>> This is life saving health care for transgender kids and without their access to it, you will kill Kentucky's kids.

Emotional debate today in Frankfort over 2 bills affecting Kentucky's transgender community.

>> Measles and Kentucky.

Find out who's most vulnerable and why.

I want people to leave with the sense that well, this horrible thing happened.

How do we do better?

And a public art piece in Lexington Honors a Kentuckyian lost too soon.

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

Leonard Press Endowment for Public Affairs and Okay, 18 Millennium Fund.

♪ ♪ >> Good evening and welcome to Kentucky EDITION on this Thursday, March.

The second, I'm Renee Shaw.

Thank you for winding down your Thursday with us.

The Kentucky General Assembly moved 2 controversial bills that opponents say put transgender people at risk.

House Bill 4.70, would prevent transition services for people under the age of 18 Senate Bill.

One, 15 places limits on what it calls sexually explicit shows and could limit drag show performances.

Our Casey Parker Bell reports on the bills as we begin tonight's Legislative update.

>> A bill that would ban trans youth from receiving transition services has passed one chamber of the Kentucky General Assembly House Bill 4, 7, day sponsored by water.

Republican Jennifer Decker.

>> There is long term evidence that these services result in per minute lifelong harm to children.

>> But opponents of House Bill 4.70, say exactly the opposite.

>> This is life saving health care for transgender kids and without their access to it, you will kill Kentucky's kids.

>> House Bill 4.70, establishes penalties for health care workers to provide gender transition services to people under 18 start off the Kentucky Medical Association testified against the measure.

I'm here to beg you to not support House Bill 4.70.

House Bill 4.70, will make it nearly impossible for pediatric medical providers to practice in the Commonwealth.

As did the Kentucky Psychological Association.

>> Adults can be threatened into non action, but that will not alter the situation for trans kids whose needs will not have changed.

>> Testifying in favor of HB 4.70, was Luka Haim, Heidi transition and says she has health issues stemming from transition treatment.

>> I was just a young teenager who needed actual help, not drugs and surgery.

I needed that chance to grow up safe and whole.

But that was taken away from me.

The minute I was from down from down the pipeline.

That is the gender affirming care industry.

Legislators debated the measure.

The bill sponsor Jennifer Decker says the measure is protecting children.

Ultimately it is our obligation to protect children from irreparable harm.

The state has to come.

Helling interest while other legislators say the bill is harmful.

Louisville Representative Pamela Stephenson says the bill takes weigh options for parents.

Why don't we give them help?

Why do we feel it by giving the mental health services doing other things except taken away the parental rights representative can Mosier says the bill is detrimental to the medical profession.

The message we are sending is >> atrocious to our health care work Force.

>> House Bill 4.70, passed committee 14 to 7 opponents to measure protested in the hallways after the the Capitol building after the bill was taking up on the House floor.

Well, Representative Josie Raymond spoke against the bill on the House floor.

>> If your tray and you're trans in your head and your heart, whether you take medication or not, whether you get surgery or not, whether your state legislature is scared of your happiness or not.

>> The House passed the bill and it has been sent to the Senate for consideration.

There earlier in the day, a Senate committee passed a bill that the sponsor says is meant to limit sexually explicit shows, including drag shows Senate Bill one 15 sponsored by Senator Lindsey Titian or this bill is not.

>> Anti LGBTQ.

>> This bill is pro children under the opponents lined up to testify against the measure.

Chris Hartman, the fairness campaign attacks, the legislature directly.

>> We know what this is about.

At least we know what the aims of the national groups coordinating this effort are.

Some of you are probably just caught up in their games.

There.

Political pawns in a war to erase our community.

>> One director former says SB One 15 would hurt their livelihood.

>> This bill, not only compromises are asked me to explain my humanity, but it also brings into question my livelihood.

As a drag performer who depends on drag shows and drag performances for income.

This do not only tells me that I'm not really a human worthy of rights, but I'm also not worthy to work.

Senate Bill, one 15 passed committee and can now be heard by the Senate for Kentucky edition.

I'm Casey Parker Bell thank you, Casey, for that report.

House Bill 4.70, which would prevent gender transition services for minors pass the full House this afternoon.

>> By a vote of 75 to 22.

It's now headed to the Senate for consideration there.

More than 100 LGBTQ+ supporters gathered at the Capitol today in opposition to those measures.

House Bill 4.70, and Senate Bill.

One 15.

We spoke to Rebecca Blankenship, executive director for Ban Conversion therapy, Kentucky, about those bills and what they might mean for the LGBTQ community.

>> It is always so wonderful to see people come out and express this.

This immense strength and we have over 150 participants here today.

I'm it's amazing to see I crowd like this come out.

I think in great dignity and great belief in the possibility of Kentucky.

We're seeing a vote on Senate Bill.

One 15 past the committee this morning.

That's a bill that effectively treats drag is an explicit sexual performance in a way that is totally inappropriate.

It defines what is fundamentally a political protest back to free something instead is now suddenly sexual explicit in disgusting.

And that's just not true house before 70, which is the most heinous anti-trans health care bill in the nation.

It has been Russians committee.

They're going to be hundreds if not thousands of people to die.

If that bill passes, we're going to be looking at annual suicide increases for trans kids that that's going to go up year after year, beginning in 2024.

House before 70 as written in the committee substitute would begin requiring kids who have already medically transitioned to de Transicion the harm there is in minutes.

We're talking about people who have begun new lives having all of that.

What the way from them in spite of medical advice, in spite of their therapist recommendations.

>> Over politics, a majority of Kentucky, an overwhelming majority of Kentuckians says these kinds of Bills, House Bill 4.70, in bills like it have the opposition of 71% of Kentuckians, a similar number, 73% of Kentuckians know the conversion therapy doesn't work and can change people.

So what we have is a huge gap between the legislature's approach to these issues and the will of the people.

>> So I asked the legislators, I asked the people of Kentucky.

>> Every time that I see people of all kinds, not just A G B t people but straight allies as well.

Come out to say no, thanks could be better.

They can be different.

We don't have to pretend that people can just change who they are.

That gives me immense hope for the state of Kentucky.

I think that if we stand up for truth and we stand up for American principles in the end who went.

A piece of legislation that's being supported by the LGBTQ+ community is House Bill one 62, which would make conversion therapy.

>> Illegal.

>> A medical marijuana bill is now moving forward in the Kentucky General Assembly Senate Bill 47 was introduced in January.

It was assigned to a committee yesterday.

>> If passed, it would give Kentuckyian access to medical marijuana if their doctors think they would benefit from it.

Monday night on Kentucky tonight we heard from Senator Damon Thayer, Republican from Georgetown and the Senate majority floor leader.

He's a longtime opponent of legalizing medical marijuana, but he's seen more receptive to Senate Bill.

47.

>> Yes, and there is an effort right now to see if we can develop.

I narrowly tailored medical marijuana bill.

That would involve non combustibles prescribed by a doctor for a limited number of afflictions.

And I'm keeping an open mind on that.

>> Governor Andy Beshear was also asked today about Senate Bill.

47, here's what he said.

>> All sport, any medical marijuana, we need to move forward.

I'm not going require that it be perfect.

This is not me.

And and my evaluation of a bill.

It's about the individuals that need help.

It's about our veterans suffering from PTSD.

It's about people with children have epileptic seizure after epileptic seizure after epileptic seizure, it's about people that don't want to be taking opioids.

That's why I filed the executive order and I would welcome legislation even if imperfect to help move this forward.

>> So when other news in the state Capitol, a bill requiring medal, middle and high schools to have an automated external defibrillator cleared the full house today.

House bill 3.31.

Also requires schools to have a plan in place in case the lifesaving machine commonly called an AED is ever needed.

One change to the original bill would require all coaches to be trained in CPR and on how to use an AED another change clarifies that ad.

These are not required on field trips.

House Bill 3.31.

Past the full house today with 96 yes votes and no one voted against it.

If a drunk driver causes the death or disability of an adult and that adult has children.

The truck driver could have to pay child support to those children.

That's the idea behind Senate bill to 68 the bill sponsor Sen David Yates of Louisville has nicknamed the Bill Melanie's law.

>> My cousin know the whole is 2 weeks younger than I am she's currently I'm hooked up to machines wife standing fighting for her life on 7.

>> 2.22, her and her little boy, no one.

We're in a motor vehicle drug driver ran a red light.

I'm Amber Washington ran a red light.

I mean, hit them on the way to talk about the preschool.

We pray for a miracle every day from Melanie.

But we know there's no way that she will ever.

Be able to provide for this show.

>> This is about fairness for the child.

This is about accountability for the offender.

Its deterrence effect is something people talk about.

It encourages justice for victims.

We KET talking about increasing penalties increase in crimes.

This is an increase of a crime.

This is a restitution.

This is trying to make quite well.

While this individual when she gets out of prison.

Writing that check may not be the end of everything.

She will write that check and she'll think about that child that surviving.

>> Fairness, accountability and justice.

Those are words that I love.

We spend so much time these days trying to make offenders hole.

We forget about the victims in this is a bill this seeks, although that will never happen, that they will be made whole, but it seeks to provide accountability and at least move towards that.

Go to help the surviving children.

Thank you for the bill.

Thank you.

Mister Chairman.

>> The Senate Judiciary Committee today.

Okay.

That bill.

So it now goes on to the full Senate.

School boards and superintendents would have more flexibility when it comes to expelling students under a bill passed today in the Senate Education Committee, Senator Stephen West of Paris sponsor Senate Bill 202.

He says it's in response to conversations he's had with school superintendents who said student discipline was one of their biggest concerns.

Jim Flan, the executive director of the Kentucky Association of School Superintendents said giving districts more latitude when it comes to expulsions benefits.

Everyone, including the student being disciplined.

>> What we're asking for is to have the full range of alternative placement options.

This bill even provides for that in lieu of expulsion, the there there could be, you an option that way.

But also when they are expelled, when they return from expulsion, then there would be a range of placement options so they could consider that child's needs.

And also the impact on the larger school so all those.

Factors can be considered in their decision of how they best educate that child.

>> Senate Bill 202 is a counterpart measure to House Bill 5.38.

It gives teachers the right to remove disruptive kids from their class and principals the right to remove them from the class permanently.

That bill passed the House Education Committee on Tuesday.

The newest member of the Kentucky state Senate was sworn in this afternoon.

>> So help me God.

So help me God.

Congratulations.

>> Kasey Chambers, Armstrong took the oath of office today.

She won a special election and Senate District 19 last month before serving the state Senate Chambers.

Armstrong was a member of Louisville Metro Council.

♪ ♪ In other news, America benefits by helping Ukraine.

That's the message from U.S..

Senator Mitch McConnell after his return from a foreign trip to Europe and the Middle East on the Senate floor.

Senator McConnell said by helping Ukraine, the U.S. benefits and more ways than one much of the money.

>> It's being described as an American.

I do cry.

He's actually being invested in our own defense industrial base here at all.

We're preparing new versions of emissions and welcomes.

For our military to replace often versions.

That we've sent over to you cry.

And holiday from history.

European allies are now following America's lead.

NATO members are making historic investments and defense.

That will KET paying dividends long after Ukraine defeat to aggression.

>> Since the war started about a year ago, McConnell has argued us aid to Ukraine is a fraction of what it would cost if Russia won the war.

Louisville's mayor says public safety is his top priority today.

Mayor Craig Greenberg announced several investments in the police department including signing bonuses.

>> We have hundreds of openings to fill throughout the LMPD as well as in corrections EMS and the Louisville Metro Emergency Management Agency.

That's why today also announcing our plan to reinstate hiring and re relocation, bonuses for employees in each of these 4 critical departments.

These bonuses had been in effect until the end of 2022.

Using American rescue plan funds.

This proposal is pending a final vote from the full Metro Council on amendments which are approved by the Metro Council Budget Committee last week.

That vote will allow our government to reinstate these recruitment bonuses immediately.

We'll be able to pay these bonuses to recruit, who joined by December 31st.

2024.

>> Mayor Greenberg also said Louisville would spend 14 million dollars in American rescue plan money to continue renovations on a new police headquarters in the old ATnT building downtown and Louisville will put a building to use as a police wellness center.

So officers can receive physical mental and spiritual support.

We have a measles update in tonight's look at Health News.

As we told you Monday, someone from Jessamine County tested positive for measles.

Kentucky's public health Commissioner Doctor Steven Stack says that person had not been vaccinated that person went to a revival at Asbury University on February.

18th.

Doctor Stack had some advice adviser today for anyone who thinks they might have the measles.

>> If you were at the Asbury event between the dates of say February 17 through 20, if you develop a fever cough, runny nose, irritated eyes and a rash or a red rash on your body.

You should isolate at home and you should call your healthcare provider.

Don't just go show.

Want to miss.

You are in serious need of urgent medical care.

Call them first and say I think I have measles.

Tell them why and they can help you.

Hopefully Ranger navigate how to get testing.

So you don't show up in a waiting room and infect everybody else in the way too.

So anyway, folks, measles will not be COVID.

But this is something that we very, very clearly the keeper, some say from 2 vaccinations wire.

Join, make sure your children today.

>> Doctor Stack says most adults are immune to measles because they were vaccinated as children.

But he says only 87% of today's kindergarten age children have been vaccinated for measles, according to numbers from the CDC.

♪ ♪ Frederick Douglass High School in Lexington, hosted some special guest speakers recently, 5 African-Americans shared with an auditorium full of students.

What it was like to go to school before and after desegregation.

Among the panelists, the first student to integrate into Fayette County Public Schools.

>> I just think it's really for them to come and get this experience because but the experiences that they had is not ours.

>> I was a young girl.

Who did not.

The give my there's too much trouble.

Because ahead and vote.

And they always tell me.

You can go and strive to be what you want to be.

But you might run into so.

>> Headaches.

We had people from the old Douglas in the bar that was originally established in the area, said Gration.

>> Come and speak to us about their experiences.

I would say gration desegregation and how it affected them on education.

It's important because as students read in the history book, sometimes they don't recognize that there are people who have lived through those experiences.

>> You know, they've read about Martin Luther King.

They've they've read about Malcolm X.

They read about Muhammad Ali.

They've read about all these historical figures and then there's no discussion in terms of well, these people who are 80 90 years old have actually live through those experiences.

I was in the class in of psychology class.

>> And do you want to know what that professors said when he will be in and solve this one face in that class.

>> He say.

>> I never taught me was all they've ever done is one way to >> That's what I get.

>> That's what I think it having.

Then it.

>> And come here and share their struggles and essentially say that they were able to make and then so so they are throughout it.

Is it pretty important to me?

Because if it by the evening, but even if I don't have those struggles, I can still make it just like >> Given what's happened to be the last few years.

Kentucky U K. >> Along with Lafayette.

Has come up with a scholarship.

Students of color who want to go into education.

And then scholarship.

He's in Monday.

>> We can come into an environment where you get 15, 16, 17, 18 year-old students that that can hear how these people have experienced that history and if they can understand what they've gone through and what they experienced, then maybe they won't.

We?

He did it.

That it won't be something you know, hopefully we don't have to go back and experience the same thing to go forward.

Hopefully we can KET going for it.

>> really.

But tree your fellow man, you want to be treated.

>> That's all I ask of you.

The black student union at Frederick Douglass High School organized that panel discussion pretty powerful.

♪ ♪ ♪ >> And March 2020 breonna Taylor was shot and killed by police in her Louisville apartment.

Her death sparked protests across the country.

Now almost 3 years later, a public art installation in Lexington celebrating her life and memorializing her death.

♪ >> We're here to dedicate this beautiful case.

The name of this paces at the clearing.

I think this pace.

It speaks to it.

>> Our need as a community to acknowledge injustice and as it happens to black people, we wanted to engage the community.

We wanted something big and substantial because the crimes against us remain big and substantial.

>> We also want it a place where people could come and like with the wailing Wall of Jerusalem, the Jews came to mourn.

Mayor they with sit in front of it and cry put there prayers right into the crevices of the wall.

And that's what we wanted to build a gathering space so that people can put their own thoughts about what happened to Brianna.

What's happening all over the country.

Right there.

The tragic death of this young woman was Apple.

Us.

>> All of us to do better.

We are speaking up against police brutality our voices are elevated in literature.

Our voices are elevate it.

I am plus 5 and also celebrate it to grow.

What we can imagine.

>> Our bodies in rhyme.

>> The blood of hull and acts.

>> When I got to to show the Morgans Boy, me inspired me because I really had the visuals.

But then I needed another layer to to be able to speak on this collaboration You know, the literary and visual, I push the boundaries of what the sculpture and painting could also be.

And so apart from remembering Breonna Taylor and knowing what happened, you know, I through people to see to this issue over how to present art and how to remember people.

>> I want people to leave.

>> With the sense that well, this horrible thing happened.

How do we do better?

How do we do better as individuals and the community?

If you remember in 2020 the world.

I acknowledge the death.

Well, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, there were protests worldwide to say we say this is it right?

Black Lives matter and that's what I want people to walk away with when they see this.

>> Our voices matter.

>> The title of the piece at the Clearing references, a fictional place and Toni Morrison's, Pulitzer Prize winning novel, beloved.

>> If you're interested in visiting the pieces found its forever home in front of them at a residential and retail complex in Lexington is historic East end.

A bill that supporters say will help ensure Kentuckians don't run out of energy.

Clears a major hurdle bought.

Will it mean higher energy prices?

>> And as Kentucky willing to roll the dice on gray machines, find out the answer tomorrow on Kentucky EDITION.

Plus, it's called Real men read more than a dozen prominent man volunteered to read to students at Hopkins Elementary in Somerset.

We'll tell you who's involved and why they're doing it.

Some great stories tomorrow.

Just as we had tonight at 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central right here on Kentucky EDITION.

I'm Renee Shaw.

Thank you for watching.

And I'll see you right back here again tomorrow night.

Take good care.

♪