♪ >> Want to want to move on to time.

We move on to watch >> And changes on the way for U.S..

Senator Mitch McConnell.

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

♪ ♪ >> Good evening and welcome to Kentucky EDITION on this Wednesday, February, the 28th, I'm Renee Shaw.

Thank you for winding down your Wednesday with us.

>> U.S.

Senator Mitch McConnell.

Kentucky's longest-serving U.S. senator and the longest-serving Senate leader and history says he will step down as Senate minority leader in November.

He says he will remain in the Senate at least until his current term ends in January of 2027.

Here are some of Senator McConnell's remarks on the Senate floor this afternoon.

>> One of life's most underappreciated to all of you.

>> No one from the move on to John, stand before you today.

Mister President, my colleagues.

So this will be my last term issue.

Republican going anywhere anytime Are all completely my colleague to give to what the new leader in November 2.

They took the Finish the job?

The people of Kentucky hard moves.

Welcome.

Albeit different seed 2.

I'm actually looking forward She wants to come from a different about them.

Another season, 2.

There may be more distinguished members of this body throughout our history.

But I with any >> Senator McConnell says his health was not a factor in this decision.

McConnell just turned 82 years old.

There was recent criticism of him from other Senate Republicans when he reached a compromise deal with Democrats on border security and he acknowledged today there is disagreement among Republicans on foreign policy, including aid to Ukraine.

More on Senator McConnell's decision to step down as Senate minority leader.

As we talk to NPR's Rylan Barton and just a few minutes.

A group of non-GAAP aired today outside Senator McConnell's Louisville office to pray for peace in Palestine and Israel.

The sisters of Loretto called for today's prayer Service.

The sisters say civilians in Gaza are suffering through an unprecedented humanitarian crisis.

Now on to Frankfort news, a Georgetown Republican who's working to loosen restrictions on how much some teenagers can work is now proposing to change over time and break rules for adult workers.

That big ends.

Today's legislative update.

Labor allies say the proposal cuts pay and dangers worker safety in committee today.

State Representative Phillip Pratt explained the changes that House Bill 500 makes to existing laws that date back decades.

>> Included in the bill are changes to overtime and wage rules on traveling to and from work.

Also meal breaks wouldn't be required.

Instead, employers would have to pay workers for time spent eating on the job and ill break is provided.

>> Eliminate the 7th 7th Day overtime provision requires time and a half wages for hours worked on the 7th day of the week.

Kentucky, California, only 2 states that still have this requirement.

Basically what this means is if you're working example, 2 to 3 hours a day.

On the 6th day.

You don't time about the 7th day.

You still have to pay over time.

Even though we have not at 40 hours basis as you get over time when you hit 40 hours, eliminate the requirement, employed must give a 10 minute paid rest breaks for each for our period where Kentucky is only one of a handful that still require employees to give a don't ploys paid rest period for Delta employees under 18.

You have to others include Maine, Minnesota, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington now known around.

If you want to offer employee a 10 minute break, period, you still can it just not required in the wood?

Just a handful of states still be that?

>> The bill also would prevent travel time to be counted in the work day.

For those who use company vehicles.

House Bill 500 requires that workers are not locked in until they arrive on site.

>> I can emergency responders setting going to lunch and get a call and that will put out a fire to go.

So I can see that there could be situations where this would absolutely hurt, maybe our first responders, her police officers.

>> A small business owner and labor lobbyist testified that the measure would be devastating to Kentucky workers.

>> This bill passed in its current form would repeal Kentucky's rest periods.

Lunch breaks and 7th day overtime walls and eliminate overtime and minimum wage protections for activities such as travel time between job sites in donning and doffing of protective gear.

These laws have been in place since 1958.

1974. in 1942.

Respectively.

Why the sudden urgency to repeal walls there in place to protect Kentucky's workers.

Consider a nurse, for example, in hospital, the tells her she must work or full shift straight through with no breaks to eat House Bill 500 would be asking her to try and eat well, providing medical care to patients were not eat it all.

If the employer does provide a lunch period and they discover that workers eating at another time while on the clock section 3 says they won't be required to pay their employees for that time.

Even if the workers taking a snack break for medical reasons like diabetes, his 2 sons of nurses, I can tell you that notion is right now in hospitals that are 18 standing up because they don't get a lunch break right now.

>> defaced unpaid, they have to be relieved.

I can tell you both.

My son will tell you it's not unusual for them not to get a lunch break.

They eat right through it because that's the workload to have to have.

>> What this is doing is asking our constituents to work harder and longer for less pay, that less pay will lead to less payroll taxes.

It might lead to more errors and things like really complicated jobs like and and stressful jobs like social workers and nurses in emergency professionals.

>> I think this is a very, very dangerous piece of legislation >> House Bill, 500 that repels.

Kentucky's current luncheon rest period laws as well as a law requiring time and a half or work done on the 7th day in a row advance from committee and now awaits action on the House floor.

And ambitious measure kick starting research and collaboration among the state's public universities cleared another hurdle today.

Republican Senate President Robert Stivers is a sponsor of Senate Bill.

One, a bill number reserved for chamber's top priority.

The bill is meant to stimulate cutting edge research that could attract federal grants while also raising Kentucky's research profile and improving the lives of Kentuckians Senate Bill one would set up 5 and Dowd research funds the council on post-secondary education would then be in charge of reviewing funding applications submitted by 2 or more public universities.

Speaking on the Senate floor this afternoon, Senator Stivers explained the reasoning for his bill.

>> But I wanted to do.

Was followed the deal.

That was it in the way.

Our sense of divisive are controversial.

That was a particularly good for an area.

But for the whole state.

And something that would generate interest in cooperation and collaboration, not competition.

But that had the ability to impact.

This state 4 years in to the future.

And that's the hope of this bill that we will know.

We made a difference.

A difference.

The trajectory of the state.

And the lives of people here in this state.

And we'll be on the geographic confines of the state of Kentucky.

>> Senate Bill one pass the full Senate today with 36 yes votes and one pass vote.

The bill now heads to the lower chamber for consideration there.

Right now.

The governor picks members of the state Board of Education, but some lawmakers want voters to make those decisions as our Clayton Dalton tells us, the bill sponsor says it's all about accountability.

>> The Kentucky Board of Education overseas rules and regulations for school districts across the Commonwealth.

The board is made up of 11 voting members which are appointed by the governor and approved by the state Senate.

But one lawmaker thinks it's time for a new system.

>> We currently have 171 school districts.

We're all of their boards are elected.

Every single one of them.

This is the only board of education.

That is appointed by the governor.

This would change this board to be an elected board.

Most recently of our last 2 governors, we've had both sides of the aisle, Republican and Democrat have sought to control the board with their appointments.

And we saw this most recently.

With our current governor where he saw to disband the board and then reappoint all.

But those of his party to the board the board in itself and KET have sought to become more of a control organization rather support organization.

What they're supposed to be a for our school districts.

I think it's time that we made them accountable to the people that actually put their kids in our schools under current Kentucky law, 4 members of the board are at large appointments representing the entire state Senate Bill 8 gets rid of the seats.

>> The bill will actually gives rural voters and world parents more say in who runs the state's schools rather than such heavy reliance on executive appointments from Jefferson and Fayette counties, which is only really basic fairness, in my opinion.

And it will also geographically make the board diverse.

The policies developed well, hopefully reflect the broader needs.

An interest of all Kentucky INS in 2021, the Kentucky General Assembly passed a bill requiring state Board of education appointments.

>> To reflect the gender racial and political composition of the state.

Governor Beshear signed that bill into law Senate Bill 8 would undo that legislation.

One Democrat voiced her opposition and her fear that the bill will politicize education.

>> I believe that party politics have no place in the classroom.

And in the 90's, we made a decision to take politics out of the classroom with Kara.

I think that was a good decision.

The majority of states who have made the same decision, including 8 out of the 10 top performing school districts that have appointed boards.

In fact, there are only 5 school districts by my research that have partisan elections for their boards of education.

And so for that reason, I vote no.

>> One Republican lawmaker who supports the bill worries about how money might impact these elections.

>> Although I do just want to share some of the concerns I've heard from people about third-party, independent expenditures, money in those races that will have an influence on what voices get out in what message get hurt.

And I think that does give me pause and how.

Some of these races might be decided by.

Certainly appreciate the intent of what you're trying to do with the bill.

>> The bill passed along party lines and now heads to the Senate floor for Kentucky Edition.

I'm Clayton Dalton.

>> Thank you, Clayton.

And more legislative news.

Kentucky is known for its haulers and hamlets policy wonks like to call them on incorporated areas, meaning they have no local government as Kentucky additions.

June LaFleur reports Kentucky lawmakers hope to change what cities and counties can get out of these unincorporated areas.

>> Kentucky lawmakers have debated annexation in recent years.

That's the process where cities grow by bringing unincorporated land and residents into their fold last year, state lawmakers put a pause on most annexations saying the whole process had to be overhauled.

Current law arguably make cities winners in counties, losers, counties offer unincorporated communities, some services and in turn, get some taxes.

But when Cities Annex unincorporated lands, they take much of those Texas counties have been counting on state lawmakers say House Bill 5.96 would give many counties more say in the process and their fair share of tax revenues.

>> For 10 years, the city show guarantee the county will increase.

We'll see increased revenue from the annex property equal to or higher.

Then 100% of the property tax.

150% of the occupational tax and 150% of the insurance tax unless otherwise agreed by the city and the county.

>> The bill advanced unanimously out of the House local government committee.

>> You know, comment was made to me over the weekend.

That kind of summed it up perfectly.

I thought, you know, I judge it said I hope for more, but I'd expected less.

And so I think you've done a phenomenal job on it threads the needle appropriately, just what's going on across the state.

We know that counties and cities that work together already that have those inner local agreement already are the ones that are more prosperous than the others.

And so providing the framework to kind of get to the spot.

To where we have more in our local agreements, more months, counties and cities.

I think you've done a phenomenal job we're not all may be happy, but we all got to a product that we can all live with as of And I think it's something that we can be proud of.

>> I appreciate each of you for the work that you down plant that we're moving forward.

>> Both the Kentucky League of Cities and the Kentucky Association of counties support the bill for Kentucky edition of John Leffler.

>> Thank you.

June.

According to the 2020 U.S. census, 44% of Kentuckians live and on incorporated areas.

Training for a job or an occupational license can be costly.

A bipartisan bill cleared through a House committee today would let ex offenders know if it's worth the time and expense under House Bill.

One.

24 and sex offender competition, a licensing board or public employer to find out if their criminal record disqualifies them from public employment or an occupational license before enrolling in any required training.

Another provision an applicant can only be disqualified if their conviction applies directly to the job.

The sponsor of the bill Republican State representative Emily Callaway says it will help remove barriers to employment key to reducing recidivism and address the state's workforce shortage.

Reason one committee member said he was voting yes on the bill.

>> We have so many new companies coming to this state and they are telling us.

All the time that they don't have enough qualified workers.

So these kind of bills right here.

Prove to me anyway that you can be tough on crime, but you can be forgiving when they've paid their debt to I would like to see this bill pass and and others like it.

>> The bill was forwarded to the full House on a unanimous vote in committee.

The licensing and Occupations Committee also passed Senate Bill 50 allowing micro distilleries to sell up to 5,000 gallons a year directly to a license bar or store.

Time now for a midweek review of some major political developments so far this week with our friend Rylan Barden whose with the NPR states team, senior editor who you may have heard on the radio this morning.

If you're listening to Morning Edition, good to see you.

>> You can see today.

Thank you.

>> We'll talk about why you are on MORNING Edition in just a moment.

But some rather breaking news today.

A midday we learned about U.S..

Senator Mitch McConnell says he will not run for Republican leader.

He's not going to step down from the job as a as a senator, but come November.

He's going to give that up.

Tell us about this.

>> Yeah, this is this is huge McAuliffe, the leader in the Senate.

And this is going to end his tenure after, you know, after this coming election in November after, you know, the presidential election he said that he's going to continue to see the end of his term space until 2026, you know, we'll see what what I also through the world is like after of this year's elections, whether people through my promise, obviously gave a speech on the Senate floor today of that is due to a really interesting speech that talks a little bit about where he's at in making this decision.

But also the party's out right off and Republican parties in this really interesting place going to be a special election and specially we're talking about a national aid, urban us age 2 to foreign wars.

So, you know, and and he say that the he's really of the of the mind that he's been pushing a law specially for aid to Ukraine as it continues to and south against the invasion from Russia.

And he said that I believe more strongly than ever that America's global leadership is essential to preserving the shining city on the bill.

And this is a really different perspective, but a lot of other publicans, especially in the Senate, a very divided right now.

Obviously on this particular issue, it's been hard to get that aid passed in Congress right So a little bit of this is because a cheese 82 years-old.

Obviously last summer we have that, you know, again at the SOS free throws very publicly during press conferences.

But I think we you got also going to talk about the politics of the moment right on this on this foreign policy issue, but also with it, former President Donald Trump, front runner for the nomination for president this year.

Small and all and trumpet, you know, not in a very good colleagues over the last couple years, especially in January 6 insurrection, which for all excuse Trump of of having a role play a role in encouraging people to storm the Capitol.

And and that he's left and saw for the mission whether or not to provided endorsing or, you know.

Trump easterly to nomination or so this might make that a that a little easier for Matt.

We will see where all lanes on having to endorsed the former president or not.

>> Yeah, it was interesting how he framed it that one of life's most underappreciated talents is to know when it's time to move on to life's next chapter.

And then he continued on.

And as for speech to talk about just what you said, so shifting now to one matter in Frankfort, and that's getting some discussion.

And that's a bill that was passed out of committee dealing with child support payments to pregnant women.

And this has some implications or some correlations, perhaps to succumb sums concerns about what's happening in Alabama when it comes to IVF.

Talk to us about this.

And this is what you talked about on MORNING Edition.

>> Yeah, it is very complicated A lot of time to get summarizes a people person of the bills.

But this particular bill would pregnant women eligible for child support when they're pregnant.

You're from the point of conception on the thing is that some reproductive rights advocates to be worried the story, any sort of rights on a fetus or embryo can lead to this process in which in which the discerning Rio is guaranteed certain rights and guaranteed certain personhood.

So that's where that's what leads us to that of a big splashy story that we saw last week out of Alabama.

bring Supreme Court a lot for me that of frozen embryos and that it acts you accidentally been destroyed during the IVF process were actually subject to you, too, criminal charges that the people.

Who had we damage those embryos were subject to criminal charges and because that they were considered the same as children even outside of the world.

So going back the that a lot of worries that idea whether or not, you know, or to levy treatment for folks who are in trying to try to ease a great idea whether that would be illegal and come back to do a hospitals now being stopped providing a treatment and lawmakers and sponsored that bill when the Western Fields attempted to make sure that this doesn't lead to that slippery s**** of of of undermining people's ability to access it.

Yeah.

By saying that it would only if you'd only be able to get child support retroactive.

So once the pregnancies you know, we'll see a there have been similar measures like this proposed around the country.

Georgia actually has a similar law to this on the books already.

But a lot of legislatures that have been pushing the sort of fetal personhood measures are now being little bit more hesitant least since the first week since that ruling, because it's it's really shocked.

A lot of I will quit the legally need to to underbody but can be sure that was a shunt process.

>> And today is the last day to file bills and the Senate.

So who's to say perhaps at the end of the day, when we look at what's been filed, that something may not resemble what has happened elsewhere.

That's yet to be saying, I guess.

Well, thank you, Roland.

It's always good to see you.

Appreciate your time.

>> Thanks for that.

♪ >> Every year thousands of people visit Ashland, the Lexington, a state of Kentucky Statesman, Henry Clay.

Now a new tour use is legal documents and information from archaeological digs to tell the stories of some of the enslaved who lived and worked at one of Kentucky's most famous homes.

>> Henry Clay's life was, you know, very important man and a great statesman.

But he also enslaved over 120 some people here in Nashville in honor of Black History Month here at the national.

And we opened a new exhibit called traces in fragments and that is a result many years of working on developing our traces tour, which wants back in a 2019, we examine the lives of the many people who are enslaved.

Turn Ashland.

And as a result, many people ask, where did we get the information?

How are we making these connections?

And that came from.

Archaeological digs came from digging through legal documents.

>> We document and we pull out frightening pieces that could net the life of Henry Clay with those who are enslaved on the estate.

we have fragments.

We have pieces.

We information found from various sources.

But one of the unique things to digital access project.

We did get eyes over 91,000 pages of 176 books.

As of the end of December 2023.

Within those records are names of those who are enslaved, who were either sold purchase option.

Now it doesn't say who they were.

>> Which is why we are very careful to use the word enslaved.

It was a condition put on them not by their own.

Will it something that was done to them?

History is very fluid.

>> And one of the things that we do know is that African-American history is American history.

We share the same.

Landscape, the same scope So just makes it more complete.

>> We did have a lot of help from the African-American community.

In fact, it was one of those ladies that came up with the traces that was.

The title because they left.

So if you trace of themselves for us to see today, we may not know everything about him, but we can lease call out their name and lift up their name is reverence and respect.

>> How much they were suffered through the institution of slavery.

History is something provides.

Great insight into how things are happening today.

Not knowing history can hurt you.

by telling the full complete story, we hope to engage more people and have them have a deeper appreciation for our Kentucky in American history.

It's an interesting question.

The fact of the matter >> the tour officially opens to the public on March first, which is this Friday well, we thank you for joining us tonight.

And we've got a lot more planned for you tomorrow, particularly what's happening in your state capital.

So be sure to tune in at 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central for Kentucky Edition, we inform connect and inspire.

You can subscribe to our email newsletters and watch full episodes and KET Dot org.

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

We always encourage you to to send us a story idea to public affairs at KET Dot Org and follow KET on Facebook X, formerly Twitter and Instagram to stay in the loop of all the great programming we have here on KET.

Thank you so very much for joining us tonight.

We'll see you right back here again tomorrow.

Take that chance.

♪