♪ >> It takes a village to raise a chat.

It takes a village to >> Moms and fathers gather at the Capitol to call for action on gun violence.

Plus, Kentucky is a step closer to self-driving trucks.

Despite concern over safety and jobs.

>> Well, that was a true Valentine's Day.

So romantic.

>> And it was standing room only for a proposal and the workplace.

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

♪ ♪ Good evening and welcome to Kentucky EDITION on this Thursday, February, the 15th, I'm Renee Shaw.

>> Thank you for winding down your Thursday with us.

Gun violence is again front page news as the mass shooting killed one person and injured close to 20 during a Super Bowl victory parade in Kansas City at the Frankfort capital today in Kentucky, Moms Demand Action push for lawmakers to pass Senate Bill 13, which would temporarily remove guns from those having a mental health crisis.

This story big ends.

Tonight's legislative update.

♪ >> So we're here today encourage our lawmakers to enact an ace likely Steven consider some realistic gun laws one in particular that we're interested in is called the car.

prices version rights were tensions that about 13.

It's been presented by Senator Westerfield, his Republican.

we're all here really to support that bill And the reason for that is because whenever there's a shooting afterwards, a lot of the conservative response is we need to address mental health and Senator Westerfield bill is very specific and addresses mental health, which is why it's so important and I think it could work for Kentucky.

It I might have to have received.

And my name is Sherry, this man.

>> My son's life was cut short at the age of 16.

I pick up the phone and her mom are I get shot.

So as I rushed to the bus that he it was hectic.

It was so many people is that is much kids.

It was it was just as meaningful as on a bus that so from that I have been speaking, I have been put my best foot forward to make sure this doesn't happen to any of them out there.

Just yesterday I was here in the Rotunda celebrating with survivors yet to cancer.

>> Governor Beshear was leading that celebration and we were thinking about the trauma that is looked upon.

Families with a child is diagnosed with thinkable disease like an incurable cancer.

You know, the legislature's response to that was 15 million dollar allegation in our budget to research pediatric cancer.

Is pediatric cancer.

The number one killer of Kentucky it's not you know how much money we're putting toward protecting children from violence.

>> When I come to this building in the building across the way, and I say that we are we are addressing gun violence, not been told to take it off of it.

I've been told that it's not gun violence.

It's violent.

We'll see in my world when you on the front lines of this work, intentionality is important over 95% of the murders in with the go.

It takes a village to raise a child.

Because if it takes a village to raise a chat.

It takes a village to lose one.

Our village is doing their job.

My question is Frankfort.

When you get to work with that.

>> The prices of version rights retention bill has not been heard yet in the Judiciary Committee that Senator Whitney Westerfield chairs now more teenagers who commit a crime using a gun could be tried as an adult under a bill that cleared the full Senate.

Senator Matthew domain of Elizabeth Town is the sponsor of Senate Bill 20.

It requires that teens, 15 and older who are charged with committing a felony with a gone be prosecuted as an adult, an amended version of the bill adopted on the Senate floor yesterday clarifies that county and Commonwealth's attorneys would have some discretion and could bump the case back down to juvenile court if they choose.

>> When you hold a gun to someone's head, whether that gun is fired or not, the trauma.

Of that victim.

>> Needs to be.

Considered.

>> We owe the victims of these gun related felonies, justice.

>> By holding these perpetrators accountable.

>> Kentucky law enforcement groups backed the bill, but not all lawmakers were on board, including Republican Sen Whitney Westerfield.

He argued the bill reverses a 3 year-old policy that instructed the courts to look at 10 factors when considering to prosecute a juvenile as an adult.

>> Now, if there was evidence to say to show that either in Hardin County, Christian County or the state large.

But there are some rash of these cases with the most violent charges that kept coming before the district court judge in the district judge is just kept categorically say, you know what, I'm not going to send this out.

Maybe they'll be worth talking about.

But there is not one whit of evidence that that's happened.

We're robbing the judges and the prosecutors, the discretion.

We're allowing them to use every single day.

>> Ultimately, Senate bill 20 passed by a vote of 25 to 9, 1, pass vote.

That was yesterday.

The bill is now in the possession of the House for consideration.

There.

Days after the Senate voted to restrict dei or diversity, equity and inclusion programs on public colleges.

Campuses.

>> Senate Education Committee members reaffirmed the need to enroll in graduate, more disadvantaged students.

>> That includes older, low-income and minority.

Kentuckians Kentucky additions June Leffler tells us more.

>> All the citizens, if we could target getting 60% of them.

With some sort of post-secondary credential by the year 2030, would be at the national average.

The impact that has across the commonwealth is magnificent.

They were in at 55% with our latest data.

5 percentage points away and we're going to get there one way or the other.

>> To reach that goal.

Colleges have to see all Kentucky INS as potential students.

So Kentucky lawmakers adopted a funding model back in 2018 that offers universities more money for enrolling, supported and graduating students less likely to attend and succeed in college.

It cost.

>> So much to market your business or your university to get someone to enroll.

It's so much cheaper to do whatever it takes to KET them moving on through the system.

So woven throughout our these incentives, for the systems to continue to support the students once they get them enrolled after they've attracted them from the challenging backgrounds that you mentioned.

>> Current law says those backgrounds include low income and are prepared and underrepresented minority students.

The Senate Education Committee signed off on adding another group, nontraditional students.

Those 25 or older.

>> We realize we have so many adult learners that are not working in the state are we've not taking full advantage to the skill.

Upset me.

Very employers are offering.

So we're also offering an adult learner metric.

And this new Mile.

>> Senator Reginald Thomas suggests up election students should be considered in this legislation.

The bill passed unanimously for Kentucky edition.

I'm Jennifer.

>> Thank you, June.

This bill also increases some funding incentives to bring in low-income students.

Their enrollment in Kentucky.

Schools has recently been on the decline.

>> Where where do Kentuckians land on the issue of government back diversity, equity and inclusion programs.

A new poll provide some insight into that.

Yesterday we talked to NPR's Rylan Barton about this.

We also spoke to the nonprofit behind the poll, the foundation for a healthy Kentucky about the results and what dei legislation currently being considered by the Kentucky could General Assembly could mean for the state?

>> The data shows that that when you have a sense of belonging in a society, your health is better.

And that's what we try to promote is better health.

And that's why we decided that it was important to see have the public generally felt about this issue.

The poll showed us that Kentucky INS, I don't want that essentially don't to be ordered what to do in this regard, which means that if somebody or entity whether it be a business or a public institution like a university wants to engage in the programs they ought to be allowed to do it with that.

We did find a little bit surprising.

We expected, for instance, more conservatives and Republicans in general to be less.

Interested in.

Promoting the programs.

And we found I guess it's not miss necessarily that they're in favor of dei programs, but there are in favor of people having the opportunity to make that choice themselves.

And in cities having the opportunity to make that choice like in institutions in the state and businesses in the state to be able to the institute the programs if they so chose?

Well, it tells us that we just got to convince people that that these are important to the future health of our our citizenry, the the programs.

Really that you've got groups that are not starting a footing of equity.

And the hope is that you can bring them up to help, bring them up to an equitable situation.

And I think some of the things that the legislature is proposing, in fact, assume that everybody is starting its same place and they're just not.

History tells us that the programs are put in place to try to address situations where groups are marginalized already.

They are historically marginalized.

And if you remove the programs, it follows that that marginalization will either continue or Watt.

So these that, you know, if you want to avoid marginalization and if you want to improve the h*** of some of these groups are suffering.

Poor health.

You would want to KET these the programs in place.

>> Now the results of the poll were sent around some Senate action on Senate Bill 6, which they passed, which places restrictions on dei initiatives programs, orientations at public universities and colleges.

The bill is now in the possession of the House and is waiting for a committee hearing.

Kentucky could get its first ever school of veterinary medicine at a time when Kentucky faces a shortage of animal doctors.

The Kentucky House today voted for a bill that would let Murray State University in western Kentucky Open a school right now that an area students have to go out of state, many to Auburn where they get in-state tuition rates.

But the bill sponsor says Kentucky's relationship with Auburn isn't enough.

>> However, that agreement is only available for 34 slots for four-year program.

Last year alone, there were almost 4 times as many applicants for those 38 seats as there were seats.

The need for such an institution is critical not only to bolster the state's agriculture sector, but also to address pressing issues.

An animal health, welfare and public health.

>> Opponents say the risks are too great.

>> We heard in committee the challenge that the schools are having on finding experienced that Marion's and staff and faculty in this space.

I don't know why we think we would be different to my friends and my state.

I hope you're right.

I hope you're successful.

I want you to be successful.

Our agricultural industry needed to be successful.

And the commonwealth need you to be successful.

I truly wish you the very best of the lot.

>> The bill did pass the House today.

The vote was 82 to 6 with some members of both parties voting against it.

A plan to change how sickly balances are used in the state teacher pension system is rattling some educators.

The Lebanon Senate Republican behind the idea says his plan is being distorted, though.

Senator Jimmy Higdon is Senate bill 4 changes how Kentucky teachers and administrators are paid for its sick time.

They've banked up when they retire.

It would cap compensation for a new sick days to 10 days.

Each school year as it stands.

Now, all on news time can be converted to boost their pension benefits accumulated sick days are paid out at a 30% at retirement.

Senator Higdon says his plan is not a quote, use it or lose it situation.

Right now.

>> Whatever sick days ahead now, whatever they've accumulated over their career, they're safe.

They're nothing happened to him going forward.

It limits them to 10 sick days a year that they can count Tory tournament and and in there and 3 partial days.

And and a new sick days that are not in that hand.

They can grow those forwarding it paid the and just like they do on Sundays ago into retirement.

But it won't count toward their their half.

3.

>> Hayden says the amount of sick days allowed varies across the state and he wants to create a uniform policy so that all teachers and administrators are treated the same.

The teachers pension system is almost 59% funded.

>> Over the last 7 years since 2017, we put in it 10.6, 10.6 billion dollars.

And in that time our assets of increased about 6 Million.

But our unfunded liabilities have increased 10 Billion.

We have about a 900 million dollar a year.

Negative cash flow.

So those are all you know, they're concerning and but primary chairman of the PPO be Public pension Oversight Board is to make sure that every teacher does teaching today that the money is there for them to get their check every month and not have to worry about it in and to KET the teachers retirement system.

And, you know, to continue to try to get to full funding.

>> Hayden says the cost savings of his plan is unknown.

What's also unknown is the amount of sick days the state is on the hook for paying for right now.

Senate Minority Caucus Chair Reggie Thomas was among the Democrats and a few Republicans who voted against the bill.

>> What this Senate Bill, 4 does.

>> Again, a produce another dagger public school teachers.

>> What we're going to see happen is present is a use it or lose it practice than okay.

Because if they can't bank it now and they don't have much, they want to use it, which means that.

School districts, all 171 of them across this, then that the state.

I'm going to have to have substitute teachers come in.

We place these teachers who now using their 6 times because they can't bacon longer cake.

We already facing a teacher shortage.

We hear that every day.

Here in the Legislature.

So now we're going to create an additional teacher crunch.

Because of the pass this bill because he does not want to use their sick time.

President Luiz.

>> The educator sick leave plan passed the Senate yesterday.

24 to 5 with 5 Republicans joining Democrats to vote against it.

It's now in the possession of the House for consideration.

There.

Well, since 2020, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has reported at least 740 vehicle related fatalities each year.

Some people think driverless would make the roads safer.

House Bill 7 would create a framework for fully autonomous vehicles or a bees.

For short to navigate Kentucky roads.

It will require trucks weighing over 62,000 pounds to have a human observer along for the first 2 years.

The law takes effect these must meet certain safety standards, including knowing when to pull over when there is a malfunction.

Supporters of the bill bees could make roads safer and help the state adapt to a rapidly changing economy.

Our Clayton Dalton was in Frankfort today as the bill sponsor makes a pitch for its passage.

>> We have here a study that the Department of Transportation has put out.

And if I could, I'd like to read directly from it.

What the Cabinet believes as far as safety of these, it's of the Cabinet believes that these vehicles will help the agency deliver on its mission by preventing non injury and fatal crashes, stimulating economic activity, strengthening the populations underserved by the current transportation system and potentially mitigating congestion.

It's important within Kentucky that we.

Tried to be at the forefront of innovation.

And it's important that we think long term about logistics and how we're going to move freight.

Economic growth expands and we have fewer workers to do it.

But some lawmakers are not convinced that autonomous vehicles V's are safe.

>> I don't understand our rush to be at the front of this technology when it's not yet proven to be safe for our people.

Emergency situations humor driver is president.

They can make split-second decisions based on years of experience behind the wheel.

Autonomous vehicles in the AI technology does not have.

Years of experience because they're still learning.

Supporters pushed back against claims that babies would destroy jobs.

We've heard that these autonomous vehicles, they kill jobs.

If jobs are concerned, I would.

I would urge you to go.

>> Talk to some of these autonomous vehicles.

Companies because when they put one of those vehicles on the road for every driver, that is not in a vehicle, it takes 5 people to maintain that vehicle.

They are creating jobs.

Their high-paying tech jobs.

We're not taking jobs.

Some of these folks who are opposing the U.S. in certain industries need to realize they have to adapt to the jobs and there will be more jobs there.

>> A similar bill was passed out of both chambers last year but was vetoed by Democratic Governor Andy Beshear.

That veto was not overwritten.

This year's bill passed out of the House and now heads to Kentucky's upper chamber.

The Senate.

For Kentucky edition.

I'm Clayton Dalton.

>> House Bill 7 past today.

61 to 31 with over 10 Republicans joining Democrats in opposition.

♪ ♪ An independent audit of Kentucky's juvenile justice system released in late January review problems at Kentucky's a juvenile justice for to facilities and the state's response that audit came after a 2022 riot at the Adair County facility and a sexual assault and other problems at other facilities.

Republicans criticized Governor Andy Beshear for what some called a lack of leadership.

Today, the governor said some of the audit's findings were wrong and he criticized House Republicans saying their budget proposals won't help.

>> So they're at least 2 findings in this current audit that are just entirely wrong.

The first is they say that there is no use of a signed it into state law through emergency regulation over a year ago and they could have found that through Google.

The second this concept of having memorandums of understanding with local law enforcement.

So what the audit said is we want to check that.

So we just started calling law enforcement around some of the facilities.

We talked to a couple of them and some of them said they didn't know what we were talking about.

And that was the total bases for their finding.

We have an M O U with a law enforcement agency for every single one of these facilities.

And if they merely shown us the finding or asked, we could have gotten to them.

We could have also given them some statistics on the decreased number of disruptive incidents sense.

Our folks were were outfitted with pepper spray, though.

I think we need to continue to do more training and every time that there's an instance where there's an improper use of it, it's a chance to go back and to do more.

But let me say that the audit does contain some things that work also addressed by the by the task force that we need to do better.

One is record keeping.

And that needs to be better on incidents outside of incidents on employees.

The HR side needs to work needs to to to be stronger.

And then we've asked for some things in the current budget that we have not received.

For instance, we asked for security upgrades at breath that Fayette and the Kraken that are not the House version of the budget.

We asked for 2 female only facilities in the dollars to design and build and that's not.

And the current budget in the initial house budget, they would have cut significant numbers djj employees which would not have been helpful.

>> So during his weekly press conference today, the governor on another note praised the Kentucky National Guard after it won the association of the U.S. Army Award for 2023.

The award is for the best command.

The Army praised the guard for its flooding and tornado responses and its readiness, physical fitness and training.

Congrats to them.

Kentucky is and for some airport improvements, as the Biden administration says it will spend almost 1 billion dollars on airport work in 44 states, the Kentucky Lantern reports some money will go to a new aviation terminal building at the Mount Sterling, Montgomery County Airport and the Muhammad Ali Airport in Louisville.

It will receive money to improve the power systems and to add lanes to the security checkpoint.

♪ ♪ A lot of folks across the Commonwealth and the nation celebrated Valentine's Day yesterday.

One couple and campbellsville celebrate of something a little more.

>> And in a Lowe's home improvement store, it's a romance that the company likes to call a low manse.

>> That took about a month to put all that together and talk to everybody and try and KET it from her.

That was the hard part, I think, you know, and everybody just what you know.

And but that the turnout was very, very left.

♪ ♪ >> I was so shocked.

I was just making a joke to some people that will get with no, I didn't have to get off at 5 o'clock.

We've got to get going here.

wow, that was a true Valentine's Day show romantic >> with such a treat, you know, to see everybody to it.

Yeah, it's very special.

>> What we first about a year ago here and talk about the year now.

we worked together here at Lowe's and it's a we have kind of the same history.

>> We're both married over, you know, 48 years and we both lost their spouses and so that was the hard part.

And so we survive through that for for 5 years, each and every vet each other.

And here we are.

And this is a another chapter in the book.

>> And we hope it's a good chapter.

Indy best wishes to both of them.

What a Valentine's Day treat.

Well, even though it's not Valentine's Day tomorrow, we have some treats for you.

Some great stories, of course, inside Kentucky politics.

We've got Bob Babbage and Trey Grayson that will join us tomorrow to break down all the week's news happening in the state Capitol.

That's at 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central on Kentucky Edition, of course, we inform connect and inspire.

So will also have more from Frankfort will talk about a proposed change to Kentucky's child labor laws.

Plus, maybe perhaps a story about military kids day.

That's coming up.

And we hope that you'll connect with us on all the ways you see on your screen.

Facebook X, formerly Twitter, Instagram to stay in the loop.

You can also find Kentucky Edition on the PBS video app on your mobile device and smart TV.

And of course, we always welcome you to send us a story idea at public affairs at K E T Dot Org.

I'm Renee Shaw.

Thank you so much for joining us.

Have a great night and we'll see you right back here again tomorrow to care.

♪