Latest news with #HB185
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Sine Die: 3 things to know about the end of Georgia legislative session
Friday is the last day of this year's legislative session in Georgia, or as it's better known at the Gold Dome as Sine Die. After the session ends, Gov. Brian Kemp will have 40 days to sign, veto, or allow legislation to become law without his signature. Here are three things to know as the clocks wind down on today's final day of legislative session. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] The 2025 session has featured a lot of controversial bills on social issues, many of which came to a boiling point on Wednesday. The Georgia House passed the latest version of the religious freedom bill. The bill passed the Senate last week and now heads to the governor's desk. Some Republicans insist the bill is needed to protect people of faith, while Democrats say it only gives people a license to discriminate. The Georgia House also passed a 'diversity, equity and inclusion' bill on a party-line 33-21 vote. The measure would ban any policy or procedure 'designed or implemented with reference to race, color, sex, ethnicity, national origin, gender identity or sexual orientation.' The House will only have to vote once on the final bill on Friday. Georgia House Democrats walked out of the legislative chamber before a vote Wednesday that would ban gender-affirming care for the state's prison population. They said that House Bill 185 would only impact five people currently in state custody. With the state's Democrats out of the chamber, HB 185 passed easily with 100 votes for the bill and two against. The only thing the General Assembly is constitutionally required to do is pass the state's $37.7 billion budget. The fate of other bills will be up in the air as the countdown clock gets closer to midnight. On a lighter note, it is a tradition for Georgia lawmakers to wear seersucker. You'll see a lot of that around the State Capitol. Another tradition: tossing papers in the chambers to signal the end of their paperwork for the session. Channel 2 Action News will have live reports throughout the day and let you know which bills made it to the governor's desk, on WSB Tonight at 11. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Georgia Democrats walk out of legislative session in protest of ban on gender-affirming care
Georgia House Democrats walked out of the legislative chamber before a vote Wednesday that would ban gender-affirming care for the state's prison population. State Democrats told Channel 2′s Richard Elliot that House Bill 185 would only impact five people currently in state custody. They walked out to protest the parade of transgender bills they call 'political theater' while the state still doesn't have a fiscal year 2026 budget. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] TRENDING STORIES: Trump is set to announce new tariffs as he takes a political and financial gamble Atlanta Braves purchase another 34 acres near the Battery 3 charged in connection to 13,000-acre wildfire at state park The budget is the only law the legislature is required to pass. Democrats left the House chamber and moved to the North Steps of the Capitol, where they held an impromptu news conference. Back inside, House Republicans responded sharply to the walkout, demanding that Democratic lawmakers return to the chamber to represent their constituents. With the state's Democrats out of the chamber, HB 185 passed easily with 100 votes for the bill and two against. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
14-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Lawmakers propose bill to prohibit transgender athletes from playing in women's sports
SANTA FE, N.M. (KRQE) – Lawmakers are proposing a controversial bill to keep trans athletes from playing in women's sports. HB 185 was debated in its first committee on Thursday where it quickly faced strong opposition. The Republican lawmakers behind the bill say it's not a ban, but rather it's about women's safety and protecting their athletic opportunities. 'By requiring that women's sports remain exclusively for women female athletes this bill safeguards the integrity of women-only competitions,' said Representative Andrea Reeb, (R-Clovis). Story continues below Local: Bryan Cranston makes surprise visit to Albuquerque 'Breaking Bad' store Crime: 12 horses at All American Futurity had illicit drug in their system DWI Scandal: Prominent ABQ attorney admits to running 'DWI Enterprise' scandal Rep. Reeb is one of the lead sponsors for the 'Protection of Women's Sports Act.' The bill aims to keep trans athletes from being able to compete in women's sports. This would only permit athletes biologically born as women to compete, meaning athletes who legally changed their gender on their birth certificates would also be excluded. If an individual were to suffer harm due to a violation of the act, the bill would also allow those individuals to take legal action and seek damages. The bill drew mixed reactions from attendees. 'Biological differences matter. Studies show that male athletes on average have advantages in speed, and strength and in endurance, even after hormone therapy. This creates an unfair playing field,' said Jodi Hendricks with New Mexico Family Action Movement. 'Far from protecting women this bill would prohibit trans youth, many who are also young girls and young women from playing sports they most identify with and instead force them to play with the same designated sex regardless,' said Duke with the Transgender Resource Center of New Mexico. The White House also signed an executive order banning trans women from women's sports. Rep. Reeb said a state law is needed to make sure it doesn't get revoked after the current administration. Despite support from some committee members, the majority voted to table the bill, leaving it stalled for now. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
14-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
NM Legislative Recap Feb. 13: Committee rift opens after anti-trans athlete bill tabled
Rep. John Block, R-Alamogordo, and Rep. Stefani Lord, R-Sandia Park, debate in support of a bill to prevent trans athletes from competing in women's sports, during a House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee meeting, Thursday, February 13, 2025. The bill was tabled during the meeting. (Eddie Moore / Albuquerque Journal) A committee on Thursday afternoon tabled legislation from New Mexico Republicans that sought to ban transgender athletes from women's sports teams and echoed an executive order signed by President Donald Trump earlier this month. The state House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee voted 4-2 on party lines to table House Bill 185, following an incendiary argument over the committee's rules. The bill also echoes legislation the U.S. House of Representatives passed last month; 25 states have limited or banned transgender women's participation in women's sports. Three of HB 185's sponsors, Republican Reps. Rod Montoya from Farmington, Andrea Reeb of Clovis and Rebecca Dow of Truth or Consequences, argued it protects scholarships and opportunities for women who are 'displaced by male athletes.' LGBTQ+ groups, former athletes, youth coaches and transgender people objected to the bill in public comment, while other athletes, former coaches and lobbyists advocated their support. Zoë Unruh, a nurse and former collegiate basketball player for Washington University in St. Louis, said the legislation's assumptions about trans athletes are not based on data. 'This bill takes away the opportunity for trans youth to compete in sports and that's really not OK,' Unruh said. 'A ban on trans women athletes does not protect anyone; instead it endangers all women and girls in the category, especially those who are already marginalized.' Tensions erupted after Rep. Andrea Romero (D-Santa Fe) condemned the bill. 'Together, we can create a world, a state where everyone regardless of their gender identity has the opportunity to play, compete, and belong in New Mexico,' Romero said in the conclusion of her statement. 'Trans people belong in New Mexico.' Montoya asked Romero if she had a question about the bill. Romero responded that she only had a statement. This prompted objections from State Rep. Stefanie Lord (R-Sandia Park) who said Chair Rep. Joanne Ferrary (D-Las Cruces) had unfairly limited her from making statements and had requested Lord only ask questions. In the 33-minute portion of the hearing for committee questions and vote, Lord and Rep. John Block (R-Alamogordo) asked questions and received answers for 23 minutes. 'Excuse me,' Ferrary said. 'You had plenty of time to make plenty of statements.' Lord and Ferrary then proceeded to have a back-and-forth on the topic. Subsequently, following the 4-2 roll call vote to table the bill, Lord and Block requested time to explain their votes, and Ferrary set one-minute limits on their comments. Lord said she was 'being shut down every time just because I am a Republican; I have no equality, no equity as a woman and my voice is being silenced.' Earlier on Thursday, many organizations that tabled in the Rotunda on Thursday for Disability Rights Awareness Day, hosted by The Disability Coalition. Emily Darnell is a member of the New Mexico Guardianship Conservatorship Coalition, whose mission is to protect the rights of adults with disabilities and elderly people with aging issues. Darnell said her organization is remaining neutral on Rep. Ferrary's House Bill 124, which would clarify what courts can do in guardianship and conservatorship cases when either the guardian, the conservator or the protected person dies. 'Oftentimes, a corporate guardian or corporate conservator has a lot of cases,' she said. 'If they die, what happens? We need to be looking at that.' With bills hitting the floor this week, we'll soon start to see legislation crossing from one chamber into the other. On Wednesday, the Senate unanimously passed Senate Bill 85, which would require more detailed campaign finance reporting (with one amendment to more clearly define 'electronic communications'). On Thursday, the Senate passed an additional three bills, which now head to the House and would require advancing through committees and a floor vote. The Senate passed a handful of bills on the floor Thursday, including Senate Bill 161, requiring background checks for Department of Military Affairs employees; Senate Bill 47, adding the Santa Cruz de la Cañada Land Grant to a list of state-recognized land grants-mercedes; and Senate Bill 75, which makes changes to the Education Retirement Act. All three bills passed unanimously. The House Labor, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee voted to pass House Bill 246, which would raise the statewide minimum wage to $17 per hour, including tipped and agricultural workers, and tie future raises to the Consumer Price Index. The committee passed House Bill 264, which would raise the starting minimum wage and paid time off for state workers, and allow state workers to work remotely. We'll continue keeping an eye on committees tomorrow, including the House Government, Elections and Indian Affairs Committee, where members will hear House Bill 252, establishing a kinship caregiver support pilot program, and House Bill 172, proposing August as 'New Mexico Red & Green Chile Month.' The House Health and Human Services Committee is scheduled to hear House Bill 95, which proposes establishing insurance coverage for fertility preservation services; House Bill 243, a proposal to create an interstate medical licensure compact; and House Bill 263, the Hospital Price Transparency Act. Friday is African American Day at the Legislature and lawmakers will join a joint session midday to hear speakers. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
