Latest news with #Bill485
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trio of new laws intend to reduce Arkansas prison population
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Three bills signed into law during the final work week of the Arkansas 95th General Assembly intend to lower the rate of felons re-offending after being released from prison. House Bill 1931 and Senate Bill 485 address the need for recidivism reduction in the state, while Senate Bill 537 develops a program to give a released felon credits for employment. All three were signed into law by Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders on April 16. Bill to allocate $750 million for new Arkansas prison likely not returning to Senate after multiple failures HB1931 states in its Legislative Findings opening section that as of 2019, Arkansas had a 48.3% recidivism rate, meaning that 48.3% of inmates who were released returned to prison for an additional term. This costs the state $140 million annually, the bill states. It then calls for a hard focus on beginning reentry preparations upon an inmate's first day of imprisonment by adopting needed policies and rules to serve this goal. This will lead to a program created for each inmate that will be continuously assessed and updated for the best possible outcome. Programs will include incentives for participants, such as extended phone privileges or commissary spending limits as rewards. Inmates will also receive post-release support, which is also included in SB485. Nonprofit program uses modern techniques to reduce recidivism rates, keep families together SB485 refines the laws concerning a suspended sentence, probation and parole to encourage rehabilitation through supervision based upon a presentence needs assessment. The legislation also calls for creating incentives for 'prosocial efforts,' including such things as education and community service. SB537 gives a parolee credit for every 130 hours over 30 days of 'verifiable wage-earning hours,' overseen by Community Corrections. Every 30 days, a parolee can gain five work-for-time credits, each one reducing their sentence by one day. Credits are not accrued when the parolee has 60 days left on their sentence. Changes to Arkansas felony, Medicare law go into effect in 2025 The acts are now alongside the Protect Arkansas Act, passed in 2023 and becoming state law this year. It removed the possibility of parole for violent crimes and created a recidivism task force. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ohio Gov. DeWine addresses proposed bill to ban cell phones in schools
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine will speak in a Tuesday morning press conference to offer support of a bill that would ban cellphones in schools throughout the state. DeWine will host the press conference at the Ohio Statehouse, where he will be joined by State Senators Jane Timken (R-Jackson County) and Andrew Brenner (R-Delaware), former Second Lady of Ohio Tina Husted, and Dr. John Marschhuasen, Dublin City School District Superintendent. You can watch the press conference live in the video player above. 'In last year's State of the State, I talked about the need to take action in this area,' Gov. DeWine said. 'We need to be sure that our classrooms are now cellphone free.' Columbus man's monthly payment increases 500% in federal freeze confusion 'Studies consistently show that access to cellphones during school hours negatively impact student learning and academic performance,' DeWine said. 'Furthermore, these phones can be incredibly harmful to the students mental and emotional health. They expose our kids to things like cyberbullying, sextortion (and) both of these factors increase the risk of suicide among our children.' It is Timken's legislation, Senate Bill 158 calls for the banning of phones during the school day in Ohio, while focusing on enhanced student engagement and safety by prohibiting the use of cellphones. The bill would also introduce disciplinary measures for students who violate the ban. 'This legislation is a commonsense approach to unplug our children, from the constant distraction that they have in the classroom,' said Timken, who noted that on average a child can receive nearly 200 notifications per day. It is expected the bill, which Timken said will include a few exceptions when it comes to facilitating learning, will be presented in Senate's Education Committee and it is believed the standalone bill will move through the Ohio legislature. sb158_00_INDownload One year ago, DeWine called for a new law on banning phones. House Bill 485 called for phones to be banned in schools, except for an emergency, medical situation, or instructional purposes, but he received pushback for its sweeping guidelines. The bill uses similar language in DeWine's executive budget proposal in which he introduced the banning of phones in schools. A new Ohio law was enacted in 2024 that required school districts to implement policies to address the use of phones in schools, and many districts followed with banning their use. Many districts have already noted improvement in student engagement, attendance, grades, socialization, and communication, the Governor's office said. Superintendent Marschhuasen also noted that phones will not be allocated phones to students during emergencies, such as an active shooter. 'I understand there's fear, and our goal will be to get students safely back to parents as soon as possible, but individual student having a cellphone isn't part of any of those plans,' he said. Organization offering 'bounty' for removal of invasive trees in central Ohio When asked why, Marschhuasen quickly noted, 'Because it clogs and slows the process. In any situation if students are given directions on where to go, them looking at their phones, it only slows what we're trying to do, what we've practiced when it comes to evacuating, when it comes to lockdown, when it comes to shelter in place. Whatever those plans are, students need to be paying attention.' At the news conference, Husted discussed strategies parents can use to be more aware of what their children are doing on their phones, including having regular and open conversations with their children about the dangers they may face online so they know what to do and who to turn to if they feel unsafe. She has previously supported Braden's Law, signed by DeWine in January, which makes sexual extortion a felony offense in Ohio. That law is slated to go into effect Wednesday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
