Latest news with #SenateBill60
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Telehealth visits for pets? Ohio Senate votes 33-0 to let veterinarians add service
Jun. 4—Ohio veterinarians are one step closer to being cleared to hold telehealth consultations under state law following the Senate's 33-0 vote this week. Senate Bill 60, joint sponsored by local Sen. Steve Huffman, R-Tipp City, will now head to the Ohio House for further consideration. Huffman, a physician, told this outlet in January that he wanted to modernize the state's guidelines on veterinary medicine after seeing the benefits of telehealth in the medical field. "You know, it became very rapid and very successful in medicine because of COVID," Huffman said. "And to me, it sped up (progress); what was going to happen within 10 years we did within one year." He noted that veterinary telehealth visits, which currently are not permitted under Ohio law, could benefit Ohioans, particularly the elderly, who might "find it hard to get your cat to the veterinarian." In committee testimony, the bill received both support and opposition from individual vets and clinics, with detractors like veterinarian Andrea Miller concerned that "virtual care cannot replicate in-person evaluations." "As a practicing veterinarian, I've encountered countless cases where verbal symptom descriptions pointed to one diagnosis, but physical examination revealed a different condition — or multiple concurrent problems," Miller told the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee in May. ------ For more stories like this, sign up for our Ohio Politics newsletter. It's free, curated, and delivered straight to your inbox every Thursday evening. Avery Kreemer can be reached at 614-981-1422, on X, via email, or you can drop him a comment/tip with the survey below.
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Jackley's government-corruption package moves forward
PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) — Four measures intended to discourage corruption in state government and provide protection for state employees who blow the whistle are advancing in the South Dakota Legislature. Three will be up for final legislative approval on Thursday from the state House of Representatives. Senate panel approves expanding hunting safety zones But the fourth piece of the package — Senate Bill 61, which would modify the authority of the Board of Internal Controls — was amended on Wednesday by the House State Affairs Committee. Because SB 61 was amended, the earliest that the House could consider it is Monday. Depending on what the House does, it could need to return to the Senate — and then could wind up in a House-Senate conference committee — and in the end could possibly die. State Attorney General Marty Jackley brought the package. Jackley says he's responding to recent cases of state government employees enriching themselves at taxpayers' expense, as well as past EB-5 and GEAR UP scandals. Here is what each proposes to do: Senate Bill 60 would expand the access and investigatory authority of the state auditor. The Senate approved it 35-0, and on Wednesday the House committee endorsed it 13-0. Jackley, State Auditor Rich Sattgast and citizen Rick Weible of Elkton spoke in support Wednesday. There were no opponents. , which calls for modifying the seven-member Board of Internal Controls, had passed the Senate 31-2. On Wednesday, it received an amendment from Republican Rep. Spencer Gosch. Currently the commissioner for the state Bureau of Finance and Management chairs the board, the governor appoints three other members, the Supreme Court chief justice appoints a member, the Board of Regents has a member. The state auditor is the seventh member. Jackley wants to stiffen the board's requirements, such as proposing that each agency go through an annual review of its internal controls. He also wants eliminate the state courts' seat on the board, because the courts are a separate branch of government, and then have the governor make four appointments. Gosch's amendment would designate the state auditor as the chair and give the state treasurer the courts' current seat. The board, established in 2016, hasn't yet worked through all of the executive branch. 'Seven years and only 50 percent of our agencies have gone through the process of internal control — I think we can do better,' Gosch said. Auditor Sattgast and state Finance Commissioner Jim Terwilliger said they didn't support the Gosch amendment. The auditor and treasurer are elected offices, but the candidates are nominated every four years at state political-party conventions, rather than chosen in party primary elections. 'I would like to remove the politics out of the checks and balances of it,' Sattgast said. Terwilliger said that, looking back, the board should have had more staff. He said putting the auditor in charge would probably be a violation of auditing standards. The committee nonetheless voted 7-6 to make Gosch's changes, and then voted 12-1 to send it forward. Because of a procedural hiccup, the committee later reconsidered the matter and ultimately voted 11-2 to move it ahead. Senate Bill 62 would establish mandatory reporting requirements for supervisors related to improper governmental conduct and crime. The Senate passed it 33-2. Jackley wants failure by a supervisor to forward a report of suspicious activity to the attorney general and the state Department of Legislative Audit to be a Class 6 felony, punishable by up to two years in prison and a $4,000 fine. Katie Hruska, the governor's general counsel, disagreed. She said it should remain a Class 1 misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in jail and a $2,000 fine. Terra Larson, representing the South Dakota Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, agreed. 'This is a felony for remaining silent. That is concerning to us,' Larson told the committee. Jackley asked the committee to hold firm on the felony penalty. 'I really believe this nonsense will stop,' he said. But Republican Rep. Tim Reisch, who served a total of 17 years as cabinet secretary for the state Department of Corrections and the state Department of the Military, pointed out that many of the people convicted of Class 6 felonies serve little time, if any, behind bars. 'People don't know what the punishments are for crimes. They don't,' Reisch said. Hruska's proposed amendment was rejected. The committee then voted 13-0 to send SB 62 forward to the House. would establish protections for state employees who report improper governmental conduct and crime. The Senate had passed it 35-0. This time, Hruska fully agreed with Jackley. 'These are good additions,' she said. The House committee sent it out 13-0. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bills dealing with religious freedom moving in Kentucky General Assembly
A Louisville church is shown. Several bills in the General Assembly have to do with faith. (Kentucky Lantern photo by McKenna Horsley) FRANKFORT — Several bills moving in the Kentucky legislature this session deal with faith — from regulating the expression of religion in public schools to addressing what legal actions someone can take if they feel their religious expression has been hindered. Of the more than a dozen religious bills or resolutions filed by lawmakers have been introduced in previous legislative sessions, but a few are poised for successful floor votes in the House and Senate this time around. On Tuesday, the Senate passed Senate Bill 19, which would require schools to have a moment of silence at the start of each school day where students may 'meditate, pray or engage in any other silent activity.' It now goes to the House for further consideration, where a similar measure has been introduced. Also in the House, bills have been filed that would allow the Ten Commandments to be read or posted in public schools. Senate committees last Thursday forwarded a few pieces of legislation dealing with religion, such as Senate Bill 60, which would give citizens who feel that their religious exercise 'has been substantially burdened' a right to sue. The topic was so frequent on Thursday, Democratic Caucus Chair Sen. Reggie Thomas, of Lexington, said in the Senate Education Committee that 'I guess this is my religious day at the Capitol.' After the committee meeting, Thomas told the Kentucky Lantern that he agreed with some of the legislation, like studying alleged cases of antisemitism on campuses. He also said he didn't have an issue with the moment of silence bill since students may use the time how they want. 'However, where we see religion being used as a means to disrupt health regulations or safety regulations or discriminate against members of the LGBTQ community, I will oppose those always,' Thomas said. Sen. Lindsey Tichenor, R-Smithfield, called religious legislation 'maybe in response to some of the things we've seen rising up in Kentucky in the last several years.' Tichenor appeared before the education committee to present her Senate Joint Resolution 55, which resolution is aimed at combating antisemitism at Kentucky public universities and requiring reporting on such cases. Joining her were Louisville Democratic Rep. Daniel Grossberg and Rabbi Shlomo Litvin, chairman of the Kentucky Jewish Council. The resolution could soon move to the Senate floor for a full vote. 'I could maybe argue that we have seen an attack on religion in Kentucky by some, and this is more than likely just a natural response to get back to, 'OK, what's our what's our history? Where does Kentucky stand on these issues?'' Tichenor told the Lantern. During the Senate committee debate on the moment of silence bill, Tichenor argued there is 'a deep, deep history of Christianity in this country' and could be an opportunity to teach students about how Christianity has impacted U.S. laws. 'I think teaching that as a historical fact to our students can be incredibly valuable — alongside letting them know this is voluntary. It's not something required,' Tichenor said. The office of Republican Attorney General Russell Coleman opined last week that legislation to restore a Ten Commandments monument to the Capitol grounds and to public schools to display the Ten Commandments in ways that 'lack a 'plainly religious,' 'pre-eminent purpose'' and highlight the texts 'undeniable historical meaning' would likely not be unconstitutional. The opinion had been requested by multiple lawmakers in the House and Senate. Richard Nelson, the executive director of the conservative Commonwealth Policy Center, said in a Tuesday interview that the U.S. is 'not a secular nation, nor are we a nation that imposes a national religion or a national church.' He said that 'threats, largely at the national level, to religious freedom' may be why Kentucky lawmakers are introducing bills on the topic of religious freedom. 'Religious freedom' is more than attending a worship service, Nelson said. It also includes the ability to freely live your life without government coercion in public spaces, personally-owned businesses and one's community. 'The legislature believes in this so strongly that they are doing all they can to shore up religious freedom for every Kentuckian, and I think that's a good thing,' Nelson said. David Walls, the executive director of conservative policy group The Family Foundation, said in a statement to the Lantern that while the organization was 'grateful that the U.S. Supreme Court has moved to restore a proper understanding of religious liberty in recent cases,' the commonwealth 'still has a way to go at the state level to adequately protect religious liberty.' 'A recently released index on religious liberty placed Kentucky at 34th in the country due to the weaknesses of our current laws on religious freedom,' Walls said. 'We encourage the General Assembly to support legislation that will strengthen and add to our current religious freedom protections, like SB 60, to ensure that Kentuckians of all faiths may practice their religion freely without excessive interference from the government.' 'If there's an attack on religion in Kentucky, it would certainly be an attack on minority religious views,' said Corey Shapiro, the legal director of the ACLU of Kentucky. 'If we want to be promoting religion, we should be promoting it in a way that reflects the diversity in our commonwealth,' he said. 'Any sort of response to a purported attack is ignoring how that's going to make the Jewish student from Louisville, the Muslim student from Lexington, feel when they're either in school or at the Capitol.' It's also an 'incredible missed opportunity to focus on best practices in public schools, none of which involve religion,' Shapiro argued. 'It is clear that the people in Kentucky want our legislature to focus on public schools and improving our public schools, and putting money into religion is not the answer, and it's not what Kentuckians want.' Mindy Haas, the executive director of the Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass, said in a statement that while the Jewish community 'is not a monolith and perspectives may vary,' many within it agree 'on the importance of upholding religious freedom and preventing government overreach into matters of faith.' Haas noted that 'extreme actions at both the federal and state levels make it clear that personal agendas are often prioritized over the well-being of the American people.' She also raised concerns over a 'growing trend of political decisions being increasingly influenced by religious ideology, creating division rather than protecting religious expression and inclusion.' 'This shift blurs the critical separation between religion and state, a principle that safeguards both government neutrality and religious freedom,' Haas said. 'When lawmakers impose religious doctrine through policy, it threatens the pluralism that allows individuals to practice their faith — or no faith at all — without government interference.'
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Alaska Senate approves payday alternative to checks and cash
Sen. Jesse Bjorkman, R-Nikiski, expresses frustration at a March 19, 2024, news conference the day after the legislature failed by one vote to override Gov. Mike Dunleavy's education-funding veto. Next to him is Sen. Bert Stedman, R-Sitka, a co-chair of the finance committee. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon) The Alaska Senate voted 19-0 on Monday to allow employers the ability to offer a special debit card on payday to employees who don't have a bank account. 'Senate Bill 79 is all about offering options for folks to be paid if they don't have a bank account,' said Sen. Jesse Bjorkman, R-Nikiski and chair of the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee, which sponsored the bill. If enacted, SB 79 would allow employers to put an employee's wages onto a payroll card, similar to a credit or debit card, instead of paying an employee in cash or by check. The employee's permission would be required, and the employee must be notified of any fees or terms of use for the card. The card must be free to use at least once per pay period. Speaking on the Senate floor, Bjorkman said the card is a way for employees without a bank account to avoid check-cashing fees. An identical bill passed the House and Senate last year by wide, bipartisan margins but Gov. Mike Dunleavy vetoed it because the House passed it after the session deadline. SB 79 now advances to the House for consideration. Also on Monday, the Senate voted 19-0 to approve Senate Bill 60, which seeks to name May 12 as Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Day of Recognition. The bill was sponsored by Sen. Löki Tobin, D-Anchorage. Sen. Donny Olson, D-Golovin, was excused absent. The bill goes to the House for further consideration. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
07-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Senate wants to let state auditor investigate, too
PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) — The South Dakota Senate now agrees that the state auditor should have access to all financial records of all state government agencies. The 35-0 vote on Thursday sends Senate Bill 60 to the state House of Representatives for further consideration. Immigration bill is Rhoden's first new law as governor Several state government departments have been rocked in the past year by allegations of financial misdeeds on the parts of a half-dozen now-former employees. South Dakota already has the state Department of Legislative Audit that annually combs through state financial records and the state Division of Criminal Investigation, which operates as part of the state attorney general office. The Senate-passed version of SB 60 is noticeably different than the original legislation from state Attorney General Marty Jackley. Senators added more details to some parts while other pieces have been removed. An earlier version of SB 60 had stalled in the Senate on Wednesday. Republican Sen. Steve Kolbeck offered an amendment that had the attorney general's support, but other Republican senators wouldn't make the changes. The bill then failed to pass on a 16-17 vote. Republican Sen. Sue Peterson resurrected it Thursday, however, Republican Senate leader Jim Mehlhaff won approval for changes that were very similar to what Kolbeck had offered. The Senate-approved version directs the state auditor to 'employ a qualified with experience in accounting and auditing to monitor the state accounting system.' It further says the state auditor 'is entitled to access all digital and onsite accounts, books, records, reports, and vouchers, of every agency, pertaining to financial receipt and expenditure transactions of the state … as necessary for purposes of investigating transactions and identifying improper governmental conduct, and ensuring that effective internal financial controls are in place and maintained.' The legislation also now says, 'The state auditor shall report any improper government conduct, crime, fraud, misappropriation, or misfeasance to the auditor general and the attorney general.' That provides an additional check and balance. In addition to SB 60, Jackley brought three other bills dealing with corruption involving state government: The Senate on Wednesday approved Senate Bill 61 that seeks to make changes to the state Board of Internal Control. The House takes it up next. Senate Bill 62 awaits a first hearing in Senate Judiciary Committee. SB 62 proposes to establish mandatory reporting requirements related to crimes, improper governmental conduct, and conflicts of interest. Senate Bill 63 meanwhile would establish protections for state employees who report crimes, misconduct, or conflicts of interest. It too awaits a first hearing in Senate Judiciary. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
