Latest news with #HB131
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
New Mexico toughens requirements to become a caregiver
Rep. Elizabeth "Liz" Thomson (D-Albuquerque) is co-sponsoring a bill to tighten background checks for caregivers in New Mexico. (Photo by Leah Romero / Source NM) People interested in becoming a caregiver for older adults or people with disabilities in New Mexico will face more strict requirements under a new state law but now have a way of appealing if they get rejected. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on April 7 signed House Bill 131, which enhances background check requirements for caregivers, expanding the list of disqualifying criminal offenses. At the same time, HB 131 creates an easier pathway for those who qualify for the job, which sponsors hope will help expand the workforce. Starting July 1, anyone convicted of battery of a household member, animal cruelty, identity theft, human trafficking or assault of a peace officer can be found to pose an 'unreasonable risk' as a caregiver. The new law also allows the Health Care Authority to write rules to add more crimes to the list. The law already prohibited someone from becoming a caregiver if they had been convicted of homicide; drug trafficking; kidnapping; rape or other sexual offenses; abuse of adults or children; robbery; larceny; burglary; fraud; financial exploitation or embezzlement. 'This law reflects our commitment to protecting the safety and dignity of the New Mexicans who rely on caregiving services,' New Mexico Health Care Authority Secretary Kari Armijo said in a statement. 'By strengthening background checks, we are creating safer environments for vulnerable individuals and providing families with greater peace of mind.' Two of the bill's co-sponsors in the Legislature told Source NM it is intended to decrease how long it takes to appeal a background check finding, and make the appeals process more effective, after providers gave feedback about it taking too long, which led to applicants giving up and working elsewhere like in the service industry. Co-sponsor Rep. Elizabeth Thomson (D-Albuquerque), chair of the House Health and Human Services Committee, told Source NM that the bill will help people with disabilities because more people will be able to apply for jobs to care for them. She said there is very high staff turnover at groups homes, nursing homes and other care facilities, and it's difficult to find replacements because caregiving is a demanding job that pays very little. 'These jobs have a lot of responsibility, I mean, this is someone's mother, or grandmother or son that you're taking care of,' Thomson said. 'It can be a very stressful, very physically challenging job, and sometimes downright scary.' For example, Thomson said she sees new staff working at the group home that houses her own son who is very tall, strong and has severe autism that can result in him engaging in difficult behaviors like smearing his own feces on the walls, ceilings and his own clothing. Co-sponsor Rep. Kathleen Cates (D-Rio Rancho) told Source NM the bill fits into the legislative session's broader focus on public safety by protecting the most vulnerable people, including those with disabilities. Cates said the Health Care Authority's Division of Health Improvement asked her to carry the bill. The division runs the state's caregiver background check registry. 'These direct care providers are extraordinarily important in our community, especially now as our community is aging at a higher ratio, and we do not pay them a professional wage,' Cates said. HB131 does not impact caregivers' pay, but Cates and Thomson say they want to pursue future pieces of legislation to raise their compensation. In 2023, they co-sponsored a law that requires the state to conduct a cost study every two years for caregivers for people with developmental disabilities. But as soon as the study's findings are implemented, the pay rates are already two years behind inflation, Thomson said. 'Even before I started as a representative, I was an advocate for people with disabilities and even back then in the 1990s, we were saying, 'You're not paying these people enough,'' Thomson said. 'I don't know what the magic number is; I haven't found it.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Following national trend, New Hampshire House votes to ban cell phones from schools
The New Hampshire House voted to ban cell phones from schools on Thursday, adding to the issue's momentum in the state and across the country. Sponsored by Rep. Melissa Litchfield, R-Brentwood, the bill would require school districts to adopt policies 'establishing a cell phone free education.' It directs schools to restrict cell phone use during class instructional time, with exceptions for student medical, disability, or language needs. It would also set aside $250,000 in state funding to reimburse schools for the implementation of such policies. The bill, HB 781, passed the House unanimously on the consent calendar Thursday. It will now go to the Finance committee before heading to the Senate. HB 781 is one of a few bills that seek to ban or limit the use of cell phones in schools currently moving through the state legislature. All have been received positively in the House and the Senate, and Gov. Kelly Ayotte has also voiced support for such a measure. This rare bipartisan support has been seen both in New Hampshire and across the United States. Both Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, a Republican, and California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, have vocally supported keeping cellphones out of class time. According to an October 2024 Pew Research Center survey, 68% of U.S. adults support a ban on middle and high schools students using cellphones in class. Nine states already have enacted such bans, including both Arkansas and California, and many others, like New Hampshire, are considering bans this year. Those in favor of limiting cell phone use in schools cite the impact screen time has on children's mental health as well as how the phones act as a distraction in class. 'Screens are negatively impacting our learning environments, drawing students' attention away from their classes, and becoming a barrier for teachers to do their jobs,' said Ayotte in a post on X. 'No more.' Rep. Rick Ladd, R-Haverhill, is sponsoring HB 131, another bill that would ban cell phones from class time. He said the bill would help address the decline in students' attention spans and force them to interact more with each other. 'Used to be it was a great social experience,' said Ladd of school during a hearing. 'Kids were yanking around with each other, having fun, talking to each other, looking at the whites of the eyes. Now what are they looking at? The white of the cellphone.' Teachers who testified said that removing phones from class led to better scores. Advocates have pointed out other dangers cell phones pose, such as cyberbullying and sexually explicit content. And even eighth grader Cameron Marvin testified in a hearing that that his school in Pelham is more peaceful now after it banned cellphone use during class time. Some parents have raised safety concerns over cell phone bans, saying they need to be able to contact their children in case of emergencies. Many students also don't like the idea, some putting together petitions to overturn bans already in place. Others say that state governments should not implement sweeping bans, but let individual communities decide whether to allow cellphones in classes. It could be better to teach kids responsible cell phone use like they'll have to practice as adults, some say. Another reason against legislated bans is because cellphones can be used as a learning tool in districts where students don't have laptops. However, the money provided in Litchfield's bill might give some assistance to schools wanting to buy technology such as Chromebooks to make up for the ban. While policies and implementation dates vary, at least nine states have already enacted measures banning or restricting cell phone use in schools. Those states include Arkansas, California, Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Ohio, South Carolina and Virginia—a mix of red and blue states. In addition to New Hampshire, at least a dozen other states are considering policies to restrict cellphones. They include neighboring Vermont, as well as Texas, North Carolina, and Arizona. This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: NH House votes to ban cell phones from schools: What to know
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bills banning ballot drop boxes, touch-screen voting machines fail in Senate
CHEYENNE — Some of Secretary of State Chuck Gray's election integrity bills died Friday night after failing to pass first reading in the Wyoming Senate, including two that threatened to 'upend' Laramie County elections, according to County Clerk Debra Lee. A large number of election-related bills were filed this session, making up 8% of total proposed legislation, according to House Bill 245, 'Pen and paper ballots,' would have removed touch-screen voting machines that have been used by Laramie County voters for decades. Lee previously told lawmakers this bill would 'upend' elections in her county. 'We've been using these for decades,' Lee said in a House committee. 'They don't know how to mark a paper ballot, I have to be honest.' Another failed bill, HB 131, 'Ballot drop boxes-prohibition,' would have created a statewide ban on ballot drop boxes. Lee and several other county clerks argued that the removal of ballot drop boxes could disenfranchise qualified electors from participating in Wyoming elections. Lee previously told the Wyoming Tribune Eagle she received a lot of correspondence from voters who were grateful for the ballot drop box outside the Laramie County Governmental Complex. 'They could deliver their ballot securely, they could deliver it independently,' Lee said. 'Some of them had health concerns, and they really were glad that they were able to get that ballot to us without having to come into the office.' Gray's election priorities Before the start of the session, Gray told members of the press he was working closely with lawmakers to promote his election integrity priorities this legislative session. These priorities included requiring proof of voter residency and U.S. citizenship, a statewide ban on ballot drop boxes, a ban on ballot harvesting, requiring 'true' photo ID, a ban on Zuckerbucks, improving voter list maintenance statutes and requiring hand verification of voting machines. In a January news release, Gray added four more priorities, including adding a durational residency requirement, a default to paper ballots and banning foreign funding of elections and ballot measures. The secretary of state celebrated a victory on Monday, after HB 156, 'Proof of voter residency-registration qualifications,' successfully passed the Legislature and headed toward Gov. Mark Gordon's desk. Sponsored by Wyoming Freedom Caucus chairman emeritus Rep. John Bear, R-Gillette, HB 156 creates a new 30-day residency rule in order to vote in Wyoming elections and includes a requirement of proof of U.S. citizenship. 'Only United States citizens, and only Wyomingites, should be voting in Wyoming elections. Period,' Gray said in a news release. 'With the passage of this landmark legislation, Wyoming will further cement our commitment to election integrity, as the only state to require proof of citizenship for all elections, an important priority of President Trump. 'I urge the Governor to sign this common-sense, conservative piece of election integrity legislation.' Several House bills that ban Zuckerbucks and other third-party funding administrations, improve voter maintenance list statutes and prohibit rank choice voting are still making their way through the session. However, Gray expressed his disappointment over the other election bills that failed to pass the Senate. 'Despite a lot of the good work we have been able to achieve and continue to achieve, I am disappointed that seven key election integrity bills were not heard on Friday,' Gray said in an email to the WTE. 'All of these passed overwhelmingly in the House of Representatives, were heard and passed the Senate Corporations(, Elections and Political Subdivisions) Committee, and died before they could be heard in the Senate.' Correction: This story originally said that a majority of Secretary of State Chuck Gray's election reform priorities had died. Since he expanded the original list of six to 10 in January, that was incorrect. In fact, six of the 10 passed this session and are awaiting action by the governor.
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bills banning ballot drop boxes, touch screen voting machines fail in Senate
CHEYENNE — A majority of Secretary of State Chuck Gray's election integrity bills died Friday night after failing to pass first reading in the Wyoming Senate, including two that threatened to 'upend' Laramie County elections, according to County Clerk Debra Lee. A large number of election-related bills were filed this session, making up 8% of total proposed legislation, according to House Bill 245, 'Pen and paper ballots,' would have removed touch-screen voting machines that have been used by Laramie County voters for decades. Lee previously told lawmakers this bill would 'upend' elections in her county. 'We've been using these for decades,' Lee said in a House committee. 'They don't know how to mark a paper ballot, I have to be honest.' Another failed bill, HB 131, 'Ballot drop boxes-prohibition,' would have created a statewide ban on ballot drop boxes. Lee and several other county clerks argued that the removal of ballot drop boxes could disenfranchise qualified electors from participating in Wyoming elections. Lee previously told the Wyoming Tribune Eagle she received a lot of correspondence from voters who were grateful for the ballot drop box outside the Laramie County Governmental Complex. 'They could deliver their ballot securely, they could deliver it independently,' Lee said. 'Some of them had health concerns, and they really were glad that they were able to get that ballot to us without having to come into the office.' Gray's election priorities Before the start of the session, Gray told members of the press he was working closely with lawmakers to promote his election integrity priorities this legislative session. These priorities included requiring proof of voter residency and U.S. citizenship, a statewide ban on ballot drop boxes, a ban on ballot harvesting, requiring 'true' photo ID, a ban on Zuckerbucks, improving voter list maintenance statutes and requiring hand verification of voting machines. The secretary of state celebrated a victory on Monday, after HB 156, 'Proof of voter residency-registration qualifications,' successfully passed the Legislature and headed toward Gov. Mark Gordon's desk. Sponsored by Wyoming Freedom Caucus chairman emeritus Rep. John Bear, R-Gillette, HB 156 creates a new 30-day residency rule in order to vote in Wyoming elections and includes a requirement of proof of U.S. citizenship. 'Only United States citizens, and only Wyomingites, should be voting in Wyoming elections. Period,' Gray said in a news release. 'With the passage of this landmark legislation, Wyoming will further cement our commitment to election integrity, as the only state to require proof of citizenship for all elections, an important priority of President Trump. 'I urge the Governor to sign this common-sense, conservative piece of election integrity legislation.' Bills that ban Zuckerbucks and other third-party funding administrations, improve voter maintenance list statutes and prohibit rank choice voting are still making their way through the session. However, Gray expressed his disappointment over the other election bills that failed to pass the Senate. 'Despite a lot of the good work we have been able to achieve and continue to achieve, I am disappointed that seven key election integrity bills were not heard on Friday,' Gray said in an email to the WTE. 'All of these passed overwhelmingly in the House of Representatives, were heard and passed the Senate Corporations(, Elections and Political Subdivisions) Committee, and died before they could be heard in the Senate.'
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Stricter background checks for caregivers finds major support at the Roundhouse
A senior woman being assisted to walk using a walker by caregiver at park. (Stock photo by Thianchai Sitthikongsak via Getty Images) New Mexico is facing an increase in severe cases of abuse, neglect and exploitation of disabled and older residents, according to Dan Lanari, director of the Health Care Authority's Division of Health Improvement. Lanari told members of the House Health and Human Services Committee this month that between Fiscal Year 2020 and 2024, a 117% increase occurred in such cases for people receiving Developmental Disabilities Waiver services, while there was a 76% increase in cases at health care facilities, including hospitals, nursing homes and assisted living facilities. 'Examples of these are medical neglect resulting in death, medical neglect resulting in a broken jaw of individuals, exploitation exceeding $10,000 of individuals,' he said. Lanari joined Rep. Elizabeth Thomson (D-Albuquerque), who chairs the Health and Human Services Committee, to present House Bill 131 to committee members Feb. 7. The bill proposes stricter background checks for caregivers, which he said is the 'safeguard' in place to protect people from bad actors. However, New Mexico law only included about 10% of disqualifying convictions as other states, Lanari said. 'We see that as a need to close the gap to ensure the safety of individuals receiving health care in our state,' Lanari said during the meeting. HB 131 proposes adding several felony convictions to a list of charges that disqualify a person from being accepted as a caregiver, including felony crimes of sex trafficking, assault of a peace officer, identity theft and cruelty to animals. The bill would move oversight from the Department of Health to the Health Care Authority, and would also allow the HCA to add to the list of disqualifying convictions. 'It is a fine line. We want to catch all the bad folks, but we don't want to make so many people ineligible. We already can't fill the positions,' Thomson said during the meeting. 'I just want reassurance that the people who are taking care of my autistic son and his housemates will provide the love and support and caregiving that I would [give] my own son,' Jodi McGinnis Porter, deputy communications director for Gov. Michelle Lujan's office, told lawmakers during the committee meeting. 'If they have a criminal background, they shouldn't be in this business.' In 2023, the health department terminated multiple contracts with providers caring for people through the state's Developmental Disabilities Waiver, after a case involving abuse and neglect of a client. That case prompted state wellness checks throughout the system, as well as criminal charges. Thomson told Source NM she hopes this bill will set a stronger foundation for building the caregiving workforce in the state. She added that another major component of attracting qualified people to be caregivers is increasing pay. Rep. Elizabeth 'Liz' Thomson (D-Albuquerque) is co-sponsoring a bill to tighten background checks for caregivers in New Mexico. (Photo by Leah Romero / Source NM) Thomson explained that her son has significant autism and lives in a DD Waiver group home. 'He's most of the time a delight, but when he's not, he's really scary. And when you can go to McDonald's and make $5-an-hour more and not have to deal with that level of fear, which I totally understand, we've got to figure out some way to pay folks more so that we can get qualified people,' Thomson told Source NM. Representatives from the Association of Developmental Disabilities Community Providers, Disability Rights New Mexico and several other organizations spoke in favor of the bill, though voiced concerns about allowing HCA to later add more rules disqualifying caregiver applicants. Committee members joined in the skepticism, asking Thomson to make amendments to some of the wording in the bill. 'If you've had the most vulnerable of the population, which is somebody you love, been abused, it changes your scope and I've been there with my grandparents,' Rep. Elaine Sena Cortez (R-Hobbs) said during the meeting. HB 131 passed the House Health and Human Services Committee but without recommendation. It heads to the House Judiciary Committee next. This article was written with the support of a journalism fellowship from The Gerontological Society of America, The Journalists Network on Generations and The NIHCM Foundation. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
