Latest news with #Bill229
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Texan Goes Viral For Calling Out Legislators Over Anti-Trans Bill
A Texas resident gave an impassioned speech against an anti-trans bill during a Texas Senate committee hearing, asking legislators if they're tired of being on the wrong side of history. 'If we were sitting here like 50 years ago, maybe 60 years ago, instead of talking about trans women going into bathrooms, you'd be talking about Black women going into white bathrooms,' Nick Mollberg said at the May 15 committee hearing. 'Do y'all ever get tired of being on the wrong side of history? Opposed to women's suffrage, as you were, conservatives, throughout history? Opposed to interracial marriage, opposed to civil rights.' Mollberg was speaking in opposition to Texas House Bill 229, which gives general definitions for only two sexes, male and female, excluding intersex and trans people. The bill states that 'only females' can get pregnant, as well as 'males are, on average, bigger, stronger, and faster than females.' Mollberg asked the state senators what their grandkids would say to them in the future. 'They're going to look at you the same way the grandchildren of segregationists looked at their bigoted grandparents,' he said. He continued: 'It was bigotry then. It's bigotry now. You don't care about actually about helping women in Texas. If you did, you wouldn't be letting them bleed out because they can't get access to abortion care. You wouldn't be letting them die of gun violence and not lifting a finger to help them.' A clip of Mollberg has gained attention on social media, racking up more than 1 million views on TikTok and more than 2 million on Instagram. Mollberg did not respond to HuffPost's request for comment. Several transgender people also testified against the bill, including Autumn Lauener, vice president of The Texas Transgender Nondiscrimination Scholars, a group that promotes inclusiveness toward different gender identities and expressions in public policy. She said House Bill 229 'accomplishes nothing.' 'It does not protect children,' Lauener said. 'It does not support families. It serves only to erase, to attempt to write transgender and intersex people out of the story of Texas. But our existence is resistance, and we will never stop resisting. Our community will not be erased. Nothing this legislator does can end who we are. We have always been here, and we are not going anywhere.' During the 2025 Texas legislative session, Texas Republicans have introduced more than 120 anti-trans bills, according to Axios. During his testimony, Mollberg said he remembered when Republicans 'for years' thought gay marriage was 'going to end the world' until public opinion shifted and they had to pick a 'new scapegoat.' Mollberg added that if any lawmakers were going to vote for the bill, he would look them in the eye while they were doing it and call them a bigot and coward. 'It's not that you can sit here and actually do the business of the people, make lives better for Texans like me,' Mollberg said. 'No, no, no, there's no time for that. We got to bully 1% of the population. We've got to harm them as badly as we possibly can.' He continued: 'You are not interested in helping or protecting women. Period. Full stop. You're here to hurt trans people. No other reason.' Elon Musk Is Leaving The Trump Administration After Criticizing 'Big Beautiful Bill' California Sports Org Expands Finals Eligibility After Trump Tantrum Over Trans Athlete High School Runner Slams 'Bully' GOP Lawmaker For Targeting Race's Trans Winner
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Gender definition bill passes in Texas Senate, heads to governor
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Texas senators passed a bill to define 'male' and 'female' in Texas law during a Tuesday floor session that extended into the early morning Wednesday. House Bill 229 defines males as 'an individual whose biological reproductive system is developed to fertilize the ova of a female,' which it defines as an 'individual whosebiological reproductive system is developed to produce ova.' Previous: Senate committee holds late night public comments hearing on gender definition bill These definitions fall mostly in line with another bill that defines male and female, SB 1188. That bill requires Texas' medical providers to record a person's 'biological sex.' The only difference is for males, which SB 1188 defines as having a reproductive system 'developed to produce sperm.' HB 229 also sets certain findings into Texas law, placing men as 'on average, bigger, stronger, and faster than females.' It also 'finds' that 'females more physically vulnerable than males to specific forms of violence, including sexual violence.' Sen. Molly Cook, D-Houston, led a spirited opposition to the bill just before midnight. HB 229 sponsor Sen. Mayes Middleton, R-Galveston, and Cook engaged in over 20 minutes of debate on the Senate floor. A motion was made to record the debate between Middleton and Cook in the legislative journal. It passed without objection. The written record will likely become available following the 89th Legislative Session's close. At around 1 a.m. Wednesday, HB 229 was quickly passed along party lines in the Senate. It dodged the Senate's bill deadline by nearly 24 hours. The law goes into effect Sept. 1 unless Gov. Greg Abbott vetoes the bill. HB 229 mandates that state and local agencies use a binary view of sex when collecting information that identifies the sex of a person. 'A governmental entity that collects vital statistics information that identifies the sex of an individual for the purpose of complying with antidiscrimination laws or for the purpose of gathering public health, crime, economic, or other data shall identify each individual as either male or female,' the bill states. It is unclear how the agencies will make that determination beyond using already issued documents. Opponents of the bill testified before committees in the Texas House of Representatives and Senate that the bill will erase intersex Texans. Intersex people are born with reproductive systems that don't fit within these definitions. 'Each individual is one of two sexes, male or female, and individuals diagnosed with a disorder of sex development or as intersex are not considered to belong to a third sex and must receive accommodations in accordance with state and federal law,' the bill reads. The bill's supporters hold that the bill is a step toward further restrictions on transgender life in Texas. One such restriction is a private spaces ban, which would prevent people from using restrooms and locker rooms that match their gender identity. This session's SB 240 attempted such a ban, but died in the House State Affairs Committee. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Texas House passes two bills concerning gender, sex; time running out on other bills
The Brief More than 400 House bills still on the calendar State House chamber debated bills concerning gender identity House passed SB 1257, HB 229, and HB 4 on Monday AUSTIN, Texas - State lawmakers returned to work Monday with more than 400 House bills on the calendar and a deadline. Despite that long list, the state House chamber got bogged down in debates over gender identity. Both debates consumed the morning and early afternoon hours. What we know House Bill 229, filed by state Rep. Ellen Troxclair (R-Lakeway), would amend the Texas Government Code to define terms like boy and girl, male and female, based on biological sex. The bill also requires governmental entities that collect vital statistical information to identify each individual as either male or female. HB 229, which Troxclair called the "Women's Bill of Rights", passed the House by a vote of 87 to 56, with one person voting present and six representatives absent. "A bill that we shouldn't have to pass in 2025," said Troxclair. What they're saying "By defining what a woman is today, we are protecting their basic rights to privacy, safety, and fairness," said Troxclair. House Democrats, like state Rep. Jessica Gonzalez (D-Dallas), argued the bill will not protect but will discriminate. "Amongst the legislature, it is clear there is no way this body is qualified to define gender into state law," said Gonzalez. What we know Senate Bill 1257, filed by state Sen. Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola), mandates insurance companies to cover any adverse medical side effects caused by a sex change procedure and also pay for those who want to detransition. SB 1257 passed on Monday by 87 to 58 with one present vote and four absent. What we know A major education reform bill, HB 4, did get on the floor Monday afternoon. The legislation would replace the STAAR tests by requiring less standardized testing, making them shorter and with more of a focus on the earlier grade levels. The bill passed with only one no vote. What's next Long debates and limited voting typically happen in the final days of a regular session. It's the beginning of the end for a lot of bills and questions remain about two of the biggest: bail reform and education funding. Either could trigger legislative overtime, a familiar crisis for lawmakers like state Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer (D-San Antonio). "I think none of us want to be around with each other here. I think we all want to go home on June 2nd," said Martinez Fischer House members are waiting for the Senate to move on HB 2, the education funding plan. The legislation reportedly was to move in tandem with school choice, which Gov. Greg Abbott has already signed. "I do not feel bamboozled, but the devil is always in the details. It's one of these trust but verify moments, and it's my understanding that we will break through on an education finance piece. The House worked pretty hard on it, spent $8 billion, and who knows, it could be even more at the end of the day, but we will have to see what the Senate does," said Martinez Fischer. This memo from House Democrat Caucus chairman Gene Wu (D-Houston) noted the Senate has had HB 2 for nearly a month. Wu suggested Democrats should take a similar pace with the remaining Republican priority bills. The deadline for second reading votes is Thursday and Wu has called on Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick to restore balance as Democrats consider what level of cooperation they will offer on the House floor. The Source Information in this report comes from reporting/interviews by FOX 7 Austin's chief political reporter Rudy Koski.
Yahoo
03-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Bill banning GA liquor stores from selling wholesale hemp products back returning to committee
Georgia lawmakers want to ban liquor stores, and those affiliated with liquor stores, from selling consumable hemp products. Senate Bill 229 was proposed in February and is expected before a committee again on Wednesday. According to the proposed legislation, if passed it would amend the Georgia Hemp Farming Act. In terms of what changes the bill makes, SB 229 would prevent wholesale dealers of alcoholic beverages from receiving sale licenses for consumable hemp. Anyone who is affiliated with a wholesale dealer of alcoholic beverages would also be prevented from getting a license. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] TRENDING STORIES: Woman stabs man to death before being shot, killed by police in Paulding County What to know about risk for isolated severe storms on Wednesday Bill removing prosecution exemptions for Georgia librarians over 'harmful' materials faces vote Georgia law says a wholesale alcoholic beverage dealer is any seller who sells beverages to other wholesale dealers, to retail dealers or to retail consumers. This includes liquor stores as well as those who manufacture or distribute alcoholic beverages, like distilleries, breweries or vineyards, among others. So which products would this affect as far as hemp? In Georgia, consumable hemp products are any hemp product meant to be eaten, absorbed or inhaled by people or animals. This means that for a liquor store or hemp seller to sell their goods, they could not sell the other products, or even be affiliated with someone who is directly or indirectly controlled by a business that either sells alcohol or hemp products. If you sell CBD or THC or Delta-9 products in Georgia, you would be unable to also sell alcohol, or work for someone who sells alcohol, with the opposite relationship also true. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Lawmakers should not give Oklahoma's private school subsidy program a blank check
(Photo by) Oklahoma lawmakers have invested hundreds of millions of dollars into creating a private school voucher program. But instead of calling the program what it really is, our legislators have attempted to obfuscate what they're doing when helping subsidize the private school education of wealthy families. While other states call a spade a spade, our lawmakers have decided to call their voucher-like initiative a Parental Choice 'Tax Credit' program. In reality, our state is following the path of states like Ohio, which spent almost $1 billion dollars in 2024, implementing subsidies for private, mostly religious, schools under the guise of expanded school choice. The Ohio voucher program has produced declines in student learning that would have once been seen as unthinkable. Oklahoma is now in danger of expanding the two most destructive parts of school choice through an effort to create the first publicly funded religious charter school in the country, and by attempting to remove the spending cap on our voucher-like program. The fight to open St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School now faces the scrutiny of the U.S. Supreme Court. As The New York Times reports, 'The widely watched case out of Oklahoma could transform the line between church and state in education.' In addition to defending the barriers between church and state, we should also ask what the effect would be on student learning when the state subsidizes instruction of math and other subjects in ways that are intertwined with religious teachings. But equally alarming is state Sen. Julie Daniels' push through Senate Bill 229 to remove the Parental Choice Tax Credit program's spending caps, further rewarding the wealthy. When private school tax credits were authorized in 2023, a $150 million cap was established for the first year. The cap was raised to $200 million in the second year and $250 million in the third year. As Oklahoma Watch's Ruby Topalian explained, private schools increased tuition, which reduced the benefits for low-income families. If we were to remove the spending cap, that would not be good news for the state's already lagging educational outcomes. Research has shown that vouchers, even those called tax credits, are even more chaotic when they follow national patterns. They encourage the creation of failing private schools. In other states, many more low-income students have been initially admitted and then pushed out of private schools, creating confusion for their families and increasing budget problems for public schools. Josh Cowen's The Privateers: How Billionaires Created a Culture War and Sold School Vouchers writes about how this funding has caused extreme disruption for public schools and first-time voucher and tax credit users who are not retained in private schools. Cowen writes that the think tanks who helped launch the 1950s origins of the pro-voucher movement weren't particularly concerned about school improvement. They used the movement as a weapon against school integration and to attempt to weaken labor unions. And today's voucher sponsors use them to push an anti-Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion agenda. Cowen acknowledged that 'a few tiny studies from the late 1990s and early 2000's showed small gains in test scores for voucher users, [but] since 2013 the record has been dismal. Over the last decade, the learning loss for the kids who used vouchers to leave public schools had test score drops in some states that were comparable to the academic losses suffered by New Orleans kids after Hurricane Katrina. In other states, those students' academic declines were about as large as what COVID-19 did to student learning. In Louisiana and Ohio, harmful voucher effects were almost twice as bad as the pandemic's academic impact. His research showed that vouchers mostly pay for the education of children already enrolled in private schools, and suck money from public schools. And, as Cowen documents, in Wisconsin, for instance, 40% of private schools have opened and closed since their voucher program grew. And, 'about 20 percent of kids left their voucher school every year and most went into a public school.' This indicates that new, smaller voucher and tax credit programs may not, at first, cause dramatic harm. But once they are scaled up, students who attend private schools for the first time suffer huge learning losses, and cause disruption in the public schools they left and were then pushed back into. Given the track record in other states, the last thing our state needs to do is lift the spending cap and give the program a blank check. We should be prioritizing shifting resources from subsidizing the affluent to funding public schools that serve every student who walks through the door regardless of socio-economic status. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
