Latest news with #HouseBill26
Axios
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Cleveland could face same scrutiny as other "sanctuary cities"
The recent spotlight on "sanctuary cities" could put Cleveland's immigration policies in the crosshairs of the Trump administration and state Republicans. Why it matters: Earlier this week, President Trump signed an executive order calling for federal agencies to document cities and states with laws and ordinances that don't comply with Trump's federal immigration laws. Zoom in: At the same time, Ohio lawmakers are considering House Bill 26, a Republican-sponsored bill that would require cities to cooperate with federal immigration laws or face state funding restrictions. The intrigue: Cleveland is not considered a "sanctuary city" by the Center for Immigration Studies, which tracks local governments that "obstruct immigration enforcement and shield criminals from ICE." However, Mayor Justin Bibb has been vocal in his opposition to federal immigration policies. "My administration will not engage in the deportation of individuals who have not committed violent crimes ... No law requires that we do so," Bibb said after Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids swept across Northeast Ohio in January. Flashback: City Council passed a resolution in 1987 declaring Cleveland a sanctuary city. What's next: Trump's order directs Attorney General Pam Bondi and the Department of Homeland Security to identify non-compliant cities and states within a month. They are to publish a list of jurisdictions and notify them, providing an opportunity to correct it. Meanwhile, HB 26 had its first hearing, which featured sponsor testimony, in front of the Public Safety Committee earlier this week. A vote has yet to be held. What they're saying:"Our role as the state and federal government is still to enforce reasonable laws, make sure that people's rights are protected," bill co-sponsor Rep. Tex Fischer (R-Boardman) said in February, per the Columbus Dispatch. "There is not a constitutionally protected right to illegally enter and reside in this country." The other side: What about those 'oops' moments where the sheriff goes, picks someone up, the person is detained, maybe detained for a long period of time, loses their job and loses their benefits, things of that nature?" Rep. Darnell Brewer (D-Cleveland) asked in questioning the bill, per the Statehouse News Bureau.
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ector County ISD leaders advocate for public education at Texas Capitol
AUSTIN, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- Two leaders from Ector County Independent School District (ECISD) traveled to the Texas Capitol just before Spring Break, advocating for policies that support public education. Bowie Middle School Principal Amy Russell and Lauren Tavarez, ECISD's Director of Digital Learning, met with state legislators to share firsthand experiences about the challenges and successes within their district, emphasizing the need for stronger educational policies and funding. Russell and Tavarez, both alumni of Raise Your Hand Texas initiatives, were selected from a pool of applicants statewide for this advocacy event. The initiative provided two options: delivering public testimony or meeting directly with legislators. Russell opted to visit legislative offices, where she and her group engaged in discussions with lawmakers about the importance of supporting House Bill 2 (HB 2) and House Bill 26 (HB 26)—key pieces of legislation impacting public school funding and operations. She met with Speaker of the House Dustin Burrows, Representative Gina Hinojosa, Ector County's Representative Brooks Landgraf, and Senators Royce West and Kevin Sparks. 'It was impressive to see what goes into changing funding, and also rewarding to see non-educators stand up, speak up, and work to make change happen for Texas schools,' Russell said. 'We really enjoyed being a voice for ECISD students, staff, and families and value the impact we felt we made on such an important topic affecting so many of us.' Tavarez took a different approach, opting to provide testimony before the House Committee on Public Education regarding HB 2, a bill focused on public school finance and funding. She delivered a three-minute testimony before answering questions from committee members. Her testimony can be viewed at this link, beginning at the 17:00 mark. 'It was a great day, we learned a lot and were so proud to have the opportunity for our voices to be heard,' Tavarez said. 'This was a unique platform to gain valuable insight, forge important connections, and contribute meaningfully to the dialogue about public education.' Their advocacy efforts highlight ECISD's commitment to improving education policy and funding, ensuring that Texas students and educators receive the support they need. By stepping into the legislative arena, Russell and Tavarez demonstrated the power of firsthand experience in shaping policies that impact schools statewide. 'We are proud of their leadership and commitment to the betterment of our educational system,' ECISD Chief Communications, Mike Adkins wrote. Their participation in this event serves as a reminder of the importance of advocacy in education, reinforcing the need for ongoing engagement with policymakers to address the challenges facing Texas schools. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Idaho Senate approves ABLE accounts bill by wide margin
Members of the Idaho Senate listen to proceedings on the Senate floor on Jan. 7, 2025, at the State Capitol Building in Boise. (Pat Sutphin for the Idaho Capital Sun) This story was first published by Idaho Reports on March 5, 2025. The Idaho Senate approved on Wednesday a bill to allow Idahoans with disabilities to save money for additional expenses, without the threat of losing coverage, sending it to the governor's desk for consideration. House Bill 26 passed the Senate in a 27-6 vote. ABLE accounts — an acronym for Achieving a Better Life Experience – allow people with disabilities who collect Social Security Income to save money for future qualifying needs, such as transportation, housing, or medical expenses. Without ABLE accounts, people with disabilities risk no longer qualifying for Social Security Income if they have more than $2,000 in their bank accounts, which discourages them from saving for expenses like car repairs, or medical care that isn't covered by insurance. The money in ABLE accounts doesn't count against the $2,000. Only people whose disability began before the age of 26 are eligible for ABLE accounts. Idaho Sen. Carl Bjerke, R-Coeur d'Alene, said this opens doors for people with disabilities, offering the example of a person who uses a wheelchair being unable to fix a broken wheelchair-accessible vehicle for work because they have no savings. 'It provides greater independence,' said Bjerke. Idaho is one of only three states in the country that does not yet have ABLE accounts. There is no cost to the state, because the new accounts are set up through a national consortium. The bill also establishes an advisory council for the Treasurer's Office, but at no additional cost. The bill now heads to the governor's office for consideration. He can either sign it, allow it to become law without his signature or veto it. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
NM Legislative recap Feb. 18: From the heart
Jayden Rodriguez, 18, a senior from Health Leadership High School volunteers to demonstrate CPR on a dummy at the Roundhouse Tuesday Feb. 18, 2025. (Danielle Prokop / Source NM) The Roundhouse is often full of heart-pounding action, but the American Heart Association took that literally Tuesday during CPR day. Students from the Albuquerque-based Health Leadership High School volunteered their First-Aid know-how with demonstrations on adult and infant dummies, while also lobbying for House Bill 54, which would require all high schools to have automatic electronic defibrillators on campus, and train employees to use them. HB 54 has cleared its first committee and is scheduled for a Wednesday hearing in House Education. The deadline to introduce bills will coincide with the session's halfway mark Thursday, Feb. 20. The House has introduced 472 bills, while the upper chamber has introduced 442 bills. The total bill count so far is lower than the last 60-day session 2023, which had more than 500 bills introduced in both chambers — more if you include memorials and resolutions. So far, the Feed Bill House Bill 1, which funds the Legislature, has been the only legislation to pass through both chambers and make it across the governor's desk. By Tuesday, the full House had passed six bills, including two on Tuesday afternoon. The House of Representatives on Tuesday afternoon passed House Bill 26, which would make it a misdemeanor to resell for profit tickets to events hosted by the state or nonprofits. Current law only prohibits ticket scalping at college athletic events. The House also voted in favor of House Bill 22, which would prohibit bosses from taking a portion of workers' tips to cover credit card processing fees. 'Hardworking New Mexicans deserve to keep the tips they earn from customers,' said lead sponsor Rep. Art De La Cruz (D-Albuquerque) in a written statement after the vote. Debate on the bills pushed back the start of the afternoon House committee hearings by two hours; they started just before 4 p.m. Tuesday. The full Senate has passed nine bills so far this session. Legislation crossing chambers In addition to the Feed bill, The full House has passed: House Bill 6, which would require workers on publicly bonded projects to be paid minimum wage. Read more here. House Bill 8, which is the six-bill public safety package that includes stiffer penalties for fentanyl trafficking; makes blood testing easier for police officers in DWI cases; increases shooting threats to a fourth-degree felony; criminalizes the possession of 'switches' to modify semi automatic firearms into fully automatic weapons; and a controversial criminal competency bill. Read more here. House Bill 47, which would create property tax exemptions for veterans approved by voters in November. House Bill 218, which updates the tax code. Read more here. House Bill 26, which makes changes to the state's ticket-scalping laws. House Bill 22, which prevents bosses from using workers' tips to cover credit card fees. The Senate has passed the following: Senate Bills 3, 2 and 1, which are parts of the behavioral health package that moves regional planning under the courts; spends $200 million for building out the infrastructure; and establishes a $1 billion dollar fund to further pay for behavioral health care. Read more here. Senate Bill 19, which would require Boards of Regents to complete 10 hours of training on topics such as fiscal responsibility, ethics, public meetings laws and student success. Senate Bill 47, which updates recognized land grants to include Santa Cruz de la Canada land grant-merced in Rio Arriba and Santa Fe. Senate Bill 75, which makes technical changes to the limited gifts Educational Retirement Board members and employees can receive to align with other state laws. Read more here. Senate Bill 85, which would amend campaign finance laws to clarify what donations can be received, changing when reports are filed. Senate Bill 124, which would allow the Office of the Superintendent of Insurance to issue investigative subpoenas. Senate Bill 16, which would update criminal background checks for Department of Military Affairs employees and volunteers working with youth under 18. A bill to start a $50 million fund for the cleanup of contaminated sites such as abandoned uranium mines or ground water contamination advanced through its first committee Tuesday morning. Senate Bill 260 received a unanimous OK from the Senate Conservation Committee Tuesday morning and now heads to Senate Finance. READ MORE: House Bill 348, which raises civil penalties for water violations for the first time since 1907, advanced through the Agriculture, Acequias and Water Resources committee on a 8-1 vote. The civil penalty would be raised from $100 per day to $2,000 per day. HB 348 now heads to House Judiciary. A bill that would raise the maximum civil fines for oil and gas violations such as flaring or spills passed through the first of three committees Tuesday with a party-line 7-4 vote in House Energy and Natural Resources. House Bill 259 increases penalties from $2,500 to $10,000 per violation. If there is a 'risk to public health and safety or the environment,' the penalty increases from $10,000 to $25,0000. The bill also allows the Oil Conservation Division to raise a cap on administrative penalties from $200,000 to $3.6 million. 'Penalties are enacted to deter people from a certain behavior,' said sponsor Matthew McQueen (D-Galisteo) during the hearing. 'If they don't serve that purpose, then they're just fees.' HB 259 would have to clear House Judiciary and House Appropriations and Finance before it can head to the floor for a full House vote. For people who love hogs, you can read about a vintage motorcycle license plate bill here. Austin Fisher contributed to the writing and reporting of this story. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ohio Democrats fight bill targeting sanctuary cities
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WKBN) – A group of Ohio legislators vow to fight a new bill that would defund sanctuary cities. Members of the Ohio House Democratic Caucus held a press conference Tuesday in Columbus to fight House Bill 26. If approved, it would take funding from local governments that do not comply with President Trump's executive order on immigration. The lawmakers claim the federal orders have caused confusion, anxiety and fear throughout the state. They say immigration is America's strength not weakness. 'I want to make something clear. This is not an Ohio that we want. The truth is that immigration strengthens our communities. It strengthens our economy, our workforce, our schools and our cultural fabric. Immigrants are not just workers, they're doctors, engineers, business owners and neighbors,' said State Rep. Ismail Mohamed. The lawmakers also say Ohio House Bill 26 puts law enforcement in Ohio at risk by forcing them to comply with the immigration 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
