♪ If you burn a house down, you rape a woman and then you kill somebody, you're going to prison for the rest of your life.

>> Debate continues on a massive anti crime bill that critics on both sides.

>> Clearly an attack on JCPS without a doubt.

>> The superintendent of the state's largest school district doesn't mince words about a possible probe coming from Frankfort.

>> We're in the >> and animal lovers in Kentucky want more protections for dogs and cats.

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

♪ ♪ Good evening and welcome to Kentucky EDITION for this Thursday March, the 14th.

>> I'm Renee Shaw coming to you from the KET studios in the Capitol.

Annex and Frankfort as we covered the 2024 Kentucky General Assembly.

That is just days from ending.

Thank you for joining us.

The say for Kentucky Act is finally making its way to the Kentucky Senate.

The House easily passed the omnibus crime Bill 6 weeks ago.

A Senate committee just advance the bill, though, not without pushback from a lone Republican Sen our June Leffler tells us more as we begin tonight's Legislative update.

>> Jefferson County Republicans told the Senate Judiciary Committee this week that Kentucky must get tough on crime.

>> And that society has a right to protect itself from the criminal element.

>> The omnibus Bill Reworks the state's criminal code provisions include a 3 strikes rule that would put repeat violent offenders away for life Re classifies and stiffens penalties for violent crimes.

What was a D or C felony may become a B or a felony and it adds more crimes to the list of what's considered violent, like attempted violence.

If you burn a house down.

>> You rape a woman and then you kill somebody.

You're going to prison for the rest of your life.

There's nothing wrong with that.

And you know who likes that?

The most?

The person who would have been the 4th victim.

>> A violent crime.

Democrats oppose this bill in the House and then the Senate Judiciary Committee and outgoing Republican was the one to push back.

>> I don't fault him for trying to bring something forward.

But 3 fourths of the bill cast the net.

That's 3 times wider than it needs to be.

>> A champion for diverting people away from incarceration.

A state Senator Whitney Westerfield propose changes to House Bill 5, but the sponsors say they prefer Republican state Senator John Shekels amendment that retains the spirit of the bill.

>> We really don't know what makes us safe, but we do know what justices and when someone carjacks a car and there's no consequences for some, it's camping out in your front yard and there's no consequences.

People are ruing your neighborhood open drug use and things like that.

Causes a community to spiral down.

>> 2 policy groups with different politics say locking up more people for longer is just too costly.

The left-leaning Kentucky Center for Economic policy says House Bill 5 will increase correction costs by more than a billion dollars over the next decade.

Right-leaning Group agrees.

>> You know, a literature review from the NIH is less than 4% of violent crime and property crime is committed by somebody over the age of 60.

This is the time in an inmate's life with the cost of incarceration.

We'll begin shouldering a larger share of health care costs.

It will become increasingly expensive to KET these inmates in prison.

You got to think about the out years and pressure.

This is going to put on the budget because a recession will happen.

Revenues will drop.

And guess where you cannot cut.

It's going to be the Department of Corrections.

So where do you go?

Get those cuts?

You're going to find them in the programs that you would rather be funding.

>> Before the vote Thursday, Democrats from both chambers stood together to oppose House Bill 5.

>> There appears to be inadequate data.

To support the policies that have been presented.

>> With state Representative Jared bomb and presented the Safer Kentucky Act on the House floor.

He read research titles to back his bill.

Since then, Louisville Public Media reported that not all those sources suggest higher sentencing reduces crime.

The non-partisan Council on Criminal Justice reviewed available research on sentencing and public safety.

It says keeping people in jail for longer means they aren't committing crimes on our streets.

That's called incapacitation and it could reduce violent crime by 5 to 10% but longer sentences do little to deter people from committing violent crimes in the first place or from re-offending.

The bill also calls for fines and misdemeanor charges for public camping.

The bill sponsor says this isn't meant to lock up folks, but to get them into drug treatment.

>> Even the formerly addicted homeless people have talked to.

They said we need tough love.

We need somebody to force us into rehab because we're in the throes of addiction.

>> We don't want to go the coalition for the homeless says that won't get people off the streets.

But affordable housing is an issue for everyone, a treatment.

That is a clinical setting.

That is great for people a detox.

What we lack is like a continuum of housing options for those that are exiting treatment after the 28th Day.

>> Republicans in the Senate Judiciary Committee handedly passed House Bill 5.

>> We do have a crime problem in Kentucky.

And I think this bill will go a long way to address it by multilateral approach.

It gives people an option to improve their lives and get better by utilizing treatment.

At the same time, protect society from repeat violent offenders.

>> It now heads to the Senate for Kentucky edition of John >> Senator Whitney Westerfield was the only Republican to vote against the bill.

Both Democrats on the committee also voted no.

Well, lawmakers are fast-tracking proposed ballot question that could be put to Kentucky voters in November and a special called meeting today, the Senate Education Committee approved House Bill 2 along party lines, sending it to the full Senate for debate.

The measure just passed the House yesterday.

The bill calls for adding a constitutional amendment to the ballot asking Kentucky voters if the General Assembly should have the ability to provide financial support for students outside of public schools.

In a statement, the Family Foundation, a Christian public policy organization in Kentucky said, quote, States all across the nation are allowing for diverse educational choices, including popular school choice programs that are benefiting students and families and PRI public schools, private homes and in homes, schools, Kentucky must not be left behind Jim Waters, president and CEO of the self-described a free market think tank.

The Bluegrass Institute for Public Policy Solutions also backs the bill.

>> This amendment is not about any particular type of school choice policies.

This is not about implementing a voucher program for a scholarship tax credit program or even a public school choice program.

>> This simply is responding to past court decisions that said, if you want to have school choice in Kentucky any time we're going to have to Constitution address that.

And that's all the stats.

It gets out.

The Bush hog clears out the underbrush so that we haven't passed tort choice.

The debate about what kinds of choice we should have.

A very important and they need it.

We need to be fully vetted.

But that's for another day.

Another time.

>> The Kentucky Education Association, of Course, opposes the bill president and Knox County music teacher Edie Campbell testified against it this afternoon.

>> Despite its presentation, it will be detrimental to our Kentucky public school systems opening the door for public tax dollars to stream into an accountable private institutions with no public oversight.

This is a dangerous bill that is bad education policy, bad fiscal policy and bad public policy and it does nothing to protect students and there's nothing to ensure that all students in Kentucky will receive a high-quality public education.

>> Reporters asked Governor Andy Beshear, a Democrat about House Bill 2 today and how lawmakers are handling it.

This is his response.

>> The public dollars should only go to public schools, period.

I'm against this constitutional amendment.

If they pass it, I will work every day to defeated at the ballot box in November.

Then you can that it does not have bipartisan support.

It doesn't have the support of a number of Republican the fact that they would cut off debate even someone of their own party was talking.

And then if you think you're doing the right thing, you don't have to to call these special meetings with moment's notice.

And then have a whole committee substitute that no one gets to read before their ask to vote on.

No good government has a level of transparency where you ought to be able to see the bills and fully read them before you vote on them.

The public should be able to come in.

Weigh in.

They should allow testimony from everyone who shows up within reasonable limits.

And sadly, it seems we're seeing more last-minute additions changes hastily call meetings every single session with less and less transparency that Kentucky's will overwhelmingly vote against public dollars going to private schools.

Private schools are are fine, but they are a choice all the way to fix public education is to fix public education is to ensure we're providing the funding that it needs.

And if you look at these budgets, they're not making the increases in public education that are necessary to make those fixes.

So you can't underfunded start a system and then say it doesn't work and send the money somewhere else and the end of the day, these are private really want to get their hands on a lot of money.

That should be going to public schools.

>> Also called for the Kentucky General Assembly to give raises to public school employees.

He says other state workers, including social workers and state police have received raises, he says it's long overdue for educators.

Well, widening student achievement gaps.

Transportation troubles, school, disciplinary issues and staff shortages, persistent problems in many schools.

But some believe they're more acute in the state's largest school district.

A lot of a Republican has a plan to study those matters.

Vo the formation of a 13 member task force to exam 17 key areas concerning the Jefferson County Public School District.

Here's the legislation's sponsor, Representative Ken Fleming at opposing Louisville Democrats who say the end goal is splintering the district and the smaller ones.

>> Task force will be a point about the lrc in consist of legislators.

Individual state auditor, the mayor pointy business community teachers and taxpayers with children in the system.

Mister Speaker, I want to point out that there has been discussion to the superintendent as a member of this task force.

And since the superintendent has a contract and reports to the board who will be reviewing and voting commit recommendation as much as I like to have the superintendent on this, I believe in mind not be advisable for a perceived conflict of interests, therefore in the current regulate, the current language remains that he can nominate 3 people.

>> We have 10 other schools in this state who are sitting at the bottom.

So high schools are in POW walls.

Perry, Covington, independent Middle Schools are Lawrence Fulton Elementary Schools are Trimble letter and Bread.

10 schools that are in the bottom that are doing worse than this bill.

Clearly is targeting one school district.

>> That is trying to be torn apart under the false pretense of caring about kids.

If we wanted to pass legislation that what's important JCPS and all school districts in the state.

We can do whatever we want.

We have the funding to do it.

The House approved House concurrent resolution, a Tijuana vote of 65 to 23.

>> It now heads to the Senate for consideration there.

Earlier this week I spoke with JCPS Superintendent Marty Pollio about his view of this possible task force.

>> Do you look at this piece of legislation as an attack on JCPS?

>> Clearly an attack on JCPS without a doubt.

And let me say this first and foremost told the legislators this I have no problem with an audit.

I have no problem with even a commission to study JCPS.

If that's what is needed now, we'll see.

How is that different than the task force is being proposed?

Well, as and that's what I'm getting to.

First off, I've had 6 audits in my 7 years and external audits that have come in and done a full audit of our district so we could do a meta analysis of all the results and they could get the answers that they seek.

But what I do think is it needs to be a fair commission or a task force that is truly look.

So for instance, we Ken Fleming say in that this is about student outcomes.

Will if it's about student outcomes than every district that is equivalent to us in student outcomes or lower than Jefferson County, Public schools should have the same commission as well.

You know, I said clearly if it is about if it if it's a fair commission, those are the stakeholders in Jefferson County.

they need to be representative.

So, you know, when we look at first of all, I was not on their originally, not even on the commission.

No one on my team was on the commission.

We clearly know that a lot of facts can be thrown out there that are do say not facts.

That may not be true.

Someone needs to be on this commission to say I'm sorry, that's not true.

Then I would ask how many people of color, you know, we are a district that is over now.

60% students of color.

I think our populations in our district need to be represented.

And I'm not sure just a politician.

They Senate representative our House representative is the right person to do that evaluation.

Believe it will turn out to be a political partisan witch hunt?

I think so.

I mean, I'm I don't know if that's 100% the case, but I've gone through plenty of audits that I feel have been and have not And I think the makeup of the commission clearly tells the story, but whether this would be a witch hunt or not.

>> You can see more of my interview with Jefferson County Public Schools, Superintendent Doctor Marty Pollio this Sunday morning on connections at 11:30AM, Eastern 10, 30 central right here on KET.

It's a rigorous conversation.

A state Senate committee heard bills about child labor and public assistance today and both Republican sponsored bills got more pushback.

Ben expected our plate.

Dalton has this report.

>> 2 bills both sponsored by House Republicans met fierce criticism and opposition in the Senate committee.

One of those measures House Bill 2.55.

Would loosen child labor laws for 16 17 year-old allowing them to work more and longer hours.

Give us 60 to wants to work.

>> He or she should be free to do so.

To me, it's no different than a student who was decade.

Lot of time.

Just team sport or student club, a volunteer and community.

It's amazing if you're a gifted athlete other than football football's restricted only practice 5 hours a day.

But that does not include film time conditioning or anything else.

All the other sports and limited practice time.

We restrict 16, 17 year-olds a lot more than that.

>> Opponents noted that the bill won't add any new people to Kentucky's workforce.

>> I think it's clear that important to say that not a single child would be added to Kentucky's labor force from the changes House Bill.

2.55 makes Charlie Trie labor protections.

This legislation does not open up the job market to Kentucky teens.

It simply lowers the guardrails to allow children to work and more dangerous jobs in for too many hours each day and each week a child could potentially be doing school and work for up to 75 hours week under current law.

And this removes that cap.

>> The bill is job fields that 16 17 year-olds can't work in buy coal mining and jobs with heavy machinery.

But there are exceptions which allows students to work in the settings as an Apprentice.

>> This means that House Bill 2.55 could allow 16 17 year-olds to do apprenticeships and under state law that are extremely hazardous occupations and federal law, including manufacturing and storing of explosives, coal mining fighting forest fires, logging and sawmill operations, exposure to radioactive substances.

Operation of boom trucks, cranes and cherry pickers wrecking in demolition operations and more.

>> House Bill 2.55, failed.

As 3 Republicans joined 2 Democrats to tie the vote.

Lawmakers also heard a bill that would limit snap benefit commonly known as food stamps to able-bodied workers without dependents.

>> Federal law, there's a default work requirement for able-bodied adults to be on food stamps.

It applies to able-bodied adults without dependents, ages 18 to 52.

It doesn't apply to anybody with a disability primary, caretakers, or anyone with a child or dependent does not require you work even full time.

You can volunteer.

You can try and you can go to school to make those requirements.

However, states camera can away this requirement and Kentucky's been doing that in a pretty broad swath across our state.

And this has been kind of been done unilaterally by the cabinet instead of the General Assembly House Bill 3.67, would require the Cabinet for health and family services to get permission from the legislature before providing snap waivers.

They waived the work requirement for healthy adult with no children.

>> But some Republicans pushed back.

>> I think that this bill works against everything that we've done in the last few years to address the issues of the benefit of clear for our working workers in Kentucky, especially are working poor demographics and it all this does is it replaces another wage.

Between people who are working and are trying to do what is best for what we want them to do.

Policy wise for the Commonwealth.

It throws another waging there to KET them.

Down in the lower economic demographic.

>> House Bill 3.67, also failed receiving 6, no votes and 5, yes votes for these bills to get a second chance.

We'll need to be heard again in committee and gain majority support to move forward for Kentucky edition.

I'm Clayton Dalton.

>> Thank you, Clayton.

House Bill 2.55.

The one loosening child labor laws will be heard in the same committee again tomorrow offering yet another chance to advance.

Another possible constitutional amendment that voters could see on the November ballot this year deals with who can and cannot vote state.

Senator Jason, how is the sponsor of Senate Bill one?

43, it asked voters to decide if the state constitution should be amended to prevent non-citizens from voting.

Having already passed the full Senate, the bill cleared a House committee today and now heads to the full House for consideration where an identical House bill has already passed.

As usual.

Big crowds at the Capitol today.

Not just people.

Today is Animal Action Day in Kentucky.

Members of Arrow Fund a nonprofit that rescues abused and neglected animals.

Join students from Assumption High School's Humane Action team to argue for more legislation to protect animals in Kentucky.

>> The fact that we have so many shelters that are having to make the decision to euthanize young innocent animals is something that we we can change.

We can do that.

And all of these animals that are there, they deserve love.

They deserve help.

They deserve that second chance as well.

And so I think it's important that we teach responsible pet ownership rights.

Who are you to others in the community to your peers?

>> House Bill 2.53 deals with animal control officers and requires them to receive training on child abuse House bill.

2.58 redefines torture of animals and makes torture of a dog or cat a class D felony for every offense it passed in the House.

88 to 9.

♪ ♪ ♪ Now turning to national news, a U.S.

Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the Senate majority leader today called for Israel to hold new elections in order to replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu show Schumer says Netanyahu has, quote, lost his way and has become an obstacle to peace in the Middle East.

Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Senate minority leader quickly denounced Schumer's move.

>> It is grotesque.

And hypocritical.

For Americans who hyperventilate about foreign interference in our own democracy.

The call for the removal of the democratically elected leader of Israel.

This is unprecedented.

We should not treat fellow democracies.

This way at all.

Things that upset left-wing activist or not.

Prime minister's call a fish.

There is Israel's.

Follow suit.

Make don't say it.

The Democratic Party doesn't have a big problem.

there's real problem.

>> Right now, Israel isn't scheduled to have parliamentary elections until October 2026, but protesters in Israel are calling for earlier elections.

Well, bourbon is big business in Kentucky.

As you know, the experts on that are in Lexington this week for the annual James B Institute industry conference, Kentucky Edition caught up with some of those experts who say the ever expanding industry means more than just jobs and good cheer.

>> You have the Steelers now coming in from starting coming from other who want to take advantage of our 200 years of history here and here in Kentuckyian try to leverage that because we all know that you can make bourbon anywhere.

But if you want to sell it, you've got to have can take on the latest.

I think a lot of counties are realizing that bourbon.

It's not just drink that its economic development and tourism and jobs and investment while the rest of the manufacturing industry in the 20 years previous lost about 20% of its growth, we actually gained about 25% in jobs.

The other thing is The Kentucky bourbon chill experiences are year-round tourism center's.

It's a great demographic from the standpoint of your convention, a vision of girls because they're younger.

They tend to spend more and they're staying longer in coming impacts to these people to be coming to your communities, shopping, your stores, your restaurants, sleep in your hotels and bring in outside dollars to help, you know, but fill the coffers of your communities.

And we've seen that is the story's kind of group may be on the same county, but kind of group together really creates kind of a smaller tourism experience that people do send going to do the time to take Uber Trail, which is now 45 still worries.

You can 2 or 3 in a row.

So Garrett County, for instance, like you go to Gary County is still Reagan Jimbo double counting Danville will miss trail.

And at some point you're going to go right down to the Somerset and your And that's a great breed.

A vacation for somebody that can spend their dollars in Kentucky.

>> This year's being industry conference features seminars on different methods of making whiskey quality assurance and environmental stewardship.

Well, parts of eastern and western Kentucky are losing population while most of central and northern Kentucky are gaining people.

You can see that on this map from the Kentucky State Data Center at the University of Louisville.

This map looks at population changes from 2022.

To 2023.

Blue areas are increasing in population.

Red means the climbing population.

♪ ♪ Today is PI Day.

If your eating dinner consider treating yourself to a delicious piece of pie for Dessert.

Pi Day is March 14th because it's the 14th Day of the 3rd month of the year.

Makes sense right?

And 3.14 is the beginning of pie without the letter E the Mac medical ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter for all you Mac lovers, what is the most popular type of pie in Kentucky?

According to Google, the Derby Pie is the most searched for pie recipe online in Kentucky so far in 2024.

Kentucky is the only state where the Darby pie is number one.

Go figure.

We are getting word about an E f one tornado that touched down in northern Kentucky near Carrollton.

We'll have much more on that tomorrow.

Plus, inside Kentucky politics out Friday lineup with Bob Babbage and Trey Grayson.

Also tomorrow we take a look at amended legislation and the diversity, equity and inclusion or dei in a special called meeting to have happened late this afternoon.

The results of that tomorrow, this affecting Kentucky's universities and colleges.

Plus, a home is often considered a place of comfort for those who are medically vulnerable, though a home can mean the difference between life and death.

>> People living in stable housing, stable, affordable housing have much better chances of good health outcomes and their health care.

There's a direct correlation between those 2 things.

>> Tomorrow on Kentucky Edition, the organization that's giving medically at-risk Kentucky.

And is there a chance that a healthier life by giving them a place to call home without a do it for us tonight for Kentucky Edition, I hope to see you right back here on Friday.

At the same time, same channel.

We appreciate you joining us this evening.

I'm Renee Shaw until I see you again.

Take really good care.

Good night.

♪ ♪