Latest news with #HouseBill1204
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Gov. Armstrong signs 2 bills affecting North Dakota political communications, advertising
North Dakota lawmakers meet in the House chamber. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor) Gov. Kelly Armstrong signed two bills last week that will change laws surrounding political communications and advertisements in North Dakota. House Bill 1167, sponsored by Rep. Jonathan Warrey, R-Casselton, would require a disclaimer in capital letters on any political communication or political advertisement created wholly or in part by artificial intelligence tools. The bill would include advertisements and communications involving political candidates, political committees, political parties and initiated ballot committees or petitions. 'With capital letters, (House Bill) 1167 is a step forward in setting perimeters for the use of AI within political communications,' said Rep. Austen Schauer, R-West Fargo. The House unanimously passed the bill in February. The Senate unanimously passed the bill in March. Another bill signed by Armstrong, House Bill 1204, expands state law against publishing knowingly false political advertisements. If a person 'knowingly, or with reckless disregard for its truth' publishes an 'untrue, deceptive or misleading' political advertisement or news release, they could be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor, according to the bill. Fedorchak claims 'election interference' over false text messages The bill expands the types of media covered under the law to include text messages, phone calls and social media posts, in addition to radio, television, newspapers, pamphlets and billboards, among others. The bill was amended on the floor of the Senate by Sen. Sean Cleary, R-Bismarck, former campaign manager for North Dakota U.S. Rep. Julie Fedorchak. On the day of the 2024 primary election, anonymous text messages were sent to North Dakota voters saying Fedorchak had dropped out of the race, which she did not. 'Knowingly spreading falsehoods about an opponent undermines the integrity of our elections,' Cleary said. On the House floor, Rep. Colette Brown, D-Warwick, said, in today's political climate, misinformation can spread faster than ever before. 'Whether on social media, television or traditional campaign materials, this bill ensures that when someone deliberately publishes falsehoods about a candidate, a ballot measure, or any election-related issue, they can be held responsible,' Brown said. The bill passed the House unanimously in February and the Senate on a 45-1 vote in March. The new laws will take effect Aug. 1. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bill seeks to strengthen North Dakota law against false political ads
Sen. Sean Cleary, R-Bismarck, introduces a floor amendment on false political advertisements on March 19, 2025. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor) A bill that expands North Dakota law against false political advertisements via social media, text message or phone calls passed the Senate on Wednesday. House Bill 1204, sponsored by Rep. Mike Schatz, R-New England, passed on a 45-1 vote and will be sent back to the House for approval of an amendment introduced by Sen. Sean Cleary, R-Bismarck. The amendment added text messages and phone calls to the original bill that included social and commercial media posts. 'As election communications evolve, I think our laws need to change with it,' Cleary said. Fedorchak claims 'election interference' over false text messages Cleary was the campaign manager for U.S. House of Representatives candidate Julie Fedorchak during the 2024 election. On the day of the primary election, anonymous text messages were sent to North Dakota voters saying she had dropped out of the race, which she did not. After news of the text messages broke, Fedorchak called a press conference and said, 'This is, at minimum, election fraud, and it's a desperate tactic to influence and discourage voters.' Fedorchak won the primary that night with 46% of the vote, beating four other candidates for the Republican nomination and now represents North Dakota in Congress. 'Knowingly spreading falsehoods about an opponent undermines the integrity of our elections,' Cleary said. 'As you can see in the current law, there is a phrase 'electronic transmission,' but given the expansion and use of these in communicating with voters, I felt it was appropriate to make that explicitly clear in Century Code.' During debate on the bill, Sen. Janne Myrdal, R-Edinburg, asked the bill's carrier, Sen. Ryan Braunberger, D-Fargo, who would make the determination on what is 'deceptive' or 'misleading' for those communications. Braunberger responded that a state's attorney's office and, if warranted, a court would make that determination. If the House agrees to Cleary's amendment, the bill would head to the House floor for a final vote before going to the governor's desk for his signature. A disagreement on the amendment would lead to the bill being debated by a conference committee between the House and Senate. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
24-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Legislature's investigation panel could get more power
PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) — The South Dakota Legislature's committee that looks into problems within state government would no longer need permission to issue subpoenas under a proposal that is moving forward at the state Capitol. The House State Affairs Committee on Monday recommended passage of House Bill 1204. The full House of Representatives will consider it Tuesday afternoon. A new task force on prisons clears a Senate committee Its prime sponsor, Republican Rep. Julie Auch, wants to reverse a 2018 law that requires the Legislature's Government Operations and Audit Committee to receive clearance beforehand from the Legislature's Executive Board. That's an unnecessary step, according to Auch. 'It needs to be taken care of, managed, and move on,' she told the House panel. The 2018 law was in response to then-Sen. Stace Nelson requesting that GOAC use its subpoena authority as part of investigating the GEAR Up scandal. The legislation to add the Executive Board's approval came from then-Rep. Jean Hunhoff and then-Sen. Deb Peters, who were GOAC's chair and vice-chair at the time. The state Department of Revenue last year resisted subpoenas that GOAC members issued for Revenue Secretary Mike Houdyshell and another official to testify. The subpoenas have since been reissued for a GOAC meeting that will be held after the 2025 legislative session ends March 31. Houdyshell didn't testify against the bill but responded to a question about why he wouldn't testify. He said there was an ongoing investigation that prevented him as a lawyer from disclosing details to the legislators. GOAC has been looking into various state-government scandals that surfaced last year, including in the state Department of Revenue's motor-vehicle division. Republican Rep. Jon Hansen called Monday for the House committee to endorse Auch's legislation. He is the House speaker and co-chair of the current Executive Board. Requiring the Executive Board's approval adds time, provides an opportunity for state officials to lobby Executive Board members, handcuffs GOAC and brings an additional level of politics to the process. 'That all takes time – too much time under the circumstances,' Hansen said. A former House speaker, Republican Rep. Spencer Gosch, said it is 'appalling' that a legislative committee would ever have to subpoena someone. 'I hate that we even have to do this,' he said. Republican Rep. Karla Lems, the House speaker pro tem, described Auch's bill as 'the final tool' needed. 'It's giving us that extra piece to do the job,' Lems said. The one 'no' vote came from Republican Rep. Tim Reisch, who served on GOAC the past two years. 'The executive branch was very forthright,' Reisch said, defending Revenue for not openly discussing the case because the people accused were presumed innocent until found guilty. Reisch argued that the Executive Board acts on behalf of the Legislature during the nine months that lawmakers aren't in session and said he doesn't want the Legislature to surrender that authority by allowing GOAC to issue subpoenas on its own. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
14-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Four takeaways from the fifth week of the Arkansas 95th General Assembly
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – An active time for the Arkansas legislature in the fifth week of the 95th General Assembly. Several bills reached the governor's desk for signature, where they became law. Other bills failed in the committee process, and multiple constitutional amendments were filed as the legislature reached its deadline for that process. Finally, the legislature and governor acted to repair an ongoing problem in an Arkansas county. BILLS INTO LAW Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders' office announced she signed 23 pieces of legislation on Tuesday. While most of what was signed were operation funding bills for higher education institutions, other signed bills include House Bill 1204, now Act 28, well-sponsored legislation to limit the recovery amount for medical care after an accident. Alzheimer's Association advocates for financial support for caregivers, treatments at Arkansas capitol HB1204 reached the governor's desk after clearing the Senate by one vote, barely overcoming bi-partisan opposition. BILLS FAILING IN COMMITTEE A bill to remove the mandate to fluoridate water failed to make it out of committee on Wednesday. Senate Bill 2 removed the mandate and removed the Department of Health's ability to regulate fluoride levels. Multiple dentists were on hand to testify against the legislation. A second bill failing in committee was intended to allow universities to hold Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) raffles to support athletic funding. Testimony against the bill included that from a representative of Pine Bluff's Saracen Casino. CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS February 12 was the 31st day of the legislative session, making it the final day to submit proposed legislation to create amendments to the Arkansas Constitution. While amendments have been filed since the session began, the last two days saw many resolutions filed. GOP lawmaker proposes renaming Greenland 'Red, White, and Blueland' Resolutions included judicial candidates being able to list their political party on ballots and removing the tax on food. Other filings were legislative control over commissions and changes to property assessments. One of the final resolutions was for a crime victim's bill of rights. If the resolutions make it through the legislative process, they must be endorsed by voters before becoming part of the constitution. AID FOR A COUNTY A budget stand-off has resulted in Jefferson County employees not being paid since Jan. 1. A bill, backed by the governor, moved quickly through the legislature to require any county that does not pass a budget for its new year to continue to operate on the previous year's budget. Arkansas pharmacy bill heads to governor's desk, pharmacy freedom of choice bill enters legislature It sailed through its floor votes & committee hearings and was signed into law on Tuesday night. Employee checks were being cut the next day. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signs bill limiting medical insurance settlements
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – The governor on Tuesday signed into law legislation impacting insurance settlements introduced in the current Arkansas legislative session. The one-sentence-long House Bill 1204 impacts the amount of money Arkansans receive in court cases. The bill, now Act 28 with the governor's signature, mandates that any insurance repayment for medical expenses after an injury from an accident only be repaid to the plaintiff for the amount billed to the insurance company. Series of constitutional amendments filed in Arkansas legislature on Monday The legislation addresses the issue of paying for someone's injuries after an accident, being the difference between the full price of medical care and the adjusted, lower price hospitals charge for someone with insurance. Sen. Missy Irvin (R-Mountain View), one of the bill's sponsors, explained that the legislation corrected the law resulting from a 1998 Arkansas Supreme Court decision. In that case, the plaintiffs used the non-adjusted amount of their medical bills to show the seriousness of their injuries despite receiving a 50% discount. The court ruled that the plaintiff's adjusted amount was a 'collateral source' and could not be used as evidence, as the defendant wished, and the jury heard of the whole, non-adjusted cost of injuries. Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signs Jefferson County budget correction bill, goes into immediate effect Irvin compared it to returning a sweater to a store after purchasing it at a 50% discount, expecting a full 100% price refund that did not reflect the discount. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
