Latest news with #SenateBill484
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
NC Senate Judiciary panel passes bill restricting mass picketing at workplaces
North Carolina General Assembly (File Photo) The North Carolina Senate Judiciary Committee advanced a bill Tuesday morning imposing civil penalties on workers and protesters who conduct 'mass pickets' that are deemed obstructive or violent by a court of law. The proposal, Senate Bill 484, would allow employers to obtain an injunction and temporary restraining order against anyone who protests at their place of business to the extent of 'hindering or preventing' work, using threats or force, or blocking workplace entrances, exits, or public roads and streets. It amends an existing law that centers on protecting employees from harassment, stalking, and violence. Among the forms of relief available to judges in the bill are no-contact orders and prohibitions on visiting the workplace, punishable as contempt of court, which would open violators to fines and jail time. 'What Senate Bill 484 strives to achieve is a balance between those who want to peacefully protest and those who actually want to go to work and earn a living uninhibited by those that are protesting,' said Sen. Tim Moffitt (R-Henderson), a primary sponsor of the bill. The bill comes amid a flurry of labor activity around the state as union efforts has risen in recent years, with the number of union election petitions nationally doubling from 2021 in the most recent fiscal year. In February, North Carolina saw a high-profile union election at Garner's Amazon warehouse that spurred protest events from labor activists, though demonstrators gathered across the street from the warehouse rather than near any entrances or exits. In an interview after the committee vote, Duke professor and labor organizer Orin Starn said he feels the bill aims to 'discourage workplace demonstrations and picketing' regardless of the conduct of protesters. A participant in the efforts to unionize the Amazon warehouse, Starn said employers already have 'plenty of protections' when it comes to protests on their property. He noted that some members of the Amazon union campaign were arrested for trespassing by Garner police when they tried to collect union cards and give out food on the premises. 'This bill seems very much about weaponizing the law to keep workers from organizing,' Starn said. 'Workers are already afraid of retaliation because there are minimal protections right now for workers who are trying to organize.' Sen. Terence Everitt (D-Wake) asked whether protests at Tesla dealerships — which have drawn large crowds around the country as demonstrators have denounced CEO Elon Musk's actions in the Trump administration — would be permitted by the bill so long as they remain peaceful and do not include threats or obstruction. Moffitt confirmed they would be. Sen. Mujtaba Mohammed (D-Mecklenburg) proposed two amendments seeking to clarify the scope of the bill, aiming to avoid any prohibitions on federally protected labor activity. The first defines obstruction as a 'sustained or deliberate physical blockage' that disrupts operations or public safety, and the second excludes from the bill any peaceful demonstrations, informational pickets, or protected labor activity — provided they do not rise to the level of violence, threats, or obstruction. Both amendments passed, though Sen. Lisa Grafstein (D-Wake) said she still held concerns that workers may be intimidated from participating in labor protests by the messaging around the bill. 'We have a lot of efforts underway to protect employee rights, and I think it's important that they not be limited or people be intimidated from participating in those,' Grafstein said. 'I believe there are some aspects of this bill that could continue to intimidate people from engaging in peaceful protests.' The bill is will proceed to a vote before the Senate Rules Committee, where it could then be scheduled for a hearing on the Senate floor.
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘Buffer Zones': Senate passes bill banning new homeless shelters near schools
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – On Tuesday, the Oklahoma Senate advanced a new proposed measure that would require new homeless shelters to be within 3,000 feet of schools around children. Senate Bill 484, authored by Sen. Lisa Standridge, R-Norman, seeks compliance prohibiting new homeless shelters from being located within 3,000 feet of schools in areas with fewer than 300,000 residents. 'Senate Bill 484 has undergone significant changes since I first introduced it, but at its core, this measure remains focused on preserving public safety,' Standridge said. 'I've spoken with countless parents, educators, and school officials in my district who strongly support creating buffer zones between local schools and homeless shelters, which can become hotspots for drug use, crime, and other activities that threaten the safety and well-being of our children.' Standridge noted, violence shelters and youth shelters are exempt. OKC citizens will still review viral OKCPD use of force investigation following resignation 'This legislation will not close any homeless shelters because it does not affect existing facilities, and it does not apply to shelters operating within churches or other places of worship. I firmly believe that this bill strikes a thoughtful balance between providing community services to those in need while ensuring our schools have a safe and secure environment for kids to learn and play,' said Standridge. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bill would ban opening new homeless shelters near schools in most Oklahoma cities
A "tent city" is seen on August 21, 2013 in Camden, N.J. Camden had at least three "tent cities," where many homeless in the Southern New Jersey region live. Community leaders say Camden draws in a disproportionately large homeless population due to the numerous services, soup kitchens and shelters in the city, which other cities in the area do not offer. (Photo by) (This image cannot be republished unless you have a Getty subscription.) OKLAHOMA CITY – The Senate on Tuesday passed a bill that would bar new homeless shelters from opening within 3,000 feet of a school. Senate Bill 484 would apply to every city and town in the state that has populations under 300,000. Only Oklahoma City and Tulsa had populations over that threshold, according to the most recent U.S. Census data. It would allow churches to open homeless shelters regardless of distance from a school. Existing homeless shelters already within that slightly more than half-mile distance would be grandfathered in, meaning they could still operate. It would not apply to domestic violence or youth shelters. Sen. Lisa Standridge, R-Norman, the author of the legislation, made significant changes to the bill to make it less restrictive. It no longer applies to libraries, churches and preschools, she said. Standridge said the measure is necessary to protect children. Some nonprofit groups are distributing clean needles, condoms and bongs to homeless shelters, she said. The items should not be around children, she said. Standridge said the measure applied to cities and towns under 300,000 people because larger cities have more resources to help the homeless. Sen. Regina Goodwin, D-Tulsa, said the buffer zone between sex offender residences and schools is 2,000 feet. Sen. Mark Mann, D-Oklahoma City, said there will still be drug activity in neighborhoods surrounding schools. He questioned whether the bill was broad state overreach. Sen. Paul Rosino, R-Oklahoma City, said city councils can pass ordinances governing the issue. 'This bill acts like it solves a problem but it doesn't,' said Sen. Mary Boren, D-Norman. It creates the 'illusion' that it is doing something, Boren said. Sen. Carri Hicks, D-Oklahoma City, said the measure does not do anything to address the causes of homelessness such as addiction, poverty and mental illness. She said some homeless students are living in the shelters. 'All this is is a spacing bill,' Standridge said. 'This does not close homeless shelters.' The bill narrowly passed by a vote of 26-20 and is available for consideration in the House. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bill requiring homeless shelters be 3,000 ft. from schools, originally banning them, passes committee
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – A bill prohibiting public funds from going to homeless outreach caused quite the stir when it was originally introduced. That bill has been changed since then. 'The state makes laws everyday,' Sen. Lisa Standridge, R-Norman, said during debate in committee Tuesday afternoon. 'This law will protect children and that's paramount that the state do.' RELATED STORY: Norman community, city leaders discuss recent bill aimed at eliminating homeless outreach by cities The debate continued for about an hour Tuesday on Standridge's proposal that would outlaw homeless shelters in any community with less than 300,000 residents. In Oklahoma, only Tulsa and Oklahoma City are larger than that. However, new tweaks to the bill has made it only require shelters to be at least 3,000 feet from a place where 'children congregate.' 'We've got to protect our children and keep homeless shelters out of their vicinity,' Standridge said. 'I have grave concerns with the way we are using language of spacing to tell a story of no homeless shelters within a community,' Sen. Nikki Nice, D-Oklahoma City, said in the same debate Tuesday. Back in January, Standridge appeared on a local radio show, Freedom 96.9, and compared Norman to San Francisco. She also said 'it's like giving a bird a bread crumb. Turn around you've got a whole flock behind you' when speaking about the homeless population. Both city leaders and nonprofits spoke out against the dehumanizing language at the time. 'I feel this bill is very divisive and I want to say that homelessness is a nonpartisan issue,' Ward 4 City Norman Councilwoman Helen Grant said. 'We all work together to try to resolve all these issues and to help people,' Angela-Jimenez-Calhoun, founder of the nonprofit Beacon Project, said at the time. The changes to the bill came after Standridge admitted that domestic violence victims would have no place to go if shelters closed. She argued that keeping the homeless from children is a valid safety concern. Others argued that homeless individuals are people to. 'This bill in no way closes shelters. This bill in no way restricts cities from building shelters. It just says they shall be away from where children would congregate,' Standridge said. LOCAL NEWS: Bill aiming to ban corporal punishment passes senate 'If we could somehow relate to other folks in a way, and get a better understanding of their circumstances we might be a little more open to come up with solutions and not treating them as if they're not fully human,' Sen. Regina Goodwin, D-Tulsa, said in debate Tuesday. Sen. Standridge provided the following statement Wednesday on the committee passage of her amended version of SB 484. I filed Senate Bill 484 on behalf of concerned constituents who feel increasingly unsafe in Norman because the growing homeless population is making residents scared to visit local retailers and families frightened to visit neighborhood parks. This issue is creating countless headaches for local business owners as aggressive panhandlers scare away their patrons and vandalism has become the norm. Public safety was my top priority as I filed this legislation on behalf of constituents. Ensuring there is significant distance between homeless shelters and schools, parks, child care facilities and other places where kids gather is crucial to keeping our children safe. I received a significant amount of feedback on my original bill and amended my legislation with that community input in mind. Existing homeless shelters will not be affected by this legislation, nor will youth and domestic violence shelters, which play a crucial role in our communities. My bill does not close homeless shelters or prevent cities or local nonprofits from building shelters, it simply seeks to ensure greater oversight of their zoning. I introduced this bill to keep our residents and children safe, these amendments ensure that goal is realized in a thoughtful way. Sen. Lisa Standridge (R-Norman) The bill passed out of committee by a 6-3 vote. The full debate can be watched here. You can click on Calendar-Day/Month, select Feb. 25 and scroll to Local County and Government (Room 230). When you click on it, the debate begins around the 4:40 p.m. mark. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
