CSG SOUTH UPDATE

Arkansas Governor Allows Vaccine Mandate Laws Without Signature

Gov. Asa Hutchinson allowed Senate Bill 739 and House Bill 1977 to become law without his signature. The two bills, similar in nature, provided employee exemptions from federal or employer mandates related to COVID-19. Hutchinson said, “These bills are unnecessary, and the conversation has been harmful to our goal of encouraging vaccines. For those reasons I will not sign the bills into law with my signature. I will allow them to become law without signing.” Allowing the two bills to become law without signature allows them to become law, based on the support from the legislature, but do not offer the governor’s support. Hutchinson cited a feeling of distrust and hesitancy created by the two bills and said, “The vaccines are safe, and Arkansans need to get vaccinated, but not through mandates.” Hutchinson said that he did not veto the bills because the General Assembly defeated the emergency clause. “The extra 90 days before the bills become law allow critical time to assess the harm and for the Courts to review the bills as well.” AL / AR / FL / GA / KY / LA / MO / MS / NC / OK / SC / TN / TX / VA / WV

Southern States Enhance Workforce Development

Legislators and staff from Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia convened in Atlanta in September for an “Enhancing Workforce Development in the South” forum. Participants examined regional and statewide workforce development policies and issues. Apprenticeship programs were discussed as well as ways to boost skills and employee readiness, occupational laws and workforce retention. Attendees participated in discussions to determine commonalities with concerns, obstacles and best practices.

CSG Testifies to Oklahoma House Common Education Committee

CSG South Policy Analyst and Education Committee Liaison Cody Allen testified in front of the Oklahoma House Education Committee about teacher licensure exams. Allen’s presentation included a comparison of elementary teacher licensure passage rates among Southern states. Allen’s presentation included evidence of walk-away rates, first-attempt passage rates and state legislative impacts. Additionally, the presentation examined shifting from license assessments to competency and performance-based models.

North Carolina Ends Visitor Restrictions During Emergencies

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper signed Senate Bill 191 into law recently. The bill — the No Patient Left Alone Act — called for patient visitation rights to not be impacted during disasters and emergencies. The law imposes a fine of no less than $500 for any hospital that violates visitation policies. The bill was primarily sponsored by Senators Warren Daniel, Joyce Krawiec and Danny Earl Britt Jr.

West Virginia Considers Adding More Counties

West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice and legislators are supportive of three Maryland counties becoming part of West Virginia. Legislative leaders of Maryland’s Garrett, Allegany and Washington counties sent letters asking the West Virginia Legislature to consider adding them to West Virginia. The request comes as West Virginia became one of the top 10 states in the nation for quarterly gross domestic product and reached a record-low unemployment rate. Justice said, “We’ve got it going on right now in West Virginia. We are knocking it out of the park. Why wouldn’t you want to come?” Justice pointed to personal freedoms in the state as the reason for the three counties seeking to join the Mountain State. He will be calling a special session in coming weeks so that lawmakers can consider officially making an offer to the three Maryland counties.