Latest news with #SB120
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Beshear signs licensing of nicotine retailers, other bills that ‘put our Kentucky families first'
Kentucky Capitol. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Sarah Ladd) Kentucky will begin licensing retailers who sell nicotine, which advocates have said will help regulate an industry and protect minors from addictive chemicals. Gov. Andy Beshear signed Senate Bill 100 into law on Monday, which is aimed at curbing minors' access to tobacco and e-cigarettes. Smoking is a leading cause of preventable death. Beshear also signed into law SB 120, which would require coaches and others to report abuse and neglect concerns; HB 38, which will make it a Class D felony to violate a protective order for the third time; HB 10, which will streamline the removal of illegal squatters from private property; and more. 'I will always put our Kentucky families first,' Beshear said in a statement. 'I was proud to sign into law several measures that will do just that – increasing opportunity and making our New Kentucky Home a better place to live, learn and do business.' Under the new law, Kentucky will license all retailers who sell tobacco and vape products, giving the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) inspection and enforcement powers over them, similar to those it exercises over alcohol retailers. It will also fine retailers who sell nicotine products to minors and give half the money collected in fines to a youth prevention program in a state where about 5% of high school students smoke and almost 20% use e-cigarettes, according to The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. Smoking costs the state more than $2 billion every year in health complications, according to the campaign. The other half would go toward enforcement expenses. Parts of the bill will go into effect immediately and others — including the licensing portion — will wait until Jan. 1.
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Republicans Pull the Plug on Senate Bill Banning DEI in Georgia Schools — for Now
Georgia Democrats celebrated late Thursday night after state Senate Republicans tabled a bill that would've pulled government funding from public schools and colleges that maintain diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. Senate Bill 120 made headlines earlier this week after it advanced out of committee, sparking fears among some that initiatives aimed at increasing and promoting Black representation and tolerance in Georgia could be impacted. Failing to get passed in the state Senate or the state House by Thursday's Crossover Day deadline means SB 120 won't be signed into law as a standalone bill this year, but it could still be added as an amendment to another bill that has advanced before this year's legislative session ends on April 4. State Sen. Harold Jones, D-Augusta, said he was 'happy' when the chamber adjourned around 10 p.m. Thursday without bringing SB 120 to the full Senate floor. He said he and members of his party are 'cautiously optimistic' that the legislation won't be signed into law this year, but he's not letting his guard down yet. 'In the General Assembly, nothing truly goes away until Sine Die at midnight,' Jones told Capital B Atlanta on Friday, using the Latin term for the last day of the year's 40-day legislative session. State Sen. Sonya Halpern, D-Atlanta, said the failure of SB 120 to advance was a win for Georgia students, educators, and businesses. 'This bill was never about fairness — it was about fear,' Halpern said via text message Thursday night. 'It sought to censor honest discussions, dismantle programs that create opportunity, and undermine our ability to compete in a diverse, global economy.' The bill's author, state Sen. Marty Harbin, R-Tyrone, told reporters inside the Gold Dome Thursday night that he thinks the legislation had enough support to pass, but he and his GOP colleagues decided against putting it up for a full Senate vote at the last minute due to concerns over the language. 'We had some concerns, and we want to do it right,' Harbin said after the Senate ended its session. In its present form, the legislation would bar local schools, members of the Technical College System of Georgia, and members of the University System of Georgia — which includes most public colleges and universities — from promoting, supporting, or maintaining DEI programs. Supporters of SB 120 have echoed talking points championed by President Donald Trump and members of his administration in their efforts to dismantle DEI programs at the federal level. Harbin told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution earlier this week that SB 120 would 'restore academic excellence and fairness at Georgia's colleges.' 'For too long, DEI initiatives have moved beyond their original intent and have become ideological filters that stifle free speech, enforcement of group identity over individual merit and promote a culture of division rather than unity,' he said. Critics have argued the SB 120's language is too vague and could unintentionally impact programs it wasn't meant to address, such as scholarships, internships, training programs, and student organizations that promote inclusion of marginalized groups, which includes white women, members of the LGBTQ community, and people with disabilities. 'These spaces bring students of all backgrounds together in community,' Georgia Tech student Raine Rinehart, who serves as an organizer with the Georgia Youth Justice Coalition, said in a statement cited by the ACLU of Georgia. 'On a campus full of people from countless backgrounds and countries, how can we thrive without programs that advocate for diversity?' Harbin noted that other states, including Indiana and Iowa, have advanced bills seeking to ban DEI in schools this year. He didn't rule out adding SB 120 as an amendment to another bill that made the Crossover Day deadline, pointing out that state lawmakers get two years to secure passage of bills once they're introduced. He also didn't rule out presenting SB 120 again during next year's legislative session. 'This is a biennial [legislative session],' Harbin noted. 'We'd rather do it right than do it halfway.' Jones acknowledged that white women have benefited the most from DEI programs, but noted that initiatives like affirmative action have also benefited Black Americans. He pushed back on the notion that Black people shouldn't care about DEI programs, calling it 'ahistorical.' He said the reason DEI hasn't been more effective in the advancement of African Americans is because those who oppose DEI programs have been undermining them since the Civil Rights Movement. 'Ever since the inception of affirmative action, people have taken affirmative action to court to actually gut its principles,' Jones said. 'The better way to do it is actually enforce it instead of fighting against it.' The post Republicans Pull the Plug on Senate Bill Banning DEI in Georgia Schools — for Now appeared first on Capital B News - Atlanta.
Yahoo
03-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Georgia Senate committee passes public school DEI ban, moving it forward to floor vote
A Georgia Senate bill which would formally ban any and all programs, initiatives or activities that support diversity, equity and inclusion on public school, college and university campuses passed in committee. It now moves forward to a floor vote. Senate Bill 120 would block any programs, activities or support for DEI that go beyond rights guaranteed by the 14th Amendment of the United States Constitution's equal protection clause. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] TRENDING STORIES: Apalachee High School football coach steps down for PTSD, anxiety counseling Man pleads guilty to stabbing wife to death, still faces murder charges in girlfriend's case Another Delta flight forced to turn back to Atlanta shortly after takeoff over engine issue According to the bill text, any Georgia public schools, local education agencies or any university or college that is part of the state's higher education system could lose state funds and state-managed federal funds if they violate SB 120′s rules. This would include both direct funding for the institution and funding for scholarships, loans or grants, according to the bill. If passed by both the Georgia Senate and Georgia House of Representatives, and then approved by Gov. Brian Kemp, SB 120 would take effect July 1 and would apply to the 2025-2026 school year. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Lawmakers file bill to formally ban DEI programs from Georgia public schools
Over a dozen Georgia senators are sponsoring a bill that would formally ban local school districts and the state's universities and colleges from having any programs, activities or support that 'advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion.' More specifically, Senate Bill 120 would ban any programs, activities or support for DEI that go beyond rights guaranteed by the 14th Amendment of the United States Constitution's equal protection clause. The 14th Amendment is the part of the U.S. Constitution that established rights of citizenship for any and all natural born residents of the U.S., meaning anyone born in the country or granted citizenship through the naturalization process. It also created the right to due process for all U.S. citizens as it relates to the government acting against someone's life, liberty or property. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] TRENDING STORIES: 5 Georgia Social Security Administration offices to close amid Trump Administration overhauls South Gwinnett High transforms culture by moving desks into hallways Young Thug's jewelry seized during raid going back to rapper, jewelry company Historically, the 14th Amendment is what formally and legally ended slavery in the U.S. after the Civil War. According to SB 120, any public schools, local education agencies or any university or college that is part of the state's public education system could be subject to state funds and state-managed federal funds being withheld if they violate its provisions. This would include both direct funding fo the institution and funding for scholarships, loans or grants. If passed, SB 120 would take effect July 1 and would apply to the 2025-2026 school year. As far as current status, the legislation was up for discussion at Friday's Senate Higher Education Committee meeting. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
New Kentucky legislature aims to protect student-athletes from abuse
FRANKFORT, Ky. (FOX 56) — A new bipartisan bill aims to protect Kentucky student-athletes from abuse. Introduced on Tuesday, Senate Bill 120 would give coaches, parents, and athletic staff more resources to recognize and report abuse, according to a news release. 'High school sports should be a place where Kentucky kids are able to learn, grow, and compete in a healthy and safe environment,' said Sen. Chambers Armstrong. 'This bill gives our coaches and school personnel more tools to spot and report child abuse, helping Kentucky's student-athletes stay safe.' Member of extremist 'sextortion' group pleads guilty to racketeering, child murder plot in Kentucky 'We deserve better': Gun safety advocates demanding changes in Kentucky gun laws New Kentucky legislature aims to protect student-athletes from abuse Lawmakers cited a recent investigation that found at least 80 cases of alleged sexual misconduct by Kentucky middle and high school coaches over the last 15 years. The Kentucky High School Athletics Association (KHSAA) said it fully supports SB 120, with commissioner Julian Tackett stressing the importance of giving school personnel clear guidance on their legal obligations. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
