Latest news with #SenateBill482
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Texas Legislature passes bill protecting utility workers from assaults, harassment during disasters
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Those who would attack, harass or impede utility workers following a natural disaster will face enhanced criminal charges when a recently passed bill becomes law in September. Senate Bill 482 would apply higher charges to any person who, with 'criminal negligence,' 'interrupts, disrupts, impedes, or otherwise interferes' with utility workers performing their duties. The bill passed out of the Texas Legislature on May 20. These protections already apply to emergency services workers and their service animals, animal control workers and public health inspectors while they perform their duties. The law neatly adds utility workers to that list. Under Texas law, a misdemeanor assault against one of these workers gets enhanced to a third-degree felony. Also, charges of harassment or obstruction of public duties would also be enhanced under SB 482. 'This bill is bipartisan, pro-worker, and common sense,' said Texas AFL-CIO President Rick Levy in a press release. 'Our utility workers shouldn't be subject to threats and harassment on the job — no one should. These front-line workers deserve our respect and protection.' SB 482 author Sen. Carol Alvarado, D-Houston, cited incidents that occurred during recovery efforts after Hurricane Beryl as to why she filed the bill this session. 'In the wake of Hurricane Beryl, utility workers restoring power faced not only the physical challenges of repairing downed power lines but also alarming hostility from some members of the public,' she wrote in her statement of intent. 'These workers were met with harassment, verbal threats and, in some cases, physical assaults that put their safety at risk. They persisted in their essential work despite these dangers, highlighting the need for stronger legal protections for utility workers during emergencies.' AP: Anger over Houston power outages after Beryl has repair crews facing threats from some residents Hundreds of workers, including Austin Energy crews, responded to Houston following Beryl. Ed Allen, financial secretary for the Houston local of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW 66), said the union's members 'went through hell' in the aftermath of Beryl. 'Our members went through hell following Hurricane Beryl — enduring threats and even assault — all while trying to get the power back on for folks,' said Allen in a press release. 'This is about safety. Our repair crews work tirelessly during natural disasters, and this bill will keep them a bit more protected.' Texas AFL-CIO Financial Secretary Leonard Aguilar said utility workers were assaulted, and some had guns pointed at them by residents. 'It took a while for the power to come back on, no fault of IBEW local 66, it was just, it was such a large area that had to have power restored. The people were getting upset, and rightfully so, but they didn't have to take it out on those workers that were out there every day, basically 24 hours a day,' he said. 'Just many different ways of just being difficult with the workers and making it difficult for them to do their jobs.' Workers restored power to 98% of Houston after 10 days, according to electric company CenterPoint Energy. That outpaced recovery efforts following Hurricane Ike in 2008; power was restored to only 74% of customers by the 10-day mark. No one testified against the bill when it was in the Texas Senate's Criminal Justice Committee, according to legislative records. Representatives from utility companies and labor unions testified alongside each other in support of the bill. The bill ultimately passed 30-1 in the Texas Senate and 130-16 in the Texas House of Representatives — Aguilar said this is what's necessary to help keep Texas' workers safe. 'This is the way it's supposed to be done across the street at the Texas Capitol. This should be an example of how we should be moving forward to protect workers,' Aguilar said. Aguilar also said the bill is a good step towards protecting Texas' workers, but that more is needed as the state can be 'difficult' for workers. 'Workers are putting it on the line, day in and day out; not just during disasters, but just when they wake up every day to go to work. Texas is a difficult state to work in,' he said. 'We have to do better as a state to make sure we are protecting the workers. Without the workers, we can't keep the state running.' The bill is now before Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. Unless vetoed, SB 482 takes effect Sept. 1. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Montana colleges could directly pay student-athletes under NIL bills
The University of Montana campus is pictured. (Jordan Hansen / Daily Montanan) Two bills regulating student-athlete compensation at colleges across the state are headed to the governor's desk after passage through the Montana Legislature on Friday. Senate Bill 482 requires written contracts for student-athlete usage of their name, image and likeness, while Senate Bill 271 removes an existing prohibition on schools directly paying student-athletes. Sen. Ellie Boldman, D-Missoula introduced both bills, which she said will allow Montana's largest schools to be competitive in the Big Sky Conference. She also brought the state's original NIL legislation in 2021. 'If folks do care about the nuance, it actually puts more side rails on NIL for student athletes,' Boldman said in a committee hearing on both bills on April 7. 'The university themselves will have a little bit more control over making sure that student athletes understand their contractual agreements and make sure that they're not taken advantage of in the private sector.' On SB 482, Boldman said, 'We just want to make sure if you're going to offer our student athletes a deal, it's got to be in writing.' The new law rolls back previous laws that specifically prohibited Montana universities and colleges from paying their student-athletes. As an example, some colleges have begun to place student-athletes names on the back of jerseys sold to fans — the players then get a cut of that revenue. Institutions are already allowed to act as agents or add name, image and likeness agreements to scholarship agreements. The legislation does not change outside endorsement deals, though does formalize those agreements in writing, meaning a verbal agreement does not constitute a legally binding contract. 'This is about fairness, opportunity, and keeping Montana competitive,' Boldman said in a press release. Montana has three schools that compete in the NCAA: The University of Montana, Montana State University and Montana State University-Billings. Similar discussions have occurred at the federal level, and a federal court is expected to soon rule on a $2.8 billion antitrust lawsuit against the NCAA which, if found against the athletics organizations, could allow student-athletes to have revenue sharing agreements and provide backpay. Boldman said her bills will allow Montana student athletes to take part in the settlement. 'We want our student athletes to be able to opt into that settlement, which will then entitle them to some additional compensation,' Boldman said. Representatives from Montana and Montana State both testified in support of the bill during its hearing. 'We have the compliance and support staff here to navigate this constantly changing landscape, and this change gives us the certainty we need to act within the bounds of state law,' UM spokesperson Dave Kuntz said during the hearing for SB 271. 'With other legislative bodies around the region making similar changes, this bill will help ensure campus policies remain in line with our regional competitors as well.' Beyond the NCAA schools in the state, the six Montana schools whose athletic teams belong to the Frontier Conference in the NAIA could also be impacted. In 2020, the NAIA passed name, image and likeness rules for its member schools. It allowed athletes to be paid, but, Montana Tech men's basketball head coach Adam Hiatt said, 'the NAIA legislation did not intend to allow schools to pay student-athletes directly for NIL purposes.' He added some Tech student-athletes have been able to take advantage of agreements for their name, image and likeness. He said there's no plan to pay players through the school until the NAIA changes its policies. Montana Tech athletic director Matt Stepan said the university is reviewing the legislation to see how it will impact them. 'While the new legislation may not have an immediate or direct effect on our recruiting efforts, changes of this nature often create ripple effects throughout college athletics,' Stepan said. 'We'll be monitoring the situation closely to determine any indirect implications for NAIA institutions and student-athletes.' The Frontier Conference includes Treasure State schools Montana Tech, University of Montana Western, Carroll College, University of Providence, Montana State University-Northern and Rocky Mountain College.
Axios
28-01-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Chronic absenteeism and Cumberland carve out on legislative agenda
We're almost a month into the legislative session, which means dozens of bills are moving. The big picture: Priority bills dealing with property taxes, health care costs and the state's two-year budget aren't on any agendas yet, but plenty of other issues are getting hearings. Here are the bills we're watching this week: 🧩 Carving out Cumberland House Bill 1131 would exclude the town of Cumberland from Marion County's "unigov" system. Driving the bill: Cumberland straddles Marion and Hancock counties, so the quarter of residents living in Marion County are subject to different rules and services. It will be heard in the House Local Government Committee at 8:30am Tuesday. 🏠 First-time homebuyers House Bill 1519 would create a new fund to provide downpayment assistance and other financial help for qualified first-time homebuyers. It's on the docket for the House Financial Institutions Committee at 10:30am Tuesday. Why it matters: Indy's hot housing market is still challenging for young people, low- and middle-income families and first-time buyers. 🟢 Chronic absenteeism bills keep moving House Bill 1201, which seeks to identify common reasons behind absenteeism and provide support for students and schools, passed the House Education Committee unanimously last week. Senate Bill 482 includes some of the same language and was heard in the Senate Education Committee last week. It should get a vote on Wednesday and is expected to pass. Between the lines: Lawmakers have been discussing chronic absenteeism for the last several years after a report showed that nearly one-quarter of Hoosiers kids were chronically absent from school. ⏳ Shutting down "spinning" on hold For the second year in a row, lawmakers are trying to crack down on "spinning," but the bill is hung up in the Senate Corrections and Criminal Law Committee. How it works: Senate Bill 13 would outlaw spinning your car in a circle, also known as doing doughnuts, a practice that's become part of the illegal street takeovers plaguing IMPD. A similar bill passed the Senate last year but wasn't taken up by the House. It's on the committee's agenda again, scheduled for 9:30am Tuesday.
