Latest news with #StateLegislative
The Star
19-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Perlis assembly building renamed as Kompleks Seri Putra
KANGAR: The Perlis state assembly complex here has been renamed as Kompleks Seri Putra, officially announced by the Raja of Perlis, Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Jamalullail. In his speech, His Royal Highness said he was pleased to announce the new name of the complex, which took the name of his father, the late Tuanku Syed Putra. "My late father was the first Raja of Perlis on the throne since the Perlis Constitution was drafted on Feb 1, 1948, coinciding with the birth of the Federation of Malaya. "Until now, the Perlis Constitution, which was completed on March 26, 1959, is still in use as a result of the wisdom and legacy of His late Highness' rule. "Under His late Highness' reign, the Perlis State Assembly was formed and the State Legislative Council Election was held on Sept 24, 1955, with nine seats. It is fitting that His late Highness' services are remembered and honoured," said Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin at a tea ceremony with the people in conjunction with his 82nd birthday celebration at the complex on Monday (May 19). The text of Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin's speech was read by the Raja Muda of Perlis, Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra Jamalullail. Also present at the ceremony were the Raja Perempuan of Perlis Tuanku Tengku Fauziah Almarhum Tengku Abdul Rashid and the Raja Puan Muda of Perlis Tuanku Dr Hajah Lailatul Shahreen Akashah Khalil. Also present was Perlis Mentri Besar Mohd Shukri Ramli. The Raja of Perlis said that the large and beautiful building has become a landmark, which replaced the Big Clock Building to hold the Perlis State Assembly session since June 24, 2008, before His Royal Highness officiated the building as the state assembly complex on May 25, 2010. "Since the First Session of the 12th State Assembly, 50 sessions have been held in this building. The most recent was from April 22 to 24, 2025. "Utilise this building as a place to negotiate, discuss with prudence and wisdom and enact fair legislation for the well-being of the people of this state. This large building must be fully utilised and well-maintained. "Find solutions and common ground to govern and develop this state on par with other states. Use this opportunity given by Allah to provide service to the people of this state," said His Royal Highness. – Bernama
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Nevada Legislature: Another deadline passes, another update on bills the Current is watching
Nevada Assembly Chambers in 2023 (Photo by Trevor Bexon / Nevada Current) Tuesday marked the 79th day of the 120-day Nevada State Legislative session. It was also the deadline by which non-exempt bills needed to pass the full Senate or full Assembly or be declared dead. For the small but mighty staff of the Nevada Current, it was a relatively quiet day. None of the dozens of bills we are watching met their demise. That's not wholly unsurprising. About half the bills we've written about have been exempted by the Legislature from standard deadlines because they come with fiscal notes and have been sent to the Legislature's money committees for consideration. Speaking of: The next major big day in Carson City is Thursday, May 1. That's when the Economic Forum will meet and potentially adjust the state's revenue forecast up or down. As we've noted throughout this session, there is reason to be concerned that the outlook won't be rosy. But as of right now, there's still hope. Here's a status check on all the bills we've written about (so far). We've included links to the bills themselves, as well as our prior coverage, so you can learn more about them. * Notes: Bills exempt from the legislative deadline are marked with an asterisk. Lead sponsors are listed in parentheses. Bills with no lead sponsor listed are sponsored by interim committees. Senate Bill 391* (State Sen. Dina Neal, D) would establish a corporate landlord registry and cap purchasing power for corporate owners. Status: Referred to Senate Judiciary, no hearing scheduled. Assembly Bill 121 (Assemblymember Venicia Considine, D) would require all non-optional fees, such as sewer and water, be listed in advertisements for rental properties. It would also require landlords to offer a way for tenants to pay rent without added processing fees. Status: Passed Assembly on party lines; 27 yeas 15 nays. Assembly Bill 201 (Assemblymember Erica Roth, D) would expand efforts to automatically seal eviction records. Status: Passed Assembly on party lines; 27 yeas 15 nays. Assembly Bill 211 (Assemblymember Venicia Considine, D) would allow a third party to take over the property until repairs are made and living conditions improved. Status: Passed Assembly; 41 yeas, 0 nays, 1 excused. Assembly Bill 223 (Assemblymember Venicia Considine, D) would give tenants more power to hold landlords accountable for failing to provide livable conditions. Status: Passed Assembly on party lines, 27 yeas 15 nays. Assembly Bill 280 (Assemblymember Sandra Jauregui, D) proposes rent stabilization for seniors. Status: Passed Assembly on party lines, 27 yeas 15 nays. Assembly Bill 283 (Assemblymember Max Carter, D) would restructure the eviction process. Status: Passed Assembly on party lines, 27 yeas 15 nays. Assembly Bill 437 (Assemblymember Jill Dickman, R) would establish a Fair Access to Insurance Requirements (FAIR) plan. Status: Placed on Chief Clerk's desk. Assembly Bill 475* would provide funding for eviction diversion programs in Clark and Washoe counties. Status: Heard by Assembly Ways and Means on April 4, no action taken since. Assembly Bill 540* (Gov. Joe Lombardo, R) would allocate $250 million to build more housing and expand the definition of affordable housing to include people with higher incomes. Status: Heard by Assembly Commerce and Labor on April 2, no action taken. Senate Bill 218 (State Sen. James Ohrenschall, D) would adopt the Uniform Antitrust Pre-Merger Notification Act, requiring companies to submit to the state attorney general the same notices and information they are already required to provide federal agencies prior to mergers or acquisitions. Status: Passed Senate on party lines; 12 yeas, 8 nays. Senate Bill 316* (State Sen. Rochelle Nguyen, D) would curb how much profit pharmacy benefit managers can make. Status: Referred to Senate Finance. Senate Bill 442 mandates utilities report the number of disconnections due to non-payment. Status: Passed Senate with bipartisan support, 17 yeas, 4 nays from Republicans. Assembly Bill 44 (Attorney General Aaron Ford, D) seeks to crack down on 'knowingly deceptive' price fixing. Status: Passed Assembly; 24 yeas, 18 nays. Three Democrats voted with Republicans in opposition. Assembly Bill 204* (Assemblymember Max Carter, D) would prevent collection agencies from threatening to arrest people for debt, obtain a lien against a primary residence, seek to foreclose on home, or garnish wages. Status: Referred to Assembly Ways and Means. Senate Bill 54* would require the state's Department of Health and Human Services to apply for a federal waiver and amend the state Medicaid plan to cover medical respite care for people experiencing homelessness. Status: Referred to Senate Finance. Senate Bill 244* (State Sen. Roberta Lange, D) would expand the types of obesity treatments covered by Nevada Medicaid, including approving weight-loss drugs like Ozempic for wider use. Status: Referred to Senate Finance. Senate Bill 353* (State Sen. Marilyn Dondero Loop, D) would increase Medicaid reimbursement for mental health providers. Status: Referred to Senate Finance. Senate Bill 217* (State Sen. Nicole Cannizzaro, D) would establish the right to assisted reproduction treatment, including in vitro fertilization. Status: Referred to Senate Finance. Assembly Bill 176 (Assemblymember Selena Torres-Fossett, D), known as the Right to Contraception Act, would strengthen protections against a state or local government burdening access to contraceptive measures. Status: Passed Assembly unanimously. Assembly Bill 235 (Assemblymember Erica Roth, D) protects employees and volunteers of reproductive health care facilities, as well as their spouses, domestic partners or minor children, by allowing them to request a court order that keeps their personal information confidential on otherwise public records within the offices of county recorder, county assessor, county clerk, city clerk, Secretary of State, or Department of Motor Vehicles. Status: Passed Assembly; 33 yeas, 9 nays. Six Republicans supported. Assembly Bill 411 (Assemblymember Sandra Jauregui, D) would allow prescriptions for drugs used for medical abortions and miscarriage management to list the name of the prescribing health care practice, rather than the name of the specific individual providing the prescription. Status: Passed Assembly; 26 yeas, 15 nays, 1 excused. Senate Bill 172* (Sen. Edgar Flores, D) seeks to bolster protections for farm workers and amend overtime pay laws to include agriculture workers. Status: Referred to Senate Finance. Senate Bill 260* (Sen. Edgar Flores, D) seeks to ensure that outdoor workers receive protection when air quality reaches unhealthy levels due to wildfire smoke. Status: Referred to Senate Finance. Assembly Bill 112 (Assemblymember Duy Nguyen, D) would allow workers covered by collective bargaining agreements to use their accrued leave to care for family members. Status: Passed Assembly; 29 yeas, 13 nays. Two Republicans voted with Democrats in support. Assembly Bill 191* (Assemblymember Natha Anderson, D) would give graduate assistants the right to collectively bargain for better pay and conditions. Status: Referred to Assembly Ways and Means. Assembly Bill 388* (Assemblymember Selena La Rue Hatch, D) would require private employers with more than 50 workers, as well as all public employers, to provide paid family and medical leave. Status: Referred to Assembly Ways and Means. Assembly Bill 502* would boost the state's ability to investigate and enforce prevailing wage violations. Status: Referred to Assembly Ways and Means. Senate Bill 431* would apply the state's live entertainment tax to tickets resold by third-party vendors and dedicate some funding to transit. Status: Referred to Senate Finance. Assembly Joint Resolution 1* (Assemblymember Natha Anderson, D) would let voters in 2028 decide whether the taxable value of property should reset when a home is sold. Status: Passed Assembly; 26 yeas, 16 nays. Democrat Brittney Miller joined Republicans in opposition. Assembly Joint Resolution 8 (Assemblymember Joe Dalia, D) would let voters in 2028 decide whether Nevada should establish a dedicated business court with the goal of enticing large companies to incorporate here. Status: Passed Assembly with bipartisan support; 40 yeas, 2 nays. Democrats Selena La Rue Hatch and Erica Roth opposed. Assembly Bill 256 (Assemblymember Selena La Rue Hatch, D) would create a Regional Rail Transit Advisory Working Group to assess the need for a regional rail system in the state's largest metro areas, as well as potential funding sources for such a system. Status: Passed Assembly unanimously. Assembly Bill 276* (Assemblymember P.K. O'Neill, R) would adjust the commerce tax threshold to inflation. Status: Referred to Assembly Ways and Means. Assembly Bill 277 (Assemblymember Rich DeLong, R) would make the Net Proceeds of Minerals Bulletin public again. Status: Passed Assembly unanimously.. Assembly Bill 530 would allow the Clark County Commission to extend fuel revenue indexing (FRI) an additional decade beyond its current sunset date. Status: Passed Assembly with bipartisan support; 39 yeas, 3 nays. Republicans Jill Dickman, Danielle Gallant, and Gregory Hafen were opposed. Senate Bill 69 (Storey County) would require companies seeking massive tax abatements to enter into agreements to defray the costs of the government-provided services they would require. Status: Passed Senate with bipartisan support; 17 yeas, 4 nays. Four Republicans opposed. Assembly Bill 185 (Assemblymember Natha Anderson) would bar most HOAs from prohibiting licensed home-based childcare operations within their communities. Status: Passed Assembly with bipartisan support; 32 yeas, 10 nays. A third of the Republican caucus supported. Assembly Bill 238* (Assemblymember Sandra Jauregui, D) is known as the Nevada Studio Infrastructure Jobs and Workforce Training Act. It massively expands the state's film tax credit program to support a production studio in Summerlin in Las Vegas. Status: Referred to Assembly Ways and Means. Senate Bill 220* (State Sen. Roberta Lange, D) is known as the Nevada Film Infrastructure, Workforce Development, Education and Economic Diversification Act. It massively expands the state's film tax credit program to support a production studio in southwest Las Vegas. Status: Referred to Senate Finance. Assembly Bill 376* (Assemblymember P.K. O'Neill, R) would create a 'regulatory sandbox' for the insurance industry. Status: Referred to Assembly Ways and Means. Assembly Bill 457* (Assemblymember Venicia Considine, D) seeks to close a potential loophole that can be used by corporate landlords to avoid paying the state's commerce tax. Status: Passed Assembly on party lines; 27 yeas 15 nays. Assembly Bill 487 would ban retail pet sales statewide. Status: Passed Assembly with bipartisan support; 32 yeas, 9 nays, 1 excused. Six of the chamber's 15 Republicans supported. Senate Bill 318* (State Sen. Skip Daly, D) would ban charter schools from contracting with for-profit education management organizations. Status: Referred to Senate Finance. Assembly Bill 217 would prohibit school employees from granting permission to immigration officers to enter a school, or provide student records, including information on a student's family, without a warrant. Status: Passed Assembly; 31 yeas, 11 nays. Four Republicans joined Democrats in support. Assembly Bill 224* (Assemblymember Erica Mosca, D) would dedicate $100 million in state general obligation bonds for high-needs school construction projects in low-population counties that cannot fund them through typical means. Status: Referred to Assembly Ways and Means. Assembly Bill 441 (Assemblymember Daniele Monroe-Moreno, D) would change how Opportunity Scholarships are administered. Status: Passed Assembly on party lines; 27 yeas 15 nays. Senate Bill 88* would discharge medical debt from those incarcerated once they leave prison. Status: Referred to Senate Finance. Assembly Bill 91* (Assemblymember Erica Roth, D) is known as 'second look' legislation and would create an avenue for those incarcerated to have sentences reviewed by the State Board of Parole Commissioners after they've served extended periods of time. Status: Referred to Assembly Ways and Means. Assembly Bill 111 (Assemblymember Brian Hibbetts, R) would make driving the wrong way a misdemeanor crime. Status: Passed Assembly unanimously. Assembly Bill 119 (Assemblymember Steve Yeager, D) seeks to crack down on paramilitary organizing and activities. Status: Passed Assembly on party lines; 27 yeas 15 nays. Assembly Bill 320* (Assemblymember Jovan Jackson, D) seeks to stop judges from using dress codes to turn away defendants. Status: Referred to Assembly Ways and Means. Assembly Bill 381* (Assemblymember Melissa Hardy, R) is known as Reba's Law and mandates prison time for killing a domestic animal. Status: Passed Assembly Judiciary. Assembly Bill 402* (Assemblymember Selena Torres-Fossett, D) would authorize traffic monitoring cameras in construction work zones when workers are present. Status: Referred to Assembly Ways and Means. Senate Bill 457 (Gov. Joe Lombardo, R) is known as the Safe Streets and Neighborhoods Act. Status: Referred to Senate Judiciary, no hearing scheduled. Senate Bill 199* (State Sen. Dina Neal, D) — would establish guardrails around artificial intelligence. Status: Referred to Senate Finance. Assembly Bill 96 would mandate that cities and counties with populations exceeding 100,000 people include 'heat mitigation' as part of their master plans. Status: Passed Assembly; 29 yeas, 13 nays. Republicans Gregory Koenig and Toby Yurek voted with Democrats in support. Assembly Bill 460* (Assemblymember Cecelia González) streamlines the process for selecting a temporary guardian for minors prior to any immigration action. Status: Referred to Assembly Ways and Means.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
USBE cites communism in new resolution to remove DEI
SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — The (USBE) is considering a resolution that mandates the removal of remaining DEI initiatives and calls on local school districts to do the same, citing communist influences. The resolution, listed in the board's meeting agenda for Thursday, asserts that diversity, equity, and inclusion programs (DEI) are still present within 'schools, trainings, USBE, and auxiliary items,' despite laws that were passed by the legislature for their removal. It goes on to say that DEI programs are 'attempting to achieve the Soviet Communist goal of actual equality' and using 'ethnic minorities' to advance communism in society. READ: Utah Lawmakers passed H.B. 261 during the 2024 State Legislative Session 'DEI at its core is 1920s Soviet Union policy for using ethnic minorities to advance the installation of Communism,' the resolution reads. If passed, the measure would direct state staff and personnel to 'immediately disband any and all (DEI) practices' and rescind any documents, training, programs, curriculum, and policies relating to DEI. In addition, the resolution would call for local districts to do the same, expecting compliance 'immediately,' but no later than June 30. 'This resolution is [not] controversial,' Christina Boggess (R – District 8), member of the Utah State School Board, told 'There is an overt obfuscation and blatant disregard for [] among many within the USBE and our Local Education Agencies. After waiting more than five years for the agency to respond to the people's voice and ultimately comply with the code, this resolution would assert that the leaders elected by the people take this issue and agency non-compliance seriously.' The resolution comes after the Trump Administration gave schools a deadline to . On Jan 20, President Trump issued an directing federal agencies to terminate DEI programs across the federal government. The Department of Education then issued new guidelines three days later in accordance with Trump's order. 'Our public schools have put time and resources implementing and following the requirements of H.B. 261. This resolution is unnecessary, creates misleading narratives, fuels culture wars, and is, frankly, embarrassing,' Sarah Reale (D – District 5), member of the Utah State Board of Education, told in a statement. 'It is unfortunate this is how we will be spending our limited Board work time, when we could be working to support our students, teachers, and families in Utah.' reached out to other school board members who raised concerns over the resolution's language and the impact it would have on special needs students. 'Many of my constituents are worried about how this resolution will affect special education students. Although special education law does not use the term 'inclusion,' many parents see it as related to their child's educational experience in a general environment with their peers,' , member of USBE, told Wood continued: 'Raising a child with special needs has its own joys and challenges, and as a Board, we should not add to their concerns with a non-binding resolution that brings more confusion than improvement. In schools where statute related to H.B. 261 is not being complied with, we should target those areas specifically.' reached out to all 15 members of the board, and four have replied so far. Out of those who responded, three members indicated they would not be voting for the resolution, one indicated that they would. The board is set to debate and vote on this measure on April 3 during the regularly scheduled board meeting. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
