Latest news with #HouseBill193
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Board approves proposed tuition increases at Murray State, WKU
HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT) – Students who are currently residing at Eastern Kentucky University (EKU), Murray State University (MSU) or Western Kentucky University (WKU) will probably need a bit more money this upcoming school year. Officials say at its June meeting, the Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE) board approved a recommendation to raise undergraduate tuition and mandatory fees for resident students at EKU, MSU and WKU by $420 for the 2025-26 school year, in accordance with CPE's tuition parameters. The CPE says the university boards approved these increases prior to CPE board approval: At EKU, this action will increase base undergraduate resident tuition and fees from $10,020 to $10,440, or by 4.2%. This revenue will offset a projected 3.8% increase or $10.3M, in fixed costs. At MSU, this action will increase base undergraduate resident tuition and fees from $9,900 to $10,320, or by 4.2%. This revenue will offset a projected 4.6% increase, or $9.1M, in fixed costs. At WKU, this action will increase base undergraduate resident tuition and fees from $11,452 to $11,872, or by 3.7%. Despite this increase, anticipated revenue is projected to decrease by $326,000. However, fixed costs also are projected to decrease by 1.3%, or $3.2M. Jim Irsay to be inducted into Colts Ring of Honor The CPE says the board also took the following actions: Approved two new academic programs: a Bachelor of Science for surgical first assistants at the University of Kentucky and a Master of Science in nonprofit leadership studies at Murray State University. Approved tuition reciprocity agreements between select Kentucky public postsecondary institutions and institutions in Indiana, Ohio and West Virginia. The agreements enable Kentucky residents to attend these out-of-state schools at in-state rates, and vice versa. Approved the reallocation of dollars in Kentucky State University's performance improvement fund, authorized by House Bill 250, which will be passed by the 2022 Kentucky General Assembly. Unspent funding in the amount of $2 million originally designated for the development of an engineering program will now support new online programs and enhanced accounting and auditing functions. Approved the CPE agency budget for fiscal year 2025-26. Approved changes to the statewide dual credit policy to align with the passage of House Bill 193 and House Bill 4 during the 2025 legislative session, as well as other technical changes. Approved a revision to CPE's Tuition and Mandatory Fee Policy to make student-endorsed special use fees and certain asset preservation fees subject to tuition and fee parameters, beginning in 2025-26. Previously, these fees were exempt. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bill allowing teachers to bring guns to schools in NC is a dangerous proposal
As a retired teacher and a great-aunt of two children in schools, I am concerned about the passing of House Bill 193. This bill allows some teachers and volunteers to carry concealed weapons in private school classrooms. Concealed weapon permit holders are only required to have 8 hours of safety training. School resource officers are required to complete more than 800 hours of basic training, plus at least 40 hours of specialized training. In 2016, a private Christian school teacher in Pennsylvania left a loaded gun in a unisex bathroom. Four children used the restroom and saw the gun. One reported it to his parent who reported it to the school. A similar incident occurred at Faith Christian Academy in Goldsboro in 2024. Fortunately, these situations did not end in the tragedies that they could have. Please allow teachers to do what they are trained to do — teach — and allow law enforcement to handle the rest. Cheryl Block, Cary As a 14-year precinct official, I am appalled at the North Carolina Republican Party and the six judges who supported Jefferson Griffin's attempts to change the outcome of his race against Allison Riggs. Appellate judges Fred Gore and John Tyson as well as State Supreme Court Chief Justice Paul Newby and associate justices Trey Allen, Tamara Barringer, and Phil Berger Jr need a constitutional law refresher class. They've apparently forgotten the U.S. Constitutional guarantees equal protection. Federal District Judge Richard Myers II, appointed by President Donald Trump, reminded his North Carolina counterparts about it in his decision. I assure our state's Republican judges, lawmakers and election officials who believe Trump's fraud claims our state's precinct election workers are required to take thorough training and an oath to support the U.S. Constitution and the North Carolina Constitution provisions 'not inconsistent' with the federal one. As a chief precinct judge I gave that oath to my staff during four elections in 2021 and 2022. Judge Griffin does not deserve 'the appreciation of every North Carolinian' for pointing out 'appalling mismanagement' by N.C. Board of Elections staff as the N.C. GOP claims. Mark Rodin, Morrisville Regarding Duke Energy's proposal to increase rates to cover construction of new power plants, I think the wrong customers are being asked to do this. The article states that the increased demand is coming from data centers, mainly to support new AI-driven capacity. I suggest that Duke Energy add a surcharge to their corporate data center customers to cover these costs. Homeowners tend to do what they can to reduce their power consumption. We should not bear the burden of supporting corporations jumping on the latest computing fad. John Price, Cary Medicaid covers over 40% of births in the U.S. Medicaid covers 15 million Americans with disabilities. Medicaid helps so many school children in need of health services. Do not cut Medicaid. Invest in family health and those with disabilities for a better nation. Deb Levin, Chapel Hill This administration aims to eliminate fraud, abuse and waste within Medicaid. Medicaid is in need of reform. Originally intended to support the poor and those who couldn't obtain insurance, it has gradually evolved into a de facto universal healthcare program. Back in 2000, Medicaid covered around 30 million people. Today, that number has grown to 80 million — about 25% of the U.S. population. This expansion goes far beyond Medicaid's original mission! Mike Howard, Waxhaw Millions of our tax dollars are being spent by the federal government to deport non-criminals to prisons outside the U.S. Their right to due process is being ignored and flagrantly abused. To base these deportations on the tattoos someone has would be laughable, but it's no joke to tear people, including U.S. citizens, away from their families and jobs. These illegal removals must be stopped. Susannah Smith, Chapel Hill
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Bill requiring AEDs at schools and school sporting events passes Pa. House committee
The exterior of the Pennsylvania state Capitol. (Photo by Amanda Mustard for the Pennsylvania Capital-Star). A bill that would require automated external defibrillators (AEDs) to be present at school and school sporting events passed the House Education Committee with bipartisan support Wednesday. State Rep. Tim Brennan (D-Bucks), who sponsored House Bill 191, said the legislature owes it to our kids 'to be prepared to save their lives when something happens on their playing fields.' 'This serves a purpose,' Brennan said. 'This is a valuable life saving tool that we should have in our schools.' Brennan said that over 20 states already have similar laws in place and said statistics prove the effectiveness of AEDs in the event of a cardiac arrest. He said 90% of cardiac arrests are fatal when they occur outside of a hospital, but if an AED is used within a minute, survival rate can jump up to 90%. This proposal amending the school code also requires one individual certified in CPR present, as well. Brennan also referenced the cardiac arrest of then-24 year old Damar Hamlin, an Allegheny County native and player for the Buffalo Bills, in 2023 who was saved by CPR and the use of an AED on the field during an NFL game on Monday Night Football. State Rep. Tarah Probst (D-Monroe), cited the death of Greg Moyer, a high school student who died in 2000 from sudden cardiac arrest at the age of 15, during a basketball game at East Stroudsburg North High School. She said it can take a long time for an ambulance to arrive in rural areas. Moyer's family has been advocating for AEDs in schools and school sporting events. AEDs were also at the center of another bill earlier this week. House Bill 193, which will require AEDs in every state building, passed the full House on Monday. Cursive mandate passes unanimously The committee also unanimously voted to advance a proposal to require cursive handwriting to be taught in schools, at the appropriate grade level. 'In our digital world, cursive has fallen by the wayside, but there are many reasons for students to, at least, get the basic grasp of cursive writing,' State Rep. Dane Watro (R-Schuylkill), sponsor of House Bill 17 said Wednesday. 'In addition, students need cursive to read historical documents. A growing cursive illiteracy poses a threat to accessing and comprehending key historical sources, such as the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights.' A co-sponsorship memo mentions that at least 24 states have laws on the books requiring cursive to be taught. Both chairs of the committee also offered words of support before the vote was held. 'Obviously there are both cognitive and developmental skills I think that are learned through cursive but more importantly, I think it's important that we understand the foundations of our historical and our founding documents, which this bill would obviously do,' House Education Minority Chairperson Bryan Cutler (R-Lancaster) said. State Rep. Peter Schweyer (D-Lehigh), who is the chairperson of the committee, referenced knowing cursive from his 12 years of Catholic school education and said he looked at it from a slightly different perspective, while detailing a personal experience before voting to approve the bill. 'I have an 18-year-old who, a couple years ago, got her first bank account, and watching her try to endorse her first paycheck was quite the interesting experience on a human level,' Schweyer said. 'I just think that a part of education is actually teaching human skills, not knowledge for the sake of knowledge, but actually preparing people for real life. And this is perfectly reasonable and a smart way to go about it.'
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
NC House panel approves bill to allow handguns at private schools
(Photo by Aristide Economopoulos/NJ Monitor) The North Carolina House Judiciary 2 Committee approved a bill Tuesday that would allow individuals to carry handguns at private schools, the latest in a growing list of gun proposals this session. House Bill 193, 'Firearm Law Revisions,' authorizes those with a valid concealed handgun permit (along with those who are exempt from the requirement to have a permit) to possess or carry a handgun on educational property owned, used, or operated by a private school, according to the bill text. Its primary sponsors are Reps. Jeffrey McNeely (R-Iredell), Reece Pyrtle (R-Rockingham), Charles Miller (R-Brunswick, New Hanover), and Todd Carver (R-Iredell). McNeely said that while the bill is currently broad, its objective is to allow security guards or others with training to provide reassurance in the event of a shooting at a private school. 'This would allow some of these smaller private schools… to have somebody that they designate to be able to add some layer of protection to them until the law enforcement can get there,' McNeely said. As worded, the bill would allow anyone lawfully entitled to carry a concealed handgun — including a school official, teacher, or even a student — to carry it on the premises of a private school below the college level, with written permission from the school. The legislation's impact could expand if either of two pending bills authorizing so-called 'constitutional carry' — Senate Bill 50 or House Bill 5 — were to be enacted into law. These bills would allow individuals 18 or older to carry concealed handguns without obtaining a permit, a deviation from current law. Senate Bill 50 has passed through the upper chamber and is now in the House, while House Bill 5 awaits another committee hearing in its original chamber. Rep. Laura Budd (D-Mecklenburg) asked if the legislation is too broad, given that there are no requirements pertaining to training or background checks. 'What we're hoping is this will allow for security guards who are not able, people who do have training, but they do not fall under law enforcement, to be able to be there on hand and hopefully offer some level of protection,' McNeely said. The sponsor emphasized that the bill does not circumvent existing concealed carry laws in the state – security guards would need to have permits in order to carry concealed handguns. Rep. Deb Butler (D-New Hanover) pointed out that polling shows the bulk of North Carolina teachers do not favor guns in schools. 'This bill endangers students, it endangers teachers, and people don't want it,' she said. 'You're telling the teachers of North Carolina that we don't really care what you say.' McNeely responded that the bill is not a requirement. While it allows private schools to employ these security guards, it does not make it mandatory. The bill also includes a provision that would insulate certain law enforcement-operated shooting ranges from civil liability or criminal prosecution relating to noise or noise pollution. House Bill 193 now heads to the House Education K-12 Committee for further debate. The House Judiciary 2 Committee also voted to approve House Bill 301, 'Social Media Protections for Minors Under 16,' moving the measure to the House Commerce and Economic Development Committee. This legislation would ban social media accounts for children under 14 and require parental permission for children between the ages of 14 and 15.
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
NM Legislative Recap Feb. 20: Where the wild things are
Kiara, a wolf dog who lives at the Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary in Ramah, visited the Roundhouse with Siena Radice, an animal care specialist and the program development coordinator for the sanctuary, on Feb. 20, 2025. (Photo by Austin Fisher / Source NM) The New Mexico Legislature receives many distinguished guests during the session, but Thursday's was arguably more special than the rest, and undoubtedly more furry. Kiara, a wolf dog, looked happy as she walked back and forth inside a cage built in the Rotunda, rubbing against the fence and getting pets from members of the public. Kiara is a mid-content wolf dog, meaning she is a dog with more than half of her DNA coming from a gray wolf, said Siena Radice, an animal care specialist and the program development coordinator with Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary. Being a mid-content wolf dog makes Kiara more social than some other wolf dogs, Radice said, which explains why she was licking the hands that reached through the fence to pet her. Kiara is 12 years old, the upper limit of a wolf dog's lifespan, Radice said. These animals in the wild usually only live to be about seven or eight years old, she said. 'There's no sanctuary for them, so there's disease, they get hit by cars, and there are a lot of hunters, a lot of people who want to kill them, which is very unfortunate,' Radice said. There are 83 wolves living at the Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary, Radice said, and 25 more are expected to join what she called the 'big pack' in the coming months. The sanctuary is located in Ramah, an unincorporated community in McKinley County in the northwestern part of the state, she said, hours away from most people, vehicle traffic and loud noises. Yes, you can visit. The staff care for the animals well enough to allow them to live nearly twice as long compared to those living in the wild, she said (George RR Martin narrated a video about the sanctuary some years ago that gives a feel for the environs). Kira's visit to the Roundhouse coincided with Land, Water and Wildlife day at the Legislature. Speaking of water, if you want to give input on the regional water boundaries or the plans for state water planning for later this year, submit this survey before midnight on Friday. Sens. Craig Brandt (R-Rio Rancho) and Carrie Hamblen (D-Las Cruces) harmonized to Bon Jovi's 'Living on a Prayer,' on the senate floor Thursday, marking that we are in fact 'halfway there' (the session ends at noon on March 22). Thursday was also the final day for either chamber to introduce legislation. Lawmakers have introduced more than 1,100 pieces of legislation with the Senate introducing 559 bills and the House putting forward 583 bills, along with memorials and resolutions. Senate Bill 16, a bill to allow independents to participate in major-party primaries without changing their registration, passed the Senate floor in a 27-11 vote Wednesday evening. On Thursday afternoon, the House of Representatives voted 56-2 on House Bill 193, which would allow the Legislative Education Study Committee to study early childhood education and higher education issues. The House voted 44-23 in favor of Senate Bill 3, one of the three bills that make up what is called the behavioral health package. The House voted 68-1 in favor of House Bill 10, which would allow the state's cannabis regulator to police bad actors in the cannabis industry. The Senate voted 26-14 to pass Senate Bill 36, which would prohibit state Department of Motor Vehicles employees from disclosing driver data to any entity that would use it to enforce federal civil immigration laws. The Senate unanimously voted in favor Senate Bill 135, which would allow lawmakers to be reimbursed with public funds for out-of-state travel even if they lost their election or haven't declared their candidacy, without the need for a three-quarter majority vote by the Legislative Council. The Senate is expected to vote on House Bill 8, known as the crime package, on Friday, said Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth (D-Santa Fe). The House Rural Development, Land Grants And Cultural Affairs Committee unanimously endorsed a bill that would cap the liability on rural electrical cooperatives if they are proven in court to have caused a wildfire, and remove their liability so long as they can prove they followed fire mitigation measures they previously submitted to the state. The bill, which comes amid a lawsuit against PNM for the McBride Fire, now heads to the House Judiciary Committee. The Senate Indian, Rural and Cultural Affairs Committee advanced a bill mandating the creation of a Turquoise Alert to spread information about missing Native Americans, without recommendation after hearing from sponsors that law enforcement wanted to change some of the language. As of 5:30 p.m., the House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee was starting a hearing on House Bill 339, which would prohibit landlords across the state from rejecting prospective tenants based on their source of income, including Section 8 vouchers. Several New Mexico cities ban the practice, but a statewide measure has died in committee in recent years. Senate Bill 41, sponsored by Sens. Angel Charley (D-Acoma) and Cindy Nava (D-Bernalillo), moves now to Senate Tax, Business and Transportation. House Bill 392, which would ban single-use plastic bags statewide and require stores to charge a minimum $0.10 fee for paper bags, will have to go again before the House Energy and Natural Resources committee next wee, after members requested the sponsors to clean up the bill's fee section and a few other tweaks.
