A University of Kentucky senior is telling lawmakers her story of being sexually abused in high school and a push to enact legislation that better protect students in the future.

The testimony you're about to hear is graphic in nature, so viewer discretion is advised.

Kentucky Edition's June Lefler has more as we begin tonight's legislative update.

Could tell me your Conqueror is a graduating senior at UK.

It's clear she wants to change the world with a degree in social work and multiple projects that tackle health inequities.

This legislative session, she's speaking up for sexual abuse survivors by sharing the story of how a teacher groomed and abused her in high school.

He worked to gain my trust.

Talking with me behind closed doors of his office and offering me homemade food when my grandfather passed away.

After gaining my trust, he would emotionally manipulate me and the other students he favored publicly shunning and alienating anyone who did something to upset him.

Other adults and school staff observed this flirtatious teasing and conversations that occurred behind closed doors, unaware of the grooming occurring before their eyes and reinforcing my belief that what was going on was normal.

Unfortunately, the texts and teasing escalated when he began tutoring me during these tutoring sessions.

He gave massages, exposed himself digitally, penetrated me and manipulated my hands for his own pleasure.

Yoko Okura says the trauma of her abuse and the inappropriate actions of her former teacher continue.

In the time between the anonymous adult's concerns and my report to the Kentucky State Police.

The teacher confessed his love to a recent graduate and continued texting high school students individually.

The teacher who abused me did not stop after his questions were first.

After his actions were first questioned.

And I wish I could tell you that my experience is unique.

But since my testimony last year, I've had friends, community members, teachers and strangers tell me their story or a story that happened in their community.

And so many more stories have never been told.

A 2022 investigation from the Lexington Herald-Leader found 61% of Kentucky teachers who had their licenses suspended or revoked lost those licenses because of sexual misconduct.

Current headlines suggest this trend isn't going away.

House Bill 275 hopes to hold sexually abusive teachers accountable by preventing predators from bouncing to different school districts.

Is that when allegations made an investigation started?

We have seen a pattern of those teachers or employees just say, I'm going to resign and leave the school district.

Unfortunately, it shouldn't happen.

I think in too many cases, the school districts as well, we don't have to worry about this.

So they drop the investigation.

This would require all school districts to complete investigations to completion regardless of where that teacher employee stayed employed in that school district.

Schools would have to beef up their background checks before hiring a teacher.

The bill also bans public and private schools from entering a nondisclosure agreement when it relates to misconduct with the student.

The House passed a similar bill last year, but it did not make it to the Senate floor.

The bill's sponsor says this year's version has a measure meant to protect teachers.

There is language it states that if if this employee for this investigation is found to be not guilty, all that information would be removed from their permanent record.

The Kentucky Teachers Association, the largest teacher union in the state, has a neutral stance on this bill.

The Senate Education Committee advanced the bill to the full Senate.

The House passed the bill unanimously last month.

For Kentucky Edition, I'm June Leffler.