Latest news with #Bill433
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ten Commandments, ‘In God We Trust' in classrooms is now Arkansas law
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed a bill into law this week making religious displays in classrooms state law. The governor signed Senate Bill 433, which mandates the display of the Ten Commandments and 'In God We Trust' in Arkansas classrooms and public buildings maintained or operated with taxpayer funds. Bill heads to governor's desk to put 10 Commandments in Arkansas classrooms Funds for the posters must be acquired through private donations, or the posters may be donated. Posters have to meet the minimum size requirement in the law of 11 by 14 inches for 'In God We Trust' and 16 by 20 inches for the Ten Commandments. The law mandates the specific language of the commandments displayed, using phrasing typical in older English translations of the Bible, such as 'Thou shalt.' The Ten Commandments appear three times in the Bible, all in the Old Testament. The bill received broad support in both chambers, with a 27-4 Senate vote and a 71-20 vote in the House. Sen. Jim Dotson (R-Bentonville) and Rep. Alyssa Brown (R-Heber Springs) were the bill's primary sponsors, with 13 cosponsors. Bill to remove excise tax on soft drinks, impact Medicaid funding, fails in House Louisiana passed a similar law in 2024, but a federal judge blocked it before it was implemented, citing its 'overtly religious' nature. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Montana House passes bill to give towing vehicles right-of-way in roundabouts
A Montana Department of Transportation graphic illustrates how to navigate a double roundabout. (Courtesy image) The Montana House unanimously passed a bill addressing how vehicles approach roundabouts on Friday, specifically adding stipulations into the law giving preference for vehicles towing a load. Senate Bill 433, brought by Sen. Theresa Manzella, R-Hamilton, changes regulations for how vehicles approach roundabouts. Hauling vehicles will legally be allowed to deviate from their lane to move through a traffic circle. Other autos in the roundabout must yield to hauling vehicles. Manzella said during a House Transportation Committee hearing on March 21 the legislation stemmed from discussions over a roundabout on Highway 93 at its intersection with Bell Crossing near Victor and subsequent town halls about the topic. 'When you are a tow vehicle pulling a trailer, we feel that that tow vehicle needs to be given the right-of- way,' Manzella said. 'Because of the fact that when you're entering the roundabout, your rear tires don't necessarily track. They want to crowd to the inside.' There's also usually a berm on roundabouts, Manzella said, which can cause whatever's being hauled around to move around. Constituents said this was the problem, and it's also been a complaint from trucking companies across the country. 'For me, it's my horses, which are precious, and I don't dare bludgeon them,' Manzella said. ' …I have had that happen before, where they have injured their pretty little faces, pushing themselves, getting bumped into the trailer wall.' The bill will also have an impact on double-lane roundabouts, which can be used on four-lane highways. It allows trailers to legally deviate from one of the lanes. Manzella's legislation received support from the Montana Department of Transportation, which maintains a database of roundabouts across the state. Roundabouts are generally safer than four-way intersections, as the possibility of T-bone collisions is drastically reduced, according to MDOT. 'Not every intersection demands a roundabout, but for those that do, this is an important tool for us to have in our toolbox, and any effort that we can make to make them safer is a welcome opportunity,' said Larry Flynn, MDOT deputy director during the bill's House hearing. 'I think this is a good, common sense approach to help improve the safety of an already safe tool.' After a final procedural approval in the House, the bill will head to the governor's desk.
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Will Florida see another scorching summer in 2025? See what Old Farmer's Almanac predicts
After facing a colder-than-average winter season, Floridians are ready to embrace the warm, sunny springtime weather. However, summer's oppressive heat is fast approaching. Last year was Earth's warmest summer on record, according to NASA analysis. Global temperatures in 2024 were 2.30 degrees Fahrenheit above the agency's 20th-century baseline (1951-1980), which topped the previous record set in 2023. On April 2, the Old Farmer's Almanac released its long-range summer forecast for North America. It covered seasonal rainfall forecasts and predicted how hot it could be this summer, saying, "It's going to be a scorcher". Will Florida endure another sweltering summer? Here's what to know and what part of the state could see a break from the usual heat. The first day of summer is June 20. The 2025 summer solstice goes through Sept. 22. The summer of 2025 is predicted to be intense, with hotter-than-normal temperatures across most of the U.S., except for the Northwest and southern Florida. Yes, but only certain parts of the state. Old Farmer's Almanac predicts precipitation will be higher than normal in southern Florida. According to its website, the Old Farmer's Almanac bases its predictions on a comparison of solar activity and weather patterns. The Almanac explains that its forecasts draw on various academic fields, including solar science, climatology, and meteorology. It also notes that its current weather forecasting method is a modern adaptation of a formula developed by the almanac's founder, Robert B. Thomas, in 1792. The Old Farmer's Almanac, distinct from the Farmers' Almanac, claims an 80% accuracy rate for its weather predictions. Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill preventing local governments from requiring heat protection for outdoor workers last year. House Bill 433, referred to as the Employment Regulations Bill, says it seeks to "prohibit political subdivisions (city and county governments) from maintaining a minimum wage other than a state or federal minimum wage; prohibit political subdivisions from controlling, affecting, or awarding preferences based on the wages or employment benefits of entities doing business with the political subdivision; revise and provide applicability." Regarding heat exposure protections, the bill's summary details that it prohibits political subdivisions from: Requiring an employer, including an employer contracting with the political subdivision, to meet or provide heat exposure requirements not otherwise required under state or federal law. Giving preference, or considering or seeking information, in a competitive solicitation to an employer based on the employer's heat exposure requirements. Despite outlining in its summary that counties and cities would have to adopt the state's stances on heat exposure protection, Florida does not have any statewide standard. However, the bill's text heavily supports OSHA's guidelines regarding the subject. Florida is under federal OSHA jurisdiction, which covers most private-sector workers within the state. State and local government workers are not covered by federal OSHA. The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30. An average season in the Atlantic basin has 14 named storms, seven hurricanes, and three major hurricanes, according to NOAA. Old Farmer's Almanac also released its predictions, warning Florida will see tropical storms from mid-July through late August. Researchers from Colorado State University also issued their initial forecast for the 2025 hurricane season last week, predicting an above-average season with 17 named storms. "We anticipate that the 2025 Atlantic basin hurricane season will have above-normal activity," says the report, explaining that the current La Niña conditions are likely to transition to ENSO neutral conditions over the next couple of months. Sea surface temperatures across and eastern and central Atlantic are generally warmer than normal although they are not as warm as they were this time last year, says the forecast, which reads, "A warmer-than-normal tropical Atlantic combined with likely ENSO neutral (or potential La Niña) conditions typically provides a more conducive dynamic and thermodynamic environment for hurricane formation and intensification." Contributing: Olivia Rose, Arizona Republic This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Florida summer 2025: Here's almanac outlook for heat, rainfall
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bill heads to governor's desk to put 10 Commandments in Arkansas classrooms
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – A bill to mandate religious displays in Arkansas public schools is on the governor's desk for signature. If Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signs Senate Bill 433 into law, it will mandate that classrooms display 'a durable poster or framed copy' of 'In God We Trust' and a 'historical representation of the 10 Commandments.' Arkansas legislature bills filed Tuesday include changes to the Arkansas Constitution, water bonds, human trafficking, more The bill received broad support in both chambers, with a 27-4 Senate vote and a 71-20 vote in the House. Sen. Jim Dotson (R-Bentonville) and Rep. Alyssa Brown (R-Heber Springs) were the bill's primary sponsors. It has 13 cosponsors. Bill to remove excise tax on soft drinks, impact Medicaid funding, fails in House Louisiana passed a similar law in 2024, but a federal judge blocked it before it was implemented, citing its 'overtly religious' nature. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Arkansas bill allowing for display of Ten Commandments in classrooms heads to governor's desk
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — A bill in the Arkansas legislature that would allow for the display of the Ten Commandments in public places, such as school classrooms, is headed to the governor's desk for her signature. Senate Bill 433, sponsored by Sen. Jim Dotson (R-Bentonville) and Rep. Alyssa Brown (R-Heber Springs), would allow for a copy of the Ten Commandments to be posted in visible places in classrooms alongside copies of the national motto, 'In God We Trust'. The bill was filed on March 11. SB433 passed the Senate by a 27-4 vote on March 19 and the House by a 71-20 vote on April 7. Current Arkansas Code § 1-4-133 allows for the 'In God We Trust' to be posted and displayed if funds are available. 'The copies or posters authorized under this section shall either be donated or shall be purchased solely with funds made available through voluntary contributions to the local school boards, local building governing entity, or the Building Authority Division,' Arkansas code says. Multi-million funding allocation bill for Franklin County prison fails in Arkansas legislature for fourth time The bill says the Ten Commandments must be on a 'durable poster or framed copy' and at least 16″ by 20″. It continues, saying that if a copy of the Ten Commandments does not follow the requirements, an institution can replace it with one that does meet the criteria. Similar bills have been filed in Oklahoma and Louisiana in recent years. Sen. Jim Olsen (R-Roland) has filed two bills in the last two legislative sessions that would require the Ten Commandments in Oklahoma classrooms. His 2024 version made it to the Appropriations and Budget Education Subcommittee but wasn't picked up on the agenda and was effectively killed by former committee chair Rep. Mark McBride (R-Moore), according to Nexstar's KFOR. The 2025 version has had no updates in the Oklahoma legislature since Feb. 4. In Louisiana, a law that would have required the displaying of the Ten Commandments in classrooms was deemed unconstitutional by a federal judge in November 2024. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
