I've been given bills that are they are so fresh that the paper still hot.

A new report says the Kentucky General Assembly is passing bills too fast and leaving you out of the process.

>> Thousands of Kentuckians could face higher electric bills.

Are you one of them?

>> Whether we realize it or not, food and medicine and our health outcomes are determined by our medicine.

>> Plus, if you can't go to the market, this market can come to you.

>> 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 on this Thursday, November, the 30th, I'm Renee Shaw.

Thank you for winding down your Thursday with us.

Less than 5 weeks before the 2024.

Kentucky General Assembly convenes a report from the progressive leaning League of Women Voters of Kentucky Blast the Legislature for pushing bill so fast.

Kentuckians often don't know what's in the bills.

Among the complaints, according to the league bills can go from a committee to the House or Senate floor all in the same day and bills can be changed and voted on before lawmakers have time to read what's changed.

The report out yesterday says this is or now than ever.

The league also offers some recommendations to stop it.

Our Toby Gibbs has more from the report.

You don't act sneaky if you know what you're doing is right.

>> The report's main focus is on the so-called fast tracking of bills.

The league says some bills go through the process so quickly, Kentuckyian several little or no time to offer input or criticism.

And the report says this happens much more frequently than it did.

25 years ago.

Then it happened 5% of the time.

Now the report says in 2022 it happened one 3rd of the time in the house and almost one-fourth of the time in the Senate.

>> I kept saying to myself what has happened here and guess what your brain, how it was that things that were going really quickly went through processes that I didn't think were exactly the same steps that I'd witness.

But for.

I was not alone.

There were several other people who felt the same way that somehow legislation was being a little bit more rushed.

What used to be and that more importantly.

Since we're not able to see or read that legislation as it rushed through.

>> One of my favorite quotes is a story from a legislator who said, you know, I've been given bills that are.

They are so fresh that the paper still hot and we're trying to vote.

But that is the way it is.

>> And the league says once a bill was introduced, sometimes it can be changed so quickly.

It catches everyone off guard.

>> I had prepared comments.

All the original bill and was to have 5 minutes to address the committee.

On the day of my testimony, a substitute Bill.

What introduced that we had not seen.

several of us.

We're invited to speak.

We were told we had one minute which calls a major adjustment and that statement, one of the General Assembly's newer lawmakers, Representative Lindsey Burke, a Democrat from Lexington.

>> Says she couldn't believe what she was seeing.

I was just shocked.

>> By how cavalier we were when it came to following the rules the rules could be suspended at any moment that we would rush legislation at the last second and I had to stand up on the floor at one point to say this is wrong.

We have a process in or not following it.

I believe that process matters.

I know that the people in my district are having trouble being represented in Frankfort because they want to participate.

But we're making it really difficult.

The league is recommending changes.

The league wants one full day after a committee is finished with a bill before a floor vote in the House or Senate on that bill.

>> The late recommends the required 3 readings of a bill to occur on 3 separate days.

Once the committee has sent a bill to the House or Senate and when ACE House Senate Conference committee Bill, the league wants a one-day delay before the House or Senate can vote on the revised version of that bill.

The League of Women Voters of Kentucky says it will present its report to members of the Kentucky General Assembly.

FAST tracked or not.

The sheer number of bills that come across lawmakers might surprise you in the last 30 day session.

Both chambers introduced a total of 876 bills with 176 becoming law.

That was during a 30 day session, the 2024 General Assembly this time last 60 days and as a budget cycle and that kicks off on January socket.

Members of Kentucky's Senate majority leadership or in Pike full this week for retreat to hash out some of the issues likely to come up during the 24 legislative session.

Among those topics, the roads you drive on and the taxes you pay.

>> We're going to be the same group people setting the policy as we have since 2017.

>> The regardless of who the governor is.

We did it with Governor Matt Bevin and will now do it again with Governor Andy Beshear, transportation as part of the infrastructure.

Much of the Mountain Parkway.

>> Impacts this area.

We hope.

And I think it will be very possible that will start looking at something that will impact the region but will not directly happened in the region of creating a 4 lane from Hazard Kentucky to London, Kentucky, which will open it up for not County Park County Letcher County to get to the South corridor of I-75 faster because as we looked at Appalachian tank, they're going to be moving product of the people going to be the product and they need to get to the second most heavily traveled interstate in the United States, which is I-75, you know, those those types of things are going to be there.

We want to we always with few pike.

We just have had the report released on the study of higher education.

We're going to start reviewing that and see what recommendation Cpe had.

How would impact Kctcs.

We very much want to work on.

Issues that we have the most qualified workforce possible.

And that will be like the big saving kctcs.

I'm truly honored to host the Senate Majority Caucus here and my hometown of Pike will.

You know, this is really a day of pride for may.

>> And I think what it shows is the commitment of the Senate Republican leadership and really the legislative leadership.

To not only prosperity for just certain areas of Kentucky, but for all of Kentucky, we want to get to be as competitive as Tennessee.

North Carolina.

Mississippi's even go on.

Their Ford is going there.

Texas is going there.

2, 8, 0, income tax state.

But as David said, it has to be measured.

We can't sit there and do it in a haphazard way that all the sudden we find out we have less receipts list, revenues, less taxes, whatever you want to call it, they and the obligations we have to pay out every year.

We've had our struggles in recent years, but we're also a region of unparalleled opportunity.

It's been said many times that the call that was mined out of this area power, the industry revolution.

And that is undoubtedly true.

And but, you know, behind every lump of coal that was mine was our people and our people are strong.

And I am grateful that my colleagues here have come to support May to support our area.

>> Now, meanwhile, in Frankfort, Governor Andy Beshear is again disputing the Republican complaint, but he doesn't work well with the Republican dominated General Assembly.

Here's what he had to say during today's news conference.

>> Well, I'm I the early talks that we've had, the meetings that we are setting up and encourage and that we can continue a good relationship and encouraged on some issues that it looks like people are open to talking about and steps that this commonwealth desperately needs to take this and campaigns are hard to come off of.

And that's still a lot of what you're hearing.

I mean, on sports betting we were talking to the sponsor when every day, every other medical marijuana and so many others when and great games.

I believe we call the legislators our office for what needed to be done there that we started with leadership, though they have pushed in in the last session.

So, listen, I want to get in the back and forth how we describe the relationship.

Let's put it this way.

We've got a whole lot done.

>> The governor says he will meet with legislative leaders in both parties in the next month before the session begins.

He says those meetings will include discussions about the state budget.

Another state lawmaker will Lee Frankfort at the end of 2024.

Representative Kevin Bratcher Republican from Louisville says he will not seek reelection next year.

He's been in the House since 1997.

Bratcher says instead he'll run for the Louisville Metro Council after Republican Robin Engel announced he would not seek reelection to his council seat.

Representative branch are set KET.

This statement about his decision and says, quote, I have enjoyed every minute of my long tenure representing southern Jefferson County in Frankfort.

But now I believe I can be more effective working on local issues needed to make my community of Fern Creek and Louisville, a better place to live work and raise a family issues such as planning and zoning fighting crime, improving local infrastructure and services will be my sole focus.

As I ask my firm Creek neighbors to allow me to serve them in this new capacity, unquote.

Turning now to federal elections.

Congressman Hal Rogers won't be alone in next year's Republican primary for Congress in Kentucky's 5th district today.

Doctor Dana Edwards filed to run for Congress as a Republican on his campaign site.

Edwards says he is pro Second Amendment Pro life and for school choice.

He vows to bring back the coal industry, secure the border and stop the fentanyl epidemic.

He says he will join the Freedom Caucus if he's elected.

The incumbent in the 5th district.

Congressman Rogers has already announced he plans to seek a 20rd term.

He was first elected in 1980.

A hearing is underway in Frankfort this week.

That could decide if utility costs are increased for more than 160,000 customers, Kentucky powers asking the public service commission for approval to raise rates by 11%.

That's down from the original proposal of 18%.

The company says the rate increase is needed because of the declining population and the closure of large companies in the area.

Kentucky Powers serves customers and 20 eastern Kentucky counties.

Suzanne Barker Griffith testified during a public comment session earlier this week.

She helps run a food ministry in Ashland and said more and more people are telling her that they need help with their utility bills.

>> I talked to one lady.

She had a $430 meal and her great kids moved in with him.

She was crying.

Her eyes out and that there for food for the very first time people there.

>> Letcher County Judge executive Terry Abrams also testified this week saying any rate increase would put a serious strain on some of the most vulnerable people in his community.

>> We truly some pretty nice to >> I know there's a profit margin.

It has the night time.

>> The thin on the banks of people didn't really think painted beings is.

It's not >> As part of its proposal, Kentucky power says it will add additional customer programs, including more assistance for energy efficiency programs to low-income customers.

Extending Bill due dates from 15 to 21 days and creating an optional tariff to help customers offset high energy bills during the winter months.

The Public Service Commission hearing continues this week.

If the PSC approves the rate hike, it would go into effect in January.

The United Auto Workers say there's a movement for Toyota workers in Georgetown to join the union.

The UAW says it's part of a campaign involving 150,000 workers at more than a dozen auto plants.

7800 people work at the Georgetown Toyota plant.

Workers there received a raise just after UAW strike ended against Ford General Motors and Stellantis KET asked to plant spokesperson about the union effort.

The spokesperson had no comment.

U.S.

Senator Mitch McConnell offered thoughts today about the passing of former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger who died at the age of 100.

Senator McConnell said, quote, the past 100 years have seen few if any strategic thinkers, shape world events as profoundly as Henry Kissinger.

Few academics have had such deep experience and the practice of foreign policy.

Few political appointees of had such bureaucratic savvy.

Few senior government officials have carried such intellectual heft who else could claim to have advised more than one-fourth of all U.S. presidents yesterday marked the end of the extraordinary Kissinger century.

End quote, just under served as secretary of state under Presidents Nixon and Ford.

♪ Doctors at Norton Children's Hospital in Louisville are seeing a rise in cases of respiratory syncytial virus or RSV.

>> Health officials say nearly all children are affected before the age of 2 and some more than once.

Still.

It's not clear if this season will be worse than last year.

Doctors from the hospital spoke with reporters today about what parents should look out for their little one is sick.

>> Historically are RSP has been the most common reason for hospitalization, not the most common infectious cause for hospitalization in young kids.

recipe is the most common cause of hospitalization in kids under 5 years of age.

This year's RSV season looks a bit different than last year's last year's.

We saw the majority of RSV cases in October and November.

And by this point in the year cases started to trend down.

The worst of RSV season was over.

Now what's happening this year?

We started to see cases begin to tick up in late August or early September.

But we didn't really see a big spike in cases until this month and cases are still going up last week with in all of Norton Healthcare.

We had a record number of kids test positive for RSV.

This virus is.

>> Does have a whole range of symptoms that the somebody can present with.

They can range from just a little bit of a run at the nose and a cough all the way into that we called our key ally does where the child has a of the increased amount of mucus production, especially in a lower airways and a little bit of information causing what we would call respiratory distress.

The biggest things that I do warn parents and to watch out for I would be that work of bringing that your child is experiencing or breathing faster.

Are they using their belly?

You see a child who has maybe a severe case, of course, be using those extra muscles to breathe.

That might be something on the ribs.

>> In in real severe cases, children made to the grunting or nasal flaring.

What we call or their noses are trying to get more.

Aaron.

>> And Lexington, some people are too far away from the nearest grocery store or they don't have enough money to shop.

And one, the problem is worse and communities of color.

So now a new mobile market is trying to bring groceries to the people who need them.

Most.

>> This has been 2 years in the making >> and it has been a long labor of love.

Through many challenges.

The mobile market is now ready to hit the street.

It is a rolling food oasis that will serve several areas in Lexington without a grocery store nearby.

It will be a place anyone can purchase fresh produce.

And stay with us.

The issue came out of my commission on racial justice because one of the issues in the health section was lack of.

Availability of fresh food.

Everyone deserves the right to access healthy, fresh and the church's food.

That is relevant to their culture.

The USDA is 2023 report on food Security show that Kentucky have folks are more more food, insecure.

>> But our nation's average 13.1% of our population is considered food, insecure.

To the extent that normal eating pattern of some household members are disrupted and food intake is considered below adequate there.

I identifier that called the prevalence of food insecurity to be higher such as race, ethnicity, age, disability, income and education.

We know it's essential to have.

>> Grocers and experts in food, marketing and distribution to operate this vehicle.

It will be stocked by the Kroger company.

And operated by God's Pantry, Foodbank items for sale.

It will include a healthy selection of fresh fruits, vegetables mill chicken.

There's be from their pork deli meat.

Cheese.

Yogurt.

A limited amount of household products.

And the mobile market will make about 16 stops each month.

Tuesday through Saturday.

Calendars, available online on the city's website so residents can plan for their shopping.

Whether we realize it or not food as medicine and our health outcomes are determined by our medicine.

And if food is medicine that everybody gets hurt the right to food, nutritious food.

Regardless of socioeconomic, background, ethnicity or ability.

>> Improve food, access to healthy food options.

The Lexington mobile market not only improve access by being a mobile point of sale for fresh produce and other staples, but it also AIDS in improving health outcomes not only for disparate communities, but for all of Lexington today.

I am excited that the Lexington Mobile market is a testament to the implementation of innovative strategies to meet a need in our community so that everyone has a chance to not only live here but to thrive.

Here.

>> The mobile market will operate on a cashless system.

Customers can pay by debit or credit card snap or EBT.

♪ >> The Lexington Theater company hosts classes for all ages, but one age group stands out is a fan favorite known as the Trail Blazers.

This senior performance team get senior citizens on their feet.

One of our and turns Elena our John a has their story.

>> When I retired everybody, thanks now.

What do I want to do?

And I thought when I heard about that dance she'd yeah, this what I want to do, the Trail Blazers.

>> One of my favorite parts of our organization.

So this is our oldest age group in our artist development program.

You have to be at least 55 years old to get into the class.

>> Some of us have been together since the fall of 2009 when that initial group started.

But this new group, this is our second full year together.

Some of the core members of the group had already been together in another.

>> A little dance company.

Their instructor had to move away so they didn't have a coach.

You would not believe how we cried.

When the teacher move?

It?

It was just like group was kind and is all and we didn't want that.

No one could sleep air by was calling each other.

Let's all OK, let's divide and conquer.

You take the stance.

Teachers, you take these dance teachers, one of the members of the group reached out to me and she said it could.

Who could you recommend?

You have somebody that we're we're looking for a coach and I said.

>> Well, how about if you just come with us, come be part of the lax nuclear company.

The Trail Blazers used to be known as the flat out find answers.

And we're so happy that they sought us out they are flat out fun to come together once a week to dance to last to tell stories together and then they also a community outreach component where they get to go and perform for all sorts of events.

I guess they're big performance last year with Branch was dancing at Memorial Coliseum for the halftime of one of the girls basketball.

>> I think they at my are seeing us that we have fun.

That's what people say.

They just have more fun.

They smile.

They might miss a step or 2, but they just smile and KET on going.

So that part's fund one of the benefits of them being in classes that they can just take class of.

That's all that they're ready for right now.

>> But they will also want to perform and a lot of got the performing, but still we do that at least once a month.

It's so wonderful to just kind of get to be a part of it is a great source of pride for us to get to to get to have them amongst our repertoire performers.

Our goal in this group is not only to have fun.

>> But we want to be able to KET moving.

So we have to learn dance, steps arm and is constantly learning and thanking and thanking our bodies are getting good exercise with that.

And then the icing on the cake is the girls.

You know, we've become a big family of sisters.

And so and that's good for us.

As you age.

You don't need to be in isolation.

You need other people.

And you know that you're with like people that can relate to what you're going through.

But we look forward to the U.S..

I mean, all of us say that our performances and our dance classes, their first on the calendar, the doctors and everybody else have to work around that.

>> I think is a huge benefit.

There's not a lot of programming for senior citizens.

Unfortunately, there's times I think I think areas just tend to write them off as they get to retirement age or beyond.

I still have so much to give.

And our hope is that the trailblazer program will move beyond dance and through all facets of the arts so that that senior community can serviced and honored by acid election.

Peter Company.

>> Whether that's a dance class, screenwriting class or script class or whatever that might be.

>> Just getting to watch these incredible folks who are truly trailblazing.

They have gone first standing up for this idea of you.

It's never too late and you're never too old.

And it's never you, as always, the right time.

To learn and to be creative and to share your gifts and perform with the community.

>> Well, thank you, for sharing that story with us.

Good job.

Check out the Lexington Theater company's website to learn how you can support or even become a trailblazer.

Well, that'll do it for us tonight.

We'll be right back here again tomorrow at 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central for Kentucky edition where we inform connect and inspire.

Check this out.

All the ways you see on your screen, Facebook, X and Instagram to stay in the loop.

Send us a story idea and you can catch us on the PBS video app on your smart device or phone.

>> Thank you so much for watching and I'll see you right back here again tomorrow night ♪ ♪