Latest news with #HouseBill441
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
NC lawmakers finish flurry of votes ahead of key deadline. Here's what they did.
Good morning and welcome to Under the Dome. I'm Dawn Vaughan, our Capitol bureau chief. Our politics team had a busy few days at the General Assembly, and state lawmakers actually met their 'crossover' deadline early. The self-imposed deadline for most bills to pass at least one chamber is today, but the work wrapped up on Wednesday before sunset. The House was the last to adjourn, around 7 p.m. after passing a slew of bills. Next week, the House and Senate will begin to look at each other's work and decide what bills to move forward. But that's days away, and the legislature's work is finished for the week, aside from House budget writers. Some of the bills that advanced Wednesday would: Make it easier to access ivermectin. Read the story from Luciana Perez Uribe Guinassi. Ban most homeless camps, except in designated areas. Anna Roman has the details. Let private school teachers carry concealed handguns on campus, as T. Keung Hui reports… … and make concealed-carry gun permits valid for life, as Dawn Vaughan reports. Regulate the pharmaceutical drug market in new ways. Luciana Perez Uribe Guinassi explains. Change high school math and social studies requirements. Read the story from T. Keung Hui. And protect parents who won't allow their kids to have gender-affirming care, as Korie Dean reports. And that's not all… During its evening session on Wednesday, the state House also passed two bills that would adopt new state symbols and restore a fishing season. House Bill 441 passed the chamber 113-0 to make the loggerhead turtle North Carolina's state saltwater reptile. There was also unanimous, bipartisan support of House Bill 597, which would make the osprey the state raptor. Unfortunately for supporters of adding state symbols, the Senate rarely takes up those bills, so the symbolic bills tend to languish after passing the House. Between acting on the two state symbol bills, House members voted 77-35 to restore flounder and red snapper season, after a lengthy but mild debate on House Bill 442. — Dawn Baumgartner Vaughan The House also passed a pair of bills aiming to convene a national Convention of States — a heretofore unused method of amending the U.S. Constitution that critics warn could lead to a complete rewrite. If approved, the resolution would add North Carolina to the list of states calling for a convention, suggesting that it pass amendments to institute term limits for federal offices, minimize federal spending and restrict the federal government's power over states. Opponents of the proposal, however, warn that it would be impossible to actually limit the topics of a convention, if it were to happen. Rep. Keith Kidwell, a Beaufort County Republican and one of the more conservative members of the House, broke with his party to oppose the convention. 'I encourage you to not open this constitution to a rewrite, because when you do that, you might not be happy with what comes back,' he said. So far, 28 states have called for a convention, but 34 are required to actually make it happen — a threshold that has never been met in the country's history. Republicans have sought to add North Carolina to that list for years without much success. Last year, lawmakers approved a resolution to do so, but limited the convention's purpose to adding term limits to members of Congress. This year's resolution is more broad and isn't guaranteed to pass the Senate. Asked about the proposal Wednesday, Senate leader Phil Berger said 'we'll see whether or not there's appetite amongst the members.' — Kyle Ingram After a more than six-month legal contest, Republican Jefferson Griffin conceded the race for a seat on the North Carolina Supreme Court on Wednesday, Kyle Ingram reports. Incumbent Allison Riggs will retain her seat by 734 votes. Griffin, alongside the North Carolina Republican Party, contested the election results, calling into question the eligibility of more than 65,000 ballots. Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers ruled earlier this week, ordering the State Board of Elections to certify the election for Riggs, unless Griffin submits an appeal within seven days. Griffin, a state Court of Appeals judge, said in a statement that he does not plan to appeal the federal judge's decision. Here's what Griffin said Wednesday, in full: 'As a judge, I believe everybody, myself included, has a right to their day in court. This effort has always been about upholding the rule of law and making sure that every legal vote in an election is counted. 'I am thankful that our Supreme Court affirmed the holding from our Court of Appeals, recognizing that the North Carolina State Board of Elections failed to follow our Constitution and the laws enacted by our General Assembly. The courts have affirmed that Voter ID is required for all absentee ballots and that you must be a resident of North Carolina to vote in North Carolina elections. These holdings are very significant for securing our state's elections. 'As a judge, I also often have respectful disagreements with my judicial peers. While I do not fully agree with the District Court's analysis, I respect the court's holding — just as I have respected every judicial tribunal that has heard this case. I will not appeal the court's decision. 'I am proud of the efforts of our campaign and our legal team. Thank you to all our supporters and those who have showed dignity and respect towards all during this process. 'My family has given a lot to this campaign. I must thank them from the bottom of my heart. 'I wish my opponent the best and will continue to pray for her and all the members of our court system here in North Carolina. 'I look forward to continuing to serve the people of North Carolina.' The House approved a Parents' Medical Bill of Rights this week that would limit minors' ability to consent to medical treatment without parental consent. Under current law, some minors can confidentially seek treatment for mental health issues, substance abuse or sexually transmitted infections. This bill would require health care providers to first obtain parental consent for a broader range of treatments, including these. House Bill 519 was put forward by House Republicans, including Rep. Jennifer Balkcom, who said it 'doesn't make any sense' that parents would have no role in their child's 'emotional health, STDs and drug or alcohol abuse.' All but four Democrats opposed the bill — among them, Charlotte's Rep. Carla Cunningham. Luciana Perez Uribe Guinassi has the full story. The longtime leader of the North Carolina State Board of Elections, Karen Brinson Bell, was ousted from her role on Wednesday, after the board's new Republican majority voted to replace her. Sam Hayes, who served as general counsel for the state speaker of the House under Tim Moore and Destin Hall, will take on the role. Hayes was made the board's new director in a 3-2 vote, made possible by a law that took effect last week allowing State Auditor Dave Boliek to take control of the NCSBE from Gov. Josh Stein. Boliek appointed three Republicans and two Democrats to the board. Ousting Bell wasn't the only change Republicans made Wednesday in their first meeting in control. Kyle Ingram has the details on power shifts happening inside North Carolina's election board. Today's newsletter was by Dawn Vaughan, Caitlyn Yaede, Kyle Ingram, and Luciana Perez Uribe Guinassi. Check your inbox tomorrow for more #ncpol. Not a subscriber? Sign up on our website to receive Under the Dome in your inbox daily.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
In Utah, the law protects many franchise owners' right to close on a 'religious day'
SALT LAKE CITY, April 15 (UPI) -- When Kelly Clayton was looking for a franchise to purchase in 2019, Nothing Bundt Cakes caught his eye because the company allowed the bakeries to be closed on Sundays. That option sealed the deal for the Utah man and his family. "We would not have purchased the franchise if we would have had to be open on Sunday," said Clayton, who is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, formerly known as the Mormon Church. "This really fit our family values, our desire to worship on Sunday and to keep the Sabbath day holy." The optional Sunday operation also attracted Fawn and Brad Berrett, who have been with the Nothing Bundt Cakes chain for six years. The retired couple are Latter-day Saints who attend church services every week, and they told company officials when they bought a franchise they did not intend to be open on Sundays. The company was good with that, Fawn Berrett said. But last year, Roark Capital, a private equity firm that acquired Nothing Bundt Cakes in 2021, told franchisees they had to be open at least five hours on Sundays starting in February 2025. The Clayton family had bought two franchises by then, one in St. George in 2019 and the other in Spanish Fork in 2024. The Berretts bought a franchise in West Bountiful in 2019, then sold it and opened a Salt Lake City franchise in 2023. After Nothing Bundt Cakes franchise owners discussed the situation with Utah state legislators, Rep. Ken Ivory, R-West Jordan, introduced House Bill 441, the Franchisee Protection Act. The act was unanimously approved by the House of Representatives and passed by the Senate on a 23-2 vote, and Gov. Spencer Cox signed it into law March 17. Under the law, franchisors cannot require franchise owners to be open on a "religious day" when operating that day conflicts with a sincerely held religious belief unless the mandate was part of the existing agreement. In addition, a franchisor cannot mandate that a franchisee accept a religious day operation requirement as part of an amendment to an existing agreement or refuse to renew a franchise agreement based on the franchisee's decision to not comply with a religious day operation mandate. The law does not apply when the original franchise agreement "conspicuously provides" a religious day operation requirement, the franchisee agrees to the requirement through a renewal or an amendment to the agreement or the franchisor and franchisee enter an agreement expanding the number of the franchisee's locations that have a religious day operation. Civil penalties against a franchisor for violating the law are up to $10,000 for a first violation, $25,000 for a second violation within three years after the franchisee filed the complaint for the first violation and $50,000 for a third violation within five years after the first complaint was filed. In a written statement, the company said, "Nothing Bundt Cakes is committed to following all federal, state and local laws in the communities we serve. Guests can check with their local bakeries for hours of operation, and we look forward to being part of Utahns' celebrations and everyday moments for years to come." Nothing Bundt Cakes was founded in Las Vegas in 1997 by friends Dena Tripp and Debbie Shwetz. The company was sold in 2016 to Levine Leichtman Capital Partners, a private equity firm, and then sold five years later to Roark. The specialty cake company, which is based in Addison, Texas, operates in more than 600 locations. Fawn Berrett said company officials told her and her husband they could make more money if they opened their bakery on Sunday. "We said we don't care if we make $20,000 more a week just because we open on Sundays," she said. "It's literally not worth any amount of money." The company said it was just a suggestion, but six months later the Sunday mandate was issued, Berrett said. "Roark Capital is all about making money," she said. "They don't care about individual owners." Ivory said some franchise owners invested their life savings and left corporate jobs based on representations that Nothing Bundt Cakes was a family-friendly and religion-friendly organization that would allow them to be off Sundays. Now, prospective franchisees are negotiating with their eyes open, he said. "The issue is there were promises made and there were disclosures made and not made," Ivory said. "In Utah, we want to make sure that both franchisors and franchisees have full and fair disclosure when they're making business decisions, particularly about having time with family and having the opportunity to worship on the days of their choice. "It's just good, fair, open, transparent business and that's really all this bill is about." The law applies to all days of worship, Ivory said. A franchisor, for example, cannot tell franchisees after they buy a kosher deli under the expectation of being closed on Saturdays that they must begin opening that day, he said. The law applies only to Utah, but it can serve as a model to other states, Ivory said. He pointed out that Sunday is a legal holiday under Utah state code,. "There's been a great deal of attention to the bill nationally, internationally even, and the people that were being burdened and oppressed by franchisors that were frankly, in my opinion, just trying to be bullies," Ivory said. He added, "I'm just gratified to be part of the process where at the state level, when people see things that concern their life and liberty and their property, they can make changes." Clayton said his original franchise contract made Sunday operation optional and protects that option when the agreement comes up for renewal. "It was a very, very tenuous time for us and the other Utah bakeries, as well as those across the country watching what was going on, who were also fighting to stay closed on Sunday for their own religious reasons and some for financial reasons," he said. Clayton described the dispute over operating times as almost a David-and-Goliath situation. "It just was not right to try to crush the small guy," he said. "It's not only our franchise. There are other franchises that are closed on Sunday and it will protect them going forward and also create a situation where companies actually have to be explicit about what you're signing on for. "We love the Nothing Bundt Cakes brand and are grateful to be a part of such a wonderful franchise."
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Higher cigarette tax clears key Hawaii Senate committee
GEORGE F. LEE / FEB. 6 The University of Hawaii Cancer Center in Kakaako. GEORGE F. LEE / FEB. 6 The University of Hawaii Cancer Center in Kakaako. A bill proposing a 2-cent increase in the state cigarette tax that would boost funding for the University of Hawaii Cancer Center passed its first hearing before a key Senate committee Monday despite ongoing opposition from retailers who worry about increased shoplifting and lost cigarette sales. The latest version of House Bill 441 crossed over into the Senate at the midpoint of the legislative session and moved out of the Senate Ways and Means Committee on Monday. If approved this year and signed into law, Hawaii's per-cigarette tax would jump to 18 cents from 16 cents on Jan. 1. The increase would go to the Hawai 'i Cancer Research special fund while simultaneously making it more expensive to buy cigarettes across the islands, with the goal of reducing cancer rates. But UH officials have pushed back against a Senate amendment to HB 441 that would dedicate the additional 2-cent tax to reducing the cancer center's debt on capital improvement costs. Cigarette tax revenue funded construction of the cancer center and its efforts to fight cancer, including reducing tobacco use. 'However, due to the success of smoking cessation efforts, this allocation has declined, indicating both progress in public health and a concerning decrease in resources for the initiatives that have fueled this advancement, ' according to testimony submitted to the Ways and Means Committee by Cancer Center Director Naoto Ueno and UH Manoa Provost Michael Bruno. Don 't miss out on what 's happening ! Stay in touch with breaking news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It 's FREE ! Email 28141 Sign Up By clicking to sign up, you agree to Star-Advertiser 's and Google 's and. This form is protected by reCAPTCHA. 'Now providing less than half the funding compared with that of 2009, this source of allocation is no longer able to support its original intent to provide a top-notch facility, and to invest in the most promising cancer research, clinical care and community outreach.' Increasing the cigarette tax to fund the cancer center has been endorsed by state agencies including the Department of Health and health organizations such as The Queen's Health Systems, Hawai 'i Public Health Institute, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, American Heart Association and 38 people who submitted individual testimony of support. Opposition includes testimony from Tina Yamaki, president of the Retail Merchants of Hawaii. She wrote that an increase in the cigarette tax would disproportionately burden lower-income smokers, 'who are already struggling with the high cost of living in Hawai 'i.' A higher tax also could hurt small businesses, leading to job losses and potential business closures 'in an already fragile economic climate, ' Yamaki said. They could also lose cigarette sales through increased shoplifting and from the loss of customers who might ask military friends and family to buy them tax-exempt cigarettes through Hawaii's military bases, she said. Yamaki also criticized linking cigarette sales to fund cancer center research. 'Cigarette consumption has been steadily declining due to increased awareness and existing tax measures, ' Yamaki wrote. 'Tying funding for critical research and other special funds to an unstable revenue source creates long-term financial uncertainty for the Hawai 'i Cancer Research Special Fund. Alternative, more sustainable funding mechanisms should be considered for this or any other special fund.' A separate Senate bill, SB 1204, would have forced the cancer center to merge with the UH medical school, which UH previously said would jeopardize the center's accreditation. SB 1204 appears dead this session. It represented the latest effort by state Sen. Donna Kim, who chairs the Senate Higher Education Committee, to merge the cancer center with UH's John A. Burns School of Medicine and have the center's director report to the medical school dean. A similar bill Kim introduced in 2020 was opposed by then-UH President David Lassner. Earlier this legislative session, new UH President Wendy Hensel told Kim and other members of the Senate Higher Education Committee that UH would return with a recommendation over whether to merge the cancer center into JABSOM.
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Total abortion ban in Ga? Advocates talk new bill in state house
ATLANTA, Ga. (WSAV) – A bill introduced in the state house could effectively ban elective abortions in Georgia. The legislation, House Bill 441, is called the Georgia Prenatal Equal Protection Act, and it would remove the 6-week timeframe where it is still legal to have an elective abortion under current Georgia law. It would also remove exceptions that allow for an abortion in cases of rape or incest. The only remaining exception in the proposed legislation would be in rare cases where the mother's life is in imminent danger. Supporters and those against HB 441 lined the halls of the Capitol this week. 'We saw state troopers have to show up in numbers to make sure that things stayed civil,' Allison Coffman, Executive Director of the Amplify GA Collaborative, said. At a Wednesday hearing, the room was full, but many more waited outside the doors to make their voices heard. 'This would create a crime scene and force doctors and nurses to choose between risking their livelihoods and providing necessary care,' Alicia Stallworth, GA campaigns director for Reproductive Freedom for All Georgia, said. 'Especially when we have rural hospital closures, and we have maternal mortality rates going up a result of these abortion bans.' Advocates for the legislation argued that they are trying to ensure equal protections for the unborn. 'A child, why should they be murdered for the sin of a person?' State Rep. Emery Dunahoo (R-GA-31, a sponsor of HB 441, questioned during the hearing. The bill would give protection to human embryos from the moment of fertilization. Some argue the proposed restrictions could lead people to seek abortion care outside of a medical setting. 'We need legislators to understand that to keep our community safe within Georgia, we have to say no to HB 441 because people are going to take it in their own hands.' Leah Jones, Director of Maternal Health and Birth Equity Initiatives at SisterSong, said. 'These types of bills kill. They're dangerous, and they're violent.' Others remarked on the fact that, under the proposed legislation, homicide charges could be brought against a pregnant person as well as a medical professional who participates in an abortion or provides follow up care from a miscarriage. 'If there's a loss of pregnancy and they need any kind of additional termination process or procedure, the physician may be too terrified, maybe laws are too restrictive for them to understand how they can move forward in their practice,' Jones said. HB 441 did not get a committee vote, and the Georgia legislative session ends next week, meaning it's unlikely the bill will pass this session. However, advocates say, the bill is likely to be reintroduced next session. 'As somebody who has experienced multiple miscarriages on my journey to becoming a mother, it is heartbreaking and quite scary to imagine a Georgia where myself, my friends, other folks I know, would encounter the legal system when trying to navigate a devastating experience of pregnancy loss.' WSAV reached out to every representative that sponsored this bill but has not yet received a response. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
07-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
UH Cancer Center backs bills to boost cigarette tax 2 cents
GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE @ The University of Hawaii Cancer Center in Kakaako as seen Thursday. GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE @ The University of Hawaii Cancer Center in Kakaako as seen Thursday. The University of Hawaii Cancer Center would receive a welcomed funding boost if the Legislature increases the state's cigarette tax by another 2 cents, while a separate Senate bill would have forced the center to merge with the UH medical school, which UH previously said would jeopardize the center's accreditation. UH officials and health and cancer organizations support Senate Bill 1528 and the latest version of House Bill 441, which would increase the cigarette—or 'little cigar '—tax to 18 cents from 16 cents. The additional tax would be dedicated to the Hawai 'i Cancer Research special fund while simultaneously making it more expensive to buy cigarettes across the islands. The latest version of HB 441 has been scheduled for a House Education Committee this afternoon at the Manoa campus with the UH Board of Regents. SB 1528 has been referred to different Senate committees but has yet to be scheduled for hearings. UH officials Thursday continued to push back against the latest effort by state Sen. Donna Kim—who chairs the Senate Higher Education Committee—to merge the Cancer Center with UH's John A. Burns School of Medicine and have the center's director report directly to the medical school dean. Don 't miss out on what 's happening ! Stay in touch with breaking news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It 's FREE ! Email 28141 Sign Up By clicking to sign up, you agree to Star-Advertiser 's and Google 's and. This form is protected by reCAPTCHA. A similar bill Kim introduced in 2020 was opposed by then-UH President David Lassner. In his testimony at the time, Lassner said Kim's bill usurped the authority of the UH Board of Regents while placing the UH Cancer Center's accreditation from the National Cancer Institute at risk. Kim's 2020 bill 'would replace the judgment and decision of the Board of Regents, which established the Cancer Center in 1981, ' Lassner wrote in testimony at the time, 'without regard for the potentially devastating impacts of such a change.' At the time, the Cancer Center had been designated as one of only 71 NCI-designated cancer centers in the nation. There are now 72. Earlier in 2020, Lassner said the center was visited by a committee composed of cancer center directors from across the county who made their annual visit to the UH Cancer Center to ensure it was complying with NCI guidelines. He quoted the committee for praising the center's 'free-standing center with defined authority ' as 'vital ' for its success and continued NCI designation. Lassner also quoted the chair of the evaluation committee as saying that 'most institutions ' were interpreting NCI guidelines 'as meaning the cancer center director should have the authority equivalent to that of a dean.' Kim's current proposal—SB 1204—provides no justification or reasoning for folding the Cancer Center into the medical school and making the center's director report to the JABSOM dean. During a Senate Higher Education Committee Thursday on SB 1204, new UH President Wendy Hensel told the committee that UH Manoa Provost Michael Bruno was working on developing a recommendation over whether to merge the Cancer Center into JABSOM. Bruno told Kim that the possibility of a merger could 'take advantage of efficiencies.' And UH officials acknowledged that half of the 72 NCI-accredited cancer centers around the country operate within their medical schools. Currently, Hensel said, the Cancer Center sits among 'the top 4 % in the country ' compared with all other cancer centers. Hensel asked Kim to 'respectfully … withdraw the bill ' to give UH time to research the issue and make a recommendation on how to proceed for the 2026 legislative session. Kim, clearly exasperated, said she has been asking for years for a plan and recommendation from UH over what to do about the Cancer Center. But Kim agreed to defer her bill—in yet another sign of the honeymoon period Hensel continues to enjoy with key senators after years of them expressing unhappiness and open frustration toward Lassner and his top administrators. 'Your frustration is certainly justified, ' Hensel told Kim. 'We will get it done.' Before Thursday's Higher Education hearing, Bruno and Cancer Center Director Naoto Ueno wrote in testimony supporting increasing the cigarette tax that Cancer Center funding has fallen as statewide smoking cessation efforts have succeeded. More than 70, 000 people in Hawaii 'are living with cancer and praying for a cure, and each year 2, 300 Hawai 'i residents die of this terrible disease, ' they wrote. Cigarette tax revenue helped build the Cancer Center and its ongoing anti-cancer efforts. 'However, due to the success of smoking cessation efforts, this revenue has declined, indicating both progress in public health and a concerning decrease in resources for the initiatives that have fueled this advancement, ' Nueto and Bruno wrote. 'Now providing less than half the funding compared with that of 2009, this source of revenue is no longer able to support its original intent to provide a top-notch facility, and to invest in the most promising cancer research, clinical care and community outreach.' Opposition includes testimony from Tina Yamaki, president of the Retail Merchants of Hawaii. She wrote that increasing the tax would disproportionately hurt sales for small businesses, 'potentially leading to job losses and closures in an already fragile economic climate. We would also see more people purchasing these products on military bases or having friends and family purchasing it for them.' 'The higher price of these types of goods would only make it more attractive to shoplift, ' Yamaki wrote. Support for an increase in the cigarette tax to help the Cancer Center has come from Hawai 'i Pacific Health, The Queen's Health Systems, the Hawaii Medical Association, the Hawaii Medical Service Association and the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network.
