Latest news with #SenateBill227
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Senator Overcash, you know me. Why are you erasing me?
Image: iStock/Getty Images Dear Senator Overcash: I shouldn't need to re-introduce myself to you, but I'm Paige Sullivan. I'm a native and lifelong resident of North Carolina. I'm also transgender and a former classmate of yours. We shared the same public school hallways for twelve years. We had many of the same teachers, though never in the same classroom at the same time. I write to you today, standing up not only for myself, but thousands of transgender, gender non-conforming, non-binary, intersex North Carolinians, and families with transgender children. Since we already know each other, let's keep this casual. Brad, what are you doing? I was shocked when I saw your name on this bill. You were always a go-getter in school, but I never thought you'd put your name on a bathroom bill like Senate Bill 516. Have you considered the implications of the bills you have sponsored? Can you all please explain to us how a person with a beard and a deep voice, who's been on testosterone, belongs in the women's room? What protections would you offer a transgender woman who is forced to use the men's room? What will happen when someone needs to take their child or aging relative to the restroom and of a different gender? There are many other scenarios to consider, and this bill will hurt many people. Secondly, why is there a restriction on changing our birth certificates and driver's licenses? Is that a personal dig at me, perchance? It's no one's business, especially the government's, of what's between our legs. On top of that, you have no idea how the transition process works. For me, it has taken the better part of twenty years. I've had psychological evaluations, relating directly to my gender identity, by doctors over a few years. I've been on estradiol injections for twelve years. I've had five surgeries. You don't just walk into a clinic and have reassignment surgery. Okay, let's move on to Senate Bill 227. By banning DEI programs, you're not eliminating bias but codifying it. Students deserve to learn the full scope of American history, including the lives of Black, Indigenous, LGBTQ+, and immigrant communities. Silencing these narratives doesn't protect kids—it denies them the tools to understand the world they're growing up in. We went to overwhelmingly 'white' schools, but you had at least three racial minorities in your graduating class. Maybe you should ask them what they think of this bill. Explain to them that because they are a racial minority, other kids shouldn't learn about their history or struggles for freedom and equal rights. What's the real reason? Brad, I know you are better than this. Stand on the right side of history. Don't let party politics close your eyes to the harm these bills will cause. Think of your Christian beliefs. Would Jesus stand for this? I invite you to read Matthew 25:34-35, Luke 14:13, and the many teachings that call us toward justice and mercy. I'm not asking you to change overnight. I'm asking you to listen, to remember who I am, and to lead with compassion. We were taught in civics class that we are equal—did you forget that? Would you like me to contact some of our former teachers to provide a refresher course on the foundational documents of our country and state? I know one who would do it in a heartbeat for you. Brad, you and I learned the same lessons about fairness, equality, and civic responsibility. I'm not asking for a debate. I'm asking for humanity. You may not accept my meeting request, but I hope you'll receive this: Laws like SB 516 and SB 227 harm real people. And now, you still have the chance to choose compassion over cruelty.
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signs 55 bills into law on Thursday
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed 55 bills into law on Thursday. Bills included those covering the Freedom of Information Act, nuclear energy and religious protection. Four takeaways from the 12th week of the 95th General Assembly FOIA Senate Bill 227, now Act 505, amends the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act to accommodate modern requirements, such as meetings using video calls. The bill received broad support in both chambers. NUCLEAR House Concurrent Resolution 1009 was signed into law, allowing the state to apply for federal funding for the next phase of a nuclear power study. The study is to determine if spent nuclear fuel rods can be reused for power or recycled. RELIGIOUS PROTECTION , provides that people cannot be discriminated against in adoption and foster care because of their religious beliefs. As the law goes into effect, no agency can compel a faith-based adoption or foster care group to act in a way that would violate their religious beliefs. Other bills signed into law also included a number providing funding for various state agencies. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee sworn in as ambassador to Israel With this latest round of signatures, the governor has signed 552 bills into law since the start of the 95th General Assembly. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
FOIA bill heads to Arkansas governor's desk
Sen. Clarke Tucker, D-Little Rock, questions a bill that would abolish the State Library Board and the Educational Television Commission. Photographed Feb. 13, 2025. (Mary Hennigan/Arkansas Advocate) A bill that clarifies aspects of Arkansas' public meetings law is heading to the governor's desk after it again passed the Senate by a wide margin on Monday. The bill specifies what members of city councils, quorum courts or school boards could discuss outside of a public meeting and would also allow a court to nullify any decisions made by a public body if it was in violation of open meetings laws. Senate Bill 227, sponsored by Sen. Clarke Tucker, D-Little Rock, had already passed the Senate once, but the addition of co-sponsors when it was being considered in the House required another vote by the upper chamber. Senators voted 34-1 in favor of passage; more senators voted yes in the second vote, including Sen. Alan Clark, who voted against Tucker's bill when it first passed the Senate last month. Clark introduced his own amendments to the state's Freedom of Information Act that would have defined a public meeting as 'more than two' members of a public body – a change from the current status quo. That bill, Senate Bill 376, has been waiting to be heard in the House State Agencies and Governmental Affairs committee, and Clark voted against Tucker's bill the first time it went before the chamber. Only Sen. John Payton, R-Wilburn, voted no during Monday's vote. The current FOIA does not define the number of people needed for a meeting to qualify as public, but has generally been interpreted to mean a meeting where at least two members of a governing body get together. Tucker's bill, if signed into law, would make that more explicit. Tucker's bill has support from FOIA advocates around the state. The president of the Arkansas Press Association, Andrew Bagley, called Tucker's bill 'a very good piece of legislation' during a committee meeting March 12. The Arkansas Freedom of Information Act gives Arkansans broad access to public records, such as emails sent between state officials and documents used in the course of government action. The law also establishes access to public meetings by members of the public, although the vague language governing this access has led to multiple instances of litigation as local governments ran afoul of the sunshine provisions. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
House passes bill clarifying Arkansas public meetings law
Rep. Jon Eubanks, R-Paris, attends a House Judiciary Committee meeting on Jan. 28, 2025. (Mary Hennigan/Arkansas Advocate) The Arkansas House of Representatives passed a bill Monday that would clarify state public meetings law by specifying what members of city councils, quorum courts or school boards can discuss outside of a public meeting. Senate Bill 227, sponsored by Sen. Clarke Tucker, D-Little Rock, and Rep. Jon Eubanks, R-Paris, would also allow a court to nullify any decisions made by a public body if it was in violation of open meetings laws, would add a cybersecurity breach as a reason to meet in executive session, and would regulate remote meeting attendance. Under current state law, the number of people needed for a meeting to qualify as public is not defined, but has generally been interpreted to mean a meeting where at least two members of a governing body meet. Tucker's bill would make that more explicit. The legislation passed with 87 out of the 99 members present voting for the bill; five voted against it and five voted present. Two lawmakers abstained and Rep. Stephen Magie, D-Conway, was absent. The bill, which already passed the Senate once, was amended to add co-sponsors after it was sent to the House, so it will be returned to the Senate for another vote. While the measure passed with broad margins in the House, Rep. Jim Wooten, R-Beebe, stood to urge colleagues to vote it down. 'We're starting down a slippery slope when we start fooling around with the Freedom of Information Act as it relates to the public knowledge and transparency in government,' Wooten warned. Wooten expressed concerns that the language of the bill would allow board members to discuss their positions on public business, and then pressure other members behind the scenes. A separate bill, SB 376, would define a public meeting as one where more than two members of a government entity met. That bill is awaiting a hearing in the House State Agencies and Governmental Affairs Committee, and has been opposed by government transparency advocates. Eubanks said that provisions included in the bill would prohibit that kind of behavior while providing needed clarity to local officials alongside transparency. 'I spent 10 years on a school board, and I can assure you I did not know what the rules were, and I don't think anybody else did either,' Eubanks said. 'I think this is important, and it's going to allow school board associations, counties, Municipal League to have clear understanding of what is allowed so that they can give the proper training to the members of those boards.' The Arkansas Freedom of Information Act of 1967 gives Arkansans the right to obtain government records, such as emails. However, vague definitions of what exactly constituted a public meeting has led to litigation as local government bodies ran afoul of sunshine provisions. Tucker's bill has garnered support from state FOIA advocates, including the Arkansas Press Association. The association's president, Andrew Bagley, called Tucker's bill 'a very good piece of legislation' during a committee meeting March 12. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
No matter what, open meetings proposals will shine light on decision-makers during Sunshine Week
Credit: Don Landgren via Sunshine Week Toolkit A House panel unanimously approved a bill Wednesday that should delight two groups who've battled for years over what constitutes a public meeting for governing bodies. The House State Agencies and Governmental Affairs Committee recommended passage of Senate Bill 227 by Sen. Clarke Tucker, a Democrat from Little Rock. The legislation next moves to the House floor, its last stop before the governor's desk — if approved by representatives Thursday. Fittingly, the action occurred in the middle of the 20th anniversary of Sunshine Week, an annual observance that highlights the importance of your right to know what public officials do in your name. Sunshine Week takes on added significance during Arkansas legislative sessions because some lawmakers spend a lot of their time trying to weaken the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act, a 1967 law that guarantees citizens the right to observe government entities deliberate and act on matters of public importance, as well as the right to examine government documents. In other words, the FOIA lets the light of public scrutiny shine on government officials and public records to the betterment of the state. Tucker said in an earlier legislative hearing that he spent two years working on the bill's language, getting staunch public-access purists like Jimmie Cavin of Conway and Fort Smith attorney Joey McCutchen along with local government and school board officials to agree on a proposal that, in McCutchen's words Wednesday, gives citizens and officials a 'bright-line test' to determine whether a gathering is a meeting that should follow the FOIA's requirements for a public meeting. 'I think if you can bring Jimmie Cavin and Joey McCutchen and the Municipal League and the Association of Counties together, you probably deserve a Nobel Peace prize,' State Agencies Chairman Jimmy Gazaway, R-Paragould, told Tucker. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The feel-good vibe may be short-lived, however, because another bill defining a public meeting is making its way through the lawmaking process. That bill is opposed by McCutchen, Cavin and the Arkansas Press Association, among others. Senate Bill 376 by Republican Sen. Alan Clark of Lonsdale is on the Senate floor Thursday. It defines a public meeting as a gathering of two or more members of a governing body. When a Senate committee discussed both Clark's and Tucker's bills, Clark said his bill 'better defines Sen. Tucker's bill.' But McCutchen and others said SB 376 would allow 'serial meetings,' or polling. Tucker noted that two members of a city council, for example, could subvert the FOIA's intent by having one-to-one discussions until all members, or at least a majority, agreed on which way to vote on an issue — all behind closed doors and beyond the public's view. Clark amended his bill after that committee discussion to prohibit two members who discuss a matter their governing body might take up 'from disclosing the opinion or position of another member on the matter with other members of the governing body.' Whether that addition is enough to get a majority of senators to move Clark's bill forward remains to be seen. For now, Tucker's more nuanced but better received legislation is headed for final approval ahead of Clark's proposal. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
