PEOPLE UNDER 21 AND PROVIDED MORE FUNDING FOR MENTAL HEALTH, SCHOOL SAFETY AND STATE RED FLAG LAWS.

>> WE HAVE SHIFTED THE PARADIGM OF POWER AND OUR WORK WILL ULTIMATELY FIND VICTORY.

THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART FOR DOING THIS WITH ME AND TO ALWAYS, ALWAYS FIND HOPE.

THANK YOU.

♪ ♪ >> WHITNEY AUSTIN IS JOINING US NOW TO TALK ABOUT THAT DAY AND WHAT HAS TRANSPIRED SINCE.

WHAT IS IT LIKE FOR YOU LOOKING BACK ON THAT DAY ON SEPTEMBER 6?

>> IT'S REALLY HARD.

IT TAKES ME RIGHT BACK TO THOSE EMOTIONS I HAD, THINKING THAT I WASN'T GOING TO GET BACK TO MY FAMILY.

AND THOSE I LOVE IT ALSO MAKES ME THINK ABOUT OTHER VICTIMS OF GUN VIOLENCE WHO HAVE HAD THE SAME EXPERIENCE AND ALSO PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T GET WHAT I GOT.

THEY LOST THEIR LOVED ONES IN AN INCIDENT OF GUN VIOLENCE.

AND SO IT JUST BRINGS EVERYTHING BACK.

BUT IT ALSO REMINDS ME OF THE COMMITMENT THAT I'VE MADE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE ON THIS ISSUE AND TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER TO ENSURE LESS AND LESS INCIDENTS OF GUN VIOLENCE PLAY OUT.

>> YOU HAVE DONE A LOT OF WORK SINCE THAT HAPPENED.

BUT I WANT TO GO BACK TO THAT DAY AND TALK TO US ABOUT WHAT TRANSPIRED AND HOW YOU WERE FEELING IN THE MOMENTS THAT YOU WERE A PART OF THAT INCIDENT.

>> WHEN I WAS TAKING GUNFIRE, THE FIRST THOUGHTS I HAD WERE HOW DO I SURVIVE?

I HAVE TO LIVE.

I HAVE TO GET BACK TO MY PRECIOUS CHILDREN AND MY HUSBAND AND REALLY WENT THROUGH THE STEPS IN MY HEAD, WHAT ARE MY OPTIONS FOR SURVIVAL?

BUT THERE REALLY WEREN'T ANY.

ONCE I WENT THROUGH ALL OF THEM OTHER THAN TO PLAY DEAD AND THAT'S WHEN THE NEXT ROUND OF BULLETS CAME AND I REALLY RESIGNED MYSELF TO THIS IS IT.

I'M NOT GOING TO LIVE.

I'M NOT GOING TO GET BACK TO MY FAMILY.

BUT ON A DIME, THE CINCINNATI POLICE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AND DID EXACTLY WHAT THEY HAD BEEN TRAINED TO DO IN THAT MOMENT AND GOT ME OUT.

THEY TOOK THE SHOOTER DOWN.

THEY MADE CHER EVERYBODY ELSE WAS AS SAFE AS THEY COULD BE FROM THAT MOMENT FORWARD AND IT CONTINUED ON AND ON THAT EVERYBODY DID THE EXACT RIGHT THING TO MAKE SURE THAT I HAD A GOOD OUTCOME AND THAT CONTINUES FROM THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE PEOPLE TO ALL OF THE DOCTORS AND NURSES IN THE HOSPITAL, TO THE POINT OF ME WAKING UP LATER IN THE EVENING AFTER PASSING OUT FROM ALL OF MY INJURIES AND BEING SURROUNDED BY ALL OF THESE ANGELIC FACES AND THEM SAYING, WHITNEY, YOU ARE A MIRACLE.

YOU WERE SHOT 12 TIMES AND NONE OF THE BULLETS HIT ANY MAJOR ORGANS OR ARTERIES AND TO THIS DAY, MORE THAN SIX YEARS LATER, I STILL GET EMOTIONAL WHEN I SAY THOSE WORDS BECAUSE I KNOW THAT VERY FEW PEOPLE GET TO SAY THAT.

AND SO NOT ONLY WAS I FILLED WITH TREMENDOUS GRATITUDE THAT I WOULD LIVE, THAT I WOULD GET BACK TO THOSE PRECIOUS CHILDREN AND HUSBAND THAT I THOUGHT ABOUT IN THOSE EARLY MOMENTS.

BUT I WAS ALSO CONVICTED ALONG WITH MY HUSBAND, THAT WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING TO CHANGE THIS BECAUSE NOBODY DESERVES TO EXPERIENCE WHAT I WENT THROUGH.

AND WE CAN PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN.

SO IT WAS A WILD 24 HOURS OF SITTING WITH GRATITUDE, BUT ALSO LOOKING FORWARD.

HOW CAN WE MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

>> SO YOU KNEW THERE IN THE HOSPITAL, THAT YOUR LIFE'S WORK WOULD CHANGE BECAUSE OF THIS?

>> YEAH, WELL I DIDN'T EXACTLY KNOW TO WHAT EXTENT.

DIDN'T KNOW THAT IT WOULD BE CALLED WHITNEY STRONG OR WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE, BUT BOTH WALLER, MY HUSBAND AND I, WE KNEW THAT WE WREG GO WERE GOING TO DO SOMETHING.

I HAD CARED ABOUT THE ISSUE OF GUN VIOLENCE BEFORE I WAS SHOT.

I WOULD SAY IT WAS MY NUMBER ONE ISSUE, BUT LIKE SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY, WE GET BOGGED DOWN BY OTHER THINGS.

YOU KNOW, I WAS BEING A GOOD MOTHER, BEING A GOOD WIFE.

I WAS BEING A GOOD EMPLOYEE OF MY CORPORATION.

AND I THOUGHT THAT I DIDN'T HAVE ANY TIME TO GIVE FOR ANYONE ELSE AND NOW I KNOW THAT'S JUST NOT TRUE.

SO I HAD FOUND A WAY TO NOT PARTICIPATE IN CHANGE ON THE ISSUE OF GUN VIOLENCE.

AND WHEN IT HIT ME SO PERSONALLY, IT WAS JUST THAT FINAL SIGN.

YOU'VE BEEN GIVEN SIGNS.

NOW YOU'VE GOT THE LAST SIGN.

AND YOU CAN'T IGNORE IT ANY LONGER AND I DIDN'T WANT TO.

>> SINCE THEN, I MENTIONED YOU HAVE DONE SO MUCH WORK IN THIS ARENA.

FOR THOSE WHO MAY NOT KNOW, WHITNEY STRONG, WHERE DID THAT COME TO BE AND TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE WORK HAVE YOU DONE SINCE.

>> WELL, LIKE I SAID, IN THOSE EARLY HOURS, WE KNEW WE WANTED TO DO SOMETHING.

WE HAD A VISION FOR WHAT IT WOULD BECOME.

AND THE VISION WAS WE WANTED TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER.

WE WERE IN THAT HOSPITAL ROOM FOR ALMOST A WEEK AND THE CALLS AND THE EMAILS AND THE TEXT MESSAGES COMING IN WERE INCESSANT AND WERE FROM ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE, REALLY CONSERVATIVE PEOPLE, REALLY LIBERAL PEOPLE, GUN OWNING PEOPLE, NON-GUN OWNERRING PEOPLE.

AND THEY WERE ALL UNITED IN WHAT HAPPENED TO WHITNEY IS NOT OKAY AND WE ARE BEHIND YOU 100%.

LET US KNOW HOW WE CAN SUPPORT YOUR EFFORTS TO REDUCE GUN VIOLENCE.

SO WE HAD OUR OWN INFORMAL FOCUS GROUP GOING ON, LETTING US KNOW THAT THIS VISION WE HAD OF BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER WAS THE RIGHT VISION.

WE JUST NEEDED TO ENACT IT.

AND WE TECHNICALLY LAUNCHED THE ORGANIZATION WITHIN THREE WEEKS OF THE SHOOTING BECAUSE WE HAD THE NATIONAL INTERVIEWS LINED UP, THE ORGANIZATION WAS READY TO ACCEPT DONATIONS ON THAT DAY.

AND THEN REALLY IT TOOK A GOOD, YOU KNOW, 10 MONTHS FOR US TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WHITNEY STRONG WOULD LOOK LIKE AND MY ROLE WITHIN IT.

IT WAS AT THE 10-MONTH MARK AFTER THE SHOOTING THAT I MADE THE DECISION TO FOCUS SOLELY MY PROFESSION ON WHITNEY STRONG AND TO LEAD THE ORGANIZATION AND TO LEAVE MY BANKING CAREER BEHIND.

AND AS FAR AS THE NAME, IT REALLY CAME FROM THE BATTLE CRY OF PEOPLE IN THAT MOMENT.

THEY WERE USING THE #WHITNEYSTRONG BECAUSE OF ALL I HAD BEEN THROUGH AND THAT'S WHERE WE LANDED.

IN THAT MOMENT, THERE WAS A LOT OF ENERGY AROUND IT AND THAT'S THE NAME AND WE ARE STICKING WITH IT.

>> DO YOU FEEL STRONG?

>> I DO.

I FEEL MENTALLY VERY STRONG.

I COULD SPEND THE REST OF THIS INTERVIEW TELLING YOU ALL THE THINGS THAT WENT RIGHT FOR ME TO MAKE ME PHYSICALLY STRONG AND MENTALLY STRONG, BUT I WON'T.

I WILL SAY THAT I NEED TO CONTINUE TO BUILD UP MY PHYSICAL STRENGTH, WHICH I'VE BEEN WORKING ON BECAUSE I TOOK A LOT OF BULLETS TO MY RIGHT ARM AND TO MY LEFT ARM.

AND SO THERE IS OPPORTUNITY FOR GROWTH THERE.

BUT ON THE FLIP SIDE, THE MENTAL STRENGTH I KNOW IS VERY HIGH AND I WOULD SAY IT HAS A LOT TO DO WITH THE FACT THAT I GET TO HELP OTHER PEOPLE.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT I WOULD FEEL LIKE MENTALLY IF I WASN'T ABLE TO DO THIS PURPOSE-DRIVEN WORK BUT I GET TO WAKE UP EVERY DAY KNOWING THAT I'M DOING EVERYTHING THAT I CAN DO TO HELP ENSURE OTHER PEOPLE DON'T EXPERIENCE GUN VIOLENCE.

AND THAT, FOR ME, GOES A REALLY LONG WAY TO MAKING ME A MENTALLY STRONG PERSON.

>> YOU MENTIONED HOW SO MUCH OF WHAT YOU DO IS BRINGING BOTH OF THESE SIDES TOGETHER.

WHY IS THIS SUCH A POLITICAL ISSUE?

>> WELL, THAT IS ALSO A QUESTION THAT WOULD TAKE A LOT OF TIME TO ANSWER.

BUT IT IS SADLY ONE OF THOSE ISSUES THAT HAS BEEN POLITICIZED TO THE POINT THAT IT'S HARD TO EVEN HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH PEOPLE.

BUT WHAT WE HAVE FOUND IS TREATING IT FOR WHAT IT TRULY IS, WHICH IS A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS, WE NOW KNOW THAT IN AMERICA, THE NUMBER ONE CAUSE OF DEATH FOR OUR CHILDREN AND TEENS IS GUN VIOLENCE.

THAT THAT IS ONE WAY TO TAKE THE POLITICAL NATURE OUT OF THE CONVERSATION.

WE ARE TALKING ABOUT OUR KIDS AND WE ARE TALKING ABOUT WANTING LESS KIDS TO DIE SO LET'S DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

AND THE OTHER THING THAT WE FOUND IS REALLY IMPORTANT IN OUR WORK AND IN OUR MISSION STATEMENT, FINDING COMMON GROUND TO END GUN VIOLENCE THROUGH DATA DRIVEN RESPONSIBLE GUN OWNERSHIP SOLUTIONS IS TO FIND WHAT SOLUTIONS ARE COMMON GROUND.

AND NOR FOR US, WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IS MOSTLY FOLLOWING THE DATA.

SO WHEN IT COMES TO SOLUTIONS THAT ARE EVIDENCE-BASED, WHERE IS THERE BROAD SUPPORT.

SO IF THERE IS A SOLUTION THAT DOESN'T SEE BROAD SUPPORT FROM REPUBLICANS BUT DOES FROM DEMOCRATS, WE ARE NOT GOING TO PURSUE THAT SOLUTION.

WE ARE GOING TO STICK TO THE ONES THAT HAVE BROAD SUPPORT AND THERE HAVE BEEN REALLY QUITE A FEW POLLS CONDUCTED IN THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, SADLY WITH INCIDENT OF MASS VIOLENCE AFTER INCIDENT OF MASS VIOLENCE.

AND WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE MANY POLICIES THAT SEE BROAD SUPPORT AND SO I KNOW THAT THERE IS COMMON GROUND, NOT JUST BECAUSE OF THE DATA THAT TELLS ME THAT BUT BECAUSE OF THE INFORMAL FOCUS GROUP THAT HAPPENED BACK WHEN I WAS IN THE HOSPITAL AND THEN THAT, OF COURSE, EXTENDS INTO THE MANY, MANY CONVERSATIONS I'VE HAD WITH CONSTITUENTS ACROSS THE STATE AND ALSO WITH ELECTED OFFICIALS.

SO DOES THAT MAKE IT NOT POLITICAL?

NO, I HAVEN'T SOLVED THAT PROBLEM YET BUT I KNOW THAT MANY MINDS AND HEARTS HAVE BEEN CHANGED BY TAKING THIS MORE COMPASSIONATE APPROACH TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER.

SCWHR LET'S TALK ABOUT THE LEGISLATION?

LAST SESSION, THE CAR LEGISLATION CRISES IS AVERSION AND RIGHTS RETENTION.

EXPLAIN WHAT THAT IS AND WHAT HAPPENED WITH IT LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

>> THANK YOU FOR ASKING.

BACK TO THE DATA AND FOLLOWING THE DATA, WE KNOW THAT THERE IS BROAD SUPPORT FOR THIS POLICY AT THE NATIONAL LEVELS BUT WE DID OUR OWN POLL IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR, WE SURVEYED REPUBLICAN PRIMARY VOTERS AND WE FOUND THAT ACROSS THE STATE, 72% OF THEM SUPPORT CAR.

SO WE'VE GOT A LOT OF DATA TO SHOW THAT THIS IS A COMMON GROUND SOLUTION.

NOW WHAT IS IT?

CAR IS AN EVIDENCE-BASED TOOL THAT IS IN 21 PLUS STATES, ALTHOUGH CAR IS VERY CUSTOM FOR KENTUCKY.

THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE ARE OFFERING THAT OTHER STATES DON'T.

AND WHAT IT WILL DO IS REDUCE SUICIDE BY FIREARM ACROSS THE STATE AND ALSO INCIDENCE OF MASS VIOLENCE.

THERE ARE OTHER APPLICATIONS BUT THOSE ARE THE TWO THAT HAVE BEEN STUDIED THE MOST.

THE WAY IT WORKS IS WE HAVE MANY, MANY GUN OWNERS ACROSS THE STATE.

WE KNOW WE HAVE HIGH RATES OF FIREARM OWNERSHIP.

WHEN A GUN OWNER IS IN A CRISIS MOMENT AND HAS COMMUNICATED THAT THEY ARE INTENT UPON HARMING THEMSELVES IN AN ACT OF SUICIDE OR HARMING OTHERS, LIKE IN AN INCIDENT OF MASS VIOLENCE, THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO UTILIZE OUR COURT SYSTEM TO DETERMINE THAT THAT IS A LEGITIMATE RISK, A LEGITIMATE THREAT.

AND IF SO, THEN THE COURT WOULD BE ABLE TO DETERMINE IF THAT PERSON SHOULD SEE THEIR FIREARMS TEMPORARILY TRANSFERRED.

AND THEN EVEN MORE IMPORTANTLY, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THERE IS SOMETHING GOING ON WITH THAT HUMAN, PUTTING THEM IN THIS CRISIS PLACE, THAT WE WOULD PROVIDE THEM THE SUPPORT NECESSARY SO THEY CAN GET BACK TO A PLACE IN WHICH GUN OWNERSHIP OR GUN POSSESSION IS SAFE ONCE AGAIN.

AND THE OTHER THING THAT IS A PART OF THIS PROCESS, THERE IS ONE ADDITIONAL STEP IN THERE AND THAT IS BEFORE IT EVEN GETS TO THE COURT, LAW ENFORCEMENT IS ASKED TO DETERMINE IS THIS A REAL THREAT.

SHOULD THIS MOVE FORWARD TO THE COURTS?

SO WE FEEL THAT WE HAVE PUT A LOT OF PROTECTIONS IN PLACE TO ENSURE WE ARE GETTING AT THE SPECIFIC GROUP OF GUN OWNERS WHO ARE TRULY IN CRISIS AND ALSO WE ARE DOING IT IN A WAY THAT, ONCE AGAIN, IS COMPASSIONATE.

WE ARE HERE TO HELP YOU SO WE CAN GET YOU BACK TO A PLACE IN WHICH OWNING GUNS IS SAFE FOR YOU AND EVERYBODY IN YOUR COMMUNITY.

>> THAT, TO ME, BRINGS UP THE MASS SHOOTING HERE IN LOUISVILLE FROM LAST APRIL.

YOU HEARD FROM SO MANY PEOPLE AROUND THAT PERPETRATOR THAT WE KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG BUT WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO OR HOW TO HELP.

AND THIS IS EXACTLY SOMETHING THAT WOULD APPLY IN THAT SITUATION?

>> THIS IS EXACTLY THAT.

AND YOU KNOW, FOR ME, I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW I'M NOT HERE TO JUST GET THIS LAW PASSED.

I'M HERE TO MAKE IT EFFECTIVE.

AND SO ONCE IT DOES PASS, WE HAVE A HUGE RESPONSIBILITY, AND THAT IS TO MAKE SURE THAT KENTUCKIANS UNDERSTAND NUMBER 1 THAT IT EXISTS BUT 2 TO KNOW WHAT TO DO.

GREAT.

I HAVE A TOOL BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE WARNING SIGNS LOOK LIKE.

I DON'T KNOW WHO TO GO TO IF I'M CONCERNED ABOUT A LOVED ONE OR A FRIEND.

AND THEN THE OTHER PIECE OF THAT EDUCATION IS MAKING SURE THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT IS THE BEST THAT THEY CAN BE BECAUSE IF THEY'RE APPROACHING SOMEONE WHO IS SUEDAL, THEN SUICIDAL THEN THEY NEED A CERTAIN SET OF SKILLS THEY MAY NOT HAVE.

IF THEY HAVE SOMEONE THREATENING A LARGE GROUP OF PEOPLE, THEY DON'T HAVE THE SKILLS, AND IN OTHER STATES WE HAVE SEEN THEM USE FEDERAL DOLLARS THAT CAME FROM THE PASSAGE OF THE BIPARTISAN SAFER COMMUNITIES ACT TO EDUCATE PEOPLE SO THAT IT CAN BE THE MOST EFFECTIVE LAW THAT IT CAN BE.

IT'S MY PROMISE THAT IT DOESN'T END ONCE THE BILL IS PASSED.

I WANT US TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE THE MOST EDUCATED STATE AND WE KNOW HOW TO USE THE TOOL THAT WE HAVE.

>> AND SOME OF THAT EDUCATION GOES TO THESE SAVE A LIFE TRAININGS THAT YOU ALL ARE DOING.

THEY'RE ONGOING.

WHAT DO THOSE INCLUDE AND HOW ARE THOSE IN THIS MIX?

>> SO BACK TO BEING IN THE HOSPITAL ROOM AND THINKING ABOUT WHAT WHITNEY STRONG WAS GOING TO LOOK IKE AND HOW TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER, WE KNEW THAT WE DIDN'T JUST WANT TO FOCUS ON LEGISLATION.

WE KNEW THAT THERE WERE THINGS WE COULD BE DOING ON A DAILY BASIS TO MAKE COMMUNITIES SAFER AND THAT'S WHAT THE SAVE A LIFE PROGRAM IS.

SAVE A LIFE OFFERS THREE DIFFERENT TRAININGS THAT ARE FOCUSED ON DIFFERENT FORMS OF GUN VIOLENCE.

SO WE OFFER SUICIDE PREVENTION TRAIN.

WE OFFER STOP THE BLEED TRAINING AND WE OFFER FIREARM SAFETY.

AND STARTING WITH THE FIRST ONE, SUICIDE PREVENTION, THE TRAINING WE OFFER ADULTS IS CALLED QPR, QUESTION, PERSUADE, REFER.

AND IT TIES BACK TO YOUR QUESTION.

IT'S HELPING PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHAT SUICIDAL WARNING SIGNS LOOK LIKE SO THEY CAN RECOGNIZE THEM.

BUT ALSO BE ABLE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH SOMEONE WHO IS SUICIDAL BECAUSE THAT IS JUST NOT A COMMON CONVERSATION AND IT TAKES PRACTICE AND COURAGE TO BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT IT.

SO YOU PRACTICE THAT IN THE TRAINING.

AND THEN LASTLY, YOU ARE INFORMED AS TO WHAT MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE IN YOUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE WE ALL HAVE LIMITATIONS AS NON-THERAPISTS, NON-BEHAVIORAL HEALTH EXPERTS.

AND SO THAT IS WHAT IS OFFERED THROUGH SUICIDE PREVENTION.

STOP THE BLEED IS MUCH MORE EMERGENCY RESPONSE.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HELPED SAVE MY LIFE WAS A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER PUTTING TWO TOURNIQUETS ON MY LEFT ARM WHEN I WAS RESCUED FROM THE REVOLVING DOOR OF MY BUILDING.

SO WE OFFER THAT.

LASTLY WE DO A LOT OF TRAINING ON WHAT SAFE HANDLING OF FIERPSES LOOKS LIKE AND WHAT SAFE STORAGE LOOKS LIKE BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT SO MANY FORMS OF GUN VIOLENCE CAN BE PREVENTED IF FIREARMS ARE SAFELY STORED.

WE CAN PROTECT OUR CHILDREN FROM ACCIDENTALLY TOUCHING A GUN AND HARMING THEMSELVES.

WE CAN PROTECT YOUTH AND ADULTS STRUGGLING WITH SUICIDAL THOUGHTS AND LASTLY WE CAN PREVENT CRIME BECAUSE OFTEN GUNS ARE STOLEN FROM OUR CARS AND FROM OUR HOMES AND USED FOR CRIMINAL INTENT, WHICH IS THE EXACT OPPOSITE OF THE REASON THE GUN OWNER HAS THE GUN IN THE FIRST PLACE.

SO WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME TRAINING ON, AGAIN, SAFE STORAGE AND HOW THAT CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

AND AT THIS MOMENT IN TIME, IN KENTUCKY, SAVE A LIFE IS ONLY BEING OFFERED IN LOUISVILLE COMMUNITIES THAT SEE THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF SHOOTINGS.

WE WANT TO BE WHERE WE CAN MAKE THE MOST IMPACT.

BUT WE'VE SEEN THE PROGRAM EXPAND INTO RURAL AREAS IN OHIO, FOR EXAMPLE, WHERE WE ARE GOING STRAIGHT TO THE COUNTIES THAT SEE THE HIGHEST RATES OF FIREARMS SUICIDE AND IN THE STATE OF KENTUCKY, WE KNOW THAT THE MAJORITY OF GUN DEATHS ARE ATTRIBUTED TO SUICIDE MORE THAN 500 EACH YEAR.

AND WE ALSO KNOW THAT OUR FIREARM SUICIDES ARE HAPPENING AT A RATE THAT IS 1.2 TIMES HIGHER THAN RURAL AREAS THAN URBAN AREAS.

SO WE ARE VERY HOPEFUL TO BE ABLE TO EXPAND OUR SAVE A LIFE PROGRAMMING INTO RURAL COUNTIES IN KENTUCKY IN THE NEXT SIX MONTHS TO A YEAR.

>> SO GOING BACK TO THE CAR LEGISLATION, YOU KNOW, YOU HAD A BIPARTISAN BILL WITH, AS YOU MENTIONED, WIDE SUPPORT ON BOTH SIDES.

WHAT HAPPENED AND WHY DIDN'T IT GET ACROSS THE FINISH LINE IN THE LAST SESSION AND WHAT IS NEXT?

>> WELL, THERE IS STILL A DIFFERENCE IN BETWEEN OR STILL A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HAVING BROAD SUPPORT AMONGST CONSTITUENTS AND KENTUCKIANS VERSUS BROAD SUPPORT IN THE LEGISLATURE.

AND IN THIS LAST SESSION, WE CERTAINLY SAW THAT GROUP OF SUPPORT GROW.

SO THAT WAS EXCITING.

WE HIT SOME SIGNIFICANT MILESTONES LIKE AN INTERIM HEARING AND ALSO BEING ABLE TO PULL A LARGE GROUP OF PEOPLE TOGETHER FOR THAT HEARING AND THEN ALSO FOR OUR ADVOCACY DAY.

BUT THIS IS WHERE THE ADVOCATES, THE EVERYDAY PEOPLE, REALLY HAVE A HUGE ROLE TO PLAY IN GETTING THIS BILL ACROSS THE FINISH LINE.

SO I CAN ENCOURAGE ALL OF THE VIEWERS WHO ARE ON THE SAME PAGE AS ME ABOUT THIS LEGISLATION THAT IT'S REALLY MAKING A DIFFERENCE.

I'M SEEING MORE AND MORE ELECTED OFFICIALS MOVE FROM NOT SUPPORTIVE TO THE MIDDLE.

AND THOSE KIND OF IN THE MIDDLE AND UNSURE TO SUPPORTIVE.

IT'S WORKING.

IT'S NOT MOVING AS FAST AS WOULD I LIKE IT TO MOVE BUT IT ONLY MOVES FASTER THE MORE ENGAGED YOU BECOME.

AND SO I WOULD ASK PEOPLE TO GO TO WHITNEY STRONG.ORG AND TO SIGN OUR PETITION OF SUPPORT FOR THE BILL BECAUSE NOT ONLY WILL THAT ALLOW US TO, YOU KNOW, PROVIDE A TANGIBLE NUMBER TO ELECTED OFFICIALS AS TO HOW MANY PEOPLE SUPPORT IT.

BUT IT WILL ALSO PUT YOU INTO OUR ADVOCACY GROUP, IF YOU WILL, TO BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE FUTURE WITH THE NEXT HEARING OR THE NEXT ADVOCACY DAY.

SO THERES STILL SO MUCH OPPORTUNITY TO GET THIS FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD AND I THINK THAT KENTUCKIANS CAN REALLY HELP ME MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

>> ALSO LOOKING AHEAD, A RECENT SUPREME COURT DECISION.

U.S.

VS. RAHINI WHICH IS GOING TO HAVE A BIG IMPACT ON THE CAR LEGISLATION.

EXPLAIN THAT.

>> I FEEL LIKE THIS IS THE BIGGEST THING THAT HAS HAPPENED FOR US SINCE THE PASSAGE OF THE BIPARTISAN SAVE OUR COMMUNITIES ACT.

I'M EXCITED ABOUT IT.

FIRST AND FOREMOST, IT IS A WIN FOR VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE BECAUSE WHAT IT ENSURED IS ANYONE WHO IS UNDER PROTECTION ORDER FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, THAT THEY ARE PROHIBITED PERSON, THEY CANNOT HAVE ACCESS TO FIREARMS.

SO THAT'S REALLY A BIG WIN.

BUT AS PART OF THAT DECISION, THEY WROTE CHIEF JUSTICE ROBERTS WROTE IN THE MAJORITIES OPINION THAT BASICALLY THERE IS MORE INFORMATION TO BE SHARED ON THE SECOND AMENDMENT.

AND I'M PARAPHRASING HERE, BUT WHAT HE WROTE, AND THIS WAS AN 8-1 DECISION BY THE WAY, THAT IF AN INDIVIDUAL IS FOUND TO BE A CREDIBLE THREAT BY A COURT, TO BE A DANGER TO SOMEONE ELSE'S PHYSICAL SAFETY, THAT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SECOND AMENDMENT, THAT PERSON CAN BE TEMPORARILY DISAWAYED.

-- DISARMED.

NOW THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT CAR IS.

THERE COULD BE NO MORE CLEAR LANGUAGE AS TO THE CONSTITUTIONALITY OF CAR AND WHILE I DON'T-- I KNOW THAT REGULAR KENTUCKIANS DON'T WALK AROUND SAYING THAT CAR ISN'T CONSTITUTIONAL, THERE ARE CERTAINLY SOME ELECTED OFFICIALS IN FRANKFORT THAT DO SAY THAT.

AND NOW THEY CAN'T SAY THAT BECAUSE IT WAS AN 8-1 DECISION FROM THE SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES.

AND AGAIN, THERE WAS NO MINCING OF WORDS.

THAT LANGUAGE WAS VERY CLEAR AND IT VERY ACCURATELY DESCRIBES WHAT CAR WILL DO.

SO I'M REALLY EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO BRING THAT NEW INFORMATION INTO MEETINGS WITH ELECTED OFFICIALS.

AND TO HAVE JUST ONE MORE FEATHER IN OUR CAP AS TO WHY KENTUCKY SHOULD DO THIS.

>> IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU DID HERE VERY OFTEN FROM LAWMAKERS?

THAT THEY WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THE SCALT CONSTITUTIONALITY OF IT.

>> IT CAME UP IN THE HEARING OF DECEMBER OF 2023, SO I'M EAGER TO GO BACK TO ALL OF THOSE ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO HAD THAT CONCERN AND SAY, AGAIN, WE NOW HAVE THE MAJORITY OPINION FROM THE CHIEF JUSTICE AND WE DON'T HAVE TO QUESTION THIS ANYMORE.

IT IS CONSTITUTIONAL.

SO NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT MAYBE WHAT OTHER AREAS YOU THINK NEED TO BE TWEAKED SO WE CAN GET THIS TO THE BEST PLACE TO PASS IN KENTUCKY.

AND TO TAKE CARE OF OUR KENTUCKIANS AND OUR COMMUNITIES.

>> YOU CAN WATCH, STREAM AND SHARE THIS EPISODE ANY TIME ON AT KET.ORG/INSIDE LOUISVILLE.

IF YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT CAR LEGISLATION, WE HAVE COVERED THAT EXTENSIVELY ON KENTUCKY EDITION.

YOU CAN SEE PAST EPISODES AT ket.org/KENTUCKY EDITION.

WATCH WEEK NIGHTS AT 6:30 EASTERN TO FOLLOW THE LATEST HAPPENING IN FRANKFORT.

THANKS FOR SPENDING TIME TODAY GETTING TO KNOW LOUISVILLE.

I HOPE WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME FOR INSIDE LOUISVILLE... UNTIL THEN, MAKE IT A GREAT WEEK!

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪