♪ >> The latest ahead on Senator Mitch McConnell after falling and suffering a concussion.

>> You guys can help us after Hurricane Ida.

Now we're here to help you.

>> Kentucky helped other states with storm cleanup.

Now it's payback time.

>> And so what do you think silence and males?

I said win not just for students.

>> And in Woodford County when the power went out, the school's stepped off.

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

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

♪ ♪ Good evening and welcome to Kentucky EDITION for this Thursday.

March 9.

We thank you for joining us.

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

Annex.

>> And Frankfort, U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky is spending a few days in the hospital after suffering a concussion.

>> A spokesman for McConnell said he was at a private dinner in Washington, D.C., last night when he tripped and fell.

McConnell's office said the leader is grateful for his medical team and his colleagues for their well wishes.

The 81 year-old became the longest-serving Senate leader earlier this year when the new Congress convened and 2019 the GOP leader tripped and fell at his home in Louisville and fractured his shoulder.

He underwent surgery for that injury and work from home for weeks as he recovered.

As we told you yesterday, a U.S. Department of Justice report criticize Louisville police for discrimination rights violations and excessive force.

That investigation prompted by the Breonna Taylor shooting almost 3 years ago.

We have reactions to the report today starting with Louisville leaders.

>> Our city has been through a lot these past few years and hearing the details of this report brings back a lot of painful memories especially from 2020.

We will not make excuses.

We will make changes prior to and during this investigation, LMPD took significant and important action to support officers and to find solutions to ensure a constitutional policing and build trust within this community.

>> Now that the DOJ has concluded their investigation and presented their findings, we will continue our efforts in improving public safety in this beautiful city and making LMPD the premiere Police Department in the country.

We'll reform how we recruit to train, equip, support, supervise and deploying the more than 1000 public servants whose job it is to serve as guardians of the public safety every day.

And every night we all understand this will take time and sustained effort.

It will also take conversation in collaboration.

With our officers and staff with their representatives.

And you and with the individuals, businesses and communities throughout the city that we all serve this report.

He's a painful picture.

LMPD has passed.

But it helps point us in the right direction for our future.

And to the next phase in the process of police reform in Louisville.

I'm asking the LMPD and this community too, that we do together that we stand as we navigate this process as we move forward for all of us to make change.

>> Governor Andy Beshear says he will ask state police and the Department of Criminal Justice training to review the DOJ report to see what they can do better even though they weren't targets of the investigation.

Now, here's reaction from Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron.

Quote, the vast majority of Kentucky's law enforcement community protects and serves the commonwealth with dignity and honor.

And I'm thankful to these brave men and women who put their lives on the line day in and day out to KET our community safe.

We hope the U.S. Department of Justice is work with the Louisville Metro and city officials will help address lingering concerns and better allow law enforcement to KET people safe.

End quote.

We also have reaction from the river City Fraternal Order of Police.

The FOP blames past Louisville Metro administrations.

Part of the statement says the members of the LMPD and the citizens they deserve.

They serve have suffered the consequences of these leadership failures to include critical staffing shortages, skyrocketing levels of violent crime and adequate facilities and the need for adequate training just to mention a few, unquote.

The FOP also says the report is an unfair assessment of the great work that is accomplished daily by the vast majority of LMPD officers.

The Kentucky General Assembly is tightening controls to prevent serial abusers from moving from school to school.

The House bill would put new processes in place for teacher misconduct allegations.

Our Casey Parker Bell reports on the education legislation making its way through the capital.

More as we begin tonight's Legislative update.

>> And the goal of House Bill 2.88, is to protect our students is to protect our children.

>> House Bill 2.88 set standards for teacher misconduct allegations.

The measure requires schools investigate misconduct claims if a teacher leaves the job and allow schools to share disclosure of previous conduct.

Senate President Pro Tem David Givens.

That's what the bill did to nondisclosure agreements do we have districts today that are entering entering into these sorts of agreements?

About nondisclosure?

>> I believe from information that I've just been shared with me that there are situations where or agreements remain.

And they're not.

And they are made in such a situation where they're not available to the public.

>> Representative Tipton said he was open to amending the measure on the Senate floor to address concerns raised by senators the Senate Education Committee also passed a bill that would allow people without a high school diploma.

We hired by Kentucky's school districts, House Bill 32 would allow classified personnel to be hard without a diploma or a GED.

Classified personnel typically have jobs like bus drivers, cafeteria workers.

>> This bill is not a cure.

All.

But it will help school districts that are already overwhelmed with staff shortages in nearly every classified staff area.

>> Jackson says Warren County Public Schools currently has over 100 classified openings.

He says that is one example what is happening across the state.

For Kentucky edition.

I'm Casey Parker Bell.

>> House bills.

32 2.88.

Can now be heard by the full Senate moving them.

One step closer to the governor's desk.

A bill that would allow public school teachers and staff to participate in prayer at school has cleared the Kentucky House Representative Chris Few good as the sponsor of House Bill 5.47.

He said the bill is needed after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Kentucky football coach who was sued for praying at the 50 yard line after games.

>> Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote in an opinion respect for religious freedom expressions is indispensable to live in a free and diverse republic.

More than those expressions take place in the sanctuary or on the field.

And with a man, a fish to the spoken word, we're bound.

Hey, it House Bill 5.47.

Ensures the the faculty that they have.

They are free to express their faith.

They may sponsor student religious activities and they are protected from cordon and threats by government officials.

>> David was with the Family Foundation commended the House for passing the bill.

In a statement he said, quote, HB 5.47 helps protect against out of state special interest groups to demand that schools adopt an accurate interpretations of the First Amendment.

That unlawfully restrict the freedom of students and teachers.

The exercise of First Amendment rights on public school campuses in Kentucky.

It's a critical component of the education of our students.

End quote, State Representative Daniel Gross Byrd, a Democrat from Louisville, spoke against the bill.

He said separation of church and state is essential to protect religious minorities.

>> This bill would provide unnecessary shields to teachers seeking to share their religious views on children without their parents permission.

No child should have to bear the burden of speaking out and demanding their school.

Authorities interfere with what they are taught at home.

Rather children should expect that their school's administration protect them from implied coercion.

>> The bill passed the full House 81 to 12 today and is now headed to the Senate for consideration there.

Kent Hockey is a step closer from not having to enforce federal firearms bans House Bill one.

53 which already cleared the full House was passed out of a Senate committee this morning.

Republican State Representative Josh Bray of Mount Vernon sponsors.

The bill.

He says it's in response to a new federal regulation on pistol braces which allows people to shoot some rifles.

One handed.

>> It's going to stop people disabilities or people at my wife who, you frequently have to be up here.

So she's at home alone.

It's going to stop her from being able to defend herself or her family as she sees fit.

That's the purpose of the bill.

>> Opponents of the bill said a similar measure and Missouri was recently ruled unconstitutional.

Speaking against the bill today, Terry Carter, citizen from Lawrenceburg said the bill doesn't help local law enforcement.

>> I don't see where this helps my community.

I don't see where this helps make anyone safer.

I don't see where this helps my police department to.

I love.

They don't need this.

They need better pay.

They need more officers.

They need help.

>> Today's vote was 7 to 2 in favor of the bill.

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

It's accessible and it's climbing young lives.

It's Delta 8, a psychoactive substance found in the cannabis sativa plant and lawmakers are working to make it harder for young people to get their hands on it.

A House bill.

42, the Senate today requires the state health cabinet to regulate Delta 8 and other hemp-derived intoxicating agent.

The hemp industry supports the Bill House Bill 5.44.

Makes it illegal for anyone under the age of 21 and requires proper labeling and that it be behind the counter Delta, 8 THC products are currently being sold online and in stores, the measure passed the House 97 to 0 now heads to the Senate.

Yesterday the House sent to the Senate a measure that would legalize paper test strips that can detect fentanyl and drugs.

Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid that is similar to morphine, but is 50 to 100 times more potent.

It was involved in nearly 3 quarters of the overdose deaths in Kentucky in 2021. under current Kentucky law fentanyl test strips are considered illegal drug paraphernalia and those with that face criminal possession charges.

House Bill 3.53 is considered a harm reduction measure that can help drug users decide to take less of a drug that has been ill in it or not at all.

Regulate or ban.

That was the choice presented to state lawmakers when it comes to coin-operated slot style machines with cash payouts.

That number in the thousands across the state and restaurants bars, truck stops and elsewhere.

Yesterday the House resurrected a bill that have been tabled on Friday to outlaw them all together.

They're often called gray machines because they operate in a gray area of the law.

But supporters believe they're already legal and require a level of skill.

Lexington, Republican Kilian Tim in a sponsor's House Bill.

5.94 and chronicles the bill's journey to the Senate where it's awaiting action and its chances in the upper chamber.

>> I had with the votes that they were there to pass the bill there were a vote to table.

A bill is definitely something that.

The only other time I've seen it happen was 608, last year for my grandma she has for the last year.

That's in the 3 years I've been here.

It's only happened twice in both to me.

So it's a I don't know if I should be in that press store or whatever that but it's unique vote.

It's a simple majority of the number of people voting and there are a number of different votes that we do here in Frankfort.

And that was one of the ones that some of our newer members were unsure of.

Is this something that requires 51?

Because when they heard simple majority, some felt like it was.

51.

Some KET that that was just just a majority of the number that were voting.

There were people who didn't vote, who felt like, well, if it doesn't get to 51, then it's you know, we're just going to move on.

So there were a lot of procedural things.

And in some people, a lot of people came in like I'm really confused like I don't want these machines, but I was part of it not passing today.

So there were so so much commentary about that that, you know, leadership said, hey, listen, we need to fix this.

>> And so it wasn't necessarily objections on the bill.

It was just a misunderstanding of the procedural activities that were going on more or less.

I would say 50, 50 Ft you know, with the win, the motion to table the bill.

>> Was There was a chorus of seconds, right?

And so that was obviously indicative of the second part to the group that did not want the bill to pass.

And we do know there was a competing measure by representative down.

He's the one who made the motion on Friday to table the bill and he got those quick seconds to do.

So second, we assume now that your bill has advanced out of the House and now is in the possession of the Senate that his bill that would regulate great machines or skill games as his side would call, it is dead for the session.

I would I would say that just because of the timeframe that's left, obviously special called meetings and those types of things.

But that the pushing that bill forward, we would have to be in agreement.

That was the best bill that we want moving forward on the regulation side.

And I think you can make an argument that, you know, you can argue between that because there was another bill that was filed by Tom Odell Smith about regulation and we have to have that conversation.

It's not just his belt.

There's another bill out there, too, that we would have to decide.

And as as some of our members were so top wrought with indecision on this one.

I don't know if they would be able to make a decision and enough time for the past that.

So what do you know about the temperature of the Senate caucus?

The GOP caucus there?

We seem to have some split that Sen and Majority Leader Damon Thayer says he's on your side on this.

Yes, but that may not be the consensus broadly and that GOP caucus in the Senate.

Well, I believe that the makeup is going to very similar to what it was last year.

And I KET that just getting it to the Senate was not going to be a slam dunk.

And I KET that that was something that we're going to continue to work and continue to to to make sure that we're doing what we're supposed to do.

But I'm confident we have.

I personally have ended only with the votes there.

And I know Senator Fairfield's extremely confident that will be able to get through Ellen O, I know there are some outspoken opponents and I and all highly respected members of the Senate just as they were very prominent members of the of the House that were also opponents of this.

So I know it's going to be a tall task.

It's not going to be easy.

This was never an easy thing.

This was never going to be easy in the beginning.

But I do believe I'm confident that we'll be able to get through.

So as we and twenty-four's we're talking now.

So just a few days left to tomorrow and then you have Monday through Thursday before you recess for the gubernatorial veto.

>> Recess.

So as you think about sports betting and your some have said, I don't know if we're going to vote on 2 gambling measures, whether, you know, just because they're gambling measures.

Yes.

So if you have to lose out to sports betting, how's that going to set with you?

>> You know that not very But at the same time, I you know, I'm confident with my votes on both of those because for me, the green Machine Bell was restoring the proper process for how we pass gaming legislation.

We have a process for it.

We're fixing the green machine bill.

We're fixing the great machine industry with my bill.

But the sports gaming bill is being done the correct way.

If they were just if Keeneland or church or just operating sports gaming freely.

Now and we're coming in.

That would be very similar.

2 different processes.

Same outcome.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> Some Kentuckyian still lack electric power after storms last Friday.

But that number is getting smaller as of late this afternoon, 1600 electric customers were still without electricity.

That's down from more than 400,001 after the storms, crews from 11 states are helping to restore power in Kentucky.

Our Kelsey Starks has more on that effort and the dangers still out there.

>> Friday's historic wind storm snapped more than that.

>> 1000 utility poles, although many people may have their power restored.

Now, there are still some dangers out there.

And Joe Arnold is from the Kentucky Electric Cooperatives to tell us all about that.

>> So power returns and money trying to get back to normal here.

But there still are a lot of risks out there.

What are those?

>> Yeah, great point.

Kelsey, those those hurricane force winds not only snapped the polls than the broad power down but also snapped or broke some polls that are still standing.

So the splintered and the concern there is that even though the power's been restored, you could actually have some broken poles still out and all across Kentucky right now that still need to be repaired.

So if you have one on your property and one in your area, it's a good idea to go and call your cough.

Make sure they're aware of that because that's going to be the the works and go on at this point.

A lot of maintenance work anyway.

Every poll will be inspected and check to make sure it sound.

>> And we are seeing all those lineman in the crews out at lot of people may not realize how cooperative this co-op really is.

And it's not just across Kentucky.

We get help and help neighboring states to how does it work?

>> So we have 24 local distribution cooperatives in Kentuckyian at some point another all of them have sent crews to other states after Hurricanes is the biggest example of that.

What's really has been has been moving forest during this whole process where the co-ops we had to reach farther out than usual because the ones the co-ops in the states that are right on the border of Kentucky.

We're also affected by the storm, Tennessee, friends and Ohio had a more difficult time sending crews in to help right across the border.

We had a cast, a wider net to Florida and Louisiana, Georgia, North and South Carolina, Arkansas, Missouri and Virginia missing some because we came in from 11 different states.

More than 60 individual co-op sending in these crews out.

But they gave him our remarked on the social media and a person saying you guys can help us after Hurricane Ida.

Now we're here to help you.

And it really is moving because they are working.

16 hour shifts.

They're going away from their families.

And that's something which we've done in the past to help after hurricanes.

What's great about this, though, is they're all trained in the co-operative ruled on the same equipment and on the same standard.

So when they come in, they're ready to go on our one.

>> Yeah, that said that's a pretty cool.

So I'm looking back now.

How do you think that restoration efforts did?

Are there any ways you all are looking to improve are pinpointing Boulder abilities?

I appreciate the Kentucky Energy and environment Cabinet put something out yesterday talking about comparing the.

>> You know, the outages are probably comparable to what we saw back during the ice storm and Hurricane Ike in 2008, 9.

>> And the restoration Times are appreciably faster.

We basically gotten done what took maybe 3 or 4 weeks, 10 years ago or 15 years ago in about one week.

Now for those people who were without power, we know was maddening.

We know it was costly.

We know you had to find a place for your children and your elderly parents and 4 and a throw away food.

So I'm not minimizing all thus the suffering that is going on throughout the state.

But the response, especially thanks to our mutual aid crews and the contractors.

And he's very long hours was fairly efficient considering the fact of how widespread the damage was.

Every call up in Kentucky was damaged, which is saying something usually like and again, not to minimize the tornado that using a swath right to pass.

Yeah, people can kind of come in and help in that area.

Every territory, every area being affected.

Matt, we had to do a lot more work to get help from the outside.

>> Wow.

Well, thank you all for everything you outdo me.

Appreciate the crews that are out there.

More than 1000 a few remaining without power in Kentucky.

And some of those restoration efforts are still ongoing.

Could be back by the end of the week.

But if you're one on your block and the rest of your block has been restored, it may be a problem with your own equipment say should check with your own utility about that.

>> Thank you, Kelsey.

As you heard Cruz for more than 60 sister co-ops across 11 different states travel to help Kentuckians get power restored.

♪ Woodford County was hit especially hard by the windstorm.

Thousands of households in the county lost power for days.

So Woodford County Public Schools stepped up to provide the warm building and a hot meal.

>> Which are county got hit really hard with the 2023 when storm we seem to take the brunt of the impact.

We had sustained winds that were over 70 miles an hour and winds in the 50 60 mile an hour for several hours.

So that really impacted our community.

It impacted travel.

It brought trees down on roads have brought power lines down and it knocked out power.

Over 60% of Woodford County.

We we've actually seen damage to our schools.

>> We had a set of bleachers, flipped over, went completely through our middle school.

Softball back backstop and it's destroyed that fence.

We have 3 roofs that are probably going to have to be replaced on schools right now.

So we say extensive damage here.

Woodford County on Tuesday.

We still had almost 7,000 folks without power as we were working assessing storm damage through the weekend.

Just trying to see what our community would need.

It kind of cross my mind that we may be able to offer some meals or or some snacks of I reached out to Ms Squire who is our food service director.

And so what do you think serving some males?

I said, well, and not just for students will serve to to their to the community because, you know, everybody's been without power after 4 days.

No, but very, very few hot Let's try to help the community.

And that's all I had to say.

This car was great.

She reached out to her staff.

They were great.

Think they had a really good meal of of with a salad, garlic bread, just a a great meal.

515 folks took advantage.

That tells you there was an aide in our community.

This type of socks.

I really give the school's lot of credit.

They they stepped up.

They said we can serve the community.

We can provide these meals at each school.

>> So it was a really big blessing for our community to have that sort of support because a lot of folks hadn't had a hot meal or didn't have the ability to go to a hot meal at home.

It was just it was a great team ever prove for county public schools.

So we appreciate our community.

And we hope that we've been able to show that little bit.

I always look for the helpers.

>> Cleanup and repair efforts in Woodford County are ongoing.

Last story for the night.

Maysville is the best southern small town in America.

According to USA Today, a panel of travel experts nominated towns for the honor.

The public then voted Maysville beat out several other towns, including Saint Augustine, Florida and Eureka Springs, Arkansas City manager Matt Wallingford said, quote, being named best southern small town is an honor and a testament to the people that call Maysville home.

We strive to make our city a great place to live work and play.

But none of that is possible.

But that the genuine charm and hospitality of our citizens.

Congrats to them.

It's the place to go for art, crafts, local food and live music.

The Kentucky Crafted Expo is celebrating its 40th year and we'll give you a preview of this year's event.

That's tomorrow night on Kentucky edition, which we hope you'll join us 4, 6, 30 Eastern 5.30, central where we inform connect and inspire subscribe to our weekly Kentucky Edition email newsletter and watch full episode and clips at KET Dot Org.

You can also find Kentucky Edition on the PBS video app on your mobile device and smart TV.

>> And send us a story idea at public affairs at KET Dot Org or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to stay in the loop.

Thank you so much for joining us.

I will see you tomorrow night.

Back in our Lexington studio.

And until then, take really good care.

Good night.

♪ ♪