Latest news with #StateHouseofRepresentatives
NBC News
03-08-2025
- Politics
- NBC News
Texas Democrats leave state to fight Republican redistricting effort
In a move to counter Republican redistricting in Texas, dozens of Democrats in the State House of Representatives are heading to Illinois on Sunday to deny a necessary quorum for the GOP to move forward with those efforts to add more Republican House seats in Congress. NBC News' Ryan Chandler has the latest.
Newsweek
01-08-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Why Flags Are Half-staff in Four States Today, This Weekend
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Communities across Florida, South Dakota, New York, and Connecticut, are observing a period of mourning this weekend, as official orders have directed flags to be flown at half-staff in honor of local and national figures. The Context The lowering of the American flag is a visible marker of collective sorrow and remembrance. Such statewide and local orders not only honor lives lost but also call attention to public service, community sacrifice, and, in some cases, high-profile tragedies. Birds fly among American flags at half-staff on January 19, 2025 in Washington, D.C. Birds fly among American flags at half-staff on January 19, 2025 in Washington, Florida will fly U.S. and state flags at half-staff on August 1, 2025, to honor the life and legacy of Terry Bollea, known globally as Hulk Hogan, who passed away on July 24, 2025. Hogan was born in Augusta, Georgia, but moved to Tampa at an early age, an announcement from the Governor's office noted. He was inducted into the wrestling hall of fame twice—in 2005 and 2020, it added. "His larger-than-life personality will be missed, as the 'Hulkster' was an icon for many who grew up in the 80s and 90s as well as today. He was a true Floridian through and through," read the statement. Orders from Florida Governor Ron DeSantis specify that flags be at half-staff at the State Capitol in Tallahassee and public buildings in Pinellas County from sunrise to sunset on Friday, August 1, 2025. South Dakota Governor Larry Rhoden ordered that flags fly at half-staff at the State Capitol in honor of Louis (Lou) Sebert, who served in the South Dakota State House of Representatives from 1999 to 2006. A funeral mass for Sebert would take place on Friday morning, the announcement said, and flags would remain at half-staff until sunset. New York New York State lowered flags on all State government buildings to half-staff beginning July 29, following the deadly attack in Manhattan that claimed the life of NYPD Officer Didarul Islam and others on July 28, 2025. At least four people were killed in the attack, including Islam, with at least one other wounded, authorities said at the time. The shooter died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. Islam "represented the very best of our department," the New York City Police Department (NYPD) said in a statement following the attack. "He was protecting New Yorkers from danger when his life was tragically cut short today." "The violence we witnessed at the hands of this individual is sickening, unacceptable and it must stop here," Governor Kathy Hochul said. "An attack on one of us is an attack on all of us, and we must confront this violence head on. My heart is with our neighbors in Manhattan, the victims and their families—as well as the brave men and women of the NYPD. Hochul said that flags in the state will remain lowered until all the victims of the shooting were laid to rest. Connecticut Connecticut's Governor Ned Lamont ordered flags at half-staff statewide starting July 27, 2025, following the line-of-duty death of Plainville Firefighter Raymond "Ray" Alan Moreau. A statement from the Governor's office said Moreau died while operating at a fire at a residence in Plainville. "It is with extreme sadness today that we mourn the life of Plainville Firefighter Raymond Moreau, who selflessly put his life on the line to serve and protect his community," Lamont said. "Today's tragedy is another reminder about the extraordinary risk that firefighters face as part of their duties, and they are heroes for assuming these responsibilities. On behalf of the entire State of Connecticut, I extend my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Firefighter Moreau, including his wife Chris and his colleagues at the Plainville Fire Department." Moreau's funeral is set to take place on Saturday, Plainville Fire Company said. In an update on Friday, Lamont's office said flags in the state would return to full-staff at sunset on Saturday.
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Paxton Calls For New Law To Protect Texas Elections From Local Corruption
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has called for the State House of Representatives to pass legislation that would allow him to prosecute voter fraud when local officials refuse to do so. Paxton cited a 2021 decision by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals to overturn a law that allowed the attorney general to unilaterally prosecute election cases, instead ruling that a district or county attorney must invite him to work on the case. The attorney general has taken a strong stance against this decision while calling for the legislature, with his office writing in a news release that it 'opened the door for abuse throughout the state.' Paxton also released a statement, writing that 'the system is broken' if the attorney general is not permitted to prosecute voter fraud when local district and county attorneys choose not to. 'We're talking about one of the most fundamental rights we have as Americans—the right to vote. This legislation gives Texas the legal tools to protect the ballot box,' he added. 'Secure elections are the foundation of our system of government, but if a rogue district or county attorney ignores clear evidence of voter fraud, there's nothing we can do about it.' This news release continued by pointing out the issues preventing Paxton from prosecuting voter fraud, noting that one corrupt official could allow voter fraud to persist within a county. Additionally, Paxton noted how local officials could be involved in deep schemes to plan voter fraud, noting that attorney general resources could be required to truly uncover the full depth of the alleged crimes. 'Concurring with the Senate Substitute for HB 5138 is the best opportunity to provide meaningful reform so that Texans can have full confidence in the integrity of their elections,' concluded the release. This information from Paxton's office comes as the Lone Star State continues to evaluate ways to improve voter integrity, including the potential for allowing only U.S. citizens to vote in state elections, as previously reported by The Dallas Express. These concerts have also spilled into Dallas within recent months, with Former Texas House of Representatives candidate Barry Wernick filing a complaint against the Dallas County Elections Department. Wenrick alleged that Dallas County's 'sample ballots' were not actually samples but the real ballots being used in the election, which included both candidate names and Dallas Elections Administrator Heider Garcia's signature, as reported by DX.
UPI
24-05-2025
- Business
- UPI
Texas lawmakers approve full THC ban
Hemp derived THC products may become illegal in Texas, if a ban passed by the State House of Representatives is signed by Gov. Greg Abbott. Photo by lovingimages/ Pixabay May 24 (UPI) -- All non-medical products containing THC in any form soon could be outlawed in Texas after state lawmakers approved a full ban on Wednesday. The Texas House of Representatives on Wednesday night voted 95-44 to approve Senate Bill 3, which bans the sale of all non-medical THC products in the state, CBS News reported. Recreational cannabis is not legal in Texas, but medical marijuana is legal. So are hemp-derived products containing no more than 0.3% THC content. Non-medical and hemp-derived products that contain any amount of THC would be banned if Gov. Greg Abbott signs the measure into law. The measure, sponsored by Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock, bans the sale of Delta 8, Delta 9 and other forms of THC products, including beverages. The bill also bans the retail sale of any cannabinoid, except for CBD and CBG products. Such products were made legal with the passage of the federal Farm Bill of 2018 and at the state level a year later by Texas lawmakers. Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, a Republican, on Monday said he would halt progress on a state budget bill if the House did not approve S.B. 3, which was a companion measure to the budget. "It's being sold to school children all across Texas," Patrick said in a video posted on Facebook. "This is poisonous THC [with] no regulation whatsoever," he added. Patrick said many of the products sold are more potent than marijuana that is sold by street dealers. In the video, he shows a map of more than 8,000 smoke and vape shops that opened in Texas over the past three years. Patrick said most are located within 2,000 feet of schools, and the industry generates $8 billion in annual revenues. The video includes footage of Perry during Senate floor debate saying the owners of smoke and vape shops "targeted walking distance of every school they could." The video also shows Sen. Cesar Blanco, D-El Paso, during floor debate, citing a 495% increase in calls for THC overdoses by children aged 5 and under between 2017 and 2022, as reported by the Texas Poison Control network. Those opposing the THC ban say it could cause economic and medicinal harm. The proposed THC ban would harm local businesses, farmers and "tens of thousands of hardworking Texans ... who rely on hemp-derived cannabinoids for their wellness," officials with the Texas Hemp Business Council said Wednesday in a press release. "Despite overwhelming testimony and clear data demonstrating the safety and economic value of federally legal hemp-derived cannabinoids, lawmakers have chosen a path that eliminates an entire sector of our economy," the business council said. The industry generates $4.3 billion in retail sales, supports 53,300 state jobs and contributes $268 million in tax revenue, according to the council. "Texas already has strong hemp regulations," the council said. Instead of a ban, the council proposed restricting sales to those who are 21, requiring child-resistant packaging and establishing minimum distances from schools. Abbot has not indicated whether or not he intends to sign S.B. 3 into law.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
House budget debate day 1 recap
BOSTON (WWLP) – The State House of Representatives wrapped up their first day of budget negotiation on Monday, working through over a quarter of the bill's amendments, and tacking on $18.4 million in additional spending. Budget debate always begins with tax considerations, and yesterday, tax cuts were shot down by both Democrats and some Republicans. The afternoon was spent in closed-door meetings, before representatives came back to the chamber to pass a mega-amendment, adding $13 million in one unanimous vote. This amendment spans from veteran funding to education to food security. After a dinner break, they passed a second mega-amendment with healthcare and independence and aging appropriations, adding $5 million, before breaking for the evening around 8:30. Longmeadow Representative Brian Ashe says he is happy with how negotiations have gone so far, and explained one of the challenges with creating a balanced budget. 'There are so many legitimate and important requests, but there's only so much money, and there's always the uncertainty of the federal government, whether they are going to pull any of that funding back,' said Ashe. One state representative told 22News that these House negotiations could go into the night, and could potentially be wrapped up before tomorrow. Once the House wraps up, the Senate will create its draft, and the two branches will reconcile their differences before sending a final draft to Healey for her consideration at the beginning of July. WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
