Latest news with #SB50
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
House Judiciary panel approves controversial concealed weapons bill
(Photo by Aristide Economopoulos/NJ Monitor) The North Carolina House Judiciary 2 Committee voted 6-5 along party lines Tuesday to pass a bill to allow the permitless carry of concealed firearms, one of the most controversial topics of the current legislative session. Senate Bill 50, 'Freedom to Carry NC,' would allow individuals who are U.S. citizens, at least 18 years of age, and not otherwise prohibited by law, to carry concealed weapons without applying for a permit. It's backed by Republican leadership and would make North Carolina the 30th state to approve of so-called 'constitutional carry.' Having previously cleared the Senate, the bill now proceeds to the House Rules Committee for further consideration. Though the Judiciary 2 Committee has only 10 members — six Republicans and four Democrats — House Minority Leader Robert Reives II (D-Chatham, Randolph) took the unusual step of using his position as a committee 'floater' to attend the meeting and narrow the margin. 'Nine states have allowed constitutional carry at age 18, North Carolina would be the 10th that this bill became law,' primary sponsor Rep. Danny Britt (R-Hoke, Robeson, Scotland) said. One amendment to the legislation increases the public safety employee death benefit to $150,000. Another calls for the University of North Carolina Board of Governors to develop a scholarship program for any child of a law enforcement officer, correctional officer, or first responder who is permanently and totally disabled as a result of a traumatic injury sustained in the line of duty. These scholarships would be available for children between the ages of 17 and 28. The bill received opposition from a several lawmakers and members of the public. No one other than Britt spoke in favor of the measure. Rep. Ya Liu (D-Wake) is the mother of two teenagers. She said there's a huge difference between individuals at the age of 18 and 21. At schools, students like Liu's son conduct drills for active shooter and lockdown situations. 'Our children are scared,' Liu said. 'We shouldn't accept it as a way of life, that they have to live with this.' Rep. Laura Budd (D-Mecklenburg) said this morning she told her 15-year-old son on the way to school that SB 50 was on the committee hearing docket today. He was shocked that an 18-year-old at his high school, potentially his classmate, would be allowed to buy a gun, according to Budd. She added that 18-year-olds in the United States can't drink a beer or rent a car. 'But yet, when it comes to something as a lethal as a gun… we want to lower the age and remove more restrictions,' Budd said, pointing out the irony. Anne Enberg, a local legislative leader for Moms Demand Action, said bills like SB 50 won't make communities safer. Enberg brought up a poll conducted by Everytown for Gun Safety in September that found 77% percent of likely North Carolina voters were against removing permit requirements from concealed carry laws. 'We should be looking for solutions that make us safer, not bills that would push crime and public safety's staff in the wrong direction,' she said. John Vanmeter-Kirk is a rising second-year student at North Carolina State University, a volunteer with Students Demand Action, and a lifelong Raleigh resident. He said he was speaking in front of the committee because SB 50 would put his home and community in danger. On Sunday, Vanmeter-Kirk noted, two North Carolina communities experienced mass shootings: one in Hickory and one in Asheville. 'Two innocent North Carolinians are dead, numerous injured, my community torn apart by senseless gun violence that could've been prevented,' Vanmeter-Kirk said. 'Even after two North Carolinians are dead, you're considering this incredibly dangerous bill that will only lead to the loss of more North Carolinians, dishonoring the memory of those we lost two days ago.'
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
A look at bills that crossed the legislative finish line
Apr. 14—MORGANTOWN — The 2025 legislative session wrapped up at midnight Saturday, and a number of bills we followed along the way completed their journeys. Most prominent among them is HB 3279. Over the objections of WVU and Marshall and others who said it addresses a problem that doesn't exist, it turns the student, faculty and staff members of college and university boards of governors across the state into non-voting advisory members. For WVU specifically, it also makes the Extension service faculty representative a non-voting member. Some final amendment fiddling and concurrence concluded Saturday afternoon and it heads to the governor. WVU provided this statement to The Dominion Post on Monday: "West Virginia University is West Virginia's University because of our students, faculty and staff, and their commitment to serving the state. We believe their voices should be heard and, in this case, they made their opposition to HB 3279 known to lawmakers. "Once the bill is signed into law, " WVU said, "we will work to implement its provisions as we do with every other law. The WVU Board of Governors will continue to include two faculty representatives, one classified staff representative and one student body representative. Going forward, we hope their perspectives and guidance will continue to be sought in the decision-making process." SB 50 aligns municipal election dates with statewide primary and general election dates, effective July 1, 2032. Last Monday, April 7, the House adopted an amendment by Delegate Geno Chiarelli, R-Monongalia, to move the effective date to July 1, 2028. The Senate rejected that amendment and on Saturday the House receded and passed the Senate version 93-2. Chiarelli joined the majority but Delegate Evan Hansen D-Monongalia, voted against it (he voted for it when the House passed its amended version). It heads to the governor. Here are some other bills heading to the governor. After failing in 2023 and 2024, the bill to require the display of the U.S. Motto "IN God We Trust " finally passed. SB 280 requires public schools and higher education institutions to display a durable poster or framed copy of the motto "in a conspicuous location within a common area of the main building ...that is accessible to the public." Displays in other areas is optional. Public funding is prohibited, while private funding is permitted. HB 2003 requires county school boards to establish policies for permitting, or not permitting, personal electronic devices on school property. If permitted, the board will set parameters for use and for storage during instructional hours. It includes exceptions for medical issues and for students with Individualized Education Programs. It also requires school boards to establish consequences for violations, including confiscation and ongoing prohibition from possession on campus. HB 2164 allows schools three options to put security officers in their hallways. It allows public and charter schools, along with private and religious schools, to employ school safety officers. It allows public schools, including charters (private and religious schools do not appear in this section), to contract with a retired law enforcement officer to provide Guardian services. And it allows schools — public, private and religious — to contract with private security firms. HB 2434 is the Stop Squatters Act. It says a squatter is a person occupying a dwelling or other structure who is not so entitled under a rental agreement or is not authorized to do so by the tenant or owner. It allows a property owner or their authorized agent to request law enforcement to undertake the immediate removal of the squatter, under specified conditions. The bill establishes the crime of criminal mischief for causing damages, with misdemeanor and felony penalties depending on the value of the damages. It also sets criminal penalties for selling real property without authorization and for advertising property for sale or rent without authorization. HB 2960 launches a pilot project to plow secondary roads in Monongalia and Preston counties. It says, "Snow removal on the secondary roads in Monongalia County and Preston County has not been dependable, providing a hardship on the citizens of West Virginia." It establishes a two-year pilot project to put out a Request for Proposal for vendors to provide snow removal for District 4's secondary roads in Monongalia and Preston counties. The Division of Highways will identify the roads to be plowed. The DOH can terminate a contract, with 30 days' notice, for substandard or unsatisfactory work. A couple measures died. SB 85 aimed to ban the prescription and dispensing of abortion medications by mail order. It passed the Senate but died in House Health without a hearing. And the House was set to take up a Senate pro-coal resolution on Saturday but let it die. SCR 18 announced the intention to create a West Virginia Coal Renaissance Act, citing the changing views about energy as the Trump administration follows the more renewable-minded Biden and Obama years. It said the Coal Renaissance Act, along with programs and initiatives, will encourage and foster greater coal usage, and state agencies will develop strategies to fully develop coal production and consumption, including new coal-fired plants and efforts to keep current plants open.
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
KXAN testifies on crime victim data during House open government hearing
Austin (KXAN) — On Wednesday, KXAN Senior Investigative Producer David Barer spoke to members of the Texas House Committee on Delivery of Government Efficiency about obtaining data while investigating the state's crime victim compensation delays. 'An important issue we found is victims were telling us they were waiting up to eight months or more to get a first payment on a claim,' Barer said of KXAN's three years of reporting on the Texas Attorney General's CVC division, noting the use of budget-related data obtained from the state agency. KXAN's analysis of that data revealed recent victim claims were being averaged with sexual assault exam reimbursements, the latter of which are actually handled directly with medical providers in just days. So the attorney general's combining of the two types of claims presented a skewed narrative that payments were happening faster than reality. 'The AG's office has now acknowledged that, and they're addressing it now through the appropriations process,' Barer explained. 'But that is one example of many that I could give you of reporting that relied on searchable-sortable records that we obtained through the Public Information Act, and I know from experience that not all government bodies provide this even when they're able to and explicitly asked to do so.' Barer shared his account with lawmakers at the encouragement of the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas, which advocates for greater access to public information. It was among testimony surrounding House Bill 4218, which aims to codify the ability to obtain searchable-sortable records if such a format is available. 'If government information is maintained in a searchable-sortable format, it needs to be provided in that format in a public information request,' said Rep. Giovanni Capriglione, R-Southlake, who authored the bill. Capriglione told committee members some agencies deliberately turn searchable-sortable data — like an Excel spreadsheet — into a PDF, which 'is not as useful to a requestor who is trying to sort and analyze a large amount of information.' 'In that case what you're seeing is a government entity going above and beyond to make it difficult for the public to be able to access that information,' he said. HELD UP: KXAN uncovers backlog, turnover with Texas' Crime Victims' Compensation Division The measure falls under the topics tackled by the newly-created DOGE committee, which Capriglione also chairs. Its directive includes tackling inefficiencies in government services. Capriglione said reducing 'data in its native format also reduces the workload on government employees,' because it eliminates the need to create additional documents in separate formats. 'Clarifying this issue will save time and taxpayer money,' he added. HB 4218 was left pending in committee. Its Senate companion, SB 50 filed by Sen. Judith Zafirini, D-Laredo, awaits a hearing in that chamber's 'Business & Commerce' committee. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
House passes amended Senate municipal elections bill and returns it to Senate
Apr. 7—dbeard @ MORGANTOWN — The House of Delegates on Monday passed and sent back to the Senate the bill to align municipal election dates with statewide primary and general elections. The bill is SB 50, amended by the House on Friday to require municipalities to align their local elections by July 1, 2028. The Senate had set the deadline at July 1, 2032, to give municipalities time to change their election date ordinances or put a charter amendment to that effect before the city's voters, and to account for redistricting following the 2030 census. Apart from the redistricting issue, the West Virginia Municipal League had told Senate Judiciary in February that the soonest the bill should take effect was July 1, 2029, to give cities time to hold charter elections. On the House floor on Monday, Delegate Larry Kump, R-Berkeley, noted that the Senate will need to agree to the House amendment, but praised the bill for what it hopes to accomplish. "Prolonged persistence pays, " he said. The bill will get rid of the obscure, good-old-boy election dates created to keep those boys in power. It will increase voter participation and turnout and reduce the burden on taxpayers. In his district, he said, Martinsburg and Hedgesville both have off dates. Martinsburg has 20, 000 residents but only 200-300 vote. Hedgesville has 300 residents but only 20 vote. When he was elected to the House in 2010, he said, he sponsored a bill to change the dates, but it died. One question that's arisen and hasn't been definitively answered is: Would this state law change preempt any city charter provisions, whether or not the cities put it up to a vote and the voters approve or defeat it ? As we've reported before, last October, Morgantown City Council voted against giving the choice of election dates to city voters. An ordinance to place that proposed charter change on the city's April 29 ballot failed on first reading. Granville voters chose last November to align their election dates with county dates starting in May 2026. Star City and Westover elections were held in conjunction with the county starting in May 2024. Monday's House vote on SB 50 was 96-2. The Senate could concur with the House amendment, or re-amend it and send it back to the House, or do nothing and let it die. The legislative session ends at midnight Saturday.
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
House amends Senate city elections bill to shorten time for municipalities to change their voting dates
Apr. 4—MORGANTOWN — The House of Delegates on Friday adopted an amendment to the Senate's bill to align municipal election dates with state dates — an amendment that will likely be rejected when the bill returns to the Senate. The bill is SB 50, to require municipalities to align their local elections with state primary and general elections by 2032. Delegate Geno Chiarelli, R-Monongalia, offered the amendment to change the year to 2028. Several delegates spoke in opposition. Delegate Larry Kump, R-Berkeley, said that when he moved from Maryland to West Virginia in 1999, he asked people, "Why do we have these goofy election dates that aren't on regular election dates ?" They told him that came from the good-old-boy system to minimize turnout and get the good old boys elected, he said. Kump said he supports the bill but not the amendment. "Let's not mess with it any further. It'll be done and we won't have any more of these goofy elections." Judiciary chair JB Akers, R-Kanawha, said he hadn't talked with the Senate about the reason for the late date. But Delegate Andy Shamblin, also R-Kanawha, said it had to do with municipal charters: Many municipalities will have to put a charter amendment to comply with the law on their 2028 ballot. So the amendment would harm the intent of the bill. And Delegate Daniel Linville, R-Cabell, added that the 2030 census also likely plays a role in the 2032 date — because districts will get redrawn and municipal ward and precinct boundaries will change. Shamblin and Linville were right. In Senate discussion, it was said that cities will need time to pass a charter amendment, and counties will need to redraw precincts that cross city boundaries. That led to the date changing from July 1, 2026 in the introduced bill to July 1, 2030 in committee. Then on the Senate floor on Feb. 28, Sen. Ryan Weld offered an amendment to further extend the date to July 1, 2032, to account for post-census redistricting. Not knowing any of that Senate background, Chiarelli's amendment found supporters. Delegate Jarred Cannon, R-Putnam, stated his belief that state law would preempt any city charter. And Chiarelli pointed out his hometown's reluctance to put election dates in the hand of the voters. Last October, Morgantown City Council voted against giving the choice of election dates to city voters. An ordinance to place that proposed charter change on the city's April 29 ballot failed on first reading. Chiarelli noted the low turnout percentage in Morgantown's previous three city elections, and said 2028 allows plenty of time for municipalities to make the needed changes. "I have full faith in them, " he said. "I think they'll be able to make the jump with very little issue." His amendment was adopted on a divided voice vote — no one demanded a roll call vote — and will be on third reading for passage on Monday. Then it will return to the Senate where the amendment will undergo scrutiny.
