Latest news with #LeagueofWomenVoters
Axios
4 days ago
- Politics
- Axios
Direct democracy ballot reform push launches in Arkansas
Organizers of a proposed amendment to the Arkansas Constitution kicked off their petition signing campaign in Fayetteville on Friday. Why it matters: The measure, backed by Arkansas' League of Women Voters and Save AR Democracy, seeks to require a statewide vote before changing Arkansas' direct democracy process. It would also streamline legal reviews and prohibit the state Legislature from amending or repealing constitutional amendments. The big picture: Arkansas voters can change or reject laws enacted by the state Legislature through a citizen-initiated ballot process. Changes can be in the form of a proposed ballot initiative as a state statute (a change to a law) or a constitutional amendment (a more significant change to the state's constitution). They may also repeal legislation with a veto referendum. Yes, but: In recent years, lawmakers have made the process more difficult, passing laws that riddle it with technicalities and all but require a group to be well funded to gather petition signatures. State of play: The amendment's key provisions include: Prohibiting the General Assembly from amending a voter-approved constitutional amendment. Limiting challenges to the state Supreme Court to 45 days after the attorney general's office approves the language of ballot titles, and preventing challenges after signatures have been collected. Ensuring the names and titles of referendums align with those assigned by the General Assembly to the laws they seek to repeal. Requiring separate votes on legislation and its emergency clause, with at least 24 hours between. Barring the General Assembly from proposing amendments to the direct democracy process to voters, ensuring the people of the state initiate the process. Allowing canvassers to submit signatures under penalty of perjury, eliminating the need for notarization, streamlining the process.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Mission of immigrant aid group evolves
ELKHART — An immigrant aid organization begun 26 years ago to offer basic medical care now finds itself advocating for undocumented residents in new ways. Staff from the Center for Healing and Hope spoke to the League of Women Voters about the group's mission Thursday. They also addressed services that CHH has started offering in recent months amid intense federal deportation efforts, such as offering packages of information to prepare families for an unexpected separation. 'Parents are getting pulled over by police on the way home from work and they're getting put in jail. And they're getting taken from jail over to detention in Clay County. So families are scared,' said Jane Ross Richer, immigrant resource coordinator. ''What's going to happen to my children if I'm taken, if I go to detention, where are my kids going to be? What's going to happen to my kids? My kids were born here in the united States, they've never been to the country that I came from. Who will take care of them?'' There are 37 inmates as of Friday who are being held in the Elkhart County Correctional Facility on local charges but whom ICE has requested be held when they would otherwise be eligible for release, according to department spokesman Capt. Mike Culp. He said the agency has 48 hours to pick them up from the jail once they're eligible for release. Ross Richer said they talk families through gathering all their important documents and making them accessible to someone they trust, as well as figuring out who will take care of the children if their parents are taken off the street. It's something the organization started doing alongside their usual services such as providing medical care, a food pantry, support groups and emergency financial assistance. 'This is the family preparedness packet, unfortunately something that we need at this time,' Ross Richer said. 'I distributed 50 of those to Elkhart school social workers.' They also distribute Red Cards, which contain immigrants' rights information that's needed when encountering police, and offer know-your-rights seminars in partnership with the National Immigrant Justice Center. She encourages those who live in Goshen to obtain a Goshen Resident ID card as well, which the CHH began offering at the end of 2017 as an alternative form of identification for those who can't obtain an official ID like a driver's license. The card provides verified identification for purposes such as obtaining city or school services, purchasing prescriptions or when coming into contact with law enforcement. La Casa de Amistad offers a similar ID for Elkhart residents. Ross Richer said the ID program is more important now than ever. 'If they do get pulled over by the police, number one, they want to give their real name, they want to give their real birth date. Because if they get taken into detention, we want to know how to find them, and it's hard to find people if they give a different name,' she said. 'And when they ask you where you're from? 'I'm from Goshen, and here's my card, because I belong in Goshen.' And if the police ask anything else, do not answer their questions. You do not have to answer their questions, you do not have to tell them what country you're from. It's not safe anymore to say where you're from.' 'Cruelty is the only word' Richard Aguirre, a member of the CHH board of directors, said efforts to strip people of their legal status and to target over 10 million for removal, at an unprecedented rate of 1 million per year, shouldn't be surprising after the Republican National Convention last July focused so much on bordure closures and mass deportation. He noted the actions targeting immigrants this year haven't been the result of any new laws being passed but by a flurry of executive orders. He said it's also no longer the case that schools, churches, hospitals and courtrooms are considered sensitive areas which border agents don't enter. 'If an immigrant was there for a court hearing, immigration agents would stay away because they were doing what they were supposed to be doing. They were reporting to the courts about their immigration status or some other situation, and that's gone away,' Aguirre said. 'They're arresting people who go to their immigration hearings because they were ordered to go there. And if they don't, they're subject to immediate deportation. When they go there, often the judge says, 'You're following the rules, continue what you're doing.' They step out of that courtroom and they're arrested. Cruel. Cruelty, there's no other word.' Aguirre expressed dismay at the fact that it's necessary to hand out know-your-rights cards to children. He pointed to examples of migrant children as young as 1 year old being forced to go through deportation proceedings without a lawyer after the Trump administration cut funding in March for legal advocates for unaccompanied minors. 'More than 26,000 children lost assistance from an attorney, forcing them to go to court alone to stay in this country. A lot of these kids have fled violence, sexual abuse, gangs and family dysfunction,' he said. 'That's what we've come to in this country in 2025. That kind of fear that immigrants are experiencing on the streets of Los Angeles now, in the fields of California, the farm fields, the courtrooms, has spread to Elkhart County. Children are experiencing that trauma of not knowing, when they come home, whether their parents will be there.' He said it's inevitable that mass arrests will come to Elkhart County. Blue states were targeted first, but to reach its deportation goals the administration will have to start reaching into the farms, factories and construction sites of red states, Aguirre said. It would have a devastating effect on the local economy. 'If the RV industry is shut down, the impact that that will have on our economy will be substantial. It will be very negative. But it's going to affect everything that Jane talked about: It's going to affect retirement communities, who rely on those workers, construction, restaurants. A lot of social services that are provided by immigrants,' Aguirre said. 'I'm hoping that we'll be OK for a while. But if not, I hope all of you will consider stepping up and doing what you can.' Aguirre encouraged the audience to share what they learn with others and to contact their elected officials. He pointed to the success in 2017 of grassroots efforts to keep a private prison company's immigrant detention center out of Elkhart County. 'The more they hear, the more they'll start to have a second thought,' he said. 'There can be an impact by people who contact elected officials. But I especially want to encourage you to reach out to local elected officials. That's the step that I don't think enough people are doing. Go to council meetings, go to county commission meetings and county council meetings. Start holding them accountable. Start telling them, 'Will you protect our RV workers or are you going to want our economy to collapse when the undocumented people are picked up?''
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
No Kings rallies set in GB, Larned
Jun. 12—Rallies and protests are taking place across the nation on Flag Day, June 14. Two "No Kings" rallies will take place in the Golden Belt. The Pawnee County Democratic Committee will sponsor a "No Kings" rally from 10 a.m. to noon next Saturday, June 14, at the Pawnee County Courthouse in Larned. Organizers said they will have a peaceful rally on the sidewalk in front of the courthouse. In Great Bend, the Barton County chapters of the League of Women Voters and Women for Kansas will sponsor a "Pro Democracy No Kings" demonstration rally from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the courthouse band shell. There will be speakers and live music. Participants are welcome to bring signs, flags, drums, lawn chairs and water. After the rally, they will march in protest on the courthouse square. Questions may be emailed to w4kgreatbend@ Pam Martin, chapter leader for Women for Kansas — Barton County, said both her group and the League of Women Voters are non-partisan and are protesting on an issue, not a candidate. "What we are emphasizing is, this is a nonpartisan issue," she said. "We welcome Democrats, Republicans and Independents — anyone that is concerned with the consolidation of power in the Executive Branch. This is going to be a celebration of our democratic republic that we hope to retain." That should concern everyone, she said. Martin said she hopes to see plenty of U.S. flags at the rally. "The flag belongs to us all." Janice Walker, president of the League of Women Voters — Barton County, said the two organizations teamed up "to continue to give a voice to the concerns people have regarding the impact of the various cuts this administration has made and how they can affect communities. "We want this to be peaceful, non-violent and full of good energy, as we encourage rally-goers to share their patriotic enthusiasm." Larned's rally Jaccques Molleker, chairperson for the Pawnee County Democratic Committee, will speak in Larned. His focus will be the Constitution and Bill of Rights, and exactly where the powers of government fall within the Constitution — what branch has what power. Committee members are making signs and he hopes there can also be someone who can speak from the viewpoint of agriculture and what impact tariffs have on this region. "Our rally is based on defense of the Constitution of the United States of America," he said. The "No Kings" title recognizes that "all public officials, when they are sworn in, take an oath to defend the Constitution." The Pawnee County Democratic Committee has been growing over the last four to six years and its members want to actively demonstrate what their beliefs are, he said. "Not everybody in western Kansas has the same beliefs about everything. We just want to be heard." Nationwide, No Kings Day on June 14 is described as a day of action and mobilization against the Trump administration and in support of democracy and the U.S. Constitution. There are at least a dozen No Kings protests organized in Kansas communities from Arkansas City to Wichita. Websites and list some of the locations. June 14 is also Flag Day, the 250th anniversary of the Army and the 79th birthday of President Donald Trump. The U.S. Army's Birthday Festival parade and celebration will take place at 5:30 p.m. local time on Constitution Ave. NW between 15th Street and 23rd Street in Washington, D.C.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Ohio bill would give counties the power to cut property taxes
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A new Ohio proposal would give counties the authority to lower property taxes if they determine the amount collected is more than needed. Every county in the state has a budget commission, made up of the county auditor, treasurer and prosecutor, which is tasked with overseeing the taxation process for local governments. As Fort Rapids sale looms, Columbus church eyes plan to redevelop waterpark House Bill 309, introduced by David Thomas (R-Jefferson) in May, would require the panels to review the budgets of taxing authorities annually. If a local government is collecting more money than a public entity — such as a school or law enforcement agency — needs, the legislation gives budget commissions the power to suspend or reduce tax rates. 'If the local government doesn't actually need the full amount of that revenue, or if they're providing the service for less, or can, why should the taxpayers still be charged a much higher tax rate?' Thomas said. Christopher Galloway, the Lake County auditor, testified in support of the bill at its first hearing. He said county prosecutors' different interpretations of legal precedents have resulted in budget commissions' responsibilities being unclear and varying across counties. Galloway claimed that while the Lake County budget commission has 'been a rubber stamp' on tax budgets for decades due to its prosecutors' legal opinions, its neighboring county of Geauga rolls back rates when an entity's budget does not require the full amount of taxes. He said he wants all 88 counties to have that ability. Chillicothe paper mill will close in August after stating it would remain open 'HB309 won't be talked about around kitchen tables like a statewide initiative to eliminate property taxes, but it is in fact a REAL and effective means of controlling property taxes in the State of Ohio,' he said in written testimony. The legislation comes as many Ohioans are expressing frustrations with the costs of property taxes, including a group of citizens who recently started collecting signatures to amend Ohio's constitution and eliminate property taxes altogether. 'Clearly, our taxpayers are telling us across Ohio that the current status quo is not working,' Thomas said. However, not everyone is in support of the bill, with some claiming it is an attempt to undermine the will of voters. The nonprofit League of Women Voters is among those who have criticized the legislation. 'House Bill 309 is just another example of this gerrymandered state legislature's effort to take power away from local governments and voters,' a spokesperson said in a statement. 'Slowly but surely, corrupt politicians in the Ohio Statehouse are trying to end local control and reduce the rights of Ohio citizens. What Ohioans need are real solutions to real problems, not this.' Dispensary reacts to Ohio marijuana limit changes Thomas disagreed with such concerns, stating if the legislation passed, voters would still have the 'full authority and say over the services they want.' The provision has also been folded into a larger property tax relief overhaul, House Bill 335, which combines multiple bills and would deliver $3.5 billion in property tax relief, according to Thomas. House Bill 309's second hearing will take place on Wednesday, when opponents of the measure will have the chance to testify. House Bill 335 was introduced last week and awaits its first hearing. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Jessica Lowe-Minor of Tallahassee named League of Women Voters of Florida president
Jessica Lowe-Minor of Tallahassee has been selected as the new president of the League of Women Voters of Florida. The vote took place over the past weekend in Orlando, where Lowe-Minor was joined by her husband and daughters. She is married to Leon County Commissioner Rick Minor. "It's really exciting to be on the volunteer leadership side and get to work with wonderful people," Lowe-Minor said. In 2016, Lowe-Minor joined the national League of Women Voters as a member of the board of directors and before then, from 2010 to 2014, she served as the executive director for the Florida chapter. "In that role, she supervised the agency's full and part-time staff, facilitated internal and external communications, ... and represented the League's interests before state and local elected officials, coalition partners, donors and others," her bio on the league's website says. Lowe-Minor has a masters degree in women's and gender studies from Florida State University, and has taught classes at both FSU and Tallahassee Community College. She works as a local Realtor and served as the executive director for the Institute for Nonprofit Innovation and Excellence. Lowe-Minor said she is most excited to hit the ground running on voter education. "I think there is a lot of mis- and disinformation citizens are receiving these days," she said. The League is "an organization that has a 100-plus-year history of helping voters understand issues and really be prepared to exercise their right as voters." In the current political climate, she encouraged residents who hope to make a difference to get involved, adding that "it's not just for women only and we are in every community in Florida." Her term will last for two years, till June 2027. Arianna Otero is the trending and breaking news reporter for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact her via email at AOtero@ and follow her on X: @ari_v_otero. This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: League of Women Voters taps Jessica Lowe-Minor as Florida president
