HB 157 – Authorizes the Environmental Management Commission to Use Existing State and Federal Hydraulic Fracturing Air Emission Regulations
Oil and Gas
Signed on Mar 16, 2015
Vote to pass a bill that authorizes the Environmental Management Commission to use existing state and federal regulations for governing toxic air emissions caused by oil and gas drilling operations if the commission determines that the existing air quality regulations are adequate to protect public health, safety, welfare and the environment.
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HB 405 – Prohibits the Recording of Certain Employer Property
Employment and Affirmative Action
Veto Overridden on Jun 3, 2015
Vote to pass a bill that prohibits an employee from recording audio or sound, without permission, in a non-public area of an employer, effective January 1, 2016.
- Prohibits an employee from intentionally entering a “non-public area” of his or her employer to engage in certain activities contrary to the employer’s interests, including, but not limited to, the following activities (Sec. 1):
- Removing the employer’s data, papers, or records;
- Recording video or sound within the employer’s property; and
- Placing an unattended camera or electronic surveillance device on the property.
- Defines “non-public areas” as those areas not accessible to, or not intended to be accessed by, the general public (Sec. 1).
- Authorizes a state court to award 1 or more of the following remedies to an employer who prevails in a legal action against an employee for breaching the provisions of this bill (Sec. 1):
- Equitable relief;
- Compensatory damages;
- Court costs and legal fees; and
- $5,000 for each day that the employee breached the provisions of this bill.
- Exempts a governmental agency or law enforcement officer from liability if they are engaging in a lawful investigation of an employer or the employer’s property (Sec. 1).
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HB 465 – Amends Regulations Regarding Abortion
Abortion
Signed on Jun 5, 2015
Vote to pass a bill that increases the waiting period prior to an abortion from 24 to 72 hours.
- Extends the waiting period from 24 hours to 72 hours for a woman to have an abortion after receiving consultation from a physician, effective October 1, 2015 (Sec. 2).
- Requires a physician who advises, procures, or causes a miscarriage or abortion after the eighteenth week of a woman’s pregnancy to provide the following information to the Department of Health and Human Services, effective January 1, 2016 (Sec. 1):
- The method used by the physician to determine the gestational age of the fetus at the time of the procedure;
- The results of methodology including measurements of the fetus; and
- An ultrasound image of the fetus that depicts the measurements.
- Requires a physician who procures or causes a miscarriage or abortion after the twentieth week of a woman’s pregnancy to provide the analysis on which the physician determined that continuation of the pregnancy would threaten the life or gravely impair the health of the woman to the Department, effective January 1, 2016 (Sec. 1).
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SB 2 – Authorizes Officials to Not Perform Certain Marriage Duties
Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity
Veto Overridden on Jun 11, 2015
Vote to pass a bill that authorizes certain officials to recuse themselves from performing certain marriage duties based on a “sincerely held” religious objection.
- Authorizes a magistrate, assistant, or deputy register of deeds to recuse him or herself from performing a marriage or issuing a marriage license based on a “sincerely held” religious objection (Sec. 1).
- Prohibits a recusing magistrate, assistant, or deputy register from performing a marriage or issuing a marriage license until the recusal has been rescinded in writing (Sec. 1).
- Requires a recusal to be in effect for at least 6 months (Sec. 1).
- Requires the register of deeds to ensure that all eligible applicants for a marriage license are issued a license (Sec. 1).
- Requires the chief district court judge to notify the Administrative Office of the Courts if all magistrates in a jurisdiction have recused, at which time the Administrative Office of the Courts is required to ensure that a magistrate is available to perform marriages in the jurisdiction (Sec. 1).
- Requires a district court judge to be deemed magistrate for the purposes of performing marriages until the Administrative Office of the Courts designates a magistrate to perform marriages in the jurisdiction (Sec. 1).
- Requires the chief district court judge to ensure a magistrate is available to perform marriages for at least 10 hours a week over the course of at least 3 business days (Sec. 4).
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HB 774 – Authorizes Certain Medical Professionals to Monitor Executions
Death Penalty
Signed on Aug 5, 2015
A vote to pass a bill that authorizes a medical professional other than a physician to monitor an execution.
- Authorizes a “medical professional other than a physician” to monitor an execution by way of legal injection whereas existing law requires a physician to monitor the execution (Sec. 1).
- Defines “medical professional other than a physician” as 1 of the following individuals (Sec.1):
- Physician assistants;
- Nurse practitioners;
- Registered nurses;
- Emergency medical technicians; or
- Emergency medical technician-paramedics.
- Requires a physician to examine the body and pronounce the individual dead, if her or she is not present at the execution (Sec. 1).
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