Latest news with #HouseBill439
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
NC House committee approves two more concealed weapon bills
(Photo by Aristide Economopoulos/NJ Monitor) The North Carolina House Judiciary 2 Committee voted Tuesday afternoon to advance two bills targeting the regulation of concealed weapons, moving them along to the House Rules Committee. House Bill 427, 'CCW Permit/No Records Provided,' pertains to the mental health of an applicant for a concealed handgun permit — the latest in a number of measures aiming to alter the regulation of guns and concealed carry. Its primary sponsors are Reps. Keith Kidwell (R-Beaufort, Dare, Hyde, Pamlico), Ben Moss (R-Moore, Richmond), Joseph Pike (R-Harnett), and Bill Ward (R-Camden, Gates, Hertford, Pasquotank). At the moment, North Carolina law requires the disclosure of records concerning the mental health or capacity of applicants for concealed handgun permits. This bill would modify the law to ask for a 'yes' or 'no' statement indicating whether the applicant has been diagnosed by a medical professional with a mental illness. In explaining the bill, Kidwell said the release of medical records for background checks when applying for a concealed weapon permit are meant to be used only to look at a person's mental capacity. Instead, he said, there have been situations across the state in which additional non-mental health information has been released — for example, if a person had had a vasectomy or if they've had their tonsils removed. 'What this seeks to do is to put it in a situation where only the mental health piece of it would be what's checked on to verify that somebody can legally get a concealed carry permit,' Kidwell said. The panel also approved a technical amendment from Rep. Charles Smith (D-Cumberland) to provide additional privacy to the applicant and medical personnel. The other piece of legislation, House Bill 439, 'Allow Concealed Carry of Knife,' does as its title suggests. Kidwell, Pike, and Ward serve as the bill's primary sponsors. Current law allows people to carry concealed pocketknives. Under HB 439, individuals above 18 years of age who are carrying identification and have not been convicted of a felony may carry a knife as described: a bowie knife, a dirk, a dagger, or a switchblade. 'I think most gentlemen and many women carry concealed blades, and this is just going to make it a situation where you're not going to be arrested for doing so,' Kidwell said. He accepted an amendment from Smith to add additional language prohibiting knives in places where concealed handguns may not be carried. 'I think this bill is putting knives on the same level as firearms,' Smith said. 'My hope is to make that really consistent and just have sort of corresponding language.' Rep. Deb Butler (D-New Hanover) said she approved of the amendment, since it attempts to create parity between a firearm and a knife.
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
While you were sleeping: into the final Friday
Sen. Harold Pope (D-Albuquerque) carried House Bill 128, which would create the local solar access fund to provide grants for solar energy systems, one of a slew of bills passed in the evening session Thursday. (Danielle Prokop / Source NM) Thursday veered into Friday with the New Mexico Senate remaining on the floor until nearly 1 a.m. The House, after a long night and a nine-hour floor session, tapped out just before 10 p.m. In the evening session, the Senate passed House Bill 128, which would create the local solar access fund to provide grants for solar energy systems; House Bill 296, which would make it easier for out-of-state public accountants to practice in New Mexico; House Bill 101, which would permit law enforcement to carry firearms at polling places; House Bill 93, which would allow utilities to apply for grid improvement projects to the Public Regulation Commission; House Bill 439 which would require emergency dispatcher training for Telecommuter CPR training; House Bill 140, which would update the definition of Hazardous Waste to include PFAS from firefighting foams, and allows the New Mexico Environment Department the authority to mandate cleanup; and House Bill 178, which would make a series of changes to state laws related to nursing, such as clarifying the scope of practices and expanding the Board of Nursing powers. One bill that did not clear the floor, House Bill 255, would have allowed 14 to 18-year-olds to be prosecuted as adults for voluntary manslaughter, in an amendment by the House Judiciary committee, and increased sentences for children in secure facilities. The debate on the bill, which stretched towards 1 a.m. followed a March 19 news release from Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham imploring the Legislature for failing to pass 'any substantive legislation to deal with juvenile crime.' Her message followed and cited the high profile arrests of teenagers accused or murder in the hit-and-run death of a cyclist last year. Earlier in the day, Sen. Linda López (D-Albuquerque) removed herself from sponsoring the bill on the floor. She introduced an amendment to strike voluntary manslaughter from the bill, which failed. HB255 failed in a 13-24 vote. The House, after hitting the three-hour debate limit, passed Senate Bill 83, a bill which would employ $10 million dollars —split across seven state agencies — to address climate change; and Senate Bill 23, which would raise royalty rates for oil and gas for the first time in nearly five decades. 'New Mexico is home to some of the most sought-after natural resources in the world, yet we're currently charging well below even the standard market rates,' sponsor Rep. Matthew McQueen (D-Galisteo) said on the floor. 'By simply charging what our state's prime mineral interests are actually worth, we can increase payments to our schools, hospitals, and universities by hundreds of millions of dollars.' The bill would raise an additional estimated $50 to $75 million each year. If signed, the increases would only apply to new oil and gas leases on certain tracts of land in July 2025. The House also passed Senate Bill 37, which would create a separate fund to allow the state to purchase water rights or leasing, without those funds expiring for the Strategic Water Reserve. The Strategic Water Reserve, established in 2005 is a program that allows the New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission to buy, lease or accept donated water to keep flows in New Mexico's rivers for two purposes: to send downstream and comply with interstate stream compacts; or to benefit endangered species. SB37 would allow a third purpose: to ensure that water can help recharge aquifers; and would allow the state to prioritize water that could have supplementary benefits, such as recreation or cultural uses, if it meets one of the three primary purposes. Advocates celebrated the bill's passage and urged the governor to sign the bill. 'New Mexico's waters are becoming increasingly difficult to manage under the impacts of climate change,' Conservation Voters New Mexico Conservation Director Zoe Barker said in a statement.'This modernized Strategic Water Reserve will help keep streams flowing for the benefit of wildlife, recreation, cultural resources and downstream deliveries.' BTW, the Strategic Water Reserve should not be confused with the Strategic Water Supply, House Bill 137, the once contentious bill that now addresses brackish water development. The bill is still awaiting a full hearing in the Senate. Strategic Water Supply slides over to Senate SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Pennsylvania's CROWN Act legislation advances
HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) — Pennsylvania is one step closer to making it illegal to discriminate against a person based on their hair. House Bill 439, also known as the CROWN Act, is now headed to the Senate State Government Committee for a vote after passing the state House Monday, according to State Rep. La'Tasha Mayes (D-Allegheny). 'Today we take another significant step towards ending race-based discrimination in our commonwealth and creating a respectful and open world for natural hair,' Mayes said. 'It is shameful that such a basic protection has still not been codified into our state law after years of legislative action. No one should face discrimination for wearing their hair as it naturally grows from their head or in protective styles such as locs, braids or cornrows. The CROWN Act deserves an immediate vote from the state Senate to protect our workers, students, and other members of the public from this insidious type of discrimination.' The bill passed the state House with a vote of 194-8. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now H.B. 439 would 'amend the PA Human Relations Act to prohibit discrimination based on a person's hair type, hair texture or hairstyle, including for Pennsylvania employers. During the previous legislation, the CROWN Act did pass the state house with a vote of 182-21 but it was never brought before the Senate. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
