Latest news with #HB9
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Texas House and Senate strike agreement on property tax cuts
AUSTIN (Nexstar) — As the clock expired on the 88th Legislative Session, property tax relief was left on the chopping block. Governor Greg Abbott cited the failure to pass property tax relief as a reason behind numerous vetoes. Abbott ended up calling multiple special sessions dedicated towards property tax relief. On Monday, during the Texas House Ways and Means Committee, Chair Morgan Meyer, R-Dallas, announced there won't be a repeat of last session. 'We have reached an agreement with the Senate as it relates to tax relief,' Meyer announced from the dais. He had just left a pair of bills increasing the homestead exemption — Senate Bill 4 and Senate Joint Resolution 2 — pending in committee. '[Senate Local Government Chair Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston will] lay out a committee substitute for Business Personal Property (BPP) exemption — we'll be doing that at $125,000. Then we are passing these homestead exemption bills from Senator Bettencourt as is.' State of Texas: Lottery on 'life support' as Lt. Governor calls for ending commission Meyer's House Bill 9 initially proposed to increase the BPP exemption to $250,000 from $2,500. Bettencourt's updated version was sent to the Senate floor with a 9-0 vote on Monday. The BPP exemption allows homeowners to write off parts of their property if used for their business. 'It's only Monday, but a great start to small business week at the Capitol! Proud to sponsor HB 9 & HJR 1 by House Chair @MorganMeyerTX in committee today, and passing them out on unanimous 7-0 votes!,' Bettencourt posted on X. 'This helps all Texas businesses by dramatically increasing the BPP (Business Personal Property) exemption from $2,500 to $125,000— delivering ~$2,500 in avg. savings per @txbiz and my estimate, but especially for small business owners saving them their time as well as their money!' Bettencourt has two bills currently pending in Meyer's committee. SB 4 increases the general homestead exemption from $100,000 to $140,000, which will save Texas homeowners an average of $363.44, according to Bettencourt. Senate Bill 23 increases the additional homestead exemption for elderly and disabled homeowners from $10,000 to $60,000. Bettencourt estimates an extra $454.30 average savings for senior and disabled homeowners. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
A Magnetar's Birthplace Deepens The Mystery of Its Origins
On the outskirts of the Milky Way, one of the rarest kinds of stars in the galaxy has just become even more mysterious than it was before. Astronomers have used the Hubble and Gaia telescopes to study the surroundings of SGR 0501+4516, a type of neutron star known as a magnetar. The investigation reveals that we still have no clear idea of how magnetars form – the lead we thought we had on their birth mechanism is completely unrelated to SGR 0501+4516. However, what the researchers did, or rather, did not find, suggests that we may have been wrong about how we thought magnetars came about. Neutron stars are among the densest objects in the Universe, beaten out only by black holes, and they form in a similar way. When a massive star runs out of fuel to fuse in its core, its core can no longer support itself by the outward pressure of fusion, and collapses under gravity in a violent event known as a core-collapse supernova. A magnetar is pretty much the same thing, with an added distinction: the magnetic field of a magnetar is the most powerful known in the Universe, around a thousand times more powerful than a normal neutron star's magnetic field, and a quadrillion times more powerful than Earth's. It's not clear how magnetars form, but, because they are a subspecies of neutron star, astronomers had thought that they must form from core-collapse supernovae too. SGR 0501+4516 appeared to be proof of this. When massive stars go supernova, the evidence hangs around for some time after in the form of a supernova remnant. SGR 0501+4516's position is very close to a supernova remnant called HB9. In addition, no other neutron stars have been detected in HB9's vicinity. So astronomers had thought that the two objects were related, which is honestly a pretty fair assumption. Now, the combined observations of the Hubble Space Telescope and the recently retired Gaia mission have cast significant doubt on this assumption. Gaia was a space telescope whose mission was to precisely map the objects within the Milky Way galaxy using precision parallax measurements, including positions in three dimensions and proper motions. Hubble images taken using Gaia data as a reference frame enabled a research team led by astronomer Ashley Chrimes of the European Space Agency to very finely map the movement of SGR 0501+4516 in the sky. The velocity and proper motion of the magnetar were such that there is no way it could be associated with HB9. In addition, there are no other supernova remnants nearby that could be related to SGR 0501+4516. This could mean one of several things. The first is that the magnetar, thought to be around 20,000 years old, is actually far older – old enough for its associated supernova remnant to have dissipated. The problem with this is that magnetars are thought to be a temporary phase in the life of a neutron star, lasting a few tens of thousands of years before settling down into a more staid existence. The other option is that SGR 0501+4516 did not form via core-collapse supernova, but a merger of some kind. This could involve two low-mass neutron stars colliding; or it could be something else, a white dwarf. That's a step down from neutron stars on the density scale, an object that forms from the collapsed core of a low-mass star, rather than a massive one. White dwarfs commonly have binary companions from which they slurp mass. If a white dwarf slurps up too much mass, it becomes unstable. "Normally, this scenario leads to the ignition of nuclear reactions, and the white dwarf exploding, leaving nothing behind," explains astronomer Andrew Levan of Radboud University in the Netherlands and the University of Warwick in the UK. "But it has been theorised that under certain conditions, the white dwarf can instead collapse into a neutron star. We think this might be how SGR 0501 was born." It's difficult to gauge, really. What does seem clear, however, is that a core-collapse supernova is now the least likely explanation for the magnetar's formation, making SGR 0501+4516 the best candidate out of the fewer-than-30 magnetars in the Milky Way for a non core-collapse formation pathway. And that is incredibly cool. "Magnetar birth rates and formation scenarios are among the most pressing questions in high-energy astrophysics," says astronomer Nanda Rea of the Institute of Space Sciences in Spain, "with implications for many of the Universe's most powerful transient events, such as gamma-ray bursts, superluminous supernovae, and fast radio bursts." The findings have been published in Astronomy & Astrophysics. This Melting Planet Laid a Trail of Destruction Over 5 Million Miles Long Red Planet's Core May Explain Strange Mystery of Ancient Magnetic Field Unusual Gas on Alien World Sparks Hope of Life, And Healthy Skepticism
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Senate stands by decision to cut some arts groups' funding, give more to others
The main stairway to the third floor of the Montana Capitol building is seen on Wednesday, February 12, 2025. (Nathaniel Bailey for the Daily Montanan) A controversial bill to support arts programs but that left more than a dozen without expected funds passed a near-final hurdle in the Senate on Monday. On a 29-21 vote, the Senate approved House Bill 9, with a reminder from Sen. Ellie Boldman, D-Missoula, of the source of the funds for the programs. 'These projects are powered by coal,' said Boldman, who carried the bill in the Senate. HB 9 appropriates $953,500 for cultural and aesthetic grants, including money for museums, at least one library, a history project, dance company and other arts groups. Originally, around 75 groups asked for grants of $12,500 to $13,000 each, but that's not how legislators allocated the dollars. Earlier this session, sponsor Rep. John Fitzpatrick, R-Anaconda, sparked criticism from people in the arts community after he suggested groups whose representatives didn't testify at the Capitol about their programs were 'slackers' and shouldn't get funding. 'They're running a business, and they can't even take five minutes for a 'give-me' check?' Fitzpatrick, chairperson of the subcommittee, said earlier. Some arts leaders said they didn't know their appearance was mandatory. Staff from the Montana Arts Council, which administers the program for the state, told lawmakers that they had mistakenly communicated to the groups that their attendance was not required, and attendance would not impact funding. Nonetheless, legislators in the subcommittee unanimously agreed to cut funding from groups that didn't show up in person to testify and reduce funds for groups that submitted only written testimony. Lawmakers subsequently made only slight adjustments to the bill, and on the Senate floor Tuesday, Boldman stressed that the funding allocations are up to legislators, who are not a rubber stamp. 'It's not a lot of money, but it's still public money, so we do take that seriously,' Boldman said. She said if groups didn't appear either remotely or in person, then their applications weren't funded, and 17 fell into that category. However, Boldman described the funded projects as 'awesome' and representing counties across Montana. She described the process in response to a question from Sen. Jacinda Morigeau, D-Arlee, about how funding decisions were made. Morigeau said some of her constituents had reached out to tell her the process wasn't clear this year. 'I just wanted to stand up on their behalf and say that it is a real detriment to some of these small rural, rural, rural programs, that they weren't funded,' Morigeau said. However, Morigeau also said she would encourage them to apply again in two years. Sen. Bob Phalen, R-Lindsay, wanted to know if some of the establishments that received funding were 'still displaying obscenities.' Phalen said he wasn't referring to any specific project but to a bill he sponsored in 2023 to curb obscenity. In response, Boldman said she wasn't aware of any establishments showcasing obscene material. Earlier reporting by the Daily Montanan found the applicant for one group requesting money was Fitzpatrick's wife, and it was among those that received more money than originally proposed, and the only one to receive more than twice its original request. Fitzpatrick, though, earlier told the Daily Montanan that he didn't have a conflict of interest to disclose, at least not any more than he could be seen to have one with any other number of groups in his district. On the Senate floor, Boldman said she too is connected with some of the groups, such as a children's theater in which her son participates. Sen. Christopher Pope, D-Bozeman, said he supported the bill, but he also didn't want to see arts organizations stricken from the bill in the future, having seen 'quality organizations being crossed off.' However, Sen. Denley Loge, R-St. Regis, said the grants help small communities such as his, and he appreciates the idea that those who want support show up. 'It shows that they have to have a little skin in the game of time and involvement,' Loge said. The bill earlier passed the House on a 58-39 vote, and it needs to pass another vote in the Senate.
Yahoo
08-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
A search for asylum: Bill to ban civil immigration detainment contracts passes House
Mar. 7—SANTA FE — At 19 years old, when Edwin Jesus Garcia Castillo had one foot on the U.S. side of the border and one foot on the Mexican side, he couldn't pull himself to cross. And that was before knowing cartel members would kidnap him multiple times in Mexico, and he'd end up back in the U.S. seeking asylum and ultimately helping hundreds of immigrants in a New Mexico detention center understand their rights. When federal officials released him from detainment to await his asylum hearing with his family in Tennessee, he was happy. But he also had to leave behind about 300 men in what he described as an unsanitary and inhumane facility, none of whom spoke English. "Even dogs at dog shelters get treated better," Garcia Castillo said, tears in his eyes. The House on Friday, after a three-hour debate, voted 35-25 to pass the Immigrant Safety Act, which would bar public bodies from entering into or renewing agreements to detain immigrants for civil violations. The bill would shut down the three private detention centers in New Mexico — in Torrance, Cibola and Otero counties — that operate via intergovernmental service agreements between local counties and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. ICE held Garcia Castillo at the Torrance County Detention Facility. Now 26, Garcia Castillo's life has been a grueling one — but also one where he's made it out alive. Not everyone can say the same, said Jessica Inez Martinez with the New Mexico Immigrant Law Center. The duo is working together to advocate for immigrant-related legislation in the Roundhouse, some of which have failed time and time again. But, Martinez said, the efforts carry a heavier consequence this year because of the mass deportations the Trump administration has promised. "This bill is our ability to disentangle ourselves from this very corrupt scheme that exists," Martinez said, "because we know that private companies are using our local governments to bypass procurement processes so that they can sign these intergovernmental service agreements without ... disclosing conditions." New Mexico has five times more detention center bed space per capita than the average state, according to Martinez. The state's three detention centers have the capacity to hold 2,000 people and all are full, according to the Immigrant Law Center. "We are basically putting our people up on a platter for this laboratory for cruelty," Martinez said. Rep. Rod Montoya, R-Farmington, on the floor, failed to amend the bill to institute an automatic repeal of it after 30 days in the event that a federal employee, agency or entity notifies a loss of federal dollars as a result of the Immigrant Safety Act. He specifically brought up the loss of Medicaid money, which New Mexico relies heavily on. Bill sponsor Rep. Andrea Romero, D-Santa Fe, rebutted the amendment by saying the Trump administration could use a slew of reasons to take money away from New Mexico, not just HB9. Rep. Stefani Lord, R-Sandia Park, said she feared a loss of jobs and economic dollars, an argument that's come up in past years of the bill's debates. Garcia Castillo said valuing money over human lives is what "crosses the line between humans and animals.""Life is precious, he said. "You only get one." Martinez brought up the case of Roxana Hernandez, a transgender immigrant who sought asylum from Honduras. On May 9, 2018, Hernandez requested admission into the U.S., according to ICE. She died on May 25 after about two weeks in detainment. Immigrant advocacy groups attributed the death to medical neglect while in detainment, though ICE said it provided thorough medical services. Martinez said Hernandez could've died as a result of deportation for her identity as a trans woman but ended up dying in the U.S. anyway seeking safety. Martinez said it's reflective of the bill's changed name this year. Formerly known as the "Dignity Not Detention" bill, it's now dubbed the Immigrant Safety Act. "The facility made 50 cents at the time (from Hernandez) — it's an average of 50 cents per day per detainee. They made like $5 on her life to be complicit in her death," Martinez said. "And so when we're talking about the economic impacts, I think it's important to acknowledge that they're not generating a whole lot of money, yet that has outweighed the cost of human life." Martinez said the bill is on a strong legal footing, as specific as possible to uphold in court. HB9 heads to the Senate now, where the bill has failed to pass multiple times in the past. "The real question of this bill is much deeper: Now that we know that immigrants are under siege, will New Mexico take the stance to protect immigrants?" Other immigration protection bills are also making their way through the Roundhouse, including a measure to bar the state and political subdivisions from using public resources to help identify and arrest immigrants without legal status residing in the U.S. The legislation, Senate Bill 250, passed the Senate Health and Public Affairs Committee on a 5-4, party-line vote Wednesday, much to the dismay of Republicans who said it's unjust to enforce some laws and not others. "We must resist mass deportation to continue protecting belonging in New Mexico," said Sen. Angel Charley, D-Acoma. 'We're not criminals, but we are in a jail' Garcia Castillo was born in Chihuahua, Mexico. His parents legally immigrated to the U.S. when he was about 1 year old, and he obtained a Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program status. Six years ago, Garcia Castillo was arrested in Tennessee on an accusation of domestic assault. Despite his accuser dropping the charges, the court held him on a misdemeanor for provocative actions and sent him to a Louisiana detention center for several months. A judge ultimately revoked his DACA status and deported him. Garcia Castillo recalled what a change of worlds it was to physically cross into Mexico, a country he hadn't been to since he was a baby. "I remember that I got to the borderline and I didn't want to cross. ... I had one foot on one side and the other foot on the other side, and then an immigration officer was walking towards me, yelling at me that he was going to have me arrested for illegally crossing if I didn't get the other foot on the other side. "And one of the people ended up grabbing me and pulling me. I entered, and I remember the sun hit me differently. The air hit me differently," he said. A few days later, cartel members kidnapped him. His parents paid a ransom for his release, around half a million pesos, but before Garcia Castillo could leave, he was forced to watch the torture of a competing cartel member from Chihuahua, where he was on his way. "They told me when I get to Chihuahua to make sure I let them know that this is a cartel they don't want to mess with," Garcia Castillo said. "I still have dreams about that to this day. I still hear that man screaming, and it's something that will be with me forever." He said the person who escorted him to Chihuahua upon his release was a federal police officer. Garcia Castillo said he ended up getting kidnapped by cartel members three times during his four years living in Mexico, targeted for having American money and a relatively good-paying job in Mexico. The final time, he escaped on U.S. soil, where he asked border officials for asylum. He spent a few days in a shelter in El Paso, Albergue las Carpas, before officials transferred him to New Mexico's Torrance County Detention Facility. His recounted experience there reflects that of 2022 reports from the federal Office of the Inspector General: staffing shortages, delayed access to medical care, unsafe and unsanitary facility conditions and insufficient access to legal services. Garcia Castillo said, as someone who spoke English and relatively understood immigrants' rights, he became a sort of advocate for those who didn't know any better — people who were being deceived into signing English documents for their deportation, people who hadn't been outside in months because of the staffing issues. "A lot of these people that I met were doctors, were lawyers, were painters, were mechanics, were chefs, kids in universities, kids in high school. I met a father and son. I met two brothers. I saw a lot of older folks and (people from) different countries," he said. "Met two men from China that were fleeing because they didn't want to be the religion that their country was trying to make them be or just their sexual orientation that wasn't accepted." The best thing he did, Garcia Castillo said, was save five men, all around his dad's age in their late 40s or early 50s, from committing suicide. "We're not criminals, but we are in a jail," Garcia Castillo said. "It's just really hard because people are coming to this country to help them to live a better life, to live a safe life, and the first thing (the U.S. does) is ... lock them up, make them go through these processes. It breaks them down, mentally and physically," he added. He spent 14 days at Torrance before officials released him pending an asylum court hearing in July. "When I left, I was happy because I was going to see mom and dad, brother and sister. And at the same time, it was really hard because I was leaving a lot of men behind," he said. A lot of immigrants are afraid of persecution if they speak up about their experiences, Garcia Castillo said, but he's not. "I don't have any fear anymore," he said. "I lost that a long time ago."
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jackson official, LGBTQ group respond to Supreme Court denial of TN drag law case
On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court declined a petition to hear a case concerning Tennessee's Adult Entertainment Act, upholding its constitutionality. Passed in 2023, House Bill 9 makes it an offense to host "adult-oriented entertainment," like cabaret performances and drag shows, in public spaces where minors could potentially view them. Supporters of the legislation say it ensures the protection of children from sexually explicit performances, while opponents, such as in the case of Friends of George's v. Mulroy, argue it violates free speech. Per Monday's decision, the case will not be heard by the Supreme Court. More: First Jackson drag show held since state's limiting legislation More: Music, festivity, and drag shows: Jackson TN Pride events return for fifth year More: Tennessee legislators try to halt Jackson Pride drag show, raising First Amendment concerns FOG filed an injunction on Mar. 27, 2023, shortly after Gov. Bill Lee signed HB9 into law, pushing back on the constitutionality of the legislation's encroachment on free speech. FOG, an LGBTQ+ theatre company in Memphis, has featured "drag-centric" entertainment since 2011. The troupe also works to raise money for organizations and charities that support the LGBTQ+ community. A district court ruled in favor of FOG and prohibited the legislation from being enforced in Shelby County. The case, which names Shelby County District Attorney Steven Mulroy as the respondent, was taken to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit where it was dismissed on July 18, 2024. On Dec. 19, 2024, Mulroy filed a petition for the Supreme Court to review the lower court's decision. That petition was denied on Monday and upholds Tennessee's HB9. In response to the Supreme Court's decision, the theatre company posted on its website that "this ruling does not define us." "Friends of George's Theatre Company will continue exercising our First Amendment right to bring joyful, LGBTQ+ inclusive art into our community while raising thousands for charities that uphold dignity and respect for all," the post said. "We extend our deepest gratitude to our legal team for their valiant effort in representing us over the past two years. We are forever grateful for their advocacy, dedication and unwavering belief in our constitutional right to free expression." In 2022, Jackson was at the forefront of the conversation concerning the parameters of adult entertainment. Controversy concerning a drag show deemed "family friendly" was the diving board for the introduction of the legislation, sponsored by Rep. Chris Todd, R-Madison County. Todd, along with other local legislators, spearheaded the campaign to legally object to the drag show, scheduled to be hosted at the Carl Perkins Civic Center. Jackson Pride, a local grassroots group striving to promote inclusivity and support among the LGBTQ+ community, organized the event. Originally set to be held in Conger Park, the event was quickly contested by local pastor and legislator outrage, and thus, prompting its relocation to the Civic Center with an age requirement. The annual drag performance has since returned to the Civic Center with no pushback, drawing a large crowd, and is restricted to those above the age of 18. Following the Supreme Court decision, Todd shared the following statement on Wednesday. 'I'm grateful to the United States Supreme Court for allowing the Sixth Circuit's ruling to stand, a major victory for morality and basic protections for children,' Todd said. 'Tennessee will continue to be a passionate advocate for families by supporting parental rights and protecting the innocence of minors. I continue to be proud of our state and Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti as we fight for common sense in our nation.' Though Jackson Pride declined to comment on the Supreme Court decision, a representative from the organization said "we don't host adult entertainment for minors." Sarah Best is a reporter for The Jackson Sun. To support local journalism, subscribe to the Daily Briefing here. This article originally appeared on Jackson Sun: Jackson official, Pride group react to Supreme Court drag case denial
