Latest news with #HB1139
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Number of abortions in Florida dropped more than any other state last year, new data shows
The number of abortions in Florida dropped significantly after the state's six-week ban took effect last May, according to a new analysis. Over 2024, there were 12,100 fewer abortions provided in Florida as compared to 2023, according to a report from The Guttmacher Institute, which describes itself as a "research and policy organization committed to advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights." It was the steepest decline in abortions across the country. South Carolina has the second-largest decline, with 3,500 fewer abortions in 2024 compared to 2023. Kansas and Virginia, however, saw big increases in the number of abortions provided to people coming from other states. According to the analysis, 4,300 out-of-state patients traveled to Virginia for abortion care. Before Florida's six-week ban took effect last May, the state provided the only abortion access in the Deep South that went up to 15 weeks of pregnancy. Generally, babies have a reasonable chance of surviving outside the womb around 24 weeks of gestation. "It is likely that Virginia absorbed patients affected by Florida's six-week abortion ban after it went into effect in May 2024," the analysis says. North Carolina is the closest state without a six-week or total abortion ban (that state allows abortion up to 12 weeks), but the 72-hour in-person waiting period makes it difficult for many to make the drive for an appointment. This makes Virginia a more convenient option, the analysis said, but the data also showed residents traveling as far as New York and California for abortions. In 2024, 73,710 abortions were provided by clinicians in Florida, a 14.1% drop from 2023. But overall across the country, the number of abortions increased from 1,033,740 abortions to 1,038,090, or about 0.4%. As previously reported, the six-week abortion ban took effect May 1, a month after the state's 15-week ban went into effect in April. The 15-week ban, passed in 2022, stalled in the Florida Supreme Court until this April, when the court overruled its own 34-year-old decision that said a privacy provision in the state's constitution protected a woman's right to terminate a pregnancy. Once the 15-week-ban took effect, it triggered the six-week ban, passed in 2023. Last fall, Amendment 4, which would have enshrined abortion rights in the Florida Constitution, failed with 57% of the statewide vote. In Florida, a ballot initiative needs 60% to pass. But 57%, or over 6 million votes, was enough for abortion rights advocates to call upon the Legislature to pay attention to the results and repeal the six-week abortion ban. Last fall, however, Senate President Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula, said he would not change the law. It didn't stop Democrats this Legislative session from attempting to overturn the six-week ban with legislation (SB 870, HB 741, HB 1139) that would allow abortion until viability. None of those bills have been heard in committee. Ana Goñi-Lessan, state watchdog reporter for the USA TODAY Network – Florida, can be reached at agonilessan@ This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Abortions in Florida fell more than any other state, latest data shows
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Hotel, cruise ship tax hike aims to reduce wildfire, climate risk
Tourists would collectively pay millions of dollars more each year to stay in Hawaii hotels and on cruise ships to help the state address climate change and reduce the risk of future wildfires under a bill approved Tuesday by the full House. The latest version of Senate Bill 1396 offers no specific recommendation for how much Hawaii's transient accommodations tax would raise, an issue that likely will be resolved in a joint House-Senate conference committee in the final days of the legislative session before its scheduled adjournment May 2. But each 1 % increase in the room tax for hotel nights has been projected to generate another $80 million annually, with another $24 million coming from passenger stays aboard cruise ships. On Tuesday the full Senate also approved its amendments to the latest version of House Bill 504 that would charge ship passengers a monthly tax of $20 per passenger per port entry for 'environmental stewardship.' Both the increased TAT and monthly ship tax would begin on Jan. 1, 2027. Gov. Josh Green previously told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser that increasing the TAT another 1 % would cost tourists an additional $5 to $8 per night. Don 't miss out on what 's happening ! Stay in touch with breaking news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It 's FREE ! Email 28141 Sign Up By clicking to sign up, you agree to Star-Advertiser 's and Google 's and. This form is protected by reCAPTCHA. Local residents also would have to pay for a higher TAT for staying on another island. But Green has said they would pay only an additional $6 per night for what he called a typical $300 kama aina room rate. Green had proposed using all of the $60 million or so in annual interest on the state's billion-dollar rainy day fund to address climate change. But companion bills to dedicate the interest on the rainy day fund—HB 1076 and SB 1395—have failed this legislative session. In written testimony this month, the governor's office said it recommends increasing the TAT by 1 %—or to 11.25 % from 10.25 %. The increase would generate $90 million in additional revenue for fiscal year 2027, which would rise to $100 million for fiscal year 2030, Green's office said. He proposed that 40 % of the revenue go to 'environmental stewardship, 40 % to climate and hazard mitigation, and 20 % to sustainable tourism.' Various ideas to pay for climate change have been proposed in the past three legislative sessions, with some of them considered unconstitutional for imposing different laws on local residents compared with visitors from other U.S. states. Other climate change funding bills that died this session included House and Senate companion bills HB 1139 and SB 1458. They would have allowed the state Department of Land and Natural Resources to charge a fee for a visitor 'environmental stewardship license ' that would have funded nonprofit organizations to protect, restore and manage Hawaii's and cultural resources. Green originally proposed raising tourism fees to pay for climate change and reduce the risk of wildfires three years ago in his first year in office. The concept generated several ideas that all died. But reducing the risk of future wildfires took on more urgency in 2024 in the aftermath of the Aug. 8, 2023, Maui wildfires, which killed 102 people and decimated Lahaina, leading to a proposed $4 billion settlement to be paid by defendants including the state, Maui County and Hawaiian Electric. Green has said reducing Hawaii's risk of future wildfires also will lower insurance rates. The debate over whether to pay for climate change by increasing the hotel tax played out Tuesday on the House floor. In each of the past three legislative sessions, Hawaii's tourism industry has pushed back against increasing the cost to visit Hawaii. State Rep. Garner Shimizu (R, Moanalua-Aliamanu-Foster Village ) told his House colleagues that he fears Hawaii may be 'reaching a breaking point in our price point ' that could lead tourists to visit someplace else. But, like others, Rep. Adrian Tam (D, Waikiki )—chair of the House Tourism Committee—said the state needs to protect 'Hawaii's natural beauty ' for future generations and to ensure its reputation as a desirable tourist destination. Rep. Darius Kila (D, Nanakuli-Mail ) called charging cruise ship passengers to also pay for climate change 'the most smartest thing we have ever done.' Kila, who chairs the House Transportation Committee, said cruise ship passengers also affect Hawaii's ecosystem by using roads, trails and other natural features. If SB 1396 clears the Legislature and becomes law, DLNR would use the additional revenue for the 'protection, management, and restoration of the State's natural resources as well as for environmental stewardship, climate and hazard mitigation, and sustainable tourism, ' according to the bill.
CBS News
20-02-2025
- Automotive
- CBS News
Proposed Maryland bill would crack down on reckless driving with court-ordered technology
There's a new bill some Maryland lawmakers are considering to help crack down on dangerous driving. House Bill 1139 would allow a judge to order an Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) device in the cars of drivers who have been convicted of reckless driving multiple times. Calling on lawmakers Montgomery County Police Sgt. Patrick Kepp testified to lawmakers about HB 1139 on Thursday afternoon. "Traffic enforcement making those traffic stops trying to take the dangerous off the road or stop them from continuing those driving behaviors is really important to me," Kepp said. Kepp lost both of his legs after a speeding driver intentionally hit him in October 2023. He spent months in the hospital recovering and he is now able to walk using prosthetics. Kepp said he hopes if this bill is passed the ISA device will help change how people drive and make roads safer. Reckless driving incidents in Maryland In 2023, Maryland experienced 7,705 speed-involved crashes resulting in 102 fatalities and 3,225 injuries. On March 22, 2023, six highway workers were killed in a work zone on I-695 in Baltimore County. Troopers said two cars crashed at a high rate of speed. One of the cars careened into the work zone. "We recognize speed is certainly a danger on our roadways no matter where you are driving, whether you're on a highway or whether you're driving in a city," said Ragina Ali, with AAA's Public and Government Affairs. Baltimore County delegate Nick Allen is sponsoring HB1139 in hopes of changing this data. Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) device is a type of technology designed to keep drivers within the speed limit. HB 1139 would allow judges to order ISA technology for drivers convicted of reckless driving, racing, or speeding-related license suspensions. If convicted multiple times, reckless drivers would be required to install an ISA device in their vehicles. Unlike traditional speed devices, this one would permanently cap a car's speed at no more than nine mph over the speed limit. The system adjusts based on location. "The idea here is again it is a tool in the toolbox to make sure that people who commit these infractions are held accountable," explained Delegate Nick Allen. Kepp said he hopes if the bill is passed it will help change how people drive. "We're just trying to make sure we can stop those behaviors before or curb those behaviors before the result of someone like me or another community member getting stuck, injured or potentially killed," said Kepp. Legislation similar to this has been passed in Washington D.C. and introduced in Virginia, Arizona, and other states. You can read more about HB 1139 here.
