♪ When Mr. Chairman, I guess I lived in Pike County since 1985.

Enough.

>> I've never seen anything like it in my life.

>> What will the cleanup cost?

State lawmakers talk about the price tag from the latest round of eastern Kentucky.

Flooding.

>> Why would I vote for them?

Why a Kentucky congressman was the only Republican against a GOP budget plan in Washington.

>> Much to us in the National Guard.

He's incorrect.

>> And their parents help guard democracy.

Some Kentucky kids had the chance to see how that democracy works.

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

♪ ♪ >> Good Evening and welcome to Kentucky EDITION on this Wednesday, February, the TWENTY-SIXTH, I'm Renee Shaw.

We thank you for winding down your Wednesday with us.

How bad was it?

Kentucky lawmakers heard today from 2 of their eastern Kentucky colleagues about the devastating floods from earlier this month.

And how much cleanup could cost their insights lead off tonight's Legislative update.

>> I'm in my home County.

I live in Pike County, which I think has been determined to be the worst hit by the flooding by county currently has lost 11 bridge is one of which was a fairly recent construction.

That was over a million dollars.

Their preliminary estimates for the county roads in Pike County alone probably exceed 50 million dollars.

And that includes a lot of by corrosion collapses.

There's the school system.

The Pike County School System remains closed as as well as the pipeline dependent school system for the county.

A much larger area Pike and the 787 Square Miles.

It may be yet several weeks.

The road to the Elkhorn City, Elementary and middle schools, complete loss, complete collapse.

Several of those schools are currently used as shelters right now for people that have lost individual homes.

Mr. Chairman, I guess I lived in Pike County since 1985.

And I've I've never seen anything like it in my life.

>> Their preliminary numbers are mind boggling.

My 5 candies that it's over 30 Million.

You know, let's roads and bridges.

>> Businesses affected in those 5 him easily.

About 60 businesses.

>> Over 500 homes, some of the concerns and worries that to.

That are elected officials in those counties are thinking about now, you know how many times this payment will come in and pay those people that are, you know, once they do that a few times, they finally start mitigate and then by the mountain and moving about.

So, you know, that's a concern for local governments have now that the we're going to lose actually but was would be great.

But that's very expensive.

>> But some would help us tremendously.

We could claim Grainge cut trees, owner.

>> Rivers and banks and the would give a lot of it.

And I think it would.

>> It would alleviate all the flooding, of course, but it would sure would.

It sure would help a lot.

There's going to be a lot of people that >> are going to there may be months and years before they get their lives together and you know, when considering the already struggling economy with some of the downturn in the coal industry and other traditional means of employment, this has been very devastating to the region.

>> Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was in Kentucky today to provide an update on the federal response to the flooding event.

She joined Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear.

We'll have more about that tomorrow on Kentucky EDITION.

Keeping kids focused more on classroom work by removing the devices that often distract them.

>> That's the goal of a bill moving ahead in the state Capitol students in Kentucky could be banned from having their phones out during the school day.

If a measure for measure advance by a legislative panel becomes law.

Katie's McKenzie spank has more.

Members of the House Committee on primary and secondary education seemed to agree.

>> The use of cell phones in schools is hindering student learning.

I toured a high school.

A few months ago and students were just blatantly wearing the headphones and listening to music and they're not learning then.

>> Proponents Hope House Bill 208, will help solve this issue by requiring every school district to ban student use of cell phones during the school day in 2024, we spoke to teachers and administrators into Kentucky schools that have already banned cell phones.

Schools felt that their ban was successful.

>> It is a game changer.

There's no other way to put it.

It is made students much more engaged.

I would say it has improved our discussions tenfold.

I will say one of the biggest things that I've seen.

You're actually decreasing behavior because of this.

I think it's 8 hours Westheimer kids can communicate via social media and so much drama started on social media that if you remove that.

>> Well, now you take away some of the neighbors in the classrooms.

>> Staff at the schools also told us that the main concerns they heard from parents were about school safety.

A concern echoed by representative a trail cam.

You will.

>> In in the event of an emergency, how what is the process to make sure that access to the Internet, to adults to emergency personnel is open.

Like what does that look like?

>> So currently, every classroom already has a phone that the teacher has access to going further than that.

That's going to be lit left up to the districts to implement that.

We as these policies have been rolled out in different states across the country.

You know, some people have just a plastic.

The vast where students will put their phones.

And so obviously they would be quick access to that.

>> The discussion turned personal as representative.

Can you all shared why she believes students need to be able to talk to their families during a crisis?

>> I had 2 kids on the same campus, one in middle school and high school.

There was a bomb threat.

And and and a threat of an active shooter.

Both campuses on the same campus.

Same time I appreciated my kids telling me.

Once telling me there's a bomb threat.

The other one is telling me that we're in a lockdown due to concerns with an active shooter.

And I love you, mom and I want to make sure that we have the opportunity to hear from our children.

That was the that was the reason for my question.

>> Representative David Hale also brought up a personal concern regarding students with disabilities.

>> I unfortunately I have 2 grandchildren that have type one diabetes and on their phones today, the technology they on those devices to monitor there.

Sugar County, which is in kids is Reddick up and down.

And I just want to make sure that this would be exempt.

They would be exempt to to carry those with them at all times.

>> Bill sponsor Representative Josh Gray confirmed that students with devices authorized for use with a disability would be exempt from this measure.

Representative brace sponsored a similar bill last year.

It passed committee unanimously, but ultimately did not succeed for Kentucky edition.

I'm McKenzie spank.

Thank you.

McKenzie House Bill 342. also passed unanimously out of the House primary in secondary Education Committee today.

>> It would require all high school students to take a one credit financial literacy class in order to graduate it now heads to the House floor.

State lawmakers, my criminalize actions they deem disruptive to legislative proceedings under a bill gaining traction in the state capital.

Also today today, a committee advanced a bill to do just that.

But as June Leffler reports, some Republicans aligned with the so-called Liberty faction say the measure goes too far.

>> It's not the first time that state Representative John Blanton has propose stiffer penalties for protestors.

2 years ago, Republicans voted in favor of Senate Bill 150 which barred among other things, gender affirming care for Kentucky kids.

Blanton says the day of the vote demonstrations got out of hand.

That's why he's proposing House Bill 399.

>> There's nothing wrong with pro protesting attempting to make your voice heard.

It says American as baseball and apple pie.

That day.

If you're on the floor, if you recall.

It got the got so bad out of control that literally we had to stop the process.

Call for a vote and vote.

Some of you may have been wanting to speak that day and you didn't get the chance to because of the interruptions.

That wasn't fair to year.

45,000 constituents.

>> That bill from 2 years ago did pass at least 19 protesters were arrested that day.

All reasons why a leading Democrat voted against House Bill 399.

>> We were able to conduct business that they it was a horrible day.

But we were able to conduct business in the moment we start taking people's rights away because we were inconvenienced.

Is problematic.

>> Protesters team to impede legislative action could be charged with the misdemeanor.

At first or a felony for a second incident and lawmakers can make the call on when to arrest people along with 2 Democrats.

2 Republicans voted against the measure.

It did advance out of committee in a 13 to.

>> For both.

So when I read legislation, the first question that I ask myself is, is it constitutional?

Right now?

This is well intended legislation.

My problem is that in First Amendment law over Bradford isn't up to or even if this is applied.

In a constitutional manner.

The face of the statute can still be struck down.

>> And House judiciary, more debate revolved around House Bill 96.

It would clarify that not all domestic abuse is physical making, quote, coercive control where the of protective orders to.

And what my hope is is that we're going to save lives on the front end and that they don't have to wait to get an a P o so that they can leave.

And again, for people that don't practice this is this is a ex parte temporary order until you get in front of a judge.

>> Only one person voted no.

While members say tweaks are in order to majority advanced the bill to the full House for consideration.

>> I will note that I sent this to a number of lawyers and judges all with significant concerns about how it's going to broaden the opportunity for false claims.

And that is really even though it is just a few weeks because some people lose their jobs if they get the peels against them, I can think of police officers, corrections officers and the like.

So we have to get it right.

>> The committee also advanced House Bill 465 targeting.

Illegal street racing.

The Democrat from South Louisville filed this bill after multiple incidents of dangerous Racine in her city, including one where people rush to cop car that came to the scene.

The committee also advanced House Bill 446. per stiffer penalties for anyone.

It's all team bus drivers are judges.

The criminal case in the murder of a judge in Letcher County is under way.

The newly elected representative from Letcher County says the bill is much needed for Kentucky edition.

I'm Jim McClure.

Thank you, Jim, for that report.

The American Civil Liberties Union also opposes House Bill 399.

Kentucky's House passed a similar bill last year, but it died.

>> In the Senate.

A religious liberty Bill is a step closer to becoming law in Kentucky today the full Senate voted 29 to 7 in favor of Senate Bill 60.

It would empower citizens to sue their government when they feel their religious beliefs are under attack.

Former state representative who is serving in his first term as a state senator explained his bill today on the Senate floor.

>> It reinforces a fundamental truth.

Religious liberty is the core of American values.

If the government imposes a substantial burden on someone's sincere religious beliefs, it should bear the burden of proving a compelling interest and using the least restrictive means.

That has always been the standard.

>> A number of Democrats argued the bill targets the LGBTQ community.

They worry it could erode local fairness ordinances that have been passed and more than 20 Kentucky cities.

>> It's designed to wipe out all fairness ordinance us.

And expose members of the LGBTQ community.

>> Again, to second class citizenship.

Now, this is the second time we've done this in this session.

We just didn't move a week ago with Senate Bill 2.

And why we want to continue to vilify.

>> Those individuals Huda nothing wall who've done nothing to harm us.

Just confounds me.

>> The bill passed largely along party lines.

Democratic state Senator Robin Webb joined Republicans in voting for the bill and Republican state Senator Chris McDaniel voted against it.

Advocacy groups on both sides of the issue were quick to react to today's news.

David was with the Family Foundation said, quote, We have seen a number of troubling instances over the last few years where the governor and other Commonwealth officials have sought to restrict the free exercise of Religion.

SB 60 offers a stronger path of redress for those citizens who have had their rights infringed upon.

Meanwhile, Chris Hartman with the fairness campaign said the bill creates a, quote, jackpot justice for special interest groups which are eager to sue Kentucky cities and counties with local fairness ordinances that protect LGBTQ people from discrimination, end quote.

The House today passed House Bill 16 sponsored by State Representative Mark Heart of Pendleton County, a bill to let water systems decide whether to put fluoride in drinking water.

Right now, the state requires it.

Backers of the bill worry that fluoride in water can cause lower icu's, ADHD, weaker bones and osteoporosis.

Opponents say fluoride in small doses doesn't cause any of those problems and they're worried the absence of fluoride will hurt children's teeth and cause other health problems later in life.

>> But sleep apnea, lifelong speech and breathing issues, chronic jaw pain and worse outcomes for cardiovascular health and diabetes.

Due to Perry DOT us.

So I'm thinking about those children today and the issues that they might have to deal with for the remainder of their life because they might not have no, they should have put extra fluoride and they could not afford or did not go get their own toothpaste.

They could not schedule their own dentist appointments.

I worked in a water district.

I changed out the fluoride containers that came in a gas form in large cylinders.

Thank you.

When we set those cylinders on, we were.

>> Forest for safety and OSHA are reasons to wear protective gear.

We had to wear a full face mask where a large best in a different type of that material.

Almost a fireproof.

If you are fire retardant KET type of vest.

While we change that out because it says it literally comes in a container with the crossbones on it.

I'm talking pirates of the Caribbean.

>> The bill passed 68 to 29 with some Republicans voting against it with House passage.

It now moves on to the Senate.

Now turning to national politics last night, the U.S. House narrowly passed a Republican budget resolution to cut spending.

Congress will have to vote on specifics later on.

Critics say the plan would cut more than 800 billion dollars from Medicaid hurting millions of people.

Only one Republican voted against it.

Congressman Thomas Massie of Kentucky's 4th district.

He says the cuts don't go far enough.

>> With what?

Let me let me their own numbers.

If the Republican plan passes under the rosy assumptions which aren't even true, what we're going to add 328 billion dollars to the deficit this year, one and 295 billion dollars to the deficit.

The year after that when 242 billion dollars to the deficit after that under the rosy assumptions, why would I vote for them?

>> Congressman Morgan McGarvey of Louisville, the only Democrat in Kentucky's congressional delegation also voted no.

He says the budget plan goes too far.

He says it contains quote, tax cuts for billionaires and the most profitable companies paid for by our kids, seniors, veterans and anyone who works hard for a paycheck.

This is a fight for the future of Medicaid snap and countless other programs.

And I will not back down.

You quote.

♪ ♪ >> Laura Rogers joined by National Public Radio's right Lynn Barton and Rylan.

Let's talk about an issue that's come up many times over the years.

The 10 Commandments being displayed and public schools and on Capitol grounds.

And we've seen the courts rule that that's not constitutional.

However, State Attorney General Russel Coleman with a contrary opinion that he issued last week.

Tell us more about that.

>> Yes, so he had been asked by a few dozen Republican legislators and also a couple of former Democratic legislators to the issue.

This opinion really kind of updating the state's idea of whether or not it's permissible for the 10 Commandments to be displayed in public really for the government to display the 10 Commandments in public places.

There's a longstanding precedent goes back to the early 1980's.

And this is a big national federal precedent that extends from a ruling that struck down a Kentucky law that required the 10 Commandments be displayed in public schools.

And there's been a movement really since then.

And before that to display the 10 Commandments in public schools.

But this has been the prevailing opinion that that was not allowed.

And now there's a few other states that are trying to do this.

We passed a bill last year to require 10 France to be posted in the argument is that the 10 Commandments, a historical document and this is not the separation of church and state here that they're not promoting a particular religion, but that the 10 Commandments are fundamental part of the founding of our nation.

That's actually part of promises argued that presenting tax and old textbooks that would also display the 10 Commandments and showing that, you know, this is kind of been part of the American Teaching American education system.

I think that a lot from Louisiana's that's on hold while the lawsuit continues.

But there's a couple bills like it better moving through the Kentucky Legislature this year.

One that's pretty similar to it that they can try to present the 10 Commandments and that Mister Cutts, its significance, another one that would place the 10 Commandments on the Capitol grounds and the spending attorney General Coleman is saying that ready.

Judicial precedent shows that there's there's room for the 10 Commandments to be displayed in public spaces that the courts have already paved the way for this to happen.

And that really this also paves the way for Kentucky to pass its own laws to do this.

This is being decided right now in a much more conservative federal court system.

And it's likely a case that will be argued before the U.S. Supreme Court and Coleman himself has already weighed in on that.

You that was calm and it's pretty fun note of support for that long.

For those who are pushing to of the 10 Commandments be displayed in in classrooms once again.

>> And then another bill along those same lines advancing to the state legislature that would give someone a little more leeway to sue the government if they feel their religious freedoms and liberties are being infringed upon.

What can you tell us about that legislation?

>> Critics are really worried that this takes a minute.

A local fairness ordinance is anti discrimination ordinances.

That ban discrimination for government services and really just providing services to others.

There's been a couple cases in recent years that one right now that's actually going on in the local area.

A photographer who argued that malls anti-discrimination law violates her sincerely held religious beliefs because should be required to take pictures of people in same sex weddings, even if that violated her religious beliefs.

So the Kentucky is, I think 24 cities now that passed fairness ordinance is like these.

This is and something that conservatives have been worried about.

But also I think that those bq advocates are worried that roeding those laws go lead to more discrimination or lead to folks feel that provide services to not have to provide services to people who have different lifestyles and them different backgrounds them.

Then this goes beyond state law must also open up lawsuits to be filed in federal court.

And really what the conservative supporters of this bill are saying is that provide a stronger legal framework for those who are trying to protect their religious freedoms?

Kentucky's really been at the center of the sorts of arguments.

We go back to the 2015 same sex marriage ruling from the Supreme Court with Kim Davis, the county clerk and now the county to refuse to issue marriage licenses.

And this is just a another attempt by religious freedom advocates to try and bolster that.

But I think this is something that even if this were to pass the legislature, there's still.

This is still be decided in court and other ways because it's been it's been that way for even this parents ordinances existed.

>> Let's move now if we can to national politics and we have Congressman Thomas Massie who just voted against the House GOP budget plan.

He was the long Republican, no vote.

What can you tell us about his stance on that budget?

>> Yeah.

It looked like he was going to be one of 3 or 4 before that budget vote of Republicans who are concerned about this budget bill, a spending too much and not cutting enough of this bill does cut a lot, but that's not enough of what he says is isn't up to help fund the national debt right now and the national deficit.

But in the end, he was the one Republican who ended up voting against this is pretty narrow margin, 217 to 215.

So a couple votes of margin there.

But Massey's already been flexing his willingness to be able to go against the majority of the Republican Conference in the House right now and kind of get on a soapbox and really advocate for reducing spending in some of these other kind of libertarian points of view will be interesting if there's ever times are.

There are a couple other Republicans who are willing to stop the momentum of Republicans try to get something done in.

This is a big priority of President Trump's the big priority Republicans right now they're trying to in this new Congress in this new administration get some of their priorities out of the door.

And if you at least right now, Max, is that one person?

But I think it could be more in the future of some of these policies and proposals start getting more controversial and voters start hearing more about him.

>> Certainly a lot to follow it.

And politics these days.

And we appreciate your insight so much, Roland Martin with NPR.

Thank you.

>> Thanks, Lar.

♪ ♪ >> A service member's make a lot of sacrifices and so do their families.

The children of Kentuckians in the military enjoyed military kids day at the state Capitol yesterday with a record number of 160 kids taking part.

>> Heres in the National Guard takes me and my siblings.

2 capitalizing.

It's pretty funny.

Go around and just down.

The cool stuff is difficult to be a military kid.

So we wanted to make a special day just today.

We can say.

>> Thank you for being a military kid.

Thank you for the sacrifices that you make.

You know, there's nothing like inviting kids to camp to invite kids to camp on time to page and they enjoy it.

Think it's a government up close and personal.

But we want to make this special.

We want to make this stages for thing.

>> As the they pass to they look at the bill.

So I thought those trees will see how they did how they did that.

And like kind of that works, then we get to me.

She legislators.

So it's it's pretty cool this walk around and see what they do.

I like the military kid.

I think there's at least some benefits there.

Specially is like this and it's it's not a drastic change too much because we don't move around a lot.

But, you know, it you know, there it is like this that are pretty cool.

Much to us in the National Guard.

He's and I when the airplane I went into the tent, think how or why it's really just shown up with equipment, getting the kids to.

>> Look in the Humvee and enjoy sort of the experience a little bit of knowing what we do in the military.

>> I looked in there and I saw that the like it.

a partially released even hard to get in.

So, yeah, it is.

I don't know how they do it.

They like to get in it pushed the buttons enough and the horn and stuff.

A lot of them have been asking how we buckle into the Humvee.

>> Because it's only got about sap across your lap and then we talk about how we have to wear our what we call a a C 8.

So it's our Kevlar helmet.

To protect our heads and south.

They've also been asking about the tent like what we use it for what we generally and my and we use it for a talk, which is a tactical operation center.

>> We talked to the kids today.

We asked what was or, you know, that most fun that they hand, one of them said flying the drone.

2 of them said being here with their day, they came to the camp do with their day.

Their military dad, and they enjoyed themselves.

>> Senator Jimmy Higdon started military kids Day back in 2017.

♪ ♪ >> Well, that'll do it for us tonight.

We hope to see you again tomorrow night at 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central for Kentucky edition where we inform connect and inspire.

We hope that you'll connect with us all the ways you see on your screen, Facebook, X and Instagram to stay in the loop on our program here at KET and send us a story idea by email to public affairs at KET DOT Org will be back in Frankfort, of course again tomorrow and bring you all the latest news from there and elsewhere.

Thanks for watching.

Have a great night and I'll see you tomorrow.

♪