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Knowingly owning child sex dolls one step closer to being a felony in Kentucky
In a move that Edgewood Republican Rep. Stephanie Dietz said will help “protect our children from predators and exploitation,” the Kentucky House on Monday passed her bill to ban child sex dolls. House Bill 207 would make it a Class D felony to knowingly own or sell a child sex doll — defined as a […]
Kentucky data could aid research into deaths related to epilepsy under bill headed for House
FRANKFORT —? Angie Nieters lost her 14-year-old daughter, Jami Smith, in September 2019 quite suddenly.? Jami, who had epilepsy with generalized tonic clonic seizures, lay down to take a nap after school, Nieters told members of the House Committee on Health Services Thursday.? “After 45 minutes, we went in there to check on her and […]
Kentucky pharmacies could continue vaccinating children under bill headed to full House
FRANKFORT — A House bill that would allow Kentucky pharmacies to continue administering vaccines to children ages 5-17 with parental or guardian consent passed unanimously out of a committee Thursday.? House Bill 274 is “not a mandate” to get vaccinated at a pharmacy, sponsor and pharmacist Rep. Danny Bentley, R-Russell, told members of the House […]
Despite increase, House budget won’t save Kentucky child care from ‘cliff,’ advocates say
FRANKFORT — Faith Lutheran Learning Center, a child care provider in Lexington, is already operating on a budget deficit.? And while the GOP budget that came out of the House Thursday does some good for child care, center director Charla Heersche said it’s not enough to keep her out of the red. COVID-era federal dollars […]
Saying pregnancy is ‘very complicated,’ Kentucky Democrat seeks to restore abortion access
FRANKFORT — Despite believing there is “very little appetite” in the Republican-controlled Kentucky legislature to roll back abortion bans, a Lexington Democrat hopes her own story of becoming a mother appeals to “friendly faces across the aisle.” Rep. Lindsey Burke, D-Lexington, is filing three bills that roll back all abortion bans in Kentucky, protect medical […]
Kentucky legislators introducing ‘sexually explicit’ ban bills again?
A Kentucky senator and representative will file mirror legislation Tuesday aimed at regulating “adult oriented businesses” and how close they can be to minors: no closer than a city block.? Sen. Lindsey Tichenor, R-Smithfield, and Rep. Nancy Tate, R-Brandenburg, want their respective bills to move simultaneously, they said at a Tuesday press conference.? Should the […]
Bill to get home blood test kits covered by Medicaid passes Kentucky House?
FRANKORT — A bill that would require Kentucky Medicaid to cover at-home blood test kits passed the House 93-0 Monday. House Bill 31 can now advance to the Senate. HB31 would make life easier for Medicaid patients who take blood thinners for their mechanical heart valves. Some patients need the blood thinners after drug use […]
House bill to ensure Medicaid coverage for at-home blood tests advances
FRANKORT — A Kentucky house bill that would require Medicaid to cover at-home International Normalized Ratio (INR) kits unanimously passed the House Health Services Committee Thursday with bipartisan support.? Sponsor Rep. Deanna Frazier Gordon, R-Richmond, told her colleagues this is a “common sense” bill and “cost saving measure.”? Medical experts previously told the Lantern the […]
Democrats file bill to undo Kentucky ban on some medical care for trans minors
FRANKORT — Two Kentucky Democrats filed a bill Thursday seeking to undo a law that bans gender affirming medical care for transgender minors.? Senate Bill 150 passed the general assembly in 2023. Democrat Gov. Andy Beshear vetoed the bill, but the Republican supermajority overruled his veto, and the bill became law.? As a result, Kentucky […]
Sen. Amanda Mays Bledsoe back at work after horse kick, emergency surgery
FRANKFORT — Sen. Amanda Mays Bledsoe was back at work Thursday a little more than a month after she announced she was kicked in the face by a horse and had to have emergency surgery.? Bledsoe, R-Lexington, was caring for a family horse on Dec. 15 when she was “unexpectedly kicked in the face” and […]
Temporary removal of firearms bill ‘constitutionally sound,’ says Republican sponsor
This story mentions suicide. If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, please call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988. FRANKFORT — Admitting it faces a “tough uphill climb,” Republican Sen. Whitney Westerfield filed a bill on Thursday to temporarily remove firearms from Kentuckians at risk of harming themselves or others. […]
Bill criminalizing child sex dolls, deep fake child porn advances in Kentucky legislature?
FRANKFORT — Knowingly owning or selling? child sex dolls would become a felony in Kentucky under a Republican bill that unanimously passed a House committee Wednesday.? The bill also criminalizes the use of artificial intelligence to create child pornography or to create fake images that use real children as the source, said the sponsor, Rep. […]