State Rep. ChadAull4KY and three of his fellow freshmen legislators had a wide-ranging discussion on KET's "Kentucky Tonight" this evening as they looked ahead to the 2024 legislative session, which begins early next month.
He said the House Democratic Caucus would be meeting this week to further discuss caucus priorities, which are expected to include raising educator salaries, reducing infant/maternal mortality rates and improving labor policies and workforce-development issues.
He said the General Assembly has the resources to tackle these and other issues. "We have an opportunity with $3.7 billion in a 'Rainy Day Fund' right now to invest in the people of the commonwealth," he said. "If you would ask our families, I think a lot of them would say it's raining right now today."
He said another priority is taking heed of the League of Women Voters of Kentucky's recent study that found an increasing lack of legislative transparency. He called on the legislature to better follow its own rules while giving the public more time to offer input on bills before they're voted on.
On the topic of reducing gun violence, Rep. Aull pointed out that polling shows 85% of voters are for universal-background checks and red-flag laws. He said red and blue states alike have adopted them, and proposals like that are "how we make our commonwealth safer."
KET's "Kentucky Tonight" covered a wide range of issues this evening, with state Representative Lindsey Burke and three of her House and Senate colleagues discussing recent election results and the 2024 legislative session, which begins in early January.
Rep. Burke said voters "spoke loudly and clearly when they re-elected Gov. Beshear. They believe that he's a strong leader, that's he's compassionate and kind. They also believe that he's done a great job" economically. "Kentucky is in the best position that we've been in in many years."
In speaking against expected school voucher legislation, Rep. Burke pointed to Arkansas, which recently reported that 95% of current voucher recipients this year were taught in a private setting last year. "I want everyone to succeed, not just those who have a leg up," she said, adding that the legislature should boost public-school salaries and provide full transportation funding.
Rep. Burke also advocated for a statewide fairness law, which she said would show the world "that we are in fact a place where everyone is welcome and that they are loved for who they are and they don't need to hide any element of themselves to be fully accepted and to thrive here."
On the issue of reproductive care, Rep. Burke said she wanted to see Kentucky return access to how it was for decades, but, at a minimum, there need to be exceptions so those with difficult pregnancies won't have to worry about prosecution if they traveled to another state for care.
This afternoon, state Rep. Ruth Ann Palumbo led a commemoration of Women's Equality Day, which is held annually on the anniversary of the 19th Amendment's certification. She said she once was just one of six women in the 100-member House. Today, there are 32.
During today’s meeting of the General Assembly's Veterans, Military Affairs and Public Protection Committee, state Rep. Ashley Tackett Laferty and others from her community helped honor the three Floyd County law enforcement officers and K9 dog who were tragically killed in the line of duty recently.
"Today, we're here to share the loss suffered by Floyd County and to pay tribute to our beloved fallen officers and those still recovering from life-changing injuries," she said.
Video of the entire 25-minute presentation can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/C5U8Zpu8w98
This afternoon, the Kentucky House Democratic Caucus sought to improve Senate Bill 1, which as now written will limit how Governor Andy Beshear and the Kentucky Department of Education respond to #COVID19 issues in schools. In explaining her vote against the bill, State Representative Cherlynn Stevenson listed those working in our schools who have died from the virus, and ended by saying, "There should not be one more."
Kentucky House of Representatives pays tribute to former Rep. Brent Yonts
This morning, a bipartisan group of legislators paid tribute to former state Rep. Brent Yonts, who passed away from COVID-19 last month. House Democratic Caucus Leader said he was "an excellent state representative; he worked very hard for the people of Kentucky as well as his district."
House Democratic Caucus Chair Derrick Graham added that "when I sum up Brent's service to this commonwealth and to the community, he was a fighter for working families ... and he was a man of service. A man of service to God, a man of service to his church ... and he was a man who was blessed by a wonderful family."
Today, the House Economic Development and Workforce Investment Committee voted for legislation that would help Kentucky better compete for companies investing at least $2 billion in the commonwealth. The state is in the running for several, Governor Andy Beshear has said.
During debate, Representative Al Gentry said when large companies invest billions of dollars in KY, "what happens is you generate tons of other businesses that want to come in and align with those big, revenue-producing manufacturing activities. This could be a potential game-changer."
State Representative McKenzie Cantrell said she was pleased that this economic-development package is much better for the state than a previous project approved several years ago. "We've been burned before, and it did not feel good," she said. "We're not in that same place today."
State Representative Ashley Tackett Laferty added that "I just want these reputable Fortune 500 companies to know that the General Assembly supports them bringing their business to our area and all of the tier one and tier two companies that hopefully will follow behind them."
State Representative George Brown for KY 77th Legislative District noted the importance of providing more economic development opportunities: "I say all of the time that if our children choose to go somewhere else, that's simply a choice," he said. "But if they have to go somewhere else, that's a tragedy for us and our state."
The Kentucky House Democratic Caucus wishes everyone a happy Labor Day and proudly thanks those whose hard work and commitment to a better workplace have benefited us all.
This afternoon, state Representatives Nima Kulkarni and George Brown, jr., attended the first-ever meeting of the General Assembly's Commission on Race and Access to Opportunity, which the legislature created during this year's legislative session.
Following the meeting, they offered their thoughts on what they hope the commission, and ultimately the General Assembly, can achieve in the months and years ahead.
Rep. Kulkarni called today's meeting "a great first step and an important first conversation that we have with our legislative colleagues" on how to address systemic and structural issues tied to race that have led to generational poverty, disparate health and educational outcomes and deprived economic opportunities.
Rep. Brown added that "it is incumbent upon us to be a voice for the people of the commonwealth who have been left out (and) their issues not addressed." The work ahead "is a big apple to take a bite out of, but I am hoping that we will be able to make substantive progress and discussion."
The Official page of the Kentucky House Democratic Caucus.
