Latest news with #HouseBill1201
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New bill provides tax credit for pregnancy resource center donors
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – This week House Bill 1201 authored by Rep. Cody Maynard (R-Durant) and Sen. David Bullard (R-Durant), is set to move forward after passing the Senate Revenue Taxation Committee, granting some tax relief for any individual contributing to nonprofit pregnancy resource centers. HB 1201 would give an income tax credit equal to 70% of what an individual contributes specifically to a nonprofit pregnancy resource center. Additionally, the bill includes qualifying entities providing maternity housing and facilities offering care for new mothers and newborns. School cell phone ban moves one step closer at Capitol Oklahoma Senate leaders highlighted Oklahoma has roughly 40 pregnancy resource centers across the state. 'These centers are on the forefront of helping new mothers and women in crisis pregnancies get the help and support they need,' Bullard said. 'This legislation encourages Oklahomans to donate to these vital organizations that play a key role in protecting the unborn by providing women with the resources they need to choose life. At its core, House Bill 1201 is a pro-life bill that enables women to build a better future for themselves and their children.' HB 1201 limits the tax credit to $50,000 per person each year, capping credits at $5 million annually. The bill now moves to the Senate Appropriations Committee. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
14-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
SD House defeats gender identity notification requirement and education lobbying ban
The South Dakota House of Representatives meets on Feb. 6, 2025, at the Capitol in Pierre. (Seth Tupper/South Dakota Searchlight) The South Dakota House of Representatives voted down bills Thursday at the Capitol in Pierre that would have barred taxpayer-funded lobbying by school districts and required school staff to notify parents if students talk about their gender identity. The chamber voted 40-28 to defeat House Bill 1185, which would prohibit education lobbying using taxpayer dollars from school districts. A registered lobbyist in South Dakota is hired by another person or a public or private organization to influence legislation. Legislative committee endorses ban on taxpayer-funded education lobbying Prime sponsor of the bill Rep. Liz May, R-Kyle, said she's grown frustrated with opposition from a coalition of public education lobbyists, some of whom are funded by school board memberships in their organization. May said the bill was meant to 'send a message' to encourage cooperation for innovative education reform, rather than consistently opposing new ideas. Some of those failed ideas this legislative session have included various proposals to provide public funding for nonpublic education, and attempts to make public schools post the Ten Commandments and the state motto, 'Under God, the People Rule,' in every classroom. Lawmakers opposed to the lobbying ban said it was politically motivated, while others were concerned about singling out one group of lobbyists for using public money to influence legislative policy. Hundreds of lobbyists in the state represent public professions and industries, as well as state and local government. Those groups were not included in the lobbying ban. State representatives largely didn't debate the merits of House Bill 1201 before voting 40-28 to defeat it. The legislation would require public school and state-accredited private school counselors, teachers, administrators and staff to alert parents if a student discusses gender identity with them. Aberdeen Republican Rep. Logan Manhart told lawmakers that schools would not have to report that discussion to parents if they suspect the student is abused or could face abuse if that information is shared with the parent. But because the legislation doesn't explicitly say that, Rep. Peri Pourier, D-Pine Ridge, said she worried schools would still report to parents and potentially endanger students. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
14-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Schools won't have to notify parents about gender talks
PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) — Most of the 69 representatives in the South Dakota House made clear Thursday that they don't want to establish state requirements for K-12 school employees regarding students' gender ideology. The legislation from Republican Rep. Logan Manhart sought to require that a school nurse, school counselor, teacher, administrator, or any other staff member employed by a school district or accredited nonpublic school must notify a student's parent or guardian if questions regarding a student's gender confusion or gender dysphoria are discussed with a student. Bill to end child marriage in SD clears first hurdle House Bill 1201 as amended by the House Education Committee also would have prohibited them from: Providing any instruction or presentation to a student with the purpose of studying, exploring, or informing the student about gender identity, gender expression, or the concept that a student's gender may be inconsistent with the student's biological sex at birth; Encouraging or coercing a student to withhold from the student's parent, legal guardian, or other custodian the fact that the student's perception of the student's gender or sex is inconsistent with the student's sex; or Withholding from a student's parent, legal guardian, or other custodian, information related to a student's perception that the student's gender or sex is inconsistent with the student's sex. 'This is a parents' rights bill fundamentally,' Manhart said. Needing 36 yes votes to advance to the Senate, HB 1201 instead failed 28-40. Republican Rep. Marty Overweg tried to remove the private schools but his amendment failed on a voice vote where the opponents were much louder than the supporters. 'This is an issue we're facing nationwide,' Manhart said in closing. 'It protects parents' rights to know what's going on in their kids' lives.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Legislation would require schools to notify parents if students discuss gender identity
State Rep. Logan Manhart, R-Aberdeen, speaks on the South Dakota House floor on Jan. 22, 2025. (Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight) Public school counselors, teachers, administrators and staff would be required to alert parents if a student discusses gender identity with them under legislation endorsed by a legislative committee Monday at the state Capitol in Pierre. Rep. Logan Manhart, R-Aberdeen, introduced House Bill 1201, which would require parental notification of discussions of a student's 'gender confusion or gender dysphoria.' Sen. Amber Hulse, R-Hot Springs, also spoke in support of the bill, saying school staff shouldn't be 'pushing these ideas' onto students. What happens to a school that refuses to obey the Trump ban on transgender athletes? 'If you as a parent want to teach that to your child, that's all for you,' Hulse said. Several school counselors opposed the bill, saying it was unnecessary since discussing gender identity or diagnosing gender dysphoria is outside of school counselors' scope of practice and code of ethics. They also told lawmakers that they encourage students who are interested in discussing gender identity to talk to their parents. 'House Bill 1201 comes out of fear and misinformation that school counselors and school staff are indoctrinating students into gender sexuality choices that are contrary to family beliefs,' said Kim Goebel, a school counselor for the Gettysburg School District. Lawmakers who voted against the bill raised concerns about requiring mandatory parental notification without exceptions for abusive situations, and said they wanted to hear from more education professionals and school districts. The only public education lobbyist to testify on the bill was Rob Monson, executive director for School Administrators of South Dakota. He opposed it, saying the bill's use of 'discussed' is too vague and that the bill lacks an enforcement mechanism. The House Education Committee passed the bill 8-7. It'll head to the House floor next. Another bill addressing the intersection of gender identity and education failed to pass the committee Monday. The committee voted 9-5 against a bill that would prohibit schools from disciplining students, teachers and staff who refuse to use a student's preferred name, title and pronouns. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Axios
28-01-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Chronic absenteeism and Cumberland carve out on legislative agenda
We're almost a month into the legislative session, which means dozens of bills are moving. The big picture: Priority bills dealing with property taxes, health care costs and the state's two-year budget aren't on any agendas yet, but plenty of other issues are getting hearings. Here are the bills we're watching this week: 🧩 Carving out Cumberland House Bill 1131 would exclude the town of Cumberland from Marion County's "unigov" system. Driving the bill: Cumberland straddles Marion and Hancock counties, so the quarter of residents living in Marion County are subject to different rules and services. It will be heard in the House Local Government Committee at 8:30am Tuesday. 🏠 First-time homebuyers House Bill 1519 would create a new fund to provide downpayment assistance and other financial help for qualified first-time homebuyers. It's on the docket for the House Financial Institutions Committee at 10:30am Tuesday. Why it matters: Indy's hot housing market is still challenging for young people, low- and middle-income families and first-time buyers. 🟢 Chronic absenteeism bills keep moving House Bill 1201, which seeks to identify common reasons behind absenteeism and provide support for students and schools, passed the House Education Committee unanimously last week. Senate Bill 482 includes some of the same language and was heard in the Senate Education Committee last week. It should get a vote on Wednesday and is expected to pass. Between the lines: Lawmakers have been discussing chronic absenteeism for the last several years after a report showed that nearly one-quarter of Hoosiers kids were chronically absent from school. ⏳ Shutting down "spinning" on hold For the second year in a row, lawmakers are trying to crack down on "spinning," but the bill is hung up in the Senate Corrections and Criminal Law Committee. How it works: Senate Bill 13 would outlaw spinning your car in a circle, also known as doing doughnuts, a practice that's become part of the illegal street takeovers plaguing IMPD. A similar bill passed the Senate last year but wasn't taken up by the House. It's on the committee's agenda again, scheduled for 9:30am Tuesday.
