♪ ♪ >> We there's no soft landing for the statements they go from being it's failed to being placed right back in our classroom.

Teachers could be getting more control over their classrooms.

>> If you were her son practice this and a constant basis, you're better prepared, just taking a class once every 2 years.

>> A bill in Frankfort could require lifesaving training for Kentucky coaches and teachers.

♪ President Joe Biden's plan to cancel student loan debt goes before the U.S. Supreme Court.

The impact that decision could have on more than half million.

Kentucky ends.

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 Tuesday, February.

28.

>> We thank you for joining us.

I'm Renee Shaw coming to you from our Frankfort State Capitol operations.

Thanks for being with us.

>> We began with Kentucky General Assembly news right here from Frankfort today, sweeping changes to Kentucky's juvenile justice system are gaining momentum as the house makes haste and moving a bill to the upper chamber.

This morning, a House committee today passed House Bill 3 juvenile justice bill sponsored by Representative Kevin Bratcher.

It comes at a time of increased violence at juvenile justice centers throughout the state.

Among other things, House Bill 3 makes parents more accountable for their children's attendance in school today.

Bratcher told the House Appropriations and Revenue Committee about the bill's other key components.

>> If a child is.

Convicted adjudicated.

Our confesses to a violent crime.

His or her records will be open for 3 years.

And if no longer any other crimes in those 3 years, the records will be closed.

And the 3rd is there will be a 48 hour maximum hold on any given now.

Arrested 4.

Violent crime.

>> The committee also heard from opponents of the bills, detention and open records provisions.

>> So why are we interested in opening at the records of kids.

And this is not a last appeal here because I want to make it personal.

How many of you made bad decisions?

We were younger.

Decisions that maybe you were held accountable for some you may be got away with it.

Some taken to the grave.

Some you will be held accountable until judgment day right?

>> We feel very strongly that there needs to be flexibility in dealing with young people and sometimes the tension as appropriate.

But other time there's another Judith Kaye did.

These charges.

And I think that kind of mandatory detention would not be appropriate.

in all cases and oftentimes incarceration is not the right initial approach with young people and does not lead to get out come.

So we would raise a lot of concern about that.

>> Since to the bill supporting behavioral health and long-term mental health treatment for juveniles.

The committee voted 20 to 2 for the bill with 2 members passing sending it on to the full house where it landed today.

This afternoon, it was called up for a floor vote.

So the entire House membership could vote on it.

As you heard earlier, one key provision that drew some pushback was over open juvenile records and fears of last confidentiality under the bill kids who commit violent crimes like murder, assault, manslaughter and sexual assault.

Their records would be opened or unsealed for 3 years.

Louisville lawyer and Republican Caucus whip Jason May miss worked on House Bill 3 and tried to convince critics of the importance of open JUCO juvenile records for that period of time.

>> But here's why those records have to be open for this is just for 3 years after the offense.

So if they're 16, they will be closed at 19.

They're 17 to be close to 20 the problem if you don't have it in again, we're only talking about children who've been convicted of or admitted to these violent offenses.

If you don't have that, when somebody becomes 18, they can walk into a gun store and buy an AR so they could have a long history committing crimes.

15, 16, 17.

And then when they turn 18, they can go into a gun store and ban Ar.

I don't think anybody wants that.

>> The latest version of the bill calls for the Jefferson County Youth Detention Center, which would be a state owned and renovated to increase capacity to 40 bags.

39 million dollars are being a lot of to help make improvements to the juvenile justice system.

A Louisville Democrat complained about how that money has been directed while Republicans maintain the measure is designed to help troubled kids while keeping communities safe.

>> My issue is that we are this bill ends up putting.

What 39 million dollars.

Into a pretty much incarcerating our young people.

I am.

I'm happy about the changes he's made to the mental health provisions.

But it's not enough.

We cannot spin 30 9 million dollars on incarcerating kids and not spend a penny on reentry.

On intervention on prevention and on alternatives to detention.

So my question is this.

What about the victims?

Where is there justice?

>> Why are we not standing up for them?

And I believe that this bill does that.

>> The juvenile justice reform measure cleared the House 79 to 18 and now moves on to the Senate for consideration.

There.

Some educators are saying classroom outbursts are making it hard for them to teach.

And for students to learn a bill making its way through the General Assembly is meant to give more flexibility and disciplinary matters.

Our Casey Parker Bell reports on the bill from Frankfort.

>> The goal of this is to.

Empower.

Teachers.

To control what happens inside their classrooms.

>> House Bill 5.38 gives teachers the right to remove disruptive kids from their class and alas principles to remove them from a class permanently.

Students will be placed in alternative programs.

What classes?

Rock Castle County superintendent says it would give schools options.

They don't have.

>> The way that the law is currently written, there's no soft landing for the statements they go from being it's paled to being placed right back in our classroom.

There's no option for a transition period.

There's no option for virtual instruction.

>> HB 5.38 has language that would require expulsion for students who pose a danger to other students or faculty representative to be true.

It the bill sponsor an elementary school principal says the goal is to bring safety to classrooms and help recruit more teachers.

Whatever your jobs and education.

He's a great profession.

And >> I don't want people to to to not go into their field if they choose because of fear.

>> But a Louisville teacher says the bill could increase racial disparities.

The discretionary but choices to kick a student at the school for 12 months, even at this into alternate school or not, you know that that's the that's the choice you have.

That was the turning to alternative school choices.

>> Expel.

And if you're expelling these kids on the street and we're in trouble.

>> Representative Felicia Rayburn voted against the bill.

She says a section of the measure allowing schools to take disciplinary action activity off school property is unconstitutional.

>> But to to go out into after school hours.

That's not there.

Job.

Schools have a big enough job as it is.

This is unconstitutional.

>> House Bill 5.38, past the Education Committee.

17 to 4 for Kentucky edition.

I'm Casey Parker Bell.

>> Thank you, Casey.

The House Education Committee also passed a few other notable bills early this morning, House Bill 2.88 would set standards for teacher misconduct allegations Taylorsville Representative James Tipton who chairs the committee, says the bill would help prevent serial abusers from moving from school to school.

>> They found during that 5 year time 194 teachers, his teaching license was voluntarily surrendered, suspended or revoked.

But APS bay and 61% of those trace back to some form of sexual misconduct.

The 118 teachers accused of sexual misconduct.

But the PSP a 37% of them were never prosecuted with a crime.

And 31% had the charges dismiss got probation or serve less than a year in jail.

The goal of this legislation is to provide stronger requirements for disclosing previous misconduct and sets forth processes to ensure school districts can pursue dating candidates thoroughly.

>> EPS B stands for educational Professional Standards Board House Bill 2.88 will now head to the full House for consideration there.

And another bill passed by the committee could potentially save Lives.

House bill 3.31.

Would require middle and high schools to have an automated external defibrillator and training on how to use it.

Taylor Mill Representative Kim Moser says most schools already have the machines typically referred to as a EDS and says House bill 3.31 would require schools to have a plan in place in case it ever needed.

>> As a former coach and former school administrator that the best part of this bill is not the actual object sitting on the desk there in front.

It's the plan.

And how well thought out it's been how this is to be done.

Seasonally because I know very well that you're athletic trainers who will have a mobile ad will be in different spot during different seasons.

And your staff, your custodians, your coaches, your students need to know where those people are.

>> House Bill 3.31 will now head to the full House consideration by the entire membership.

Devastating.

That's how officials characterize the impact of proposed tax break on the bourbon industry would have on their counties and cities.

State Representative Jason Peachtree, a Republican from Elton is the sponsor of House Bill 5.

It calls for phasing out state and local property taxes on barrels of bourbon by 2039. speaking at a press conference last night in Nelson County superintendents, police officers, EMS directors and others said losing out on that revenue would result in drastic cots.

And what setback many cities.

>> This issue.

Is as important as any issue that I have ever seen in my career.

Because at the end of the day, tune in to see is.

And KET the status quo that we had.

>> State Senator Jimmy Higdon a Republican from Lebanon was also at last night's meeting representing Senate District 14.

He said half of the world's bourbon is stored in his district.

He said he understands where distilleries are coming from.

>> The big factor, the problem they have about 130 million dollars in tax credits that they can't yet.

Primarily because they don't have any actual income.

So that's a problem.

Cities and counties and taxing districts or not.

>> We want to help you to find a solution.

But the solutions not do that.

>> Senator Higdon added that with 17 new distilleries announcing plans to build in Kentucky last year alone.

The argument that the barrel tax will detour business doesn't hold up.

We reached out to the Kentucky Distillers Association for comment and did not hear back House Bill 5 is waiting to be considered by the appropriations and Revenue Committee.

Disaster.

Relief funds would have more state control of House Bill 2.57.

Becomes law.

There's been criticism on the recent tornado and flooding relief efforts with some saying there isn't enough state accountability because it exists outside the normal budget process today.

Representative Jason Preacher E discussed House Bill 2.57.

Before the in our committee, which he chairs.

>> What this bill does, it says to also touch accounts.

And in particular to of concern right now would be team Kentucky, Weston team Kentucky, East funds that were brought in by solicitation and receive donations for those.

This would create a type of trust fund to which those type of solicit funds would go into brings them own budget so than the General Assembly can appropriate.

>> The committee approved the bill.

23 to nothing.

So it now goes on to the full House.

Your driving habits could soon come under further scrutiny.

House Bill 201 would create a pilot program for automated speed enforcement and highway work zones.

Cameras would monitor your speed and a citation could be issued for drivers caught going more than 10 miles over the speed limit in work zones.

Bill sponsor, Republican State Representative John Blanton of Sawyer's Bill said some changes to the bill address some of the concerns previously raised about it.

>> The committee sub would say that these would only operate or be enforceable when there's actually workers in the work zone.

That was an issue.

Some people want to see in there.

It does give a little bit of latitude for for in in the legislation.

It provides an appeal process for those that feel like that, we're not the ones or or they weren't speeding.

It does provide a appeal process.

>> The bill passed the House Transportation Committee this morning if enacted into law.

Representative Blanton said the bill would be named the Jared Lee Helton Act in honor of his neighbor who was killed who was a highway worker killed in a crash in 2019 and that same committee hearing today, there was a lot of discussion about autonomous vehicles.

Representative Josh Bryan Mount Vernon is the sponsor of House Bill one.

35, it would establish a regulatory framework to allow self-driving cars, trucks and semis on Kentucky's public highways aerial Wolf, general counsel for the autonomous vehicle Industry Association was at today's committee meeting to testify in favor of the bill.

And committee members had a lot of questions for him.

Some questions were about safety.

Others were about legal issues.

>> The overwhelming contributor, 2 collisions accidents, fatalities and injuries in the roadways is human impairment.

All forms a toxic ation distraction, fatigue, etc.

Human impairment is is responsible for that.

And autonomous vehicles fundamentally.

Will improve safety.

>> In the event that one of these autonomous vehicles, which understand or substantially better technology, the Tesla.

So if driving vehicles, if they were curing a controlled substance, for instance, a narcotics delivery, you know, interstate trafficking in people who was liable for that crime.

If there's no driver to arrest.

Thank you, representative.

And excellent question on The way the bill would work and the way generally the framework to work as we proceed.

Exactly the inquiry be exactly as you simply without a driver present.

So the examination of the facts would would determination as to whether the owner >> of the autonomous vehicle was responsible for that or if in some some those substances were put on without knowledge and presumably that would proceed that way and simply just would not have a driver is part of the inquiry there.

>> House Bill, one 35 passed out of committee and now awaits action by the full House.

Lawmakers, as you know, are considering gambling legislation this session, including bills dealing with sports betting and gray machines or skill Some call them.

We discussed both last night on Kentucky tonight, games now and many bars clubs and convenience stores are known as, quote, gray machines because their critics say they exist in a gray area of the law.

A bill being considered would ban them and another bill would regulate them.

Bob, however, anger is a former state lawmaker who's now a lobbyist for a game maker.

He says the games are legal because a player has to use some skill to win.

>> People have to play the game.

They have to have some kind of skill, mental acuity, hand-eye coordination, whatever you want to call it.

their skill to is what determines whether or not they win and not a game like a slot machine or you put a coin in push a button.

Hope you win something.

So under current definition of Kentucky law were illegal game.

And and of course, our opponents admit that by I know they say were illegal.

They they have a bill to ban us that obviously they would need if we were already illegal.

Undisputed that these particular games we're talking about here tonight have not been authorized by the Legislature.

In fact, they're currently illegal under Kentucky law unbounded Lee involve an element of chance.

So Mister Heller in your talks about having to use kill Renee, these games are Tic Tac toe.

It's 9 images that spin and stop and the player is to complete a line if it can with a wild card.

Many times when you hit the play button, which is a lot like a slot machine.

The images stop and the 9 images like on the Tic Tac Toe Board.

None of the match.

That's a loss.

That's pure chance.

>> Another bill would legalize some types of stuff.

Sports betting and Kentucky backers say sports fans are betting in other states and Kentucky is losing money.

Opponents worry about the social harm caused by gambling.

>> With 6 or 7 surrounding states having legalize it puts a scent of him poor, competitive position.

And I hear stories all the time about people going to Tennessee.

Or Indiana or Ohio because the G O location device on their phone want to make a bat in Kentucky.

So they are they're driving to other states.

They're making their wagers over there.

They can go brick and mortar sportsbook in Cincinnati there.

They're shopping over there.

They're getting groceries over there before they come on to Kentucky.

So it's not just about the sports wagering.

It's about the activity that they're engaging in when they go to other states.

Where does this and how does it affect our kids and where does this?

And I think we need to be concerned.

About those who are prone to addiction.

I don't know if the state has done a study or consider that what are what are the costs and benefits involved here?

What is the downside?

Who does it affect?

And especially the least of these in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

We know that the poor are vulnerable.

Those who are down on their on their hope.

They're looking for a way out of their property instead of the state promoting and opening the door to predatory gambling operations.

The state should be a firewall to any industry that comes in and that would pray on his people.

>> You can see more of last night's conversation online on demand at KET DOT Org.

Slash K why tonight?

Kentucky Agriculture commissioner and Republican candidate for Governor Ryan Quarles held a campaign event on the steps of the state Capitol this morning.

He pledged to legalize medical marijuana in his first year as Governor.

>> It's time for Kentucky, the passive responsible medical marijuana piece of legislation, the health benefits patients across Kentucky as your commissioner of agriculture, the past 8 years, I have run the hit program in our state.

There's no candidate better position in this race to have a conversation about what the framework would be like to help pass a responsible medical marijuana bill through the General Assembly.

>> Calls also criticized Governor Andy Beshear's executive order regarding medical marijuana saying it doesn't do anything for Kentucky farmers under the executive order, Kentuckyian suffering from certain illnesses can buy a small amount of marijuana from a licensed dealer in another state.

The order which took effect January 1st of this year does not allow medical marijuana to be grown in Kentucky.

Cross also said he plans to lay out his vision for Kentucky by addressing an issue each week going forward into the May primary.

He is one of a dozen candidates in the Republican primary for governor, which is now just 76 days away.

A Mason-Dixon poll last month showed corals trailing gubernatorial candidates.

Daniel Cameron and Kelley crashed.

The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments today and the challenge to President Joe Biden, student loan forgiveness Plan Biden's plan makes 43 million borrowers eligible for up to $20,000 in federal student debt forgiveness.

According to the White House, more than half-a-million Kentucky hands would qualify for some relief.

Student loan payments were halted in Twenty-twenty under a 2003 law known as the Heroes Act.

The law allows the secretary of education to waive or modify terms of federal student loans in connection with a national emergency.

Now, in this case, it was the COVID-19 pandemic.

Today's challenge focused on whether Biden has the legal authority to wipe out the debt.

Some conservative justices suggested the president exceeded his authority and question the expense of the program, which is estimated to cost 400 billion dollars over 30 years.

A decision is expected by late June.

♪ An update on last year's deadly shooting of 3 law enforcement officers in Floyd County.

The man accused of opening fire on those officers was found dead in his jail cell this morning, the Floyd County Sheriff's Office said 50 year-old Lance Storz died of an apparent suicide this was the mug shot taken following his arrest last summer stores was being held on murder charges at the Pike County Detention Center.

Investigators said stores got into a standoff with officers who went to his home to serve a protective order.

Pike County Sheriff's Deputy William Petri Prestonsburg police Captain Ralph Frasier and Prestonsburg Officer Jacob Chaffins were killed.

4 other officers were wounded.

The shooting was one of the deadliest for law enforcement officers and Kentucky's history.

>> Did you know all official educational tax and H 4 legally blind students come from Louisville.

The American Printing House for the blind is the only federally funded source for these materials for blind or low vision.

People in the U.S. now they're expanding in a big way.

Kentucky additions Kelsey Starks gives us an inside look at the plans.

>> The American Printing House for the Blind has been in operation since 18 58.

And so it has changed a lot since then.

But at to celebrate its 100 and 65th anniversary, it may be going through one of its biggest changes yet.

And Doctor Craig Matter is here to tell us all about it.

Thank you so much for being here.

And he's the president of the American Printing House for the blind in for those who may not know what you will do.

Explain.

>> All right.

Wow.

This American printing House for the Blind was founded in 18.

58 by a group of Kentuckians whose who felt that that print should be available to blind individuals.

So they took it upon themselves to basically lobby the entire country asking state by state for small portions, the money so they could produce at that time which was braced.

Prince and one of these great American stories in 18 79, the U.S. Congress said this is a worthwhile effort and we're going to start funding it yearly out of the federal budget.

And so we've been federally since 18 79 and it is a national resource for the entire country.

>> That big news, though, is this expansion 100,000 Square feet of new construction.

That's 4 times your house area size, including add new museum.

I was going to be called the DOT experience.

So explain what that's all about.

>> So the DOT experience will be the name of the new Museum for those have been to the American Printing House for the blind.

You probably have visited our museum and it is a very unique museum, which basically focus is on the growth of education through the ages in.

We have some amazing treasures there.

We have one of is 6.

There are only 6 books remaining to the state that were actually produced by Louis Braille himself.

We are the we have one of those copies in its the only one that's on permanent display.

Yeah, we the Helen Keller archive.

So we have everything in there from Helens Oscar to the letter that she scolding the Hitler used for burning her books to her correspondence with Mark Twain.

the Roosevelt and it just goes on and on and on.

Stevie Wonder's piano that he played when he was a student at the Michigan School for the Blind.

So what we want to hit have happened in this museum of First Ball is create this experience.

We're going to call it an experience that makes this the most accessible experience museum in the world.

So doesn't matter if you our ambulatory impaired, if you're blind, low vision, if your death, if you're deaf blind few have a sensory need that we'll be able to create end and experience for you.

That will meet your needs where you're at.

It will be fully accessible, fully inclusive.

And so that's our goal.

But the main goal is we want to introduce you to.

Blindness, low vision, truly us.

We appreciate it so much.

In those many museum renovations.

>> Will this spring with a reopening planned for 2025.

Thank you, Kelsey, something look forward to.

Well, that'll do it for us tonight.

We hope you'll join us again tomorrow night at 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central for Kentucky.

Addition we inform connect and inspire.

Hope to see you tomorrow night.

Take good care.

♪ ♪