Latest news with #SenateBill172
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
An Ohio court passed rules barring ICE arrests. A state Senator wants to scrap them
Sen. Kristina Roegner, R-Hudson. Photo from the Ohio Senate. In March, Franklin County, Ohio judges passed a pair of local rules barring immigration arrests at the county courthouse. A new measure in the state Senate aims to invalidate such restrictions statewide. After President Trump took office, his administration quickly issued guidance giving Immigration and Customs Enforcement the greenlight to make arrests in or near courthouses. In the months since, there have been several highly publicized arrests at courthouses around the country. In one instance FBI agents even arrested a Wisconsin judge, alleging she obstructed an immigration arrest. Judge Hannah Dugan has filed a motion in federal court to have her charges dismissed. Franklin County's rules prohibit any civil arrest without a judicial warrant in the courthouse itself or on the sidewalk and entryways. ICE agents typically use an administrative warrant signed by an agency official rather than a judge. The rules also prohibit the execution of a judicial warrant in a courtroom unless the judge agrees to allow it in writing, and restricts court staff from requesting or sharing information about a person's immigration status. In a press release, the court emphasized its responsibility to ensure due process for the public at large. 'That mission is jeopardized when victims, witnesses, and defendants are afraid to come to the courthouse to testify and participate in ongoing cases, fearing civil arrest and deportation from courthouse grounds,' the release stated. People deciding not to show up, the court argued, undermines the fairness of trials 'for citizens and non-citizens alike.' State Sen. Kristina Roegner, R-Hudson, believes the court overstepped its authority. Her proposal 'specifies that persons who are unlawfully present in the United States are not privileged from arrest.' State law already bars civil, but not criminal, arrest in several circumstances. You can't get arrested going to the polls on Election Day, on the Fourth of July, on Sundays generally, or at a place of worship on the traditional day of worship. Huge majorities support due process for migrants. They haven't always gotten it in Ohio The same privileges apply to court. The parties to a case, witnesses, jurors, and court officials, can't be arrested for civil violations at, or on the way to and from court — a point cited in the local rules. But Roegner's proposal would remove those privileges for undocumented individuals, and she said it was 'drafted in response' to Franklin County's changes. 'Senate Bill 172 would provide much needed support for federal immigration authorities,' she argued, 'by requiring state and local public offices and public officials to allow the arrest or detention of any person who is suspected of being in the United States illegally for that person's removal or for other immigration related purposes.' The proposal also prohibits any public office in Ohio from enforcing rules that bar cooperation with immigration authorities. State Sen. Terry Johnson, R-McDermott, quipped that it's 'amazing thing that we would even have to do this.' But the scope of Roegner's proposal gave others pause, particularly in the context of the Trump administration's recent track record with immigration enforcement. Up until the first Trump administration, immigration authorities generally avoided places like courts, schools, hospitals and churches. But in 2018, an ICE directive laid out a policy that increased courthouse arrests substantially. Trump campaigned for his second term promising mass deportations, and his administration has tried to fast-track those removals at the expense of due process. Last week a federal judge in Boston ruled a deportation flight to South Sudan violated his previous court order. Earlier this month, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the administration could not deport a group of more than 170 Venezuelans with just 24 hours' notice. In its ruling, the court pointed to a different, highly publicized case in which Kilmar Abrego Garcia was accidentally deported to El Salvador. Trump administration contends U.S. courts can't rule on Kilmar Abrego Garcia 'Had the detainees been removed from the United States to the custody of a foreign sovereign,' the majority wrote, 'the government may have argued, as it has previously argued, that no U.S. court had jurisdiction to order relief.' State Sen. Casey Weinstein, D-Hudson, said he understood Roegner's concern about illegal immigrants who have committed crimes. But he expressed doubts about giving free rein to officers seeking someone only suspected of being in the U.S. unlawfully. 'With some of the stories that have come out about immigrants who have been wrongfully detained or even wrongfully renditioned out of the country, I was just curious what your thoughts are on protections for legal residents — legal immigrants — who may feel concerned that they could be wrongfully targeted in this?' he asked. Roegner said the U.S. is a country of immigrants and pointed to her own mother immigrating to the country from Finland. But she insisted 'we're also a country of laws,' and if someone is here legally 'they would really have nothing to fear.' 'So yeah, will mistakes happen? Probably, yes, they happen all the time,' Roegner said. 'But they can be cleared. They can say, 'yep, no, I'm a legal immigrant, and here's my paperwork,' and they can prove that they're here rightfully.' Follow Ohio Capital Journal Reporter Nick Evans on X or on Bluesky. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Jay Leno Supports Lifting Smog Checks For Classic Cars
Read the full story on The Auto Wire Former Tonight Show host and comedian Jay Leno is backing a new bill in California which would wave the smog check requirement for certain classic cars. In fact, Senate Bill 172 is being called 'Leno's Law' the bill passes, it would do away with the current requirement in California of a biennial smog check for any car that's 35 model years or older. The catch is the vehicle has to be insured as a collector car. For those who don't know, collector car insurance is extended based on more limited use of a vehicle. Most policies put a hard cap on how many miles can be logged in a year, insuring that you're not using the car to commute or do other daily tasks. The bill, which is sponsored by State Senator Shannon Grove, is supposed to keep the Golden State friendly to car enthusiasts. We personally know some who have either heavily considered or actually taken the plunge and moved because they feel the hobby is no longer respected or tolerated there. 'These rolling pieces of history are more than just vehicles—they have strong cultural ties in our communities and supply thousands of jobs in the aftermarket parts industry,' Grove said in a statement. Considering the history California has when it comes to automotive culture, and the industry which has sprouted up around it, we can understand why Grove and Leno would be working to preserve what's left of it. One big question is will this bill pass and become law? We're sure some will have a problem with it considering how aggressively some have pursued the goal of downright outlawing internal combustion engines. But classic cars contribute little to air pollution since they're driven irregularly. 'Our classic cars are only driven for special occasions, weekend drives and car shows. I am excited to work with Senator Grove on SB 712 to make it simpler for us to preserve these pieces of history,' Leno said. Source: Fox 5 San Diego Image via Jay Leno's Garage/YouTube Join our Newsletter, subscribe to our YouTube page, and follow us on Facebook.
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Nevada could be the next state to require overtime pay for farm workers
(Photo: Richard Bednarski/Nevada Current) Some Nevada agriculture workers are subjected to grueling 12-hour days without overtime pay, living in shabby employer-provided housing, and dealing with unsafe work environments, state lawmakers were told Monday. Senate Bill 172, heard Monday at the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee, seeks to bolster protections for farm workers and amend Nevada's overtime pay laws to include agriculture workers. Democratic state Sen. Edgar Flores, who sponsored the bill, said the legislation would establish an Agricultural Workers' Bill of Rights similar to versions passed in Colorado, Oregon, California and Washington. SB 172, if passed, would mandate break time requirements, raise standards for employer-provided housing, outline protections for whistleblowers, allow workers to collectively bargain and create an advisory committee to oversee implementation. In its most recent biennial report, the Nevada Department of Agriculture estimates there are 8,000 agricultural workers in the state. Make the Road Nevada has recently collected stories from farmworkers in Nevada to better understand some of the working conditions, which prompted several provisions included in the bill.. Noé Orosco, the government affairs manager with Make the Road Nevada, read a letter by an anonymous farm worker to lawmakers on Monday describing 10 workers being forced to share a two-bedroom trailer provided by the employer that lacked heating and air conditioning. The worker omitted his name out of fear of retaliation. Orosco said one of the workers the organization interviewed told their employer about living conditions, which included the trailer deteriorating, seeking to get the problem remedied. 'We were given just 15 days to vacate the premises,' Orosco read to lawmakers. 'However, only two days later, we were abruptly told that we had to leave immediately. Just like that, we were left unemployed and unhoused.' Make the Road provided Nevada Current with three additional letters of workers describing living and working conditions at unnamed farms. One worker wrote that they rarely had access to protective glasses, gloves or other basic equipment needed to handle hazardous chemicals. 'A former coworker once voiced concerns about the lack of protective gear, hoping for a safer work environment. Instead of addressing the issue, the boss fired him,' according to another letter. Another letter described being pressured to work through break times. 'When we do take breaks, we are sometimes rushed back to work before we have had a chance to properly rest or eat,' one worker wrote. Flores said while he knows there are agricultural employers who are treating their workers fairly, 'we've heard from other workers that they are not getting the same kind of love and treatment.' Agricultural workers are exempted from federal overtime law, although some states have enacted their own requirements. Nevada law exempts agriculture workers from the state's minimum wage and overtime pay laws, which requires workers to be paid one and a half times their pay rate if working more than eight hours a day or 40 hours a week. The legislation would remove agricultural workers from the list of exemptions. Flores said he expects the overtime pay provisions to be 'the biggest point of contention' within the legislation. Numerous agriculture employers and farm owners opposed the bill and urged lawmakers to reject the legislation, warning of economic harm if it were to pass. Charles Turner, who owns Desert Hills Dairy in Lyon County, said agriculture workers are exempt from overtime laws due to the unique nature of agriculture work.' He said that if the state removed the exemption it 'would place undue financial and logistical strain on farmers and ranchers.' 'Nevada's agricultural industry operates on tight margins, competing with states and countries that have lower labor costs,' Turner said. While Flores said he was open to making changes to the language, he argued the state needs to address the issue of overtime pay for farm workers. 'As a business owner, I have been in that situation where I paid my staff and not myself, and it was scary,' he said. 'It's something employers do often. I think all of us in those circumstances can agree that the right answer is not to say we're not going to pay employees what they are owed.' Republican state Sen. John Ellison of Elko said many business owners, including him, allow workers who need to leave early to make up time later in the week to ensure they get 40 hours. Cecilia Alonso with the National Farm Workers union said Nevada's overtime laws fail to acknowledge workloads carried by farm workers. 'Unlike other industries, Nevada's farm workers are not entitled to the same overtime wage protections, despite working 10 to 12 hour shifts, six or even seven days a week,' Alonso said. 'These are grueling, physical, demanding jobs without proper compensation.' Ellison also objected to some of the bill's housing provisions, saying they would effectively require employers to tear down buildings and construct new facilities. 'Right now, advocates and service providers are not allowed to visit farm worker housing to provide information on legal rights, health care and worker protections,' Alonso said. 'Many farm workers live in employer farm worker housing, where their isolation makes them more vulnerable to exploitation, wage theft and unsafe conditions.' The bill, she said, merely seeks to offer additional protections. The committee took no action on the bill.
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Whitefish senator introduces revisions to Montana resort tax
Red Lodge is one of 13 communities in Montana with a local-option resort tax Tourism is a double-edged sword, says Sen. Dave Fern. The Whitefish Democrat has decades of experience living in one of the state's top tourism destinations to back up that statement. More than half the economy of towns such as Whitefish, a gateway community to Glacier National Park and home to Whitefish Mountain Resort, stands on the backs of tourism and recreation-based businesses. The town of roughly 9,000 people welcomes around 1 million visitors each year, according to the University of Montana Institute of Tourism and Recreation Research, and those visitors have an impact on local infrastructures, trails, and rising property values — all things a local resort tax helps address. Fern, a Whitefish Democrat, said that West Yellowstone was the first community in the state to implement a local-option sales tax in the 1980s. Now, 13 communities in the state have a 'resort' designation and leverage the resort tax. 'As tourism and visitation became more and more an essential part of the economy, lots of smaller communities — both unincorporated areas and municipalities — were adversely impacted by the effects of tourism and visitation,' Fern told the Senate Taxation committee on Wednesday. 'You take some communities with a limited tax base and increasing infrastructure needs because of tourism, and you come into a collision.' Fern is sponsoring Senate Bill 172, which would amend the current resort tax law to increase the population threshold for communities that can obtain a 'resort' designation from the state, and allow an additional 1% tax to be collected and used for workforce housing. 'I think what is important is that the state recognizes that resort communities and areas face an extra hardship caused by tourism, and they need assistance,' he said. Currently, cities with less than 5,500 residents and unincorporated areas with fewer than 2,500 residents that derive at least half their economy from visitor-based businesses can opt to enact a resort tax — with voter approval — and can extend the tax even if the population grows past the initial limits. Fern's bill would raise the cap for cities to enact the tax to 10,000 residents, and for unincorporated areas to 3,500, saying he had Whitefish in mind as an example town. 'Over the years, Whitefish, in particular, has doubled, or nearly doubled in population,' Fern said. 'And yet we haven't grown ourselves out of the problem, the problem being increased visitation that has a continued impact on the need for infrastructure.' The tax, capped at 3%, applies to sales of non-essential 'luxury' goods and services sold by food, lodging and destination-recreation businesses within a resort area, while exempting a long list of 'necessities of life,' with the goal of maximizing tourism dollars and minimizing impacts on local residents. At least 5% of resort tax revenue must be used to alleviate local property taxes, with the rest determined by the local governing body. Communities can also leverage an additional 1% to be used exclusively for infrastructure, but that addition is capped for cities below the population limits. Residents of Whitefish first passed the resort tax in 1995, and reauthorized it for 20 more years in 2021, when city officials said that annual tax revenue was around $4 million. Currently, the city of Whitefish allocates 25% of revenue to property tax relief, 48% to infrastructure projects, 10% to bike paths and parks, 10% to affordable housing projects and 2% to the local Whitefish Trail System. Fern's bill also focuses on workforce housing by removing the population cap for leveraging the additional 1% tax and allowing it to be used for infrastructure or affordable housing projects. While new taxes are often perceived as unpopular, Fern pointed out to committee members that each time the Whitefish tax was put to voters, it gained support. The 2021 vote to extend the tax passed with 89% of the vote, while a recent vote to add a tax to the Big Mountain Resort District — comprising Whitefish Mountain Resort, which sits outside city limits — also passed with more than 80% support. 'I think that is because you can see progress. You see infrastructure changes, you see significant improvements in roads, side walks, shared use paths, that sort of thing,' Fern said. 'And you get property tax relief, so that's why it's been very very popular.' No one opposed SB 172 during the committee hearing, while a representative from Shelter Whitefish, a nonprofit focused on housing inequality, testified in support.
