Latest news with #SenateBill13
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Texas allows state agency investment in BlackRock after firm steps away from climate initiatives
The Texas Comptroller's office removed international investment giant BlackRock Inc. from a list of companies public agencies were required to divest from as the company has realigned with state law by withdrawing from key clean energy initiatives. Senate Bill 13, passed in 2021, requires the comptroller's office to maintain a list of financial firms that 'boycott' the fossil fuel industry, and included BlackRock, several other companies and roughly 350 investment funds before Tuesday's update. Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar called the removal of BlackRock and over a dozen investment funds a 'meaningful victory' for Texas' energy economy but clarified in a statement that the list or divestment proceedings were not done to intentionally target companies. 'We never set out to punish any of these firms, and the hope was always that any firm we included on the list would eventually take steps to ensure they were removed,' Hegar said. SB 13 defines boycotting as refusing, terminating or penalizing business with a company that works in the fossil fuel industry 'without ordinary business purpose.' Known as an 'anti-ESG (environment, social and governance) law,' the bill led the Teacher Retirement System of Texas and the Texas Permanent School Fund to divest billions from BlackRock in 2023 and 2024. The firm was placed on the initial list in 2022 for its involvement in initiatives like Climate Action 100+, which aims to reduce corporate greenhouse gas emissions. Direct investment into fossil fuel companies does not preclude firms from being considered as boycotting, according to an information sheet from the state comptroller's office. BlackRock has since stepped back from Climate Action 100+ and completely removed itself from another initiative, Net Zero Asset Managers, which the comptroller's office attributed to the company's removal. In a statement to the Texas Tribune, John Kelly, BlackRock global head of corporate affairs, said they appreciated the comptroller's resolution and touted the firm's investment in other state affairs. 'BlackRock is proud to help millions of Texans retire with dignity and, on behalf of clients, invests over $400 billion in corporations, local governments, energy infrastructure and other private assets throughout the state,' Kelly said. 'These investments support the continued growth of the Texas economy.' Among the firm's in-state investments is assistance in creating a Texas-based Stock Exchange, which aims to launch in February 2026 with a boost from new legislation signed by Gov. Greg Abbott in mid-May. BlackRock was one of the initial investors, and Hegar said that while the investment in the stock exchange plan was unrelated to the list update, it represented 'a real commitment to overall policy changes.' BlackRock's removal from the divestment list has not completely withdrawn the business from scrutiny by Texas officials. Attorney General Ken Paxton sued the company and two others in November 2024, claiming they comprised an 'investment cartel' that intentionally bought shares in coal companies to reduce output and achieve clean energy standards. The Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice submitted a joint statement of interest in the case in late May. Hegar touched on the suit briefly in his remarks, but said the company's move away from clean energy initiatives is a signal of good favor. 'Even as legislators and state leaders continue to address lingering concerns about proxy voting and other policies that prioritize politics over profits, I am hopeful these actions represent a long-term shift,' Hegar said. Hegar and Paxton are facing their own lawsuit over SB 13 in federal court from the American Sustainable Business Council, a progressive business group. The suit claims the law violates companies' First and Fourteenth Amendment rights by discriminating against firms' viewpoints and circumventing due process. That suit is scheduled for a motion hearing on June 18. 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!
Time of India
7 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Texas House passes school library bill, intensifying US battle over who decides what students read
The Texas House gave preliminary approval on May 27, 2025, to a bill that would shift significant control over public school library materials from professional librarians to school boards and parents. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The bill, known as Senate Bill 13, was passed in an 87-57 vote and now heads back to the Senate for final approval. The legislation is part of a growing national debate over what books students should be allowed to access in public schools. Supporters argue the bill gives parents and local communities more say in their children's education, while critics warn it could lead to overbroad bans on important literary and historical works. Bill gives school boards final authority on book removals Senate Bill 13 would grant school boards, rather than librarians, the final authority to approve or remove books from school libraries. As reported by the Texas Tribune, the bill establishes a process for responding to complaints about library materials and allows school boards to either make final decisions themselves or delegate responsibility to local school advisory councils. These councils could be formed if 20% of parents in a district sign a petition — a requirement added in a House committee. The original Senate version had mandated the creation of such councils outright. The bill also includes detailed definitions of 'harmful material' and 'indecent content,' which prompted concern among Democratic lawmakers. They warned that vague language could lead to the banning of classic titles such as The Catcher in the Rye, Lonesome Dove, and even the Bible. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Debate over 'community values' and censorship risks During House floor discussion, Rep. James Talarico, D-Austin, warned the bill's language requiring that approved books align with 'local community values' could enable small but vocal groups to drive decisions. 'If your answer to 'could Romeo and Juliet be banned,' if it is anything other than 'of course not,' then that is a serious problem,' Talarico said, as quoted by the Texas Tribune. Rep. Erin Zwiener, D-Driftwood, expressed concern that what may be considered inappropriate for a five-year-old may not be for a 17-year-old, highlighting the danger of a one-size-fits-all approach. According to the Texas Tribune, she warned the bill could result in sweeping bans based on inconsistent standards. Amendments fail, while parental rights are emphasized Several proposed amendments to soften the bill's language around profanity and indecency were rejected. Rep. Brent Money, R-Greenville, unsuccessfully proposed reducing the threshold for creating advisory councils from 20% of parents to just 50 signatures, and restricting membership to petition signers only, the Texas Tribune reported. Rep. Brad Buckley, R-Salado, the bill's House sponsor, defended the legislation, saying it prioritizes children over controversial books. 'We should cherish and value our kids more, and Senate Bill 13 will do exactly that,' Buckley said, as quoted by the Texas Tribune. He dismissed fears of banning classics as a 'red herring.' Bill linked to broader effort to restrict explicit content The bill builds on House Bill 900, passed in 2023, which aimed to keep 'sexually explicit' materials out of school libraries. That law was partially blocked by a federal appeals court over its proposed book rating system. Opponents, including library advocates and civil rights groups, warn that SB 13 could create administrative delays, as school boards will be required to rule on each book within 90 days of a complaint. During the 2023–24 school year, Texas schools banned roughly 540 books, according to PEN America. SB 13 is among the legislative priorities of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. With its approval by the House, the bill now returns to the Senate for final passage.
CBS News
28-05-2025
- General
- CBS News
Bill advancing at Texas Capitol gives school boards, parents process to remove books in public school libraries
New bill would give Texas parents more control over books in public school libraries New bill would give Texas parents more control over books in public school libraries New bill would give Texas parents more control over books in public school libraries Texas lawmakers are taking a step closer to passing a bill that will give local school boards the ability to pull books from school library shelves. Parents will also be able to challenge books in the school libraries under the legislation. The Texas House passed Senate Bill 13, authored by Senator Angela Paxton, R-McKinney, along party lines Monday. Lawmakers in the House were set to give final approval Tuesday, but that has been pushed back until Wednesday morning. From the House, the measure will return to the Senate to review changes made by the House. Under the legislation, the state will establish a definition for harmful materials. According to legislative records, indecent content would portray sex organs or activities in a way that's patently offensive. Profane content would include grossly offensive language considered a public nuisance. There is a difference between the House and Senate versions in at least one provision, which allows the creation of a school library advisory council. The Senate version says it should be mandatory, while the House version says it should be optional. Republicans, including Representative Brad Buckley of Salado, support the bill because it gives more local control. "Senate Bill 13 understands that too often, for too long, libraries have been filled with agendas," said Buckley. "It's time to end that. But the way to end it is to empower our local leaders and our parents locally to find some resolution." Democrats, including Representative Mihaela Plesa of Dallas, expressed concerns over the legislation and said she opposes it. "Senate Bill 13 may not call itself censorship, but in effect is the same thing: giving the government the authority to decide what stories are too uncomfortable, too complicated or too real for our students to read," Plesa said. In addition to Senate Bill 13, the Texas House gave final passage to Senate Bill 6. It will allow ERCOT, the power grid operator, the ability to shut off power to large customers, such as data centers, during emergency situations. Those customers would have to have backup power. It comes as ERCOT has forecast that demand for power will surge in Texas by 2030. The bill will have to go back to the Texas Senate to work out differences. Watch Eye On Politics at 7:30 Sunday morning on CBS News Texas on air and streaming
San Francisco Chronicle
27-05-2025
- Politics
- San Francisco Chronicle
Texas parents, school boards may have more control over school library books after House OKs bill
The Texas House gave preliminary approval Monday to a bill that would give Texas parents and school boards a bigger role over what books students can access in public school libraries. Senate Bill 13 would give school boards, not school librarians, the final say over what materials are allowed in their schools' libraries by creating a framework for them to remove books based on complaints they receive. The bill would allow school boards to oversee book approvals and removals, or delegate the responsibility to local school advisory councils if 20% of parents in a district sign a petition allowing their creation. Previously, SB 13 mandated the creation of those councils when it passed through the Senate in March, but the petition requirement was added in a House committee. SB 13, initially passed by the House 87-57, also includes definitions for what constitutes harmful material and indecent content, which led Democratic representatives to express concerns about overzealous bans on books. During the discussion on the House floor Monday, Rep. James Talarico, D-Austin, pointed specifically to bill language requiring approved books to adhere to 'local community values,' which he said could lead small, vocal groups of people to limit students' book access. Talarico said titles often taught in public schools — like Catcher in the Rye, Lonesome Dove and the Bible — could end up banned under some of the bill's vague and subjective interpretations. 'If your answer to 'could Romeo and Juliet be banned,' if it is anything other than 'of course not,' then that is a serious problem,' Talarico said. Rep. Erin Zweiner, D-Driftwood, also worried the bill could lead to overly broad book bans. 'What is indecent for a 17 year old is not the same as what is indecent for a five year old,' she said. Rep. Brad Buckley, the bill's House sponsor, called community values the 'bedrock' of public policy, and the Salado Republican dismissed potential removal of classics as a 'red herring' argument. 'A speaker before me said we should cherish the value of books. Well, maybe so, but I would argue we should cherish and value our kids more, and Senate Bill 13 will do exactly that,' Buckley said. Representatives supportive of the bill said SB 13 would give parents better control over what materials their children can access.' About 16% of complaints about school library books last year were initiated by parents, according to a report from the American Libraries Association, while 72% came from elected officials, pressure groups and board members and administrators. Several amendments by Democratic representatives aiming to loosen the bill's language on profane content failed. An amendment by Rep. Brent Money, R-Greenville, which also failed, would have lowered the threshold to petition the creation of an advisory council to 50 signatures from parents, and would have required that the councils only be made up by people who signed the petition. The bill would also extend regulation introduced by a law passed in 2023 aimed at keeping 'sexually explicit' material out of school libraries. House Bill 900 was partially blocked from implementing a book rating system by a federal appeals court. Opponents of the bill have worried not only about restricting book access, but also about the administrative backlog that having to approve each new library book could create. School boards will have 90 days after complaints on each book are filed to reach a decision on whether to add, keep or remove material from school bookshelves. ___
Associated Press
27-05-2025
- General
- Associated Press
Texas parents, school boards may have more control over school library books after House OKs bill
The Texas House gave preliminary approval Monday to a bill that would give Texas parents and school boards a bigger role over what books students can access in public school libraries. Senate Bill 13 would give school boards, not school librarians, the final say over what materials are allowed in their schools' libraries by creating a framework for them to remove books based on complaints they receive. The bill would allow school boards to oversee book approvals and removals, or delegate the responsibility to local school advisory councils if 20% of parents in a district sign a petition allowing their creation. Previously, SB 13 mandated the creation of those councils when it passed through the Senate in March, but the petition requirement was added in a House committee. SB 13, initially passed by the House 87-57, also includes definitions for what constitutes harmful material and indecent content, which led Democratic representatives to express concerns about overzealous bans on books. During the discussion on the House floor Monday, Rep. James Talarico, D-Austin, pointed specifically to bill language requiring approved books to adhere to 'local community values,' which he said could lead small, vocal groups of people to limit students' book access. Talarico said titles often taught in public schools — like Catcher in the Rye, Lonesome Dove and the Bible — could end up banned under some of the bill's vague and subjective interpretations. 'If your answer to 'could Romeo and Juliet be banned,' if it is anything other than 'of course not,' then that is a serious problem,' Talarico said. Rep. Erin Zweiner, D-Driftwood, also worried the bill could lead to overly broad book bans. 'What is indecent for a 17 year old is not the same as what is indecent for a five year old,' she said. Rep. Brad Buckley, the bill's House sponsor, called community values the 'bedrock' of public policy, and the Salado Republican dismissed potential removal of classics as a 'red herring' argument. 'A speaker before me said we should cherish the value of books. Well, maybe so, but I would argue we should cherish and value our kids more, and Senate Bill 13 will do exactly that,' Buckley said. Representatives supportive of the bill said SB 13 would give parents better control over what materials their children can access.' About 16% of complaints about school library books last year were initiated by parents, according to a report from the American Libraries Association, while 72% came from elected officials, pressure groups and board members and administrators. Several amendments by Democratic representatives aiming to loosen the bill's language on profane content failed. An amendment by Rep. Brent Money, R-Greenville, which also failed, would have lowered the threshold to petition the creation of an advisory council to 50 signatures from parents, and would have required that the councils only be made up by people who signed the petition. The bill would also extend regulation introduced by a law passed in 2023 aimed at keeping 'sexually explicit' material out of school libraries. House Bill 900 was partially blocked from implementing a book rating system by a federal appeals court. Opponents of the bill have worried not only about restricting book access, but also about the administrative backlog that having to approve each new library book could create. School boards will have 90 days after complaints on each book are filed to reach a decision on whether to add, keep or remove material from school bookshelves. Roughly 540 books were banned in Texas schools during the 2023-24 school year, according to PEN America, an organization that has tracked book bans throughout the country. The bill, one of Senate leader Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick 's listed legislative priorities, now heads back to the upper chamber to be approved. ___ This story was originally published by The Texas Tribune and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press.
