Latest news with #SenateBill24
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Down to the wire: Texas lawmakers tackled communism, school prayer, squatters Thursday
Texas lawmakers are racing to toward the June 2 finish line for the 2025 legislative session. Here are some of the highlights of Thursday's action. The Texas House voted overwhelmingly to require public school students to learn about 'historical events and atrocities' that took place under communist regimes, putting Texas in line with Florida and other states that have adopted similar policies. Senate Bill 24 by Sen. Donna Campbell, R-New Braunfels, mandates the state to develop curriculum for fourth- through 12th-grade social studies classes that include 'the oppression and suffering experienced by people living under communist regimes, including mass murder, violent land seizures, show trials, concentration camps, forced labor, poverty, and general economic deterioration.' It would also mandate teaching about the history of communist movements in the U.S. Democratic state Rep. Gene Wu of Houston expressed concern that the bill could give a false impression about the prevalence of the ideology in U.S. history, saying that in the past, people who fought for worker's rights were often accused of being communists. More: Bipartisan contingent of Texas senators advance bill to teach 'horrors of communism' Austin Democratic Reps. Vikki Goodwin and Gina Hinojosa sought unsuccessfully to require students to learn about fascist regimes in addition to communist ones. A proposed amendment from Rep. Jon Rosenthal, D-Houston, to add education on Nazism and its 'resurgence in the United States and Europe in the present day' also failed to stick. Republican Rep. Stan Kitzman of Pattison, an army veteran who represents a large, rural area west of Houston, made a rare appearance at the back mic to defend the legislation. 'Communism is responsible for more misery and murder around the planet in the 20th century than any other form of government,' he said Thursday to applause from members. Rep. Mihaela Plesa, D-Dallas, gave an emotional address about her family's experience fleeing the communist regime of former Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu. 'When my parents grew up, when the government killed a member of your family, they would send you the bill for the bullet,' Plesa told the lower chamber. 'By passing Senate Bill 24 … we are giving children like the one I once was a chance to see their family's truth reflected in the history we teach.' The bill passed in a 119-13 vote with five members abstaining. It now heads to Gov. Greg Abbott. A bill that would remove sodas from being eligible for purchase under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program initially passed the House on Thursday. The lower chamber voted 88-47 to advance Senate Bill 379 by Sen. Mayes Middleton, R-Galveston. It would prohibit the use of SNAP benefits, formerly known as food stamps, from purchasing carbonated, sweetened soft drinks, which proponents of the bill say are contributing to an obesity epidemic in Texas. The Senate passed the measure by a 24-6 vote in late March. More: Greg Abbott moves to block Texans from using food stamps for soda and candy Critics have said the legislation could lead to a reduced availability of food for SNAP recipients, causing some small vendors to choose to stop accepting benefits altogether rather than sort through regulatory guidelines. Abbott last week formally requested a waiver from the Trump administration to prohibit the purchase of 'unhealthy, highly processed food' using SNAP benefits. Although it's not yet entirely clear, the waiver might be required for the state to legally implement Middleton's bill if it becomes law. The bill is part of a recent conservative movement to "Make Texas Healthy Again," which Republican lawmakers hope will lead the way in a wider movement championed by U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The House must vote one more time, and the Senate will need to accept minor House tweaks to the bill, before it will head to the governor's desk for a signature. The House gave its blessing Thursday to Senate Bill 31, which aims to clarify the medical exception to the state's near-total abortion ban and educate doctors on when they can legally terminate pregnancies. The bill's House sponsor, Republican state Rep. Charlie Geren of Fort Worth, said the proposal aims to prevent maternal deaths that have occurred since Texas outlawed nearly all abortions in 2022. "We know women have died after care was delayed or denied,' said Geren, who authored the House companion for SB 31. "We know women have left Texas for lifesaving care. We know women have been horribly injured because doctors have refused to provide abortions that could save their bodies. Doctors and hospitals need the clarity that SB 31 can provide." More: Texas House passes bill clarifying medical exceptions in state abortion ban Lawmakers in the lower chamber also voted to bar cities like Austin from funding out-of-state abortion travel with Senate Bill 33, authored by Campbell. That bill's House sponsor, state Rep. Candy Noble, R-Lucas, said the legislation will ensure public money isn't "spent on an activity that is illegal in Texas." 'We don't want to be litigious, but when a city decides to clearly circumvent the intent of a law passed by the Texas Legislature, it's time for us to get stern,' she said. Several attempts from Democratic lawmakers to kill a bill to expand prayer in public schools failed Thursday when the House initially passed the measure 88-57. Senate Bill 11 by Galveston Republican Sen. Mayes Middleton would allow a school district or charter school's board to set aside time for "prayer and reading of the Bible or other religious text" each day. Students and school employees would be required to provide consent forms for participation in the prayer period, and the bill would prohibit prayer or reading of religious texts over a loudspeaker. Furthermore, districts would not be required to adopt the policy. The bill, however, also strikes a provision in Texas law that prohibits educators from encouraging students to pray — a point some opponents of the measure took issue with. The House passed legislation to give more protections to homeowners whose property is being occupied by anyone who is not invited to be there. Provisions of SB 1333 include allowing an owner to submit a complaint to the local sheriff or constable of the county in which the property is located, and it requires that complaint to be made under oath. The sheriff or constable upon verifying the complaint, must "without delay to serve notice to immediately vacate on the person occupying the dwelling without the owner's consent and put the owner in possession of the dwelling." The House made changes to the version passed by the Senate, so the measure will go back to the upper chamber for further consideration. The Senate can accept the changes or request a conference committee to iron out the differences. At least one chamber, the House, has been advised that floor sessions will be held Saturday and Sunday, notwithstanding the Memorial Day weekend. That's because scores of bills are backed up, and the Legislature is entering its final full week ahead of the session's must-end date of June 2. No firm word yet from the Senate on its weekend plans, or whether Monday, the actual federal holiday, will be a workday in the Capitol. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas lawmakers tackled communism, school prayer, squatters Thursday
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bill to teach Texas kids the dangers of communism — but not fascism — OK'd by House
The Texas House voted 112-20 on Wednesday to preliminarily approve a bill requiring public schools to teach the dangers of communism. But the most robust debate centered around what the bill didn't include — teachings on the harms of fascism and Nazism. 'Ignoring one side of the spectrum while scrutinizing another creates an incomplete and potentially misleading historical education,' said state Rep. Vikki Goodwin of Austin, one of several Democrats who unsuccessfully sought to amend Senate Bill 24. SB 24 would require the State Board of Education to adopt standards for social studies curriculum for fourth through 12th grade. That instruction must include information on 'atrocities attributable to communist regimes' and contrast communism with 'the United States' founding principles of individual rights, merit-based achievement and free enterprise,' according to the bill. Goodwin said teaching students how fascism sows distrust and discredits Democratic institutions as well as cultivates an us-versus-them mentality will help them recognize when it occurs in the U.S. Democrats across the nation have often compared the actions of the Trump administration and his allies as that of a fascist regime. It was for this reason that Rep. Jon E. Rosenthal, D-Houston, tried to amend the bill to require teaching about Nazism and its resurgence in Europe and the U.S. today. 'We are seeing signs of rising authoritarianism like the politicization of independent institutions, spreading of disinformation, executive power grabs. Does any of this sound familiar to any of you?' he said before voting against the bill. Rep. Jeff Leach, R-Plano, said he opposed the proposed changes because he wanted to send SB 24 to the governor as soon as possible. Leach carried the bill in the lower chamber. Sen. Donna Campbell, R-New Braunfels, authored it. 'I don't want this bill to become a Christmas tree,' Leach said. 'This is about communism alone.' Reps. Gene Wu and Harold V. Dutton Jr., both Democrats from Houston, raised concerns that students would not be taught that throughout American history, many were falsely accused of being communists. Dutton said some, such as civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., were labeled communists because they were striving to create a more perfect union. Wu, who later voted against the bill, said it could also lead people who have fled from communist countries to be stigmatized or stereotyped. Leach said the bill would require the State Board of Education to get input from victims of communism and would give the board time to develop the curriculum, which would roll out in the 2026-2027 school year. 'I don't disagree with the spirit and the intent of Rep. Wu's amendment. I simply do not think it's necessary,' he said. And Leach got assistance from a Democrat. State Rep. Richard Peña Raymond of Laredo urged fellow Democrats to vote for the bill, despite their amendments failing, because of the greater good it would produce — to teach that communism is bad and to show Democrats are willing to compromise. 'If we as Democrats continue to take the bait and vote against bills like this, get ready for more. There's not going to be more of us two years from now, there's going to be fewer,' Peña Raymond. Some Democrats, including Goodwin and Dutton, ultimately voted in favor of the measure. Earlier this year, Rafael Cruz, a right-wing pastor and father of U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, testified in favor of this bill. He said public schools should be required to teach anti-communism to reaffirm that America is a Christian country. The same day the House passed this bill, they were scheduled to consider other measures that would require the Ten Commandments to be displayed in classrooms and set aside time during the school day for prayer. Texas schools are already required to hang donated 'In God We Trust' signs, allowed to replace mental health counselors with unlicensed religious chaplains and are incentivized to use curriculum materials that teach the Bible and other religious texts. First round of TribFest speakers announced! Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Maureen Dowd; U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-San Antonio; Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker; U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff, D-California; and U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Dallas are taking the stage Nov. 13–15 in Austin. Get your tickets today!
CBS News
07-05-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Pennsylvania Treasurer mailing 40,000 "Money Match" letters to residents this week
Over 40,000 Pennsylvania residents will find out this week if they are owed unclaimed money or property through the "Money Match" program, and will likely start receiving checks in June, Treasurer Stacy Garrity announced Wednesday. The Money Match program allows the state treasury to automatically return property valued up to $500 to the rightful single owner after steps are taken to verify their identity. "If you receive a Money Match letter, read it and keep it," Garrity said in a news release. "About 45 days later, your unclaimed property will arrive in the form of a check from the Pennsylvania Treasury Department, so make sure you cash the check!" Forty-five days from May 8 would be June 22, 2025. This is the second batch of checks sent out through the program. In the first, about 8,000 checks totaling nearly $2 million went to residents. Prior to last year, residents had to seek out unclaimed property for themselves. But then the Pennsylvania Senate unanimously passed Senate Bill 24, which allows for the automatic return of some unclaimed funds. "I saw some other states were doing it and I'm like, well, why aren't we doing this?" Garrity told CBS News Philadelphia's Jim Donovan in March. On Thursday, Garrity and fellow Republican state representatives and senators will gather to return $13,000 in unclaimed property to the Bucks County Sheriff's Office. What is unclaimed property and how can I find it in Pennsylvania? Unclaimed property could be money from dormant bank accounts or uncashed checks, forgotten stocks and insurance policies, or even physical property like the contents of abandoned safe deposit boxes. There is more than $5 billion in unclaimed property being held by the Treasury, with the average claim valued at more than $1,000. Money Match will automatically send out money and property valued at $500 or less and with a single owner. But if the property has multiple owners or is valued higher, you will still need to file a claim. To see if you're owed unclaimed property in Pennsylvania, visit the Pennsylvania Treasury's website. contributed to this report.
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Kansas gov. approves 11 new laws, vetoes scholarship bill
TOPEKA (KSNT) – Kansas Governor Laura Kelly signed a slew of bills into law while vetoing one on Friday, including approving legislation to protect the state's residents from artificial intelligence (AI) sex crimes. Kelly announced in a press release on April 25 that she has signed a bill criminalizing the possession, creation and distribution of AI-generated child sexual abuse material. The bill also requires certain prior convictions to be considered when determining bond for those arrested for specific sex offenses. Lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle approved of the legislation which also raises the minimum bond for repeat offenders who are charged with violent sex crimes to $750,000. Republican Representative for House District 76 Brad Barrett praised the bill for the benefits it will have in protecting the state's youngest residents. The Kansas Statehouse is slowly changing color, here's why 'As child predators turn to AI to create obscene, exploitative images of children, whether by altering real photos or generating abusive material from scratch, we must act,' Barrett said. 'This legislation strengthens our child exploitation laws to protect kids from this evolving threat and also updates our breach of privacy law to shield adults from having their images maliciously altered to appear nude or sexually explicit when they have an expectation of privacy.' Kelly also chose to veto Senate Bill 24 on April 24, sending it back to the Kansas Legislature for further action. If approved, Senate Bill 24 would expand the postsecondary educational institutions eligible to participate in the Kansas Promise Scholarship Program and raise the maximum annual appropriation limit. 'The Kansas Promise Scholarship Program provides financial support to Kansans to help them cover the cost of a two-year degree or technical training program. Currently the program is limited to not-for-profit schools. Senate Bill 24 would allow two private, for-profit institutions to participate in the program. 'I have serious concerns about the precedent that would be set by providing state funding to for-profit educational institutions that are not accountable to the state or taxpayers. This program is meant to support Kansans as they pursue an education, not funnel public money to private, for-profit institutions.' Gov. Laura Kelly veto statement on Senate Bill 24 Republican House Speaker Dan Hawkins responded to the governor's veto decision on Senate Bill 24. He said the bill would 'be a win for everyone' and help benefit the state's students and families. 'I'm disappointed to see the Governor veto an expansion of the Kansas Promise Scholarship. The program has been a successful tool- helping Kansas students gain the skills needed to excel in high-demand, well-paying jobs while also helping to retain those talented workers here in Kansas. Whether the student attends a public or private school is irrelevant, especially as we face workforce shortages across many industries. The results of the Kansas Promise Program benefit Kansas students, families, and businesses, regardless of the school they attend, and expanding it would truly be a win for everyone. Republican House Speaker Dan Hawkins statement on Senate Bill 24's veto Why legalizing weed in Kansas isn't working Kelly signed a total of 11 bills into law on April 25 dealing with various topics. You can read through the new laws below: Senate Bill 186 – protects Kansans by combating online sexual crimes and strengthens protections for survivors of sexual assault, among other related public safety issues. Senate Substitute for House Bill 2007 – reconciles multiple amendments to certain statutes dealing with the 2025 legislative session. Senate Substitute for House Bill 2125 – modifies the deadline for mailing property tax statements to taxpayers and the deadline for governing bodies to certify the amount of property tax to be levied to the county clerk. Also provides for the country clerk's use of the previous year's budget when a taxing subdivision fails to file its budget in a timely manner, among other changes. House Bill 2289 – modifies certain requirements for the production and issuance of license plates. House Bill 2231 – provides personal exemption for head of household tax filers and increases the personal exemption for certain disabled veterans for purposes of income tax, modifies the definition of household income and increases the household income and the appraised value thresholds for eligibility of older adults/disabled veterans related to increased property tax homestead refund claims. Senate Substitute for House Bill 2125 – authorizes certain local governments to submit local sales tax proposals to voters for various projects. House Bill 2335 – adds maternity center to the definition of healthcare provider for purposes of the Healthcare Provider Insurance Availability Act. Senate Bill 98 – creates a sales tax exemption for qualifying data center projects. Also gives the state another tool to bring jobs and infrastructure to Kansas communities through economic development. Senate Bill 156 – increases the reimbursement amount the Kansas Department of Corrections may make to compensate inmates for losses for personal injury or property damage. Senate Bill 204 – creates a new process for the appointment of trustees to county law libraries. Senate Bill 204 also requires that certain sensitive information about cases, warrants and subpoenas in criminal and juvenile cases be kept confidential to protect the privacy of Kansans. Senate Bill 237 – authorizes law enforcement officers to conduct investigations of violations of the Scrap Metal Theft Reduction Act. For more Capitol Bureau news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here. Follow Matthew Self on X (Twitter): Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Kansas governor vetoes scholarship bill that would have extended public funds to two private schools
Students traverse the Garden City Community College campus during a fall semester orientation event Aug. 18, 2024. (AJ Dome for Kansas Reflector) TOPEKA — Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed a bill Friday she feared would funnel more public money to private educational institutions. Senate Bill 24 broadened the scope of the Kansas Promise Scholarship, which offers financial aid to Kansans in community college or a technical training program, to include two private institutions — Wichita Technical Institute and the Heartland Welding Academy. Typically, the scholarship is reserved for not-for-profit schools. 'I have serious concerns about the precedent that would be set by providing state funding to for-profit educational institutions that are not accountable to the state or taxpayers,' said Kelly, a Democrat, in an announcement. The bill also would have raised the maximum allocation that could be given to institutions across the state from $10 million to $15 million. The scholarship program covers the cost of tuition, books, fees and supplies for students in families below a certain income threshold who want to attend community college or technical school. 'This program is meant to support Kansans as they pursue an education,' Kelly said, 'not funnel public money to private, for-profit institutions.' The Senate passed the bill with unanimous support, and the House passed it 76-48 with nine Republican representatives joining Democrats in opposition. SB 24 originally dealt with the duties of the state insurance commissioner. Legislators gutted it during negotiations at the end of the session and inserted the contents of Senate Bill 44, in which the scholarship expansion was initially proposed. Mike O'Neal, who brought the scholarship bill to legislators in January, is a lobbyist for Wichita Technical Institute, among other high-profile clients, and a former House speaker. 'Given the demand for high-quality technical training in Kansas, it makes sense to expand the current eligibility for participation in the Promise Scholarship Act,' O'Neal said in committee testimony in February. James Genandt, the president of Kansas Technical Colleges, opposed the bill, arguing it would hinder the success of existing programs. Last year, scholarship applications were paused months before the original deadline because of dwindling funds, he said. 'More institutions in the mix will only accelerate the problem,' Genandt said. House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican, said he was disappointed in the governor's veto, describing the scholarship program as a successful tool for job development and talent retention. 'Whether the student attends a public or private school is irrelevant,' Hawkins said, 'especially as we face workforce shortages across many industries.' The Legislature concluded its veto session April 11, leaving no opportunity for Republicans to attempt to override the veto. House Minority Leader Brandon Woodard, a Lenexa Democrat, applauded the veto and thanked Kelly for 'protecting public dollars.'
