Latest news with #LegislativeCouncil
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Special session of North Dakota Legislature unclear with legal research underway
North Dakota House lawmakers meet during the final hours of the session on May 3, 2025. (Kyle Martin/For the North Dakota Monitor) A special session of the North Dakota Legislature is still up in the air as the attorney general reviews options to fix an error with a line-item veto. Meanwhile, legislative leaders this week directed staff to do legal research on possible scenarios that would prompt the Legislature to come back into session, including a recent appeals court ruling that affects legislative districts. Gov. Kelly Armstrong's general counsel has asked for an attorney general's opinion on his line-item veto of Senate Bill 2014. Armstrong's veto message only indicated he objected to a $150,000 grant, but the message was accompanied by red lines crossing out a section of the bill that also included $35 million for the Housing Incentive Fund. North Dakota governor unintentionally vetoes $35 million for housing programs Attorney Chris Joseph wrote in his request for an opinion that the red marking 'merely serves as a color-coded visual aid.' He asked for an opinion on whether the governor's written veto message or the visual pen marks on the bill satisfy the constitutional requirements of a line-item veto. Mike Nowatzki, spokesman for the governor, said the opinion will determine the next steps. Armstrong previously said he would call lawmakers back for a special session if necessary to correct the mistake. Legislative Council estimates a special session would cost $65,000 per day. Senate Majority Leader David Hogue, R-Minot, said Wednesday during a meeting of Legislative Management that he asked Legislative Council staff to brief legislative leaders on scenarios that might prompt lawmakers to reconvene. One question Hogue raised is whether the Legislature has a duty to act in response to the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that overturned a 2023 district court ruling that found the state's 2021 redistricting plan unlawfully diluted the voting power of Native American voters. A federal judge had ordered the Legislature to change its district map, but if the appellate court's ruling stands, the state would revert back to the 2021 plan. The plaintiffs, which include the Spirit Lake Nation and Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, have asked for a rehearing before the full 8th Circuit. Hogue also asked staff to provide a legal briefing related to the governor's vetoes and whether that would prompt legislators to reconvene. Armstrong issued seven line-item vetoes on six bills after the session adjourned. Previously, Legislative Council Director John Bjornson said a special session was the only obvious legal remedy to fix the error with the veto, but he said this week his staff continue to research the issue. Other situations that might prompt the Legislature to reconvene are a significant drop in the price of oil that changes the state's budget outlook or federal funding cuts that have major impacts to state or local subdivisions, Hogue said. If lawmakers call themselves back into session, they have six remaining days of their 80-day limit. If Armstrong calls a special session, that would not affect the 80-day limit. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Asahi Shimbun
19 hours ago
- Politics
- Asahi Shimbun
Lower House reviews three bills on dual surname issue
Takahiro Kuroiwa of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan goes over the outline of a bill he submitted for dual surnames during the Lower House Committee on Judicial Affairs' meeting on May 30. (Takeshi Iwashita) The Lower House Committee on Judicial Affairs began discussions on May 30 on multiple opposition party bills that would allow married couples to have different surnames, the first time it has met on the issue since 1997. The three bills vary in framework and were submitted by the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, the Democratic Party for the People and the Japan Innovation Party (Nippon Ishin). Even though all three bills are unlikely to pass, any making it to the voting stage would mark a first for any piece of dual surname legislation and put the pertinent party's convictions to the test. One past instance where resolve crumbled was in 1991 when the justice minister at the time requested the ministry's Legislative Council to review the single-surname policy. Japan's ratification of the United Nation's Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) prompted this request because the CEDAW committee usually demanded its member parties to correct their domestic laws discriminating against women. The Legislative Council then proposed allowing each spouse to choose their last names in 1996 and the government responded positively with a plan to submit a bill to revise related civil laws. The plan was shut down after opposition from conservative members of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. The next push for dual surnames saw more success when the now-dissolved Democratic Party of Japan's bill made it to the Lower House in 1997. However, the Judicial Affairs Committee discussed the bill but didn't hold a vote and the bill was abandoned. Although married couples can choose to adopt either spouse's last name, more than 90 percent of women change their surname to their husband's. This has prompted four separate instances, as of last year, where the CEDAW committee has recommended that the Japanese government revise the civil law around family names. SAME INTENT, DIFFERENT APPROACHES The ruling LDP has lawmakers who both support and oppose the issue. This internal division has led to the party postponing its decision on whether to submit its own bill and no set timeline on when this would occur. The three bills submitted were discussed simultaneously during the Lower House committee session, with lawmakers from each party outlining each of their respective bills. Of these, the bill of the CDP of Japan most closely matches what the Justice Ministry's Legislative Council proposed and would grant married couples the freedom to either share or keep their respective surnames. If a couple opts for separate last names, the legal marriage process will include a required step where they must choose which name their children will use should they have any. Regardless of their choice of a single or separate surnames, the couple and their children are registered as the same family. The DPP's bill is also based on the Legislative Council's outline. Its key difference is that couples must choose who to register as the head of the family and this will dictate the surname of any future children. The party tailored its bill to better suit couples without children in recognition that not every married couple has them. Nippon Ishin, meanwhile, is the outlier. Its bill maintains the one-surname policy but also provides legal assurances for the official use of maiden names as the practice currently has no legal framework. Its outline indicates that spouses have the option to also register a maiden name that can be used for the My Number Card system without having to also list their registered surname. Further discussion on the three bills will occur next week and requests for expert testimonies are also expected. The CDP currently chairs the committee and the party appears to be seeking a vote, a contrast to the LDP's current indecisiveness.
Asahi Shimbun
20 hours ago
- Asahi Shimbun
Hakamata's sister asks for review of Japan's retrial system
The sister of Iwao Hakamata, a former boxer who was acquitted of murder charges after spending decades on death row, is seeking an overhaul of Japan's retrial system to prevent similar miscarriages of justice. Hideko Hakamata, 92, sister of Iwao, 89, who was acquitted last year in a retrial, called for an urgent revision of the law to legal and prosectural officials at a meeting on May 30. The Legislative Council subcommittee, an advisory body to the justice minister, is considering a review of the retrial system. It held the meeting to hear from Hideko, along with Iwao's lawyer and others. 'As a human being, would you consider the fact that Iwao worked so hard for 47 years and seven months?' Hideko asked the subcommittee members. Iwao was arrested and indicted in 1966 for the murder of four members of the family of the managing director of a miso manufacturing company in Shizuoka Prefecture. In 1980, the Supreme Court upheld his death sentence for robbery and murder. The following year, he began his legal fight for a new trial. In 2010, during the second retrial request, color photographs of 'five articles of blooodstained clothing' were included in the disclosed evidence. The photographs subsequently became a major point of contention showing the evidence was likely fabricated at the start of his retrial and acquittal. At this point, however, 29 years had elapsed since the first request for a retrial. 'If (the photographs) had been disclosed sooner, Iwao's suffering would have been shortened,' Hideko said. 'There should be no such thing as hiding what evidence exists. And moreover, it is a matter of a human life.' The Code of Criminal Procedure, which sets forth the procedures for criminal trials, has 509 articles, but only 19 of these relate to retrials. There are no rules on the disclosure of evidence and problems with 'retrial disparity,' which depend on the attitude of the judge in charge of the case, have been pointed out. In Iwao's case, it took 42 years from the first request for a retrial to the decision to initiate a retrial. One of the reasons for the lengthy proceedings was the lack of procedural rules, such as the designation of a date for the retrial. Hideko spoke for Iwao, whose mental illness from his long years of incarceration have made it difficult for him to communicate with her. 'For a long time, it was a struggle against an invisible power," she told the subcommittee. '(We) didn't know who (we) were fighting or for how long. My brother was arrested at the age of 30 and his whole life was ruined. What was the government doing during this time?' She added: 'There is no doubt that the law is inadequate. If what Iwao has struggled with for so long can at least be useful in the form of a revision of the law, I couldn't be happier.'
HKFP
a day ago
- Politics
- HKFP
Hong Kong leader pledges ‘full support' to local universities to attract overseas students amid US crackdown
Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee has pledged 'full support' to the city's universities to attract foreign students following US President Donald Trump's move to restrict international enrolment. 'Hong Kong will provide full support to our universities, giving [affected students] the best assistance if they wish to come to Hong Kong,' Lee told lawmakers in Cantonese during a question-and-answer session in the Legislative Council (LegCo) on Thursday. His remarks come after the US State Department vowed on Wednesday to 'aggressively' expel Chinese students and increase scrutiny of future applications from China and Hong Kong. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday ordered a pause in student visa processing until further notice and planned to expand social media vetting. The Trump administration also attempted last week to ban Harvard University from enrolling foreign nationals. A US judge temporarily blocked the move, calling it unlawful. Lee said on Thursday that he felt 'encouraged' by local universities' offers of streamlined admission into their programmes for those affected by Trump's policy. The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) and the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) are among the higher education institutions in the city that have openly appealed to international students in the US. Lee also said he could further review the quota for international student intake at local universities if needed, after already doubling the limit to 40 per cent last year. 'I notice that the intake quota can still absorb a lot of students who are facing unfair treatment. I will review the quota if needed,' he said. He added that the US policy against foreign students provided Hong Kong with an opportunity to bring in talent. Hong Kong currently offers 30,000 places for international students at its eight publicly funded universities. Earlier this week, Lee said the city would open its universities to more international students facing 'discriminatory and unfair treatment' by the US. The city's education minister Christine Choi last week urged local universities to welcome 'outstanding students from all over the world.' 'Burning urgency' At the LegCo meeting, Lee also agreed with lawmaker Lau Kwok-fan's suggestion to expedite the establishment of a university town as part of the Northern Metropolis development plan. Lee said he felt 'a burning urgency' to speed up the development of the Northern Metropolis, which will encompass about a third of Hong Kong's territory in the vast area neighbouring mainland China's Shenzhen. Lau, from pro-establishment political party the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB), also suggested that the government establish a statutory body to oversee the development plan and draft special legislation that preempts any legal matters in the course of the development. Lee said the government would consider Lau's ideas. The Northern Metropolis, which is set to transform 30,000 hectares of land along the border, will house 2.5 million people and create 500,000 jobs, according to the government. But villagers who have been living there for decades said their lives would be uprooted by the project, while green groups warned that the development would threaten and damage wetland areas that are home to endangered wildlife. Last month, the High Court threw out a legal challenge mounted by activists against the San Tin Technopole, a planned tech zone that would be the centre of the Northern Metropolis project.
West Australian
a day ago
- Politics
- West Australian
Shelley Payne ends term as WA Labor MLC
My time as a member of the Legislative Council came to an end on May 21. It's been an honour to serve you as a member for the Agricultural Region during the last four years. It's been a busy job, but one I've thoroughly enjoyed. It was with great pride that I was able to establish the first WA Labor electorate office in Esperance in more than 30 years when former Premier Mark McGowan officially opened my office in 2021. I'm grateful to have met so many wonderful and hardworking people across our electorate during this time, listening to your concerns, and advocating for the needs of the many communities across the region. I am thankful to the many volunteers I've met that keep our communities safe and keep all our community groups running. Without you all, our communities wouldn't be what they are. As one of the few women to have had the pleasure of representing this region, it has been an absolute privilege to advocate for women, seniors, our First Nations people and those doing it tough. Our grant funding has supported many local sports clubs including new night lights at Esperance and Ports football clubs, Beach Volleyball Club and Esperance Kart Club. I'm excited to see there is new funding on the way for artificial turf at the hockey club. Our State-run Lotterywest has been a great help with funding for infrastructure upgrades at Esperance Goldfields Surf Lifesaving Club, funding to help Esperance Civic Centre bring more shows to town, and funding to help Esperance Care Services, Esperance Crisis Accommodation, Esperance Tjaltjraak Native Title Aboriginal Corporation, Esperance Mechanical Restoration Group and many more. We've seen some wonderful new bike paths constructed across town, in partnership with the Shire of Esperance, thanks to the WA Bicycle Network Grants Program. Other local infrastructure projects that I was happy to see completed were the new Tafe building and the new jetty at Bandy Creek. I'm looking forward to the completion of the new Taylor Street jetty. It's been great to see the benefits of our Regional Economic Development grants awarded to local businesses to help with our booming tourism industry, such as Lucky Bay Brewery, Esperance Distillery and Bread Local. We've also helped local businesses such as Esperance Smash Repairs, Bedford Harbour Engineering, and Drake-Brockman Building and Construction. Our animal welfare grants have helped Lori-Ann and Colin to set up the new Esperance Wildlife Hospital, and Lynn at Roo Haven. It has been fantastic to see the implementation our nation-leading Plan for Plastics aimed at removing single-use plastics. We've also seen the implementation of our Containers for Change program which has saved more than three billion containers from landfill, with more than $12 million donated to schools, charities and community groups. I've done lots of driving across Esperance, the Great Southern and the Wheatbelt during the past four years, and had many trips to Perth for parliamentary sittings. Being on the road a lot, I am so thankful we've been able to invest more than $1 billion into regional road safety upgrades, with more than 10,000km completed already. This investment has been crucial to making our regional roads safer. We've seen the installation of four new electric vehicle chargers in town thanks to our State Government-run entity Horizon Power, and the completion of our EV Network, Australia's longest EV network. I've been delighted to see local residents experience the benefits of the introduction of the Regional Airfares Cap helping to connect those in the regions to Perth. We've also delivered a new Esperance bus service and reduced the prices of TransWA bus fares. Please use the local bus service so we can keep it operating. It is free for seniors with a seniors card. Attending medical appointments in the city is costly and it has been so good to see more Patient Assisted Travel Scheme funding, with increases to the overnight accommodation rate and per kilometre travel rebate. We've helped out seniors with the $400 Seniors' Safety and Security Rebate and we've announced our second increase to the Regional Pensioner Travel card — to $775 on July 1. I was pleased to be able to distribute an Esperance Seniors Directory to every senior in Esperance. We've delivered $2100 in electricity rebates to every household. I know this has made a big difference to help with the cost of living. We all know how expensive it is to keep up with school expenses, so I'm happy to see that we are delivering the second round of the Student Assistance Payment, giving another $150 to every kindy or pre-primary school student and $250 to primary and secondary school students. Along with the Country Week Assistance payment of $500 for Esperance students, this extra funding should really help. I look forward to the work that will soon get under way for planning of the new Esperance Senior High School. Further supporting those in need, we've delivered the rent relief program, slashed stamp duty for first-homebuyers, and expanded the school breakfast program to five days a week, in partnership with Foodbank. We've also invested significantly in support for mental health and domestic violence prevention. Our Government has achieved a lot this past term, making the biggest investment into regional WA than any other government in history. We've achieved a lot in Parliament, too, passing more than 140 pieces of legislation during the term, including making important legislative changes to modernise our abortion laws. With WA Labor elected for a third term, we are able to continue some of our great work supporting communities across WA. Particularly, I am pleased we can continue our investment into regional road safety upgrades, and continue the regional airfares cap, helping to connect regional people to the city. I wish everyone and their families all the best and look forward to seeing you around town.
