Latest news with #SenateBill14
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
NH House passes mandatory minimums for fentanyl possession and reduces punishments for shrooms
The New Hampshire House of Representatives debates bills during a voting session in the State House Thursday afternoon. Earlier Thursday, they approved Senate Bill 14, which institutes mandatory minimums for fentanyl possession. (Photo by William Skipworth/New Hampshire Bulletin) The New Hampshire House of Representatives voted, 214-167, Thursday to pass Senate Bill 14, which creates mandatory minimums for fentanyl possession and reduces the penalty for people caught with psilocybin mushrooms. If enacted, SB 14 would create mandatory minimum sentences for people convicted on fentanyl charges. That includes manufacturing, selling, transporting, or possessing the drug with the intent to sell. People convicted with 20 grams or more of the drug would face at least 3½ years in prison under the bill. People convicted with 50 or more grams would face no less than seven years. There is currently no minimum sentence under state law, which gives judges leeway to decide. There is, however, a maximum of 30 years on the first offense and life imprisonment for repeat offenders. The bill was previously approved by the Senate in February. 'The people asked us for law and order,' Rep. Terry Roy, a Deerfield Republican, said on the House floor. 'Let's give them law and order.' One Republican lawmaker doubted the bill's minimums would actually be impactful. 'Twenty grams plus of fentanyl possession is almost certainly gonna be prosecuted as a federal crime,' Rep. Kevin Verville, a Deerfield Republican, said. 'The odds of the state actually using this bill when it becomes law is infinitesimally small in my opinion.' The representative characterized the mandatory minimums as something being done for show. 'You can campaign on law and order on this,' Verville said. 'In my opinion, that's what this is.' However, the bill was amended on the House floor to add a provision that aligns with one of Verville's biggest priorities as a legislator. That provision reduces the penalty for possession of psilocybin, a psychedelic drug commonly known as magic mushrooms or shrooms. Under the amended bill, possession or use of less than three-quarters of an ounce of psilocybin would be a misdemeanor on first offense as opposed to a felony, which is currently state law under the Controlled Drug Act. Verville is the sponsor of another bill, House Bill 528, that would reduce the penalty to a simple violation. Verville and his colleagues have argued it's less dangerous than other harder drugs and that it has medicinal benefits such as treatment for PTSD or migraines. HB 528 was approved by the House in March. Verville is a vocal proponent of fully legalizing psilocybin, though he has acknowledged he doesn't believe he can convince enough of his colleagues of that, so he settled for this measure. Verville urged his colleagues to approve SB 14. 'What this bill now has in it is it has real psychedelic reform for the citizens of New Hampshire,' he said. 'Compounds that help people beat alcoholism, opioid addiction, other drug addiction, depression, post-traumatic stress syndrome.' Verville said SB 14 'finally ends a felony charge for simple possession for a small amount of psilocybin,' which he called 'an excellent trade.' He also argued that the minimum sentences outlined by the bill were 'fairly short.' 'The benefit of the psilocybin far outweighs — far outweighs — any mandatory minimums,' he said. 'I'm begging you.' Eight Democrats joined Republicans to pass the bill, while six Republicans bucked their party to vote against it. Most Democrats were opposed to the legislation. 'I want to be clear, SB 14, like several other bills, is not about crime,' Rep. Linda Harriott-Gathright, a Nashua Democrat, said. Harriott-Gathright pointed out that fentanyl possession is already illegal and punished severely by law. She, and many of her Democratic colleagues, argued that mandatory minimums were ineffective at hindering crime. 'The question before us today is whether we think adopting mandatory minimums and maximums, an outdated one-size-fits-all solution, is going to be an effective use of taxpayer dollars to address the many substance issues in our state,' she continued. 'The bottom line is that our country has already tried that approach. … We all know that it has failed.' She said the bill 'robs judges of their ability to fully consider all relevant facts and circumstances and 'undermines basic principles of justice.' She also argued the psilocybin provision was 'likely to vanish in committee of conference,' the process where House and Senate members negotiate the differences between their bills. Because the bill was amended by the House, it will return to the Senate to be reconsidered. The Senate can now either accept the amendment, enter the committee of conference process to hash out its differences with the House, or reject the bill outright. Enacting the mandatory minimums has been a priority for Gov. Kelly Ayotte, who publicly called on lawmakers to bring the legislation to her desk. A similar bill, Senate Bill 15, would've created even harsher minimum sentences for cases where a death was involved. It would've created a minimum sentence of 10 years for people who illegally manufactured, sold, or dispensed fentanyl that resulted in someone dying. The Senate approved that bill the same day as SB 14 in February. However, that bill was retained in committee and has not yet been considered by the full House.
Epoch Times
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Epoch Times
Bill Author Removed From California Child Sex Trafficking Bill
California Democratic Assemblywoman Maggy Krell from Sacramento was removed as author of her own bill on May 1 after she joined Republicans in a renewed attempt to strengthen penalties for buying 16- and 17-year-olds for sex. The state Assembly voted 55–21 to reject a provision of Krell's name as bill author was replaced by two of her Democratic colleagues, Assembly Public Safety Chair Nick Schultz from Burbank and Assemblymember Stephanie Nguyen from Elk Grove. In 'Minors of any age in the state of California that are contacted for a sexual purpose, that is punishable by a felony already,' said Schultz, a former deputy attorney general with the California Department of Justice (DOJ). In response, Krell, who is also a former deputy attorney general for the California DOJ, said there is still a loophole in California law that fails to clarify that purchasing sex with a minor is rape. Related Stories 4/30/2025 5/1/2025 'The problem with [the law], which my colleague from Burbank referenced, is it includes a whole host of statutes for contacting a minor, but there's one that's missing: prostitution,' she said. She said she didn't care whether her name was on the bill, but she said she was concerned that the bill no longer treats 16- and 17-year-olds as victims. 'We need to say loud and clear that if you're under 18, a child, a minor ... that the person who's buying that person should be charged with a felony. It's plain and simple,' she said. The legislation advanced on April 29 after the provision was removed in a 7–0 vote in the public safety committee. Democratic Assemblymembers Mia Bonta and LaShae Sharp-Collins abstained from the committee vote. They did not reply to a request for comment from The Epoch Times. At the time, Schultz 'As we've heard today and outside of this chamber, there are Californians who are concerned about unintended consequences on young adults and LGBTQIA+ Californians, should it be a felony for 16- and 17-year-olds,' Schultz said before the vote. The Epoch Times reached out to Schultz and Krell for comment. California state Sen. Scott Wiener, who pushed for the same provision to be removed in a similar bill last year, Newsom Criticizes Removal of Provision In response to the committee vote, California Gov. Gavin Newsom spoke out against members of his own party for removing the provision from the bill. 'The law should treat all sex predators who solicit minors the same—as a felony, regardless of the intended victim's age. Full stop,' the governor's office said in an emailed statement to The Epoch Times on April 30. The governor's office says Newsom has been consistent on this issue, pointing to a bill he signed in 2023, Senate Bill 14, that made sex trafficking of minors a In 2024, the governor signed into law Senate Bill 1414, also authored by Grove, which Back then, amendments also excluded 16- and 17-year-olds, which Grove said was disappointing. This year, she co-authored AB 379 with Krell to fix this loophole, along with implementing penalties for loitering to purchase sex and funding survivor support. Democratic committee leaders again removed the provisions that would have made purchasing older minors a felony. 'They did that to my bill last year,' Grove told The Epoch Times on May 1. 'They excluded 16- and 17-year-olds from the felony provisions, treating them like adults, which is completely absurd.' Republican Assemblyman Juan Alanis, vice chair of the public safety committee, who co-authored the sex trafficking bills both this year and last year, said he had 'never been more angry and disturbed by actions taken on the Assembly Floor' on May 1. 'Purchasing or trafficking any minor of any age for sex should be a felony. Period,' he said in an emailed statement. The public safety committee plans to schedule an informational hearing in the fall to discuss the felony provision, according to Schultz.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Gov. Landry signs order to ban buying soda, candy with SNAP benefits
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry signed an executive order Thursday to ban the purchase of soft drinks and candy using Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits while pushing for state and federal legislation. Landry directs the secretary of the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) to submit a waiver request to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to exclude the purchase of sodas and candy using food stamps in the state. 'In Louisiana, we're going to focus on the food that our bodies need to grow and function properly. If you want to consume these items, well, that money should come out of your pocket,' Landry said in a video posted on X. The governor publicly supports Senate Bill 14, proposed legislation tied to a broader national health initiative co-founded by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., known as Make America Healthy Again (MAHA). The campaign, organized by a political action committee of the same name, promotes public policies aimed at improving food quality, reducing chronic disease, and limiting exposure to harmful substances. RFK Jr. is targeting ultraprocessed foods: What are they, and are they bad? McMath's bill aligns with Landry's order to require DCFS to submit a waiver to the USDA seeking permission for Louisiana to prohibit SNAP recipients from purchasing soft drinks. SB 14 advanced in the Senate Committee on Health and Welfare on April 30. 'It's time to incentivize good food over junk food. Exercise over screen time. Water over soda,' Landry said. 'Our nation is stronger when we are healthier, and I'm committed to working alongside President Trump and Secretary Kennedy to bring the 'Make America Healthy Again' movement to every corner of the state.' According to the order, Landry tasks DCFS with finding ways to incentivize buying fruits and vegetables. The agency has implemented a USDA-funded pilot project in six parishes to encourage SNAP recipients to make healthy food choices at participating stores by offering a 30-cent produce bonus for every dollar spent. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, more than 847,000 Louisiana residents currently receive SNAP benefits. The program provides financial assistance for low-income households to purchase food. Louisiana SUN Bucks: How to apply, do you qualify and when they will go out Michelle Obama: 'Everybody would know' if my marriage was in trouble City of St. George voters to elect councilmembers in May 3 runoff $2K tip helps West Virginia server reach for her dreams Gov. Landry signs order to ban buying soda, candy with SNAP benefits Metal band guitarist killed in police standoff in California Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Louisiana seeks waiver to ban candy, soft drinks purchases with SNAP benefits
Louisiana will seek a waiver from the federal government to prohibit the purchase of soft drinks and candy with federal food assistance. Gov. Jeff Landry announced his intentions Thursday in an executive order he touted in a video posted on social media. 'The Make America Healthy Again movement is not one of words, but of action!' Landry posted. 'That is why today I signed an Executive Order banning soda and candy purchases from Louisiana's food stamp program.' Landry's executive order doesn't actually prohibit these purchases, as he does not have that authority. The order instructs the state's Department of Children and Family Services, which oversees the state's implementation of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), to seek a waiver to do so from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which administers the program. Landry's executive order does not define either soft drinks or candy. The governor also urged the Legislature to approve Senate Bill 14 by Sen. Patrick McMath, R-Covington, a sweeping piece of nutrition legislation that, among other things, seeks a USDA waiver to prohibit the purchase of beverages with more than 5 grams of added sugar or any artificial sweetener. Drinks that include milk or milk substitutes would be exempt from this prohibition. When McMath presented his bill to the Senate Health and Welfare Committee this week, he said he specifically decided not to seek prohibition of candy purchases with SNAP benefits. Many Louisiana residents live in food deserts, and McMath said he did not want to prevent people who might only be able to shop at convenience stores from eating. Landry's order also instructs DCFS to find ways to incentivize SNAP recipients to buy produce, such as participating in the Double Up Food Bucks program. The program provides matching aid dollars for fruit and vegetable purchases in more than two dozen states. The order sets an Oct. 1 deadline for DCFS to submit its waiver application to the Trump administration. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Louisiana looks to RFK Jr. for school lunch guidelines, limits on SNAP purchases
Sen. Patrick McMath looks ahead from his desk in the Senate Chamber. (Allison Allsop/Louisiana Illuminator) Louisiana lawmakers advanced sweeping nutrition legislation that would regulate purchases of sugary beverages with federal food assistance and limit what ingredients can be served in public school school lunches. Senate Bill 14 by Sen. Patrick McMath, R-Covington, cleared the Louisiana Senate Committee of Health and Welfare on a party-line 4-3 vote, with Republicans prevailing. McMath's bill is part of a nationwide backlash against 'ultra-processed foods,' food dyes, seed oils and certain chemicals in foods that U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has targeted for elimination. Kennedy is the central figure of the 'Make America Healthy Again' movement. McMath said he is working with Kennedy on his bill. 'I think, for the first time in a very long time, and perhaps maybe ever, Americans, Louisianians, are paying close attention to what our individual health outcomes are and our individual health outcomes for our children and our grandchildren,' McMath said. Democrats on the committee raised concerns that the legislature is not taking a holistic look at the factors causing poor health outcomes in Louisiana. 'Louisiana has a lot of chemical industry in our state. Those plants produce a lot of carcinogens that's in the air we breathe, and we tend to turn our backs sometimes and let those things go,' Sen. Jay Luneau, D-Alexandria, said. 'So we need to be more mindful and consider all of those things.' In an interview after the hearing, McMath said his bill is a starting point toward addressing larger issues in Louisiana. 'The types of environments that we're surrounded by can be pretty toxic,' McMath said. 'And while I would love to wave a magic wand and clean up air and water and other things, I think the lowest hanging fruit … is we can start with the food that we're that we're putting in our body.' The original version of his legislation banned the purchase of soft drinks with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits but was amended to prohibit buying beverages with more than five grams of added sugar or any artificial sweetener. Drinks that include milk or milk substitutes would be exempt from this prohibition. Democrats also objected to this provision of the bill, saying it would further marginalize poor children who could be ostracized for not being able to afford lunchbox items their peers can. McMath's SNAP restrictions are actually more limited than those in previous legislative proposals, which have included bans on chips and candy. McMath said he was aware many Louisianians live in food deserts, and he did not want to prevent people who might only be able to shop at convenience stores from eating. If McMath's bill passes, the state would still have to receive permission from the federal government to limit SNAP benefits. Further amendments on the bill removed references to 'ultra-processed' foods and instead listed ingredients prohibited in school lunches. They include food dyes that are common allergens and zero-calorie sweeteners such as sucralose, more commonly known as Splenda. The committee adopted amendments to allow food items with prohibited ingredients to be sold in vending machines and from concession stands at school events. The bill also requires food packages to include a warning that the contents 'may be harmful to your health' if it includes certain ingredients. That list includes aspartame, a common zero-calorie sweetener. McMath's legislation would also require restaurants to post notices when they use oils derived from the seeds of plants. Certain medical professionals would be required to take nutrition courses as part of their continuing education under the bill that heads next to the Senate floor. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
