Latest news with #HouseBill1276
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
House committee discards bill requiring potty training before pre-K
A House committee on Wednesday rejected a bill to require potty training for children entering pre-K and passed legislation banning cellphones in schools. (Photo by Kyle Phillips/For Oklahoma Voice) OKLAHOMA CITY — A bill that would require children to be toilet trained before entering pre-K has failed in a House vote. The House Common Education Committee struck down Senate Bill 382 by vote of 8-3 on Wednesday. The bill would have permitted public schools to temporarily withdraw a student after three or more soiling incidents until the child is toilet trained. Schools also could connect families with toilet training resources. Students with disabilities would have been exempt from the rule. The legislation from Sen. David Bullard, R-Durant, and Rep. Marilyn Stark, R-Bethany, passed almost unanimously through the full Senate. Bullard said a lack of toilet training puts 'an undue burden on the schools.' But, a bipartisan group of House lawmakers opposed it on Wednesday. The committee panned the bill without discussion nor debate. Rep. Ellen Pogemiller, D-Oklahoma City, said after the meeting that the bill could impact children who haven't yet been recognized as having a disability. Some children aren't identified for disability assistance until after they are enrolled in school, she said. Toileting resistance is more common among young children who have autism or developmental delays, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 'That bill wasn't going to help the kids that need it most,' Pogemiller said. Also on Wednesday, the committee advanced a bill with an 8-3 vote that would ban students from using cellphones in public schools for a year. Senate Bill 139 would allow districts to decide whether to keep the cellphone ban in place after the 2025-26 school year. A similar bill that originated in the House passed through the Senate Education Committee the day before. House Bill 1276 would require districts to implement a policy restricting cellphone use during the school day, but it would allow local school boards to opt out and continue permitting cellphones if they wish. Lawmakers from both chambers now will have to negotiate which bill language they prefer to send to the governor's desk. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Oklahoma House, Senate consider each other's bills banning cellphones in schools
A poster reads, "bell to bell, no cell" at the Jenks Public Schools Math and Science Center, where students are prohibited from using cellphones during class time. Oklahoma lawmakers are considering multiple bills that would restrict student cellphone use during the school day. (Photo by Nuria Martinez-Keel/Oklahoma Voice) OKLAHOMA CITY — A Senate committee has approved a House bill calling for cellphone bans in public schools, setting the stage for final negotiations on a major policy priority for Oklahoma lawmakers. The Senate Education Committee advanced House Bill 1276 with a 7-4 vote on Tuesday. Similar legislation from the Senate is on the agenda for the House Common Education Committee's meeting Wednesday. HB 1276 would require every district in the state to develop a policy restricting student use of cellphones and personal electronic devices for the entire school day, starting next school year. The bill leaves the door open for local school boards to opt out and continue permitting student cellphone use in their districts. Similar legislation that originated in the Senate, SB 139, would mandate a cellphone ban in all public schools for a year with no chance for districts to opt out until after the 2025-26 academic year. Districts would have the choice after the first year whether to keep the prohibition in place. Each version would allow students to use their cellphones for medically necessary reasons or in emergency cases. Sen. Ally Seifried, R-Claremore, and Rep. Chad Caldwell, R-Enid, are the authors of both bills. If both bills pass the committee stage, Seifried said House and Senate lawmakers will discuss which version has the most support from the full Legislature. Allowing districts the chance to opt out of the cellphone ban has been a priority of the House, Seifried said. The message she heard most often from fellow senators is 'let's get it done,' she said. 'I think we'll eventually get together and decide which version will pass and which can gain the most consensus,' Seifried said after the committee vote. 'We wanted to get both through committee. We really are working together on this quite closely, and so that'll be for us to decide in the coming weeks.' House lawmakers passed HB 1276 with overwhelming support from both parties. The Senate passed SB 139 along party lines. The policy of restricting cellphones in schools has enjoyed vocal support from Gov. Kevin Stitt and legislative leaders. If one of the measures becomes law, Oklahoma would join nine other states, including California and Arkansas, that have enacted a ban on cellphones in schools. Oklahoma lawmakers have been looking into the issue since before the 2025 session began. Both chambers hosted fall interim studies examining the detriments of digital media on children and the benefits of cellphone bans in Oklahoma schools that already have these restrictions in place. Caldwell said he and Seifried agree educators, parents and students would recognize the positive impact once a statewide ban is in place. He decided to include a district opt-out provision in HB 1276, he said, after having conversations with House leadership and fellow representatives. Caldwell said he hopes both the House and Senate versions advance past the committee stage for consideration in final negotiations. 'This truly has a chance to make transformative change in our schools, and that's not something we get a chance to do every day,' Caldwell said. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Proposed ban on student use of cellphones in Oklahoma school approved by Senate committee
An Oklahoma House bill that would prohibit the use of cellphones by students during the school day moved forward in the state Senate on Tuesday, the day before the Senate's bill on the same subject is scheduled to be heard in a House committee. The issue of cellphones in schools has taken on a high profile in the Legislature, with both chambers conducting interim studies last year about the subject, an indicator that such a ban is a priority for lawmakers. On Tuesday, by a 7-4 vote that included bipartisan opposition, the Senate Education Committee passed House Bill 1276, authored by Rep. Chad Caldwell, R-Enid, and sponsored in the Senate by Sen. Ally Seifried, R-Claremore. The vote advanced Caldwell's bill to the Senate floor. On Wednesday, Seifried's bill, Senate Bill 139, will be heard in the House Common Education Committee and if it passes, it will move to the Education Oversight Committee. Caldwell is the House sponsor of Seifried's bill. Seifried and Caldwell have worked together for two years on the cellphone legislation. Seifried is the vice chair of the Senate Education Committee, while Caldwell is the vice chair of the House Education Oversight Committee. Their bills have slight differences. The House bill includes an opt-out provision for district school boards, although such a policy would have to be approved every year by the board. The Senate bill would require districts to develop their own policies to limit student cellphone use for the full school day for the entire 2025-26 school year. Should both bills pass both chambers, Seifried said the differences in the legislation could be worked out in a joint House-Senate committee. 'This is probably the most important thing we can do for education this year,' Seifried said during debate about the House bill. More: School cellphone ban passes Oklahoma House as lawmakers debate library book bans, policies The four senators voting against the bill Tuesday spanned the political spectrum ― far-right Sen. Dusty Deevers, R-Elgin, and Sen. Kendal Sacchieri, R-Blanchard, to Democrats such as Sen. Carri Hicks, D-Oklahoma City, and Sen. Mark Mann, D-Oklahoma City. Of those, only Hicks asked questions about the bill Tuesday. Hicks, a former teacher, inquired about the timeline of Caldwell's bill that was being considered, noting school boards would have only until August to develop a policy mandated by the bill. Seifried responded by saying the bill should come as no surprise to districts, given that the subject has been a conversation at the Capitol for more than a year. Hicks also asked about the timeliness of a school cellphone ban and if there was an appetite to delay the idea. 'This is such an important issue, it warrants a timeliness to it,' Seifried said. '…There is a sense of urgency for me on this.' Proponents of banning student use of cellphones say it will eliminate distractions in the classroom and improve students' mental health. Opponents of the legislation mostly believe the decision should be left to local school boards and not mandated by the Legislature. Caldwell's bill includes a provision for emergency use, including items used for medical issues. When his bill passed the House, Caldwell said it 'would allow schools the ability to craft their own policies to prohibit the use of cell phones and smartwatches during the school day starting next school year. Schools maintain control, but students reap the benefits." Also passing out of the Senate committee Tuesday, by an 11-0 vote, was House Bill 1727, a bill by House Speaker Pro Tempore Anthony Moore, R-Clinton, that would allow the children of Oklahoma classroom teachers with at least 10 years of experience to be eligible for the Oklahoma's Promise program, which allows students from Oklahoma families meeting certain income requirements to earn a college or technology center tuition scholarship. Another Moore bill, House Bill 1017, passed 9-2, albeit with the title removed, a legislative maneuver that can slow a bill's progress. Dubbed the 'Oklahoma College Athletic Conference Act,' it would create a commission, consisting of presidents of 10 of the 11 NCAA Division II institutions in Oklahoma, to explore the feasibility of creating an all-Oklahoma Division II conference. Currently, Oklahoma's Division II universities are spread among three conferences, with teams having to travel to western New Mexico, far south Texas, Nebraska and well into Arkansas for conference games, often bypassing their geographic rivals. Deevers and Sacchieri voted against the bill, which is being sponsored in the Senate by Sen. Dave Rader, R-Tulsa, a former football coach at the University of Tulsa. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma Senate committee passes school cellphone ban bill
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Washington State Takes on Organized Retail Crime With Harsher Sentencing Bill
Legislators in the state of Washington are taking action against organized retail theft, introducing a new bill that promises to implement harsher penalties for high-value organized property crimes. Last week, the Washington House Committee on Community Safety heard testimony about House Bill 1276, which would add 12 months to the sentence of an individual found guilty of organized retail theft of property worth $20,000 or more. The law also creates a 24-month sentencing framework if the stolen property is worth $50,000 or more. More from Sourcing Journal A California Fashion Act Seeks to Hold Brands 'Environmentally Accountable' Maryland Legislators Introduce Bill That Would Crack Down on Repeat Retail Crime Offenses A Renewed US Shipbuilding Push Has Potential Side Effect-Higher Shipping Costs Currently, organized retail crime is punishable by a sentence of up to 10 years, depending on the value of the goods stolen and the seriousness of the offense. An individual can be found guilty of organized retail theft if they steal or possess stolen goods from a mercantile establishment valued at $750 or more with an accomplice, if they commit property theft from such a business with a cumulative value of $750 or more within 180 days, or if they commit a property theft worth $750 or more with no less than six accomplices and make or send at least one electronic message seeking participation during the course of the theft or the planning of the theft. Bill author Rep. Mari Leavitt, who represents the 28th District including Pierce County, said the state has dealt with a catastrophic increase in retail theft. 'Washington has the reality of being the state most impacted by organized retail theft; in 2021, it was reported to impact our businesses by nearly $2.7 billion,' she said. 'Organized retail theft doesn't just impact the retailers, but the public's safety as well. And these aren't just folks stealing to sustain themselves or to live or take care of their families—these are organized and intentional, large theft rings,' Leavitt added. According to the Representative, a small number of criminals are thought to responsible for much of the state's retail theft losses. For example, one individual in Western Washington went on a crime spree in January, targeting sneaker retailers throughout the area and generating about $500,000 in losses across multiple jurisdictions. 'Addressing high levels of organized retail theft is critical,' Leavitt said. 'It impacts our businesses who can't absorb the loss and may have to lay off workers. It impacts our state by having lost tax dollars that could go back into the strength of our economy, and it impacts consumers who may not feel safe as a result to do their shopping.' Mark Johnson, senior vice president of policy and government affairs for the Washington Retail Association, said the group's members lose nearly $3 billion each year to retail theft. 'Most of that's organized retail crime—it's not the one off individual that's a crime of opportunity…. It's not somebody that's housing, insecure, cold, hungry. These are premeditated, planned, very sophisticated operations. They do not take one or two items. They take an entire shelf load of items,' he added. Johnson, who serves as the government affairs chairman for the Washington State Organized Retail Crime Association and on the Attorney General's Task Force on Organized Retail Crime, pointed to a recent string of incidents wherein a crime ring in Seattle stole $80,000 in Lululemon leggings over a period of months. Mayor Jim Ferrell of the City of Federal Way told the Committee that between October 2024 and earlier this month, a group of three individuals stole about $143,000 in merchandise from stores in his district like Ulta. At least 24 separate incidents were reported before the thieves were apprehended. 'These groups take advantage of the outdated state laws and prosecution that just didn't contemplate this type of activity, and get around the sentencing, which allows their members, in many cases, to avoid significant prosecution consequences,' he said. 'These laws allow criminal rings to operate with impunity across county and state lines, hitting store after store and accumulate massive quantities of stolen goods. These goods are then passed off or pawned off to a legitimate merchant as legitimate merchandise and sold in huge quantities online.' While there is no publicly available timeline for a vote on the bill, HB 1276 has the support of bipartisan lawmakers throughout the state.
Yahoo
14-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
'Bell to Bell, No Cell' Legislation passes first hurdle
OKLAHOMA CITY — Local legislatures participated in the House's overwhelmingly passage of its first bill prohibiting cell phone use on school campuses. Representatives discuss restricting cell phones in Missouri schools If approved, it will go into effect July 1. Chairman of the House Appropriations Education Subcommittee Chad Caldwell authored House Bill 1276 to eliminate distractions in the classroom and improve student academic outcomes. The bill is the first bill of the 60th legislative session Thursday. If passed, the bill would prohibit students from using cell phones during the school day. It would also include personal electronic devices, including smartwatches. Under HB1276, school boards could allow student cell phone use, but the policy must be approved annually. Banning cellphones in schools gains popularity in red and blue states The legislation requires that any policy prohibiting cell phone use also include a provision for emergency use, including items used for medical issues. The bill also leaves it up to the local district to implement the cell phone ban. 'The research is clear – cell phone use among young students is not only bad for their mental health, but also hurts academic outcomes,' said Caldwell. 'To pass meaningful legislation this early in the session with overwhelming bipartisan support is a testament to how important this issue is. Our kids and teachers deserve a phone-free environment at school, and we are well on our way to making that a reality.' Schools clash with parents over bans on student cellphones The bill passed the House floor with a vote of 82-9 and will now move to the Senate for further consideration. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
