>> How dare you all?

is subversion.

>> Heated debate today over an attempt to lift a ban on conversion therapy.

>> Our members fairly know what's in these bills and the public doesn't know at all.

It's a compliant we've heard before our lawmakers moving too fast and leaving the public out of the legislative process.

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

♪ ♪ >> Good Evening and welcome to Kentucky EDITION for this Wednesday March, the 12th, I'm Renee Shaw joining you from our state Capitol bureau in the Capitol Annex in Frankfort.

We appreciate you being with us tonight.

Clarifying when pregnancy terminations are medically necessary in light of Kentucky's near total ban on abortion dominated a legislative hearing this afternoon, a revised House Bill 414, aims to protect doctors from legal consequences when treating medically complex pregnancies.

The bill stalled groups who are normally on opposite sides of the abortion debate coming together.

Still many Democrats on the committee said the measure doesn't go far enough.

McKenzie spank kicks off tonight.

Legislative update.

>> Today in committee, pro-choice and pro-life lawmakers could agree on one thing.

The current ban on abortion in Kentucky has muddied the water.

There's her physicians treating women with complicated pregnancies.

>> May not have been the intention of the legislature to make it difficult to properly care for when the pregnancy complications that have nothing to do with the lead of the elective abortion.

Nonetheless, that has been the outcome.

These are conditions that are life threatening.

And yeah, it's not always explicitly covered under our current statues.

There are life threatening enough to permit the kind of share that evidence-based practice requires.

I have colleagues that a patient with topic pregnancy that was located in the service that's still have a fetal heartbeat.

And so under the current statutes, it was not at all clear to him that he could proceed with properly treating these patients.

>> Proponents of the committee changes made to House Bill 414, a bill addressing prenatal palliative care, say this measure will empower physicians to make the necessary medical decisions without fear of committing a felony.

And it would assuage current fears pregnant people may have one seeking medical care.

>> What we have done is we have defined in Tucson into law.

Should this past what is not an abortion in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

>> 2 OBGYN in attendance testified against the bill saying it doesn't do enough.

>> He's still haven't solved the problems.

It still has you waiting on death's door before you're allowed to get medical treatment?

And I have to stand there and watch it happen.

You can't except this once it starts, it's not an easy thing to do.

The amount of time it's going to take.

>> Change things in this state is going to drive practitioners.

We need to take care of our citizens.

2 other places that are more favorable.

>> Dr Goldberg and the bill sponsors said many times that this bill is only a starting place to address the complications brought on by the abortion ban and that they are limited by the short session to make it a quote, perfect Bill Democratic representatives who voted against the bill say that's the problem.

>> This is at best or extract and part of the reason it is at best are rough draft is because not everyone was at the table and in spite of asking to have a seat at the table.

There are people in this room, including myself who did not get one.

>> The bill passed out of committee on party lines and will next head to the House floor for full consideration for Kentucky edition.

I'm McKenzie spank.

>> Thank you, McKenzie.

Now we received this quote from Planned Parenthood Alliance advocates and they say this measure is, quote, a poorly thought out attempt to solve a very real problem for doctors cannot offer the lifesaving care.

They've been trying to provide due to Kentucky's abortion bans.

The bill fabricates medical terms and demonstrates why lawmakers should not be legislating.

What happens between a patient and the provider?

We need to restore access.

Not depend on on clear policy means that even their supporters at MIT are incomplete, end quote.

Now.

There was also intense discussion today and hearing of the Senate Health Services panel as limits on gender affirming health care got added to House Bill 495. the measure that would undo the current ban on conversion therapy in the state.

Once again, our McKenzie spank followed that development and has this report a warning to our viewers.

This story includes mentions of suicide.

>> Things got heated today in the Senate Committee on Health Services during discussion over House Bill 495.

>> Mr. Chairman Chris Hartman, executive director of the Fairness Campaign.

How Dare you all what Islam is subversion, Mister and we're not going to start by yelling at this coming home.

And if you I'm going to step away from the table.

>> House Bill 495 seeks to undo Governor Bush years 2024 executive order that bans conversion therapy in Kentucky.

But the most intense discussion of the day was about the committee substitute added this morning.

code language House Bill 154. which would disallow Medicaid coverage for gender affirming health care like hormone therapy.

>> What you have allowed Mr. Chairman is a sneak attack on our transgender community without public input.

It's a clever trick.

>> Serenity Johnson, a transgender, Kentucky N shared why she believes Medicaid users should have access to gender affirming health care.

It's hard for me to put into words.

>> How much access to hormone therapy has helped me help me become who I R am.

Help me just live my life.

For those on Medicare or Medicaid and you don't have any other recourse.

This is denying them necessary healthcare.

>> Several people came forward to testify against the bill including leaders in the mental health and social work communities.

Almost every speaker mentioned that several significant medical organizations oppose conversion therapy, including the American Psychological Association.

The American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics speaking in support of the bill was Pastor Nick Spencer from the Family Foundation in Kentucky.

He says if someone seeks out therapy regarding same sex feelings, the government should not limit what that counselor can do for them.

>> I want to set the scene for you for a moment.

Imagine you have generalized anxiety disorder.

And you walk into a counselor's office and that counselor says to you, I'm sorry, but I can from your generalized anxiety disorder.

I cannot help you overcome your generalized anxiety disorder in the same way, Governor Beshear's executive order that limits the free speech of counselors on the issues of gender and sexuality says that same exact thing.

>> Mentions of shock therapy and other abusive therapy treatments came up during today's discussion.

Senator Danny Carroll asked Bill sponsor Representative David Hale if he KET whether those practices actually happen in modern conversion therapy.

>> I certainly never would condone anything that would be of some type physical harming or showing a pictures or audio is if things are videos of sayings, that would would certainly the pornographic in nature is is I have heard has been done in the past.

Honestly, I don't think that they are being used I certainly believe that they aren't.

>> House Bill 495 passed out of the Senate Health Services Committee favorably with 6 yes votes and 3, no votes for Kentucky edition.

I'm McKenzie Stink.

>> Thank you again.

McCann's a high priority Republican bill that prevents transgender inmates from receiving hormone treatments has moved on to the House Senate Bill.

2 also bans gender reassignment surgery for state inmates.

The bill sponsors, Senate Majority Whip Mike Wilson of Bowling Green says while the operation has never been performed on a state inmate, he believes it could happen.

Those in support of the measure say they don't want taxpayers footing the bill for treatments and procedures they say is medically unnecessary.

Opponents say stopping the treatments could be life threatening.

>> I have no problem with them paying for their own.

But if you vote no, you are saying the taxpayer should pay for transgender surgeries in our prisons.

That's the bottom line is no way around it.

It's going to read it black and white.

I'll do so.

But they know what they're voting for.

But I want the taxpayers that it was.

There's no charade.

Taxpayer funding is all we're talking about here.

I'm gonna know today and I'm not a no because I think we need to have.

>> The public.

Can taxpayers funding someone's cosmetic are left to get elective surgery or treatment?

I am voting no, because when someone is incarcerated and is in need of being administered medication or treatment.

That is part of an ongoing medically prescribed treatment.

We're therapy with in state custody.

We do have an obligation to provide that medically necessary care to that individual's for as long as they are detained within our correction system.

>> Speaking against the bill, a transgender woman who was forced to go off hormone therapy while serving time in jail.

She described the experience as, quote, a nightmare.

>> I suddenly became very weak and lethargic.

I spent most of the time in my bunk asleep.

I did not have a clear head in my mind felt extremely nom.

It was very difficult to work with the attorneys and the people all suffering through this process.

My depression became so severe that I contemplated suicide.

Ultimately, I did nearly hang myself in the jail cell.

Being denied.

My medically necessary care was a far worse punishment than the one I received from the county judge.

Now, I do not deny what I did was wrong, but the medical treatment was certainly something I deserved.

I personally know at least a half-a-dozen Kentuckians that this bill would impact today.

Please don't subject them to the cruelty I experienced.

You could be sentencing them to a death sentence without meaning to.

>> State Representative Kim Moser introduced a bill allowing for hormone treatments if discontinuing that caused physical harm to the inmate House Bill 5 has not passed out of committee.

A controversial bill dealing with regulation of Kentucky's waterways was fast track from committee to the House for today as lawmakers hurry to get bills across the finish line before the 10 day veto period that begins Saturday sponsored by freshman Senator Scott Madden of Pikeville Senate Bill 89 redefines Kentucky waterways to align with federal standards, various environmental advocacy groups, including Appalachian Voices, said the bill removes environmental protections for groundwater will result in higher water treatment costs and increase flood risks.

But supporters tout the energy policy change as a protective measure for the coal industry.

The House Natural Resources and energy share said he thinks changes to the original bill should help ease some concerns while others said the changes don't go far enough.

>> Trad too addressing the concerns that people had that may be felt the bill was >> to loose or whatever.

Some of the definitions that we talked about are included in The Commonwealth and it includes a navigable waters.

It's actually the fad in the bill sinkholes with open drains Nash occurring, Artisan and Credit Springs as well as other springs uses a source of domestic water supply.

It includes wellhead protection areas.

>> This bill, as you've heard with its narrow exceptions, limits protections against pollution to only those waters that are defined as navigable under the Federal Clean Water Act.

This definition fails to cover tens of thousands of miles of water across the commonwealth that are critical for the health of Kentuckians SPD nine's, new definition of waters of the Commonwealth will completely ignored the reality of Kentucky's geography.

Sinkholes are water resource yet they are included in Mendel amended a former coal miner.

>> And certain farm and all that's very important.

My concern is that just cannot.

Take a risk of hurting the water system.

And I'm doing already with public water and we can't get that taking care.

And coming up, private wells.

I'm just not confident that that has been taking care of someone to know.

>> I grew up on farmland and I don't know how this impacts our livestock.

I don't know how this impacts our crops and I don't want to say I want to give a vote to see next Flint, Michigan, being located here in the A no vote today.

>> The revised Senate bill 89 passed out of the House Natural Resources and Energy Committee.

This morning.

I was debated at length on the House floor this afternoon.

>> The fact that no environmental groups.

Were brought to the table in crafting this legislation.

It's so we are responsible.

And that should be a huge red flag to every single person in this ram.

>> There's not a bigger group of environmentalist out here and there's not a bigger environmental staying in the room right here today than what I am.

Because I want to take care of the soul.

I want to take care of our resources because that's how I make my living.

>> Senate Bill 89 was approved by the full House on a 69 to 26 vote.

The measure will be returned to the Senate for approval or rejection of the House changes.

Lawmakers hope to further regulate hemp infused drinks supporters of a plan to do.

That's a common sense guardrails are needed for the beverages and that they should be treated the same as distilled spirits.

These non alcoholic drinks won't get you drop but can leave you impaired.

He's our June last year reports the hemp industry in Kentucky worries how changes would cut into their profits.

>> A Republican from Louisville says carbonated and canned hemp infused drinks are appearing on more store shelves.

You know, I had an anecdotal situation where a guy, one of my constituents, he was driving to Florida, thought he was going in to buy a energy drink because it said non-alcoholic on the can.

And had to pull off the road 20 minutes later because he.

He was intoxicated.

Senator Julie Rocky Adams proposes new regulations for these drinks in Senate Bill to hemp liquor and convenience stores would need a license to sell these products which would be regulated by the State Department of Alcohol Beverage Control or ABC.

>> Woods said of 5 kilogram cap on the amount of THC or other intoxicating can app and Lloyds in each drink.

This consumer says it's too low for her husband, whos in recovery from alcohol.

I do understand the common sense effort to control milligrams, but because of my husband's issues, 5 milligrams is like water to him.

He literally needs 100 milligrams to even sleep and he will not be able to drink this many 5 milligram beverages.

Kentucky's hemp businesses say that cap would get rid of products they've been producing or selling.

If this bill were to pass, it would wipe out 2 thirds of our business operations and considerably diminished.

>> A return on a 2 million dollar investment that we're making into Kentucky's economy over the next 2 years.

Another business owner says the legislature's wide ranging tax overhaul and House Bill 775.

>> With tax him unfairly.

>> We were surprised yesterday by a shell bill in the appropriations revenue that tax these products like distilled spirits instead of like beer.

I would like the committee or, you know, to to reconsider that notion you're allowing us a light beer equivalent little bit were being taxed like it's wild.

Turkey.

>> The bill's sponsor says she's tried to accommodate the hemp industries requests while acting with urgency.

She had proposed a temporary ban on these products initially, the House licensing occupations and administrative regulations committee, advanced Senate bill 202.

The full Senate voted on it today.

One Democrat says the measure unfairly pits a newly thriving hemp industry against Kentucky's distillers.

I'm a huge supporter of our bourbon industry.

Always had been.

>> And the 9 year voting record that says that.

So important industry to the state.

That's why I believe in parity.

But I don't think we have parity right now.

>> The majority did pass the bill in a 77 to 17 vote.

>> This body has never voted to legalize recreational marijuana.

And I will tell you that that killed 5 milligram cap.

It's a gift that's going allow these to stay in business.

>> Senate Bill 202 heads back to the House to approve the Senate's changes for Kentucky edition.

I'm Jen Leffler.

>> Thank you.

June.

With less than a handful of days left in this year's regular lawmaking session, Republican leadership is quickening the pace to finalize bills and save them from the Democratic governor's veto pen.

House Democrats often complain of the expedited process is that they say limit or shot out public input and debate among lawmakers.

>> Just yesterday we saw 100 page Bill with major income tax changes Clear Committee and the House before the public could even read it online.

Last night there were 3 rewritten education bills sent to committee members after 08:00PM others arrived.

Well after 5.

Our members fairly know what's in these bills and the public doesn't know at all.

The substitute of the bills are still not available to the public.

Even now.

This morning committee members were told that less than 30 minutes would be div dedicated to a bell that it's eliminating protection for our water sources.

Representatives were not allowed to ask questions they were given only one minute to explain their votes.

At noon today.

The Health Services Committee heard bills that will negatively impact access to medical care for Kentuckians.

Last week.

The bill stopping diversity, equity and inclusion policies and our public colleges and universities also limited public debate.

At each of these meetings, Democrats where they're standing up for you.

We understand that legislative sessions always rush at the end, but it doesn't have to be like this.

When I came in 2017.

>> He was standing standard procedure to have, for example, a three-day posting rule what the bill is going to committee.

That's very strong.

I think we need to seriously consider going back to that because it gives time for the people.

To see what is to give them time to come to committee if they would like to to testify even or if it just would like to express their opinions is for mobile phone call or email in bring up the concerts.

>> I'm Laura Rogers joined by National public radios, Rylan Barton getting some insight from you as we like to do, especially right now about things going on in state and federal government.

And I want to ask you about House Bill 775. this pertains to the state income tax, which we know that the state GOP has been very adamant about continuing to cut the income tax, if not eliminated altogether.

And this legislation pertains to how that could be done in the future.

Tell us more about that.

>> Yeah.

Well, now that we're late in the legislative session, this is now a lot of times.

One bills that we haven't really seen moving curtain policies that we haven't seen come up will make it into a bill late in the session.

Started moving really quickly, especially with related to taxes.

So there's this bill.

It's a 4 page Long Bill Lowes related to expanding tax increment financing in Louisville.

But this has now been changed to alter the States income tax to change how the trigger system works.

So right now the state can lower the state's income tax and on the Republican led Legislature has been in the process of doing this just about every year.

There's a lot more options to do that.

Under the old model, there had to be certain metrics that at that.

>> Yeah, the state's budget reserve trust from the circle.

Rainy Day fund was big enough and also that going forward, the state would be able to bring in enough money or more money than it would if this tax cut had been in place.

Now, that metric has been changed a little bit to allow lawmakers to even lower the state income tax by smaller increments than half a percentage point, which is kind of the way it's been marching forward in recent years.

So even just 0.1%.

So even if the metrics are fully met, but they're close to it, lawmakers would still be on alert.

The state's income supporters of this say this is an opportunity to return taxpayer dollars or leave taxpayer dollars in taxpayers pockets.

Critics said that really worried that this is hollowing out slowly, the state's ability to generate money for itself.

And this has been going on for a long time.

We already know that just from this year because lawmakers and approved lowering the state income tax by half a percentage point cut across the state.

Almost 800 million dollars a year, which is a really significant amount for state budget that doesn't come back unless the state is able to generate more tax dollars through other ways of just, you know, there are people making more money in the state and that's what Republicans are arguing that it will make the economic environment more favorable going forward.

The forecast really show that it's it's pretty unclear that Kentucky is going to be able to meet these targets going forward.

That's why Republicans are taking this opportunity to try and and make it easier so that even if the economic reality is this Sunday, the lawmakers can still got to reduce that tax free.

>> Which in the long run could also affect the state budget.

When we see spending cuts and moving to the federal level, somebody that's not happy with the budget cuts.

ECB wants to see more is Congressman Thomas Massie.

It's voting no against President Trump's continuing resolution to fund the government and that as President Trump very dissatisfied when Representatives Massey, President Trump's really been trying to get Republicans aligned.

There's really narrow margins in both the House and Senate for Republicans to pass bills and it requires most Republican stay together.

So >> they only had a few votes to give up.

And Thomas Massie was that one Republican to vote against it in the House still hasn't passed the Senate.

There's going to be a big discussion there where the margins even tighter.

And Senator Rand Paul from Kentucky has also indicated that he will vote no on that at the moment.

The Senate, of course, has that 60 vote threshold.

Most Republican leaders out there in the Senate are able to find some clever ways to get that bill passed so messy and you can flexing this ability over this year.

This new Congress that sense since you're such a narrow margin, as many people are describing the maverick in Congress, he's taking these principled stands when it really is opposition to this is that it spends too much money.

It doesn't cut enough President Trump and on social media and called for somebody to primary.

Congressman Maxine, this isn't the first time this has happened.

He got mad at him after Massey threaten to to vote against.

It was a big COVID funding bill back in 2020, which forced lawmakers to come back to Washington and vote on that bill because of that stand that he took that and hurt the president that point.

So Massey says he's not afraid of politically and he survived this before.

He's really become a different sort of Republican in this new Republican controlled Congress.

And he's been, I think, and enjoying the spotlight, but also trying to get his issues to the top of the heap on these big critical votes.

>> And a couple of other members of our congressional delegation.

Republicans also voting no.

This time on President Trump's labor secretary pick.

What can you tell us about Senator McConnell and Sen Paul and why they opposed President Trump's choice for that position.

>> Right.

They and so they post on its former Carson, Lori Chavez-deremer McCollough came out saying that she supports policies that would force hardworking Americans and to union membership.

She's been a pro labor probe union Congress person.

This is something that I think especially McConnell's for some of the Republican Party as really opposing tried to work against noting that Kentucky's a right to work state.

And but I think it's also interesting here to point out that at this point in time where McConnell's no longer the Republican leader in the Senate that he's really able to stretch out even more and kind of go out opposing some of Trump's policies.

We've seen the shift in the Republican Party and certainly during the Trump here is where McConnell's really become emblematic of and the older version of the party that's changing where something like Labor's really gotten any money on this new version of the Republican Party and the Trump administration is going to be interesting to see where Republican plan on this.

And if there are some kind of pro labor policies that whatever be promoted impact started Trump administration.

>> And they are is Ryan Lynn Barton, we appreciate you so much.

Thank you.

♪ >> With just days left in the Kentucky General Assembly session.

There's a campaign to make rescue pets.

The official symbolic stay packed of Kentucky and a young but passionate advocate is leading the side.

We'll tell you more about that tomorrow night on Kentucky edition and we will bring you up to date right now that state Senate is debating the Anti Dei bill at public universities that we dismantle policies relating to that when it comes to programs and policies that are dei, they're debating that right now.

And we will give you that update tomorrow night on Kentucky edition at 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central where we inform connect and inspire.

You can connect with us all the ways you see on your screen, Facebook, X and Instagram.

And you can also send us a story idea.

Email address you see on the screen as well.

Thanks so much for watching tonight.

I'm Renee Shaw and also you right back here again tomorrow night.

Take good care.

♪ ♪