Latest news with #SenateBill142
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Missouri parents demand action on school safety
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – More than 200 activists took to the halls of Jefferson City Tuesday to protest several gun-related bills that are moving through the Missouri Legislature. Representatives from Missouri Moms Demand Action joined gun violence survivors and parents of school shooting, as well as the group Missouri Students Demand Action for a day of lobbying regarding gun safety and the prevention of gun violence. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now An advocate told FOX 2 that she came to the Capitol with a single focus: protecting children. 'Guns are the leading killer of kids in the United States,' said Emily Schiltz, a mother of two survivors from a 2022 school shooting at a school in St. Louis. 'We're all in this together, and there are a lot of ways to keep kids safer.' Schiltz said the most common sense change that should have already happened is making it harder for children and teens to access firearms. Schiltz's children attended the campus of Central Visual and Performing Arts Academy during the 2022 shooting that killed two and injured several more. The shooter was a former student and seemed undeterred by school safety practices in place at the time. Schiltz, who is also a teacher, said there has been a pattern of wrong solutions when it comes to school safety. 'One of the things I want parents and grandparents and aunts and uncles to understand is that intruder drills are really horrible for kids,' Schiltz said. 'They're terrifying. We're giving kids a bonus trauma when they're not even in a school shooting.' Specifically, the group of Missourians in Jefferson City Tuesday say they object to 'dangerous legislation' that they believe will lead to an increase in gun violence. The groups have continued to rail against House Bill 1175, a measure that creates the 'Second Amendment Preservation Act.' The proposal passed out of the House last week and now awaits action in the Senate. What's on the ballot for the St. Louis area April 8 election? In a press release, the group says the new public safety measure that was signed into law by Gov. Mike Kehoe is one of several proposals that they see as dangerous. The others on their radar include: Senate Bill 77—Allows for guns in places of worship and on public transit Senate Bill 142—Relates to federal gun laws that wouldn't be enforced by local police Senate Bill 363—Expands Missouri's 'Shoot First' law, which would allow gun owners to use their weapons as a first line in self-defense. One thing stressed by Schiltz is that this isn't about taking anyone's guns away. 'It's one thing to want to be able to bear arms for yourself and your personal safety, but not that many people think a six-year-old should have easy access to a gun,' Schiltz said of responsible gun storage. 'Reducing access for minors, reducing accessibility of guns, improving access and use of gun locks. There are a lot of simple measures that a lot of us agree upon that can keep kids safe.' Members of the Missouri Moms Demand Action spoke to members of both parties, with several attendees saying they felt both Republicans and Democrats are united around keeping children safe. 'There are a lot of simple measures that a lot of us agree upon that can keep kids safe,' Schiltz added. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘Fixes' to evictions expungement bill bring Indiana housing advocates back on board
A House committee approved an amended bill that seeks to "streamline" the legal process for tenants to have certain evictions sealed from their record.(Getty Images) After making new tweaks, a House committee pushed along a bill that aims to make it easier for renters to get certain evictions sealed from their record. Housing advocates were frustrated last month after Senate Bill 142 was rolled back on the Senate floor, removing a provision to automatically expunge eligible evictions from tenants' records. But an amendment approved Monday by the House Judiciary Committee seeks to compromise by 'streamlining the process' for courts to quickly seal some records — meaning renters would not have to file anything on their own. That includes eviction cases in which a judge sides with a tenant, or when a judgment against the tenant is later reversed. A state law passed in 2022 already opened the door for some eviction matters to be sealed, but it's currently up to tenants to file for expungement. Statehouse testimony on the latest bill draft was positive. The measure passed 10-1 — only Rep. J.D. Prescott, R-Union City, voted in opposition — and now heads to the full House. 'The idea is, let's get those (evictions) expunged, because, as you know, that's like a black mark, and it makes it difficult for (tenants) to find housing,' said bill author Sen. Liz Brown, R-Fort Wayne. 'The idea is now, with this amended bill, (tenants) are going to have skin in the game. If they really want that to be expunged, they're going to have to go in and do that. But so many of these eviction proceedings have been resolved, and both sides on the claim are happy, and there was just no way for them to clear the name, and I think this is a good start.' When first introduced, Brown's bill would have required courts to automatically seal an eviction from a tenant's record, as long as they have settled their debt, or the court ruled in their favor. Cases would qualify, too, if the eviction was dismissed by, overturned or vacated on appeal. The original bill also sought to automatically seal all eviction cases after seven years. The seven-year seal was removed by a Senate committee, however. Later, in the full chamber, a separate amendment further watered down the automatic sealing — shifting the burden back to renters to file expungement paperwork with their local court, which is how the process currently works. Amendment author Sen. Aaron Freeman, R-Indianapolis, said he didn't want to overburden the courts and additionally wants tenants to be held accountable for evictions. Monday's House committee amendment specifies that a court, 'on its own motion,' can expunge eviction records as long as one of the following applies to the case: the eviction action is dismissed by the court a judgment in favor of the tenant is entered by the court a judgment is entered by the court against the tenant, and the judgment is subsequently overturned or vacated on appeal While not automatic, renters would further be able to seek expungement seven years after the conclusion of a case in which there was no money owed to the landlord. There's no waiting period, though, for tenants who have 'satisfied' — paid back — a money judgment related to the eviction. Committee chairman Rep. Chris Jeter, R-Fishers, said courts typically don't take action in a case until 'somebody files a motion asking them to do something.' 'I think there was a little concern about tasking the courts with sort of keeping track of where these evictions are at,' Jeter said. Evictions filed before 2021, for example, do not have case numbers to distinguish them from other small claims cases. 'I think one of the landing grounds we kind of came on is if it's an order at the time when the judge (decides in favor of) the tenant, then they can seal (the eviction record) at that exact same time,' he continued. 'But if it's after, I think the thought is that we at least have the tenant take the proactive step of filing at least a one-page motion, or something, so the court can act.' She emphasized that tenant-landlord bill are typically 'difficult' and tough to pass out of legislative committees. 'The idea is there are good landlords, and there are good tenants. And frankly, when there is an eviction proceeding — whether it's a judgment, or a question of security deposits or damages in the resolve — it's not really the landlord's responsibility anymore. Their claim has been resolved, and they're fine. I don't think they necessarily want that tenant to have that black mark on them … but that's the case right now,' Brown said. 'This will make it seamless for the tenant,' she added. 'They're already in court — it will make it automatic. … And there's no reason, if the landlord has not pursued the judgment in seven years, why that, on the motion of the tenant, can't also get expunged.' Housing advocates were supportive of the amended bill and maintained that eviction sealing is 'very important' for tenants because landlords won't be able to see past eviction cases when screening potential tenants. 'Community stakeholders who are trying to create a new supply of housing and connect it with Hoosiers too often find that many Hoosiers don't qualify for housing because they have that 'Scarlet E' of an eviction filing on their record,' said Andrew Bradley, with Prosperity Indiana. He pointed to data showing that 71,000 evictions were filed in the state over the last year. 'That's a significant number of Hoosiers who now can qualify for safe, decent, affordable housing,' he said. Community stakeholders who are trying to create a new supply of housing and connect it with Hoosiers too often find that many Hoosiers don't qualify for housing because they have that 'Scarlet E' of an eviction filing on their record. – Andrew Bradley, with Prosperity Indiana Brown crafted the legislation with input from students at the University of Notre Dame's Eviction Clinic, which helps Hoosiers clear an eviction off their record for free. David Pruitt, director of the university's Clinical Law Center, said a majority of the eviction clinic's cases stem from just 'one incident' in a renter's life. 'There's a medical bill, or a loss of a job, or something comes up, and the margins are so thin for people that they get knocked off track, and it's hard for them to come up,' Pruitt said. 'There are going to be some people that, honestly, are over their skis and they just found a place that's just too expensive — and those are tough cases. And then you've got mixes of landlords being problematic, tenants being problematic. … But I would say that for significantly more than half of the individuals, it's a razor's edge.' Indiana Legal Services, the largest provider of free civil legal aid to low-income Hoosiers, additionally worked on more than 1,600 eviction sealing cases last year. 'That's a testament for the need for eviction sealing and the assistance that folks currently need to kind of get through the system,' said Jennifer Terry, an attorney with the nonprofit law firm. 'We do see this bill as a good next step in streamlining some of those processes.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Arkansas lawmakers file bill to restrict phone access at school
Rep. Jon Eubanks (left) and Sen. Tyler Dees, both Republicans, discuss a bill to restrict cell phone use in schools at the Arkansas Capitol on Jan. 29, 2025. (Mary Hennigan/Arkansas Advocate) State lawmakers filed legislation Wednesday that would ban smartphones and other personal electronic devices from all Arkansas public schools beginning with the 2025-2026 school year. Senate Bill 142, also called the Bell to Bell, No Cell Act, follows through on the promise to ban cellphones in schools made by Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders during her State of the State address this month. Speaking during a mental health event at the Capitol rotunda in Little Rock Wednesday morning, Sanders said the bill will curtail 'unrestricted access to smartphones and social media,' which she said has caused a decline in children's mental health over the last decade. 'Arkansas has the opportunity to lead on this issue globally and pass one of the most comprehensive phone-free school bills in the world, and that's a good thing,' Sanders said. 'And when we do that, I truly believe we won't just improve test scores and school discipline, we'll also get to one of the root causes of so many of the mental health issues facing our state today.' Co-sponsored by Sen. Tyler Dees, R-Siloam Springs, and Rep. Jon Eubanks, R-Paris, SB142 requires cellphone policies — which school districts must publish on their websites — to include exemptions for health reasons, Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), extracurricular activities and emergencies. Policies must be submitted to the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education for approval, and a district that fails to adopt or enforce a policy will be cited for a violation of state accreditation standards. Under the proposed law, districts would not be liable if a personal electronic device is lost, stolen or damaged. Eubanks told the Advocate he has first-hand knowledge of health issues and learning problems for students because his daughter is a counselor at an elementary school. SB142 is a way for the Legislature 'to help our young kids have a bright future,' he said. 'We want to be able to limit the distraction that students have in school,' Eubanks said. 'They're there to learn, and we want to make sure that that happens.' Arkansas governor, education secretary call on schools to join mental health pilot project Proposals to reduce smartphone usage have gained traction in recent years in states like California and Florida. Arkansas joined the conversation last summer when the governor and education secretary invited schools to participate in a pilot program focused on restricting cellphone access during the school day. In August, state lawmakers permitted the Arkansas Department of Education to distribute $7 million to districts to cover the cost of pouches or lockers where students could store their phones during class time. Sanders said Wednesday the administration 'received an overwhelmingly positive response from school leaders.' Stakeholders, who used data from the pilot program to inform SB142, have been working on the legislation for over a year, Dees said in an interview. The bill aims to respond to parents' concerns, he said. 'Our response today with this bill is that we're no longer going to allow our children to be guinea pigs of Big Tech and social media and the ramifications that have affected our kids,' he said. Dees anticipates the bill will be presented in committee next week and said it will have bipartisan support. As of Wednesday afternoon, Sen. Reginald Murdock of Marianna was the sole Democratic co-sponsor of the bill. This is not the first time state lawmakers have tried to limit Arkansas children's access to social media. Dees and Eubanks sponsored the Social Media Safety Act of 2023 to prohibit minors from creating a social media account without parental consent. It would have been the first such law in the nation, but a federal judge blocked the law in August 2023 before it was set to take effect. Echoing statements made in her State of the State address, Sanders in a press release Wednesday said she plans to update the law so it's no longer held up in court, and to give parents the right to sue tech companies under state law 'so they can hold bad actors accountable.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
