“Our message is don’t wait until later in the year to start work on your GED®,” said Reecie Stagnolia, vice president, Kentucky Adult Education.  “Get started now to take advantage of the free testing.”

The GED® test provides adults who did not finish high school with the opportunity to certify their attainment of high school-level academic knowledge and skills. Normally, the entire GED® test taken the conventional way on paper costs the test taker $60; the fee for taking the entire computer-based GED® test is $120, a cost set by the national GED Testing Service. Free GED® classes are available through local adult education programs in all 120 Kentucky counties.

It’s particularly important for those without a high school diploma to pass all five parts of the GED® test this year because the GED® test will change January 1, 2014. In Kentucky, approximately 16,000 people have started taking the test but have not completed.  All previous scores will expire and anyone who has started but not completed will have to start over. The last test date in Kentucky this year will be December 18, 2013.

Kentuckians interested in free classes and the time-limited free GED® testing should contact the adult education center in their county to discuss how to get started. To find the local adult education center, call (800) 928-7323 or visit www.KnowHow2GoKy.org and click on “Adults.”

We believe in the transformative power of postsecondary education. Stronger by Degrees, the new strategic agenda for Kentucky’s colleges and universities and adult basic education, is powering a stronger Kentucky economy and improving the lives of Kentuckians. To learn more about Stronger by Degrees, visit http://cpe.ky.gov/strongerbydegrees.
Follow us on Twitter http://twitter.com/CPENews.

To sign up for this free service, contact Kyle Watson at 502-614-3139 or kwatson@laslou.org. Interested low-income veterans must respond by May 24, 2013.

Since the session’s start in early January, lawmakers have approved measures to allow school districts to raise the high school dropout age, provide better oversight of special taxing districts and make the absentee voting process easier for Kentuckians serving overseas in the military.

Most new laws – all that don’t come from legislation with emergency clauses or different specified effective dates – will go into effect in 90 days.

Bills approved this year by the General Assembly include measures on the following topics:

Child protection. House Bill 290 will establish by statute an independent review panel to investigate cases of child deaths and near-fatal injuries. The panel will be given access to complete records of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, as well as information from law enforcement and other agencies involved in the cases.

Crime. Senate Bill 15, named the Bryan Durman Act in honor of a Lexington police officer who was killed by a hit-and-run driver in 2010, will ensure that a person convicted of criminal homicide in the killing of a police or firefighter on duty doesn’t become eligible for probation or parole until 85 percent of a sentence is served.

DNA testing. HB 41 will allow some felony offenders in prison or under state supervision to request testing and analysis of their DNA as case evidence.

Hemp. SB 50 creates an administrative framework for the growing of hemp in Kentucky if the crop is legalized by the federal government.

Human trafficking. HB 3 will strengthen human trafficking laws while protecting victims from prosecution for crimes they were forced to commit. The legislation will offer assistance to agencies responsible for helping human trafficking victims by creating a “human trafficking victims fund” supported by service fees paid by convicted human traffickers, proceeds from seized and forfeited assets of traffickers, and any grants, contributions, or other funds that may become available.

Military voting. SB 1 will make the absentee voting process easier for Kentuckians serving overseas in the military. The legislation will allow members of the armed forces, their spouses and others serving overseas to register to vote and request and receive absentee ballots electronically.

Newborn health screenings. SB 125 will include critical congenital heart disease testing as part of the newborn screening program. (I was the primary co sponsor of this bill)

Pill mills. HB 217 will make adjustments to the “pill mill” law approved last year by easing some reporting requirements when pain medications are dispensed for legitimate needs while upholding the original bill’s intention of stopping prescription drug abuse. Mandatory reporting to KASPER (the Kentucky All-Schedule Prescription Electronic Reporting system) will be lifted for hospitals and long-term care facilities. Exemptions would also be made for post-surgery patients, end-of-life patients, and some specified other patients with a clear medical need for increased pain management.

Proof of insurance. HB 164 will allow people to use electronic insurance cards on their smart phones or other electronic devices as proof of motor vehicle insurance. Drivers will still be required to keep paper insurance cards in their vehicles

Public pensions. SB 2 will offer a plan to ease the state’s public pension debt and HB 440 offers a financing component to the plan. SB 2 will require the state to contribute the full amount recommended by actuaries to the pension system each year beginning in fiscal year 2015. Rather than a defined-benefit plan, the legislation offers future public workers a hybrid cash balance plan with a guaranteed four percent return on contributions. On the funding side of the issue, HB 440 will generate almost $100 million a year from tax changes that include a $10 reduction in the personal income tax credit, a trade-in credit for new cars, a cap on vendor compensation for sales tax collection, and enhanced collection efforts by the state Department of Revenue.

Religious freedom. HB 279 specifies that government shall not burden a person’s freedom of religion. The legislation states that an action motivated by a sincerely held religious belief cannot be infringed upon without a compelling governmental interest. (HB 279 was vetoed by the governor; the veto was overridden by the House and Senate.) I voted against this bill.

Scholarships. SB 64 will ensure that students earning Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarships aren’t penalized in the amount of scholarship money they receive if they graduate from high school in three years rather than four.

School dropouts. SB 97 will allow school districts to increase the compulsory attendance age to 18 beginning in the 2015 school year. Districts that do so must have programs and resources in place for students at-risk of not graduating. The increased compulsory attendance age will become mandatory statewide four years after 55 percent of Kentucky school districts adopt it.

Special taxing districts. HB 1 will boost transparency and accountability for the more than 1,200 special taxing districts across the state. The bill will put education and ethics rules in place for those special-purpose entities and create an online central registry to publicly disclose their annual budgets and other pertinent information. The bill will require the taxing districts to submit budget reports to fiscal courts. If a special district wants to impose a new fee or increase the rate of an existing tax, it will need to hold a public hearing in conjunction with a fiscal court meeting.

Student health. HB 172 will encourage schools to possess at least two epinephrine auto-injectors in case one is needed for a student having a life-threatening allergic or anaphylactic reaction.

Suicide prevention. SB 72 will require attendance at suicide prevention training programs at least once every six years for social workers, marriage and family therapists, professional counselors, fee-based pastoral counselors, alcohol and drug counselors, psychologists, and occupational therapists

Synthetic Drugs. HB 8 will continue the state’s efforts to update laws regarding synthetic drugs to ensure that newly developed, harmful synthetic drugs are listed as controlled substances.

Teacher evaluations. HB 180 will require the Kentucky Board of Education to establish a statewide evaluation system for all certified personnel. The Department of Education, in consultation with teacher and principal steering committees, will develop the system prior to the 2014-2015 school year.

Tuition waivers. SB 95 will extend the five-year tuition waiver eligibility period for adopted children who serve in the military.

University projects. HB 7 will authorize six state universities to issue agency bonds for 11 specific building construction projects at a collective cost of approximately $363 million. The projects will be funded by the universities’ own revenue streams, not state dollars.

Victim protection. HB 222 will establish a crime victim protection program in the Secretary of State’s office to allow domestic violence victims to have personal information, such as addresses, redacted from public voter registration roles. The legislation will also allow victims in the program to vote by mail-in absentee ballot.

These bills join more than a hundred others passed this session, soon to be entered into new and amended state statutes. Bills aimed at enhancing school safety, supporting at-risk students and rewarding top learners in the state.  Bills that will protect vulnerable infants and children, crack down on criminals and violent offenders and improve the judicial process. Bills that will improve government, increase transparency on taxing districts and aid our economy.  Bills that will– we hope – enrich the quality of life for every Kentuckian.

The work of the Regular Session may be complete, but the work of the Commonwealth and of the legislature continues. I will be hard at it through the interim, studying issues, meeting with constituents, and monitoring the progress of our newly-enacted laws.

To review the work of the 2013 Regular Session, you may visit the legislature’s website at www.lrc.ky.gov.  Archived meetings and proceedings, as well as interim coverage, can be viewed at www.ket.org. To leave a message for me, or any legislator, call the General Assembly’s toll-free Message Line at 1-800-372-7181. There is also a line for those who prefer to leave feedback in Spanish at 1-866-840-6574.You can also email me at denise.harperangel@lrc.ky.gov.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Governor Steve Beshear, joined by a host of state, federal, higher-education and community partners, today announced “Bridges to Opportunities,” a program to educate and train skilled minority and female workers for careers in construction.

“Bridges to Opportunities is an innovative training program that will help fill a need for women and minority workers in the Louisville-Southern Indiana Ohio River Bridges project, but that is just the beginning,” Gov. Beshear said. “The use of plural terms – ‘bridges’ and ‘opportunities’ – is no accident. The Ohio River Bridges will be finished in a few years. Those who complete our program will be armed with the skills for a lifetime career.”

Gov. Beshear presided at a public rollout for Bridges to Opportunities at the historic Louisville Trolley Barn, which will serve as the program’s administrative home and the site of much of its training.

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) has developed the program in partnership with the Kentucky Cabinet for Education and Workforce Development, Kentucky State University, Louisville Metro Government and FHWA.

Kentucky State University, the Commonwealth’s historically black college and land-grant institution, will administer the program, including recruitment, enrollment, evaluation and basic skills training.

“Kentucky has had a particular interest in creating a program that offers high quality training, in classrooms as well as on job sites, to prepare workers who can meet the increasingly complex demands of 21st century construction work,” KYTC Secretary Mike Hancock said. “We want to use this rare opportunity of a mega-project to equip women and minorities with the skills to serve this region for many years to come and to solidify women and minorities in the ranks of many construction-related jobs where they have been under-represented.”

Warren Whitlock, FHWA Associate Administrator for Civil Rights, said programs like Bridges to Opportunities are helping to develop America’s next generation of highway builders, designers, and engineers. “By helping small and disadvantaged businesses compete, we can keep the cost of transportation projects low, create jobs and deliver transportation solutions to the American people.” he said.

Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer said the training to be offered through Bridges to Opportunities benefits the entire community. “It takes well-trained workers to build high-quality roads and bridges that will last longer with less maintenance costs for taxpayers,” Mayor Fischer said.

Bridges to Opportunities will help enroll participants in existing education and training programs offered by Jefferson Community and Technical College, local labor unions and other institutions. Bridges to Opportunities will help connect trained participants with jobs in construction-related fields.

“I am very pleased to participate in the announcement for Bridges to Opportunity,” said state Rep. Larry Clark, Speaker Pro Tem of the Kentucky House of Representatives. “As an IBEW 369 construction worker for over 46 years, I am personally familiar with the career opportunities that a program like this can provide. I want to take my hat off to Governor Beshear for giving all workers, and especially women and minorities, the chance for a life-long career.”

Walsh Construction, the lead firm building the Bridges Project’s Downtown Crossing, is a supporter of the program. Walsh and its subcontractors are providing information on needed skills and plan to employ participants to fill some of the needed roles on the four-year job.

The program will rely on a volunteer board of community leaders to help recruit and encourage participation in the program. The Louisville Urban League, University of Louisville and Kentuckiana Works are among the organizations providing support and guidance.

The program will feature three training tracks:

·         Track 1 – Ready for Employment. Designed for already skilled journeymen. Participants will be directed to opportunities befitting their identified skilled trade or discipline.

·         Track 2 – Skilled Laborer OJT/Apprenticeship. Instruction combines classroom, hands-on and on-the-job training as heavy equipment operators, carpenters, laborers, iron workers, electricians and truck drivers, among others.

·         Track 3 – Short- or Long-Term Certificate Program. Participants can earn a certificate in construction technology that is equivalent to three hours of college credit and can be completed in six months or less. Or they can enroll in an undergraduate certificate program that is transferable to the Kentucky Community and Technical College System as credit toward an associate’s degree or to a four-year institution toward a bachelor’s degree.

Once renovations are complete, Bridges to Opportunities will be headquartered at the historic Louisville Trolley Barn, a stellar example of historic preservation that also houses the Kentucky African-American Heritage Center, at 1701 West Muhammad Ali Boulevard, in Louisville.

Bridges to Opportunities will be opening operations temporarily at the Kentucky Office of Employment and Training located at 6th and Cedar. Applicants will go to the 6th and Cedar location to make application and complete the assessment process for the program. Interested applicants can also go to the Bridges to Opportunities website and apply through OET’s online application process.

Offices for registering and screening applicants are scheduled to open at the 6th and Cedar location by April 1. Program information and online registration is accessible at www.b2oky.com

Courtesy of,

Senator Denise Harper Angel

35th Senate District

After years of work by untold lawmakers through many sessions, along with educators and other policymakers, a bipartisan compromise was achieved Monday on a bill aimed at raising the high school dropout age in Kentucky from 16 to 18.  Everyone in the Legislature is concerned about our students’ education, but we also understand that simply increasing the minimum dropout age would not in itself increase the number of high school graduates in the State.

Senate Bill 97 would allow local school districts across the State to increase the compulsory attendance age to 18 if they choose. Prior to raising the dropout age, it would require districts to have programs and resources in place for students at-risk of not completing their high school education.

The compromise reached on the bill would mandate that all Kentucky high schools implement the increased dropout age within four years after 55 percent of individual school districts have adopted the change. This allows individual school districts to make decisions based on local needs and concerns, but also promotes uniformity in schools across the State when ‘critical mass’ is achieved. It also helps ensure our most at-risk students are getting the attention and resources they both need and deserve.

House Bill 1 was sent to the Governor’s desk this week, as well.  This bill brings transparency and accountability to the more than 1,200 special taxing districts across the State.  These public library boards, fire departments, water and sewer and other local taxing districts provide outstanding services to their communities, but sometimes leave taxpayers in the dark on how their money is being spent.

The bill would put education and ethics rules in place for these special-purpose entities and would create an online registry to publicly disclose their annual budgets and other pertinent information.

As agreed upon in a free conference committee made up of Senate and House members of both parties, the bill would also require all special taxing districts to submit a budget report to their local fiscal court. If a special district wanted to impose a new fee or increase the rate of an existing tax, it would be required to hold a public meeting prior to the change. This is an important step in keeping taxpayers informed and government entities accountable.

Many other bills received final passage this week.

Among them was an anti-human trafficking measure – House Bill 3.  The legislation would increase penalties for those convicted of this crime while protecting victims from prosecution for crimes they were forced to commit, like prostitution.  It would also create a victim assistance fund to provide specific treatment options to victims, and would make training available for law enforcement in the identification and control of human trafficking. Some advocacy groups say it is one of the fastest growing criminal activities in the State.  House Bill 3 sends a clear message: We will not allow Kentucky’s children to be bought and sold.

Another measure related to crimes against children, House Bill 290 would create a 20-person review panel for cases of child abuse and neglect-related fatalities and near-fatalities. The panel would be given access to complete records of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, as well as information from law enforcement and other agencies involved in the case. Studying these cases will help us prevent child abuse in the future and ensure we are providing the best services possible to our youngest, most vulnerable citizens.

I am pleased to report that two important pieces of legislation, of which I am the primary co-sponsor, passed both chambers and were sent to the governor to be signed into law.

·         Senate Bill 125 adds testing for critical congenital heart disease (CCHD) to the Department for Public Health’s Newborn Screening Program. The screening is to be administered to infants prior to discharge, unless CCHD has been ruled out, diagnosed with prior echocardiogram or prenatal diagnosis.  KRS 214.155 already requires newborn screenings for heritable disorders.

·         Senate Bill 34 requires that a health facility, upon receipt of a positive test result from a test for Down syndrome, shall provide the expectant or new parent with up-to-date, evidence-based, written information about Down syndrome that has been reviewed by medical experts and Down syndrome organizations and includes information on physical, developmental, educational, and psychosocial outcomes, life expectancy, clinical course, intellectual and functional development, and treatment options provided by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services.

The General Assembly is now recessed for a 10-day veto period. During that time, we will continue to discuss issues still unresolved. While consensus has not been reached on important bills like public pension reform (Senate Bill 2), military overseas absentee voting (Senate Bill 1), and  industrial hemp cultivation (Senate Bill 50), we are still working hard, in informal discussion during recess, toward final agreement on these and many other measures. There is still time to reach a consensus on any or all.

We return to Frankfort on March 25 to complete the final two working days of the legislative session. We will consider any vetoes the Governor might enact on any of the various bills we have passed so far, as well as put a final stamp of approval on any last-minute bills still being considered.

In the meantime, you can review the work of the Kentucky General Assembly by visiting our website at www.lrc.ky.gov.  To check the status of a bill, you may call the toll-free Bill Status Line at 866-840-2835.

There is still time to weigh in on matters important to you.  If you would like to share your thoughts on any legislation, you may leave a message for me, or any legislator, by calling the General Assembly’s toll-free Message Line at 800-372-7181. There is also a line for those who prefer to leave feedback in Spanish at 1-866-840-6574. You can also email me directly at name.name@lrc.ky.gov.

Senate Bill 125 adds testing for critical congenital heart disease (CCHD) to the Department for Public Health’s Newborn Screening Program.  The screening is to be administered to infants prior to discharge, unless CCHD has been ruled out, diagnosed with prior echocardiogram or prenatal diagnosis.  KRS 214.155 already requires newborn screenings for heritable disorders.

Senate Bill 34 requires that a health facility, upon receipt of a positive test result from a test for Down syndrome, shall provide the expectant or new parent with up-to-date, evidence-based, written information about Down syndrome that has been reviewed by medical experts and Down syndrome organizations and includes information on physical, developmental, educational, and psychosocial outcomes, life expectancy, clinical course, intellectual and functional development, and treatment options provided by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services.

In the days ahead, I will keep you informed on other important bills as they are sent to the Governor for his signature.  As always, let me know if I can be of assistance to you.

Under the newly revised calendar, the General Assembly’s chambers will convene two days next week – March 11 and 12. (The convening time for the Senate and House is 10 a.m. on March 11.)

The veto recess – the period of time when lawmakers return to their home districts to wait for potential gubernatorial vetoes – will be held from March 13-23. Lawmakers are scheduled to return to the Capitol on March 25 and 26 for the final two days of the 2013 legislative session.

A copy of the revised Regular Session Calendar can be viewed online at http://www.lrc.ky.gov/sch_vist/13RS_calendar.pdf.

An important priority of the Senate, the Uniform Military and Overseas Voter Act, designated as Senate Bill 1, earned our unanimous approval this week. The bill would simplify the absentee voting process for Kentuckians serving overseas. It is imperative that the men and women sacrificing so much to protect our rights be given every opportunity to express their most precious civic right – the right to vote.

Even with the best efforts of county clerks and military election officials, completing an absentee ballot while deployed abroad is a long, laborious process. According to our Secretary of State, a sadly significant number of these ballots are lost, late or invalid for various reasons.

SB 1 would allow members of the armed forces, their spouses and others serving overseas to register to vote, and to request and receive an absentee ballot, electronically. This would dramatically modernize and streamline the process.

The bill would still require completed written ballots be returned via traditional postal mail or another delivery service.  I supported this bill even though the option for electronic voting was removed before it got to the Senate floor.  I hope when this bill goes to the House, that Chamber includes the provision to allow our military members overseas to return their ballots electronically.  Twenty-four states already permit military and overseas voters to return ballots via e-mail or other electronic transmission system.  I think Kentucky needs to be the 25^th.  This is the least that we can do for our men and women in uniform.

On Wednesday, the Senate approved Senate Bill 15, the Bryan Durman Act, named in honor of a Lexington police officer who was killed by a hit-and-run driver in April 2010. The measure would make those convicted of second-degree manslaughter for the death of on-duty law enforcement officers or firefighters ineligible for parole until 85 percent of their sentence is served. Currently such offenders would only be required to serve 20 percent of their sentence before seeking parole. The bill is simply a matter of justice and just recognition for those who sacrifice their own lives protecting ours.

The Senate unanimously approved Senate Bill 7, which would affect the Legislators’ Retirement Plan.  The measure would require State lawmakers’ pension benefit calculations be based only on salary earned through legislative service. Under current law, legislative pension benefits may also include salary earned in some subsequent government positions outside the legislature, creating the potential for individuals to inflate their legislative pensions.

Last week I told you about a bill that would allow high school students to use money earned through the Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship (KEES) program for dual-credit college courses prior to graduation. This week we passed another measure to help students take full advantage of their KEES money. Senate Bill 64 would allow a special, more appropriate calculation of the total KEES award for students who complete their high school curriculum in three years. Our brightest, most motivated students should not be penalized, but rewarded, for excelling in school. That is what this bill does.

The recent shooting on the campus of Hazard Community Technical College made us acutely aware of the danger that can arise in a volatile custody exchange.  Senate Bill 141 authorizes court orders to require exchanges take place in a safe child drop off location.  That location is defined as any public building with limited access and with security measures such as metal detectors in place.

These, and many other bills approved by the Senate this week, now move to the House of Representatives for consideration.

The following is a list of legislation that I have filed as the primary sponsor and the current status of those bills:

·         SB 16 – Relating to dating violence.  Assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee, Chair is Senator Whitney Westerfield.  In committee since Jan. 10.  No movement. 

·         SB 100 – Relating to the protection of adults.  Assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee, Chair is Senator Whitney Westerfield.  During testimony on SB 100 a committee substitute was presented which removed nursing homes and long term care facilities from the requirements of the bill.  The substitute diminishes the bill tremendously.  If you are in favor of those facilities being required to make certain before hiring an employee that the employee is not listed on the adult abuse registry, please voice your opinion to members of the Senate by calling the message line at 1-800-372-7181. 

If you support my legislation, you can assist me in getting these bills moving by calling the chairman of the respective committees to ask that a committee hearing be given.

The following is a list of legislation that I am the primary co-sponsor:

·         SB 28 – Relating to civil rights. In committee since Jan. 10.  No movement.

·         SB 34 – Relating to the provision of information relative to Down syndrome.  Passed Senate, on consent in House.

·         SB 53 – Relating to nature preserves.  In committee since Feb. 5.  No movement.

·         SB 85 – Relating to autism spectrum disorders. In committee since Feb. 7.  No movement.

·         SB 91 – Relating to persons entitled to vote.  In committee since Feb. 7.  No movement.

·         SB 106 – Relating to midwifery.  In committee since Feb. 11.  No movement.

·         SB 117 – Relating to codes of ethics.  Passed Senate, in House Committee.

·         SB 125 – Relating to newborn screening for congenital heart disease.  Passed Senate, on consent in House. 

·         SR 117 – Adjourning the Senate in loving memory of former Kentucky Secretary    of State Bremer Alexander Ehrler.  Adopted by the Senate. 

Stay informed

As of Friday, only eight days remained in the legislative session. This is the time when the rubber really meets the road, and final details are worked out on some of the most important bills of the year. It is late in the session, but not too late for significant bills to pass, and never too late to have your voice heard on the issues important to you.

To leave a message for me, or any legislator, call the General Assembly’s toll-free Message Line at 1-800-372-7181.  People who prefer to offer their feedback in Spanish can call the General Assembly’s Spanish Line at 1-866-840-6574.  To check the status of a bill, you may call the toll-free Bill Status Line at 1-866-840-2835.  You can also e-mail me at denise.harperangel@lrc.ky.gov.

That measure, House Bill 7 (passed 36-1), would authorize agency bonds for 11 specific building projects for six of the State’s public universities at a collective cost of approximately $363 million. The bill stipulates the debt will be repaid by the universities (without an increase in tuition), and not by State General Fund dollars. The projects include renovations to residence and dining halls, as well as the construction of academic and other buildings, and are crucial to the infrastructure of the schools.

That is not the only measure we considered this week that would benefit Kentucky students.

In an effort to help more kids receive a high school diploma, we passed (36-2) Senate Bill 97 that would allow local school districts to increase the dropout age from 16 to 18 if they choose. The bill requires school districts raising the compulsory attendance age to have resources and programs in place for students considered at-risk of dropping out. We hope the measure will help more young Kentuckians graduate high school.

Senate Bill 109 would allow high school juniors and seniors to use Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship (KEES) funds they have already earned to pay for dual-credit college courses. Students using a portion of their KEES award in high school would still be eligible to receive the scholarship for up to 10 semesters of undergraduate work, but at an adjusted rate. Students work hard to earn KEES money and should be allowed to use it to get a jump start on college.

Senate Bill 95 would extend the five-year tuition waiver granted to Kentucky foster and adopted children who choose to serve in the military after high school. These young people should not have to choose between military service and a college education, nor should they feel penalized for serving our country.

Education was not the only topic addressed in legislative action this week.

Senate Bill 72 seeks to save Kentucky lives by requiring that our counselors and therapists receive appropriate training in suicide prevention, assessment and treatment. Suicide is a leading cause of death among young adults and we need to make sure this much-needed support is in place.

Senate Bill 128, passed unanimously this week, would make the veterans’ designation on Kentucky drivers’ licenses a bit easier for our veterans to obtain. It allows the DD-2 form as an additional means of proving service. This form is issued and recognized by the military and should be an acceptable form of veteran identification in addition to the DD-214 form.

Senate Bill 125 adds testing for critical congenital heart disease (CCHD) to the Department for Public Health’s Newborn Screening Program already in place for infants 28 days or younger.  The screening is to be administered to infants prior to discharge, unless CCHD has been ruled out, diagnosed with prior echocardiogram or prenatal diagnosis.  Heritable disorders screening is already required for newborns.  CCHD is the most common birth defect in the United States and is the leading cause of birth-defect related deaths.  If CCHD is caught in time, there is a survival rate of about 85 percent.

All of these bills are now in the House for its consideration.

The following is a list of legislation that I have filed as the primary sponsor and the current status of those bills:

·         SB 16 – Relating to dating violence.  Assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee, Chair is Senator Whitney Westerfield.

·         SB 100 – Relating to the protection of adults.  Assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee, Chair is Senator Whitney Westerfield.

If you support my legislation, you can assist me in getting these bills moving by calling the chairman of the respective committees to ask that a committee hearing be given 

The following is a list of legislation that I am the primary co-sponsor:

·         SB 28 – Relating to civil rights.

·         SB 34 – Relating to the provision of information relative to Down syndrome.

·         SB 53 – Relating to nature preserves.

·         SB 85 – Relating to autism spectrum disorders.

·         SB 91 – Relating to persons entitled to vote.

·         SB 106 – Relating to midwifery.

·         SB 117 – Relating to codes of ethics.

·         SB 125 – Relating to newborn screening for congenital heart disease.

Stay informed

During the remaining days of the 2013 Regular Session, I encourage you to stay informed and involved in the work of the legislature.

You can call 1-800-633-9650 for a taped message containing information on legislative committee meetings.  To check the status of a bill, you may call the toll-free Bill Status Line at 1-866-840-2835.  To leave a message for me, or any legislator, call the General Assembly’s toll-free Message Line at 1-800-372-7181.  People who prefer to offer their feedback in Spanish can call the General Assembly’s Spanish Line at 1-866-840-6574.  You can also e-mail me at denise.harperangel@lrc.ky.gov.

A range of bills aimed at improving our State in a variety of ways were approved by the Senate this week.

In an effort to boost the economy and support Kentucky farmers, Senate Bill 50 was approved by a 31-6 vote.  The measure would regulate the growing of industrial hemp in the State if the crop is legalized by the federal government.

Supporters of the measure say that Kentucky’s climate and mode of cultivation would make hemp an ideal alternative crop for tobacco farmers in the State. They also tout the economic benefits of added jobs from the production of goods made with hemp, including ropes, fabrics and plastics.

If the bill becomes law, Kentucky farmers would still have to wait for the federal ban to be lifted to begin growing the crops. Members of the Commonwealth’s congressional delegation told State lawmakers this week that they are working in Washington to do just that.

Senate Bill 43 would make it easier for physician’s assistants to work in Kentucky. The measure would change our credentialing standards to more closely match those of surrounding states. We hope this would encourage more physician’s assistants to stay in the Commonwealth to provide much-needed health service to our citizens.

Senate Bill 10 would cap the State’s General Fund debt at six percent of revenues. Six percent is a level generally accepted by the bond rating agencies, and the threshold the legislature has historically attempted to operate within.

The measure excludes debt for universities, the Kentucky Housing Authority and other agencies using funds outside the General Fund, including the stand-alone Road Fund.

Senate Bill 23, passed unanimously, would allow courts to review DNA evidence after a person has been convicted of a violent felony. This is a simple act of justice to help people prove their innocence. DNA evidence frequently convicts the guilty; it should also be available to exonerate the innocent.

Based on recommendations from the Kentucky Center on School Safety, Senate Bill 8 would put comprehensive emergency management response plans, developed with the aid of local first responders, in all Kentucky school districts. The bill would require severe weather, fire, lockdown and other safety drills to be completed each school year.  Prepared schools are safe schools and the safety of our children is always a top concern.

These bills now go to the House for consideration.

The following is a list of legislation that I have filed as the primary sponsor and the current status of those bills:

·         SB 16 – Relating to dating violence.  Assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee, Chair is Senator Whitney Westerfield.

·         SB 100 – Relating to the protection of adults.  Assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee, Chair is Senator Whitney Westerfield.

If you support my legislation, you can assist me in getting these bills moving by calling the chairman of the respective committees to ask that a committee hearing be given.

The following is a list of legislation that I am the primary co-sponsor:

·         SB 28 – Relating to civil rights.

·         SB 34 – Relating to the provision of information relative to Down syndrome.

·         SB 53 – Relating to nature preserves.

·         SB 85 – Relating to autism spectrum disorders.

·         SB 91 – Relating to persons entitled to vote.

·         SB 106 – Relating to midwifery.

·         SB 117 – Relating to codes of ethics.

·         SB 125 – Relating to newborn screening for congenital heart disease.  

Stay informed

This is just a small sample of the bills we considered this week.  Each day, bills as diverse as the varying concerns of this great State’s hard-working citizens are taken up in our committees and chambers. While every bill may not affect every person, every Kentuckian is ultimately affected by the work we do. I encourage you to get involved in the work that impacts you.

This legislative session is nearly half over, but there is still plenty of time for you to get involved.  Committee meetings and chamber proceedings are open to the public and aired on KET (including online streaming on the KET website). If you cannot drive up, tune in or log in.

As always, I would like to hear from you.  If you would like to write a letter to me or any lawmaker, send it with the legislator’s name to: Capitol Annex, 702 Capitol Avenue, Frankfort, KY 40601.  To leave a message for any of us, call the General Assembly’s toll-free Message Line at 1-800-372-7181.  People who prefer to offer their feedback in Spanish can call the General Assembly’s Spanish Line at 1-866-840-6574.  You can also e-mail me at denise.harperangel@lrc.ky.gov.

For more details about the work of the General Assembly, you can visit the Kentucky Legislature Home Page, www.lrc.ky.gov.  A taped message containing information on legislative committee meetings is updated daily at 1-800-633-9650. To check the status of a bill, you may call the toll-free Bill Status Line at 1-866-840-2835.