Latest news with #SenateBill234
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Bill to put St. George school system on a ballot advances in House Committee
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — A bill that paves the way for the newly formed city of St. George to operate its own school system has moved forward in the Regular Legislative Session. Senate Bill 25 passed out of the Committee on Appropriations on Tuesday. 'All Senate Bill 25 does as a companion bill is it gives it an election date in April so that people can vote on it,' said Senator Rick Edmonds (R-Baton Rouge). The companion bill he's referring to is Senate Bill 234. That bill would actually create the St. George school board and system within the parish of East Baton Rouge. That bill still must go through the Committee on Education. In terms of legislative progress, SB 234 has a few more hurdles to clear. Tuesday opponents of SB 25 told committee members it would ultimately divert millions of dollars away from Baton Rouge schools, and they believe passing it now was 'putting the cart before the horse.' Senator Edmonds rejected the suggestion to defer his bill until SB 234 is passed through committee, saying it's not uncommon to pass legislation out of order. 'We do it all the time, it's the timeline we get under that we have to pass companion bills, this bill still has to go to civil laws, the language has to be approved. So if you just look at the timing of legislation, those are things that happen all the time,' said Edmonds. SB 25 passed out of the Appropriations Committee on a 15 to 2 vote. SB 234 is a constitutional amendment, so it must ultimately go before the voter before becoming law. Edmonds is hopeful to have it on the ballot for an April 2026 election. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘We need these measures': Latest gun safety bill debated in Oregon Senate
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Multiple debates took place at an Oregon State Senate committee Monday as the legislature heard what people have to say on a bill that would toughen up gun laws in Oregon. Senate Bill 234 is moving through the United States Senate Committee on Rules and Administration. If passed, it would give local governments the authority to decide rules surrounding firearms in public buildings like city halls. 'Overall, your viewers should know that SB 243, the Community Safety Firearms Act, will put safety first for Oregonians, prohibiting devices like 'bump stocks' and letting local governments decide whether to allow guns in city halls and official meeting locations,' Senator Anthony Broadman (D – Bend). 'What truly stopped me from becoming a true victim? My firearm. My ability to carry not only at home where I work, but out in public as well. To say that restricting our right to carry in a public place is crazy,' added Brian McGregor, who spoke out against the bill. The bill also bans devices such as bump stocks that would make a semi-automatic rifle shoot more rapidly. On Monday, the public spoke to a senate committee, who voiced mixed opinions. 'We need these measures because kids are wracked with worry that a mass shooting will happen at school, and gun deaths in Oregon have increased 140% over the past decade. Rapid-fire devices that turn firearms into automatic weapons don't belong in our community. A healthy democracy allows people to visit their local leaders and attend government meetings without a threat of gun violence. More than anything, Oregonians want leaders to work together for prevention of gun deaths and injuries,' said Broadman. 'States with bans on bump stocks have a significantly reduced chance of those devices being used in shootings, leading to significantly fewer deaths and injuries,' said Steve Schneider, the firearm suicide prevention program director for Alliance For Safe Oregon. The bill originally would require gun buyers to wait 72 hours between when a dealer requests a criminal background check from the Oregon state police, but an amendment removes this section of the bill. 'That would prevent any gun shows in Oregon from happening,' said Rick, who spoke out against the bill. Another segment that was taken out requires a buyer to be 21 or older to purchase semi-automatics. 'The Dash 9 amendment removes the 72-hour waiting period. The minimum age provision was already proposed to be removed by an amendment,' said Broadman. The Senate committee will vote on the bill Wednesday. 'The committee will determine next steps, potentially voting to have the bill as amended going to the Senate floor,' said Broadman. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Louisiana Senate committee approves bills for St. George school district; EBR warns of $140M hit
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — A Louisiana Senate committee approved two bills Wednesday that would pave the way for the creation of an independent school district and board in the newly incorporated city of St. George. Sen. Rick Edmonds (R-Baton Rouge) authored the legislation, Senate Bill 234 and its companion measure, Senate Bill 25—both of which cleared the Senate Committee on Education. SB 234 outlines the structure and transition for the proposed St. George Community School System, while SB 25 is a constitutional amendment that must be approved by voters statewide to grant the district full authority. St. George Mayor Dustin Yates told the committee the proposal fulfills one of the city's core promises: providing stronger educational options for families. 'This has always been about putting our kids first,' he said. SB 234 would create the legal framework for a new school system and school board within the city limits of St. George, which became Louisiana's fifth-largest city after winning a 2024 Louisiana Supreme Court decision to incorporate. If passed, the school system would begin operations on July 1, 2027, following a multi-year transition process. The bill proposes the governor appoint an interim superintendent and a seven-member interim school board, drawn from local nominations by legislators. That board would draft district maps and establish governance plans before the first election of board members. Louisiana released school scores. Did your local schools make the grade? SB 234 also outlines how students, buildings, school buses, funding, and other resources would be transferred from the East Baton Rouge Parish School System to the St. George system. The two systems would be required to enter agreements allowing continued access to magnet and charter programs and ensuring state and local education funding follows the student. SB 25, the constitutional amendment, would appear on the Nov. 15, 2025 statewide ballot. If approved by voters, it would give the St. George district the same constitutional authority granted to parish school systems, including the ability to collect property taxes and receive state education funding through the Minimum Foundation Program. But not everyone supports the move. Dadrius Lanus, who represents District 2 on the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board, warned of the potential financial blow to EBR Schools. He said the system could lose $140 million in local revenue to St. George. 'We have done everything possible to fix a lot of concerns and the problems that you've heard today for the very reason why St. George wants to break away,' Lanus said, pointing to the district's ongoing realignment plan that includes school closures and consolidations affecting over 10,000 students. The plan is scheduled to go before the school board in May for final approval. The St. George school system proposal has been years in the making. A similar plan was proposed more than a decade ago but failed to move forward due to challenges with funding and the inability to pass a constitutional amendment. The latest proposal resolves many of those past concerns, according to Edmonds, including issues with district boundaries. Trump signals shift in tone on China tariffs Trump signs executive orders on school discipline, education reform Louisiana Senate committee approves bills for St. George school district; EBR warns of $140M hit How will RFK Jr.'s autism data collection work? Trump adding two 'beautiful' flagpoles to White House grounds as part of his 'touches' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Erie County peace officers now allowed to use EpiPens
SANDUSKY, Ohio (WJW) – On Monday, the Erie County Sheriff's Office began issuing epinephrine auto-injectors, or EpiPens, to deputies for the first time ever as an additional means to help save lives when there is no time to waste. In their patrol vehicles, peace officers across the state have carried tourniquets, bandages, Narcan and other first aid items in addition to being able to use CPR training to help save lives. But there are times when law enforcement officers arrive at the scene of a medical emergency even before an ambulance, and Sheriff Paul Sigsworth believed it was important for them to also have the ability to use EpiPens in the event of an individual suffering from a life threatening episode of anaphylactic shock After meeting with local paramedics and emergency room physicians, he reached out to Ohio Senator Teresa Gavarone, who was immediately supportive. Popular supplement sold on Amazon recalled 'I was shocked when seconds can mean the difference between life and death that that wasn't allowed,' said Gavarone, who sponsored Senate Bill 234, giving properly trained peace officers that authorization. Gavarone said her enthusiasm for sponsoring the legislation was rooted in her own personal experience with a daughter who suffers from tree nut allergies and has experienced severe episodes of anaphylaxis since she was very young. Among those who Sigsworth consulted was Dr. Donald Spanner of University Hospitals in Cleveland. 'I always tell our paramedics during training about the ones who die, die instantly, within minutes and terrible stories of children who get into nuts or get stung by a bee. Those people literally die on the scene and our only hope for these patients is the first line providers. Not just the EMTs and not just the paramedics, but the police who are there frequently before everyone,' said Spanner. 'I do believe it's going to be beneficial in the more rural areas, but it's not to say it wouldn't happen even in the areas that are covered by full time departments,' said Captain Dean Gasser of the Margaretta Township Fire Department, who was also consulted as a part of the process. Sigsworth said, in most all cases, the patients already know their history and they also already know what they have been exposed to that triggered their episode. 'Normally what happens is we will get a 911 call and usually it's the patient themselves and they say, 'I just got stung, I just ate some food, I'm having an allergic reaction,'' said Sigsworth. Invasive, parasitic fish in Great Lakes thrived during COVID-19 That information would help peace officers when deciding if using the EpiPen is appropriate. The legislation requires peace officers who are issued EpiPens to complete anaphylaxis training. Erie County's EpiPens were provided by University Hospitals. The effort there was supported by Firelands Health. Sigsworth said the medication would not be issued to someone who is already unconscious. 'We are not the medical experts. We don't pretend to be. We are certainly not trying to replace paramedics, but all we can do and what we want to do is preserve life until they can arrive and get them into a clinical setting where hopefully they can have a positive outcome all the way around,' said Sigsworth. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
02-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Benton County gets eighth circuit judge
BENTON COUNTY, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — A new judge is coming to Benton County. Senate Bill 234, now Act 220, creates an eighth circuit judgeship for the 19th Judicial District West to help manage the county's growing caseload. The position takes effect April 1, 2025, and will be filled in the 2026 election. The elected judge will start on Jan. 1, 2027, with a six-year term. Benton County couple pleads not guilty in baby sale attempt Benton County will be responsible for providing courtroom space and staff, according to Act 220. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
