Governors Spotlight: Criminal Justice Reform Package, Consumer Debt, Paid Leave, Grocery Tax & More

DE Gov Signs Criminal Justice Reform Package:

Delaware Gov. John Carney (D) signed an eight-bill package aimed at addressing longstanding racial inequalities in the state criminal justice system.

The bills are a part of the larger agenda Democrats unveiled in the aftermath of the death of Minneapolis resident George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer in June of 2020. That officer, Derek Chauvin, was convicted of murder in March of this year.

The package of bills:

HB 115, which bars the prosecution of children under 12, except for the most serious charges, and prohibits transferring juveniles under 16 to Superior Court.

HB 215, which requires police to record interrogations of suspects in custody. 

HB 162, which creates a grant program aimed at reducing juvenile recidivism.

HB 243, which bars police from releasing juvenile mug shots for minor crimes. 

SB 148, which allows the state-run Division of Civil Rights and Public Trust to review police use-of-force cases that result in serious physical injury.

SB 111, which automates the state’s expungement process, alleviating the need for filing a petition with the state.

SB 112, which expands eligibility for mandatory expungement to include possession of marijuana or drug paraphernalia, underage possession, consumption of alcohol, and cases involving multiple violation convictions regardless of a person’s prior or subsequent criminal record.

Senate Substitute 1 for SB 38, which makes technical revisions to the 2019 Adult Expungement Reform Act.

Democrats have, however, not been able to get through another signature proposal, changes to the state Officers Bill of Rights that allows law enforcement to choose for themselves how to discipline officers who violate conduct policies or break laws. (DELAWARE NEWS, DELAWARE ONLINE, DELAWARE PUBLIC MEDIA)

NY Gov Signs Consumer Debt, Paid Leave, Unemployment and Anti-Hate Measures:

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) signed a number of employment and social equity bills last week, including:

SB 153, the Consumer Credit Fairness Act, which imposes several changes to how debt collection is carried out in the Empire State, including “compelling creditors to file claims in a timely manner and protecting consumers from excessive interest charges and late fees.”

SB 2928-A, a bill that expands the Empire State paid family leave law to cover caring for an ill sibling.

SB 3623, which ensures that individuals who voluntarily leave their jobs to accompany spouses who are subjects of military transfers are eligible for unemployment benefits.

SB 4615, which prohibits municipal corporations, such as fire districts, volunteer fire departments, police departments, and school districts, from selling or displaying symbols of hate. Those symbols include, but are not limited to, those representing White supremacy, neo-Nazi ideology, or the Confederate battle flag.

FL Gov Pitches Teacher Pay Hikes:

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s (R) budget proposal includes $600 million for teacher pay hikes and another $65 million in bonuses for teachers and principals. Lawmakers must approve the proposal. (ASSOCIATED PRESS, TAMPA BAY TIMES)

KS Gov. Calls for Ending Grocery Tax:

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly (D) proposed eliminating the state tax on groceries, which would save Sunflower state shoppers approximately $450 million a year. Lawmakers must approve the cut. (WIBW [TOPEKA])

KY Gov Proposes Pay Hikes for Cops:

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) has proposed a pay hike for State Police officers that would move starting pay from $40K to $55K per year. KSP dispatchers would move from $24K to $32K. Lawmakers must approve the hikes. (LEX18 [LEXINGTON])

TX Gov Probes for Porn:

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) announced a criminal inquiry into “pornographic books and content in Texas public schools.” In a letter, Abbott directed Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath to “investigate any criminal activity in our public schools involving the availability of pornography” and to “refer any instance of pornography being provided to minors under the age of 18 for prosecution to the fullest extent of the law.” (LOS ANGELES TIMES, TEXAS GOVERNOR’S OFFICE)

NJ Gov Signs Bussing Bills:

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) signs a pair of bills dealing with school bussing: SB 3849, which provides for debarment of school bus contractors for certain violations and requires a bid for a pupil transportation contract to identify each person who has any ownership interest in the company submitting the bid; and SB 3852, which revises violations and fines for knowingly or unknowingly approving or assigning unauthorized individuals as school bus drivers.

-- Compiled by RICH EHISEN