Latest news with #DemocraticAssembly
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
$35-per-month cap on out-of-pocket insulin costs advances in Nevada Legislature
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Legislation to cap out-of-pocket expenses for insulin at $35 per month was introduced Wednesday in Carson City and advanced quickly by lawmakers. Democratic Assembly Speaker Steve Yeager presented Assembly Bill 555 (AB555) at a joint committee meeting, and the bill earned bipartisan support in a unanimous vote that advanced it to the Assembly for consideration. 'As Nevadans continue to feel the pinch from the disastrous economic policies at the national level, it is incumbent on us at the state level to find solutions for them,' Yeager said. AB555 seeks to help tens of thousands of Nevadans who rely on insulin to treat diabetes. Estimates offered during the meeting said as many as 50,000 people, and possibly as high as 70,000, would benefit from the cap, which would apply to private insurance companies that set copays for insured Nevadans. The bill only applies to private insurers. Republicans in the joint committee asked if the bill would result costs being shifted to other states or result in higher premiums for all health coverage. They also cited comments by President Donald Trump that he intended to do something about prescription costs. 'Not knowing what the federal government's going to do, this is what we can do as a Legislature right now in this moment,' Yeager said. 'And we should get this passed and enacted into law. And if the federal government comes behind us and does something better or more comprehensive, I obviously would be all for that.' Federal assistance that came through the Inflation Reduction Act lowered costs for diabetes patients who receive Medicare. A $35-per-month cap went into place on Jan. 1, 2023. Since then, 26 states and the District of Columbia have enacted laws similar to the one introduced at the Nevada Legislature. The American Diabetes Association estimates that more than 250,000 Nevada adults have been diagnosed with diabetes. Because of the high cost of insulin, some people have rationed doses or stopped taking insulin completely. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Epoch Times
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Epoch Times
California Bill Would Broaden Discrimination Protections in Schools
A committee in the California Legislature will consider a bill on May 21 that seeks to strengthen and broaden existing discrimination protections in K–12 schools to target anti-Semitism and Islamophobia. Under The bill, introduced by Democratic Assembly members Rick Chavez Zbur of Los Angeles and Dawn Addis of San Luis Obispo, would also establish a state anti-Semitism coordinator who would ensure schools and staff, including contractors, are in compliance with existing anti-discrimination laws. To address specific forms of discrimination, the bill expands the definition of 'nationality' to include a person's actual or perceived shared ancestry, ethnic characteristics, or residency in a country with a dominant religion or distinct religious identity. It also explicitly defines religious discrimination to include anti-Semitism and Islamophobia, aiming to provide clearer protections against these forms of bias. It also prohibits schools from adopting, approving, or allowing any content in their teaching materials if its use would subject a student to unlawful discrimination. The bill unanimously passed the Assembly Education Committee on May 14 and will next be heard by the Appropriations Committee. Related Stories 5/19/2025 5/17/2025 Zbur, a member of the California Jewish Legislative Caucus, says the bill lays the framework to address a rise in anti-Semitism in schools. 'Jewish and all students deserve to be safe, affirmed and respected in our schools and communities,' Zbur said in a AB 715 is co-authored by the chairs of the other Ethnic caucuses, including the Black, Latino, Asian, and Pacific Islander caucuses. Zbur and Addis withdrew a similar piece of legislation last week that failed to gain ground in the Legislature. Assembly Bill 1468 had called for creating academic standards that would have laid out what could and couldn't be taught in mandatory ethnic studies courses. Opponents of AB 1468 and AB 715, including the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), said the bill amounted to censorship and threatened academic freedom. 'AB 1468 was a blatant attempt to undermine Ethnic Studies and silence Palestinian narratives,' the CEO of CAIR's California Chapter, Hussam Ayloush, said in a The decision to replace AB 1468 was the result of collaboration with the other ethnic caucuses and aims to take a broader focus on discrimination that would apply to all schoolwork, not just ethnic studies, said lawmakers. In Since Oct. 7, 2023, when the Hamas terrorist group launched a land, sea, and air attack on Israel, tensions have increased among the Israelis and Palestinians amid the subsequent war in Gaza, especially on U.S. The U.S. Department of Education has in recent months On March 7, the department, along with the Department of Justice, Department of Health and Human Services, and the General Services Administration,
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Plan for charter school teacher raises unveiled at Nevada Legislature
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — In line with statements made over the past week, Democratic Assembly Speaker Steve Yeager on Thursday unveiled a proposal at the Nevada Legislature to fund raises for charter school teachers throughout the state. And despite statements that were generally supportive, paying for those raises might prove a bitter pill to swallow if the legislation moves forward. Yeager proposed committing $90 million from the state's rainy day fund to pay for raises for 'hard-to-fill' school positions. A conceptual amendment would tack on $38 million for the charter school teacher raises over the next two years. 'Now, I'm going to acknowledge right away that asking for a transfer out of the state's rainy day fund is a serious request and I believe one that is probably going to cause members of this committee and others some concern and some discontent,' Yeager said as he presented Assembly Bill 389 (AB389) to the Assembly Ways and Means Committee. 'Let me tell you why I'm proposing it. 'I do think that it is accurate to say that it is already raining and has been raining when it comes to filling hard-to-fill positions. And if we are being honest with ourselves, things are only likely to get worse when it comes to education and education funding given what is happening at the federal level at the moment,' Yeager said. Republicans who voted against the entire education budget to protest the absence of raises for charter school teachers applauded Yeager's efforts on Thursday. Lombardo threatens to veto education budget over missing charter school teacher raises The bill received some opposition from unions that objected to education support professionals (ESAs) being left out of the plan. Yeager addressed that issue as he answered questions about the bill. 'I didn't believe it would be fiscally responsible for me to include them now, and and I don't want to spread the funding too thin so that it doesn't work and achieve the objectives of actually filling these hard-to-fill positions,' he said. John Vellardita of the Clark County Education Association helped present the bill, affirming that funding allocated by the 2023 Legislature made a big difference. That funding brought pay raises of about 20%. He told the committee that teacher vacancies have been reduced by about 53%, giving examples of the impact at elementary, middle and high schools in Clark County: 'We are very appreciative of the investment that was made last time. It was significant by this body, both in the allocation to the education budget as well as to SB231. It has made a difference down in Clark, and we're asking for this to continue.' AB389 takes 'a much more surgical approach' designed to make sure there's an educator in each classroom, Vellardita said. Two years ago, Title 1 schools with vacancy rates above 5% were targeted. This time around, that threshold is much higher. That became clear as Yeager outlined the definition of 'hard-to-fill' positions. They fit into two categories as defined by AB389: A teacher position at a Title 1 school which has: A vacancy rate of 15% or more (high school) A vacancy rate of 12% or more (middle school or junior high) A vacancy rate of 10% or more (elementary school) 'A teacher position or other position staffed by a person licensed under Chapter 391 of the NRS who is a teacher of record assigned to a classroom and whose duties include actively teaching pupils during a class period for the majority of the class periods during the school day in English language arts, mathematics, science or special education is such subjects are suffering from a critical labor shortage as determined by the board of trustees of the school district.' Besides the vacancy rates, the definition adds special education teachers to the list. If AB389 passes, the program would remain completely separate from the education budget. It would run through the Interim Finance Committee, with funds distributed to the Department of Education, which would disburse funds to school districts. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Nevada lawmakers tap education rainy day fund to help plug gap; teacher raises renewed
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Money for education is a hot topic again in Carson City as lawmakers made a $126.9 million withdrawal from schools' rainy day fund to help plug a gap created by a decrease in tourism. Additional steps might be necessary after the state per-pupil spending levels are finalized in a budget session scheduled for Thursday. Schools must address a $160 million gap between spending requests and tax revenue. Projected tax revenue has declined since budgets were drawn up at the start of the legislative session in early February. Gov. Joe Lombardo has recommended per-pupil spending of $9,416 in the 2026 fiscal year (July 1-June 30) and $9,486 in 2027. Critics point out that $9,416 is merely $2 more than spending this year. Some are suggesting the state go deeper into the rainy day fund for schools, which is projected to have $746.1 million remaining in July. Per-pupil funding going up $2 next year unless something changes in Nevada budget A final per-pupil funding figure is expected to be delivered by legislative staff on Thursday, taking into account decisions made in today's budget closing session of the Joint Subcommittee on K-12/Higher Education/CIP. Nevada made education funding a priority in the legislative session, but building on that will be difficult in today's economy. Lawmakers voted to continue raises put into place by the 2023 Legislature, but not without some finger-pointing. Republicans on the committee voted against continuing $250 million in spending to fund raises for teachers in the state's public school districts — but didn't have anything for charter school teachers yet. 'Charter schools are public schools,' Republican State Sen. Carrie Buck said. 'These teachers are public teachers. They deserve raises also, so I will be voting no today.' Democratic Assembly Speaker Steve Yeager reminded Republicans of discussions from the 2023 session and the commitments made then to teachers. He called a 'no' vote 'utterly irresponsible,' but five Republicans stood their ground. They didn't have enough votes to stop the existing raises. Democratic Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro held out hope for charter school teachers. 'While I recognize that today is not the day that we'll be talking about charter school raises, I do think that that conversation should continue for the remainder of this session so that we can come to a good resolution on that,' Cannizzaro said. Lawmakers have been watching as more families leave public school districts to put their kids in charter schools. Lombardo based his budget on no enrollment growth, and during Thursday's hearing, lawmakers were told that student populations have increased in only three counties: Mineral, Nye and Pershing. But as a whole, charter school enrollment is on the rise. Transportation funding for charter schools — about $17 million over two years — was a sticking point in 2023. Today, the committee removed that funding from the per-pupil funding account, instead deciding the money should go to the Charter School Authority through a one-time appropriation from the state general fund. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS.
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
California legislators, law enforcement, and advocates support new Assembly bill punishing people purchasing sex from minors
( — California legislators, law enforcement, and advocates gathered on Monday in support of CA Assembly Bill 379. Those who spoke said they've made progress in targeting sex traffickers themselves, but not enough action has yet been taken to punish those who purchase sex from minors being trafficked. Officials who spoke believe this bill can help change that. San Diego District Attorney Summer Stephan said she's seen rows of cars lined up to solicit sex from minors as if buyers were in line at a fast-food drive-through, placing an order. 'It is a terrible reality that while President Lincoln thought that he had ended slavery, that today in America we have human trafficking, modern-day slavery, as the second largest criminal industry in our nation,' the DA said. Under current California law, it's a misdemeanor to solicit or offer sexual services. This bill would make it a felony to purchase sexual services from anyone under the age of 18. Current California law only makes it a felony to purchase sex for a child 15 and under. Local law enforcement expressed frustration with the status quo. 'We could be arresting someone in the same parking lot, and another buyer pulls up to buy somebody else because they're so oblivious to it, they don't care,' Sacramento County Sheriff and former Assembly Member Jim Cooper told reporters. 'Why are we protecting them? They're abusing young girls, it makes zero sense.' The bill would offer a diversion program and establish a survivor fund to support victims. Sacramento Democratic Assembly Member Maggy Krell authored the bipartisan bill. 'It helps support those girls, helps them rebuild their lives while penalizing the sleazy men who are buying them in terms of setting up this fund that would come directly from those buyers, it would be a $1,000 fine,' Krell said. Marjorie Saylor was a victim of sex and labor trafficking for 17 years, beginning at age 15. She now works as an advocate for victims and says this bill could be a game-changer. Targeting buyers, she said, is a crucial step in the right direction. 'In the first incident where I nearly lost my life, before he beat me, he said you're just a prostitute, nobody's gonna care, I can do whatever I want to you,' Saylor told FOX40. 'And he was right.' California also has the fifth-highest number of missing and murdered Indigenous people in the country. Regina Cuellar is the chairwoman of the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians and spoke alongside California legislators in support of the bill. 'Native Americans account for 40% of trafficking victims despite comprising only three percent of the U.S. population, these statistics are unacceptable,' Cuellar said. 'Assembly Bill 379 marks an important step in confronting those who prey on Indigenous children and all at-risk youth.' Those in attendance agreed that the time for change is now. 'This bill needs to be remembered as California declaring for the first time that our children are not for sale,' San Diego DA Stephan continued. 'I am amazed that this is even up for debate, aren't you?' The Public Safety Committee will vote on the Assembly Bill next week. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
