Latest news with #Bill8
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
B.C.'s finance minister makes it up on the fly on carbon tax ... and gets it wrong
VICTORIA — Finance Minister Brenda Bailey was deep into debate on phasing out the carbon tax Monday night when she took a stab at rationalizing the NDP's reasons for waiting to act until the 11th hour. 'Some questions have been raised about this being a panic,' she began. 'Why on this day, March 31, are we bringing forward this bill? 'Well, the reality is the premier made a commitment that should the federal government step back on the carbon legislation, we too would follow suit.' When Prime Minister Mark Carney signed off on the federal version of the tax on March 15, the B.C. legislature was on a two-week break. 'That's something that the legislature decides upon. It's not a government decision,' claimed Bailey. 'Our first day back is today. This is why we're bringing it forward now, to keep our commitment that as soon as we could act, we would act.' Wrong and wrong again. Carney signalled his intention to get rid of the carbon tax on Jan. 31. The other serious contender for the Liberal party leadership, Chrystia Freeland, was of a similar mind. The New Democrats could have introduced legislation giving cabinet the power to repeal the B.C. counterpart of the tax when the provincial house sat on Feb. 18. There was a second opportunity with the budget and its enabling legislation on March 4. Bailey is in her second term as an MLA, long enough to know that legislature sittings, like the legislature agenda, are entirely at the call of the government. The New Democrats could have postponed spring break and recalled the house on March 17, allowing two weeks instead of one day to debate Bill 8, the Carbon Tax Amendment Act. The last minute 'panic' was entirely of the NDP's own making. Bailey undermined her credibility by trying to suggest otherwise. But it set the tone for her entire defence of the legislation, evasive and grudging as it was. In seeking authorization from the Speaker to put the bill through all three stages of debate in one day, government house leader Mike Farnworth made a pledge in return. The government would extend the time for debate into the night of March 31, 'thereby ensuring that all members who wish to debate this bill at all stages are provided ample opportunity to do so.' You wouldn't know it from Bailey's fielding of questions from Opposition finance critic Peter Milobar. She treated the clause-by-clause phase of debate as a nuisance and became more and more intransigent as the evening wore on. The phaseout of the carbon tax would create a $2 billion hole on the revenue side of the provincial budget. Would that entail cuts? Other offsets? Or a boost in the deficit? Bailey claimed not to have a clue what would happen. 'There is work underway,' she told Milobar. 'We are reviewing all programs that are linked to this. 'It's complex and important work, and it will take time, and it's going to be done carefully,' she lectured the Opposition. 'I think it's unrealistic to make a request that I have information on all of those decisions yet. The government will report back with the details of any changes along with the next scheduled update on the budget in September. Meaning a full year after Premier David Eby first promised to phase out the carbon tax. Talk about making it up as they go along. Listening to Bailey's non-answers you'd think that carbon tax repeal had just been sprung on the government, not something they'd promised months ago. Milobar challenged the finance minister on the matter of urgency, citing precedents where the government had amended the carbon tax at a leisurely pace and retroactively. Bailey tried to suggest the matter was closed by the Speaker's acceptance of the government request for expedited passage in one day. 'This question has been already decided upon by our Speaker,' she said, trying to short circuit the debate. 'That ruling stands. It has been litigated. It's accepted.' It is hardly news that the Speaker sided with the government on a procedural matter. It would be a rare day if he'd done otherwise. That shouldn't close off explanations about why the government rushed the bill. As the hours passed, Bailey fell back more and more on saying the question was 'asked and answered.' Or she ignored it altogether. She took to hectoring Milobar directly, at one point complaining 'you have asked a number of questions that I've indulged you in.' Later, she accused him of trying to trap her — 'playing a game of 'got you'' — with persistent questions about when the New Democrats actually began drafting the bill. When the Opposition finally gave up and let the bill pass, it was 1:30 a.m. on Tuesday April 1. Clause-by-clause debate, the most critical part of legislative scrutiny, had extended over four hours, much of it taken up with Milobar's probing and Bailey's refusal to say much of anything. But presumably that's what the premier wanted — a finance minister who steers critical tax legislation through the house while explaining as little as possible. vpalmer@ No excuse for last-minute rush to kill carbon tax in B.C. B.C. Premier David Eby backs away from power grab, but hints at new attempt in fall
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Retirement benefit hikes eyed for some Oklahoma retirees
Sen. Darrell Weaver, R-Moore, attends the final day of the 2024 Legislative Session on May 30 at the Oklahoma State Capitol in Oklahoma City. (Photo by Barbara Hoberock/Oklahoma Voice) OKLAHOMA CITY – A Senate panel on Tuesday passed five bills to start the process of giving some retirees a 2% cost-of-living adjustment. Senate Bill 8, by Sen. Darrell Weaver, R-Moore, would provide a 2% increase in benefits for members of the Oklahoma Firefighters Pension and Retirement System. Senate Bill 174, by Sen. Roland Pederson, R-Burlington, would provide a 2% cost of living adjustment for members of the Teachers' Retirement System. Senate Bill 9, by Weaver, would provide a 2% increase in benefits to members of the Oklahoma Law Enforcement Retirement System. Senate Bill 90, by Sen. Avery Frix, R-Muskogee, would provide a 2% increase in benefits to members of the Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System. Senate Bill 21, by Sen. Warren Hamilton, R-McCurtain, would provide a 2% increase in benefits to members of the Oklahoma Police Pension and Retirement System who have been retired for five or more years. The proposals must first receive an actuarial analysis to determine the costs. Lawmakers next session could then consider any proposed increases. Lawmakers typically file cost of living adjustment bills in odd-numbered years and take them up in even-numbered years after the actuarial analyses are completed. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
CBS News
21-02-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Gov. Whitmer signs bills on Michigan's minimum wage, sick time
In the final hours before Michigan's minimum wage was set to increase, lawmakers passed two bills that aimed to increase wages at a slightly slower rate. On Friday afternoon, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed two bills into law: Senate Bill 8, which incrementally increases the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2027, and House Bill 4002, which expands paid sick leave policies and prevents employers from requiring their workers to find their own replacements if they are ill. Business owners and tipped workers called on lawmakers to protect the current wage rate. Workers repeatedly asked the legislature to slow down scheduled increases to the state minimum wage and protect the tipped wage. "[Workers] can now begin the work of planning for their collective future with the knowledge that a tip credit has once again been preserved," said Justin Winslow, the CEO of the Michigan Restaurant and Lodging Association. However, advocates for increased wages, like the organization One Fair Wage, argued that "... corporate-backed lawmakers ignored the will of the people and passed this bill to gut the minimum wage law before it could even take effect." According to the bill's language, Michigan's minimum wage will increase in line with inflation after 2027. In response to the change to the minimum wage plan, One Fair Wage announced they are beginning work on a referendum campaign. If the group and its coalition gather enough petition signatures to get on the ballot, voters would be able to decide on the new laws by vote.
Yahoo
14-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Michigan Senate passes compromise legislation on tipped wages
Michigan Senate passes compromise legislation to avert a court-ordered change to the state's minimum wage law. Feb. 13, 2025. Screenshot As sweeping changes to Michigan's minimum wage and earned sick time standards, which pose concerns in the restaurant industry, are set to take effect next week, the state Senate found a compromise on Thursday to preserve tipped wages. It's one piece to the puzzle, but after days of testimony and frequent rallies at the Capitol Building by members of the service industry asking lawmakers to intercede, supporters of the Senate's tipped wage compromise say coming to an agreement in Michigan's politically divided legislature is vital to save restaurants across the state. 'I've heard loud and clear from the people across my district, whether they are small business owners, whether they are waitresses, waiters, bartenders, that this was going to impact them in a negative way, and they wanted something to change here,' Sen. Kevin Hertel (D-St. Clair Shores) told media after session, addressing the changes to Michigan's law to take effect on Feb. 21 unless the legislature finishes a deal. After the state legislature in 2018 adopted provisions in ballot efforts that would've raised minimum wage to $15, phased out sub-minimum tipped wages and set standards for required sick leave for employees, they watered them down after the election in a move the state Supreme Court deemed unconstitutional last summer. The court's decision mandated that the changes in the ballot efforts be implemented, but lawmakers have the opportunity to pass different policies, allowing hours of testimony to get insights from business owners and employees in Michigan. Republicans in both chambers have been vocal in their support of maintaining Michigan's tipped wage offered to servers and bartenders, set at 38% of minimum wage, which hundreds of service industry professionals have rallied at the Capitol to support as many say they make far more with the current tipping system than they would at minimum wage. After Senate Democrats had proposed gradually raising tipped wages to 60% whereas House Republicans favored maintaining 38% of minimum wage, lawmakers met in the middle with Senate Bill 8, which raises tipped wages to 50% by 2031. It passed 20-12, with five Senators excused. It's not a comfortable compromise, Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt (R-Porter Township) told media after the vote on the legislation, but it was one that he said Republicans carried to the finish line as Democrats, who hold the majority in Senate only supplied 8 of the yes votes, while 12 Republicans gave the bill their support. 'Senate Republicans took the lead, and we're going to continue to protect hard working small business owners,' Nesbitt said. 'Today we're saying 'small business owners, Senate Republicans are going to have your back. Hard working folks in the hospitality industry, Senate Republicans have your back'.' The eight Democrats who voted for the bill included Hertel, as well as Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks (D-Grand Rapids), and Sens. Sam Singh (D-East Lansing), Veronica Kleinfelt (D-Eastpointe), Jeremy Moss (D-Southfield), Dayna Polehanki (D-Livonia), Sue Shink (D-Northfield Twp.), and Paul Wojno (D-Warren). Senate Bill 8, which also allows minimum wage to reach $15 by 2027, two years faster than the plan the Republican-led House has passed, presents the clearest path to passage with House Speaker Matt Hall (R-Richland Township) applauding the Senate's actions Thursday. 'Tonight's vote is a step in the right direction, but Michigan workers can't afford more delays,' Hall said in a news release Thursday. 'I put forward a sick time benefits plan that works for everyone — now it's time for Senate Democrats to do their part. The deal is on the table, and we can get this done now.' However, not everyone was happy with the deal. Saru Jayaraman, President of One Fair Wage, called the bill a deliberate effort to strip money from the pockets of Michigan's lowest-paid workers. 'This is a blatant PAY CUT and betrayal of working people, and Michigan workers will remember exactly who stood with them and who sold them out and cut their wages. After an election cycle where workers made it abundantly clear that politicians must stand with them, we applaud the majority of Senate Democrats who listened to working people, and condemn the eight Senate Democrats who still chose to side with Republicans and corporate lobbyists to strip wages from the lowest-paid people in this state,' said Jayaraman. 'What does it even mean to be a Democrat if you vote to gut a minimum wage increase that was won in the courts and was just days away from taking effect? These senators have made their choice—now they will have to answer for it.' Changes to minimum and tipped wages will still have to get both chambers' approval and lawmakers are still in negotiations on sick time policies. The House's plan would exempt businesses with less than 50 employees from the sick leave law, while the Senate's plan would place different requirements for sick leave for businesses with fewer than 25 individuals than for businesses with 25 or more employees. Both Nesbitt and Hertel told media members that the bipartisan nature of the minimum wage compromise bodes well for coming to an agreement next week on sick leave, but it will take a lot of conversations and work to cross the steep partisan divides in Lansing for the common good. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Public safety package passes major hurdle at the Roundhouse
SANTA FE, N.M. (KRQE) – A sweeping public safety package, the first for this legislative session, includes six bills that tackle a variety of critical issues. One of the big issues highlighted is a revision to the state's criminal competency laws. Story continues below NM Film: Storied New Mexico movie ranch transitions into a new era Investigation: 'I'm scared to death': Defense attorney at center of DWI scheme reports burglary Real Estate: $16M Abiquiu farm for sale offers chance to live inside an O'Keeffe painting House Bill 8 would expand the evaluation process to allow judges to make a case-by-case review for suspects accused of certain serious crimes. They would have to go through a mental health hearing to determine if they are competent to stand trial and if they are dangerous. If a defendant is deemed incompetent and considered to be dangerous to themselves or others, then they can be involuntarily admitted to a mental health facility. A hearing will be held 90 days later to check if they can stand trial. 'But where the individual is deemed not dangerous and not competent…we have expanded the opportunities to work with individual,' said Rep. Christine Chandler (D – Los Alamos). This crime package also includes other bills aimed at tackling issues like converting handguns into automatic weapons, and stricter penalties for fentanyl trafficking and auto theft. It also makes a shooting or bomb threat a fourth-degree felony. Some lawmakers say this bill is a step in the right direction while others argue it does not do enough to hold criminals accountable. 'I am in favor of most of the bills in here if not all maybe just other than one concern and so I just I just don't feel like it goes far enough to address crime in the state,' said Rep. Nicole Chavez (R-Albuquerque). Ultimately, the bill passed on a 7-4 vote and now heads to the house floor for a vote. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
