Latest news with #SenateElectionsCommittee
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Indiana comptroller calls for SEC to delist Chinese companies
Comptroller Elise Nieshalla testifies before the Senate Elections Committee on Monday, Jan. 13, 2025. (Leslie Bonilla Muñiz/Indiana Capital Chronicle) Indiana, alongside 20 other states, penned a letter last month urging the Securities and Exchange Commission to investigate delisting China-based companies on U.S. stock exchanges 'to protect American investors.' Indiana Comptroller Elise Nieshalla and other state financial officers said there is a growing risk posed by the China-based companies due to Chinese Communist Party interference and widespread failures to meet U.S. transparency, accounting and auditing standards. 'As stewards of invested public funds, we have a responsibility to protect our beneficiaries from foreign entities to seek to exploit our capital markets while evading accountability,' Nieshalla said in a press release. CONTACT US The letter highlights the Chinese Communist Party's crackdown on independent due-diligence firms and points to findings by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board that revealed auditing failures among Chinese companies. It also states that the CCP's systematic use of Variable Interest Entities — an organization that is controlled through contractual agreements rather than direct ownership — prevents U.S. investors from owning the company. The state financial officers also direct the SEC to investigate potential violations of the Securities Exchange Act, including disclosure of controls and procedures, internal financial reporting mechanisms, falsified accounting records and manipulative or deceptive practices. They alleged that the CCP's efforts to suppress transparency exacerbated these issues. 'As state financial officers, part of our responsibility is to ensure that the American people's finances – and our American financial system – are protected from foreign actors who mean to do us harm,' the signatories said in the letter. Indiana has recently purged Chinese companies from state investments. In 2023, legislation was passed that required the Indiana Public Retirement System to divest from any entities that do military or intelligence work or are controlled by the Chinese government. Within a year, INPRS eliminated its $1.2 billion worth of investments in Chinese entities. Delisting-Letter SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
NC GOP lawmakers want to make Johnston County, other school board elections partisan
Republican state lawmakers want to make Johnston County school board elections partisan over the objections of the district's education leaders. In April, the school board rejected the Johnston County Republican Party request to ask the General Assembly to make its elections partisan. But this week, the state Senate added partisan school board races in Johnston and Gaston counties to a bill that would make Columbus County school board elections partisan. Sen. Benton Sawrey, a Johnston County Republican, said the entire county legislative delegation requested the change. All the Johnston County state lawmakers are Republicans. 'Adding partisan labels on the ballot has widespread support in the county,' Sawrey said in an interview Wednesday. 'This change gives all voters consistent information about party affiliation and allows us to conduct elections in the same manner that we elect our county commissioners.' House Bill 116 was passed Tuesday by the Senate Elections Committee and Wednesday by the Senate Rules Committee. It will go to the full Senate for a vote before seeing if the House will support the changes to the bill it previously approved. If adopted, it would go into effect for the 2026 school board elections. Johnston County is North Carolina's seventh-largest school district. It has more than 36,000 students. In recent years, the district has made headlines for how Ronald Johnson was convicted of extortion charges and removed from the school board. School board chair Lyn Andrews did not immediately return a voicemail message and email on Wednesday from The News & Observer requesting comment on the legislation. Andrews, a registered Republican, was one of the members who voted down the resolution requesting the election change. School board member April Lee called it 'underhanded' how the election change was inserted into a separate bill. Lee, who is registered as unaffiliated but was supported by Democrats, had voted against the resolution. 'Even if you agree that our Board of Education elections should be partisan, do you agree with how this is being done?' Lee said in a Facebook post Tuesday. 'I know as a voter, I don't. Sneaking things in shouldn't be the way we do things.' The change is opposed by groups who say school board elections should be nonpartisan. 'What this bill does, it injects state and national politics into our school boards,' Mark Swallow, a member of the liberal activist group Democracy Out Loud, said at the Senate Elections Committee meeting. 'They do not need this poison. It does does not help our students' education.' The Republican-controlled General Assembly has sharply increased the number of partisan school board elections. State lawmakers have focused on making school board elections partisan in Republican areas, including Catawba, Craven, Henderson and Union counties. Prior to 2013, only 10 of North Carolina's 115 districts had partisan school board elections, according to EducationNC. But 52 school districts held partisan elections last November. The Johnston County Republican Party has promoted the switch to partisan elections as a way to win all seven school board seats. In an April Facebook post, the Johnston County GOP pointed out that the only non-Republicans elected countywide sit on the school board. Five of the school board seats are held by registered Republicans. One seat is held by a Democrat. One seat is held by an unaffiliated voter. 'Recent polling data from Differentiators Data, a premier North Carolina-based data and political intelligence firm, shows that 85% of all Johnston County General Election Voters prefer to have partisan labels on the ballot for County School Board Races,' the Johnston County Republican Party said in a Facebook post Tuesday. 'Further the data shows that Republicans prefer partisan labels by 86% and UNA by 87%.' Differentiators Data is a conservative consulting firm that has worked with dozens of powerful Republican political and business clients. Johnston County school board elections have been nonpartisan since state lawmakers passed legislation in 1997. According to a 1997 News & Observer article, school leaders hoped the change away from partisan elections would lead to the election of more minorities. 'Johnston County has grown from 80,000 people to 240,000 people since we made the change from partisan to nonpartisan several decades ago,' said Sawrey, the lawmaker. 'We owe it to our voters to make sure that they can easily identify some of the core values of a particular candidate.' But Swallow of Democracy Out Loud pointed out that neither Gaston County's school board nor Johnston County's school board had requested a move to partisan elections. Swallow said the change is likely to result in the election of more Republicans and fewer women to the school board. 'We all know school boards are to oversee and guide public education, ensure that schools are well run, resources are used wisely, high standards of academic performance are met while representing the whole community, and encourage the hire and retention of good teachers,' Swallow told lawmakers. 'This bill doesn't help with any of that.'
CBS News
25-03-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Minnesota lawmakers seek to limit voter influence as Musk targets Wis. Supreme Court race
The nation's most influential lawmakers have their eyes set on Wisconsin. A vacant seat in the state's Supreme Court has attracted the attention of billionaire Elon Musk . Experts say the April 1 election will hold major implications for the midterm elections, since Wisconsin is a battleground state that barely went to President Trump in November's election. Musk has been canvassing for the Republican candidate, Brad Schimel, offering people $100 if they sign a petition "against activist judges" in Wisconsin. This move is sparking discussion of law changes in Minnesota as well. Minnesota lawmakers want to prevent what's happening in the election across the border from happening here. They're discussing a bill on Tuesday that would expand penalties for trying to influence or bribe people for votes. The bill would make it a felony to provide a chance to win money in exchange for registering to vote or signing an election-related petition. It comes on the heels of Musk donating big money to the Wisconsin state Supreme Court election. The bill's author said it stems from Musk's financial incentive to sign the petition. There is a lot at stake in Wisconsin's Supreme Court race. It will determine control of the state's highest court as it prepares to rule on a number of high-profile cases. And Minnesota's proposal could impact future elections. Lawmakers are set to look at the bill in a Senate Elections Committee hearing at 3 p.m.
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Partisan school board elections bill passes Indiana Senate
A Senate bill that would require school board candidates to declare a political party passed out of the Senate Monday. Senate Bill 287, authored by Sen. Gary Byrne, R-Byrneville, Sen. Chris Garten, R-Charlestown, and Sen. Blake Doriot, R-Goshen, would change the school board election process to that of other elections, which would include a primary and general election. The school board candidates would have to declare a party. The bill would also require school board members to be paid up to 10% of the lowest starting salary of a teacher employed in the district, which would shift the current $2,000 payment. Ahead of the Senate Elections Committee vote, Byrne said the bill is important because school boards control over half of a community's property taxes and set policies for the school district. The bill, Byrne said, would also increase voter participation in school board races. 'I want a person that may have the same ideologies as I do sitting on that board. Currently, there are many citizens that don't know that when they are voting,' Byrne said. 'People go down the ballot, and they get to school board, and they don't know who or the ideologies or the beliefs that they have … and they just don't vote. I believe this would increase voter participation.' Last week, Sen. J.D. Ford, D-Indianapolis, proposed an amendment that would've stripped the 42-page bill to one page to be the increased pay for school board members. The amendment failed in a 11-34 vote. Sen. Lonnie Randolph, D-East Chicago, said voters want school board candidates who are focused on what is best for the students not based on political party. The bill complicates the school board election process, Randolph said, and the supermajority shouldn't push the bill through. 'We don't need to force everyday people who are not really concerned or involved with politics to start focusing on stuff like that that they never even thought about. All they want to focus on is what's in the best interest of the kids, that's all they want. Supporting this bill we're going to take that away from them,' Randolph said. Sen. Liz Brown, R-Fort Wayne, said making school board elections partisan would discourage people from running for school boards. The bill would also go against the Hatch Act, which prohibits state and local government employees from running for partisan political office, she said. 'People are just going to say 'You know what? This is hard enough, I don't need to do this,'' Brown said. 'We are going to eliminate a whole slew of people from even being able to run for school board because of the Hatch Act.' Sen. Mike Gaskill, R-Pendleton, said school board elections have lower voter turnout because voters don't know who the candidates are without political party affiliation. 'I think voters want to know that. I think they need to know that,' Gaskill said. Sen. Shelli Yoder, D-Bloomington, said it's possible that voter turnout drops for school board races when people vote for a straight-party ticket. Yoder said she opposed the bill because it injects partisanship into school board elections. 'It will be less about children's education and it's going to become about political power. Supporting this bill chooses political power,' Yoder said. Sen. Eric Bassler, R-Washington, said Crane, the country's third-largest naval base, is located in his district. The naval base employs thousands of engineers, accountants, mathematicians and scientists who, under Senate Bill 287 and the Hatch Act, wouldn't be able to run for their local school boards. Currently, Bassler said four Crane employees serve on the same school board, so if the bill becomes law they wouldn't be able to continue to serve on the school board. 'I simply ask you not to do this to the schools in my Senate district,' Bassler said. Garten said school board members are policy makers not educators. Groups like the Indiana State Teachers Association have made school board races partisan through contributions to certain members. '(The bill) requires individuals who are actively accepting political contributions while running for office and then voting on policies that trickle down to our children's classrooms that also affect taxpayer dollars and property taxes to align themselves with a party that best represents their values,' Garten said. The bill passed out of the Senate 26-20. Senator Rick Niemeyer, R-Lowell, was the only member of the Northwest Indiana delegation to vote in favor of the bill. The bill moves forward for consideration by the House. akukulka@
Chicago Tribune
18-02-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Partisan school board elections bill passes Indiana Senate
A Senate bill that would require school board candidates to declare a political party passed out of the Senate Monday. Senate Bill 287, authored by Sen. Gary Byrne, R-Byrneville, Sen. Chris Garten, R-Charlestown, and Sen. Blake Doriot, R-Goshen, would change the school board election process to that of other elections, which would include a primary and general election. The school board candidates would have to declare a party. The bill would also require school board members to be paid up to 10% of the lowest starting salary of a teacher employed in the district, which would shift the current $2,000 payment. Ahead of the Senate Elections Committee vote, Byrne said the bill is important because school boards control over half of a community's property taxes and set policies for the school district. The bill, Byrne said, would also increase voter participation in school board races. 'I want a person that may have the same ideologies as I do sitting on that board. Currently, there are many citizens that don't know that when they are voting,' Byrne said. 'People go down the ballot, and they get to school board, and they don't know who or the ideologies or the beliefs that they have … and they just don't vote. I believe this would increase voter participation.' Last week, Sen. J.D. Ford, D-Indianapolis, proposed an amendment that would've stripped the 42-page bill to one page to be the increased pay for school board members. The amendment failed in a 11-34 vote. Sen. Lonnie Randolph, D-East Chicago, said voters want school board candidates who are focused on what is best for the students not based on political party. The bill complicates the school board election process, Randolph said, and the supermajority shouldn't push the bill through. 'We don't need to force everyday people who are not really concerned or involved with politics to start focusing on stuff like that that they never even thought about. All they want to focus on is what's in the best interest of the kids, that's all they want. Supporting this bill we're going to take that away from them,' Randolph said. Sen. Liz Brown, R-Fort Wayne, said making school board elections partisan would discourage people from running for school boards. The bill would also go against the Hatch Act, which prohibits state and local government employees from running for partisan political office, she said. 'People are just going to say 'You know what? This is hard enough, I don't need to do this,'' Brown said. 'We are going to eliminate a whole slew of people from even being able to run for school board because of the Hatch Act.' Sen. Mike Gaskill, R-Pendleton, said school board elections have lower voter turnout because voters don't know who the candidates are without political party affiliation. 'I think voters want to know that. I think they need to know that,' Gaskill said. Sen. Shelli Yoder, D-Bloomington, said it's possible that voter turnout drops for school board races when people vote for a straight-party ticket. Yoder said she opposed the bill because it injects partisanship into school board elections. 'It will be less about children's education and it's going to become about political power. Supporting this bill chooses political power,' Yoder said. Sen. Eric Bassler, R-Washington, said Crane, the country's third-largest naval base, is located in his district. The naval base employs thousands of engineers, accountants, mathematicians and scientists who, under Senate Bill 287 and the Hatch Act, wouldn't be able to run for their local school boards. Currently, Bassler said four Crane employees serve on the same school board, so if the bill becomes law they wouldn't be able to continue to serve on the school board. 'I simply ask you not to do this to the schools in my Senate district,' Bassler said. Garten said school board members are policy makers not educators. Groups like the Indiana State Teachers Association have made school board races partisan through contributions to certain members. '(The bill) requires individuals who are actively accepting political contributions while running for office and then voting on policies that trickle down to our children's classrooms that also affect taxpayer dollars and property taxes to align themselves with a party that best represents their values,' Garten said. The bill passed out of the Senate 26-20. Senator Rick Niemeyer, R-Lowell, was the only member of the Northwest Indiana delegation to vote in favor of the bill. The bill moves forward for consideration by the House.
