Latest news with #SB11
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Prayer period in schools backed by Texas Legislature
Despite constitutional concerns from opponents, the Texas Legislature forged ahead in a key vote on Thursday to allow a period for prayer or religious study — part of a larger national movement to infuse more Christianity into schools. With all Republicans present voting yes, the House approved the measure 91 to 51 at the end of hours of debate in which some lawmakers questioned bill language that allows teachers to encourage students to pray — including praying according to a different faith. The Senate had voted 23-7 for the measure in March. After a final, procedural vote that could happen as early as Friday, the bill will head to Gov. Greg Abbott, who is expected to sign it. The bill goes into effect September 1. The bill, Senate Bill 11 by Galveston Republican Sen. Mayes Middleton, allows school districts to adopt a policy to provide students and staff a daily period of prayer or time to read a religious text. The bill requires school districts to take a vote on whether or not to allow the prayer or study period within six months of the law going into effect — but permits students, with consent of a parent or guardian, to have a prayer or study period either way. It also bans any prayer or religious reading over a loudspeaker, or in the presence of any student who does not have a consent form signed. Rep. David Spiller, a Republican from Jacksboro who sponsored the bill in the House, said the bill provides clarity for school districts that are 'caught between community expectations and legal uncertainty.' 'SB 11 is about protecting the freedom of those who choose to pray, and just as importantly, protecting the rights of those who choose not to,' he said on the House floor. Proponents of this and related bills say teaching Christianity encourages positive behavior and is core to learning the nation's history — a message that has resurged in recent years as part of a broader national movement that considers the idea of church-state separation a myth and that regularly condemns what movement leaders say is a generations-long moral decline. 'We are a state and nation built on 'In God We Trust.' You have to ask: are our schools better or worse off since prayer was taken out in the 1960s?' Middleton wrote in a statement provided to the Tribune upon the bill's passage. 'Litigious atheists are no longer going to get to decide for everyone else if students and educators exercise their religious liberties during school hours.' Supporters in the state and beyond have been emboldened by the 2019 Supreme Court decision Kennedy v. Bremerton School District, in which the court ruled a football coach could lead prayers on the field after games. But Robert Tuttle, a professor of religion and law at George Washington University, said allowing a private individual to pray — as in the Kennedy case — is different from offering students time to pray. Last June, a federal court struck down a Louisiana law requiring all public school classrooms display the Ten Commandments — the first state to pass such a law. The state is appealing the decision. Texas is considering the same policy, one of at least 16 states to do so. If passed, it would be the largest state to require the Ten Commandments to be in every classroom. Tuttle said it's hard to see how the Texas law on a period of prayer might pass legal muster, given that the First Amendment prohibits the state imposing a religion. 'The state really is just acting with the intention of promoting religious observance, and that's not one of the permitted purposes the state has under current law,' he said. He also said that despite the Supreme Court trending in a more conservative direction, its decision Thursday that leaves in place a prohibition on the establishment of a religious charter school in Oklahoma could mean that the Court, for now, is not throwing out that principle. Opponents — free speech and civil rights groups such as the Texas Freedom Network and the American Civil Liberties Union — say that the bill encroaches on religious freedoms. The teachers union said it opposes SB 11 because they believe it violates the principle of separation of church and state: 'Public schools are not supposed to be Sunday school,' said spokesperson Clay Robison. Vikki Goodwin, a Democrat from Austin, said on the House floor Thursday that students were already allowed to pray if they chose to, and that the school voucher bill passed earlier this session helps families send students to private schools, some of which offer religious instruction. 'Government officials have no business interfering with these deeply personal and constitutionally-protected matters,' she said. During the debate, other Democratic lawmakers, including Rep. James Talarico of Austin, raised questions about the language removing the prohibition on encouraging students to pray. Would this mean, he asked, that a teacher could recommend students pray in a manner prescribed by a different faith, such as Islam. Spiller affirmed that could happen, but said it wasn't relevant to the debate, and that district employment contracts could prohibit that. In 2021, Texas signed into law a requirement that schools display 'In God We Trust' signs, but only if they were donated by a private foundation. In 2024, the state board of education approved Bible-infused teaching materials. Beyond the period of prayer and the Ten Commandments measures, arguments in favor of emphasizing Christianity in schools were part of the consideration of other bills moving through the Legislature this session, including one on teaching the history of communism and another requiring schools to use the terms 'Anno Domini' (AD) — Latin for 'in the year of the Lord,' and 'Before Christ' (BC) when expressing dates, starting in the 2026-27 school year. Disclosure: Texas Freedom Network has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here. First round of TribFest speakers announced! Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Maureen Dowd; U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-San Antonio; Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker; U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff, D-California; and U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Dallas are taking the stage Nov. 13–15 in Austin. Get your tickets today!
American Press
03-05-2025
- Automotive
- American Press
Jim Beam column:Vehicle inspections to continue
Louisiana motorists don't much care for vehicle inspections but a state legislator's five-year effort to end them has failed again.(Photo courtesy of Louisiana Rep. Larry Bagley is like the Energizer battery 'bunny that keeps on ticking.' The Republican from Stonewall lost his fifth effort Monday to try and eliminate the state's vehicle inspections and the odds are that he will try again. Two other bills affecting Louisiana motorists are enjoying more success. One raises the fine for slow drivers who stay in the left lane too long. The other, if approved, would eliminate, except in school zones, all speed and red light cameras used to catch drivers who are violating traffic laws. The House Transportation Committee voted 6-5 to defer Bagley's House Bill 232. Three of the five votes for the bill were cast by GOP Reps. Ryan Bourrique of Grand Lake, chairman of the committee, Rodney Schamerhorn of Hornbeck and Phillip Tarver of Lake Charles. The Center Square reported that Bagley argues that the current inspection system is outdated, ineffective and ripe for abuse. Under current law, passenger cars, trailers and low-speed vehicles must display valid safety inspection stickers issued by the state. Bagley's bill would have only kept inspections for commercial and student transportation vehicles. Bagley's 2024, 2020, 2019 and 2017 bills never got far. The 2019 bill got out of committee but died on the House calendar before a final vote. Louisiana State Police have received some of the $10 cost of annual inspections and that has always been a problem for Bagley. However, he had a solution this year with HB 221 that would have levied a $10 motor vehicle inspection tax. The state Office of Motor Vehicles that handles inspections would have received $1.25 of the $10. State Police would have received $4 for training police officers and $4.75 for traffic enforcement. Radio 710KEEL in Shreveport quoted Bagley who said, 'What I'm going to do is add $10 a year to the registration fee, which is what you would pay anyway, but you won't have to go down and keep up with the inspection sticker. And if you get caught without one (inspection sticker), it's $200.' Only 13 states don't require regular safety, emissions or VIN inspections for vehicles owned by residents, according to They are Alaska, Arkansas, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, South Carolina, South Dakota, Florida, Washington and Wyoming. I watched the committee debate at the Legislature. I'm guessing that the woman who testified that there are 500 inspection stations in Louisiana may have given legislators a major reason for opposing Bagley's bill. That is all that many of those stations do. State Sen. Jay Luneau, D-Alexandria, is sponsor of SB 11 that raises the fine of slow drivers who stay in the left lane from $100 to $150 on first offense, and the fine increases for additional offenses within a year. The bill cleared the Senate 35-3 and is in the House. Sen. Stewart Cathey Jr., R-Monroe, is sponsor of SB 99 that started out clarifying that public officials violating traffic camera regulations constitutes malfeasance in office. However, the Senate didn't object to an amendment by Sen. Alan Seabaugh, R-Shreveport. The bill then passed the Senate 32-6. The amendment eliminates all speed enforcement devices except for those used in school zones during specified hours. And it prohibits the use of red light cameras in Louisiana. The legislation also mandates clear signage that indicates the presence of automated speed enforcement devices and mobile speed cameras. Local authorities that sponsor those devices and cameras would also have to disclose revenue from the devices. Traffic law violators usually get mail notices that they have been photographed and Cathey's bill requires local authorities to establish an administrative hearing process for appealing citations. Legislators have tried many times to do away with all of the traffic monitoring devices but have been unsuccessful. Whether they will accept Cathey's bill in the House the way it has been amended remains to be seen. KEEL News asked Cathey about revenue from traffic monitoring devices and he called them 'a huge money grab for many towns.' Cathey said Clayton, Louisiana, got $21,000 in traffic fines in 2022 but in 2023 after speed cameras were installed the town took in almost $500,000. Vehicle inspections are questionable government operations. However, they do improve traffic safety. Whether members of the House will accept Cathey's bill the way it has been amended remains to be seen. Whatever happens, look for Bagley to be back next year. Jim Beam, the retired editor of the American Press, has covered people and politics for more than six decades. Contact him at 337-515-8871 or Reply Forward Add reaction
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Anti-distraction policy in schools becomes law in NM
New Mexico public school districts and charters have until Aug. 1 to implement a phone-free policy for students. (Photo by SDI Productions via Getty Images) Public school districts have about three months to develop phone-free policies for students, an initiative passed during the recent legislative session and signed by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham this month. Senate Bill 11, sponsored by Sen. Crystal Brantley (R-Elephant Butte), requires all New Mexico school districts and charter schools to develop rules for students' use during instructional time of cell phones, smart watches, tablets, laptops and gaming devices in an effort to limit distractions and improve student performance. 'This bill isn't just about test scores. It's about showing our kids that we care enough about their future to take practical steps forward when we can,' Brantley said in a written statement. 'Reducing distractions helps not only academic outcomes but also our students' mental health, safety, and focus.' According to the bill, districts have until Aug. 1 to create and implement a 'wireless communication device policy.' The bill also states that the Public Education Department will provide districts with guidelines for minimum policy requirements, and outlines possible requirements such as: limiting device usage during instructional hours; allowing teachers to grant students permission to use devices during instructional time; allowing students to use devices in emergency situations or for accessibility needs; and establishing consequences for violating the policy. Lujan Grisham signed the bill on April 10, ahead of the April 11 deadline she had for taking action on legislation passed by the Legislature and sent to her desk. In a legislative message, Lujan Grisham described SB11 as a 'first step towards meaningful regulation' of electronic devices in New Mexico schools. However, she called out lawmakers for amending the original bill and making participation in creating policies optional for districts. 'The Legislature squirmed out of taking a meaningful step to improve education under the auspice[s] of local control,' Lujan Grisham wrote. 'That is all well and good until this same body blames the Public Education Department—and now the local bodies—for poor educational outcomes of New Mexico students. I once again encourage the Legislature to hold local school districts accountable for educational outcomes. Our students deserve it.' Kelly Jameson, director of communications for Las Cruces Public Schools, told Source NM in a written statement that the district supports the 'intent of SB11 to create safer, more focused learning environments for all students.' She added that the LCPS Board of Education adopted a policy in 2009 concerning the use of electronic communication devices in school. The policy notes that having a device in school is 'a privilege' that can be taken away. The LCPS board also adopted a regulation in 2023 that outlines by grade level when students may use devices during the school day. For example, elementary students may only use devices before or after school. Middle school students may use their devices during lunch periods, but not during passing periods between classes and regulations for high school students are more lenient. Violating the LCPS policy can mean devices are confiscated; devices must be left in the school's front office during the school day; or other disciplinary actions are taken with multiple violations. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
NM Gov calls out lawmakers for inadequately addressing needs of New Mexico children
New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed two bills this week concerning New Mexico children, but called out lawmakers for missed opportunities. (Photo by Austin Fisher / Source NM) Bills requiring the regulation of cell phones in schools and that hospitals have a safe care plan for substance-exposed newborns were signed into law this week, but Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham used the bills to point out lawmakers' missed opportunities. Lujan Grisham signed 22 bills into law on Thursday, including Senate Bill 11, which requires local school districts and charter schools to adopt a wireless communication device policy; and Senate Bill 42, which requires hospitals have a plan of safe care in place when newborns are found to be exposed to controlled substances and requires their parents to participate in the Comprehensive Addiction Recovery Act program. In a memo explaining her decision to sign SB11, the governor said that while it was a 'first step' toward regulating cell phone use in schools, she was 'profoundly disappointed' that lawmakers chose to amend the bill to make compliance optional for local districts. The amendment loosens the wording around the Public Education Department's minimum requirements for local policies. 'Once again, however, the Legislature squirmed out of taking a meaningful step to improve education under the auspices of local control,' the governor wrote. 'That is all well and good until this same body blames the Public Education Department-and not the local bodies-for poor educational outcomes of New Mexico students. I once again encourage the Legislature to hold local school districts accountable for educational outcomes. Our students deserve it.' Lujan Grisham had a similar response in her veto message about House Bill 65, which would have clarified that local school districts have the authority to determine the number of instructional days in their school calendar. Instead, she voiced her support of a 2024 PED rule – which has not been enforced – requiring local districts to have a minimum of 180 days in their calendars. PED's 180-day school calendar rule back in the courts In another memo this week, Lujan Grisham explained that she chose to sign SB42 because of its requirement that parents of substance-exposed newborns receive treatment through the Comprehensive Addiction Recovery Act program. However, she called out lawmakers for continuing an 'unwarranted vendetta' against the Children, Youth and Families Department, particularly for including amendments to the bill, which require department employees to backup electronic device data daily, monthly and annually. 'If the Legislature actually wanted to help children and CYFD, it would have fully funded the agency so that it could hire all the staff it needs to succeed,' Lujan Grisham wrote. 'The Legislature seems to be of the opinion that adding ever increasing administrative burdens on an agency that they refuse to fund at required levels will make children safer. They also seem to believe that piling on criticisms for problems that they bare some responsibility for creating will absolve them of their own neglect. They are wrong.' She went on to encourage lawmakers to consider becoming foster parents or apply for a job or volunteer position with CYFD. 'It is far too easy to stand on the sidelines and criticize CYFD. I hope the Legislature will commit not only to fully funding CYFD, but also to do their part on an individual level to help make a difference in children's lives,' Lujan Grisham wrote. The governor voiced similar criticism of lawmakers, as well as Attorney General Raúl Torrez, before the end of the session when she signed House Bill 5 into law, establishing the Office of the Child Advocate. She pointed out lawmakers seem to continuously 'condemn' CYFD and its employees, and 'refuse to fully fund the agency to hire enough staff then criticize [the department's] vacancy rates and unmanageable workloads.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Axios
25-03-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Texas Senate passes religious, anti-DEI education bills
The Texas Senate passed bills last week that would infuse religion in public schools, expand parental control over the books children read, and prohibit K-12 diversity initiatives. Why it matters: The education bills moving through the Texas Legislature reflect a conservative push for parental rights and more Christianity in schools. The effort to give parents public money for private school tuition, a legislative priority of Gov. Greg Abbott, has commanded much attention this session, but other education bills would change the values Texas public-school children are taught. Driving the news: The Texas House will now consider four bills passed out of the Texas Senate last week with strong Republican support. They range from increasing religious expression in grades K-12 to banning diversity, equity and inclusion policies in K-12 schools. Here are the details: Library book selection Senate Bill 13 would give parents the option to see what their children are checking out of their school library. The bill, filed by Sen. Angela Paxton of McKinney, would also require school boards to create library advisory councils to recommend which books should be added or removed from libraries. All Republicans and three Democrats voted for the bill. Context: Paxton says the law clarifies the rights of parents to know what books their children see or check out from their school libraries. The other side:"It's imperative that when we say 'parents' and 'parental choice' and 'parents are the final say' that we include all parents — that we're not just giving voice to a select few," public-school librarian Lucy Podmore told the Texas Tribune. The big picture: Book bans have been increasing nationwide over the past few years. Texas leads the nation in challenging book titles. Flashback: Two years ago, Frisco state Rep. Jared Patterson authored a bill that would limit what books students can check out from their school libraries. The bill passed but was challenged before it could go into effect. It remains blocked after the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals agreed with a lower court that the law was unconstitutional. Ten Commandments and prayer SB 10 would require the Ten Commandments to be posted in classrooms, and SB 11 would allow school boards to require periods for prayer and reading "the Bible or other religious text." The big picture: Louisiana was the first state to mandate schools display the Ten Commandments, but a federal judge ruled it unconstitutional. "This may be, in fact, the first major step in the revival of religion, which is desperately needed, in our country," President Trump said after the law took effect. Zoom in: SB 10, filed by state Sen. Phil King of Weatherford, is one of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick's legislative priorities. The bill passed the Senate along party lines. All Republicans and three Democrats, including Sen. Royce West of Dallas, voted for SB 11. The other side: Dallas Democratic Sen. Nathan Johnson said the bills infringe on the religious freedoms of non-Christians. "I think you're expanding the role of our public education system to include matters that particularly conservatives have previously said is a private matter," Johnson said, per NBC5. Flashback: A similar Ten Commandments bill did not get a vote in the House during the last legislative session. Diversity, equity and inclusion Texas already prohibits DEI initiatives at public universities, and state senators have passed a bill that would do the same for grades K-12. State of play: The DEI ban at colleges took effect last year and eliminates offices or programs that support people of color or members of the LGBTQ community. SB 12 would bar school districts from considering DEI in hiring decisions and would prohibit schools from creating policies or training programs that reference race, ethnicity, gender identity or sexual orientation.
