News
Sponsor says drag show bill is pro-children not anti-LGBTQ
FRANKFORT — A Kentucky bill that would criminalize “sexually explicit” performances by “male or female impersonators” on publicly-owned land or in front of children passed a Senate committee Thursday. Members of the? Senate Veterans, Military Affairs and Public Protection Committee voted to advance Senate Bill 115, sponsored by Sen. Lindsey Tichenor, R-Smithfield. A chant of […]
Bill moves to let Kentucky Horse Park hire outside merit system, share in local ‘bedroom’ tax
A state legislative panel unanimously approved a bill Thursday that would allow the Kentucky Horse Park to exclude its new hires from the state merit system designed to protect employees from political influence and enable the park to share in the “bedroom tax” collected by hotels, motels and other providers of overnight lodging in Fayette […]
Senate approves bill to preserve coal-fired power generation in Kentucky
FRANKFORT —The Senate on Thursday approved a bill to keep coal-fired power plants operating in Kentucky, as supporters of the measure railed against federal overreach and the few opponents warned the bill could result in costly state overregulation of utilities. Senate Bill 4 is opposed by the state’s investor-owned utilities, who say it would prevent […]
Kentucky House passes controversial anti-transgender bill
This story mentions suicide.?If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, please call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988.?The Trevor Project, which aims to end suicide among LGBTQ+ youth, also has trained counselors available around the clock. Reach them at 1-866-488-7386, via chat at https://www.thetrevorproject.org/get-help/, or by texting START to 678678.? […]
Remaining abortion clinics face more challenges if abortion pill limited by Texas judge
JACKSON, Miss. — The Pink House — otherwise known as Jackson Women’s Health Organization — was the center of the U.S. Supreme Court case that overturned the federal right to abortion in June. Today, the clinic, the only abortion clinic to serve Mississippi and the greater area for years, is shuttered. On a hot day […]
Senate Republicans take aim at Beshear in passing bill to ‘blow up’ KET board
Republicans in the Kentucky Senate, in passing a bill Wednesday to reorganize the board for Kentucky’s public television broadcaster, also used the opportunity to tee up criticism against the state’s Democratic governor.? Senate Bill 104, sponsored by Sen. Stephen Meredith, R-Leitchfield, would disband the current board for Kentucky Educational Television (KET) and require future gubernatorial […]
CROWN Act stalls in legislature
FRANKFORT — Supporters gathered on the Capitol steps Wednesday to cheer on a bill that would prohibit discrimination on the basis of braids, locks and twist hairstyles in Kentucky. Hours later the Senate passed over the bill for the fourth time.? Senate Bill 63, also known as the CROWN Act, appears to have stalled in […]
Two juvenile justice bills advance in Kentucky Senate. Here’s what they say.?
Two Senate bills aimed at addressing Kentucky’s juvenile justice issues cleared the Senate Appropriations and Revenue committee unanimously on Wednesday.? The first, SB162, would allot millions of dollars to the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ)? for salaries, retention, new workers, security upgrades and more – among other things.? Those price tags are: $3.2 million for […]
Torture a dog or cat? You could be charged with a felony under proposed Kentucky law??
Under a bipartisan bill that passed a House committee on Wednesday, Kentuckians who torture a dog or cat could be charged with a felony. House Bill 103 would make it a Class D felony to torture a domestic dog or cat. Two members of the House Standing Committee on Judiciary passed and 15 voted in […]
Bipartisan bill would clear way for distribution of fentanyl test strips in Kentucky
FRANKFORT — Fentanyl test strips could no longer be considered drug paraphernalia in Kentucky under a bipartisan bill that passed a House committee Wednesday.? The House Standing Committee on Judiciary approved the measure 17-0, with three members passing? House Bill 353, sponsored by Reps. Kimberly Poore Moser, R-Taylor Mill and Rachel Roberts, D-Newport, states:? “Testing […]
Cameron wants increased teacher pay, ‘far-left’ out of classroom
Kentucky Republican candidate for governor Daniel Cameron released his plans for Kentucky’s education system if elected in November. They include raising starting pay for teachers and keeping “far-left” policies at bay.? In a Wednesday press release, his campaign said his framework aims to “keep the far-left from indoctrinating our students” and that the attorney general […]
After compromise, small farm wineries self-distribution advances, awaits only a House vote
FRANKFORT — After the Kentucky Senate last week approved allowing Kentucky small farm wineries to self-distribute their products, a House of Representatives committee followed suit Wednesday.? The bill underwent some changes since it was filed after the wineries and the Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of Kentucky reached a compromise on the amount of wine the […]