>> This bill's purpose is to guarantee the parents involvement.

In their child's access to this material.

That they may believe is harmful to their family values.

>> Debate over a bill.

Some are calling a book Ban.

Health care is not a partisan issue.

It's not red or blue.

You might say this issue is green.

As in seniors rally at the Capitol to protest the cost of medicine.

There's a stigma around stem in a student's think that it's boring or it's too hard to be a part of.

>> And students are helping other students in the program.

They're running themselves.

>> Production of Kentucky edition is made possible in part by the KET Endowment for Kentucky Productions.

Leonard Press Endowment for Public Affairs and the KET Millennium Fund.

♪ ♪ >> Good evening and welcome to Kentucky EDITION for this Thursday, February, the 23rd we thank you for joining us tonight.

I'm Renee Shaw coming to you from our KET bureau in the Capitol Annex.

>> And Frankfort, we begin tonight with your schools and how they're on another bill that would give parents more say over the education system passed a Senate committee today.

Senate Bill 5 establishes a process for parents to object to sexually explicit material and public schools.

As we began tonight, legislative update, Casey Parker Bell reports on the bill.

Some are calling a book Ban.

>> Are these the manners and and the matters and the materials that we want to educate our children on a bill passed by committee today could establish a process for parents to have material they find objectionable from schools.

Senate Bill 5 is sponsored by Murray.

Senator Jason, how he says that allows parents to opt out of some school materials for their children.

My books.

>> This bill's purpose is to guarantee the parents involvement.

To end their child's access to this material.

That they may believe is harmful to their family values in interest.

>> The process in Senate Bill 5 would allow parents to submit complaints material.

The bill defines as harmful to minors.

Complaints would be submitted to school principals to determine if the material is harmful and if it should remain in the school.

Appeals will be submitted to the local board of Education.

If the principal and board both the material appropriate parents may still request their children, not have access to it.

Alexandria, Senator Shelley Frankie from Meyer says the bill gives local control to the issue.

>> We elect our school board.

So you've now given so much more local attention to the superintendents and the school boards.

>> KET Miller, they still use advocacy director spoke against Senate Bill 5.

She says students First Amendment rights shouldn't end when they enter school.

A number of senators question the ACLU is position including Litchfield Senator Stephen Meredith.

>> Obscene material.

Appeal to Britain's interest in sex offensive in prevailing standards.

So you don't think those 3 things in combination are sufficient safeguards for this?

>> I think that they could be.

I think it depends on the principal of a school.

I think it depends on the particular tax that were discussing.

>> Should the 10, but should the content on what parents might think about it?

>> Absolutely, which is why would you know the idea of me as a parent going to my school, my child's school and telling them to ensure that my child doesn't have access to a particular tax, I think is a is an abdication of the responsibility of the parent.

>> Only one senator in the education committee voted against the bill.

Lexington Senator Ricky Thomas.

He called the bill, quote, book ban.

>> I think the whole purpose of education, whole purpose of being exposed is to learn different views.

Different subject matters.

Different content and then be able to to rationally and critically critically discern what you think is is proper behavior or proper conduct.

And what you think is it for Kentucky edition.

I'm Casey Parker Bell >> later this afternoon, the full Senate took up Senate Bill 5 legislators debated the merits of whether sexually explicit materials found in books in school.

Libraries should stay and whether creating a pathway to have them removed from schools was appropriate.

>> Am I wrong?

To want what's best?

For my children?

This is questions I want to throw out.

Mister President.

Am I wrong?

For caring about my grandkids?

>> We're talking about education.

We know the 6th Circuit.

It dealt with the issue of whether or not we can KET information from students.

We know that information, even if it's controversial expains mines in debate.

So we have to decide what is that?

>> Senate Bill 5 passed 29 to 4.

It now heads to the House for consideration.

There.

The Kentucky Senate also approved a new approach for appointees to the Kentucky Board of Education and the commissioner Senate Bill.

107 establishes a nominating committee for the KB E and requires the commissioner to be confirmed by the state Senate Bowling Green Republican Mike Wilson, the Senate majority whip says it's been a bipartisan practice for governors to, quote, abused that authority.

Governor Andy Beshear, a Democrat dissolve the board immediately after taking office and appointed 12 new members of his own party.

Wilson said the point of his bill is to remove politics from education.

But some Democrats denounce it as another power grab from the governor.

>> So what this board will do?

As they will appoint from the 7 Supreme Court districts.

>> Each candidate.

>> On this board.

And it will also be the governor will be appointing these.

And he will be making sure that it's balanced by the male female equally on the board that they have the 2 leading parties represented equally.

The minority composition representation of this board as well.

They will work with as the governor will work with.

Okay, SBA, the school Board Association of Superintendents Association, the PSB.

>> All of these okay groups.

I call him 2.

Have them, you know, reach out and tell them this would be good nominees for this board.

>> Lou Young chair, the Kentucky Board of Education sent KET.

This statement about SB 107, quote, I worry that Senate Bill 107 would reverse the progress we have made during the past 3 decades and return the state to a time when the leadership of Kentucky's public schools was determined by political capital and connections, not professional experience.

Currently the Kentucky Department of Education operate independently which allows the commissioner to focus on what truly matters.

Our students and educators goes on to say in spring of 2021, the General Assembly took steps toward stabilizing the Kentucky Board of Education by requiring board appointments to maintain a balance and gender race and political representation.

And that piece of legislation is having the desired result.

The KB E Stand's Unified in support of the way we select our state education chief and we remain committed to ensuring every student has access to high quality, lifelong learning and quote, Senate bill 107 advance from the Senate today.

29 to 4 and it now heads to the House for consideration.

There.

A Senate bill that would make hazing a felony in Kentucky is also headed to the House Republican State Senator Robby Mills introduced Senate Bill 9 known as Lofton's law in response to the death of an 18 year-old named Lofton Hazelwood Hazelwood, a freshman at the University of Kentucky died in 2021.

From excessive alcohol consumption while pledging a fraternity Lawson's mother spoke before a Senate committee last week urging lawmakers to pass the bill to KET other parents from experiencing the same kind of tragedy.

We don't want anybody to go through what we went there.

>> I want everybody to think about being 3 hours away.

And you get that phone call.

So just please consider it.

>> Speaking on the bill today, Senator Mel says it's currently up to universities and colleges to enact anti-hazing policies with the maximum penalty of expulsion.

He said Lofton's law would elevate hazing to criminal standards and send a message.

>> For far too long, this president hazing has been this awkward rite of passage in Kentucky that many still refused to acknowledge is wrong.

We believe the elevation of hazing to a crime addresses head on the seriousness of these actions.

It lets students know that Kentucky use student safety.

And then violations of their safety will be addressed in Kentucky.

We do not believe that the war, one in a charging Kentucky law adequately covers all the acts of hazing.

And this is why it merits a separate criminal status.

>> Lofton's long now heads to the House for consideration.

There if signed into law, Kentucky will join 14 other states that classify hazing as a felony.

Kentucky has some of the highest rates of domestic violence and the nation.

What's worse says the state's top election official, the government's publication of Physical addresses is used as a tool for an abuser to find a victim's location.

It's why he's joining a state senator and advocating for what's called the Safe At Home Act.

Currently those with protective orders can have their addresses hidden when registering to vote.

The fewer than 50 have done so Kentucky secretary of State Michael Adams says it's time to mask more than voting rolls of victims of domestic violence, stalking and human trafficking.

>> Senate Bill, 79 becomes law.

It will bring our program in line with 38.

Other states that provide a comprehensive program asking addresses some public records.

Victims of domestic violence should know or office.

And the General Assembly have their back in our government won't facilitate stop.

>> People that I've talked to on a daily basis to have.

So their cars because they think they're too identifiable.

You refrained from living in certain places because they don't feel safe there.

This I think is such a nice broadening of the program that we have.

And it's a great resource of a a of people feeling finally that someone is listening to them and that they can feel safe.

>> The measure broadens the current program to allow abuse victims to enter through a sworn statement instead of having to obtain an emergency protective order without any cost to them.

Senate Bill, 79 advance from the Senate Veterans and Public Protection Committee without opposition.

And now waits for action by the full Senate.

Some exceptions to Kentucky's near total ban on abortions could become law under a newly filed Bill.

Republican Representative Jason Amos of Louisville and the House Majority whip filed House Bill 5.69.

It calls for adding rape and incest as exceptions to Kentucky's abortion bans up until 15 weeks of a woman's pregnancy.

It also includes language that would allow for an abortion if, quote, 2 physicians determine the unborn child has an abnormality that's incompatible with life outside the womb.

End quote in 2022, the Kentucky General Assembly passed a trigger law to prohibit most abortions once the U.S. Supreme Court overturn Roe v Wade, which happened last June.

Lawmakers also passed a fetal heartbeat law banning abortion after a fetal heartbeat can be detected, which is about 6 weeks into a pregnancy House Bill.

5.69 has yet to be assigned to a committee.

AARP state leadership and volunteers gathered at the state Capitol today to advocate for various issues of concern to Kentucky senior citizens.

Their top priority, lowering prescription drug costs.

Lieutenant Governor Jacqueline Coleman also joined the rally to lend support and encouragement to those fighting for more affordable health care.

We know how vital our Kentucky seniors are to our economy.

>> And to our communities.

And we know that they and every contest deserves accessible, affordable and equitable health care, health care is not a partisan issue.

It's not red or blue.

It is a Kentucky is it is a family issue because we cannot have I help the economy or a healthy work force without healthy intense.

It's just the right thing today.

The same year as of today were our leaders said yesterday, it's our responsibility to take care of the needs of all right.

They are the it's not about that brand letter that you get from here.

48 years out wanting you to do it.

We're all committed to making the quality of life better for seniors across Kentucky.

We're doing everything in our power to ensure that Kentuckians with preexisting conditions don't lose their coverage.

That contest ends.

You have health care needs have lower prescription drug costs.

Today, there's more seniors than there were yesterday.

And this morning we're going to be there AARP is strong in Kentucky were going to get stronger.

>> AARP, Kentucky says it's advocating for various issues.

This legislative session, including financial relief for family caregivers and affordable Utilities.

State Senator Gerald Neal is trying again to make Juneteenth a state holiday.

Neal is a Democrat from Louisville and the Senate Democratic floor leader.

Yesterday he filed Senate Bill 2.70, Juneteenth is already a federal holiday.

It commemorates June 19th 18 65 the day.

Union general's order freed slaves in Texas after the Civil War.

It's considered a symbol of ending slavery in the U.S..

The state House passed a Juneteenth bill last year, but it never made it to the Senate floor.

Companies that generate electricity would need a plan in advance for what happens to their equipment when they don't need it anymore.

State Representative Josh Branscum talked about House bill for today on the House floor.

He says taxpayers shouldn't have to pay to clean up old oil wells and solar panels years down the road.

>> The primary purpose remains the same as last year.

This tablet to establish state-level decommissioning requirements so that when March an electric generating facilities such as meet the seller facilities that receive pop-up pop up across the state.

All right.

The end of their useful life, some 20 or 30 years down the road.

That they're guardrails and procedures in statute.

For requirement facility owner to return the land back to its previous form.

An equally important requiring that the facility owner maintains a financial insurance such as a bond for the life of the project to cover the cost of decommissioning.

This ensures that the cost for the decommissioning and the removal of equipment 20 to 30 years down the road does not fall on the back of our farmers, our land owners and our fellow Kentuckians.

We have to be proactive in making sure that we do not run into a situation that we have right now in Kentucky.

We have 14,000 orphaned oil and gas wells across rural Kentucky and having to rely on federal funds, taxpayer money today.

Commissioner plug those.

>> The Kentucky Farm Bureau, the Kentucky League of Cities and the Kentucky Judge executives Association all support the bill.

It passed in the House today unanimously.

♪ ♪ More legislative news Governor Andy Beshear says efforts to solve Kentucky's teacher shortage.

Problem won't work and less teachers get raises.

The governor discussed a state representative James Tipton's teacher shortage Bill today.

And the governor also talked about bills in the House and Senate dealing with transgender students, backers of those bill say they would give parents the information and transparency.

They need the bill's critics say, though they will hurt LGBTQ+.

students.

>> I think teaches me that every child, the child, a gun and whether it is the position of or the statistics from the Trevor Project.

They're pretty clear that these bills will cause an increase in suicide among our youth.

I can be for anything it's going to result in debt.

Kentucky children and I wish others would look at it that way on the teacher shortage.

I appreciate that.

Representative Tipton is strong.

It's not going to work unless we raise teacher pay.

This is a competition for talent.

School districts across the country set up or pitching the new teachers or soon-to-be new teachers.

And guess what?

In our boots we have to say we're 44 in teacher pay far behind so many other school districts that are there.

Legislators gave themselves and 8% pay raise last session.

But only provide enough funding in education for on average.

Give teachers the 3 percent pay raise.

How about we make it even passed a 5% raise.

We've asked because I think our teachers are just as valuable as our legislators.

And I believe our communities agree.

>> The governor also announced more security is headed to Kentucky's juvenile justice centers.

He says 59 people have graduated from the state's six-week training academy and have been assigned to jobs and centers throughout the state.

Another 22 will graduate March 17th 4 total of 81, new security workers.

This comes after violence at some centers in recent months.

Republican candidate for Governor Kelly Kraft is out with a new TV ad.

This one focuses on China.

>> As governor show one of the court press to stop China in its drones.

>> This is crass latest ad after not appearing on air for several weeks as of January, the former United Nations ambassador under former President Donald Trump had spent more than a million dollars on her campaign.

Kraft is one of 12 gubernatorial candidates running in the GOP primary and a recent Mason-Dixon poll craft was trailing Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron.

U.S.

Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky continues his foreign trip.

He's still in the Middle East after taking part of the Munich Security Conference in Europe last week, he urged the U.S. to continue its support of Ukraine one year after the Russian invasion, McConnell just met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

This picture shows Netanyahu on the left and McConnell across from him on the right the Times of Israel quotes Netanyahu saying Senator McConnell is a true friend of Israel.

Yesterday was heart valve disease Awareness Day a day with special meaning to Congressman Andy Barr of Kentucky says District Barr sponsored the Carol Act named for his late wife.

She died of value or heart disease.

Carol stands for cardiovascular advances in research and opportunities.

The bill which passed last year supports research into Val Verda or heart disease.

And Barr had his own heart checked at Saint Joseph Hospital in Lexington.

♪ You may have heard of STEM education hasn't acronyms used for science technology, engineering and math studies.

>> But I have you heard of steady Kentucky additions.

Kelsey Starks explains who puts The Y in stem.

>> Well, though, why?

Instead me stands for you.

That's because it's an entirely student-run nonprofit organization designed to make stem studies more inclusive for all a hot as but not been is the chief operating officer for Stemi and also a junior at Louisville's DuPont Manual High School.

Thank you for being here very much.

Thank you for tell us.

First of all, have how this all came about.

So in 2017, a group of the DuPont Manual students started a science fair club at our school and >> essentially the point was to have upperclassman help the underclassman who are struggling with science there, get them a little bit more involved, help them out.

And then the founders of that club realize that there are students outside of manual.

And, you know, outside of just our little area that needed help with things like science, fair needed help you know, just getting resources to stem.

So they kind of branched out and they turned it into a non profits.

>> This is amazing.

And again, entirely student ran.

There are no teacher sponsors.

There are no teachers or leaders.

It's all from students.

Why is this?

What's the importance that you see are what's the difference you see in the kids that you have all?

>> Well for us, you know, a lot of the members, instead me know how much it matters to have a quality stem education.

And we know that there are schools and, you know, Kentucky, the Louisville metro area who just don't have access to those resources.

>> And we know that, you know, that changes a lot of things because students, there's a stigma around stem Eunice students think that it's boring or it's too hard to be a part of.

And our mission is to, you know, get that stigma to kind of be broken.

And we want students to be more passionate about it to be more confident in their abilities.

And we feel like doing, you know, through workshops and initiations that we have, we can get them a little bit more excited about it.

>> Yeah.

And students learn best from their peers.

People a little closer in age to them.

So you have workshops going on in Louisville right now.

Tell us about some of those.

So right now we have a massive maniacs workshop, which is our math program.

And they do, you know, just not stuff that side of the curriculum and they do really cool things of fractals and stuff like that.

And they have a workshop currently going on at the Highland Shelby Park Library.

And then we also have a STEM mechanic's workshop coming up, which is our engineering program.

And they do recall bags and paper and planes and stuff like that.

Teach kids a little bit about physics and that's happening at J Town Elementary.

And so this is elementary middle school kids.

We have a high school initiate like initiative, and that's a student research journal.

Okay.

And so how can students get involved?

It's through their own school, right?

for elementary and middle schoolers who wants to me to come to their schools.

We always just encourage them to talk to their teachers and reach out to us.

We have, you know, our Web sites to me dot org and they can contact us me can do our best to work something out in terms of high school ease.

We have our fellowship program which is where high school is can apply to be a part of semi and kind of learn the ins and outs of it and figure out what programs suits them best that they want to work with.

And this is high schoolers who want to teach younger kids and want to get back.

I love but it's not just for students to their already.

Community members or businesses can also get involved.

And how can a for businesses and adults?

is just encourage them to donate because we need materials and we you know, money to be able to buy some of the stuff that we do.

You like, for example, for our stomach, can expect shop.

They need just like little details like cardboard and they need snacks.

So that is to get them to KET them engaged.

So we always just ask for donations during steps that September we have this really big month-long initiative called Step STEM Birds.

you know, we try and raise as much money as we possibly can.

This that will.

Last year we raised $2100.

Wow, 2 words materials, a A that's wonderful, a wonderful thing.

Kids giving back to kids.

I love it all around.

And if you are one of those.

>> High schoolers with an interest in STEM education, helping other students that fellows application period is open right now and it's open until April 15th.

Thank you.

Kelsey.

Since its creation 5 years ago, the Stemi organization estimates.

>> It's impacted more than 1600 students and counting.

♪ ♪ Tomorrow on Kentucky EDITION will catch up with some Ukrainian refugees in Kentucky on the one-year anniversary of the Russian invasion.

And we'll today students become tomorrow's pilots and astronauts.

We'll go to an aerospace, an aviation education, fair.

That's Friday on Kentucky Edition, you know, the time 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central where we inform connect and inspire subscribe to our weekly Kentucky Edition, e-mail news letter and watch full episodes and clips a ktv Dot org.

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

>> And if you have a story idea you can email loss and public affairs at K E T Dot Org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to stay in the loop.

You're more than welcome to follow me on Twitter at Renee KET and T. Thank you so very much for joining us.

And we will see you right back here again tomorrow night.

Taking care of.

♪ ♪