Latest news with #SenateBill520
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Clashing Over Campus Control: Lawmakers vs. DeSantis on transparency
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WFLA) – For years, lawmakers have speculated that the leaders who run the state's Universities and Colleges have been gifted these positions based on their political loyalties to the Governor. A new bill at the statehouse aims to repeal the current law and make the path to presidency at these institutions more transparent. However, Governor Ron DeSantis has made it very clear that he does not support this legislation. 'Hope Florida' contribution controversy continues Stocks slide as Trump's trade war with China spooks Wall Street Trump reverses Biden rule restricting water usage for showerheads and other home appliances Lawmakers said they plan to make the process of choosing Florida's University Presidents more public-facing and less secretive, while Governor DeSantis claims this move would only undo all the progress the state has made in higher in 2022, Senate Bill 520 aimed to protect possible university president candidates vying for the job, but three years later, Lawmakers are now looking to reverse the bill.'As soon as we pass that bill, the bureaucrats changed the policy. They put the entire process in the shade, and it created a huge level of distrust amongst Floridians across the state,' said Representative Michelle Salzman (R-Escambia County). Sponsor of this year's bill, Salzman said her efforts will put public trust back into the hands of Floridians. House Bill 1321 would allow the public to know, start to finish, who is chosen to lead state Universities and Colleges, but Governor DeSantis doesn't seem to be on board.'What the bill would do is neuter our ability to keep universities in line,' DeSantis said. However, Salzman argued back, saying the Governor will still have a hand in the matter.'This is about showing the voters what we're doing. This is about transparency in government. We are not removing the Governor's power from anything. There is no removal of powers. He appoints the people that are making these choices. You can't get any better than that,' Salzman said. House Republicans are not the only ones carrying the bill forward, Democrats are also signing on.'It's taxpayer money that pays for universities, student tuition that pays for universities, we deserve to have a seat at the table and making decisions about who leads these, these historic and impactful institutions,' said State Representative Anna V. Eskamani (D-Orlando). State lawmakers shared that while the bill passed in the House, it isn't moving as much in the Senate just yet. And even if it does, the Governor will most likely veto the bill. Lawmakers could override the Governor's veto, which lawmakers said seems likely at this point. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Arkansas lawmakers send bill eliminating racial, gender board quotas to governor
Sen. Clarke Tucker, D-Little Rock, speaks in opposition to House Bill 1365 from the Senate floor on April 15, 2025. (Antoinette Grajeda/Arkansas Advocate) The Arkansas Senate on Tuesday approved legislation that would remove race and gender quotas and qualifications for a variety of state boards and commissions. The bill now awaits the governor's signature. Rep. Karilyn Brown, a Sherwood Republican and lead sponsor of House Bill 1365, told a House committee last month that requiring a minimum number of women and members from underrepresented groups to serve on the panels is unfair. Brown said 'diversity occurs naturally' and the state should not codify language that 'makes things more awkward or more difficult to fill positions.' HB 1365 advanced all the way to the Senate before being recalled to the House for an amendment that removed an entire section of the bill referencing the Arkansas Ethics Commission. Brown told the House State Agencies and Governmental Affairs Committees on April 2 that the revision was needed because the commission was created through an initiated act and therefore that section of code needed 67 votes in the House to be amended. Panel OKs proposed removal of racial and gender quotas for Arkansas boards and commissions HB 1365 originally passed the House with 61 votes on March 5. The vote was later expunged and the House approved the amended bill with 60 votes on April 3. Upon its return to the Senate on Tuesday, no one spoke in favor of HB 1365, and Sen. Clarke Tucker was the sole lawmaker to speak against it. Of all the bills related to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) during the last two sessions, Tucker called HB 1365 'the most harmful.' DEI-related bills approved by lawmakers during the 2025 legislative session include Act 112, which will 'prohibit discrimination or preferential treatment' by public entities and retention plans and reports from public school districts and higher education institutions, and Senate Bill 520, which would prohibit DEI policies and practices in local government. There's no advantage to serving in unpaid positions on boards and committees, Tucker said, but removing quotas eliminates the opportunity for some people to have a voice in policymaking. Among the panels affected by the proposed law, Tucker singled out the State Board of Education, whose membership would no longer be required to 'reflect the diversity in general education' under HB 1365. 'We are so afraid of diversity that we are eliminating that line from code; it doesn't even say what kind of diversity,' he said. Diversity is important, Clarke said, noting that the Senate's membership represents geographic diversity. 'We have lost all common sense when it comes to that word because of the politics of the time, and this bill goes too far,' he said. 'What it does again is eliminate the ability of populations who have been historically underrepresented or oppressed to even have a voice in their state government, and that is wrong and I hope we don't pass it this afternoon.' HB 1365 passed the Senate Tuesday with 24 yes votes; the body's six Democrats voted no. Republican Ronald Caldwell of Wynne, Jonathan Dismang of Searcy, Jim Dotson of Bentonville and John Payton of Wilburn did not vote, while Jim Petty of Fort Smith voted present. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bill banning DEI in Arkansas local government sent to governor's desk
State Rep. Alyssa Brown speaks in favor of bill that would prohibit DEI in local government on April 14, 2025. (Ainsley Platt/Arkansas Advocate) Legislation banning diversity, equity and inclusion policies and practices at the local level passed the Arkansas House of Representatives Monday, sending the bill to the governor's desk. Senate Bill 520 is one of several bills targeting culture war issues that have been taken up during the 2025 legislative session. The bill, if it becomes law, would prohibit DEI 'offices, officers, policies, or practices in local government.' Under the proposed law, local governments would be prohibited from implementing hiring and employment policies that take into account diversity, equity and inclusion, DEI offices, or programs, policies, practices or applicant statements that promote DEI. Local officials or contractors would also be prohibited from compelling another official or contractor to 'personally affirm, adopt, or adhere' to certain beliefs or ideals specified in the bill. Private citizens would have a right to sue local governments if they do not cease violations of the prohibition within 30 days of being notified under the bill. Senate Bill 520 is sponsored by Rep. Alyssa Brown, R-Heber Springs, in the House and Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Jonesboro, in the Senate. Sullivan also sponsored Act 116 of 2025, which repealed state affirmative action programs and prohibited 'discrimination or preferential treatment by state entities.' Sullivan told the Senate last week that the state needed to align itself with the current presidential administration's positions on DEI. President Donald Trump issued an executive order in January that shut down DEI programs within the federal government, and the government has targeted federal grants for cancellation for not complying with the administration's positions on DEI. Rep. Jessie McGruder, D-Marion, criticized the bill on the House floor Monday, asking why SB 520 was targeting local governments when state GOP lawmakers placed so much emphasis on maintaining and returning 'local control' to cities and counties. 'I'm trying to get an understanding of why we're doing this, because we always say 'local control,'' McGruder said. 'So each city should be able to control what's happening within their community. We don't understand the differences in the dynamics that occur in each and every community.' Brown appeared to take issue with McGruder's comments when closing for her bill. 'We don't get to gaslight members with this idea of local control that takes away what is deemed constitutional. We wouldn't let a local government take away the Second Amendment rights of their citizens,' Brown said. 'This bill is about making sure we're consistent with what we've passed on a state level.' Brown added that 'discrimination is illegal under federal and state civil rights law, but this bill ensures that in the process of preventing discrimination, we do not allow our local government to discriminate in its policies.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Arkansas Senate approves ban on DEI policies in local governments; bill heads to House
Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Jonesboro, prepares to present Senate Bill 520 to his fellow senators on Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (Tess Vrbin/Arkansas Advocate) Arkansas senators on Tuesday approved a proposed ban on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) 'offices, officers, policies or practices' in local government entities. Senate Bill 520 would prohibit local governments from promoting: 'Preferences based upon race, color, sex, ethnicity, or national origin; Differential treatment on the basis of race, color, sex, ethnicity, or national origin; or Political or social activism to consider race, color, sex, ethnicity, or national origin as factors in decision-making, except when required by federal or state law.' The bill would allow Arkansans to sue local governments for injunctive relief if the government does not cease violating the mandate within 30 days of being notified. Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Jonesboro is the lead sponsor of SB 520 and earlier this year sponsored Act 116 of 2025. The law repealed requirements that state procurement proposals include language that encourages minority participation or to adopt an equal opportunity hiring program designed to increase the percentage of minority employees. Sullivan claimed Act 116 would force public entities to prioritize 'merit' over 'preferential treatment' in contracting and hiring practices. The language of SB 520 aligns both with Act 116 and with Arkansas ACCESS, a higher education overhaul bill approved in March, Sullivan told the Senate City, County and Local Affairs Committee on Tuesday morning. ACCESS prohibits institutions of higher education from 'comply[ing] with any institutional accreditation requirement related to DEI.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Sullivan told both the committee and the full Senate that Arkansas should align itself with the federal government's stance on DEI. President Donald Trump's January executive order declared an end to all DEI 'mandates, policies, programs, preferences, and activities' in federal agencies. Arnessa Bennett, North Little Rock's DEI officer, told the committee that she and the city oppose SB 520. She said it would discourage local governments from holding events in partnership with organizations that have DEI policies. 'We feel like you're violating our First Amendment rights in telling us that we cannot say anything about DEI,' Bennett said. '…It's almost like we're being censored.' The all-Republican committee passed the bill with no audible dissent. The committee also approved the addition of an amendment to the bill, stating: 'This section does not prevent compliance with any state or federal civil rights laws or any agreement related to the receipt of state or federal funding.' Bills usually are not heard by the full House or Senate until at least a day after passing committees, but Sullivan asked the Senate to suspend the rules so SB 520 could receive a vote Tuesday evening. Twenty-two of the 29 Republican senators voted for SB 520. Senate President Pro Tempore Bart Hester, R-Cave Springs, joined the six Senate Democrats in voting against the bill. GOP Sens. Tyler Dees of Siloam Springs and Jim Petty of Van Buren voted present, and four more Republicans did not vote. Sen. Reginald Murdock, D-Marianna, was the only senator to speak on the bill before the vote. He also spoke against Act 116 in January, and he said Tuesday that the state should not 'bring this craziness all the way to the local level.' 'Let's allow local control to make their decisions on how they want to deal with their communities,' Murdock said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Sen. Baker's bill expanding use of body cameras approved by Judicary Committee
Apr. 2—WILKES-BARRE — Sen. Lisa Baker on Wednesday said a body camera provides essential protection for officers and agents entering potentially risky encounters in isolated areas. "It also ensures that individuals being questioned are afforded their rights," said Baker, R-Lehman Township. "The body camera can help prevent misunderstandings that escalate and provides a record when someone's account changes later." The Senate Judiciary Committee, chaired by Baker, approved legislation to expand the use of body-worn cameras to additional law enforcement agencies across the Commonwealth. Baker is the bill's sponsor. Baker said Senate Bill 520 expands authorization for body camera use to include agents from the Office of Attorney General, rangers with the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and officers and deputies with the Pennsylvania Game Commission and Fish and Boat Commission. "Each of these entities has demonstrated both a need for body-worn cameras and a capacity to implement a responsible program," Baker said. The bill also consolidates existing laws regarding body camera authorization into a unified framework under the Wiretap Act. By doing so, Baker said it clarifies that all authorized agencies operate under the same statutory guidelines, enhancing consistency in law enforcement procedures. Sen Baker said it updates the definition of "law enforcement officer" under the Wiretap Act — ensuring that authorized agencies are covered under the same regulations that govern audio and video recordings. "This bill reflects a commonsense approach to modern policing," Baker said. "By expanding access to body cameras, we are strengthening transparency and accountability while ensuring officers have the tools they need to safely and effectively perform their duties." Senate Bill 520 moves to the Senate for consideration. Reach Bill O'Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.
