Latest news with #HouseBill3
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Monroe elections to be partisan, held on even-numbered years after passage of House Bill 3
MONROE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — Monroe city leaders will have their terms extended as changes come to local elections. With the passage this week of N.C. House Bill 3 in the General Assembly, the city's elections will now take place in even-numbered years and will be held on a partisan basis. These changes apply only to the City of Monroe and do not affect other municipalities within Union County. Many other local municipalities hold elections in odd-numbered years, including those within Mecklenburg County. Earlier this month, Monroe's city council voiced their opposition to the legislation. The current terms of Monroe Mayor Robert Burns and all City Council members have been extended by one year to align with the revised election schedule. The change takes effect immediately, meaning the next municipal election in Monroe will be held in 2026, with the same staggered terms as before. A primary election will be held on March 3, 2026, and if necessary, a second primary election will be held on May 12, 2026. The general election will take place on November 4, 2026. Under the new law, Monroe municipal candidates must now run with a political party affiliation. Candidates must be registered with the Republican, Democratic, Libertarian, or Green Party at least 90 days prior to filing. The Senate passed the bill 28-17, and the House 62-47. House Bill 3 also affects the process to fill vacancies on the Cabarrus County Board of Commissioners, as well as several communities in eastern North Carolina. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
House passes HB3, partisan elections secured for Monroe
Elections in Monroe are now required to be partisan following the passage of House Bill 3 by the state house on Tuesday. The controversial bill has been the talk of the town for weeks, since councilmembers first voted to oppose the bill on June 16. PREVIOUS COVERAGE >> Monroe City Council votes to oppose HB3 'I'm actually pretty thrilled about this movement and moving to partisan elections,' Monroe Mayor Robert Burns said. According to the legislation, HB3 will require candidates running for city office in Monroe to file as either Democrat or Republican or get enough signatures to appear on the ballot as an independent. Until now, Monroe's elections have been nonpartisan. The new law will also move Monroe elections to even years, meaning the elections originally scheduled for this year will now take place in 2026. All councilmembers along with the mayor will get an additional year in office. Burns said running with a party provides transparency to voters. 'I don't understand why if they're a Democrat, or any other kind of party, why they wouldn't want the party that they're affiliated with on the ballot with their name. That just doesn't make any sense to me,' Burns told Channel 9's Eli Brand. 'If you're going to be a part of a party put that symbol, the D or the R beside your name.' However, not everyone agrees with the mayor. Monroe resident Steven Segall believes labels don't mean much and said Monroe elections should stay nonpartisan like they have been for decades. 'I can be a conservative Republican, I can be a conservative Democrat,' Segall said. 'Saying I'm a Democrat doesn't tell you how I feel about universal healthcare or work requirements for welfare.' Candidates running for office in Monroe will now be required to file for the 2026 elections by December of this year. Mayor Burns said he still plans to run for re-election in 2026. The Union County Board of Elections said they are working with Monroe to make sure voters know they don't need to come to the polls this November. VIDEO: Gov. Stein vetoes ICE bills
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ohio's school bus safety bill passes state house
A new bill that focuses on school bus safety is now heading to the Ohio Senate. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] News Center 7's Mason Fletcher breaks down what is inside this bill today on News Center 7 Daybreak from 4:25 a.m. until 7 a.m. TRENDING STORIES: Missing 24-year-old woman found 'safe,' police say 26-year-old man dead after motorcycle hits tree in Warren County 'Whip/Nae Nae' rapper sentenced for murder of cousin House Bill 3, the School Bus Safety Act, passed 88-0 on Wednesday at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus. It is sponsored by two state representatives, Rep. Bernie Willis, R-Springfield, and Rep. Cecil Thomas, D-Cincinnati. The bill was introduced after a deadly school bus crash in Clark County that killed one student, Aiden Clark, and injured dozens of others in 2023. It now heads to the Ohio Senate. We will update this story. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ohio House passes school bus safety bill spurred by deadly Clark County crash
Jun. 11—Anyone caught passing a school bus illegally would face significant fines and penalties to their driver's license under an Ohio House bill that passed 88-to-0. House Bill 3, the School Bus Safety Act, sponsored by Reps. Bernie Willis, R-Springfield, and Cecil Thomas, D-Cincinnati, would appropriate $10 million from Ohio Lottery funds to add cameras to school buses and educate drivers about school bus safety. Part of the $10 million would go toward school bus safety grants for local school districts. Cameras could be installed on school buses to record people improperly passing a school bus and those recordings could then be used in a criminal case, according to the bill. The bill now heads to the Ohio Senate for further consideration. Willis introduced the bill last General Assembly following a fatal crash in Clark County on State Route 41. Hermanio Joesph, a Haitian immigrant who did not have a valid driver's license, crossed over the center line into the oncoming lane, hitting a Northwestern Local Schools bus and flipping it over in August 2023. Aiden Clark, 11, died and about two dozen other students were injured. The state put together a school bus safety task force afterwards, which made several recommendations to improve school bus safety, all of which Willis included in the bill. "This bill has been a major collaborative effort between numerous interested parties across the state and nation," Willis said. Ohio House Speaker Matt Huffman, R-Lima, said the opportunity for safety grants will help schools add seat belts, should they want to, along with many different safety upgrades outlined in the bill. "This issue comes down to sculpting (law) so that locals have their own option," Huffman said. "There are many local school districts that want to add seat belts and have the money to do it. Some have the money to do it and they don't want to add seat belts, for whatever reason." Ohio House Minority Leader Allison Russo, D-Upper Arlington, said the bill will help "make sure that children are safe to and from school." Paul Imhoff of the Buckeye Association of School Administrators, which represents Ohio's public school superintendents, testified in favor of the bill. He said it's clear thousands of drivers are disobeying Ohio's laws around school buses, and cracking down on people who don't follow the rules will be a good idea. "We urge you to support H.B. 3, which will improve the safety of Ohio students during their journeys to and from school," Imhoff said. Rudoph J. Breglia, of the School Bus Safety Alliance, testified in favor of the bill but additionally advocated for seat belts to be put in school buses. The state task force did not recommend using seat belts, saying there could be unintended consequences for kids who can't get out.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Yahoo
You could soon face a higher fine if you speed by a school bus in Ohio
In August 2023, a man driving a minivan struck a school bus filled with students, ejecting and killing 11-year-old Aiden Clark in Springfield. The driver was later sentenced to at least nine years in prison for involuntary manslaughter and vehicular homicide. But state lawmakers want to do more to prevent future injuries and deaths. The Ohio House of Representatives passed House Bill 3, 88-0, on June 11. The proposed law would increase penalties for drivers passing stopped school buses, allow schools to install cameras on buses to catch offenders and set aside $10 million in state lottery profits to pay for school bus safety upgrades. 'Every day, thousands of students in Ohio ride school buses, and too many are put at risk by drivers who illegally pass stopped buses,' said Rep. Cecil Thomas, D-North Avondale. Ohio lawmakers won't require safety belts on school buses − an issue hotly debated following the August 2023 crash. Some of the changes came from recommendations of the Ohio School Bus Safety Working Group, which Gov. Mike DeWine assembled to look into school bus safety. But they will increase penalties for drivers who illegally pass school buses − a major issue identified when studying what would make school buses safer. 'That's been the overriding goal from the beginning: Make it more safe,' said Rep. Bernard Willis, R-Springfield. He represents Northwestern Local Schools, whose students were injured in the August 2023 crash. Current law requires drivers to stop at least 10 feet back from school buses with red flashing lights, loading or unloading students. The Ohio State Highway Patrol reported 933 criminal violations of illegally passing a school bus − although, bus drivers say the actual number is much higher. However, fines are currently optional for drivers who illegally pass these buses. Under the proposed changes, drivers would face a mandatory fine of between $250 and $1,000 for a first offense. Repeat offenders within five years would pay between $350 and $2,000 and have their driver's license suspended. Fines could be reduced if drivers took an educational course. The bill would also allow school buses to install cameras to catch drivers who fly past school buses. The school bus driver's eyewitness testimony would be required for a citation, not just the video footage alone. If the bill becomes law, Ohio schools could apply for a $10 million grant program to buy cameras, safety belts, illuminated signs, lane departure warning systems and other safety features recommended by DeWine's task force. Lawmakers initially proposed $50 million over two years, but that sum was reduced. The proposed law also honors the Northwestern Local Schools students by designating August as 'School Bus Safety Month.' The bill now heads to the Ohio Senate for consideration. If both chambers approve of the changes, the proposed law would head to DeWine for his signature. Dispatch reporter Bethany Bruner contributed to this article. State government reporter Jessie Balmert can be reached at jbalmert@ or @jbalmert on X. This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio wants to crack down on drivers after fatal school bus accident
