>> And for more than a quarter of a century state Representative Joni Jenkins served in the Kentucky General Assembly.

She made her share of history while representing constituents in Shively in Jefferson County.

I talked to now the former House Democratic leader about her Frankfort service, greatest accomplishments, unfinished business.

>> And what's next now on connections.

♪ ♪ Thank you for joining us for connections today.

I'm Renee Shaw as state lawmakers convene in Frankfort this winter.

The absence of today's guest is sure to be felt.

State Representative Joni Jenkins began serving in the Kentucky General Assembly in 1995.

She's been a tireless advocate for issues ranging from drug addiction to poverty, education, to victim services.

It seems odd to start a legislative session without her.

But here we are.

Her defense of the often voiceless and powerless will be missed for sure.

But we're excited to see what's next.

For the always honorable Joni Jenkins.

Oh, that's a nice.

Thank you.

Well, my goodness.

I mean, I remember we first met when I got here in 1997 and I went to your house and there's a story about the cast light on the table.

And I job that.

memory and your hospitality because I was a younger Raine just new to the Frankfort scene.

>> And you are so warm and welcoming and just just as lovely then as you are now.

And it's certainly going to be really different without you.

>> Oh, well, thank you.

But you'll Frankfort moves on and many, many people have served before me it's been a great career.

It's been a great career.

>> So what >> led to your decision to retire?

Well, when and redistricting, which happened early last January.

My district kind of flipped and it was at one time Shively and southwest Jefferson County.

And it kind of flipped a little bit and it became Shively and the west end of Louisville and it became a majority minority district and I just felt like if we had the opportunity to elect another person of color because there are so few serving in Frankfort that I didn't want to be the person that stood in the way of that and fortunately, it is a person of color, but it is a a woman and it is a woman of great experience.

She was the former mayor and will represent that district just beautifully.

So I'm leaving that in great hands.

>> Wright, had you spoken to her about that before she signed up?

We have had a conversations some years ago and she said I would never, ever run against who.

But if you ever decide to retire, will you let me know?

Because I think I would like to do that.

Mayor Beverly Chester Burton now state representative is Severly Chester is an educator and had served on the show to counsel and and send it to mayor and did a great job for Shively a perfect person to serve that just now.

So many changes in the last few years.

And before we started taping just kind reminiscing about sometimes.

And you've been there.

And it's interesting because you put into context.

>> Because you are there in the majority.

Yeah, right.

And then that changed.

And there's only how many remaining Democrats in the House who were there when the House Democrat, we're the majority party.

I believe there are only 3 that Representative Firth and Palumbo from Lexington.

>> Who was there?

When I got there?

He is the only person left that was there for me.

Derrick Graham.

And Representative George Brown.

Yeah.

>> That something isn't it?

General Assembly in the last 5 to 6 years has really turned over both sides of both sides.

Both sets.

There's a lot of that folks in there with only about a less than 5 years under their belt.

Yeah.

It took me about 5 years to figure out where the bathrooms were.

>> I was going to say, you know it.

I was a political science.

Major.

When I got to Frankfort, talk about a crash course in how it really works, right?

Right.

None of that stuff is in the taxable.

And you know, when I first when we did not have annual sessions, so my first session was just a little organizational.

So you had that year to get to know people to go to committee and and kind of get a feel for it before you really jumped in and had a full-blown session right now.

It's >> very different.

Little let's talk about that.

Do you think that annual sessions which came about what 2000 and I think 1002 1000 voted on was to that first one, the I've year would have been 2000 right?

>> So how did how has that changed the General Assembly for good and for bad?

Well, I do think it there's more continuity that the things that perhaps ran out of time and you get taking up.

And in the 60 Day session, there.

>> More on the front burner for for the the 30 day session.

>> I think it has maybe changed who can come who can serve right maybe in a good way because we certainly have seen a lot more younger folks in and people with younger family.

So maybe having a little steadier income year to year, right might might be helpful >> but it's not a amendment and some may disagree.

I'm not going to get rich by being a lawmaker right.

And many people would say, well, you have to have been somewhat resourceful to even write, make the run to begin with.

And it seems in the last few years, even the interim she sessions, you from May to December are a lot more robust.

So even though we call it a citizen Legislature, do you view it that way?

Now?

For many years, I had another job and it was really hard to hold down a full-time job.

Krista have I was I was worked at a women's shelter and I was on call.

24 7.

So you are used to.

So after uncertainty after, you know, 10 years on like I can have 2 jobs that are 24 7, just not working for me, but it was more.

It is difficult unless you own your own business are you know, we see a lot of attorneys that can, you schedule their own schedules a little bit so, yeah, I was pleased that they raise the salary a little bit.

You know, folks got folks coming in have a little bit a bump in salary.

So.

I think I think that's good.

I think, you know, people will quibble about what legislators make with their benefits are with their pensions.

Are.

But what what price do you put on democracy?

And and that the house is really the people's house and and you want someone there to represent you.

I want who's representing need to be paid well and to be able to put all of time and efforts into that.

So when we had this last constitutional amendment that was defeated, pretty sound like constitutional amendment.

Number one that would've allowed well, pretty much the House speaker and the Senate president to determine when you would go in session special Your thoughts on that?

Do you feel like, you know, well, the voters spoke.

The voters spoke.

You know, it's interesting because I did vote to put it on the ballot.

Doesn't mean you support a dead man has supported it.

And then I thought Kentuckians need to have this choice.

They need to make the decision about how with what they want their represent Taishan to look like.

I was a little.

Hesitant even in that vote because I haven't this General Assembly in the years I've been there and are 2 different majority's make the most mature decisions about things right?

Any example, you care?

>> He certainly I could probably go back further.

But, you know, the last couple sessions where we have >> Juggling around the powers of the executive branch and and taking away perhaps from the governor and get it to the commissioner bag or this or that.

>> The attorney general or the attorney general you know, I I don't recall us doing that when Democrats are in the majority, but it was certainly been a thing and I'm just not so sure.

That's the most mature and most important thing that we can be doing as a general assembly.

Well, because it may not always be a Democratic governor in the governor's mansion, right?

And are we going if things flip in some ways, are we going to them?

Are that's not the way any more today?

Are they going to come back and change that back?

Yeah.

>> Do you think that's when you look at all of that and particularly the last few years and when that Democrats in the minority.

>> The significant perhaps most consequential pieces of legislation.

Our about executive power right.

Do you think that that in your view is like that's the big thing that will stick with us.

How there'd been more no influence in the Legislature and how the executive branch would conduct.

You know, I I think and in my time in the Legislature.

>> There's always been a quest to make the Legislature relevant an independent independent right and more powerful.

But there has to be a balance there.

And I think we may have flipped that balance a little bit and I think that's due to political philosophies.

More than what really works for Kentucky.

Yeah.

>> It would be great to have a conversation.

I know you have with that Tom Burch who'd served now about 50 years more.

Almost think yeah.

And who had seen the days where there was a fire or legislative independents, right, that most of us only just read about right and how here we are now, when you think about, I know that and just having spoken with you over the years that opioid addiction is heroin addiction to the drug scourge in the state has been really, really important to you.

And of course, victim services.

So let's talk about opioid addiction and why that's so important to you.

And do you feel like Kentucky has done enough?

And what do you hope?

Maybe they'll they'll consider this new session of the General Assembly.

You know, there there's one quote that I use a lot that says sometimes you choose your passions and sometimes your passions Shu Shu.

>> And this is a passion that chose me because we had a situation, our family where we lost my nephew addiction and an overdose I always tell people when they ask me about the balance of power and majorities and that sort of thing.

I always say that 2015, when we passed the first really, importance kind of a model for other states piece of legislation around opioids.

You know, the the majorities were very close.

You know, it was and we had to sit in a room Democrats, Republican senators and representatives.

And we seem like we would lock ourselves in that room for and we've really hammered at what I think was good policy because we have to listen to each other right?

We have to come from as an you know, we pass one of the first syringe exchange programs in the country.

I always remember, we put that in the bill is calm, but there are a way that we but that we would negotiate something else for And we start looking at the studies and and that the data and we came out with a bill that we we have had hours and hours of study and discussions because you had to one party could not for something through sand.

I remember that particular provision.

I mean, it was like 11 58, 30.

>> Last night at the Legislature, we're all like what's happening, right?

I mean, which is always I mean, for those of us who are political bees like you look for those moments, right?

to And now the syringe exchange programs are considered to be a linchpin of harm reduction right in the portfolio of harm or die and services.

You know, that's considered to be one of the most effective tools in the tool box, right?

But it was tabby back then it was that the conversations we had around and some of the things that were said on the floor and yeah.

>> I'm just saying.

I really silly.

Now, right?

But now you know that what we were on the forefront of that now and I it was, you know, left to the health would go through the legislative Ike, the Metro Council, local.

And Lexington seem to be on the verge of being the first one.

And I called my Metro Council person Wreck Blackwell and said don't let Lex Yahoo.

>> Well, I'm certainly you know, I I have to have you back to ask you the question about things that scene taboo.

>> That makes sense now.

Yeah, or that burn on sensible.

Then that do you not have clarity on it now why he didn't make sense to do that.

So that will be of a future conversation because I always think it's important to sit those who served in the General Assembly later.

Yeah.

And just say, well, what do you think?

I had Brad Cowgill and Harry mob Mike.

I was chair of House and our Mike Cherry who had also been chairman of House appropriations and and another.

And it was for a Kentucky tonight in just the honesty.

Yeah, right.

Because when you're on the other side of it, you know, and you don't have anything to lose or gain.

Yeah, you see things a little differently and you can lend advice.

So is there any advice you can land to the future leaders of the Democratic caucus in the House and even for your Republican colleagues about, OK, let's KET the main thing, the main thing.

But what is the main bang?

I think that you have to know what your values are and stay true to your values and everything else kind of falls in place from that and, you know, as I've been leaving and having conversations with staff and other legislators, the one thing that people always tell me where you are always so kind to everyone.

And, you know, I'm very proud So I think you have to remember that it it shouldn't be personal.

You know that it that it is about the people of Kentucky and it's about the airing of ideas and philosophies.

And though the to leave it there on the chamber and you go out, you still ask about people's families.

Does that happen now as opposed to when you first got there, not as much as it used to be.

You know, I still have.

Really good friendships with people in the majority.

will always, you know, contact them and ask about their families and that sort of thing there were times said that even my good friends would get really personal on the floor and app.

I hope they regret that and I hope they learn from it because it shouldn't be that way.

Yeah, yeah.

Well, and like I mentioned, you know, we know that drug addiction is very personal to you and the work that you've done on that.

And that is always evolving, right?

But I do think about, you know, the passionate pleas that she made about for domestic violence victims.

>> And for him, I would just call him the powerless.

You write those who are languishing in poverty.

And to really think about that.

So as you I don't know if you're gonna write a book or not, you >> I mean, you know.

>> What is it?

What are the missed opportunities that you feel that they're right there?

But there's maybe it's maybe its political will or political courage or whatever that stopping moving forward on those that.

Well, I think an addiction and substance use disorder.

There are some things that we can do to increase our harm or folio and and one of them, you it's very controversial that >> introduced last session.

And that was safe consumption sites right?

And they're they're doing amazing work in other parts of the one that some big word.

So that's what you mean by that place for folks can can come and under medical supervision, used illicit drugs.

And I know that's very controversial.

And if you'd asked me about that 10 years ago, I would say, oh, that's crazy.

No, absolutely not.

But you follow the data.

We've got good data coming out of New York and other parts of, you know, Canada, other parts of the world that it really is just another step in getting people into treatment.

And how is that possible since it seems to be counter intuitive best?

Well, when if someone is going.

>> 2 to the syringe exchange or to a safe consumption site.

They know there's a problem and they know what they are doing is dangerous.

So meeting them at that point and caring about them as a human being and gently moving them to a place where they can get the treatment, whether it's medically assisted therapy to where we have.

We certain medicines that will KET people from getting dope.

Second and ease them into a life of sobriety or life without substance use It really does.

When you sit down and look at the data and and think about it, it really does make sense, even though at first you're like you're just encouraging people to use.

Let me tell you, having known someone who is addicted to heroin, they need no encouragement from anybody else to use.

You look at the composition of the General Assembly.

Now, though.

Maybe even needle or syringe exchange might have a hard time.

>> Passing eat what I thought.

You know, there are some really >> experienced an end, intelligent people.

On the other Think about Kim Moser, who has done a lot of work, in her private life.

She was head of the Office of Drug Policy in northern Kentucky.

So, you know, I mean, there are there are folks over there.

That come from all walks of life.

And quite frankly, if you speak or stumble used to say this, if you don't have someone in your family who has a problem with opioids, you ought to just cut down your knees and thank God because it is affecting everyone.

Right.

And most people, most families don't escape.

It said, you know, don't those somewhere way now?

Yeah.

>> Let's let's talk domestic violence in and I don't want to say women's issues.

I want to say women issues, but these are things that there are affected women.

And we know that.

And Lexington, I was just interviewed the Lexington mayor.

And, you know, she said that last year there was one homicide that was linked to domestic violence.

There are 12 right and Louisville seen this.

I'm a little bit.

You know.

>> Conversation our new mayor and in Louisville that when we talk about gun violence and that domestic violence certainly has.

And so, you know, I think somebody that worked in that field some years ago.

You know, it's time to look out.

You know, what are we doing?

What things could we be doing And I don't know what the answer is, the good news about terrible statistics like that is that usually leads to people.

All Looking at things more carefully and may be looking out the box and how we're doing things right?

>> I mean, we used to say that it was it was an underreported crime when it gets to the homicide law right?

That shows that it's not because of a reporting issue there.

Something else going on there.

And I in domestic violence.

The indication is not usually the homicide.

So there are very many points leading up to that for intervention.

That's so where where do we start?

You know, I think one thing is the amount of folks who are experiencing such trauma from from childhood and several years old now that the family first federal legislation that led the state intervene earlier with Medicaid money to win a family.

First becomes on our radar of having some dysfunction to be able before you remove children right to go in there and work with this.

And, you know, the more that schools are are being trained in trauma, informed care that and medical professionals said as many people as we can.

>> Get them trained to see where interventions can.

Be performed and where they really work.

So so upstream a little bit more than the time someone reaches out and says I'm having intimate partner abuse right?

I need some help.

If we can interview intervene much earlier.

Yeah, absolutely.

>> Something always to KET our eyes on.

And at the question I always ask and I ask it to domestic violence advocates are anti-violence advocates about what about reforming the perpetrator.

And there's an ongoing conversation about whether that can be successful in and what that looks >> Education I know is important to you and another issue that seems to have really crept up a lot is the how should I put it?

The the interaction from Frankfort on their dealings in Jefferson County.

Oh, my that a man and I was just on a panel with the 2 Republican leaders and at that time Mayor-elect Craig Greenberg was in the audience and said, well, just know that we want to empower Jefferson County to be its best.

But if we see where there needs to have some state oversight, we're stand at the ready to do that.

>> Even year from Jefferson County, what do you think about we constantly soon as we hear the lexicon, the war on Louisville?

I mean, what do you think of people?

Many people call it meddling and to the business of the state's largest city.

I was watching the last election, the November election where we had school board members that were all challenge folks that war I I guess the best way to work liberty folks that didn't didn't agree with them asking they didn't agree with a lot of things that were going on in Jefferson County schools in Jefferson County voters rejected that.

>> And we always talk about representation and duly elected leaders.

Louisville spoke very loudly.

We like what are school board is doing?

So I think that should send a message.

2 people who represent Louisville and people who represent outside Louisville in the General Assembly.

Louisville, Younes are watching.

And they have made decisions on how they want their public schools And I think leaders in Frankfort should pay attention to that, too.

Why can't the conversation flies by so fast and 3 and a half minutes?

What's next for you?

>> You know, I don't know.

and a little time taking care of myself.

Yes, yes, I'm going to get enough sleep exercise, eat some good food.

That's good for me.

And my garden this spring will be beautiful.

All your garden is always done very all.

It's going to be gorgeous.

Okay.

>> so, you know, I don't know what's next.

>> Just take some time to take some time to your way here that there's lots of good volunteer off opportunities for sure thing.

I mean, because social services is what you've been so committed to.

Yeah.

And I often wondered if you return to that in some capacity, you know, because you have such a passion for it.

And all of this knowledge, I mean, so much that, you know, even at a higher level than where you were before, right?

I mean, you understand it from the public policy perspective, along with all these different stakeholders.

I mean, truly the impact you could make.

Well, if there's time I'd love to tell you something that has to do with planning seed.

Okay.

Some years ago, a high school, a young woman came to see me because she was interested in the dating violence and was following that for us.

>> Class.

She will be she was sworn in in January.

Representative Rachel Roar.

And so you KET her and KET her.

She came to me when she was in high school.

Look at that.

So, you know, we plant seeds of all kinds and the fact that you can enjoy the shade of the trees.

Yes, it he planted because often times those legacy things are, you know, in our obituary or, you know, I'm saying we don't always get to see the fruits of the labor.

So I'm really excited to see what she does for.

So that's where you are in your life about passing the baton and purging a new generation of leaders.

Yes, yeah.

Either either side of the Audi.

you have been one that has worked effectively across the party line so well, that's I'm glad you shared that.

And I hope you know, we get back to some of those kind of relation.

I hope so.

I hope so.

Yeah, from both sides.

Well, enjoy your gardening.

I enjoy your cat out watching you.

Yes.

Well, we'll be here to to watch it all.

And I hope we can have you back on another show because it's always good to get the perspective.

>> When you get a little time and distance, I'm something how much more that you have to say about it just you just do.

>> Haha.

Well, it's been a We're going to miss saying folks like merrily Mars Kelly flied.

>> So many of those who I KET when I first got there and show me the ropes and there's others on the other side that is long gone to the eye.

I think the institution is important and that's why I'm still hanging around the and I know that you feel that it's an institution that is it is.

And and so.

>> You know, I've reminded my colleagues many times that you know what you're doing today.

Could harm the institutions.

So let's make sure we KET it healthy.

Yeah.

>> Good advice.

Thank you.

I'm gonna call you honorable Jony James O Jenkins called people like It's been a pleasure.

Thank you for watching connections today.

I'm Renee You can KET in the know what's happening across our great state every week night 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central on Kentucky edition.

Of course, there's Kentucky tonight.

We're there for you during the session.

A breakdown is complex.

Public policy matters as well.

Thank you so very much for watching.

Take really good care season.