Latest news with #SenateBill92
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
House rejects making state Bar membership voluntary
The Cascade County Courthouse in Great Falls, Montana (Photo by Darrell Ehrlick of the Daily Montanan). Calling it a battle over constitutional freedoms of choice and association, Rep. Tom Millett, R-Marion, urged his colleagues in the House to pass Senate Bill 92, which would make membership with the State Bar of Montana voluntary for lawyers. 'Now you may have heard or think this is an attack on the Bar, but that is not true,' Millett said, telling the House that the bill would still allow for oversight of the profession and was only meant to return constitutional rights to lawyers. House lawmakers soundly opposed the bill, 43-57. Rep. Brian Close, D-Bozeman, a lawyer, said the bill had no proponents speak during the hearing before the House Judiciary Committee. The only Republican attorney on the committee opposed the bill, he added. 'There were not a bunch of lawyers lined up in the hallway crying, 'Free us from our shackles,'' Close said. 'So the persons most affected by the current bar structure are fine with it.' The Montana State Supreme Court ordered the creation of the State Bar in 1974, making membership to the Bar a condition to practice law in Montana. Sen. John Fuller, R-Kalispell, introduced SB 92 as a 'freedom bill.' His main issue, he said, was that the state Bar collects dues from members, and takes stances on some political issues, including lobbying the Legislature. If a member has an issue with a State Bar position, they can get their proportion of funds used in the effort refunded, which last session amounted to $7.61. Despite this, Fuller said he still took issue with the requirement to associate with members of the state Bar. Alanah Griffith, D-Gallatin Gateway, an attorney and former treasurer for the state Bar, said during the floor debate she was concerned the bill didn't contain a clear substitute mechanism for how attorneys who opt out of the State Bar would complete their licensing and continuing-education requirements for maintaining their status. Other opponents to the bill in the House pointed out that the Montana Constitution clearly states the state Supreme Court may make rules governing admission to the Bar, and legislative action would be overreach. Millett, who is not an attorney, pushed back on that notion by indicating there was no legal review note from legislative staff attached to the bill. Fuller had previously objected to the state Bar for disparaging remarks and name-calling by a Montana lawyer during a panel hosted by the organization as part of a continuing legal education seminar last year.
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Pennsylvania Senate passes bill targeting fentanyl dealers
(WHTM) — The Pennsylvania Senate passed a bill that aims to crack down on drug dealers who sell fentanyl resulting in fatal overdoses. Senate Bill 92, sponsored by State Senator Doug Mastriano (R-33), would enforce stricter penalties on drug dealers who sell fentanyl that results in the victim overdosing and dying. Individuals convicted of the crime would face a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years in prison under the bill. The penalty would not apply to drug users who share drugs with friends, family, or individuals seeking medical assistance for people who overdose, according to Mastriano. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now The bill, also known as Tyler's Law, was named after Tyler Shanafelter, a young Pennsylvanian who lost his life after purchasing a laced Percocet, Mastriano said. 'It is my duty as a legislator to do everything I can to stem this ever-increasing scourge on our loved ones. My bill would send a strong message that those fueling the opioid crisis will face severe consequences,' Mastriano said. 'I look forward to it becoming law, serving as a legacy for Tyler, his family and other families who have lost loved ones – and it helping to prevent other families from experiencing that harrowing loss.' The bill will now move to the House of Representatives for consideration. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New Ohio bills vow property tax relief for seniors, veterans
[In the player above, watch previous FOX 8 News coverage on property values in Northeast Ohio.] COLUMBUS, Ohio (WJW) — A new Senate bill from a Northeast Ohio lawmaker proposes freezing property tax increases indefinitely on homes that are seniors' primary residences. Another would exempt disabled veterans from property taxes entirely, while extending that exemption to their surviving spouses. Elsewhere in the Statehouse, a newly introduced House bill would 'fundamentally' change longstanding state property tax credits, intending to offer more tax relief to Ohioans who need it most. It's the first of more than a dozen House bills on property tax reform expected in this General Assembly, said its sponsor, a local state representative. Frustration mounts as Ohio statehouse tackles property tax relief Under Senate Bill 81, introduced by state Sen. Tom Patton of Strongsville, R-24th, eligible seniors' property taxes would be locked in once they qualify. For example, if a homeowner first qualifies for the freeze in tax year 2025, their taxes would be frozen at their tax year 2024 levels, according to a Legislative Service Commission analysis. The freeze functions as a tax reduction, where the reduction is however much their taxes increased from the year before they qualified. 'It's not rocket science,' Patton told FOX 8 News. Seniors who have lived in their homes for decades paid much less for them than what they're worth today — especially in high-value neighborhoods like Tremont and Ohio City, Patton said. 'When these last property valuations came out so markedly high, it troubled the hell out of a lot of people, but especially my retirees,' he said. 'I've had people tell me they end up cutting their pills in half. I've had clerks at the Giant Eagle tell me when it's a day or two before their Social Security checks arrive, they're asking if there's two-day-old bread.' If a homeowner is also eligible for Ohio's homestead tax exemption, it would take effect first, reducing the amount of taxes they owe before they're frozen at that level. These reductions would not be reimbursed by the state. The leftover tax burden would be shifted to eligible seniors' neighbors, Patton said. 'But I'd be the first to say if [my property tax] goes up $20 a year to take care of the retiree next to me, I'm OK with that,' he said. To qualify, homeowners would have to be at least 65 years old and have a total annual adjusted gross income less than $70,000, according to a news release from Patton's office. They would be able to apply for the freeze through their county auditor's office and would need documentation to prove they're eligible, according to the commission. The bill has been referred to the Senate's Ways and Means Committee and had its first hearing on Tuesday, Feb. 18. Patton's Senate Bill 92, also introduced this month, would make totally disabled veterans' homes entirely exempt from property taxes. Ohio's homestead exemption is for homeowners who live in their home and are 65 and older, permanently and totally disabled, or spouses of a first responder who was killed in the line of duty. It essentially knocks $28,000 off the taxable value of a home, or $56,000 for disabled veterans and first responders' spouses, according to a Legislative Service Commission analysis. Patton's bill would replace the enhanced exemption for veterans with a total exemption. They would be able to apply for the exemption through their county auditor, and would have to show that they have a total disability rating and that they were honorably discharged. 'Our disabled veterans have already sacrificed so much for the country, there is no reason why they should feel like their homes are threatened by unaffordable increases in their property taxes,' Patton is quoted in a news release. 'My colleagues and I are working to address property tax affordability, and in the interim we must protect those who protected us on the front lines.' Currently, Ohio fully reimburses forgone tax revenue from the homestead exemption. The bill is now before the Senate's Ways and Means Committee and had its first hearing on Tuesday, Feb. 18. If approved by the Legislature, it would take effect in tax year 2025. Since Ohio property taxes are paid in arrears, that means eligible veterans would stop paying in 2026. How to file a property valuation complaint in Cuyahoga County Homestead exemption values are adjusted for inflation, but rising property values have been outpacing them, said state Rep. David Thomas of Jefferson, R-65th. House Bill 61, called the Homestead and Owner Occupancy Overhaul Act, replaces each of those forenamed tax benefits with a flat credit capped at $750 — and $1,500 for veterans and spouses — which would increase alongside inflation. 'It's fundamentally changing how the credit is given,' said Thomas. The exemption currently saves households an average $350 to $500 each tax year, but that can vary greatly depending on the home's value, he said. Overall, homeowners are saving about as much with them as they did in 2007, when the exemptions were expanded. An increase to $750 will be a big bump for most folks, Thomas said. 'This change is vital because currently homestead folks are actually losing credit amount each year as the value taken off the property increases less than the tax rate applied to it decreases,' Thomas is quoted in a news release. 'By having a flat amount that increases with inflation, we will be sure that seniors will not lose savings and will be guaranteed to see that savings increased.' Since tax exemptions are tied to a property's value, they have more of an impact in areas with higher tax rates. A flat dollar credit would have more of an impact for households with lower income or property values, Thomas said. Ohio's owner-occupancy tax credit reduces taxes on all other homeowners' primary residences by 2.5%. House Bill 61 replaces that 2.5% rollback with a flat $750 credit, also tied to inflation. The bill also reinstates 10% property tax rollbacks for non-business properties, which stopped more than a decade ago. The rollbacks gave owners of one-, two- or three-family dwellings or nontimber agricultural land a 10% reduction on their taxes owed under certain property tax levies approved before November 2013. The bill would allow the rollback to be applied to all voted levies. 'Hit so heavily': Cuyahoga County residents shocked by proposed property reappraisals Currently, property tax revenue forgone by the homestead and owner-occupancy benefits is entirely reimbursed by the state through sales and income taxes — to the tune of about $1 billion per year. Co-sponsoring state Rep. Jack Daniels of New Franklin, R-32nd, said that's 'not sustainable.' Under House Bill 61, the state would only reimburse half, leaving local taxing entities to share the rest of the burden, Thomas said. He added the 50-50 split is 'negotiable.' Thomas acknowledged that local government funding has dwindled over the last several years, but he noted that recent property revaluations — including in Cuyahoga County — have effectively raised property taxes across the state. Thomas' home county of Ashtabula had $13 million in 'unvoted, unbudgeted' tax increases after its most recent property revaluation in 2023, he said. 'Some entities decided not to fully collect that amount or decrease their tax rates. Many entities did not,' Thomas said. 'Did your local governments collect that increase? No one theoretically held a gun to the school board or city council or county commissioners to collect the unvoted tax increase that resulted from the revaluation. Entities could have said no,' he later added. 'The question taxpayers need to ask is, 'What did you do?' and 'How are you spending that increase?'' Since property taxes are paid in arrears in Ohio, some changes to the law would apply to tax years ending after the bill takes effect. Other changes would apply to manufactured homes — which are specially taxed for the current year — as soon as 90 days after the bill becomes a law. The bill has been referred to the House Ways and Means Committee. Its first hearing was set for Wednesday, Feb. 19. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
State Senate bill would okay students attending off-campus Bible classes during school hours
LifeWise Academy is a Hilliard, Ohio-based religious instruction program that started in 2019 and now enrolls thousands of students across 30 states. (Photo: Megan Henry, Ohio Capital Journal.) Republicans in the North Carolina Senate recently introduced a bill that would allow public school students to attend religious instruction during school hours. Senate Bill 92, the 'Released Time Education Act,' would permit local school boards to adopt policies that allow students to attend off-campus courses one to five hours per week for 'religious moral instruction' provided by third party organizations. The legislation comes as LifeWise Academy, a national organization that offers Bible education to public school students during school hours, has been preparing to expand into North Carolina, registering to operate in the state last year and seeking a state director. The bill requires parental consent, prohibits using public funds for the programs, and allows up to two elective credits for completed courses. Organizations offering the program would be required to maintain attendance records and provide course syllabi to school boards upon request. They would also be responsible for student supervision and liability during released time courses. LifeWise, citing a little known 1952 Supreme Court decision in the case of Zorach v. Clauson, operates under the premise that released time religious instruction is constitutional if it occurs off school property, is privately funded, and with parental permission. The organization, which launched in 2019, has rapidly expanded, now operating in over 300 schools across 30 states, providing weekly Bible lessons to as many as 50,000 public school students. The organization typically schedules its lessons to coincide with lunch periods or non-core classes such as library or gym class. In January, the Columbus Dispatch reported that LifeWise netted a 'profit' of over $17.2 million in its most recent IRS filing, up from $4.3 million the year before. The organization frames the initiative as reclaiming 'the greatest missed opportunity' for churches to reach the next generation. Critics argue the program excludes other students, detracts from academics, and allows proselytization in public schools. In Ohio, where Gov. Mike Dewine recently signed legislation establishing a released time policy, the Ohio Capital Journal reported that some parents have complained that their children have been bullied and ostracized for not attending LifeWise programs and been relegated to independent study time during the time in which other students were at the off-campus program. If enacted into law, the bill, sponsored by Senators Bobby Hanig, Ted Alexander, and Carl Ford, would take effect in the 2025–2026 school year. NC Newsline reporter Ahmed Jallow (ajallow@ would like to hear from people with information about released time efforts and programs already underway in their community. Read the bill here: Senate-Bill-92-2025
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Pacific Beach residents rally to block high-rise development plans
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — It's been a staple of the Pacific Beach community for decades now. But according to the group Neighbors for a Better San Diego, The French Gourmet restaurant has been sold to a developer for $6.5 million. That same developer wants to bypass local laws and the will of the people, to build a 240-foot tall high-rise building, in a 30-foot coastal zone. Blakespear joins opposition to proposed Pacific Beach high-rise 'We learned that a week-and-a-half ago, Michelle, the owner of French Gourmet, accepted a developers check for $6.5 million to sell the property. Developer asked him to stay on for a year here at least while the application is being reviewed,' said Tom Coat, Neighbors for a Better San Diego. As soon as residents in PB heard about the developer's plans to buy the building and disregard the voter approved 30-foot height limit, different community groups formed a coalition to fight back. As of today, that fight takes a major step forward. They are lawyering up for a fight. 'If the city denies the project, the developer who has enormously deep pockets will sue, and will come in and support the city with an amicus brief. If they approve the project, will sue the city. If they get an unacceptable modification — like a 12-story instead of 20 — will come in and sue the city also,' Coat continued. While no one really knows what the proposed high-rise tower would look like, an artist's vision shows what 240-feet would look like in a 30-foot zone. Future of proposed high-rise in Pacific Beach to be decided at City Hall The developer is attempting to take advantage of a state housing law designed to create so-called affordable housing. State Senator Catherine Blakespear says this is an abuse of what the law was intended to do. 'It's 139 hotel rooms, this project. And only five are for moderate-income households, and then there are five that are deemed restricted for very low-income households.' According to the developer's plans submitted to the city, they're trying to use the state's Density Bonus laws and bypass local laws to build 22-stories high, with more than 200 units. Of those, most would be hotel rooms, with 74 market rate apartments, and up to 10 so-called affordable units. Group fights against proposed 5G cell towers in La Jolla As a result, Senator Blakespear has now written Senate Bill 92, with the support of Mayor Todd Gloria and Congressman Scott Peters to stop the unintended consequences of the housing laws. 'What the Bill is aimed at is preventing a project like the Turquoise Street project, which is essentially a luxury hotel project that is able to be proposed in that location because it is exploiting a state housing law,' Blakespear continued. If you look around this community, the public uprising has begun. A sea of protest signs are popping up, much like a political campaign. At stake — the will of the people and the character of their community. Both of which are being threatened by a developer, who's been empowered by state law. 'It's so bad because the laws from Sacramento have enabled developers to come in and disregard the will of the voters as expressed in direct democracy by [bypassing] local initiatives like Prop D. All the other buildings here are 30-feet high. This will be almost 10 times that height,' said Coat. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
