Latest news with #HouseBill424
Yahoo
06-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
PDAB expansion nears, FAMLI implementation gets farther off
Lawmakers have one more day of work -- and lots of work to fill that day -- when they return Monday for the last day of the 2025 General Assembly session. (Maryland Matters file photo) With the end of the legislative session looming at midnight Monday, the bills have been coming fast and furious for Maryland lawmakers in recent days — and the pace will only pick up when they return Monday. While they haven't cleared all the hurdles, some bills are pretty clearly on their way to final approval. A bill that would expand the authority of a state board that is working to lower certain prescription drug costs is ready for the governor's consideration, after the Senate passed House Bill 424 on party lines Friday evening. The Prescription Drug Affordability Board is currently tasked with finding ways to reduce the cost of prescription drugs on the state's health plan, saving some taxpayer dollars in the process. The bill would expand the board's authority to set what are called upper-payment limits on prescription drugs in the commercial market. Doing so would limit how much drug purchasers could spend on certain medications, which supporters hope would result in savings for more Marylanders. The bill also increases the number of people who sit on the board's stakeholder council. 'This is a big day for Marylanders who may struggle to pay for their prescription medicines,' Vincent DeMarco, president of the Maryland Health Care for All Coalition, said in a Friday statement. He has been a vocal supporter of the board's efforts and the bill expanding the board's authority. 'With this measure enacted, the board can expand its work and develop common sense solutions to bring down costs for average Marylanders,' he said in the statement. The Senate's 33-12 vote on the House bill sends the measure back to the House for review. If the House approves, the bill will head to the governor's desk for his review and possible signature. House approval is expected, as the Senate version of the bill is in the same posture. The Senate Finance Committee passed a bill – somewhat reluctantly – to delay the implementation of the state's paid family leave act, a program that has been pushed off twice already. The Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) program is set to begin in July. But amid a $3 billion budget shortfall and rapid-fire policy decisions from the Trump administration, the Gov. Wes Moore's (D) administration proposed delaying the start of the program by 18 months, with benefits going out in 2028. House Bill 102 would impose the delay, but some lawmakers are not happy prolonging the start to the program, according to discussions in a Senate Finance Committee voting session Friday. Sen. Dawn Gile (D-Anne Arundel County) said the delay is 'disappointing,' though she understood that it may be a necessary move due to the state's budget concerns. Committee Vice Chair Antonio Hayes (D-Baltimore City) also had heartburn over delaying FAMLI program, which has been pushed off twice since the program was created in 2022. 'This is the third time it's been delayed,' Hayes said. 'It continues to concern me because we've put so much into it, but we are where we are.' Hayes ultimately voted against the bill, along with Democratic Sens. Benjamin Kramer of Montgomery County and Clarence Lam of Anne Arundel and Howard counties. 'I want to see it come to fruition,' Lam said. 'It's important to get this stood up as quickly as possible … there are a lot of people who need that help who could be helped sooner.' But Finance Committee Chair Pamela Beidle (D-Anne Arundel) said the delay is necessary. If the state keeps the current timeline, 'this program is going to start and we're not going to have anything set up for it because we don't have computer programs and we don't have people.' The Finance Committee voted 8-3 for the delay. Republicans who largely oppose the FAMLI program voted to delay the program start date but said that they'd rather not see the program get started at all.
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Here are all the bills Gov. Andy Beshear signed, vetoed, and returned without his signature on Tuesday
FRANKFORT, Ky. (FOX 56) — Ahead of the final veto day before the General Assembly reconvenes, Gov. Andy Beshear took action on 36 bills. According to a Tuesday, March 25, news release, 20 bills that crossed the governor's desk received his signature, 12 were vetoed, and four were returned without action. RELATED | These 17 bills received Gov. Beshear's signature, 4 vetoed for worker's rights and constitutional violations 'We've been laser-focused on addressing the everyday needs of our Kentucky families and communities, and the 20 bills I signed do just that,' Beshear said. 'For example, we will soon have new state laws that allow us to require a financial literacy course for high school students, that add protections against unemployment fraud, and that further safeguard the distribution of opioid settlement funds.' Further, he stated the vetos would protect Kentuckians' access to clean water and prevent unnecessary tolling on the I-69 Ohio River Crossing project. Here's a look at the bills that were vetoed on Tuesday: House Bill 2: 'At a time when Kentuckians are hurting because of higher prices at the grocery, the pump, and for everyday consumer goods, prioritizing tax breaks for purchasers of gold is out of touch with reality for most people in Kentucky,' Beshear said. House Bill 90, a bill relating to freestanding birth centers and abortion access exceptions, Beshear said, would restrict access to medical care, place barriers on doctors, undermine their clinical judgment, and threaten the lives of pregnant women in Kentucky. House Bill 136 would cause the executive branch to breach a contract with a vendor, opening the government up to costly litigation funded by taxpayers. House Bill 399 criminalizes interference with a legislative proceeding, which is already subject to existing laws. House Bill 424 would limit employment protections for educators at Kentucky's colleges and universities. In the governor's veto message, he wrote, 'Team Kentucky's goal should be to attract, recruit, and retain the best and brightest minds at Kentucky's universities and colleges House Bill 424 does the opposite.' House Bill 546 changes the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet's Road Plan, and Gov. Beshear used his line-item veto power to remove phrasing that would have set tolls to fund, in part, the I-69 Ohio River Crossing project. House Bill 566 would give employees of the Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation the discretion to ignore the Executive Branch Ethics Code and allow the president of the corporation to hire gaming investigators who have police powers but do not have to have any training. In a line-item veto message, Beshear wrote, '[I]t appears there may have been a significant conflict of interest in how the corporation went about drafting the bill.' House Bill 684 limits the forms of eligible identification to allow a voter to cast a ballot. House Bill 694 would reverse the decision to fully fund health insurance for retirees by requiring teachers to pay a higher rate much longer than the law calls for. Beshear's veto message stated, 'Breaking this promise is unfair to the teachers we rely on to guide our children and the future of the Commonwealth.' House Joint Resolution 30 sought to appropriate funds through a resolution instead of legislation. Because of that, Gov. Beshear line-item vetoed language to provide more flexibility for completing projects. Senate Bill 28 reportedly violates the Kentucky Constitution and will lead to the disclosure of confidential information on economic development projects Senate Bill 89 eliminates protections currently in place to prevent pollution of groundwater and flooding of creeks, streams, and rivers by redefining 'waters of the Commonwealth.' Man sought by Lexington police reportedly has 7 warrants Here are all the bills Gov. Andy Beshear signed, vetoed, and returned without his signature on Tuesday Security camera footage captures man taking cash out of register from Lexington business Four bills were returned without Beshear's signature. Here's a look at which ones and why: House Joint Resolution 15, Beshear said he aims to show respect to the 79 faith leaders who opposed the resolution by not signing the legislation. In a letter, the faith leaders wrote, 'We believe that this legislation is a misguided effort that will undermine the religious freedom we cherish as people of faith and leaders of faith communities.' House Bill 241, a bill aiming to make changes to the number of non-traditional instruction days allotted to school districts, Beshear said the General Assembly contradicts their actions and attitudes toward in-person learning in comparison to what he experienced during the pandemic. Senate Bill 136 action is due to the General Assembly not providing funding to support the bill. In response, the state will reportedly have to ask a vendor to do programming and IT work for free. If a vendor is unable to do so, the executive branch will have to delay implementation until the General Assembly approves the needed funding. Beshear expressed concern with Senate Bill 201 due to not having enough administrative law judges, and they must be confirmed by the General Assembly before they can begin their service. The following bills will become laws on their effective dates: House Bill 15 lowers the age at which Kentucky drivers can obtain instructional permits from 16 to 15 years old. House Bill 45 aims to strengthen campaign finance regulations. House Bill 315 prohibits 'hostile foreign governments' from indirectly owning, leasing, or otherwise acquiring an interest in agricultural land in the Commonwealth. House Bill 321 addresses issues related to zoning map amendments. House Bill 342 requires a financial literacy course in Kentucky high schools. House Bill 422 makes procedural changes for how emergency regulations are administered through the Commonwealth Office of Technology. House Bill 443 makes Kentucky Highway 80 in Perry, Knott, and Floyd counties part of the Hal Rogers Parkway. House Bill 537 provides clarity regarding the Opioid Abatement Fund. House Bill 682 includes cable operators and broadband providers in the definitions of 'utility' for reimbursement of costs associated with facility relocation. House Bill 701 protects the rights of Kentuckians to use and mine cryptocurrencies. Senate Bill 27 requires the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to create and maintain a Kentucky Parkinson's Disease Research Registry. Senate Bill 68 aims to make several changes aligning with Kentucky Academic Standards. Senate Bill 69 creates certification through the Kentucky Board of Veterinary Examiners to license candidates to work in animal chiropractic and equine dentistry. Senate Bill 129 allows governmental, quasi-governmental, and nonprofit entities to purchase properties placed in a tax delinquency diversion program. Senate Bill 145 changes the period for which delinquency charges can be collected on vehicle payment installments. Senate Bill 162 strengthens protections against unemployment fraud. Senate Bill 179 provides $10 million to create the Nuclear Energy Development Grant Program. Senate Bill 202 creates licensing and regulatory guidelines for THC-infused beverages within the 3-tier system regulated by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. Senate Bill 237 requires certain out-of-state peace officers who were previously employed in another state for 10 years to have passed a physical agility test in the state where they were certified. Senate Bill 244 establishes the Department of Child Support Services and its offices within the Office of the Attorney General's Department of Law. Wednesday, March 26, is the final day for the governor to veto legislation before the General Assembly reconvenes for the last two days of the 2025 regular session. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Beshear vetoes bill Kentucky professors say erodes academic tenure at public universities
Gov. Andy Beshear vetoes a bill that he says 'threatens academic freedom." (Kentucky Lantern photo by Arden Barnes) Saying it 'threatens academic freedom,' Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear has issued a veto to a Republican-backed bill that some Kentucky professors warned would erode academic tenure at the state's public universities and colleges. Rep. James Tipton, R-Taylorsville, argued House Bill 424, was not about tenure in higher education but instead 'employment contracts' between universities and academic employees. If it becomes law, the bill would give universities and colleges the ability to remove faculty members and presidents for not meeting 'performance and productivity requirements' set by the institutions' boards. In his veto message issued Tuesday, Beshear said Kentucky should focus on ways to 'attract, recruit and retain the best and brightest minds at Kentucky's universities and colleges,' which includes having faith in 'our university administrations and faculty to negotiate and offer competitive employment contracts.' 'In a time of increased federal encroachment into the public education, this bill will limit employment protections of our postsecondary institution teachers,' the governor wrote. 'This bill will limit Kentucky's ability to hire the best people and threatens academic freedom.' However, as Republicans hold supermajorities in the House and Senate, they have the votes to override the governor's veto when they return to Frankfort Thursday and Friday to finish the 2025 legislative session. The bill passed both chambers largely on party lines. Over the weekend, United Campus Workers of Kentucky issued an open letter and petition to Beshear asking him to veto the legislation. In their message, the group says the bill would have 'no guardrails in place to preserve the peer-driven academic review processes that have long protected academic freedom and tenure protections from partisan political interference.' Several UCW members previously testified against the legislation when it was heard in Tipton's House committee. The American Association of University Professors and PEN America also denounced the bill in statements ahead of Beshear's veto. Tipton said during House floor debate on the bill he believed the legislation would create 'a more efficient, more effective system of public education for students across the commonwealth.' Kentucky isn't the only state where legislation has been introduced that could jeopardize the integrity of academic tenure for professors. A Nebraska Republican lawmaker recently introduced a bill that would replace academic tenure with annual performance evaluations of faculty members.
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
House rejects Senate changes to bill granting school districts calamity days
Avian Perez looks into his family's flooded trailer for the first time since about 8 feet of water filled it. The Perez family lives at Ramsey Mobile Home Park in Pikeville, one of the Kentucky places hardest hit by flooding in February. (Photo by) FRANKFORT — The Kentucky House on Tuesday rejected Senate changes to a bill originally meant to give relief to Kentucky schools from weather-related closings. In a voice vote, the House refused to concur in the Senate version of House Bill 424. Last week, the Senate tacked on changes that would prevent the Kentucky Department of Education from limiting enrollment in the controversial Kentucky Virtual School. The bill's original sponsor, Rep. Timmy Truett, a McKee Republican and an elementary school principal, told the Senate Education Committee before it approved the changes that the addition could mean the bill doesn't pass at all this session. The original bill would have let districts have up to five required attendance days waived and to lengthen the school day to make up for learning lost to floods, ice, snow and sickness. It also granted them additional days in which students could be taught at home via virtual learning. Some school districts reached the limit of their allotted NTI, or non-traditional instruction, days, because of unexpected winter weather. Some Eastern Kentucky schools were closed because of floods last month. 'This bill started off as a really good bill for all the districts in the state of Kentucky, especially the districts in Eastern Kentucky where I live,' Truett said. 'But you can take a good bill and make it bad. And I'm afraid that with the amendment that may be on this bill that I would have to encourage my colleagues to be against this bill.' Concerns about the Kentucky Virtual School have been reported by the Louisville Courier Journal and Lexington Herald-Leader, which highlighted numerous accusations and lawsuits raised against Stride, a for-profit company that has a contract to run the virtual academy. While it serves students across the state through online instruction, the academy is attached to Cloverport Independent Schools in Breckinridge County. Some Senate Republicans joined Democrats in voting against the measure. However, members of Republican leadership urged support for the changes. Senate President Pro Tem David Givens, of Greensburg, said he was a supporter of the new language and also supports the original provisions for making up school days missed because of weather. 'This door provides relief for those districts,' he said. 'This is vitally important that we do this.' If the Senate refuses to recede from its changes to the bill, the measure will go to a conference committee.
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bill professors fear might erode tenure at Kentucky universities passes House
Rep. James Tipton, R-Taylorsville, speaks on the House floor about a bill that would give universities and colleges the ability to remove faculty members and presidents for not meeting 'performance and productivity requirements." (Kentucky Lantern photo by McKenna Horsley) FRANKFORT — A bill that some Kentucky academics argue could erode faculty tenure in the state's public universities passed the House Tuesday. House Bill 424 from Rep. James Tipton, R-Taylorsville, would give universities and colleges the ability to remove faculty members and presidents for not meeting 'performance and productivity requirements' set by the institutions' boards. The bill would require faculty and presidents to be evaluated at least once every four years. House members voted 78-17 on the bill mostly on party lines. Rep. Scott Lewis, of Hartford, was the only Republican to join most of the chambers' Democrats in voting against the measure. The House also passed in a voice vote a floor amendment to the bill from Tipton that removed the limit on universities' employment contracts. 'This is so we have a more efficient, more effective system of public education for students across the commonwealth,' Tipton said. Tipton repeated past comments he's made about the bill on the floor, again saying the bill was 'not about tenure.' While presenting the bill in the House Committee on Postsecondary Education last week, Tipton said the bill was 'about employment contracts' and not tenure in higher education. Tipton is the chair of that committee and had introduced similar legislation last session. During the committee, a few professors expressed opposition to the bill. Julie Cyzewski, an associate professor at Murray State University, told the committee Tipton's bill 'would deeply complicate and confuse the process of teaching and running the university' and the process laid out in the bill was 'very arbitrary,' which could jeopardize student learning. Michael Frazier, the executive director of the Kentucky Student Rights Coalition, was the only public citizen to support the bill in the committee. He said the coalition supports the bill because it 'does closely protect academic freedom' while ensuring that the 'status quo of higher education does not remain' in the state. On the House floor, Rep. Rachel Roarx, D-Louisville, said she was voting against the bill because it would add 'extra burden to our universities and professors.' She had previously passed her vote in the committee last week. The bill now goes to the Senate for further consideration this session.
