Latest news with #HouseBill225
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ohio bill would require employers to pay people with disabilities minimum wage
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – While federal law allows employers to pay some individuals with disabilities less than minimum wage, Ohio lawmakers are attempting to eliminate the practice in the state. House Bill 225, sponsored by Reps. Dontavius Jarrells (D-Columbus) and Tom Young (R-Washington Twp.), seeks to phase out subminimum wages for employees with disabilities over a five-year period. Indoor park with 'waterless slides' opens first Ohio location in Columbus 'This bipartisan legislation is about dignity,' Jarrells said at a hearing for the bill in May. 'It's about economic opportunity and it's about making sure every Ohioan, regardless of ability, has the right to fair wages and the chance to contribute meaningfully to their communities.' Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 permits employers to pay workers whose disabilities impact their productivity less than the federal hourly minimum wage of $7.25, if they obtain a certificate from the U.S. Department of Labor. The practice is intended to prevent the restriction of employment opportunities for those with disabilities, according to the department. Introduced in April, the bill would require employers who hold a certificate to submit a plan regarding phasing out subminimum wage to the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities. The plan would have to be submitted within 15 months of the bill's effective date. Under the legislation, the state would assist employers with implementing their plans. Over the five-year transition period, the state would also be required to gather, monitor and publicly report the progress of the phase-out. Unsolved Ohio: Who killed Amy Jo Nelson? Family wants answers in 2017 homicide The bill underwent three hearings in the House's Commerce and Labor Committee in May, where more than 40 people testified in support of the bill. 'Paying people with disabilities less than minimum wage devalues their labor and reinforces harmful stereotypes that their work is worth less,' said Justin Blumhorst with the disability support organization Capabilities. 'Many people with disabilities perform as well as or better than their non-disabled peers when given the proper support and accommodations.' Seven spoke out against the legislation, including Brittany Stiltner with Sandco Industries, a nonprofit that provides employment skills training to people with developmental disabilities. 'At Sandco, the 14(c) certificate allows us to provide customized, supportive employment opportunities to individuals who may not be able to succeed in a traditional competitive work environment,' Stiltner said in written testimony. 'Phasing out this option entirely would eliminate opportunities for people who depend on it – individuals whose stories too often go unheard in policy conversations.' In Ohio, 41 businesses have obtained federal 14(c) certificates, most of which are nonprofit agencies that 'provide rehabilitation and employment for people with disabilities,' often in a 'sheltered' setting, according to the Labor Department. Intel executive explains why Ohio plant will need to fight for Intel's business Jarrells introduced a similar bill last April, but it only received one hearing and did not progress to the point of receiving a vote. Sixteen states have already legislated or initiated the phase-out of subminimum wages, according to Jarrells. In December, the Labor Department proposed phasing out the practice nationally over three years. The agency has not provided an update on the status of the proposal since. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Associated Press
04-04-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Georgia lawmakers spurn DEI ban and consider sports betting at deadline
ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia lawmakers still have many decisions ahead on Friday, the last day of their 2025 legislative session. They could agree to ban diversity efforts in public schools and colleges, change how automated speed enforcement cameras work in school zones, and grant a new $250 state income tax credit for parents of children age 5 and under. It's the last day for legislation to pass the General Assembly and go to Gov. Brian Kemp for his signature or veto. Some top proposals won final passage earlier, including Kemp's effort to limit lawsuits and a school safety bill that came as a response to last year's shooting at Apalachee High School. Lawmakers also already agreed to income tax cuts and rebates. Measures that don't pass Friday could be considered again next year because 2025 is the first year of a two-year session. Awaiting action Friday DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION: Georgia's public schools and colleges would be banned from having any programs or activities that advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion under House Bill 127. SPEED ZONE CAMERAS: Georgia would either ban automated speed enforcement cameras in school zones under House Bill 225 or further regulate them under House Bill 651. CHILD TAX CREDIT: Parents of children age 5 and under could claim a $250 state income tax credit under House Bill 136, which also expands the state income tax credit for child care expenses. REGULATION RESTRICTION: Senate Bill 28 would give lawmakers more oversight over regulations created by state agencies. LIBRARY CRIMES: Librarians in public libraries, K-12 schools and colleges could face prosecution if they provide sexually explicit materials to minors under House Bill 483. IMMIGRATION: Senate Bill 21 would remove legal protections and let people sue governments and government officials who don't follow Georgia laws requiring cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. GUN TAX BREAKS: House Bill 79 would offer a four-day sales tax holiday on guns, ammunition and safety devices, while offering income tax credits of up to $300 for paying for gun safety courses. CLARENCE THOMAS STATUE: The state would put up a privately financed statue of U.S. Supreme Court Justice and Georgia native Clarence Thomas under House Bill 254. ELECTIONS: Georgia's secretary of state would be required to leave a bipartisan group that lets officials share data to keep voter rolls accurate under House Bill 397 and Senate Bill 175. Senate Bill 12 would exempt Georgia state legislators and police departments from some requirements to disclose public records. Passed RELIGIOUS LIBERTY: State and local governments wouldn't be able to 'substantially burden' a person's religious freedom under Senate Bill 36, but opponents say it would enable discrimination. INCOME TAXES: An already-planned state income tax cut will be accelerated under House Bill 111, giving the state a flat 5.19% income tax rate retroactive to Jan. 1. And Georgians will get income tax rebates between $250 and $500 under House Bill 112. HURRICANE AID: House and Senate members agreed to spend more than $850 million on aid after Hurricane Helene did billions of dollars of damage in Georgia in September. LAWSUIT LIMITS: Senate Bill 68 would make it harder to bring lawsuits and win large verdicts while Senate Bill 69 limits who can finance lawsuits. SCHOOL CELLPHONES: Public school students in kindergarten through eighth grade would be banned from using cellphones during the school day under House Bill 340. TRANSGENDER RIGHTS: Both Senate Bill 1 would ban transgender girls and women from playing girls' and women's sports, while Senate Bill 185 would ban the state from paying for gender-affirming care for prisoners. AMERICA FIRST LICENSE PLACE: Senate Bill 291 would create an America First license plate for Georgia vehicles.
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Yahoo
Speed cameras have generated more than $14 million in Albany; now they're up for debate in the Georgia legislature
ALBANY – Albany school zone speed cameras continue to watch out for speeding drivers as the Georgia legislature debates whether to better regulate or outright ban them. Camera critics say the cameras are a money grab and signal an overdependence on fines and fees to fund city projects. Supporters say the speed cameras have led to better driving habits and safer school zones for pedestrians. State Rep. Dale Washburn, R-Macon, is sponsoring House Bill 225, which aims to reverse 2018 legislation allowing cameras to be placed in school zones. Rep, Alan Powell, R-Hartwell, introduced House Bill 651, which proposes limiting the hours the cameras can be used and mandating that half of the fines collected go toward school safety improvements. Both bills made it through the Georgia House and await decisions in the Senate. Albany first installed RedSpeed cameras in August 2021. In nine enforced school zones, drivers receive a citation for going 11 mph over the school zone speed limit. The first citation costs $80. Subsequent citations are $135. The citations are considered a civil infraction with no points added to drivers licenses and no insurance increases. Since 2021, the cameras have led to more than $14.5 million in fines, according to a report from RedSpeed Georgia. The Albany Herald is awaiting information from an Open Records request that details how much of that money was received by the city and how much went to RedSpeed. Albany Police Chief Michael Persley said some of this money has been used to fund public safety initiatives such as improving safety within school zones, upgrading school zone signage, police training in conjunction with the Albany Fire Department, and youth programs with the Dougherty County Sheriff's Office and the city's Recreation and Parks Department. It also funded new equipment, like cars for community safety officers. Persley said he's not in agreement with banning the cameras outright. 'I think that's taking a step a little too far,' he said. 'We need to look at the whole situation. What are you trying to ban?' A 2024 report showed that there's been a 95% reduction in speed violators since 2021. Traffic studies, before installing the cameras, found hundreds of drivers each day exceeding the posted speed limit in school zones by more than 10 mph. Reducing a motorist's speed by only 5 mph doubles a child's chance of survival if struck by a vehicle, safety officials say. The report also said the cameras led to overall improved driver behavior – with 88% of offenders receiving less than two citations in 2024. 'The whole purpose of the program was to curb driving behavior, which it did,' Persley said. On the flip side, if cameras were banned, Persley said the department would have to put officers in school zones, but getting pulled over for speeding in a school zone means a criminal offense rather than a civil one. The police chief said losing the revenue from the speed cameras also would slow down some program implementation. He said without that revenue, the police department's gunshot detection program and license plate readers wouldn't have been rolled out as quickly. This equipment has resulted in the police department more effectively responding to gun violence situations and finding stolen cars. Staff from the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute (GBPI), a nonprofit that advances lasting solutions to expand economic opportunity for Georgians, criticized the speed cameras and said they want lawmakers to look into more ways to increase safety in school zones beyond addressing the cameras Ray Khalfani, a GBPI senior analyst, spoke at a community town hall in Albany on March 4 about multiple pieces of legislation that could 'remove some of the practices in our state that create excessive fines and fees' that create an excessive reliance on these things for cities to fund themselves. Khalfani said practices like citations from school zone cameras hurt residents. 'It doesn't help the economic vitality in their city because … that makes it difficult for people to keep jobs, get jobs, pay their bills and take care of their families,' he said. However, Khalfani said HB225 and HB651 are not the answer. 'You got all these bills to talk about addressing this school zone speeding issue, but who's going to talk about fixing road design … and fixing the child safety and pedestrian safety issue in school zones without robbing communities?' he said. Complaints in Albany have risen about improper signage or lighting to indicate school zones or citations occurring after hours. 'I'm still waiting for someone to bring in a school zone violation that they got on the weekends, that they got at night time,' Persley said. 'There are too many checks and balances in the systems for that to happen.' He said the one school zone location that doesn't have flashing lights is on North Slappey Boulevard. He said the city finally got approval from GDOT to put lights up, and the city is waiting for them to come in. 'I'm not in favor of the ban, but whatever the legislature passes, we will enforce,' Persley said. 'Just slow down. Be mindful of where you're at … of your driving habits.'
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
School cellphones ban, school speed zone camera, library crimes bills advance
ATLANTA (WSAV) — WSAV has told you about new bills proposed in the Georgia General Assembly, including the proposed ban on cellphones in schools, bills on school speed zone camera and the possibility of librarians facing penalties for loaning certain material. WSAV brought you information on House Bill 340 or the Distraction-Free Education Act on Thursday. It will require all public schools K-8 to remove electronic devices from children during school hours. House Bill 225 could completely ban the automated speed zone cameras in school zones. Another option is regulation which would come with House Bill 651. Both advanced on Thursday. Under Senate Bill 74, librarians in public libraries, K-12 schools and colleges could face prosecution or penalties if they loan 'obscene' material to minors. According to Georgia code, 'obscene' means the material is shameful or morbid. Thursday marked the last day for legislation to pass either the House or Senate and be advanced to the other legislative chamber for consideration this session. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
School zone camera bills: One to ban them, one to reform. But both overturn the system
The Brief The Georgia House of Representatives approved two measures for reeling in automated school zone speed cameras, sending both over to the state Senate. House Bill 225 bans the cameras completely. House Bill 651 sets strict guidelines for operating them. The latter bill also strikes language in current law allowing cities and counties to send unpaid tickets to the state Department of Revenue – which then blocks auto tag renewals until the fines are paid. The bill's sponsor, Rep. Alan Powell, R-Hartwell, acknowledged to the FOX 5 I-Team, that would effectively eliminate the incentive to pay the tickets, which are civil citations. "Who's to push anybody to pay?" he said. Meanwhile, the I-Team found more than $700,000 in political donations over the past four years from three major camera companies. ATLANTA - In the debate over what to do with school zone speed cameras popping up all over Georgia, the state House of Representatives has approved two solutions to the same problem. On Tuesday, lawmakers approved one bill that outlaws the cameras – overturning the 2018 law that allowed automated ticketing systems near schools. The other bill would let them stay, but with a list of restrictions on when they can operate, how to warn oncoming traffic and what can be done with the proceeds. But the FOX 5 I-Team has learned that even the reform bill would effectively overturn the system. Under its current language, there would be no penalty if a ticketed driver decided to toss his citation in the trash. SEE ALSO: 2 school zone speed camera bills pass House, move to Georgia State Senate The backstory In 2018, then-Speaker of the House David Ralston worked with his Senate counterparts, during the final minutes of that year's session, to pass a bill that allowed school zone speed cameras. One of the lobbyists pushing the bill was Ralston's son, Matt. The stated purpose was to slow traffic near schools, protecting students, parents, and school personnel. But critics claim the real motive has been easy revenue for local governments and private, out-of-state speed camera companies. "We can safely say that fines have been issued at a level in excess of $200 million," state Rep. Dale Washburn, R-Macon, told his House colleagues Tuesday. "The school zone cameras are taking a percentage of that. Using a conservative estimate, they've probably taken $50 million out of Georgia." Over the past seven years, complaints have poured in to lawmakers about the automated tickets. Drivers have claimed they were ticketed outside of school hours or on weekends, that cameras are set up on busy four-lanes where children don't walk, and that signage is too confusing. The FOX 5 I-Team identified cameras in three cities where timing disconnects between cameras and flashing school zone lights misled drivers into speeding, or caused them to be cited them for speeding when they weren't. The I-Team's stories led to more than a half a million dollars in refunds for drivers. "When people are being entrapped and issued tickets, with deceit and trickery, it is wrong," Washburn said in a House Motor Vehicles committee meeting last month. "And it's something we need to do something about." Washburn introduced House Bill 225, which overturns the 2018 law. It would require police departments statewide to shut down the cameras entirely. State Rep. Alan Powell, R-Hartwell, with the support of current Speaker of the House Jon Burns, introduced House Bill 651, which salvages the camera systems, but with strict guidelines. By the numbers The votes Tuesday showed more appetite for the reform bill than the total ban. Washburn's bill passed by a vote of 129 to 37. Powell's passed 164 to 8. Both bills now move to the state Senate, which can grapple with the issue and make adjustments, additions and subtractions of its own. Washburn said he does not think senators will be swayed by which bill got the most votes Tuesday. Tickets from school zone cameras are civil citations, not criminal. They don't put points against drivers' licenses and they can't lead to jail time. "I'm not sure that they'll pay that much attention to that," he said. "My goal is to get over to the Senate now, and begin to talk to some individual senators, and to talk to their leadership, and try to convince them that banning these school zone cameras is a good thing." What the reform bill does Powell called his bill "a second choice." House Bill 651 would limit ticketing to two-hour periods on mornings and afternoons, when school starts and lets out. "A lot of the jurisdictions were running these around the clock, through the day, sporting events," Powell told the I-Team. "It just became suspect. It became a 'gotcha.'" His bill also requires feedback signs, informing oncoming drivers of their speeds before they pass a camera. It requires half of a jurisdiction's speed camera ticket proceeds to go to local schools, to be used for school safety. It applies "speed trap" rules on cities and counties, setting limits on how much a government can collect from citations, in relation to their police budget – no more than 35 percent. The bill eliminates $25 administrative fees that inflate citation amounts. So tickets can cost no more than $75 for a first violation and $125 for a second. Under the bill, when the tickets arrive in the mail, the envelope has to be clearly marked, so as not to be confused with junk mail. "The bill I passed was pretty radical about putting guardrails around this," Powell said. But actually, he acknowledged to the I-Team, ticketed drivers could treat the citations like junk mail. House Bill 651 eliminates the section of current law that allows cities and counties to send unpaid school zone tickets to the state Department of Revenue, which then blocks car tag renewals until the tickets are paid. Tickets from school zone cameras are civil citations, not criminal. They don't put points against drivers' licenses, and they can't lead to jail time. "If it doesn't go through the Revenue Department, who's to push anybody to pay," Powell said. "Either bill, we're getting to the same conclusion." The other side Bob Dallas, a former Governor's Office of Highway Safety director who's now a lobbyist for camera company Blue Line Solutions, said the company opposes many of the points in Powell's bill. (And it opposes Washburn's bill entirely.) Dallas said, to keeps school zones safe, ticketing should be allowed throughout the school day. Children and parents come and go from a school building all day, he said. He said Blue Line supports the warning devices, would agree to pay for them, and would also agree to requiring flashing school zone lights wherever automated cameras are placed. The company opposes the 35-percent rule on revenues, which Dallas said would negatively impact smaller jurisdictions. And Blue Line wants to keep the system of sending unpaid tickets to the Department of Revenue. Washburn's ban bill received pushback on the House floor Tuesday. A lawmaker who represents South Fulton brought up the death of an 11-year-old outside Sandtown Middle School in 2018. A speeding car struck the car the girl was riding in. "Is it not true that I shared with you that I was on the scene the day that a young middle school student was killed by a speeding driver ...?" State Rep. Robert Dawson, D-Atlanta, asked Washburn. "It is a terrible tragedy whenever a child is killed," Washburn responded. "But I must say that there is little evidence that the cameras would have prevented that tragedy." Dig deeper Still to be determined as the Senate considers the bills: How much will some very large political donations factor into the outcome? That includes some sizable donations made to the head of the Senate, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones. For years, private camera companies have poured hundreds of thousands of dollars into campaign coffers and political committees. "They have given a lot of money here," Washburn said. "It's obviously very important to them, because they're making a lot of money. And so they are spending a lot of money. "But the money they're spending is a very small percentage of the money they're taking out of Georgia." The I-Team examined the past four years of donations from three major companies – RedSpeed, Blue Line Solutions and American Traffic Solutions, or Verra Mobility. The total: $728,250. More than half of that – $400,200 – poured in since February 2024, when now-retired state Rep. Clay Pirkle first floated a bill to ban the cameras entirely. Since 2021, there's been $215,000 donated to the Georgia House Republican Trust, with a lion's share ($150,000) given by RedSpeed. Another $110,000 went to the Georgia Republican Senatorial Committee. Lt. Gov. Jones's leadership committee received $171,000, also mostly from RedSpeed, and his campaign received another $38,500. Jones's office didn't respond to a request for comment on the donations, but he said in a written statement to the I-Team, "I believe that school safety is a critical issue we must address through a variety of initiatives." The I-Team also found $16,500 in camera company donations to Rep. Powell. "I think if you looked at the outcome (Tuesday), political donations don't carry any weight about doing the right thing," Powell told the I-Team. "You saw two bills passed that's going to probably put these folks out of business in Georgia." Dallas, the lobbyist, described the donations as camera companies' way of reaching out to policymakers to educate them on the issue. "What's happening – an industry representing it's desire to make school zones safe," he said. READ MORE: School zone speed cameras clash: Georgia lawmakers to debate on ban vs. reform Fight to ban school zone speed cameras begins in Georgia House Ga. lawmaker aims to shut down school zone speed cameras I-Team: Thousands ticketed by school zone cameras set up further from the school than law allows After I-Team investigations, ATL and Riverdale to automatically refund drivers wrongly ticketed by speed cams The Source The FOX 5 I-Team has been reporting on problems with school zone speed cameras for more than a year, discovering thousands of erroneous tickets issued in Atlanta, Jonesboro and Riverdale. I-Team reporter Johnny Edwards has been tracking bills dealing with the cameras at the state Legislature. He was at the Capitol for Tuesday's vote on two bills and interviewed the sponsors of both.
