Latest news with #HouseBill269
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Cohn introduces Workforce Freedom and Protection Act
RALEIGH — Rep. Bryan Cohn (NC-32) announced the introduction of the Workforce Freedom and Protection Act on March 5, a legislative effort to remove unnecessary restrictions on employment and promote a more competitive job market in North Carolina. House Bill 269 aims to promote fair labor practices by repealing restrictions on labor organizing, banning non-compete agreements for most workers, and streamlining occupational licensing requirements. 'North Carolinians deserve the freedom to pursue better job opportunities, negotiate fair wages and work without unnecessary restrictions holding them back,' said Cohn. 'The Workforce Freedom and Protection Act is a major step toward ensuring a labor market that provides opportunities for workers and businesses.' Key Provisions of the Bill * Restores Workers' Right to Organize — The bill repeals restrictive laws that limit workers' ability to unionize and collectively bargain for better wages and benefits. * Bans Non-Compete and No-Poach Agreements — Prevents employers from using restrictive contracts to prevent workers earning less than $75,000 from seeking better job opportunities. * Overhauls Occupational Licensing Rules — Directs the Legislative Research Commission to conduct a comprehensive review of licensing requirements that may be unnecessary or overly burdensome, particularly in industries like construction, healthcare and personal care services. * Encourages Wage Growth and Economic Mobility — The bill aims to drive up wages and create a fairer labor market by ensuring workers can seek new opportunities freely. North Carolina's economy depends on a strong and flexible workforce. Unnecessary barriers like non-compete clauses and excessive licensing requirements prevent workers from advancing their careers and small businesses from hiring the best talent. By repealing these outdated restrictions, the Workforce Freedom and Protection Act will boost competition, encourage entrepreneurship, and put more money in the pockets of working families.
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
A bill on housing for transgender students passes Utah Senate committee
A state Senate committee heard emotional testimony on House Bill 269 on Thursday. The bill would prohibit transgender students at public colleges from living in dorms that don't match their biological sex. The bill, which, as the Deseret News previously reported, already received approval from a House committee, continues to generate intense debate. Front and center at the hearing were two Utah State University students — freshman Avery Saltzman and sophomore Marcie Robertson, a transgender resident assistant. The two were randomly assigned to room together. 'I would never have chosen to live on campus in an apartment with a man identifying as a woman,' Saltzman told the Senate Education Committee. '(This situation) puts women in a position where we have to decide to put ourselves at risk... or face social persecution.' 'I began receiving harassing emails and credible threats to safety,' Robertson said. 'If this legislation is truly about the comfort of cis-gender students, then it is sorely counterproductive to remove transgender people from sex-designated housing... Comfort and understanding is not bred out of shoving us in a corner. It's done by open conversation.' The bill passed the Senate Education Committee. All committee members but Sen. Kathleen Riebe, D-Salt Lake City, voted in favor of the bill. The bill now heads to the full Senate. The bill, HB269, tries to balance anti-discrimination protections with privacy concerns over restrooms, locker rooms and housing. Specifically, the bill mandates that individuals stay in rooms that correspond with their sex designation, regardless of their gender identity or even the sex their birth certificate indicates (in the case of birth certificate changes). The ACLU of Utah is opposed to the legislation, as is the Utah House Democratic Caucus, which released a public statement outlining their unanimous opposition to the bill, where they expressed their dismay with the legislation. But supporters of the bill say that the measure ensures safety and privacy. 'We shouldn't be here,' testified Cheryl Saltzman, Avery Saltzman's mother. 'This should never have been allowed to happen. 'My intention... is to protect my three daughters and every single woman."
