Latest news with #HouseBill156
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Some Wyoming residents voice support for voter registration changes
CHEYENNE — Beginning July 1, Wyoming voters will be required to provide proof of state residency and U.S. citizenship when registering to vote, something Wyoming Secretary of State Chuck Gray has been advocating for years. The move comes after the Wyoming Legislature passed House Bill 156 in February, a piece of legislation Gov. Mark Gordon let go into law without his signature. The public comment period for rules related to the change began May 5 and lasts until June 20. Wednesday afternoon, Gray's office held an in-person and virtual meeting to allow people to voice their opinions about the proposed rules. All attendees who spoke during the meeting expressed support for the new law, and made some minor recommendations for the Secretary of State to consider before a final version of the law is published. Wyoming voters will be required to be a state resident for at least 30 days before casting their ballots, and must present proof of residency and citizenship when registering to vote. Last year, a similar piece of legislation was approved by the Wyoming Legislature, but vetoed by Gordon on the grounds that the regulations exceeded Gray's legal authority. The 2025 legislation grants the Secretary of State that authority. 'Providing proof of United States citizenship and proof of residency has been a key priority of our administration,' Gray said Wednesday, 'and this rulemaking marks over a year-and-a-half-long standoff with Gov. Mark Gordon and myself concerning the need for documentary proof of citizenship and residency to ensure a reasonable means to follow our constitutional obligations of ensuring only U.S. citizens and only Wyomingites are voting in Wyoming elections.' Gray said the veto last year was very troubling, and there were a lot of inaccurate statements made by the governor. 'We didn't give up. We went to the Legislature, and the people won, weighing the governor back down, and the bill became law without his signature,' he said. Rep. John Bear, R-Gillette, and the former chairman of the Wyoming Freedom Caucus, a hardline group of Republican lawmakers, was the primary sponsor of the bill. He spoke during Wednesday's public hearing, saying this bill will build confidence in Wyoming elections. 'Prior to introducing this bill, we conducted a poll of likely voters in the state of Wyoming. It was a very scientific poll, and this particular issue had over 74% support, and we saw that as we traveled the state,' he said. Voter Meeting From left, Elena Campbell speaks on Zoom, while C.J. Young, Election Division director; Jesse Naiman, deputy secretary of state; and Wyoming Secretary of State Chuck Gray listen during a public comment meeting about voter identification rules in the Capitol Extension on Wednesday. Platte County Clerk Malcolm Ervin, who also serves as chairman of the Wyoming County Clerks Association, weighed in Wednesday, as well, with a few minor suggested changes. One recommendation concerned the use of Wyoming student identification cards as a document to prove residency for voter registration. He suggested the ID cards be required to display the voter's legal name, not a chosen name. He said most of his concerns regarding the 2025 legislation were quelled by the fact that there is a 'last-ditch' effort that allows people to show proof of residency or citizenship if they don't have the required documentation to vote outlined in the new law. If someone doesn't have valid identification forms or lacks a Wyoming driver's license and a Social Security number to prove residency, they can provide other documentation, such as a utility bill, bank statement or a pay stub under the proposed rules. To prove U.S. citizenship, one must produce a document already outlined in law, including a Wyoming driver's license, Wyoming ID card, a valid U.S. passport, a certificate of U.S. citizenship, a certificate of naturalization, a U.S. military draft record or a Selective Service registration acknowledgement card, a consular report of birth abroad issued by the U.S. Department of State, or an original or certified copy of a birth certificate in the U.S. bearing an official seal. 'I want to be clear that we see that adaptation as a last-ditch effort, if we've exhausted all other options. It's our last option on the table, specifically to ensure nobody is disenfranchised from voting,' Ervin said. The other concern he had that was addressed in the new legislation is that post office boxes in Wyoming will only count as proof of residency if the person lists their residential address on their voter registration application form. Another virtual attendee spoke in favor of the new law. Mark Koep, chairman of the Crook County Republican Party, echoed Rep. Bear's statements of statewide support. 'Overwhelmingly, the voters of Wyoming — and I talk to a lot of people — support these rules that you have in place,' he said. 'And so, I just want to make that heard on this chat to the media in the room: the people of Wyoming want these rules.' Since 2000, there have been four convictions of voter fraud in Wyoming, according to The Heritage Foundation, all involving U.S. citizens. When the public comment period closes on June 20, it will once again be up to Gordon to accept or reject the proposed rules. Under Gray's proposed rules, a valid Wyoming driver's license will be adequate proof of identity, residency and U.S. citizenship, so long as it lists a Wyoming address. Tribal identification cards issued by either the Eastern Shoshone or Northern Arapaho tribes, or other federally recognized tribes, will also count as proof of residency if a Wyoming address is listed. If the applicant doesn't have the forms of identification present at the time of registration, they must provide on the voter registration application form their Wyoming driver's license number and one of any of the following documents: U.S. passport; a driver's license or ID card issued by the federal government, any state or outlying possession of the United States; a photo ID card issued by the University of Wyoming, a Wyoming community college, or a Wyoming public school; an ID card issued to a dependent of a member of the United States Armed Forces; or a tribal identification card issued by the governing body of the Eastern Shoshone tribe of Wyoming, the Northern Arapaho tribe of Wyoming or other federally recognized Indian tribe. These documents would also need to list a Wyoming address to prove state residency. If a person seeking to register to vote doesn't have a valid driver's license, they must provide the last four digits of their Social Security number, along with one of the previously mentioned documents in the proposed rules. None of the documents will suffice if the applicant is not a U.S. citizen. Online comments on the proposed rules can continue to be submitted by email to the Secretary of State's chief policy officer and general counsel, Joe Rubino, at until June 20.
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Pennsylvania House approves bill for carbon monoxide alarms in childcare facilities
(WHTM)– The Pennsylvania House approved a bill that would require carbon monoxide detectors in childcare facilities in buildings with carbon monoxide sources. House Bill 156, introduced by State Rep. Jeanne McNeill (D-Lehigh), aims to protect children from accidental carbon monoxide poisoning incidents at childcare facilities in Pennsylvania. 'Detecting carbon monoxide poisoning is difficult with children. It has no smell, no color and typically gives symptoms of headaches and nausea, which children and educators wouldn't typically associate with carbon monoxide poisoning,' said McNeill, D-Lehigh. 'Carbon monoxide leaks can easily go undetected, leading to tragic outcomes.' McNeill said that there are currently no statewide carbon monoxide requirements, and the legislation would ensure that the youngest of Pennsylvanians will be protected from it every day. She cited the October 2022 incident where 28 people at an Allentown daycare center, including children and staff, were transported to the hospital after a dangerous carbon monoxide leak. Many Americans die from carbon monoxide poisoning every year, and McNeill believes the legislation is a 'sensible safety precaution that needs to be implemented.' The bill will head to the Senate for consideration. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
22-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Gordon lets 'far-reaching' election bill go into law
CHEYENNE — The final bill waiting for consideration on Gov. Mark Gordon's desk became law Friday after he let it pass without his signature. House Bill 156 makes several changes to the ways elections are carried out in Wyoming. It requires voters to be Wyoming residents for no less than 30 days before an election, requires proof of residency and U.S. citizenship to register to vote, and requires county clerks to deny registration if there is 'any indication' that the person is not a United States citizen. Gordon said he agrees with allowing only U.S. citizens and Wyoming residents to vote in the state, but expressed several concerns with the bill. 'Because I believe in adequate checks to ensure only qualified electors can vote, I am allowing this bill to become law despite the likelihood that it will invite litigation,' Gordon said in a statement Friday. Gordon is concerned litigation may come from HB 156 clashing with the U.S. Constitution. He wrote in his statement that the act's residency requirement may interfere with its implementation. Federal statute provides that no citizen shall be subject to a residency requirement to vote in any election for president or vice president, which directly contradicts HB 156. The Wyoming Constitution also requires a minimum age of 21, something that the U.S. Constitution overrides in the 26th Amendment as the supreme law of the land. Gordon said in his statement that whether federal or state statute will prevail in a legal contest is a question that will have to be resolved in court. The governor also took issue with the requirement for clerks to deny registration if there is 'any indication' that the applicant is not an American citizen in their registration, calling this addition 'far-reaching.' 'This standard may be difficult for clerks to administer, as it is unclear and perhaps awkward for our county clerks to consistently apply with any degree of certainty,' Gordon wrote. He provided examples of how a bona fide resident and U.S. citizen may have well-worn, sun-bleached or wrinkled identification cards, particularly among elderly Wyomingites. 'No doubt, it is up to the voter to make sure all their 'papers' are in order before they can vote, but still, I remain concerned that the vagueness of the language in this Act could lead clerks to either err on the side of over-enforcement or under-enforcement,' Gordon wrote. Goshen County Clerk Mark Feagler told the WTE that it could be difficult to verify the truth of documents showing 30-day proof of residency. 'I believe firmly that people should be a U.S. citizen before they can vote, and that they should only be able to vote in one specific place,' Feagler said. 'It's the administration of figuring out how to administer that and what will be done if somebody signs the oath (of 30-day residency) and it's not true.' Secretary of State Chuck Gray celebrated the passage of the bill into law, as it was one of his top priorities going into this year's legislative session. 'Proof of citizenship and proof of residency for registering to vote are both so important. Only United States citizens, and only Wyomingites, should be voting in Wyoming elections. Period,' Gray said in a statement. HB 156 makes Wyoming the first state in the nation to apply proof of citizenship for registering to vote for all elections. This was the first priority of Gray's conservative election integrity reform agenda, which he published in December. The bill passed the Wyoming House of Representatives 51-8 on third reading, and the Wyoming Senate 26-4 on third reading. 'Because this legislation adheres to neither the original construction of our Constitution nor federal law in its durational requirement, I cannot sign it as such,' Gordon wrote. 'Because I believe this Act — although redundant — offers some useful improvements, I am letting this bill pass into law without my signature.' The act will not become effective until July 1, and it will first apply to the 2026 primary election. Feagler said this will give her and other Wyoming county clerks more time to work out the best ways to verify proof of residency.
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Plan to require carbon monoxide alarms in child care facilities in Pa. clears House panel
The exterior of the Pennsylvania state Capitol. (Photo by Amanda Mustard for the Pennsylvania Capital-Star). With child care being the theme of Wednesday's meeting, a state House committee unanimously advanced a measure to require the installation of carbon monoxide alarms in child care centers and family child care homes across the commonwealth. House Bill 156, sponsored by state Rep. Jeanne McNeill (D-Lehigh) would amend the Human Services Code by adding language to mandate them. 'I want to emphasize that this bill is very near and dear to my heart,' McNeill, chair of the House Children & Youth Committee, said on Wednesday. McNeill has been trying to find traction on the legislation since 2021. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE While calling for support, McNeill referred to a 2022 carbon monoxide leak at an Allentown day care that resulted in more than two dozen children and several adults taken to hospitals. 'I was heartbroken knowing that we could have prevented this with the bill, if it had been passed when I first introduced it,' McNeill said on Wednesday. A co-sponsorship memo cites statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and writes that 'detecting the effects of carbon monoxide poisoning is more challenging' when it comes to children. The panel also unanimously backed an amendment adding clarifying language related to the location and installation of the carbon monoxide alarms in the facilities. State Rep. Kate Klunk, Minority Chair of the House Children & Youth Committee, applauded the moves for giving the providers the specific information needed to follow the protocol. The proposal is also backed by Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children, the Pennsylvania Association for the Education of Young Children, Trying Together and First Up, while the Pennsylvania Council of Children, Youth and Family Services were neutral on the legislation. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
House committee advances vocational teacher salaries bill
A teacher addresses students in a classroom. (Photo credit: Getty Images) A Senate bill that would include vocational teachers in the tiered minimums for teacher salary rates unanimously passed its first House committee Monday. The House Education Committee quickly gave Senate Bill 343, sponsored by Sen. Bill Soules (D-Las Cruces), a do-pass vote, sending it to the House Appropriations and Finance Committee next. The bill would amend parts of the School Personnel Act, which addresses hiring and firing practices related to licensed school employees, as well as designating teacher salaries based on their level of licensure. Minimum salary tiers would change to include vocational teachers, who teach topics such as culinary arts, auto repair and health sciences. According to the LESC's bill analysis, the estimated average salary for vocational teachers was about $10,000 above the minimum salaries for each tier during fiscal year 2025. Soules told Source NM that the bill stems from concerns from several local school districts, including Las Cruces Public Schools, where the personnel office interpreted the current law and chose not to pay vocational teachers a higher salary rate. 'It's almost a nothing burger type of bill,' Soules said. 'It just makes it very clear that the intent of the law is that vocational teachers can get paid at the higher rate.' The current salary minimums are $50,000 for a level one teacher, $60,000 for level two and $70,000 for level three. However, House Bill 156 this session proposes increasing each salary tier by $5,000. The bill passed the House floor last week by a vote of 62-1 and was referred to the Senate Finance Committee. Rep. John Block (R-Alamogordo) was the one lawmaker to vote in opposition. Kersti Tyson, K-12 program director for the LANL Foundation, voiced her support for the bill during the committee meeting and pointed to the benefits for vocational teacher, or career technical education teacher, recruitment. 'We hear from many schools across the state that they have challenges recruiting and retaining CTE teachers. This bill will help with this by ensuring an equal minimum salary,' Tyson said. 'This will signal a commitment to CTE programs and make teaching more attractive to industry experts.' According to the LESC bill analysis, schools across the country have reported more difficulty in filling CTE or vocational teaching positions compared to academic subject positions, particularly in 'high-demand' areas such as information technology, health sciences and engineering where experts are paid significantly more in their industries compared to teaching the subject. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
