ReportWire

Tag: Lawmakers

  • Bipartisan commission gets to work on upgrading 28-year-old NC elections systems

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    North Carolina’s election technology is long overdue for an upgrade, state officials say, and now a bipartisan commission is poised to meet for the first time Tuesday to dive into the nitty-gritty of modernizing the systems. 

    In the end, officials say, election results should come faster, voter data should be better maintained, and the systems that organize votes should be more secure.

    North Carolina’s Statewide Elections Information Management System (SEIMS) dates to 1998. It has evolved into a tangle of technology, consisting of modern, web-based applications and legacy systems that are written in unsupported programming languages that pose security risks, and are difficult to manage and update. The current systems are “on the verge of malfunctioning due to various updates to operating and other system resources,” the state said in describing the upgrade to potential contractors.

    Lawmakers passed a spending package last year that included $15 million for the State Board of Elections to use for upgrades to the system, including improvements to campaign finance software. 

    State Auditor Dave Boliek, a Republican whose office oversees state election administration, created the bipartisan commission to help oversee the modernization effort, and to build faith among voters who might be skeptical of the process. The Modernization of Election Data Systems commission is made up of 22 members: professional election staffers, political appointees and academics, who are tasked with helping fix the technology that supports North Carolina’s elections.

    Election technology has come under scrutiny from some voters in recent years, fueled in part by President Donald Trump’s disproven claims about voter fraud during the 2020 election. In 2024, nearly one in every three North Carolina voters had little to no faith in the accuracy of election results, according to a WRAL News poll. Mistrust was highest among Trump supporters, even though audits of past election results haven’t found widespread voter fraud.

    A recent North Carolina lawsuit — brought by Republican Jefferson Griffin, who challenged a 2024 race for a state Supreme Court seat — put a brighter spotlight on election data management, though. Griffin challenged the validity of thousands of voters, saying they had errant or incorrect information on file with the state. Griffin lost that challenge and the race, but his effort prompted the state to seek to verify the identity of thousands of North Carolina voters.

    The tech upgrade also comes as Democrats question whether elections can be administered impartially following the transfer of election control from the Democratic governor’s office to the Republican state auditor — a move enabled by the Republican-led state legislature.

    Phase one of the modernization effort — including requesting proposals from vendors and creating the commission — is complete. The second phase will take several years. Boliek plans incremental modernization of the current system to keep it operational. 

    In the meantime, Boliek says the current system is in good shape to produce accurate results and a fair election.

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  • FBI investigates video urging US troops to defy illegal orders

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    A video urging U.S. troops to defy “illegal orders” has led to the FBI requesting interviews with the Democratic lawmakers involved, indicating an investigation may be underway. The lawmakers did not mention specific reasons for their comments in the clip, but it comes after the Trump administration ordered the military to blow up boats in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean, accusing them of smuggling drugs into the U.S., and the deployment of the National Guard to U.S. cities.All six of the Democratic lawmakers in the video have served in the military or intelligence community.In the video, lawmakers said they needed troops to “stand up for our laws … our Constitution.” The Pentagon said Monday it was reviewing Senator Mark Kelly, who is in the video, for violating military law. President Donald Trump accused the lawmakers of sedition and said it is “punishable by death.”Senator Elissa Slotkin, one of six Democrats in the video, told reporters Tuesday this is a scare tactic by the president. The FBI declined to comment, but Director Kash Patel described the situation in an interview as an “ongoing matter.”Keep watching for the latest from the Washington News Bureau:

    WASHINGTON —

    A video urging U.S. troops to defy “illegal orders” has led to the FBI requesting interviews with the Democratic lawmakers involved, indicating an investigation may be underway.

    The lawmakers did not mention specific reasons for their comments in the clip, but it comes after the Trump administration ordered the military to blow up boats in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean, accusing them of smuggling drugs into the U.S., and the deployment of the National Guard to U.S. cities.

    All six of the Democratic lawmakers in the video have served in the military or intelligence community.

    In the video, lawmakers said they needed troops to “stand up for our laws … our Constitution.”

    The Pentagon said Monday it was reviewing Senator Mark Kelly, who is in the video, for violating military law. President Donald Trump accused the lawmakers of sedition and said it is “punishable by death.”

    Senator Elissa Slotkin, one of six Democrats in the video, told reporters Tuesday this is a scare tactic by the president.

    The FBI declined to comment, but Director Kash Patel described the situation in an interview as an “ongoing matter.”

    Keep watching for the latest from the Washington News Bureau:


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  • Threats to lawmakers, state officials more than doubled in last year, Minnesota State Patrol says

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    The number of threats against people who work in and around the Minnesota State Capitol more than doubled over the last year, a state law enforcement official told a panel of lawmakers Monday.

    Lt. Col. Jeremy Geiger of the Minnesota State Patrol, who oversees Capitol security, said the agency investigated 19 threats against state agency commissioners, lawmakers and the governor’s office in 2024. But this year, there have been 50 threats, and 13 of them are being referred for criminal charges.

    Several are still under investigation. 

    In response, the State Patrol is elevating a trooper to a “threat investigator” within the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension to work as a liaison to Capitol security.

    “The reason for that is what we’ve talked about in past committee hearings, [which] is the rise in threats to many on this Capitol complex,” Geiger told the Advisory Committee on Capitol Area Security during its latest meeting. 

    The state patrol is also assigning new troopers to the Capitol grounds, and it hired 20 new security officers, Geiger added. That announcement is the latest development as state law enforcement evaluates safety measures following the lawmaker shooting attacks in June and a breach of the Minnesota Senate chamber in July when a naked man broke in after hours. 

    It was the third meeting of the advisory panel — which consists of a bipartisan slate of lawmakers, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan and Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Natalie Hudson — since those two incidents. They are expected to meet twice more before sending a report to the Legislature about safety recommendations early next year. 

    Separately, the Minnesota Department of Public Safety this summer contracted with a third-party, the firm led by former Saint Paul Police Chief Todd Axtell, to evaluate security protocols on the 140-acre Capitol complex. 

    Axtell told the panel it could expect the reports with the safety assessments by the end of the year. 

    “Our role is to provide a clear, evidence-based recommendation that allows leadership to make informed and balanced decisions about how much risk it’s acceptable and what level of protection is appropriate for the people in Minnesota’s people’s house,” said Axtell, now the CEO of The Axtell Group. 

    At a previous meeting, the committee heard from the National Conference of State Legislatures about what other state capitols have implemented for security. An official with the group expanded on the findings.

    Geiger said he’s visited capitol buildings in Iowa, Idaho and Colorado, and has future visits planned in Ohio, Kansas and Nebraska.

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    Caroline Cummings

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  • Dems Shut Down Government To Protect Healthcare For Illegal Aliens

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    The federal government partially shut down early Wednesday after U.S. Senators failed to pass a funding stopgap Tuesday evening. Democrats withheld the votes necessary for Republicans’ Continuing Resolution to pass, triggering the shutdown at 12:01 a.m.

    It’s the first time in six years that lawmakers have let money for federal agencies lapse.

    “This is not a shutdown that makes any sense at all to the American people,” U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., told lawmakers after the 55-45 vote. “A shutdown means uncertainty. A shutdown means dysfunction.”

    Republicans’ CR, which already passed the House, would have extended current government funding levels until Nov. 21. This would buy lawmakers time to pass all 12 annual appropriations bills for fiscal year 2026. It also included $30 million for additional lawmaker security and $58 million for U.S. Supreme Court judges and members of the executive branch.

    Despite the nonpartisan nature of the bill, almost all Democrats voted against the CR because it neglected to address the upcoming expiration of the enhanced Obamacare Premium Tax Credit. 

    Democrats’ counter-proposal – which never passed the House and also failed to pass the Senate Tuesday evening – included health care-related policy riders costing up to $1.4 trillion. Democrats argued that by rejecting those policy proposals, Republicans were choosing to “gut” health care and shut the government down.

    “I just voted NO on the Republican funding bill that does NOTHING to address premiums more than doubling next year,” Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., posted on X. “Republicans REFUSED to negotiate with Democrats and now they’re forcing a shutdown rather than working with us to fix the health care crisis THEY created.”

    Only Sens. John Fetterman, D-Pa.; Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev.; and Angus King, I-Maine, (who caucuses with Democrats) voted for both the Democratic and Republican CRs. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., voted no on both.

    The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that “about 750,000 federal employees could be furloughed each day” during the shutdown, with the total daily cost of their compensation totaling $400 million.

    Thousands of those workers could be permanently furloughed, given that the Trump administration has instructed federal agencies to consider eliminating certain positions during a shutdown, consistent with applicable law.

    The Senate is set to vote again on Republicans’ CR Wednesday morning.

    Syndicated with permission from The Center Square.

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    Therese Boudreaux – The Center Square

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  • From Mass Firings to the Fed—Why This Government Shutdown Could Be Different

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    A federal shutdown is looming over Washington once again—and this one could get ugly if lawmakers fail to ink yet another eleventh-hour deal to keep the government funded.

    President Donald Trump met with top lawmakers on Monday, but deliberations between Democrats and Republicans failed to reach much progress that’d alleviate shutdown concerns. If they don’t reach a deal, a shutdown will kick in Wednesday after the clock strikes midnight.

    Much of the debate falls on healthcare, specifically expiring funds established under the Affordable Care Act that will cause insurance premiums to soar, in addition to reversing cuts to Medicaid. Democratic lawmakers want to extend funding to keep health care costs lower, while Republican lawmakers are seeking to cut medical funding to help pay for tax cuts instead.

    Trump acknowledged the possibility of a shutdown in an interview with NBC. He also directed federal agencies to provide a list of permanent staff cuts in the event of the government does shut down. This strays from the usual furloughs that transpire when the government shuts down.

    But it’s not entirely offbeat for an administration that plans to cut more than 300,000 federal jobs by the end of the year. The workforce restructuring plan was largely outlined by the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025, which is seen as a blueprint for many of the administration’s policies including the mass-consolidation of the federal government.

    “The Democrats response to Trump’s threat [is …] we’re not taking that seriously because you’ve been doing this all along,” says Thom Hartmann, a political commentator and host of The Thom Hartmann program, a radio show. “And anybody that you’re going to fire as a result of this threat is probably somebody you’re going to fire anyway once you get around to it.”

    The economic impacts of a shutdown largely depend on how long one transpires. In usual shutdowns, federal employees are furloughed, but they receive back pay—for that reason, the economic impact is relatively muted, according to Wafa Hakim Orman, an economist and professor at the University of Alabama Huntsville’s College of Business.

    “There was a lot of inconvenience to people who couldn’t access any federal services during the shutdown, but past that inconvenience, it wasn’t a major lasting economic impact of any kind,” Hakim Orman says. But Hakim Orman explains the potential for permanent layoffs may have more lasting consequences, depending on size.

    The shutdown may also impact the publication of a much anticipated jobs report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics set to be published on Friday, as most federal services that are considered non-essential get put on ice. In August, Trump fired the previous BLS commissioner accusing them of producing a “rigged” report to make the administration look bad.

    The jobs report is one key indicator that the Federal Reserve—which stays open during a shutdown since it operates independently—turns to when orchestrating monetary policy. If the shutdown stretches out more than two weeks, the reports delay could complicate the upcoming Fed meeting which starts on Oct. 28, says George Mateyo, Chief Investment Officer at Key Private Bank. Mateyo adds a delay in the jobs report could push the Federal Reserve to pause rather that cut interest rates in October.

    “That said, there are other data points that the Fed considers in its interest rate policy decisions,” Mateyo adds. “If they suggest a significantly weaker outlook for employment, the Fed may be inclined to move forward with its cutting cycle.”

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    Melissa Angell

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  • Summer of tragedies test the faith of Minnesotans

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    Minnesotans are grappling with two high-profile cases of violence this summer. In June, former House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, were the targets of a political assassination and the near-fatal shooting of Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette.

    In August, a mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis left two children dead and more than 20 wounded.

    For some, it’s a time to turn to faith, but for others, it’s a time to question it. One person helping parishioners navigate their faith is Archbishop Bernard Hebda of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. He said it’s his job to bring hope.

    Within hours of the shooting, Hebda was at the scene with a message from Pope Leo XIV.

    “The Holy Father wanted to promise us our prayers, which was very quick, and obviously, he pays attention to what’s going on in the United States,” Hebda said. “And then I mentioned it would be helpful if we had something written sooner rather than later. And even with the time difference, they managed to get a statement that we were able to read then already that afternoon.”

    On the Sunday following the tragedy, Pope Leo XIV called for an end to a “worldwide pandemic of arms.” Within weeks, the Archbishop was at the Minnesota Legislature calling for change with parents of students who survived the Annunciation shooting.

    “if we really are able to put our resources together, that we’ll be able to address the question of guns, we’ll be able to address the question of mental health crisis that we’re experiencing at this point, and begin to address the problem,” Hebda said.

    In the weeks following the devastating shooting, Hedba said he’s astonished at the community’s resilience.

    “I’m amazed at the deep faith. I’ve been really blessed,” he said. “There’s a group that gets together every night at 9 at Annunciation for the rosary, a typical Catholic prayer, and it’s growing.”

    Esme Murphy

    Esme Murphy, a reporter and Sunday morning anchor for WCCO-TV, has been a member of the WCCO-TV staff since December 1990. She is also a weekend talk show host on WCCO Radio. Born and raised in New York City, Esme ventured into reporting after graduating from Harvard University.

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    Esme Murphy

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  • Wife of man accused in deadly Minnesota lawmaker shootings files for divorce

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    The wife of the man charged in the deadly, politically motivated shootings of Minnesota lawmakers in June has filed for divorce, court documents show.

    Vance Boelter, 58, faces federal and state murder and attempted murder charges in connection with the deaths of House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark, and the shootings of state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife Yvette on June 14 in their respective Twin Cities homes.

    Jenny Lynne Boelter filed a petition for “dissolution with child” in Sibley County earlier this month, according to court documents. The official grounds of the divorce are unknown, as Judge Amber Donley granted her request to seal “all current and future documents filed in this matter,” which are to be treated as confidential.

    Nearly two weeks after the fatal shootings, Jenny Boelter released a statement through her attorney, saying her husband’s actions were “a betrayal of everything we hold true as tenets of our Christian faith.”

    “We are absolutely shocked, heartbroken and completely blindsided. This violence does not at all align with our beliefs as a family,” Jenny Boelter wrote. “We are appalled and horrified by what occurred and our hearts are incredibly heavy for the victims of this unfathomable tragedy.”

    Vance Boelter was captured more than 40 hours after the killings near the home he shared with Jenny Boelter and their children in Green Isle, located about 50 miles southwest of the metro. State officials called the manhunt the largest in Minnesota history.

    Vance Boelter being taken into custody in Green Isle, Minnesota, on June 15, 2025.

    RCSO


    According to federal court documents, Jenny Boelter and some of her children left Green Isle by vehicle just hours after the shooting. Law enforcement contacted her by phone and arranged to meet her at a gas station close to her location at that time, which was about 150 miles away from Green Isle near Lake Mille Lacs.

    An FBI special agent noted in an affidavit that Jenny Boelter had two guns, passports and about $10,000 in cash in her vehicle. They noted she was “cooperative” with law enforcement, but initially “was not forthcoming with knowledge of her husband being involved in something serious” after revealing Vance Boelter messaged her earlier that day to “take the kids and go to her parent’s house and that there may be people with guns coming to the house.”

    Jenny Boelter also told law enforcement in that meeting she and her husband were “preppers,” meaning they “prepare for major or catastrophic incidents.” 

    Soon after the shootings, investigators found more than 50 firearms and a tub of ammunition in their Green Isle home.

    Jenny Boelter has not been charged with any crimes, and noted in her statement on June 27 she “fully cooperated with investigators and responded to their every request.”

    “We are grateful for the diligent and professional efforts of the authorities to fully investigate these crimes,” Jenny Boelter wrote. “We thank law enforcement for apprehending Vance and protecting others from further harm.”

    Vance Boelter could face the death penalty if convicted on federal murder charges.

    No hearings have been scheduled in Jenny Boelter’s divorce case. Her attorney declined WCCO’s request for comment.

    NOTE: The original airdate of the video attached to this article is Aug. 15, 2025.

    Caroline Cummings,

    Riley Moser and

    Ubah Ali

    contributed to this report.

    Stephen Swanson

    Stephen Swanson is a web producer at CBS News Minnesota. Stephen was a floor director for a decade before moving to the WCCO-TV newsroom in 2011, where he focuses on general assignment reporting.

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    Stephen Swanson

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  • Judge denies Utah lawmakers’ request to pause order tossing out congressional map

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    Judge Dianna Gibson holds a hearing on Utah’s congressional maps process, in Salt Lake City on Friday, Aug. 29, 2025. Judge Gibson previously ruled — based on a decision last year by the Utah Supreme Court — that the Legislature had violated voters’ constitutional right to make laws when legislators repealed Proposition 4, the citizen-passed Better Boundaries initiative. (Pool photo by Trent Nelson/The Salt Lake Tribune)

    Third District Court Judge Dianna Gibson issued a decision late Tuesday denying Utah lawmakers’ attorneys’ request to push pause on her ruling last week that tossed out the state’s current congressional boundaries and ordered lawmakers to draw a new map. 

    “By granting a stay and proceeding with the 2026 election under the current 2021 Congressional Plan, this Court would be sanctioning the Legislature’s violation of the people’s constitutional right to reform their government through redistricting legislation,” the judge wrote in the decision. 

    Last week, Gibson ruled the Utah Legislature unconstitutionally overturned Better Boundaries’ ballot initiative known as Proposition 4, a voter-approved law that created an independent redistricting commission meant to prevent partisan gerrymandering. The 2021 Utah Legislature repealed and replaced it with a new law, SB200, which turned that commission into an advisory body that lawmakers could ignore — which they ultimately did when they adopted the 2021 congressional map.

    Delaying the order “would sanction the wholesale repeal of Proposition 4 and would irreparably harm the people of Utah,” the judge wrote Tuesday. “Given the Court’s ruling, this Court cannot conclude that a ‘stay’ would be just under the circumstances.”

    Gibson’s ruling has major implications for the future of Utah’s federal political landscape. Before the 2021 map was adopted, one of Utah’s four U.S. House seats was competitive for Democrats. Today, Republicans consistently dominate all four. 

    Her ruling comes during a time when fights over redistricting are on the national stage. While redistricting efforts in Texas, California and other states are playing out mid-decade — fueled by President Donald Trump’s aim to bolster the U.S. House’s slim GOP majority in the 2026 midterm elections — Utah’s effort for an independent and nonpartisan process is court ordered.

    Gibson, in her decision issued Tuesday, said the state could set itself apart from other states.

    “Utah has an opportunity to be different,” the judge wrote. “While other states are currently redrawing their congressional plans to intentionally render some citizen votes meaningless, Utah could redesign its congressional plan with an intention to protect its citizens’ right to vote and to ensure that each citizen’s vote is meaningful.” 

    Gibson also acknowledged that the “timing of this ruling,” along with the injunction on the 2021 Congressional Map, “presents challenges for the Legislature … to accomplish its duty” to draw a new map in compliance with Proposition 4 in time for the 2026 elections.

    In an effort to address those timing challenges, Gibson asked the lieutenant governor’s office if there would be any flexibility — even if it’s a matter of days — to push back the previously set deadline of Nov. 1 for the court to select a new map while also allowing enough time for counties to finalize their precincts before candidates can begin filing in January. 

    In a court filing also submitted Tuesday, attorneys for Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson wrote that after consulting with county clerks “and due to the extenuating circumstances of this litigation, the deadline for congressional map submission for this election cycle is Nov. 10, 2025.” 

    Given that new deadline, it’s likely Gibson will offer some adjustments to the proposed timeline she included in her order last week, which gave lawmakers, plaintiffs and third parties until Sept. 24 to submit their proposed congressional maps for the court to choose from.  

    document (78)

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  • Oregon Lawmakers Advance Transportation Funding Bill In Special Session – KXL

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    SALEM, Ore. – Oregon lawmakers resumed their special session Sunday and moved forward with HB 3991, a transportation funding package that passed out of committee.

    The bill would raise taxes on vehicles and roads, phase in a per-mile road usage charge, and require audits of ODOT’s performance.

    Supporters say it provides a needed foundation for road and bridge maintenance, while opponents argue it places too heavy a burden on residents.

    Lawmakers failed to pass a similar bill last session, which led to canceled contracts and hundreds of ODOT layoffs delayed until after this session.

    More about:

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    Grant McHill

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  • Redistricting battles intensify California, Texas and now Indiana

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    The feud over redistricting continues across the country with new developments in Indiana, California and Texas. Multiple media outlets are reporting that Indiana state lawmakers are in Washington, D.C., Tuesday to meet with President Donald Trump, who has been pushing for more Republican seats in Congress. This comes after Vice President J.D. Vance met privately with Indiana Gov. Mike Braun earlier this month. For any redrawing of the congressional map in Indiana, Braun would have to call a special session to start the process, but lawmakers have the power to draw new maps. Republicans in the U.S. House outnumber Democrats in Indiana, limiting the chances they can pull off an additional seat.Things are also heating up in California. On Monday, Trump threatened to sue California over its plan to allow voters to decide whether to redistrict before next year’s election. Gov. Gavin Newsom posted on social media responding to the president with two words: “Bring it.” Newsom approved a special election that will take place in November for residents to vote on a redrawn congressional map. Republican lawmakers in California filed a lawsuit Monday aiming to remove Newsom’s redistricting plan from the November ballot. If the congressional map is approved, it could help Democrats win five more seats in the House next year.In Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott is planning to sign into law a new congressional map that includes five more districts, favoring Republicans. Trump has pushed for the map to help the GOP maintain its slim majority in Congress in 2026. The timing of this is noteworthy because Republicans normally lose seats in the House during the midterms. Democrats are expected to challenge the new Texas map in court.Keep scrolling for the latest from the Washington News Bureau:

    WASHINGTON —

    The feud over redistricting continues across the country with new developments in Indiana, California and Texas.

    Multiple media outlets are reporting that Indiana state lawmakers are in Washington, D.C., Tuesday to meet with President Donald Trump, who has been pushing for more Republican seats in Congress. This comes after Vice President J.D. Vance met privately with Indiana Gov. Mike Braun earlier this month.

    For any redrawing of the congressional map in Indiana, Braun would have to call a special session to start the process, but lawmakers have the power to draw new maps.

    Republicans in the U.S. House outnumber Democrats in Indiana, limiting the chances they can pull off an additional seat.

    Things are also heating up in California. On Monday, Trump threatened to sue California over its plan to allow voters to decide whether to redistrict before next year’s election. Gov. Gavin Newsom posted on social media responding to the president with two words: “Bring it.”

    Newsom approved a special election that will take place in November for residents to vote on a redrawn congressional map. Republican lawmakers in California filed a lawsuit Monday aiming to remove Newsom’s redistricting plan from the November ballot.

    If the congressional map is approved, it could help Democrats win five more seats in the House next year.

    In Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott is planning to sign into law a new congressional map that includes five more districts, favoring Republicans.

    Trump has pushed for the map to help the GOP maintain its slim majority in Congress in 2026. The timing of this is noteworthy because Republicans normally lose seats in the House during the midterms.

    Democrats are expected to challenge the new Texas map in court.

    Keep scrolling for the latest from the Washington News Bureau:

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  • Should California create new safety rules for AI? The debate dividing lawmakers and tech

    Should California create new safety rules for AI? The debate dividing lawmakers and tech

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    One of the biggest debates California lawmakers face in their final week of the legislative session is whether to put new safety rules in place for companies developing artificial intelligence.SB 1047 would require California companies that are spending at least $100 million developing AI models to do safety testing to prevent major risks or harms. Experts have warned without guardrails, the models could eventually help bad actors create a biological weapon or carry out cyber-attacks to shut down the electric grid or melt down the banking system. “While the exact timing of these threats is uncertain, some of these threats could materialize in as little as a year,” Dan Hendrycks, an AI researcher, told reporters in a virtual news conference on Monday. “Product safety testing is a standard for many industries including manufacturers of cars, airplanes, prescription drugs and nuclear power plants.” The bill has frustrated some in the industry who worry the regulation could slow down the growing industry’s progress. That includes the developer of ChatGPT, OpenAI. The company has warned if the bill passes, it may be forced to move operations out of California. “I understand this is hardball politics, I’m used to that,” said State Senator Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, who wrote the proposal. “Anytime we try to pass laws in the public interest, industry will threaten to move.” The issue has divided Democrats. A group of California members in the U.S. House of Representatives, including former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, sent a letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom earlier this month, urging him to reject the bill if it lands on his desk. “In short, we are very concerned about the effect this legislation could have on the innovation economy of California without any clear benefit for the public,” the group wrote. “High tech innovation is the economic engine that drives California’s prosperity.””Congress has been paralyzed when it comes to technology policy,” Wiener told reporters in response, noting Congress has not passed major tech regulations since the 1990s aside from the TikTok ban. “I don’t say this to bash Congress, but Congress has proven it’s not capable of passing strong technology policy.”Republican state lawmakers are also divided over the measure. Assemblyman Devon Mathis, R-Visalia, told KCRA 3 he plans on voting for the bill. “How do you create public trust when the guys who are controlling it are stonewalling regulation?” he said. But others have said they have issues with the bill.”There are some things government has a role to play in regulating and managing,” said Assemblyman Josh Hoover, R-Folsom. “But my concerns with this piece of legislation is that it just goes too far in that direction before we know what we’re dealing with.”The issue has also divided the tech industry overall. Meta’s Chief AI Scientist, Yann LeCun said in part in a post on X, “regulating would have apocalyptic consequences on the AI ecosystem.” Elon Musk on Monday night threw his support behind the bill. “This is a tough call and will make some people upset, but, all things considered, I think California should probably pass the SB 1047 AI safety bill,” he posted on X. “For over 20 years, I have been an advocate for AI regulation, just as we regulate any product/technology that is a potential risk to the public.”Gov. Gavin Newsom has not publicly stated his position on the bill. “We dominate in this space, and I want to continue to dominate in this space, I don’t want to cede in this space to other states or other countries,” he said at an AI Summit he convened in May. “If we over-regulate, if we over-indulge, if we chase a shiny object, we could put ourselves in a perilous position. But at the same time, we have an obligation to lead.”Lawmakers in the State Assembly are expected to vote on the bill later this week. If approved, the vote would need to go back to the Senate for approval of the changes made to the bill while it was in the Assembly. Lawmakers have until Saturday at midnight to pass new laws for the year. The governor has until Sept. 30 to sign or veto them.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. —

    One of the biggest debates California lawmakers face in their final week of the legislative session is whether to put new safety rules in place for companies developing artificial intelligence.

    SB 1047 would require California companies that are spending at least $100 million developing AI models to do safety testing to prevent major risks or harms. Experts have warned without guardrails, the models could eventually help bad actors create a biological weapon or carry out cyber-attacks to shut down the electric grid or melt down the banking system.

    “While the exact timing of these threats is uncertain, some of these threats could materialize in as little as a year,” Dan Hendrycks, an AI researcher, told reporters in a virtual news conference on Monday. “Product safety testing is a standard for many industries including manufacturers of cars, airplanes, prescription drugs and nuclear power plants.”

    The bill has frustrated some in the industry who worry the regulation could slow down the growing industry’s progress. That includes the developer of ChatGPT, OpenAI. The company has warned if the bill passes, it may be forced to move operations out of California.

    “I understand this is hardball politics, I’m used to that,” said State Senator Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, who wrote the proposal. “Anytime we try to pass laws in the public interest, industry will threaten to move.”

    The issue has divided Democrats. A group of California members in the U.S. House of Representatives, including former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, sent a letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom earlier this month, urging him to reject the bill if it lands on his desk.

    “In short, we are very concerned about the effect this legislation could have on the innovation economy of California without any clear benefit for the public,” the group wrote. “High tech innovation is the economic engine that drives California’s prosperity.”

    “Congress has been paralyzed when it comes to technology policy,” Wiener told reporters in response, noting Congress has not passed major tech regulations since the 1990s aside from the TikTok ban. “I don’t say this to bash Congress, but Congress has proven it’s not capable of passing strong technology policy.”

    Republican state lawmakers are also divided over the measure.

    Assemblyman Devon Mathis, R-Visalia, told KCRA 3 he plans on voting for the bill. “How do you create public trust when the guys who are controlling it are stonewalling regulation?” he said.

    But others have said they have issues with the bill.

    “There are some things government has a role to play in regulating and managing,” said Assemblyman Josh Hoover, R-Folsom. “But my concerns with this piece of legislation is that it just goes too far in that direction before we know what we’re dealing with.”

    The issue has also divided the tech industry overall.

    Meta’s Chief AI Scientist, Yann LeCun said in part in a post on X, “regulating [research and development] would have apocalyptic consequences on the AI ecosystem.”

    Elon Musk on Monday night threw his support behind the bill.

    “This is a tough call and will make some people upset, but, all things considered, I think California should probably pass the SB 1047 AI safety bill,” he posted on X. “For over 20 years, I have been an advocate for AI regulation, just as we regulate any product/technology that is a potential risk to the public.”

    Gov. Gavin Newsom has not publicly stated his position on the bill.

    “We dominate in this space, and I want to continue to dominate in this space, I don’t want to cede in this space to other states or other countries,” he said at an AI Summit he convened in May. “If we over-regulate, if we over-indulge, if we chase a shiny object, we could put ourselves in a perilous position. But at the same time, we have an obligation to lead.”

    Lawmakers in the State Assembly are expected to vote on the bill later this week. If approved, the vote would need to go back to the Senate for approval of the changes made to the bill while it was in the Assembly. Lawmakers have until Saturday at midnight to pass new laws for the year. The governor has until Sept. 30 to sign or veto them.

    See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter

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  • North Carolina lawmakers push bill to ban most public mask wearing, citing crime

    North Carolina lawmakers push bill to ban most public mask wearing, citing crime

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    RALEIGH, N.C. — Republican lawmakers in North Carolina are pushing forward with their plan to repeal a pandemic-era law that allowed the wearing of masks in public for health reasons, a move spurred in part by demonstrations against the war in Gaza that have included masked protesters camped out on college campuses.

    The legislation cleared the Senate on Wednesday in a 30-15 vote along party lines despite several attempts by state Senate Democrats to change the bill. The bill, which would raise penalties for someone who wears a mask while committing a crime, including arrested protesters, could still be altered as it heads back to the House.

    Opponents of the bill say it risks the health of those masking for safety reasons. But those backing the legislation say it is a needed response to the demonstrations, including those at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill that escalated to police clashes and arrests. The bill also further criminalizes the blockage of roads or emergency vehicles for a protest, which has occurred during pro-Palestinian demonstrations in Raleigh and Durham.

    “It’s about time that the craziness is put, at least slowed down, if not put to a stop,” Wilson County Republican Sen. Buck Newton, who presented the bill, said on the Senate floor Wednesday.

    Most of the pushback against the bill has centered around its removal of health and safety exemptions for wearing a mask in public. The health exemption was added at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic along largely bipartisan lines.

    This strikethrough would return public masking rules to their pre-pandemic form, which were created in 1953 to address a different issue: limiting Ku Klux Klan activity in North Carolina, according to a 2012 book by Washington University in St. Louis sociology professor David Cunningham.

    Since the pandemic, masks have become a partisan flashpoint – and Senate debate on if the law would make it illegal to mask for health purposes was no different.

    Democratic lawmakers repeated their unease about how removing protections for people who choose to mask for their health could put immunocompromised North Carolinians at risk of breaking the law. Legislative staff said during a Tuesday committee that masking for health purposes would violate the law.

    “You’re making careful people into criminals with this bill,” Democratic Sen. Natasha Marcus of Mecklenburg County said on the Senate floor. “It’s a bad law.”

    Simone Hetherington, an immunocompromised person who spoke during Wednesday’s Senate Rules Committee, said masking is one of the only ways she can protect herself from illnesses and fears the law would prevent that practice.

    “We live in different times and I do receive harassment,” Hetherington said about her mask wearing. “It only takes one bad actor.”

    But Republican legislators continued to express doubt that someone would get in legal trouble for masking because of health concerns, saying law enforcement and prosecutors would use discretion on whether to charge someone. Newton said the bill focuses on criminalizing masks only for the purpose of concealing one’s identity.

    “I smell politics on the other side of the aisle when they’re scaring people to death about a bill that is only going to criminalize people who are trying to hide their identity so they can do something wrong,” Newton said.

    Three Senate Democrats proposed amendments to keep the health exemption and exclude hate groups from masking, but Senate Republicans used a procedural mechanism to block them without going up for a vote.

    Future changes to the bill could be a possibility, but it would ultimately be up to the House, Newton told reporters after the vote. Robeson County Republican Sen. Danny Britt also said during an earlier committee that he anticipated “some tweaking.”

    House Rules Committee Chairman Destin Hall, a Caldwell County House Republican, told reporters before the Senate vote that the House planned to “take a look at it” but members wanted to clamp down on people who wear masks while committing crimes.

    The masking bill will likely move through a few committees before hitting the House floor, which could take one or two weeks, Hall said.

    Copyright © 2024 ABC11-WTVD-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved – The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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  • New York State lawmakers pass 2024-2025 budget

    New York State lawmakers pass 2024-2025 budget

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    ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — New York lawmakers have passed the 2024-2025 state budget. The state Assembly and Senate enacted the nearly $237 billion spending plan after final deliberations on numerous state bills on Saturday.

    The budget will now head to the desk of Governor Kathy Hochul to be approved. The Governor, as well as several state lawmakers, issued statements on the budget being passed by the legislature.

    “This budget agreement represents the most significant improvement in housing policy in three generations. It includes transformative investments in health care and education that will put our State on the path to fiscal stability. It will end co-pays for insulin, establish first-in-the-nation paid prenatal leave, and launch the EmpireAI consortium. This budget cracks down on retail theft and gives us new tools to shut down illicit cannabis storefronts. It helps the children of New York City by extending mayoral accountability for public schools,” Gov. Hochul said. “And we got it all done without raising income taxes by a single cent. I’m grateful to Speaker Heastie, Leader Stewart-Cousins and my colleagues in the Legislature for their collaboration on this agreement, and look forward to continuing to work together.”

    “When we talk about the Assembly Majority’s Families First agenda, we’re talking about crafting thoughtful legislation that makes our state more affordable, more accepting and better place to live,” said Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie. “In this year’s budget we were able to include critical funding for affordable housing across the state, increases in TAP funding to put higher education in reach for more students, restoring education funding, investments in our hospitals and nursing homes, and provisions that help new parents and working families. We will continue working with our partners in government to craft thoughtful legislation to uplift New Yorkers.”

    While state democrats have expressed enthusiasm for the plan, some state republicans have issued criticisms of the budget. Assembly Republican Leader Will Barclay said “After six budget extenders and three weeks past the statutory deadline, the 2024-25 state budget has been delivered to New Yorkers. Hardworking taxpayers will subsidize a record-high $237 billion spending plan. While the process is now final, it will take time before the public knows exactly what it’s paying for. Yet again, the basic standards of public input, open government and transparency continue to erode in Albany.”

    Stay with NEWS10 on air and online as we continue to bring you coverage of the passing of the budget as this story continues to develop.

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    Jackson Tollerton

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  • TikTok issues call to action against potential legislation for its nationwide ban

    TikTok issues call to action against potential legislation for its nationwide ban

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    TikTok issues call to action against potential legislation for its nationwide ban – CBS News


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    In an unprecedented move, TikTok’s call to action against potential legislation for its nationwide ban has overwhelmed lawmakers with complaints, igniting a contentious debate on Capitol Hill.

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  • Tributes for Rosalynn Carter pour in after her death

    Tributes for Rosalynn Carter pour in after her death

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    Tributes for Rosalynn Carter pour in after her death – CBS News


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    Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Georgia Sen. Jon Ossoff and other lawmakers are paying tribute to former first lady Rosalynn Carter, who died Sunday at 96. CBS News congressional correspondent Nikole Killion reports.

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  • Government shutdown looms amid GOP infighting

    Government shutdown looms amid GOP infighting

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    Government shutdown looms amid GOP infighting – CBS News


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    Parts of the U.S. federal government are at risk of shutting down if lawmakers can’t strike a deal by midnight on September 30. CBS News congressional correspondent Scott MacFarlane reports on the looming shutdown and its impact on Congress and the Biden White House.

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  • DeSantis: Founding Fathers would

    DeSantis: Founding Fathers would

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    DeSantis: Founding Fathers would “probably” put age limits on elected officials if they could – CBS News


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    Florida governor and Republican presidential hopeful Ron DeSantis spoke with “CBS Evening News” anchor and managing editor Norah O’Donnell and said he believes the Founding Fathers would probably have put an age limit on elected officials “if they could look at this again.”

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  • Israel passes judicial reform amid protests

    Israel passes judicial reform amid protests

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    Israel passes judicial reform amid protests – CBS News


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    Massive protests erupted in Israel after the country’s lawmakers voted to strip power from the Supreme Court. The court had been one of the few checks on the legislature’s power, as the country has no written constitution or upper legislative chamber. Elizabeth Palmer reports.

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  • 6/4: CBS Weekend News

    6/4: CBS Weekend News

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    6/4: CBS Weekend News – CBS News


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    China defends close encounter with American warship; “Yellowstone” star helps children of fallen soldiers

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  • Lawmakers concerned about growing tensions with China

    Lawmakers concerned about growing tensions with China

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    Lawmakers concerned about growing tensions with China – CBS News


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    Several lawmakers have expressed concern over the growing strains between the U.S. and China. Top Biden administration officials were in Beijing over the weekend to try to cool things down. Skyler Henry reports.

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