>> It's a big day for the GOP.

>> New voter registration numbers are out and something just happened in Kentucky.

That's never happened before.

>> We have all got to take this seriously.

Doesn't mean we don't go on with life.

But this is this is here to stay focused.

>> Kentucky's top doctor says COVID is not done yet.

And is a shipping container the home of the future.

>> Production of Kentucky Edition is made possible in part by the Kaye E T and Aument for Kentucky Productions.

Leonard Press Endowment for Public Affairs and the Kaye E Team Millennium Fund.

♪ ♪ >> Good evening and welcome to Kentucky EDITION for this Friday, July 15th, I'm Renee Shaw.

Thank you for spending some of your evening with us.

>> For the first time ever, Kentucky has more registered Republicans than Democrats.

Here are the numbers for June from the state Board of Elections.

Kentucky has slightly more than 1 million, 612,000 registered Republicans.

There are 1 million, 609,000 Democrats.

Another 345,000 voters are either independence or belong to some other party.

Kentucky has 3.5 million voters total.

I sat down with Kentucky's chief elections, officer Secretary of State Michael Adams this afternoon to discuss how Republicans have been gaining ground and registration numbers for some time.

>> This has been your point a long time coming of the last 2 and a half years.

It's been about a 10th of a point in each direction.

At the same time, Democrats down a little bit.

Republicans up a little bit.

I think this would happen probably 2 years ago.

It hadn't been for the pandemic if the registration efforts have been so curtailed.

But now that people are out and about again in the way they are a couple of years that led to a spike in the numbers.

It's a it's a couple phenomena.

You know, certainly us getting the roles were cleaned means the the rules are more reflective of actual voter preference.

That's a fact.

We're going to factor certainly of the national environment is a factor.

And also what Republicans have done in terms of branding their party, our party here at the state level with legislation.

So it's a it's a collection of fact.

It's a big day for the GOP.

I'm a Republican.

I'm happy for Republicans today, but there's a warning here, too, which is that Republicans are not the majority.

Republicans on the ground and then a slight about it and the point at best over the Democrats.

And that will grow somewhat.

But the fastest growing group is the independent voter.

And if Republicans just talk to their base and they're going to get 20% of the vote and they're going to lose.

You need to be able to reach outside their own base in court.

And the president.

>> I want to draw attention to something that you said in a press release that was issued this morning in regards to this partisan flippin voter affiliation.

You said after a century and a half, the birthplace of Lincoln is finally aligned with the party of Lincoln Today as a grand day for all of us in the Grand Old party who work so hard for so long to advance our goals of limited government and personal responsibility.

I have to ask you, Mister Secretary, as the state chief election officer who has been committed to and the impartiality into making sure there was integrity and the election process in Kentucky.

That statement is somewhat can can to an umpire cheering for one of the home.

Teams are one of the team's.

So do you think that that puts into question your impartiality when it comes to what you are charged with overstaying?

And that's Kentucky elections.

>> Well, certainly not.

It was a very balanced statement.

There was some general warning for the GOP to make sure that we're inclusive and we are all Kentucky INS.

But look, I'm a Republican of the people that temperature constitution, our laws provide for this to be lots of office and arson office specifically at the reason I'm sitting here is Republican and support Republican values and Prince split.

I don't think any serious person has contested will contest my Innocence Act.

>> Democrat matter when and Republican Amy Wickliffe will discuss the new voter registration numbers and other political events of the week.

And our inside Kentucky Politics segment coming up in just a few minutes.

Kentucky can ban abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy.

The Courier Journal reports a federal judge and lifted her injunction yesterday.

Judge Rebecca Grady Jennings says there's no reason to block that part of the omnibus anti-abortion bill passed by the Kentucky General Assembly earlier this year.

Planned Parenthood and the Emw Women's Surgical Center had sued to block the law.

Kentucky's anti-abortion trigger-law blocking all abortions after Roe v Wade was overturned is still on hold on Monday, lawyers in that case will file briefs and Judge Mitch perry of the Jefferson Circuit Court will issue an opinion some time later.

U.S.

Senator Rand Paul has a healthy war chest for his reelection campaign.

Senator Paul announced today he raised 3.2 million dollars during the 2nd quarter of 2022. giving him more than 9 million dollars total.

Today is the deadline for candidates to report their 2nd quarter fundraising.

Paul, a Republican is opposed by Democrat Charles Booker.

We'll bring you his fundraising numbers after his report has been filed.

Earlier in the week.

Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky blamed inflation on President Biden and the Democrats and their spending policies yesterday, Governor Andy Beshear pushed back against that argument.

He says there are problems causing inflation that can be blamed on any one person or party.

>> You look at all the different things that we are facing.

You have the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

I think between the 2 countries, it's about 40%.

The world's wheat supply.

It's obviously going to have a major impact avian flu when we called bird flu has made a major impact in eggs that is increasing those prices.

The heat that we have seen all across the has had a major impact on corn and other crops.

We have tight milk supplies.

So it's all of these things that.

You are all happening at the same Normally do.

But let's remember that we can push through it and that we address all of these.

But it doesn't fit some played in any political box.

That should be a challenge that we face together.

And then we get through together.

>> Governor Beshear today announced money for Kentucky public safety programs.

The state will spend more than 28 million dollars for a multipurpose training facility at the Richmond campus of the Department of Criminal Justice Training 2 and a half million dollars to study putting in a new training facility and western Kentucky and 3.7 million dollars in order to raise the police training stipend to $4300 a year per officer.

In 2019.

The Kentucky General Assembly passed the School Safety and Resiliency Act.

The legislation aimed to make Kentucky school safer with enhanced security and provide more robust mental health treatment to students.

It's been held up as model legislation across the country.

A new law requires a school resource officer at each school by August.

1st today in response to the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas.

Some state lawmakers received an update on the state of school safety in Kentucky.

KETK see Parker-bell reports on today's committee testimony.

>> Is there anything there that we have in place that could have prevented what happened in Uvalde.

>> Legislators, her testimony about the implementation of the school safety in Resiliency Act passed in 2019.

They heard how the state is working to prevent shootings like the one that killed 19 children and 2 teachers involved a Texas, the state school security marshal been Wilcox says one of the most important things schools can do is lock doors.

That's that final final layer of security and having also the lockdown drills to know how to utilize the covering over the doors, know where the blind corners and are in a room.

So I can't say directly those things would have fixed Uvalde, but I can say that those things lock us down in the state of Kentucky will Cox says the Kentucky schools are over.

99 1% compliance on locking exterior doors and interior doors during instructional time with the intercom systems with your Chile, trying to lock indoors camera entrances it's your door locks for almost 99%.

And there are some schools that are this this summer, the school Safety and Resiliency Act to require schools to hire school resource officers sorrows and mental health professionals.

It required to side prevention training for school staff and it created the school security marshal position to oversee school safety across the state.

Paris Senator Stephen West says legislators want to know if schools need more resources on site to help address potential delays responding to an active shooter.

But Wilcox says officers are trained to address active shooter situations.

I think we're prepared to provide funding, provide legal help or whatever, to make sure all that equipment is there and it's stage properly and it's where it needs to be if that were to ever happen here.

But we are relying on you.

To provide the of the need.

It is now one officer.

You hear gunshots, you're on your way.

And I've been involved in active shooter training at DIA.

See JT and and that's what we train our folks down.

That's it.

Go towards the gunfire.

And there have been reports that some schools have struggled to fill school resource officer positions.

State Representative Jennifer Decker.

That's Wilcox.

How difficult that has been recruiting police is is difficult right now.

Recruiting teachers are as difficult right now.

And I think that rotates sorrows as well.

Legislators say they will look for ways to improve school safety during next year's legislative session for Kentucky edition.

I'm Casey Parker-bell.

>> COVID cases continue to rise in Kentucky.

Doctor Steven Stack commissioner of Kentucky's Department for Public Health says most of the cases involved the BA 5 Omicron variant.

He says this variant doesn't make people as sick, but it can spread more easily.

He said COVID is still something we need to take seriously.

>> All of us now know somebody if there's no way that the virtually all of us can't know someone who's had COVID, you said, you know what, it set me back a couple weeks or and sent me back and one time I haven't been quite right.

I feel more tired.

I just have a hard time concentrating.

There are a lot of folks who have lingering symptoms for a period of weeks after this happens.

We have all got to take this seriously.

Doesn't mean we don't go on with life.

But this is this is here to stay folks.

So I think we all still should continue to treated with a healthy dose of respect.

>> Doctor Stack says the majority of people who died of COVID in Kentucky were not vaccinated.

State lawmakers are being sued over a new law involving professional training for constables under the new law.

Constables elected for the first time after January 2023 will have to get certified through peace officer training like other law enforcement officers, those who fail to get certified will not be able to exercise police powers like making traffic stops and arrests.

The Kentucky Constable Association filed a lawsuit Thursday asking for an injunction against the new law White's attorney for the Constable Association said the law is unconstitutional and is designed to eliminate the Office of Constable.

>> Everyone, including the Constable Association wants constables be trained and qualified and be able to really assist peace officers across the Commonwealth.

However, as the law requires them to take peace officer training, which when you first year, it sounds like, you know, that makes sense.

But in fact, peace officer training is very for all.

It takes 3 months of all time to frightening and it costs $15,000 and it is training for young police and sheriffs cadets.

It's very physical.

It.

It's for those who are getting into law enforcement as they parade.

They want.

In contrast, many of our constables, we're all time and other jobs and are just constables part time as it paid off.

And a lot of our constables are retired law enforcement or retired military who still want to remain involved in the safety of their communities, but probably couldn't take 3 months off to engage in highly physical law enforcement crime.

The cost is a huge problem as well because our police and sheriff's deputies this county or the city on the department page that $15,000, this law requires possible to pay that out of their own.

So you're saying if you want to be elected constable and at that as well as a peace officer, which is what your elected to do.

You have to have $15,000 to pay for the training and you have to be able to take 3 months off from your family and your regular job to attend.

In addition, the trainings are very space.

Limited and a lot a lot one or 2 seats per session.

Typically there are 2 or 3 sessions every year that just one or 2 seats per session for Constable.

So where electing 100 new constables and the bottom.

I believe that close to that number for this fall.

Maybe 6 adress folks are 8 of those folks will get trained before the next election.

But there is no space in the class to trying 100 votes even if they had 3 months and 15 that.

So this was not a way to reach the objective of making sure constables know how to perform peace opportunities.

This was a lot of it is calculated to we make it impossible to build the traditional constable role unless you're independently wealthy and don't have to work.

Republican State Representative Adam Cain.

It was the lead sponsor of the new law will talk with him next week about the lawsuit.

♪ >> It's home sweet home for a man whose rental unit was heavily damaged in the December tornadoes.

>> Austin Hyde has been in temporary housing ever sense.

But tonight he'll be sleeping in a place he can call his own several community partners have come together to present Austin with an upcycled shipping container.

That will be a stable roof over his head at no cost to him for the next year.

♪ >> We really can for out little And then before that, we are now too.

>> side.

>> I mean, we heard about the disaster.

We knew we wanted to find a way to bring all of our resources to bear in those impacted communities.

>> We look at it as a quick and sustainable option for both permanent housing but also rescue housing homes here.

Our can be built in 3 or 4 They can be placed and occupy within 2 weeks of being on the ground.

>> We're interested in it like a scene where people understand that they're never building houses out of the numbers that was pretty needs.

>> What about sinuses iPhone account, Instagram.

But other than that, I've never seen one man of the containers.

So, yeah, really?

>> It's cozy >> We were able to provide a sponsorship for Austin for one year.

So we are covering the cost of getting the unit, but together getting it delivered, set up and we're covering his utilities for the first year.

>> I just want to welcome you to that community of people who care about you guys and let you guys want a better future for you.

Guys will be able to stabilize, save money and hopefully when he finishes that 12 months, he'll be ready to purchase a home on his own and be a home owner.

For the first time Lee.

>> And over 20 throughout Western Kentucky.

And then we have 2 villages that were developing in eastern Kentucky for permanent housing.

It's exciting we're we're super excited, bad and we couldn't be happier >> it's a foundation of your existence, right?

You try to get a good job without having a place to come home a safe and sustainable every night.

>> It's a big blessing to be able to have, you know, home says I'm in cook.

I like that.

So I was very excited for him to have this opportunity.

>> It's awesome.

You know, we have a place to sleep in.

>> We know we're going to stay here for a long and we're comfortable finally.

So.

It's awesome.

We appreciate it.

>> We have several folks who are in travel trailers, whether that was provided by the state of Kentucky or by FEMA.

And that will be transitional.

They will not be staying there long term.

And so our case managers are working with them to try to an apartment or a home.

They combined they can afford so that they're moving out of that transitional housing, the into more permanent housing.

>> This is one of the ways we can get housing quickly and can get folks move out of hotels and out of our bays and get them into something that's a more sustainable housing solution.

We're excited to be able to.

Start a new life here.

>> We're super thankful for that.

>> Time now for end of week.

Look inside Kentucky politics.

I'm joined on this Friday by political and communications specialist Matt Irwin who's worked on Democratic campaigns on the federal state and local level for 20 years.

And Republican Amy Wickliffe who has nearly 20 years of political and lobbying experience.

And she was recently just this week named Kentucky because that's one of this year's most notable women in Kentucky, politics and government.

I had to get that and I'm a congrats to you on that.

So let's get to the big news of today, which is the voter registration numbers.

Amy, the question to you, this is something that we've been watching happened over the past several years, especially since the House Republicans took the super majority in 2016, we watch county by county turn red.

>> And now today we're celebrating as Republicans that Kentucky is a red state, which we have always believed to be true.

But now that the numbers we are, I think it the result of I'm a Democrat agenda largely on the federal level that continues to drift further and further away from what could Kentucky answer really, really focused and just isn't reflecting their values anymore.

So where it's a good day for Republicans.

And I think we'll continue to see these numbers grow in the next few years matter.

And you were once the spokesperson for the Kentucky Democratic Party, if you had to write up the press release today about these numbers, what would it say?

>> Big deal.

I mean, it doesn't change anything about how politics are done in the state.

The past.

Unconstitutional cycles for the past 4 or 5 cycles are always dealing with.

You mentioned of performance, rather the numbers.

There hasn't been a successful.

Democratic, a statewide election that didn't know you had to reach out and get Republican Republican leaning voters to to to support you.

And there's the Democratic candidates have been very successful at that the past couple cycles, most notably our Governor, Andy Beshear.

So I don't think it changes anything.

I mean, and I I think that it's, you know, it's a great time for Republicans to take a moment and pat themselves on the back and they'd rather talk about anything that some of the outrage that we're seeing across the country right now, its their policies that left women and children without getting it into the terrible details.

Women and children in a big lurch.

So all these Republicans, Chairman Brown, Senator McConnell, that took a minute today to talk to the press about that.

I hope they'll also talk to the press when it's time to answer questions about what their policies are doing to women and girls across America.

>> And you're talking in terms of the abortion laws and a skunk.

So but let me ask you, though, Matt, though, what does this signal, though, to the Democratic Party in Kentucky?

Is there a message changes policy and platform change?

I mean, with the only constitutional officer being the governor, Andy Beshear and losing ground in the state legislature and even on the local level.

What does it signal to the Kentucky to Democratic Party about where to go next?

>> Well, couple of things that are one, Kentucky is not that different from the rest of the country.

I know it's always been so special, but urban areas and suburban areas are getting bluer in rural areas are getting redder.

At the same time, I think that there's there's 2 things to watch out for.

Number one.

Will there be an emerging moderating force in the in the growing Republican Party of Kentucky right now?

It doesn't look like it is.

And when you have a party drifting to the extremes and most certainly a lot of policies.

Remember, this is not a policy win for Republicans, but the policies that they're in acting here in Kentucky across the country are getting more and more extreme.

So the answer would be sometimes you got to.

It happens with the with the Democratic Party here in Kentucky and in other states.

Yeah.

Be careful what you wish for.

>> So I mean, I want to go to to you and talk about the budget surplus.

We learned this week that there's more than 945 million extra dollars.

Of course, some of that most of that's already are all of its already been accounted for.

They knew that was going to be coming.

But now it's materialized.

At the end of that fiscal year that just ended June 30th.

And there's the debate over who gets credit for it.

Republicans are saying their policies are to credit for this budget surplus.

What say you?

>> Well, I think we all know that the surplus of this magnitude is not happen overnight.

It is not even happen within the last year policies.

It happens with a strong commitment to fiscally sound or pop policies that we have seen.

The super majorities in the House and the Senate passed over the last several years.

We've seen smart tax reform we've seen at this college town budgets pass with just some of the best budgets that we've ever seen passed this past session.

So it is a is a long-term planning solutions and policies that we've seen our legislature put in place.

The governor is the one who gets to announce all these great announcements at the Lake East.

Even 70's press com words earlier this week that there's plenty of credit to go around.

So I do think it's important to remember these things don't happen overnight.

And it is because of our super majorities that put us on this path to begin with.

>> So mad as we wrap up here, last question out, more than 200 laws went into effect in this week of July.

The 14th, tell me what you think the most significant and important piece of legislation, the General Assembly passed is in your opinion.

>> I think is going through the list of the laws that are now on the books, the one that stuck out the most to was the fact that now students in Kentucky can take it mental health day as an excused absence?

Well, I know that there's more laws that are flash here.

I know that there's things that might impact of businesses and communities a little bit more than this.

To me.

It's important because I think between the pandemic and look at the never ending string of school shootings in the news.

I think that there seems to be in this law, an acknowledgment that our kids are going through something new and something harder and something different than the generations that came before.

And just even that slight acknowledgment the kids are going through that to gives me a sense of hope that maybe we can do right by the next generation.

>> I mean, Wickliffe real quick, what's your pick?

>> So it's a combination of 3 bills that deal crime victims and making sure that people have the resources Senate Bill, 8, that Senator Julie Rocky Adams, which make sure that our providers can actually have the resources to take care of these child victims.

We found him in harm's way.

House Bill 2.63.

Came East La believe that was led by the speaker that make sure that individuals who are harmed under the age of we increase the penalties on those those those children and Senate bill goes to 70 was a bill that we're going to start tracking domestic balance fatalities and dating balanced offense is so that we can have better numbers to draft policy to try to solve those issues going forward.

♪ >> There's plenty to keep you busy and Kentucky this weekend and beyond, including car shows music and lots of good food.

Kay ETs Toby Gibbs tells us more in tonight's around the Commonwealth.

♪ >> Do under the Sea with the Lexington Theater company's performance of the Little Mermaid this weekend.

Join Ariel and her friends as she goes on the adventure of a lifetime to find true love and her place in the world.

Bacon Bourbon brew all in the same place.

The Bacon Bourbon Brew Festival in Newport runs through Sunday.

The event will serve a limited edition bourbons sessions to learn how bourbon is made and test your bourbon knowledge live music and food as well as family events.

So there's something for everyone.

Main Street lives in Pike will from now through September on the first and 3rd Friday night of every month.

Enjoy music from an assortment of genres, including Southern Rock blues, pop and country down to the river will be the act for tonight.

Show.

Head on over to bikini bottom and Sponge Bob Square pants, the Broadway musical this weekend in Madisonville.

>> Based on the animated series, the show Unite SpongeBob with his friends to say their undersea world from total annihilation as an unlikely hero rises to save the day.

Master musicians, festivals in Somerset tonight and tomorrow with performances from Grace Potter, the Wood Brothers and Raylan Baxter just to name a few.

>> This is going to be a weekend.

You won't want to miss.

This year's dock dogs.

Summer Splash Competition will be held in Danville all week long.

Come see all the high-flying action and performances by these incredibly talented dogs.

>> America, the band is live in concert at the Carson Center in Paducah tomorrow night.

This group came together 52 years ago and gave us some well-known tunes like a horse with no name.

And sister Golden hair as well as countless other top 40 hits.

>> Pop on over to August of this weekend for this year's Riverfest days.

This event has benders food, a baby show a beauty pageant music, a beer garden, a car show shopping and so much more.

What else could you ask for?

And that's what's going on around the Commonwealth.

I'm Toby Gibbs.

>> Thanks, Toby Bill Bryant and a pal of Kentucky journalists will talk about the new state laws COVID cases in the state budget surplus.

And more coming up tonight on comment on Kentucky at 8 Eastern 7 central right here on KATC.

We hope you'll join us again Monday night at 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central for Kentucky edition where we inform connect and inspire subscribe to our weekly newsletter and watch episodes at KATC Dot Org.

We hope to see you again on Monday night at 6.30, eastern for Kentucky.

Addition have a great weekend.

Be safe.

Take good care.

♪