♪ ♪ >> Sense of closure for families who helped advocate for a sweeping anti crime Bill.

>> I've got the ability to call for help anywhere.

I walk on this campus.

>> New security measures at schools features that let teachers sound an alarm with just the push of a button.

♪ Well, us the big Blue faithful popped off.

Mark Pope.

>> Production of Kentucky Edition is made possible in part by the KET Teen Millennium Fund.

♪ ♪ Good evening and welcome to Kentucky EDITION on this Monday.

April, the 15th, you know what day it is tax filing day.

>> Thank you so much for joining us.

Hope you daughter got an extension.

I'm Renee Shaw.

>> It's the last day of the 2024 Kentucky General Assembly in regular session.

State lawmakers are still gathered in Frankford working to push through final legislation before midnight tonight.

More than 1000 bills were filed this year.

Many were passed and others failed to gain enough traction.

One high-profile bill that did become law will mean harsher penalties for those who commit violent crimes.

Governor Andy Beshear vetoed House Bill 5 called the Safer Kentucky Act.

But last week, the legislature swiftly overrode that veto today.

Kentucky's secretary of state Michael Adams signed the Safer Kentucky Act into law alongside Jefferson County, House Republicans and the victims of violent crime.

>> Today offered some closure to families who have lost loved ones to violent crime.

One provision of the Safer Kentucky Act which lawmakers had tried to pass in previous years is named after Madeleine Trout.

Whose picture you saw?

She's the Louisville teen who was killed in 2021 when a driver under the influence crashed into her.

The Trump family testified in favor of the Safer Kentucky Act as it moved through the Legislature.

>> We save one life.

♪ ♪ We're trying to sign up for your talent 2 years ago.

It passed the House and never got to the >> we >> apologize for.

The poor audio there.

The provision of House Bill 5 named after model on Trout would set limits on nonprofits that bail people out of jail.

The driver who crashed into Madeleine had recently been bailed out by the Louisville Bell project.

The Trump family had sued the project for this, but a Jefferson County Circuit judge dismissed that case in 2022.

Step-by-step regulations surrounding medical marijuana are inching their way toward final passage.

This legislative session today, the full Senate took up House Bill 8.29, which works out the details about who can grow and sell medical marijuana starting next year.

It passed, but not without some Republican pushback.

>> In essence.

All 8.29.

Does set up the Office of Medical Cannabis and carries out the provisions of SB.

47 as was passed last year.

>> I think that the bill itself that its proposed is actually a good change.

But since that is principally opposed to medical medical marijuana and vote against a bill raising, I would just be consistent.

>> Is it does apply guardrails to an already existing bill.

And most importantly, to me, this does not allow for smoking of marijuana, but not what this year's show with that Mister President, I vote Aye.

>> The Senate made some changes to the bill.

So it went back to the House for final approval.

State Representative Jason Amos, who sponsored the bill said one of the changes makes it so that school districts can opt out of the medical marijuana program.

>> So a local school, private or public can opt out and not be part of the program if they want to be part of the program, then the required to have a process in place by which the student will receive the medication.

So to put some meat on the bones, for example, if a particular in Campbell County, for example, I wanted to not be a part of the program.

They would just past that its board of Education meeting.

And then I'm getting the Campbell County students would be allowed to have the medication receive the medication while they're in school.

>> House Bill 8.29, is now headed to the governor's desk of the governor.

Can either sign the bill into law allow to become law without his signature or veto it because today is the final day of the session.

Lawmakers forfeit the chance to override any vetoes issued by the governor.

Well, a wide ranging maternal health measure that expands insurance access and wraparound services to pregnant women in Kentucky is in a race against time.

This session, the House originally the momnibus bill, as it's called aims to improve the states dismal maternity mortality rates.

That measure is House Bill 10, a complimentary measure Senate Bill, 74 would study and review cases of infant and maternity maternal mortality in the state.

Today, the House Health Services chair and sponsor of the mamas.

But Bill latched her House Bill 10 on to Senate Bill, 74, a common practice when lawmakers are pressed for time in a session to pass bills.

>> This House floor amendment will add the provisions of the maternal health momnibus legislation.

House Bill 10 with the original House Committee, sir, and the floor mat and a floor amendment which exempted short-term limited duration plans and small-group plans from the insurance cover recall coverage requirements for the special enrollment period for pregnancy to Senate Bill.

74.

This all passed the House unanimously.

The Senate committee saw which was added in the Senate has been removed in this.

>> The latest bill gained bipartisan support in the House.

The changes still need to be signed off by the full Senate.

And at the time we prepared this broadcast tonight, the bill had yet to be taken up for a final vote by the Senate.

The House also voted to approve changes to a bill requiring masks intervention for students in kindergarten through 3rd grade who are falling behind House Bill one.

62 overwhelmingly backed passed.

Both chambers, then a Senate floor amendment added 5 million dollars in each year of the budget for the bill.

Today, the House passed House Bill one 62 by a vote of 95 to 0 sending it on to the governor's desk.

It's official.

Robbie Fletcher will be Kentucky's new education commissioner.

The Senate confirmed Fletcher late this afternoon shortly before airtime.

Today's confirmation vote followed Friday's meeting with the Senate Education Committee where Fletcher share his philosophy on education.

This is the first time and education commissioner in Kentucky has made it approval by the Senate.

That's following a bill that passed last year.

A native Kentuckyian Fletcher has served as a teacher, a principal, a professor and a superintendent all here in the Commonwealth.

He'll begin his new role on July.

1st, a programming note for you as the 2024 Kentucky General Assembly comes to a close will look back and what lawmakers passed this session.

What still hangs in the balance until midnight and what they dodged altogether.

Joined for veteran observers of Kentucky politics as they recapped the session on Kentucky tonight this evening at 8 Eastern 7 central right here on KET.

Kentucky.

Lawmakers are showing their support for Israel.

Iran launched an unprecedented attack on Israel Sunday morning.

Early ratcheting up tensions in the region.

The act confirmed fears that the Israel-Hamas war could spiral into a broader act of aggression today.

Kentucky's legislative Israeli caucus issued a statement calling Iran's attack, quote, yet another example of the lack of desire to have any long-term peace agreement.

And it is a clear indication and example of its calls to eliminate the right of Israel to exist and quote.

Now in other news, an official is in jail after being arrested by the FBI Perry County Commonwealth's Attorney Scott Blair was arrested last week.

He's being held in the Laurel County Detention Center.

According to court documents, Blair is accused of helping multiple defendants in exchange for sex and meth.

He's facing a federal wire fraud charge, Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman said that while Blair is innocent until proven guilty, he should step down.

In a statement, he said, quote, Given the serious accusations of abusing his office to assist criminals in exchange for drugs and sexual favors the public good demands that Scott Blair immediately resign, end quote, The last Commonwealth's attorney to be arrested by the FBI in Kentucky was impeached by the Kentucky State Senate.

It was the body's first impeachment hearing and trial and 135 years.

5 days after marking the one-year anniversary of the old National Bank shooting.

Louisville is remembering the victims of another shooting.

2 people were killed and 4 others injured when shots were fired into a crowd at Chickasaw Park one year ago today.

No arrests have been made.

Police say there were hundreds of people in the park when the shooting happened.

But no one has come forward today.

Louisville's mayor and police chief pleaded for people to speak up.

>> Some people think that there's nothing they can do to help address our gun violence problem.

That's not correct.

Everyone can help.

And here's how.

We need people to speak up.

When crimes like this happen.

We need people.

Yes.

We need people to provide information.

To help us resolve crimes like this and hold those accountable who are using guns to cause harm and take people's lives.

Because a year later.

We're still we're still not solved these crimes that happened the year ago.

And there are far too many other crimes like this one that are still unsolved.

In our community.

>> Our investigators did not get families and faces those.

>> Who was shot and killed.

They are working tirelessly to build cases.

But if no one was safe, they know where they see anything.

How are we able to bring justice to the families?

Local?

We've got to do better.

>> To the witnesses of that shooting, please come forward.

I'm Ashley pleading for the suspects in this case.

Please come forward.

Give even yourself the piece that uni and make this situation right.

>> The city says steps have been taken to make parks safer, including installing 4 million dollars worth of new lighting.

Former University of Kentucky President David Roselle has died.

Rosell said confirmed the news to the Lexington Herald-Leader.

He was the university's 9th president and served from 1987 to 90 90 before becoming president of the University of Delaware.

In a statement current UK President doctor Eli Capilouto said Roselle's tenure was marked by, quote, the growth of our institution as a nationally recognized research institution and a steadfast commitment to integrity, even in the face at times of withering criticism, unquote.

In 2011, a dorm, a new case in North campus was named after President Roselle.

He was 84 years old.

Funeral arrangements are still pending.

♪ A Kentucky school district is protecting students, faculty and staff with new technology.

>> It's a wearable device in which teachers can sound the alarm on anything from medical emergencies.

2 worst-case scenarios, an active shooter.

Our Laura Rogers shows us how it works.

>> It's a simple as push button help comes.

It's essentially life alert for the schools.

>> Meade County schools, the first in the states to employ new safety technology has provided the tool that's essential to law with the push of a button.

Faculty and staff can send an alert to that.

Someone's in trouble.

The at a medical emergency or safety with this technology.

We pinpoint where the problem could be and be able to attack immediately.

It's cold since he ticks crisis alert.

It's been in schools across the southeast for the past few years and is now making its way into Kentucky.

When we first put the technology out there, we want to be a very simple solution for end users.

And so one button empowers everybody.

One press indicate some minor emergency keeping the response within the school building.

But multiple presses places a silent 9-1-1.

Call putting campus on Every single thing that's happened ever since Parkland has obviously put safety on the front of everybody's radar and at the top of everybody's desk, the Brandenburg Police chief says in a previous active shooter drill, it took them 8 minutes to find the shooter.

test with this technology.

They receive a notification and 6 seconds just to be able to have that time on our hands to be able to get to the situation and be able to stop.

That threat is critical for any situation.

Administrators say the system increases efficiency and brings peace of mind to students and staff.

We've got position them for success by making sure they're safe.

And we have a response to everyday situations and worst case scenarios.

Crisis alert has been in Meade County schools for 2 months now.

The school board was prepared to use general fund dollars to pay for the system, but a local and history partnered with them.

>> To cover the cost.

Geoff Downes tells me dozens more.

Kentucky school districts are interested for Kentucky edition.

I'm Laura Rogers.

Thank you.

Laura.

Faculty and staff are required to wear the device during the school day, but administrators say many are also wearing it during after school activities like sporting events, just in case.

Morehead, State University announced a masters of social work program last week.

The new course comes courtesy of a grant from the Kentucky Association of Health Plans and is aimed at bringing more advanced level social workers to eastern Kentucky.

>> We have a great need.

>> advanced practitioners in our eastern Kentucky increased need and a lot of things that we just don't always have.

There's a gap between our needs and what we actually have been trained professionals.

I'm so that's really the we need to fill that gap between the need of the region they advance packed.

>> Shares and social a social workers are really the glue that holds our behavior health system together, warheads unique, a location in eastern Kentuckyian the communities that it serves beer or particularly in need of the You know, we recognize a different challenges with social determinants of health and how they impact our health care system in Kentucky.

So it's really important and wonderful way to kick start that program by doing it here.

>> It is a very to have more social within our area because there's such an aide.

We do not have a we don't have very much access to started saying things like transportation.

Things of that sort and people like within the community.

We do recognize the names, teammate, certain individuals, especially like with substance abuse disorder and many other things.

The one of the things that we get feedback from from the legislature >> is that we have a crisis in rural health care in Kentucky.

It's not just a crisis of people that need services, but it's also health care deserts.

This is a way to address that.

You come here.

You can do your undergraduate to be in the past year.

History.

>> And then you can work in our So I think it's going to have a ripple effect.

One by one of my professors, always sites.

If it's in the community, we can find a solution.

The community.

>> And that's something that has always stuck with So if we have more community members, that's more the chance that we're able to make a bigger change.

>> According to Davis and many students in MSU Social work, undergraduate program have already shown interest in sticking around to get their masters.

The program will begin next year.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ And passed out Rupp Arena yesterday to welcome Mark Pope back to Kentucky.

The pope was a player on the 1996 national championship team.

>> Some of his fellow teammates were with them.

You saw him now.

Pope is the new coach of the men's basketball team replacing John Calipari during yesterday's news conference coach Pope talked about what the team will look like in the future, how the cats will approach the NCAA tournament and how Kentucky compares to other basketball programs.

>> We're talking all the guys on the current team.

All the guys have been recruited in just about every single player in the portal right now.

And we're going to fight.

We're going to we're going to find the guys that fit here.

The way we play and the guys who will come here and understand what a gift it is to play here at the University, Kentucky.

>> What is your plan to make sure that this march you guys, what is a program here farther in the tournament?

Listen, that's the job, guys.

That is the job like were not ducking it.

That is the assignment.

We know the assignment.

That's what it is right.

And frankly, if you're too cautious, are too worried >> to take on that challenge, don't come to Kentucky because there's nothing else is acceptable.

I would say there is no doubt that there are great programs all around the country.

There are great programs.

There's no doubt.

And that's true.

And it's also true that there is nowhere like the University, Kentucky.

Listen, you guys are are living proof of that.

>> That's were we had a little cold arms, a little called to help and getting fit and all the all the Kentucky people in this building this evening, right there is nowhere like this guy's and miss it.

Don't you think?

That you are not making a difference because this video is going out to every recruit in America.

>> Coach Pope says he understands the assignment.

He says this cats will work hard and aim to win every game and get those banners in the rafters.

He says when they do lose, they'll be resilient, adjust and work to win the next game.

Good luck.

♪ Kentucky.

Maybe a landlocked state, but the Newport Aquarium in northern Kentucky is working to make sure that interacting with sea creatures and learning about aquatic conservation efforts are accessible to everyone around the Commonwealth.

♪ ♪ >> I love telling people about what goes on behind the scenes because even my family, when I say, oh, I work at an aquarium and I take care of the animals, they're not quite sure what that means.

And it's not just sprinkling some flakes in the top of your home tank or scrubbing a little out now.

And then.

>> We're just looking at the husbandry aspect of animal care aspect.

We have a team of 14 biologists.

>> And a curator, 2 assistant curators, a vet Tech, a vet.

And then we also have our dive safety officers that are >> in charge of other divers and our volunteer divers.

>> They're definitely hundreds of different species in this building.

And they range from everything with backbones to no backbones to brains to no brains.

Everything in between.

We order in huge pallets of food.

As you can imagine, some of our animals are big eaters.

Our sharks eat 3 times a Our start crazy every day of the week.

Our Penguins eat a lot of food.

>> We do have 2 separate kitchens.

The penguins have their own kitchen because they're the number one eaters.

They eat the most out of everybody here at the aquarium.

>> Each penguin can eat about 14% of their body weight every single day.

And that equates to about 500 pounds per bird per year.

So it's a lot of food that we go through and we do have to supplement them with vitamins and things like that to ensure that they be getting the quality of food that they would be getting out in the wild.

We definitely takes a zoo.

2 feet we're in a >> we actually look at the natural histories of every single animal before we'll put them in exhibit to make sure that it is the right conditions for them to determine who goes where we do have what is called an ICP.

It is a interim collection plan.

That's what we use.

And it is basically developed by the biologists as well as our curators and assistant curators.

And we sit down and we look at the natural history of each animal and determine whether or this exhibit that we have is going to be a good home for them if they're going to get along with their tank mates land.

We just have to KET all of those things in mind.

>> One of the animals they love to tell people about the care is the is the jellyfish.

So jellyfish is so simple as an animal, there's no brain.

There's no blood.

There's nothing in there.

They just pulled its electrical system.

Nervous system at all and decides that they are some of the hardest animals to take care a little fun fact.

You have an airlie in your tank in.

There's a tiny air bubble that gets inside that jellyfish.

It will actually eat a hole through that jellyfish.

It takes a lot of attention to make sure that everything is working properly.

And these are animals so they can tell you in some things.

>> Miss.

So it takes a lot of attention to detail to pick out a problem.

Public aquariums are very important because it actually allows people to reach out and interact with animals and species and conservation messages that they wouldn't necessarily have the means to.

>> We are actually trying to debunk myths that people have heard and just help educate people and really give them an idea of how these animals are important and how they KET the planet in a nice healthy >> cool stuff.

Indeed.

We have everything from the naming of a river to a pioneering Jackie has our Toby Gibbs look back at this week in Kentucky history.

♪ >> Doctor Thomas Walker named the Cumberland River on April 17th 17, 50.

It's believed to be named after William Augustus.

The Duke of Cumberland, the youngest son of King George.

The second the river begins in Harlan County flows into Tennessee, then flows back into Kentuckyian at the end of the Ohio River in Livingston County.

Kentucky adopted its constitution on April 1970, 90 to about 6 weeks before joining the union on June.

1st.

>> On April, 15th, 18 61.

America's only Kentucky born President Abraham Lincoln offer 75,000 troops to put down the rebellion in the South.

Kentucky's governor Bryan Mudd often refused to provide any Kentucky troops as they declare Kentuckyian neutral state during the Civil War.

4 years later on April 15th, 18 65 President.

Lincoln died just hours after being shot at Ford's theater by John Wilkes Booth.

Issac Burns was born in April 16, 18?

61 somewhere in Central Kentucky.

Exact location is unknown.

No later is Isaac Murphy.

He became the highest-paid Jackie of his era.

1, 3, Kentucky derbies in 18, 84 18, 90 18.

91.

Workers like the last rail line on a short line railroad from Louisville to Covington.

>> On April 18th 18.

69 106 Mile Railroad cost almost 4 million dollars to build.

And that's a look back at this week in Kentucky history.

It all begins.

>> Thank youto be Gibbs.

It's a new program that has some Asbury University students heading out of the classroom and into the great outdoors.

Coming up tomorrow on Kentucky Edition, see how they're bringing other outdoor enthusiasts along on their adventures.

We sure hope you'll join us for that story and so much more as we give another recap of what happened in your state Capitol today on the final day of the legislative session.

So make sure you tune in tomorrow at 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central for Kentucky edition.

Were we inform connect and inspire.

You can get email newsletters and full episodes and clips of K E T Dot Org.

Also find us on the PBS video app on your mobile device and smart TV.

>> And send us a story idea.

And public affairs at KET Dot Org and follow us all the ways you see on your screen there.

Facebook X, formerly Twitter and Instagram to stay in the loop and don't turn that dial because at 8 o'clock Eastern, we've got a recap of the legislative session with a big found love veteran observers right here for you.

So tune in to Kentucky tonight at 8 Eastern 7 central right here on KET.

♪