens. And then going into the next legislative session, we can decide whether we want to put it in the base budget or not,' he said. Charter schools will be required to provide the State Public Charter School Authority with certain basic information, including the number of teachers and ESPs employed as of October 1, 2024, and October 1, 2025. A plan to provide the salary increases is also required. Money for the raises will be allocated by the Legislature's Interim Finance Committee and distributed through the charter authority. Lawmakers have already dipped into the Education Stabilization Account, known as the rainy day account for schools, to meet spending outlined in the $12.4 billion budget. On May 8, lawmakers approved a $115.7 million withdrawal on top of $126.9 million allocated from the same fund on May 7. In total, lawmakers are drawing that account down by about a quarter-million dollars, leaving it with an estimated reserve of $639.6 million. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Charter school raises expected to come up at Nevada Legislature on Thursday
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Democratic Assembly Speaker Steve Yeager is expected to introduce legislation on Thursday to address charter school teacher raises. Gov. Joe Lombardo and Republicans in the Legislature raised the issue last week as the education budget was approved without those raises. Democratic Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro countered that charter school raises were always going to come in separate legislation, and Republicans would have known that if they were paying attention. Lombardo threatened to veto the education budget as politics heated up, but Democrats assured Republicans that they were committed to providing the raises as long as the schools here held accountable by similar standards being put in place for the state's school districts. Yeager will present Assembly Bill 398 (AB398) on Thursday. The bill provides additional compensation for hard-to-fill positions for Title 1 schools and special education teachers. A conceptual amendment that addresses charter school teacher pay raises will also be presented, Democrats said. On Wednesday, Nevada senate committees heard several bills that have already advanced out of the Assembly: WRONG WAY DRIVING: AB111, known as 'Jaya's Law' received a second emotional hearing at the Nevada Legislature after advancing on a unanimous 42-0 vote in the Assembly. The Senate Committee on Growth and Infrastructure heard the bill, sponsored by Republican Assem. Brian Hibbetts, who represents District 13 in northwest Las Vegas. AB111 toughens penalties fro wrong-way drivers on divided highways. Such violations would no longer be civil infractions and would be elevated to misdemeanors. The bill is named for 3-year-old Jaya Brooks, who died after a head-on collision that occurred on Dec. 9, 2023. The wrong-way driver also was killed in the crash. Statewide statistics from 2024 show 123 wrong-way crashes were reported and 49 people died. But that's just a fraction of the cases involving wrong-way drivers. Combined, Metro and Nevada State Police had reportes of more than 1,350 wrong-way drivers. Two years ago, many traffic offenses were decriminalized, but AB111 would make wrong-way driving a misdemeanor again. The committee passed the bill on a unanimous vote, sending it to the Senate Floor SCHOOL BUS RED LIGHT CAMERAS: AB527 would allow the use of cameras installed on school bus stop arms, with the goal of catching people who ignore the stop signals. A pilot program in Clark County put cameras on 30 buses, capturing an average of nearly 6 illegal passings per bus per day. Presenters said if that data is extrapolated to the entire 2,000-bus CCSD bus fleet, cameras would catch more than a half-million violations — in just three months' time. It would cost about $10,000 per bus, and revenue generated from tickets is expected to generate that much money and more. Additional revenue could be used to reimburse law enforcement for additional personnel, to pay for a third-party to install/maintain the cameras, or for safety infrastructure around schools. Each school district would make the decision about where the money goes. The Senate Committee on Growth and Infrastructure passed the bill unanimously in work session, sending it to the Senate floor. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Despite progress, Los Angeles is nation's smoggiest city for 25th time in 26 years
Despite decades of progress in reducing air pollution, Los Angeles is still the nation's smoggiest city, according to a report released Wednesday by the American Lung Assn. The association's annual "State of the Air" report noted that Los Angeles held on to the infamous title for the 25th time even though the number of unhealthy ozone days has dropped nearly 40% since 2000. Particle pollution metrics told a similar story, where Los Angeles saw improvement but still had the dubious honor of being the nation's seventh-most polluted city by that measure. California is home to five of the country's 10 smoggiest places, as defined by levels of ozone pollution, and also to five of the worst 10 cities by particle pollution, according to the report. Los Angeles, Visalia, Bakersfield, Fresno and San Diego were among the list of cities most polluted by ozone. Bakersfield, Visalia, Fresno, Los Angeles and Sacramento were in the top 10 for worst particle pollution. The report comes roughly a month after the Environmental Protection Agency, under the Trump administration, announced its plan to loosen or eliminate a wide swath of environmental regulations that many experts worry could negatively effect air quality, reversing decades of progress in California. "Nobody wants to go back to the kinds of skies that triggered our clean air laws in the first place," Mary D. Nichols, a UCLA law professor and former chair of the California Air Resources Board, said during a news conference Tuesday. Read more: How the EPA's environmental about-face could upend California's climate efforts At the EPA, the Trump administration seeks to "roll back existing rules that have been effective in protecting public health" she said, as well as eliminating staff positions and removing science and research functions. If the EPA is dismantled, "we'll have more sick kids. We'll have more people going to the hospital with asthma attacks," Nichols said. "We'll see people dying sooner than they should have just because of the poison in the air." The "State of the Air" report tracks two main types of air pollution: ozone pollution, largely a factor of tailpipe emissions and heat, and particle pollution, driven primarily by drought and wildfires. The report found that more than 34.3 million Californians live in a community with at least one failing air quality grade and 22.9 million live in a community with three failing air quality grades. Southern California has been choked by smog since the mass adoption of the automobile. Millions of cars and trucks in the region release a vast amount of vehicle exhaust, which forms smog when it's cooked in the perennially sunny climate. The mountain ranges restrict airflow and prevent pollution from dispersing. State and local regulators have adopted a number of nation-leading rules to reduce emissions from vehicles and industrial facilities, including Senate Bill 32 in 2014 and Assembly Bill 398 in 2017, which enacted strict greenhouse gas emission limits and a cap-and-trade system. While electric vehicles and cleaner car engines have significantly reduced pollution, transportation remains the largest source in California's major cities. Heavy-duty trucks, cargo ships and trains are some of the biggest contributors to regional pollution. Read more: Is it safe to breathe in L.A.? Lawmakers call for federal action to monitor wildfire pollutants Despite the lackluster results, a dozen California cities including Los Angeles posted their best-ever reports on either ozone or particle pollution, said Mariela Ruacho, a senior clean air advocacy manager at the American Lung Assn. Fresno improved across the board, registering its lowest ever number of ozone days and particle days and its lowest annual particle levels since tracking began in 2000. Meanwhile, Bakersfield earned the title of the city in America with the least healthy air. The San Joaquin Valley town ranked as the most particle-polluted city in the nation, both for short-term and annual levels, according to the report. "Phasing out agricultural burning, maintaining state investments in cleaning up heavy-duty trucks, and off-road agricultural equipment incentives are critical to ongoing local progress," the American Lung Assn. wrote in a news release. Though California's air quality has improved significantly since the first "State of the Air" report in 2000, concerns over climate change and new legislation abound. California Senate Bill 712, which would fully exempt collector cars at least 35 model years old from smog check requirements, would "set our progress back decades," Ruacho said. 'Unhealthy air is inequitable and unaffordable," Ruacho said. "To protect against these costly health emergencies, California must double down on investments to reduce wildfire risk, spur zero-emission transportation and energy sources, and align transportation funding with pollution reduction needs.' Times staff writer Tony Briscoe contributed to this report. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
23-04-2025
- Health
- Los Angeles Times
Despite progress, Los Angeles is nation's smoggiest city for 25th time in 26 years
Despite decades of progress in reducing air pollution, Los Angeles is still the nation's smoggiest city, according to a report released Wednesday by the American Lung Assn. The association's annual 'State of the Air' report noted that Los Angeles held on to the infamous title for the 25th time even though the number of unhealthy ozone days has dropped nearly 40% since 2000. Particle pollution metrics told a similar story, where Los Angeles saw improvement but still had the dubious honor of being the nation's seventh-most polluted city by that measure. California is home to five of the country's 10 smoggiest places, as defined by levels of ozone pollution, and also to five of the worst 10 cities by particle pollution, according to the report. Los Angeles, Visalia, Bakersfield, Fresno and San Diego were among the list of cities most polluted by ozone. Bakersfield, Visalia, Fresno, Los Angeles and Sacramento were in the top 10 for worst particle pollution. The report comes roughly a month after the Environmental Protection Agency, under the Trump administration, announced its plan to loosen or eliminate a wide swath of environmental regulations that many experts worry could negatively effect air quality, reversing decades of progress in California. 'Nobody wants to go back to the kinds of skies that triggered our clean air laws in the first place,' Mary D. Nichols, a UCLA law professor and former chair of the California Air Resources Board, said during a news conference Tuesday. At the EPA, the Trump administration seeks to 'roll back existing rules that have been effective in protecting public health' she said, as well as eliminating staff positions and removing science and research functions. If the EPA is dismantled, 'we'll have more sick kids. We'll have more people going to the hospital with asthma attacks,' Nichols said. 'We'll see people dying sooner than they should have just because of the poison in the air.' The 'State of the Air' report tracks two main types of air pollution: ozone pollution, largely a factor of tailpipe emissions and heat, and particle pollution, driven primarily by drought and wildfires. The report found that more than 34.3 million Californians live in a community with at least one failing air quality grade and 22.9 million live in a community with three failing air quality grades. Southern California has been choked by smog since the mass adoption of the automobile. Millions of cars and trucks in the region release a vast amount of vehicle exhaust, which forms smog when it's cooked in the perennially sunny climate. The mountain ranges restrict airflow and prevent pollution from dispersing. State and local regulators have adopted a number of nation-leading rules to reduce emissions from vehicles and industrial facilities, including Senate Bill 32 in 2014 and Assembly Bill 398 in 2017, which enacted strict greenhouse gas emission limits and a cap-and-trade system. While electric vehicles and cleaner car engines have significantly reduced pollution, transportation remains the largest source in California's major cities. Heavy-duty trucks, cargo ships and trains are some of the biggest contributors to regional pollution. Despite the lackluster results, a dozen California cities including Los Angeles posted their best-ever reports on either ozone or particle pollution, said Mariela Ruacho, a senior clean air advocacy manager at the American Lung Assn. Fresno improved across the board, registering its lowest ever number of ozone days and particle days and its lowest annual particle levels since tracking began in 2000. Meanwhile, Bakersfield earned the title of the city in America with the least healthy air. The San Joaquin Valley town ranked as the most particle-polluted city in the nation, both for short-term and annual levels, according to the report. 'Phasing out agricultural burning, maintaining state investments in cleaning up heavy-duty trucks, and off-road agricultural equipment incentives are critical to ongoing local progress,' the American Lung Assn. wrote in a news release. Though California's air quality has improved significantly since the first 'State of the Air' report in 2000, concerns over climate change and new legislation abound. California Senate Bill 712, which would fully exempt collector cars at least 35 model years old from smog check requirements, would 'set our progress back decades,' Ruacho said. 'Unhealthy air is inequitable and unaffordable,' Ruacho said. 'To protect against these costly health emergencies, California must double down on investments to reduce wildfire risk, spur zero-emission transportation and energy sources, and align transportation funding with pollution reduction needs.' Times staff writer Tony Briscoe contributed to this report.
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Extra pay for ‘hard-to-fill' teaching jobs provided in legislation announced Tuesday in Carson City
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Teachers who take open positions in public schools that have proven to be hard to fill will be rewarded with extra pay under legislation announced Tuesday by Democratic leaders at the Nevada Legislature. Teachers for Title I schools and special education vacancies are immediate goals of Assembly Bill 398 (AB398), introduced Tuesday by Assembly Speaker Steve Yeager, a Democrat who represents District 9 in southwest Las Vegas. 'We know that too many of our schools in critical subject areas are struggling to attract and retain talented teachers. This bill provides a targeted solution, offering additional compensation to the educators who step up to teach where they are most needed. Our teachers are the backbone of our public education system,' Yeager said at a news conference in front of the Nevada Legislature in Carson City. 'We must never give up on our public education system, never give up on our teachers, and we must never give up on our children. They are the future of our state and they are the state's future leaders,' Yeager said. Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo reminded Democrats that they cannot ignore charter schools. 'Parents deserve the right to choose the best education for their children. Period. I will only sign legislation that protects school choice and expands opportunity – nothing less,' Lombardo said in a post on the X social media platform. CCSD school board selects new superintendent Democratic Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro joined Yeager outside the Legislature to support the effort. Her efforts last session through SB231 were applauded for investing in education and addressing teacher vacancies. Marie Neisses, president of the Clark County Education Association (CCEA), said, 'Our top priority is ensuring every classroom has a qualified teacher. Speaker Yeager is championing legislation that addresses teacher shortages, particularly in Title 1 and special education.' The bill doesn't specify exactly how much more money teachers would earn. Lawmakers would determine how much money is available to school districts statewide, which would be appropriated from the general fund or from the Education Stabilization Account. AB398 also contains restrictions on funds that cannot be used, including weighted funding that currently provides 'Victory services' and 'Zoom services.' The money would be apportioned by the Superintendent of Public Instruction. Las Vegas hotel rooms would be cleaned daily under proposed Nevada law A fiscal note attached to Yeager's bill indicates it would require an additional $50,287 in the 2025-26 fiscal year and $63,744 for the 2026-27 fiscal year. The ongoing cost is estimated at $127,489 every two years. Specifically, the bill defines 'hard-to-fill' positions: '(1) teacher positions at certain Title I schools; and (2) teacher positions and other positions filled by licensed educational personnel whose duties include actively teaching pupils in certain subjects which are suffering from a critical labor shortage.' 'Make no mistake about it, our children perform better when we have qualified educators in every classroom,' Yeager said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
