Latest news with #Bill72
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
What to know about the House and Senate parental rights bills
House Speaker Sherman Packard (center) is expected to bring forward a floor amendment to SB 72 on Thursday. (Photo by William Skipworth/New Hampshire Bulletin) Thursday brings a major deadline: the final day in which the House and Senate can pass remaining legislation. And Republicans in both chambers will be pushing to achieve a long-sought priority and finally approve a 'parental bill of rights.' In past years, those votes have failed, often defeated by a handful of votes in the House. This week, the House and the Senate are considering two separate bills: House Bill 10 and Senate Bill 72. Each looks slightly different from past versions. Here's what to know. What are the bills intended to do? Supporters of the bills say they are meant to give parents a toolkit to assert control over their child's education in public schools. The laws outline a number of rights the parents have over that education. Many of those rights already exist in law, such as the right for a parent to choose whether to send their child to a charter school, private school, or to home school them; to learn about school disciplinary procedures and class curriculum; to opt their child out of sex education courses by providing alternative instruction; to receive a report card; to review medical records; and to exempt their child from immunization with a doctor's note or because of religious beliefs. Other provisions of the bills would be new. School boards would be required to develop policies to promote parental involvement in school around homework, attendance, and discipline. They would also be required to pass policies making it easy for parents to examine instructional materials and to withdraw their child from any lesson or material being taught. And the bills would clarify in law that 'no school may infringe on the fundamental rights of a parent to direct the upbringing, education, health care, and mental health of his or her minor child.' But the legislation has inspired fierce pushback from teachers and LGBTQ groups, who say it puts too many burdens on teachers and staff, and that it could force them to divulge to parents details about students' sexual orientation or gender identity against the students' will. Do this year's bills require teachers to tell parents about a student's sexual orientation or gender identity? Unlike past attempts at a parental bill of rights, this year's bills do not explicitly require school staff and teachers to divulge to inquiring parents details about their child's sexual orientation or gender identity. Some bills in the past have included that explicit language, sparking opposition from LGBTQ rights groups and driving some Republicans to vote against them on the House floor. But this year's versions of the legislation do include a catch-all phrase that opponents argue achieves a similar result. Language in a floor amendment to SB 72 expected to be brought forward by House Speaker Sherman Packard Thursday provides parents the right to 'inquire of the school or school personnel and promptly receive accurate, truthful, and complete disclosure regarding any and all matters related to their minor child, unless an immediate answer cannot be provided when the initial request is made.' If an immediate answer is not available, the school employee must provide one within 10 business days. The bill provides an exception to providing the information if there is a 'compelling state interest' against doing so, and it defines that interest as 'an actual and objectively reasonable belief, supported by clear and convincing evidence, that the infringement upon parental rights is necessary to prevent the child from being abused,' under the state's abuse laws. HB 10 includes similar language. Republicans say the requirement is necessary to prevent teachers from withholding information from parents and to allow parents full information about their children. Democrats and LGBTQ advocates say the requirement that the disclosure 'complete' could be difficult to follow, and that the standard that must be met to constitute a fear of abuse, 'clear and convincing,' is too high to meet in most situations. How would the bills affect health care services for students? While Republicans broadly support the parental bill of rights, they have disagreed over one key area: medical care for students. A version of SB 72 recommended by the House Children and Family Law Committee would have included language requiring parents to consent in writing before any biometric scans are conducted by a medical provider on a child, or before any DNA or blood is drawn. That version would also give parents the right 'to make health care decisions unless otherwise provided by law' and 'to be physically present at any health care facility providing care.' However, Democrats and advocates had raised concerns that the medical provisions would violate teenagers' health care and reproductive rights by impeding their ability to receive birth control and pre- and post-natal care without getting parental permission. And House Republican leadership appears aware: The floor amendment from Packard expected to be introduced on Thursday would strike those parental medical rights from the final bill. Meanwhile, both of this year's House and Senate versions of the bills include language to protect confidential conversations between children and counselors. Both bills protect school counselors, psychologists, nurses, or other health care providers from being required to disclose information about children to parents that 'was reasonably expected to be privileged.' What could be the consequences of noncompliance for schools or teachers? Past parental bill of rights legislation has made teachers personally accountable for failing to follow the law, in some cases opening teachers up to litigation or potential disciplinary action by the State Board of Education against their license. But this year, the House and Senate bills do not include direct consequences for teachers. The bills do provide that a parent who claims a violation may sue the school district for injunctive relief or for damages. What should be expected on Thursday? In their current versions, the two bills up for a vote Thursday — HB 10 in the Senate and SB 72 in the House — are largely identical. Both bills include parental rights over medical care that have attracted debate. But Packard's floor amendment, which removes those medical rights, would make SB 72 more moderate, and potentially more palatable for Gov. Kelly Ayotte to sign. Should the House Republican caucus vote to pass that floor amendment, as well as the underlying bill, SB 72 would return to the Senate, which would decide next week whether to accept the moderating changes and send the bill to Ayotte. But if conservative-leaning House Republicans join with Democrats to reject the floor amendment, SB 72 and HB 10 could head to the governor's office in their most robust form yet.
Vancouver Sun
07-05-2025
- Business
- Vancouver Sun
Quebec businesses can no longer ask for tips on taxes
Quebec became the first Canadian province to enact legislation stipulating that recommended tip amounts on payment terminals must be calculated using the subtotal — the price before the GST (five per cent) and the province's sales tax (9.975 per cent) are applied. In most Canadian retail and service settings, when a consumer is presented with a digital debit machine displaying suggested tip percentages, that figure is calculated using the post-tax total. It should be common knowledge, but it's not, and it often results in people paying an added gratuity on money ultimately paid to government. As of Wednesday, suggestions on a $100 tab at a Quebec brasserie, for example, will be determined by that number, not the current $114.98 after tax sum. That means an 18 per cent gratuity works out to be $18, not $20.70. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. The province introduced the measures to return to the halcyon days when patrons, particularly those at bars and restaurants, were given a bill that displayed the tax breakdown, allowing them to determine how much to tip before the server returned to collect payment. While promoting the changes last fall, Simon Jolin-Barrette, Quebec's minister responsible for consumer protection, cited a January 2024 Canadian survey that found 62 per cent of people went overboard on tips because of percentages presented or by doing the math themselves based on the after-tax total. 'We shouldn't feel pressured when someone hands us the terminal at the time of payment,' Simon Jolin-Barrette told the National Assembly when Bill 72 was passed in November. The new rules also state that the tipping options must be 'presented in a uniform manner.' On many debit machines, choices are sometimes accompanied by praise for the employee, like 'good,' 'great,' or 'amazing.' 'There should no longer be undue pressure with exclamation points, comments, smiley faces, depending on the level of satisfaction linked to the level of the tip,' Québec solidaire member Guillaume Cliche-Rivard said in support of the measures last fall. Quebec is the only remaining province where a lower minimum wage is paid to those who regularly receive tips — they make $12.90 hourly compared to the $16.10 everyone else earns. Ontario eliminated its reduced wage in 2022, and Alberta abandoned its in 2019. 'We really do depend on the tips to make a living, so with it being less, it'll just affect my yearly income and everyday life,' Montreal waiter Tyler Muehleisen told City News this week. When passed last fall, Montreal barista Sophia Cooke told The Link she worried skewing tipping culture toward the consumer rather than the worker could create more competition for the most sought-after positions in an already competitive market. As for consumers, a recent survey by H&R Block suggests Canadians are growing weary of tipping expectations and being asked to tip for services that traditionally wouldn't warrant one. 'A colossal 94 per cent of Canadians say they're annoyed by card payment machines prompting tip options for services that tips or gratuities weren't previously expected,' the survey of 1,790 people in February found. Regardless, 57 per cent who tip only do so because they feel uncomfortable not choosing a tip option. As for how much they tend to leave, more than half (53 per cent) choose the lowest option or only tip for exceptional service, while 39 per cent consider themselves generous tippers. While respondents were divided on whether the tip money is actually making it to the worker or being pocketed by their employer, the vast majority (88 per cent) agreed that tipping culture allows the employer to pay lower wages. Another survey, conducted by Lightspeed Commerce in 2024 and featuring 1,500 Canadian respondents, found nearly half (47 per cent) tip between 10 and 15 per cent . About a quarter will tack on 16 to 20 per cent. Additionally, more than three-quarters (77 per cent) are opposed to auto-tipping prompts like those now more tightly regulated in Quebec. Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here .
National Post
07-05-2025
- Business
- National Post
Quebec businesses can no longer ask for tips on taxes
Quebec became the first Canadian province to enact legislation stipulating that recommended tip amounts on payment terminals must be calculated using the subtotal — the price before the GST (five per cent) and the province's sales tax (9.975 per cent) are applied. Article content Article content In most Canadian retail and service settings, when a consumer is presented with a digital debit machine displaying suggested tip percentages, that figure is calculated using the post-tax total. It should be common knowledge, but it's not, and it often results in people paying an added gratuity on money ultimately paid to government. Article content Article content As of Wednesday, suggestions on a $100 tab at a Quebec brasserie, for example, will be determined by that number, not the current $114.98 after tax sum. That means an 18 per cent gratuity works out to be $18, not $20.70. Article content Article content While promoting the changes last fall, Simon Jolin-Barrette, Quebec's minister responsible for consumer protection, cited a January 2024 Canadian survey that found 62 per cent of people went overboard on tips because of percentages presented or by doing the math themselves based on the after-tax total. Article content 'We shouldn't feel pressured when someone hands us the terminal at the time of payment,' Simon Jolin-Barrette told the National Assembly when Bill 72 was passed in November. Article content Article content The new rules also state that the tipping options must be 'presented in a uniform manner.' On many debit machines, choices are sometimes accompanied by praise for the employee, like 'good,' 'great,' or 'amazing.' Article content 'There should no longer be undue pressure with exclamation points, comments, smiley faces, depending on the level of satisfaction linked to the level of the tip,' Québec solidaire member Guillaume Cliche-Rivard said in support of the measures last fall. Article content Article content Quebec is the only remaining province where a lower minimum wage is paid to those who regularly receive tips — they make $12.90 hourly compared to the $16.10 everyone else earns. Ontario eliminated its reduced wage in 2022, and Alberta abandoned its in 2019. Article content 'We really do depend on the tips to make a living, so with it being less, it'll just affect my yearly income and everyday life,' Montreal waiter Tyler Muehleisen told City News this week. Article content When passed last fall, Montreal barista Sophia Cooke told The Link she worried skewing tipping culture toward the consumer rather than the worker could create more competition for the most sought-after positions in an already competitive market.
CBC
07-05-2025
- Business
- CBC
New rules on pricing, tip calculation take effect in Quebec today. Here's what you can expect
Social Sharing As of May 7, Quebec consumers should be noticing some changes when out doing their grocery shopping or grabbing a bite to eat at a restaurant. That's because new rules surrounding pricing and how tips are calculated come into effect today. In November, Quebec unanimously passed Bill 72. The legislation aims to help Quebecers make the best choices based on their budget and needs by protecting them against abusive commercial practices. Here's a list of what you can expect. Suggested tip calculations Businesses are now required to calculate suggested tips based on the price before tax. For example, suggested tips for a restaurant bill of $100 will be calculated as a percentage of $100, not the after-tax total of $114.98. WATCH | Tip inflation? How Quebec is clamping down: Quebec moves to clamp down on growing 'tip inflation' at restaurants 8 months ago Duration 1:41 Quebec's justice minister has tabled a bill that would require restaurants to calculate tips on prices before taxes to protect cost-weary consumers from misleading tip recommendations. When proposing the changes, Justice Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette, who is also the minister responsible for consumer protection, noted that 62 per cent of Canadians reported leaving a higher tip than they had planned because of the options presented at the pay terminal. "We shouldn't have to feel pressure when we're paying the bill," Jolin-Barrette said. "Tipping needs to remain a discretionary choice for consumers." He also stressed the importance of having the correct information to better guide consumer decisions. Some fear the changes will mean lower earnings for staff who rely on tips, but Martin Vézina, vice-president of public affairs at the Quebec Restaurant Association, said it won't have a significant impact on the industry at large. Restaurant owners, he said, might even benefit by paying less in credit card fees on tips, as well as less income tax on declared tips. Compensation for pricing errors As of Wednesday, if an item's advertised price is $15 or less and doesn't match the price scanned at the cash register, consumers in Quebec can potentially get the item for free. That is the case if the scanned price is higher than the price advertised for that item, be it in-store, in an advertisement or a flyer. Merchants will also have to give a $15 discount for inaccurate pricing on items sold for more than $15. "The main thing is that you never have to pay above the advertised price in any situation," said Charles Tanguay, a spokesperson for the Office de la protection du consommateur. The Price Accuracy Policy is not a new regulation. It's been in place since 2001, but until now, the base amount was $10, not $15. WATCH | Pricing errors and your rights as a consumer: How Quebec's updated rules on pricing errors in stores could benefit you 7 minutes ago Duration 2:47 As of May 7, if an item is priced $15 or less and doesn't match what's scanned at the cash register, consumers in Quebec will be able to get the item for free. This used to only apply to items under $10, but the province is making the change to further ensure consumers are charged the advertised price. The increase, Tanguay said, accounts for inflation and is meant to be an incentive for businesses to reduce pricing errors, which he says can amount to disinformation "and can bring a consumer to [make] wrong decisions." There are of course some exceptions. The policy doesn't apply on shoes and clothing, items without barcodes and medication sold exclusively in pharmacies. A full list of exemptions can be found here. Michel Rochette, president of the Quebec branch of the Retail Council of Canada, told CBC News that while the organization agrees with the increase from $10 to $15, it was taken aback by the scope of the new law. It was only recently that the council learned it would also apply to online ads and flyers and "every kind of publicity," which he's worried might lead to confusion. He said sometimes the price in a flyer is different from the price on the website, and prices can also vary from region to region. "If you extend the scope of that bill, you know, recognizing what is the right price to the right store, it could bring a lot of new challenges," Rochette said, adding the council is hoping for clearer guidelines and a more realistic timeline. Clearer price labelling for food The new standards put in place are also meant to make comparing food prices easier for shoppers. Grocery stores and other businesses selling food products are now required to clearly label the regular cost of a product and specify whether items are taxable. When a price is offered for a set of food items, say three lemons for $2.50, and these items can be purchased separately, the unit price must be sufficiently visible compared to the price of the set. "If I buy just one item, how much should I pay? I don't want to know necessarily how much is three items if I just want one," Tanguay said. Items that are on sale must also show the regular price.
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bill prohibiting transgender people from "women-only" spaces advances
CHEYENNE — A bill intended to prohibit transgender people from entering 'women-only' spaces passed through the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday. House Bill 72, 'Protecting women's privacy in public spaces act,' sponsored by Rep. Martha Lawley, R-Worland, would effectively bar people defined as 'male' by the bill from using any public 'female-only spaces,' including public restrooms, locker rooms, gender-assigned jails and single-sex schools, no matter their current gender identity. It is one of several bills filed in this legislative session that impacts transgender people and one of two specifically addressing restroom use. While many opponents of the bill said it is cruel and excludes a small portion of the population from public life, Lawley reiterated a common argument among those in favor of the legislation: It's necessary to protect girls and women. 'Unfortunately, Mr. Chairman, men who assert female identity are currently allowed to enter women's private spaces,' Lawley told the committee Thursday. Lawley said 12 states have passed similar bills, and other states are currently considering them. She added that President Donald Trump's recent executive order, 'Defending women from gender ideology extremism and restoring biological truth to the federal government,' demonstrated that this issue is a priority everywhere. 'I believe that women and girls deserve to have their privacy and dignity safeguarded at school and in public facilities,' Lawley said. 'Their right of privacy and safety should not be dependent on other's beliefs about gender.' The bill defines 'male' and 'female' based on the individual's reproductive organs and requires the use of 'sex-designated restrooms, showers, sleeping quarters and locker room facilities at public facilities.' It also provides avenues for complaints and civil actions, should individuals violate the bill's protections. Due to the number of people who appeared for public comment, the committee limited comment to two minutes per individual. They later further reduced public comment time to one minute per person. Opponents of the bill asked representatives to consider how it would impact the relatively small trans community in the state. Wyoming Equality Director Sara Burlingame noted there is no real way to confirm someone's gender without physically checking, which itself causes safety issues. '(The bill) focuses as much as it can on folks who have intentionally transitioned their gender,' Burlingame said, referring to efforts to consider intersex individuals in the bill. 'So that leaves us where we always are.' While the bill tries to account for intersex people, it doesn't account for how enforcers of the bill would 'check' the gender of an individual trying to enter a restricted space. Birth certificates can be amended and other paperwork can be changed, Burlingame told the committee. Burlingame said the people of Wyoming have the opportunity to speak with each other neighbor to neighbor, or they can let the heavy hand of the government come in and scrutinize everyone. 'In the absence of that, we are left with physically checking,' Burlingame said. 'And I would say that nobody wants the government to get into the business of getting into our business.' Ellis Roberts, who self-identified as a transgender Wyomingite, spoke to the committee regarding Lawley's suggestion that if someone is suspected to be transgender using a facility prohibited under the bill, they be stopped and questioned. The bill does not suggest that everyone have some kind of identification on hand. Rather, it provides legally defensible definitions should an individual be questioned about their use of a space, Lawley told the committee. 'I am not so much of a fool that I don't understand the momentum of this state and this country,' Roberts said. 'But I beg you, when drafting, reviewing, amending policy, I'm begging you for grace and compassion for your neighbors.' Other opponents noted that this bill will effectively legislate transgender people out of public life, as it is hard to hold a job or attend school when you have to be concerned about whether you're allowed to use the restroom. 'Is it fair that I sacrifice my dignity and my privacy because someone stops me because I don't look woman enough?' Roberts said. Though Lawley presented the bill with some amendments to remove counties and municipalities to address some of the complex challenges jails would encounter with enforcement, the amendment altered the bill so heavily that she and the committee decided it was not worth considering. Instead, Lawley said that she would work to find other ways to address the challenges of jails, which may have limited female and male staff available to enter private spaces, such as blocks. HB 72 passed with four in favor and Sen. Larry Hicks, R-Baggs, excused. The bill will now go to the Senate floor, where it will face three more rounds of votes, before returning to the House for a concurrence vote. A similar bill, Senate File 62, 'Restrooms in publicly funded schools-2,' sponsored by Sen. Dan Laursen, R-Powell, will be heard on second reading in the House on Monday. Although initially scheduled for second reading on Wednesday of this week, Lawley made a motion to postpone SF 62 until next week to 'match up the schedules' of both bills. 'What we're trying to do is sync up, because these bills are on the same subject,' Lawley said. 'That gives leadership the opportunity (make) choices about how to handle the fact that we have two bills potentially coming out.' Rep. Rachel Rodriguez-Williams, R-Cody, called the move a 'delay tactic,' and said she was 'strongly opposed to it.' The House voted in favor of Lawley's motion to hear SF 62 on Monday.
