>> Even though temporary safety measures are in place.

Djj remains in a state of crisis.

Many areas.

>> Juvenile justice facilities could be getting new safety requirements.

>> And you should not even have to have legislation to allow people to look the way they want to look.

But here we are.

>> Groups wanting to protect Kentuckians from race-based hair discrimination rally in hopes of getting a bill across the finish line in Frankfort.

>> The community really has a passion for what it means to be a Kentucky implied Mia Kentuckyian is tied to the exceptional things happening here.

>> And a nonprofit that profiles the best of the bluegrass is expanding to another Kentucky City.

>> Production of Kentucky Edition is made possible in part by the KET Endowment for Kentucky Productions.

Leonard Press Endowment for Public Affairs and the KET Millennium Fund.

♪ ♪ >> Good evening and welcome to Kentucky EDITION for this Wednesday March.

The first we thank you for joining us.

I'm Renee Shaw coming to you from KET Capitol Annex studios in Frankfort as the General Assembly wraps up day 18 of the 30 day session.

Kentucky's juvenile justice system has been under pressure after reports of riots assaults and mismanagement.

A bill moving in Frankfort, 6 to reorganize the Department of Juvenile Justice and invest money to recruit new workers at improved facilities.

Our Casey Parker Bell kicks off tonight to legislative update Ward on the bill that passed committee today.

>> Even though temporary safety measures are in place.

Djj remains in a state of crisis in many areas.

>> A day after the House passed a bill that makes changes to the state's juvenile justice system.

The Senate moved a companion bill that would make more changes.

Senate Bill one, 60 to reorganize the Department of Juvenile Justice, also known as DJ Jet.

This comes after recent reports of riots, assaults and rapes, juvenile facilities.

Then Senator Danny Carroll says the bill comes after work during the legislative been term.

What we uncovered through these efforts was a severe under staffing issue within Djj.

>> A culture of self-preservation at the middle and upper management levels.

A culture of fear of retaliation on the front lines.

>> Senate Bill one 62 set standards for juvenile detention facilities requires monthly emergency response training.

We'll have to cities into memorandum of understandings with local law enforcement for emergency response requires facilities to have alarms at the directly contact the local dispatch center and it provides mental-health treatment for children in crisis.

>> We must get these kids that are severely mentally ill out of these detention centers.

And in 2.

Treatment centers.

>> Carroll says the University of Louisville is currently looking for facility.

The state can utilize for mental health treatment.

The measure allocated money for staff raises new workers and security upgrades.

It would also transition the djj back to regional model Senate President Pro Tem David Givens says the means are due to a quote, my system leadership, another 48 million dollars annually to correct something.

That's broken.

That's got to be fixed.

It's a shame that we've gotten to this place.

Senate Bill, one 62 passed committee unanimously received praise from legislators on both sides of the aisle.

But those legislators say there's still work to be done.

You know, so we've had a call a change of of people that we're serving as juveniles and the societal issues that they face and all of those things as we we're usually slow to adapt and other states are going through the same thing.

>> The structure within Djj needs to change.

It needs to be a more structured environment.

For Kentucky edition.

I'm Casey Parker Bell.

>> Senator Danny Carroll is calling for the juvenile justice commissioner to be replaced.

A separate measure Senate bill.

One 58 requires the state auditor to contract with a 3rd party to do an independent review of the state's juvenile justice system.

It too, is now headed to the Senate floor for action by the full membership.

Local jails would face restrictions on future construction of House Bill 507, becomes law.

Today.

The bill's sponsor Representative Josh Bray told the House local government committee what the bill does and why it's needed.

>> We want to make sure that.

Counties are going out and taking on additional debt based on what the environment is lot today without knowing what the environment could be locked within 2 years.

So that's the purpose of the bill.

If it puts a two-year moratorium on new facility, construction, if that has to take out debt on it.

>> There are exceptions.

A local government could pay for construction project if a court ordered to do so.

The committee passed House Bill 507.

So it now goes on to the full House.

Hundreds gathered at the state Capitol Day to advocate for passage of Senate bill 63 known as the Crown Act.

If passed, the bill would protect African-Americans and other people of color from discrimination based on their natural hairstyles.

Crown laws have been passed and more than a dozen states and supporters say they hope Kentucky will be next.

>> I first heard about the Crown Act.

I thought impossible that somebody would want to control the way I wear my hat.

I felt many emotions toward my girls.

I so.

>> And security frustration.

And sometimes our nation here is beautiful and is an essential part of who we are.

>> We're here to spectrum from the we want for our children.

What you want for your children.

To feel safe.

Included an apartment.

>> And you should not even have to have legislation to allow people to live the way they want to look.

But here we are.

>> The Crown Act lot policies that affect public safety.

It's not going to affect workplace safety requirements and police departments.

What crown will do is protect contentions from discrimination regarding here.

>> We can go on and on it.

So police about the importance of this time to win.

If we want to grow as a nation and as a people, the inclusivity cannot give like is saying or perform >> Action usually happens when there is the worst.

We push people to do the right thing.

We've got our work cut out for us.

There's still some some folks that don't quite see the value of this and don't believe that this is important, but don't give up here that God gave be here that you get to >> What's lost and not be judged by the color of your skin, texture of your hair, but is not the case.

Said in 1963, by the content of your character, not stop to not relive right is white and we need to push for right at all times.

>> House Bill 205, a companion bill.

The Senate bill 63 has also been filed.

That bill still needs to be assigned to a committee Senate bill.

63 is waiting for a Senate floor vote.

There could soon be another tool to help battle overdoses and Kentucky House Bill 3.53.

Would exclude fentanyl.

Test strips from being considered drug paraphernalia.

According to the most recent state report, more than 2200 people died of an overdose in Kentuckyian 2021, 70% of those overdoses involved fentanyl testifying before the House Judiciary Committee today.

Sydney Romo told lawmakers that test strips could have helped her nephew who overdosed last year.

>> It was a tragic event, Parker to his breaking point.

He was experimenting with pills to numb his pain.

Good night.

He died.

He thought he would take this little tiny pill to go to sleep and get up and go to school the next day.

I never woke up.

Haha.

17 years old.

Department of Education about the facts have testing strips in his possession.

We're going to be educated.

Who would have maybe us that would have changed his opinion on taking that pill at night.

>> The bill also requires the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to conduct a fentanyl, education and awareness campaign.

Republican State Representative Kim Moser sponsored House Bill 3.53. said there is broad support for the bill.

It advanced from committee today without opposition.

Today, the Senate unanimously passed a bill aimed at protecting victims of domestic violence stalking and human trafficking Senate Bill.

79 allows victims to participate in the Secretary of State's address confidentiality program without having a protective order doing so mask their addresses on government records beyond just the voter rolls.

Senator Julie, Rocky Adams of Louisville sponsored what's called The Safe at Home at and had the full backing of Secretary of State Michael Adams.

Today, Adams released this statement.

Quote, I'm grateful to senators of both parties for coming together to better protect victims of domestic violence.

And I hope the House of Representatives will do likewise with the Senate's passage of the Safe At Home Act.

We are one step closer to ensuring that survivors of domestic violence can get the protection they deserve.

And quote.

The controversy over the recent parking rate increase an expanded enforcement hours in downtown Lexington has prompted legislation from a top Senate Republican, the Lexington, Fayette County parking authority, LAX Park, Race Peas in some places by as much as $0.50 an hour.

The rate adjustment was due in part to a 6% sales tax applied to all parking at the beginning of the year, which affects parking authorities across the state in recent weeks.

The Urban County Council approved a compromise agreement with Lex Park to return to free downtown meters on weekends and weeknights.

Even though agreement was reached.

Senate Republican Leader Damon Thayer says his legislative remedy is still needed.

>> Unearth the a different situation.

And that is we've got a public entity here.

On elected not accountable to the voters setting parking rates, passing a budget.

And in accordance with the.

Something that I've been very consistent on.

I have a big problem when an elected boards can raise taxes and fees and spend money without being accountable to some sort of elected body.

>> They are Senate bill 75 and put lacks park by law more directly under the authority of the Lexington, Fayette, Urban County Council when it comes to budget rates and fees, new fee or rate increase proposals would have to be sent to the council.

45 days before that cost hike would take effect.

The council would have 30 days to approve or reject or reduce the rate increase.

James Fraser is chair of the Lexington Fayette County Parking Authority, a 6 person board appointed by the mayor.

He says there's no taxpayer money being used to take care of downtown parking garages and on street parking.

But revenues generated from parking fees.

He said the matter should also be left up to locals to decide which he says in Lexington is now moot.

>> The government and myself and my board got together in a room and worked at a DIA, local people, local problems.

We've worked our own issues.

Home rules always been the way it is.

I with all due respect, I don't think we need Frankfort to tell our local people how to deal with our problems and they were an issue.

Senator, I agree with you, but look at the rate increase is $0.50 an hour.

I mean, we haven't had a rate increase since 2008.

So it's not an end.

We I'm not going to pass on to it.

>> The measure passed with minor opposition from the committee and now waits for placement on the Senate floor docket.

♪ Time now for our midweek check and of some major political developments in Kentucky, including what's happening here at the state Capitol with our good friend Ryland Barton.

He's the managing editor of Kentucky Public Radio and Ohio Valley Resource.

Good to see your island.

>> You can see to an end.

>> So let's talk about the juvenile justice bills that are moving I say bills because we had 2 more that came through the committee today.

But a big one got some action yesterday.

House Bill 3, walk us through that one.

>> That's right.

So House Bill 3 had already passed out of committee.

But then there's the unusual move of sending it back to committee for some additional changes.

The big ticket item here is actually a reopening, a shuttered youth detention facility in little that the state city run a facility that will now be run by the state and its price tag of 39 million dollars to this to this whole bill.

Most of that money does go to reopening would go to reopening that youth detention facility.

But there is also some money set aside for additional staffing needs across the state transportation and also renovating another.

A Jefferson a youth facility for of more of kids with them or minor offenses.

So that all pass out of the house yesterday.

There are a couple of provisions in there.

A better a better controversial that some a criminal justice Reform Act advocates are worried about one would open up youth criminal records or 3 years for kids who have been convicted of some of violent crimes.

But those violent crimes do include some more common of crimes such as burglary, robbery, assault, but he would leave those normally sealed records could open them up for 3 years.

And that's really race.

A lot of worries for people who are, you know, but worry about these kids being able to find a job once you know, come of But beyond that, there's a measure in there that would require some of those youth charged with violent offenses to be held in jail to a mandatory detention for up to 48 hours.

So that could be a short as an hour.

If a judge is able to be located and something happened.

But there will be a mandate.

But then to incarcerated for at least a shortened period of time just when their charges read UK shun or anything.

So that's on the house side of things.

And then today there's this big Senate, a measure that aim out of nowhere.

Really the Senate has so far you know, hasn't put anything forward.

But this is really of a lot more focus just on some of the staffing needs on on some of the facilities improvements that need to happen in the juvenile justice system.

But also this mental health focus, which is good to see some of the legislators starting to realize that something is going to have to be done to make sure that we're boost bolstering of your kids ability to get screened and to have mental health You know, when they're incarcerated with the state.

>> And so is there any price tag to that last measure that you're referring to Senate Bill?

One 62, we heard you talk about the 39 million dollar price tag for House Bill 3.

That includes a lot of money going to the shuttered reopening of the deep tension Center and Louisville.

But what about what's being proposed from the Senate side?

>> I'm not totally sure if I remember correctly.

I think I saw around the 40 million dollar price tag, though, don't quote me on that at this This just kind of came out today.

Haven't bill see the full proposal yet?

But it does seem like at some point there's going to have to be a meeting of the minds here between the House and the Senate versions of how to deal with And really so far the expensive price tag to this is one reopening this youth detention facility and bring it under state care, possibly and trying to find some way for this staffing a boost in staffing in transportation.

>> And another bill Senate bill, one 58 just requires the state auditor to work on a contract with a 3rd party to do a full performance review of that is significant, but not as significant as the other measures.

And we'll see because we know we've heard a lot about like reopening the budget, right?

But it seems like we've got some measures that would call for that.

So let's move on to another issue dealing with kids.

And that's student discipline and the classroom.

There was a measure that got a lot of discussion in the House Education Committee on to say about this.

The sponsor of that Bill says this comes down to retention and possibly even recruitment to get more teachers to KET stay in the classroom.

Tell us about this measure.

>> Yeah, this goes back to a lot of those discussions that have been happening throughout the legislative session about teacher recruitment and retention is you're talking about one of those factors that educators are talking about a lot is that student behavior is a major contributing factor.

>> Along with low pay.

and and the other thing they're mentioning his respect for politicians and other community members as well.

>> So this would try to address that.

One part of of that three-legged stool of problems and try to provide some more opportunities basically for us, teachers and students and administrators to to discipline It would require expulsion in more cases of student violations.

But it would also some alternative forms allowing a kid to go into a virtual instruction for a period of time or some sort of alternative setting to still stay in the education system.

So this is under House Bill 5.38.

Republican representative to be true.

It was a school principal from the E so it will.

We'll see how this changes going along.

this so far along with, you know, some attempt to there's other bills as well to try and of the study.

The issue to the figure out how to KET more teachers in the profession in Kentucky, how to attract more people to if this is a tactic that that Republican legislators especially are taking to try provides more disciplinary opportunities to to deal with kids and in the school system.

>> So real quickly, like 15 seconds Rylan.

Let's talk about the AG commissioner and Republican candidate for Governor Ryan Quarles whose unveiling his platform week by week.

And the first thing he announced is legalizing medical marijuana.

>> Right?

Right equals has been trailing in the Looks like he's trying to take this lane that he's the Republican candidate for medical marijuana.

However, a Somerset Mayor, Alan Keck, it already come out on this issue, has suspended attorney Eric Deters from northern Kentucky.

But he seems to be kind of the major candidate trying to fight for medical marijuana, say he wants the legislature to do that in his first year in office.

>> Well, thank you, Ron, as always for breaking it down for us.

Take good care.

Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron says he'll push to raise starting pay for teachers if he's elected.

Governor, the Republican camp Republican candidate rolled out details of his education plan today.

Cameron promoted parents rights and said he would end the teaching of critical race theory and Kentucky state education leaders have said CRT is not being taught in Kentucky's K through 12 schools.

Cameron also pledged to stop any statewide effort to promote curriculum or policy that quote and courage is the teaching of woke ideologies and quote, Cameron is among a dozen candidates vying for the GOP gubernatorial nomination and the May primary.

♪ It's estimated that 700,000 Kentuckians are food, insecure.

>> Meaning they don't always know where their next meal will come from.

That's something state lawmakers, an anti-hunger advocates hope to change with the help from everyday citizens.

>> We're here today United with the mission of ending hunger.

So no child senior or other Kentuckyian will ever have to experience hunger no matter their situation.

And while we would like to say that the demand for food assistance is declining.

The truth is it's not.

Kentucky has the highest rate.

>> And the entire nation of food insecurity.

Kentucky's at 17%.

The national average is 10%.

>> One in every 7 Kentuckians don't always have enough food or enough.

Nutritious food week to week nearly 700,000 Kentuckians.

That means we all know not just one but many people who are food, insecure that go hungry.

Sadly, this epidemic doesn't spare our children either.

About 200,000 or one in 6 of Kentucky's children, lack access to enough food to live an active and healthy life.

We can do better.

We have to work together to end hunger.

Hunger doesn't have they owned or ease.

It doesn't care what your political party is.

It doesn't care what your zip code is.

And it affects every single community across Kentucky.

>> With tornadoes and floods and now inflation, Kentuckyian, sometimes for the first time in their life, we are going to food pantries because they need a little extra help.

>> They're not always that person holding a sign asking for food most often they're people who go to work every day.

The face of hunger isn't easily identified just by somehow someone looks the charitable food system can't in hunger alone.

>> This is something we have to rise up against.

Donate food to local pantry.

Can't donate that.

Maybe donate some money as well.

If you can't donate food or money.

>> Consider donating your time.

>> Let's take action.

Let's use every resource available to us to fight hunger because it is truly more blessed to give than receive.

>> According to Feeding America, Kentucky counties with the highest rate of food and security include play breath.

a gofund, Harlan and Wolf counties.

♪ ♪ >> An organization is expanding that shares the stories of impressive Kentuckians, Kentucky to the world based in Louisville has now opened a new space in Bowling Green at the WKU Innovation campus.

>> Taking to the world's mission is to enhance the intellectual and cultural reputation of Kentucky through the stories of exceptional people with Kentucky roots.

>> The set of skills.

Most people started 0.

I think we're starting at -10.

Because actually at this one event that we're looking down at my feet before I was introduced and then it hit me.

They're looking to see from wearing shoes.

>> It's motivation to starvation.

More of our developers like to say.

>> When I tell people I'm living in Kentucky now they asked me what that's like.

And it's it's not what they think.

It's exciting.

It's interesting.

The people I've met here, some of the best in the world and they're very proud of their state and they have great stories to tell them just in all sorts of dangerous ways.

>> Compared to the world that produces a series of them out.

So many of them taking place at the Kentucky Center in Louisville.

That has grown from a live event series to the K 12 school series to KET specials to online video series and articles now to artwork on playing card decks featuring the Kentucky ends.

There's so much to celebrate so much to learn from what's happening here in terms of the people that are doing very creative artistic scientific entrepreneurial things.

>> We need to tell those stories.

We need to celebrate that.

With so many interesting stories coming out of Bowling Green was Bowling Green being the fastest growing city in Kentucky.

>> It really led Kentucky for the world to say we want to add more board members.

Look for more stories that we want to tell here in the Bowling Green area.

>> It is the fastest growing city in that state.

There's a lot going on here.

A lot of conversations around innovation and creativity.

>> Kentucky is very diverse state.

We have a lot of people who speak differently, think differently and have different ways.

They work.

>> And I've seen the great things that people are doing, how they're successful, how their creative, innovative, just doing amazing things.

>> One of Kentucky's comparative advantages is the kinship that people feel to being in Kentucky, a bow tie to the place that they're from.

We all have the same passion.

We want the state of Kentucky.

To be respected and honored as we know it should be done.

Inspiring.

>> You can watch Kentucky to the world programming on our website at KET Dot Org.

You can learn more about the organization at Kentucky to the World DOT Org.

Well, we'll be back in Frankfort tomorrow covering your state government.

Plus, how a public art installation in Lexington is paying tribute to a Louisville native.

That's coming up tomorrow night on Kentucky edition, which we hope you'll join us for tomorrow night at 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central for Kentucky Edition, we inform connect and inspire subscribe to our weekly Kentucky Edition email newsletter and watch full episodes and clips at KET Dot Org.

>> You can also find Kentucky Edition on the PBS video app on your mobile device and smart TV and send us a story idea at public affairs at KET Dot Org.

Plus, follow KJ on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to stay in the loop.

Follow me on Twitter at Renee KET.

Thank you for joining us tonight from Frankfort.

I will see you again tomorrow night in Lexington.

Until then.

Take really good