♪ Here's them.

Okay.

Quote, a society that has done something special against Negroes for hundreds of years must out and do something special for him.

Is that a discriminatory concept?

>> Dei on Kentucky college campuses here, backers and critics make their arguments.

The big tariffs big en El Kentucky bourbon sales dry off north of the border.

>> If we don't fight for our rights goes on.

Protesters against the Trump administration March to the state Capitol.

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

♪ ♪ >> Good Evening and welcome to Kentucky EDITION on this Tuesday March, the 4th, I'm Renee Shaw and we appreciate you spending some of your Tuesday night with us.

A much anticipated Anti Dei Bill had its first hearing in Frankfort today.

Diversity, equity and inclusion offices at Kentucky's universities are on the chopping block.

This legislative session as proposed and House Bill 4 and tonight's Legislative update.

Our June Lessler has more on what's in the bill and where lawmakers and Kentucky college student side on the debate.

>> University of Louisville students met at the Capitol today to support Dei on their campus.

>> It goes from everything from, you know, helping underrepresented communities to even the classes that we've seen.

Also, we have France is like and African studies Latino studies and we have a look at cultural center.

All of this would be threatened.

We don't know where the line what we can say, what led to freely talk about what we're allowed to handle openly, not even just discussed, but believe it.

>> Voices on both sides of the dei debate say they want protections for free speech and against discrimination.

The sponsor of House Bill 4 says her definition of these terms supported by court decisions on affirmative action.

>> This question about whether the dei that is banned by this bill, which is.

Preferences and prejudicial treatment.

That that is no longer debatable about whether it's a good thing to do a bad thing to do.

Will it help or not?

It is unconstitutional.

Says the Supreme Court of the United States of America House Bill 4 doesn't do away with federal civil rights protections.

It couldn't.

>> But here's what it would do.

Prohibits hiring admissions scholarships and contracts based on religion race.

6 color or national origin, Ban's resources spent to set up or maintain a diversity, equity and inclusion office training and initiatives KET students from having to complete a course and what the bill defines as discriminatory concepts and limits the university's general counsel to investigate bias incidents that meet certain criteria.

The Shelby County Republican pitching the bill says Dei efforts meant to recruit and retain more diverse student body haven't proven their worth.

>> Kentucky taxpayers were promised that dei would benefit Kentucky's historically underrepresented minorities, including low income populations.

While there has been a slight increase in total underrepresented minorities, a slight increase since 2011.

The increase is that increase is due primarily to the enrollment of out of state students who are not from low-income families.

>> Democrats dismiss that stance.

>> When you think about years and years and years, decades, that universities has not been inclusive environments to many populations of people, people of color, women, LGBTQ community, indigenous people.

So many people who haven't been excluded from higher education.

And to say that we've been trying this for, you know, a few years and it's not working what we have many, many, many years that that we have to go back and try to undo a lot of years of damage where we have excluded individuals.

>> The historical indicators of what has occurred, particularly with people who look like me and other and other protected classes in our society.

It's a it's a really serious problem.

And I think what river lasting it and that word with trying to say that this does not matter.

>> The bill does carve out exceptions for free speech and academic coursework.

But definitions of indoctrination and discriminatory concepts leave this student worried.

Here's them.

Okay.

Quote, a society that has done something special against Negroes for hundreds of Staff do something special for him.

>> Is that a discriminatory concept?

>> The House post-secondary Education Committee did vote in favor of House Bill 4 along party lines up House Bill 4 becomes law.

Universities could have to comply by the end of June.

The state auditor of public accounts would have to set up a process to review public colleges, compliance with the new law for Kentucky Jen LaFleur.

>> Thank you much, Jonah.

Now in other legislative news today, Animal control officers may be added to the list of people legally mandated to report child Abuse House bill.

194 would require animal control officers to be trained to recognize the signs of child abuse.

Because proponents say the presence of animal abuse in the home is often a red flag for child abuse.

Our McKenzie Speight has more.

>> When you think of mandated reporters, people like teachers, doctors are social workers may come to mind.

But Representative Susan Whitten says animal control officers need to be added to that list.

House Bill.

194 with train these officers to recognize the warning signs of child abuse in the home.

>> Animal control officers are often the first to witness warning signs of abuse and a household by equipping them with the training to identify and report child abuse.

We can strengthen Kentucky's child Protection network and help prevent tragic cases of neglect and mistreatment.

>> The 1983 survey by the International Journal for the Study of Animal problems showed the animals were being abused in 88% of homes where children were also being abused.

This link between animal and child abuse came into the spotlight in Louisville in 2021.

When 10 year-old Keon Higgins junior was killed by his mother, neighbors said they had witnessed her abusing the family dog prior to chaos, murder.

Garrett dunk who helped draft House Bill 194 wants to name the law in honor of he on House Bill.

194 is named Keon saw all after Keon had been to jail.

>> In discussions with Joy Keely in 2020 for you.

She told me Keyonte tragic story.

He was a kind 10 yo boy whose life was cut short by someone who was supposed to be protecting him.

Animal intro went to his house 2 dozen times before he was killed.

Sun God enough Angels.

We step up and help guide these babies out of the darkness.

Shortly after key on his death, retired LMPD Lieutenant Choi Keely spearheaded a local ordinance that requires all Louisville Metro Animal Control officers to be trained on the link between animal and child Abuse.

House bill.

194 working on slaw pass committee favorably and will now head to the House.

>> Lawyer for full consideration for Kentucky edition.

I'm McKenzie Spank.

>> McKenzie for that report.

Now more news, a complex measure on Medicaid could KET the governor from expanding the health coverage program for the poor without legislative oversight and Swift moving approval from committee to the House floor.

In a matter of a few hours.

House Bill 695 would KET the State Department of Medicaid Services from altering Medicaid without approval from the Kentucky General Assembly.

A move that conflicts with Governor Andy Beshear is expansion of Medicaid to cover dental vision and hearing services among various new requirements for the state health cabinet.

The bill would also authorize the Cabinet to issue community engagement, waivers to able-bodied Medicaid recipients with no dependents.

It comes as House Bill 9 which establishes a Medicaid oversight committee is also co-signed by the House.

>> What we're doing is we just passed a bill in the House floor.

That is the Medicaid Oversight Advisory Board.

We see that is a bill that will govern Medicaid moving forward.

That's how we can wrap our hands around Medicaid in better manage it and make policy decisions as a body through that board.

As I mentioned before, roughly one out of 3 Kentuckyian is currently enrolled in Medicaid or KET Ship is the second largest general fund unit within our state budget and the growth we're seeing currently is at a rate that's just not sustainable.

We're starting to see some pressure points.

So all we are trying to do with House Bill 695. is just stabilize the program.

Hold it where it is today.

Let's get House Bill 9 Medicaid advisory board set up so we can start running Medicaid issues through that Bill.

We can have the executive branch, legislative branch outside parties come to the table and make better decisions moving forward.

>> The critics of those bills say they could lead to some Kentucky ends losing care under Medicaid.

House minority floor leader Pan Stevenson said Republicans were moving too fast with the measures.

>> We are establishing an oversight board to deal with this in mammoth of a organization that Medicaid and yet we're still in this bill going in doing a little here, a little there.

Instead of letting the boarding bullet, the board will be up and ready to go.

As you say as soon as possible.

And might.

The big problem is?

>> We also we don't understand it.

So we don't know how many people will be kicked off because of this bill.

This bill was heard in committee today at 11:00AM and he's on the floor and 03:00PM.

And so my concern is we're moving so fast on something that is >> complex by everybody's explanation.

In fact, the gentleman today stated that nobody in the House of Representatives, not the Senate, understood this bill that we have experts that work it day in and day out.

So why are we moving so fast to change?

And there are changes in this bill.

For example, thus the if they can't get implemented within 7 days, they have to let this body know what have we done anything in 7 days?

Let alone read the bill analyzed.

We'll see if we can implement it or not.

>> House Bill 695 went on to pass the House floor today along party lines, 80 to 19.

Now it is the Senate's top priority.

Senate Bill one seeks to establish the Kentucky film Office with hopes of further tapping into a multimillion dollar industry.

The new film office would help entice filmmakers to the state connect local partners to the industry and help develop workforce training programs with Kentucky's public colleges.

Funding for this film office would come from 3 sources, including half a million dollars a year from the state.

The bill is sponsored by state Senator Phillip Wheeler Pikeville and has strong support from Senate President Robert Stivers who spoke on the bill on the Senate floor today.

>> What more can we do for creating an environment for diversification.

Education and economic development.

They creating a coordinating body.

>> That the secretary and his staff and us as policymakers recognize it's quite the viable entity.

To project us into a rail.

That we have not been in and been competitive because we lacked this structure.

The incentives are in place.

We need the coordinating body to do this, which I believe working with the senator from tighter and the sponsor of the bill, the senator from Pike have a unique opportunity.

The capture the win.

And change this state.

>> The senator from Pike Senator Wheeler said the film industry in Kentucky generated 200 million dollars in revenue in 2022, that figure is projected to grow and could lead to an estimated 30 million dollars in tax revenue for the state.

The bill passed the Senate by a unanimous vote.

Another high priority Bill unanimously passing in the Senate today.

Senate bill 3 designed to modernize Kentucky's name image and likeness or nil laws.

The bill sponsor Senate Majority Floor Leader Max Wise says it's in response to a pending federal case involving the NCAA that if finalized would allow universities to allocate roughly 20 million dollars a year to compensate their players.

Hundreds of Kentuckians marched to the Capitol to speak out against President Donald Trump's policies.

50 51, Kentucky is a group that started under the national Group 50 51 which was created after President Trump was inaugurated.

This is their second rally at the Capitol.

♪ >> We did our first March as an organization which is really exciting.

And that's really just to show the entire Lake City of Frankfort marching down the streets.

It would also put in the time it just might be driving by that people care about our country and we wanted to be better and we want to protect our democracy.

And I'm really here because I want Congress to step up and there's been a a far overreach.

A grab for power.

Grab for money hour.

>> All of our major institutions have been dismantled.

We're current saying our politicians to stand up against a variety of the things are getting past specifically the executive orders and also really pressure the administration to listen to the people.

>> Part of our demands also is removal of President Trump and all of his appointees.

And that's again, just get us back to the state of our country where we are a democracy for the people and people are not acting.

As you can see, people mentioning women you can see mentioning Elon Musk and wanting his removal or immigration rights.

All of this broad spectrum of issues that people care about is reflected in this crowd.

And I think that is what's most powerful.

And that's really our goal for a non-partisan organization were not align with any specific political party.

This is for anyone who's upset with what's currently happening in our country.

And I think the signs reflect that.

A Democrat.

I'm not a Republican.

I'm an American.

And if we don't fight for rights, we're going to lose.

>> Organizers say they'll continue to hold protests at the state Capitol.

♪ ♪ More about national politics at midnight.

President Donald Trump levied a 25% tariff on goods arriving from Canada and Mexico and he increased the tariffs with China from 10 to 20%.

There's already criticism of the move in Kentucky from leaders in both political parties.

U.S.

Senator Rand Paul, Republican of Kentucky said that tariffs are taxes and if you taxed re you'll get less trade and less prosperity.

Governor Andy Beshear is also denouncing the tariffs.

He says when prices go up, there will be one man to blame.

>> And the amount things will cost more as the Trump tax on you and your family.

This tariffs on Canada and Mexico are going to raise the cost of vegetables, fruits and meet your grocery store.

The the extra amount you pay.

That's the Trump tax.

>> The tariffs on Canada are going to increase the price of gas.

The extra amount you pay is the Trump tax and then the tariffs on lumber are going to make buying that next home.

Getting that first home for a young couple or renovating a home that much more expensive that will be the Trump tax.

Just white, everything from automobiles to other major purchases you need to make are going to be that much more expensive.

>> There are also concerns Canada will stop selling all us made whiskey including Kentucky bourbon.

Despite that, Congressman Andy Barr of Kentucky, 6 district is backing the Trump tariff policy.

He's office sent this statement to KET, quote, Kentucky's signature bourbon industry is a critical driver of our economy.

And I know President Trump understands how important it is to protect it and every other American made product facing unfair treatment abroad.

I'm confident that with President Trump's continued leadership will see more wins for Kentucky's bourbon industry and for American businesses across the board, unquote.

Eric Gregory, president of the Kentucky Distillers Association is more pessimistic, though.

He said in a statement, quote, Unfortunately, the return of retaliatory tariffs on American whiskey will have far-reaching consequences across Kentucky home to 95% of the world's bourbon.

That means hardworking Americans.

Corn farmers, truckers, distillery workers, barrel makers, bartenders servers and the communities and businesses built around Kentucky bourbon will suffer end quote.

President Donald Trump paused the refugee resettlement program in the U.S. earlier this year.

Now on to a different topic, a federal judge has since blocked that pause.

That means thousands of people previously expected to come to the U.S. from war-torn countries are left in limbo.

Our June Leoffler spoke with a resettlement group in Louisville prior to the federal judge's ruling to discuss the impact.

>> Many refugees called Kentucky home.

In fact, the state hosts the 4th largest per capita population of refugees in the nation.

The Commonwealth welcome 2000 new Kentucky ends in the 2024 fiscal year.

That means the effect of President Donald Trump's order to pause refugee arrivals was felt immediately.

>> So we here at Catholic Charities had about 90 people war booked on flights who had gone through multiple years of security screening and in many cases were reunifying here in the United States in Louisville, with family members who are already here.

Many of them were children.

And so those 90 ish folks had their flights canceled.

We were expecting them the end of January, beginning of February.

As I said, many of them are rejoining family members who are already here.

But for those who were not what we were finding them, places to live, getting everything ready for their arrival.

And now that are still in the refugee camps with no assurances to one, they may be able to wait.

>> A Crutcher describes the arduous process.

People go through often waiting years in camps in places like Syria, Congo and Burma before coming to the United States.

>> Really refugees unlike any other immigrants to the United States are both heavily screened and really pre-selected.

I think that's something that people often don't understand less than one percent of the displaced people in the world will be resettled as refugees.

>> Even with resettlement suspended.

Crutcher's says there's still work to be done.

>> I anticipate that we will continue to provide service to folks who are here in the country throughout the Trump administration, just as we did through the first Trump administration.

>> Catholic Charities has resettled refugees for 50 years.

That includes Vietnamese refugees during the 1970's and Bosnians in the 1990's.

>> Kentucky is one of >> the.

>> Most successful refugee resettlement programs in the country.

These are people who are excited to be coming to the United States no matter where they go, right.

It's a harder sell sometimes to convince people within the country.

The Kentucky is a really great place to relocate once these folks are here, they contribute to our community and all kinds of ways.

>> By mid-April, the Department of Homeland Security is expected to decide whether to continue refugee resettlement in the United States for now.

Refugees hopes of coming to Kentucky are in limbo.

With reporting from Brennan, everyone.

I'm John Leffler for Kentucky Edition.

>> Thank you.

Brandon and June Kentucky has refugee resettlement programs and Louisville, Lexington, Bowling Green Covington in Owensboro.

♪ ♪ >> It's not just Nature.

Kentucky State Parks gives people the opportunity to enjoy.

>> It's also letting them experience a little culture with TV Tuesday held each week at the Waveland, Historic site.

>> Last month we visited Waveland for a specialty time in honor of the day we celebrate love.

We are Lexington's best kept secret.

We are live and historical home.

There are 3 of them in Lexington, Mary Todd Lincoln.

>> Ashlyn Henry, Clay's home and Waveland State, historic site and Waveland has been here.

The longest this mansion was finished in 18.

48 by Joseph, Brian.

Now Joseph's Plantation, Waveland, plantation was 2400 acres at one time.

That's 4 square miles.

And this family was very well see, they grew hemp a cash crop of the day.

Back in the 18 40's 50's was market.

Brian.

Now, Margaret, it's traditional and the word of mouth that she gave ATT to her friends and her daughters on Tuesday.

So we have a following that tradition.

So that's why we have TN Tuesday, no way for a meeting.

>> It's a 3 course.

T it's not LEA T experience is just experiencing this home.

Also.

>> The tradition of what they did back then and I'm just coming to this beautiful mansion is is just the best experience.

I believe, and that he's just a little bit extra.

Go out, come in hungry, go out.

Fall.

>> Unlimited card was wonderful.

No one said that on the scam and all the action you like it was big chicken salad on the shot was very excellent.

The ryann cream cheese with that cream Cheese R a I heard.

Just stay with it.

You come to us and it really was excellent.

And that is that he is very high quality.

>> Everybody loves that.

We have a lot of repeat customers.

Lots of BP customers and a lot of people say we don't know why we didn't do it before.

We'll be back.

>> It's time for special occasions, McCain for Mr. A 9, 1, 9 and the new week HR waiting to have more period, furniture and items than any in Kentucky said the Supreme Court of Law is part of our heritage in Kentucky.

So we get to celebrate it.

>> Women wore dresses like this to falls or dance is up to church to see it or they wore the stresses because it was fashion.

The hope was invented in 18.

57 and that bill shape only lasted about a decade to the end of the Civil war.

And so it was fashionable.

Would Margaret have more on the stress of the day on the plantation?

Know she would not have.

She would wear a one piece but and down Tress worked here for about 4 years.

I've experienced it so many times from, you know, the other side serving people.

I KET it was a great experience.

And I wanted to surprise my girlfriend with something fun and, you know, to go out somewhere, you know, people enjoying just getting to sit and eat some place, different.

>> I think it's it's slow down an airline to be able really everybody had.

I'll presentation and as well as a little bit of a tasty treats.

This is the NBA on Sundays from >> In this part of our history, we can go and I love the fact that period costumes and the surrounding the NT, the history that we will even be.

I'm reminded as we do that for him and be able to recognize we stand on really broad shoulders.

>> If you're interested in TE Tuesday, you can visit online parks Dot K Y dot Gov.

And look up the Waveland, historic site with Do it for us tonight.

But we hope to see you right back here again tomorrow night at 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central for Kentucky Edition we inform connect and inspire.

You can connect with us all the ways you see on your screen.

Facebook's X and Instagram and send us a story idea by email to public affairs at KET DOT Org.

I'm Renee Shaw.

Appreciate you being with us tonight.

Now we'll see you tomorrow night to get him.

♪