♪ >> It's now on the books.

Kentuckians will see a state income tax cut in 2026.

>> 80 out of 120 counties have a shortage.

Of large animal that there is.

>> What Murray State University wants to do to fix that problem.

>> Whether it's family or friends, our community, it's all about the team.

>> And the state wants veterans and their families to have every benefits they've earned.

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

♪ ♪ Good Evening and welcome to Kentucky EDITION on this Thursday, February, the 6th.

>> I'm Renee Shaw.

Thank you for spending some of your Thursday night with us.

Another tax break for Kentuckians is coming.

That big ends.

Tonight's legislative update this morning.

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear signed the income tax cut passed by the Kentucky General Assembly.

That means in Twenty-twenty 6.

The income tax rate will go from 4% to 3 and a half percent.

The governor says with prices high, the cut will help Kentuckians pay the bills.

He says prices could continue to rise because of President Donald Trump's proposed tariffs.

Legislative business continue today at the Capitol Building, Protect the custody rights of parents with disabilities is gaining traction.

Our Jim Leffler has more on that.

>> The Kentucky Judicial Commission on Mental Health says too often families are separated simply because a parent has a mental or physical disability.

These cases end up in family court or as high as Kentucky Supreme Court.

>> In this case, a mother with cognitive issues and mild autism had lost her parental rights.

Through the process.

It was noted that more appropriate services were not offered to this parent and a lot of her disability, which may have constituted a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

In this case, any risk of harm was built entirely upon the assumption that this person with mild cognitive effects could not parent.

While the termination was ultimately upheld, the justices were all concerned that with what services are being provided to the mother, whether those mission to protect our constitutional rights.

>> Parents can't be denied custody or adoption just because they have a mental or physical disability.

If Senate Bill 26 becomes law, the Senate Judiciary Committee signed off on the bill sending it to the full Senate.

The committee also approved a measure to make sextortion of felony offense.

That Senate bill 73.

So what is sexual extortion?

Sextortion is a form of exploitation that occurs when a person obtains sexually explicit images of an individual and threatens to release them unless their demands, which can be either monetary or sexual or any other requests are met.

Perpetrators often use social media platforms, online gaming sites and messaging apps to Target youth.

Posing as peers are romantic interest to course victims sharing explicit context.

The FBI has reported that.

This issue has had a 1000% increased.

It sextortion cases involving minors over the past 5 years.

>> These aren't just numbers.

These are children.

>> Adults in the public eye can also be targets.

Louisville attorney says her client only got justice once the FBI got involved.

My client.

Had images stolen from Snapchat images.

She had never shared.

She is a public high school teacher and it would have been devastating.

Took her for her career and her life had those images gotten out more than any other reason.

Senate Bill, 73 must pass because we do not have.

>> Criminal law or civil law federally or in this state that adequately addresses this.

The bill also requires some education around sextortion in public schools.

>> Lawmakers say just KET it age appropriate for Kentucky edition.

I'm Jen Leffler.

>> Thank you, Jim.

And more news rules for how state regulations are crafted and reviewed was the focus of a bill that unanimously cleared the state Senate today.

Republican Senator Stephen West of Paris is the sponsor of Senate Bill.

23.

It would allow for the review of regulations as they're being drafted and that mandates that agencies drafting regulations cooperate with legislative committees.

Senator West says this change will lead to meaningful legislative review and he pointed to a recent example involving the Department of Corrections to explain why the bill is needed.

>> The department had implemented a policy within our prison system.

For the purpose of paying the state would pay for.

>> Gender affirming care in gender transition surgeries.

4 inmates for inmates within the Department of Corrections.

That had been a policy for some time.

That was a policy that had been enacted through an internal memo.

The committee.

Found out about that.

That the Department of Corrections was trying to codify this policy.

The regulation, but no one KET about this policy for many years.

what happened is they brought the policy forward.

And the committee, as you can imagine, we were interested in taking a look at this policy and getting more information.

The the agency continue to ask for deferral, which meant more delay.

Every month requests for deferral every month.

And then they finally appeared before the committee.

The person that appear before the committee.

Did not have any information on the regulation.

Was not able to answer any questions and did not have the power to.

To enact or go along with the deferral request by the committee.

>> The issue of gender affirming care for state inmates was brought to light last year when Republican state lawmakers learned about a Kentucky Department of Corrections policy.

The Kentucky Lantern reports that policy was adopted by memo, meaning it did not go through our regulatory review, Kentucky Attorney General Russel Coleman later issued a legal opinion saying the state's correctional facilities are not required to provide such care to inmates and that refusing to do so does not violate the cruel and unusual punishment clause of the 8th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Now, lawmakers hope to make this issue and take this issue a step further.

Today.

State Senator Mike Wilson filed Senate Bill 2, which would prohibit the funding of cross sex hormones and transgender surgeries for state inmates.

>> There are.

>> 467 prisoners that are actually on hormone there.

Out of those 467.

67 of those are all across sex or modes.

Now, I know there are other hormone therapies, hormone replacement therapy and things severe menopause and things like that.

This is not.

In any way touching those therapies.

This is specifically geared.

For those prospects.

Hormone therapies and the transgender surgeries.

I don't know about you, Mister President, believe that our citizens would want their taxpayer dollars being used for those purposes for those that are in prison that are inmates.

>> Senate Bill 2 is now waiting to be assigned to a committee.

Also today in Frankfort, a state lawmaker is pushing to KET foreign dollars out of costly political campaigns and Kentucky.

Already candidates running for election in Kentucky can't accept campaign contributions from foreign nationals.

But Republican State Representative John Hartson says there's a loophole in state law that allows for in campaign donations to influence ballot measures such as constitutional amendments.

He says House Bill 45 aims to close that loophole.

>> You as a donor super PAC or a 5, 1, C 3, you cannot if your foreign actually certify that.

If certified you're not a foreign national in order to donate and there are legal ramifications for both the donor and the super PAC of Year, Mr.

Lie about that.

Has this been an issue in Kentuckyian can you provide examples?

>> Yes, Americans for public trust.

So that come foreigners.

Paid $585,000.

A Kentucky get Amendment 2 which failed.

So they have.

Participant influence our elections.

>> House Bill 45 would also require campaign ads concerning ballot measures to disclose who paid for the ad.

The bill unanimously passed out of committee and now heads to the full House for consideration.

There.

Kentucky.

Lex, about 200,000 houses and rental units in order to meet demand.

And that's what state lawmakers learned last summer Senate bill 59 is one measure aimed at addressing the shortage during a committee hearing today.

The bill sponsor Republican state Senator Jimmy Higdon.

So the goal is to remove regulatory barriers and allow religious organizations to use their properties for affordable housing development.

Legislators also heard from a woman who says the bill will harm rule areas.

>> It basically does.

It allows for churches to build on their property, built affordable housing and circumvent local zoning laws like parking requirements and size of the apartments and and that sort of thing and circumvent that but still had to fold the building codes.

And that's be approved by the local governing body.

>> well, essentially by away private property owners rights as well as but discriminatory housing as our only housing option, religious organizations are allowed to discriminate based on their religion.

You are going to put discriminatory housing.

In counties that already don't have enough housing.

In a state.

That is so world, these counties that this is going in are more predominantly poor counties, wear it less investment in education and they don't actually understand the bill that you all are trying to patch these multi family housing units from these religious organizations will be tax exempt.

Who is going to contribute to our roads, our bridges and emergency Sergeant Services for all of those new residents that people that live there already the poor residents of the county that have lived there for hundreds of years and are being forced out by lead and neoliberal housing tactics that actually create a bigger problem in areas that are cut off from being able to know what's going >> Despite that objection, Senate bill 59 was passed out of committee with a 9 to 0 vote and now heads to the full Senate for a vote.

There.

37 African-Americans have served or are serving in the Kentucky General Assembly.

Some of those lawmakers were on hand today and Frankfort as the Kentucky Black Legislative Caucus celebrated Black History Month.

Today's message is black history is Kentucky history and they say Kentucky benefits from diversity.

>> We're here today at a time when a U.S. Department of Defense refuses to recognize Black history month.

But we're doing so proudly today and the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

Adversity will always be an asset, never a detriment and we should celebrate.

And here in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

My job as governor in always easy.

But it is to speak out when I see things that are wrong.

Last week we saw some comments without merit that blamed a tragic airplane accident on dei.

That is not leadership that we reaffirm black history.

We say black history is the Kentucky history.

>> And we say is American history.

We mean we there's no separation for us.

So we think it's very important.

We think it's very important.

Each of us take this seriously.

History is joyful.

Well, guess what?

It's also painful.

And we can learn from that joy.

And that thing.

>> At the event, Justice Pamela Goodwine who you see there was honored for being the first black woman to be elected to the Kentucky Supreme Court and former Democratic House floor later.

Derrick Graham, who you see there was given the Kentucky Black Legislative Caucus Living Legacy Award.

One in 10 kids in Kentucky have experienced of parents being incarcerated.

That's according to the National Survey of Children's Health.

Having a parent locked up behind bars can have devastating impacts not just on the child, but on the parent as well earlier this week to Republican lawmakers teamed up with the group Dream Dot Org to introduce House bill to 91 also known as the Family Preservation And Accountability Act.

They call it a solutions focused bill that could address root causes of crime while also keeping families together.

The Family Preservation and Accountability Act is a common sense reform.

>> That recognizes that when we sentence of parent, we also profoundly impact their children.

This bill does not excuse crime.

It does not eliminate punishment, but it does ensure that when a nonviolent non-sexual offenses committed that judges have the discretion.

And I emphasize the word discretion to impose sentences that hold offenders accountable while keeping families together whenever possible.

Right now, Kentucky has thousands of children in foster care and many of them because their parents were sentenced to a prison for a low level nonviolent offense.

We know that children who experience parental incarceration face a greater risk of homelessness, struggles in school and often battle generational cycles of poverty.

This bill offers an alternative for those families.

>> The bill would also allow a judge to consider the parents primary caregiving role when issuing a sentence and provide alternative methods.

If the parent does not pose a safety risk those methods could include probation parenting programs and job training.

So far, House Bill for Senate bill.

291, House Bill.

21 has not been assigned to a committee.

Service members and their families are entitled to certain resources and benefits and cut Kentucky.

But they don't always know about them.

That's why the Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs held its first-ever veteran and military family conference earlier this week.

>> Today's event is to provide benefit and resource information and networking opportunity for veterans, military personnel and their families here in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

And Bottom Line does provide information for veterans and their families so they can improve the quality of their life.

A lot of veterans are when they leave service.

They they look at getting a job.

family settle.

And I don't think about these things until later on.

So it is common for an average better not to know the services and that is why we have events like today.

>> There are thousands and thousands of veterans service organizations and charities across the country.

And it's hard to know about all of them.

So I think educating people on what is available is incredibly important.

You have to continue to reinforce these programs because without that education.

and understanding, people world will never know about these.

But as with as many veterans as there are in this country, you can't talk to every single one of them and let them know about all of those thousands of programs really about understanding who the right people to talk to 2 get your foot in the door and then have them be a guide to help you.

As a veteran understand those programs.

We have a variety of classes or seminars as you call it.

Some of it is on caregivers support.

>> Others is on employment.

Financial management will also have a topic.

We cover it in cannabis here in Kentucky.

So there's a variety of topics that these veterans and family members can take home with them.

They're all interconnected.

Plus more.

So let's say we get veterans, their benefits now to able to have good health care access to health care.

They also have some type of pension and income coming in that improve the quality of life.

If they have the information about how to find the right jobs or start a business and I increase their income is standard of living for their families.

And and most importantly, if you have almost abilities, not live, that reduces mental-health challenges, problems and prevent suicide or suicide.

>> Having all the support organizations here means a lot having that.

The state government and the federal government here supporting our programs actually assist a lot.

It actually reinforces the point that I think there's a greater need within the state to reach more people.

We have well over 200 people registered for this conference is the first ever that we ran this.

It's I believe this will actually lead to much bigger, larger conferences in the state, inviting all veterans and military family member state.

>> Veteran families and the component that they bring to support their veterans for their service members is very important.

I mean, you you don't sacrifice as a single soldier.

We tend to have your family be there to support.

And whether it's family or friends or community.

It's all about the team.

And that's what the military really support says about it.

You know, everything we do.

It's about a team effort.

>> The Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs has more programming, including a seminar for female veterans plan throughout 2025.

Making sure animals have the medical care they need is a growing problem in Kentuckyian indeed across the nation with the aging population of current veterinarians and less students entering the field to take their place, especially in rural areas, one public university in Kentucky is eager to turn that challenge into opportunity right now.

They're only 33 vet schools in the country.

22 states don't have a vet school, including here in Kentucky.

A recent study finds Murray State University and far West Kentucky has a strong foundation to build a new college of veterinary medicine with existing facilities, financials and expertise.

I talked to MSU President Bob Jackson earlier this week about the pitch.

The university is making to state lawmakers this year.

>> We're seeking a school of veterinary medicine.

Renee, we we've been through this process many times over 52 years and so going back 52 years ago, we asked the General Assembly to fund the School of Veterinary Medicine.

Murray State University that long ago.

So this is this is about our 3rd time.

And this initiative is an important initiative.

Kentucky is one of 22 states that does not have a school of veterinary medicine.

They're only 33 schools of veterinary medicine, entire country.

It will one of the most agriculturally focused states in this country which doesn't serve that me.

And so we've been trying a long time and and we feel very good about where we are.

>> Yeah.

>> You feel better about it this short and you did in the long session where we heard your appeal last year.

Sure.

Well, actually, we felt very good about it in the last session.

>> What what a lot of people have have missed in the last session.

We received funding for 60 Million Dollar Veterinary Sciences building and so that it that is really step water.

Step 2, all of a school of veterinary medicine.

And so now we're seeking the enabling legislation amends, Krs.

One 64.2.

95.

That means very little to most run.

But there is a prohibition in that particular statute that says that comprehensive universities cannot for certain types of degrees.

It impacts Western Kentucky University Eastern Kentucky University Murray State University and all the other cops.

And he's so all of us are trying to carefully in that section to allow for specific programs that are respected institution.

>> Talk to us about the need for a vet Marion's in Kentucky.

The shortage that the state is currently experiencing and how you think that Murray State can help solve that problem.

>> What will first the Hudson School of Agriculture Murray State is the largest pre that that tech programs and the commonwealth.

So we have more students in those respective areas than any other college or university in Kentucky.

So we have a lot of students going to veterinary and schools or seeking further animal science degrees.

Once they leave Murray State, that's first last year.

Deloitte study that was done looking at these respective programs at Eastern Kentucky University and western Kentucky University and Murray State University.

He was pointed out and in this study that in 2023 160 students in the Commonwealth, that all universities, all colleges ply to school.

That next.

>> But only 67, except when there are.

There are more students seeking this feel there's more need that that's out there that may have slots for this country.

And so that's what we're trying to fix.

And it's especially prominent role.

Kentucky.

It's especially a problem, a large animal that match.

And in the far west.

>> In the Far East, I think it's it's even magnified further.

Many counties actually 80 out of 120 counties have a shortage.

Of large animal that there is.

If you get this program, what do you think that does to the Murray State University's overall profile?

>> Well, it enhances the profile of the university, but most importantly, in assists the Commonwealth of Kentucky into an area where there's great need.

There is a great need to address the veterinary shortage and no one can dispute is indisputable as it relates to a vet.

Noon shortage in Kentucky.

>> Especially in rural Kentucky, in especially among large animal vet Marion's.

The statistics are scared and hes been there and start retiring personally.

I'm concerned.

I'm more concerned that total.

What does this do to our agricultural industry in the commonwealth of multi-billion dollar industry that we need to take good care of.

It's vitally important from east to west north to south.

>> You announced your retirement State University some time ago.

Are you hoping that this gets done before you exit your leadership role?

I sure hope so.

And I are you going to hang around longer if it see this across the finish line where the other where State University in the in the commonwealth's very important person and and serving the needs of this commonwealth are very important.

Me personally.

This is this is more than doing what's right.

This is a this is a personal issue for many of us, not just me, but for many others.

>> To handle the needs to address the needs as it relates to us.

Animal agriculture in the Commonwealth and I'm a farm kid.

I grew up in LaRue County on a tobacco in beef, cattle farm.

And I remember those days too, but also many friends across the Commonwealth served in these areas serving in in our agricultural industry and some capacity and they know the need and they see the need and many have it specifically endorsed the need for a bit school in Kentucky.

Thank you that about Jackson's always a pleasure.

Speaking with you.

>> It's always good to see.

♪ >> Yesterday President Donald Trump signed an executive order banning transgender athletes from women's sports.

The order is an interpretation of title 9.

The federal law banning sex discrimination in schools, schools that do not comply with the order or risk losing any federal funding.

They receive.

According to President Trump during the signing, he said, quote, the war on women's sports is over in, quote, the Conservative Family Foundation is praising President Trump's executive order.

Executive Director David Walls put out this statement that says, quote, Sound reason and basic biology make it clear that men have no place in women's sports.

The order is an important victory for women and girls across the nation and another important step toward dismantling the radical gender ideology harming our culture, end quote.

Critics are denouncing the move, though.

Amnesty International says transgender people like everyone else must be able to realize their human rights so they can fully participate in sports with safety and dignity.

♪ >> The Kansas City Chiefs are trying to become the first NFL team to win the Super Bowl 3 seasons in a row when they face the Philadelphia Eagles this Sunday in New Orleans.

>> And there are some Kentucky connections.

Chiefs offensive tackle Ethan Driskell number 75 there in the mail is from Louisville.

Eagles offensive tackle McKay back 10 played at U of L and Eagles tackle Darrion Canard who was first drafted by the Chiefs played at the University of Kentucky.

Let's get a victory for them.

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

Addition, we inform connect and inspire.

Connect with us all the ways you see on your screen, Facebook, X and Instagram to stay in the loop.

>> We go inside Kentucky politics tomorrow to wrap up the week.

That was we hope you'll join us and I'll see you then to get care.