Hi, my name's Olivia.
And I now have bangs!
Um, yes, obviously we need to start with the hottest news in all of Kentucky politics: YES, I got Renee Rapp-esque bangs.
I, for one, think they give v strong “Great Value version of Renee Rapp’s brunette stunt double for a movie on Kentucky political journalism” vibes. If you see me out and about and don’t like them, don’t tell me.
A few programming notes:
Several of y’all have emailed/DMed me over the last few weeks. Forgive me for the slow/nonexistent responses, for I am overwhelmed and forgetful. Please know the guilt and shame of your unanswered messages eat at my soul on an hourly basis.
As I mentioned a week or so ago, I’m considering switching up the pay structure for The Gallery Pass. Not 100% on what it will look like quite yet, but you might want to lock in your rate now, juuust saying.
Bills on the move!
After a bit of a slow start, we are starting to break into a light jog. Bills are still getting filed, but more and more bills are facing committee and/or floor votes.
To get everyone on the same page:
Once a bill gets filed, it gets assigned to a committee.
It must get a vote in that committee (or another one if it gets reassigned for some reason).
Then it goes to the floor of whatever chamber it is in for another vote. It needs to be “read” three times on three different days in order to get a floor vote. Folks can also try to change the bill on the floor via floor amendment.
Then it goes to the other chamber and repeats the process.
If it has changed since the first chamber’s floor vote, the first chamber needs to agree to the changes before sending it to the governor’s desk. (If they don’t agree, there is another process, but we’ll get to that later.)
HI: This newsletter is meant to make politics accessible and approachable. If I ever use a term or anything that you’re unfamiliar with, or if you have a question about the legislative process, let me know — olivia.krauth@gmail.com.
OK, so, (some of) the bills that are movin’
Two similar GOP bills targeting low-income housing are working through the legislature:
Senate Bill 25, which would stop local governments from making landlords accept Section 8, cleared the Senate Wednesday on an almost party-line vote — 30-6, with Dem Sen. Robin Webb voting for the bill.
The similar but not exact twin House Bill 18 passed out of the House Tuesday on a 74-20 vote.
So, basically, the bills are gonna swap places and we’ll see which one wins out.
Senate Bill 80, which would stop folks from using stuff like student IDs to verify that they are who they say they are when they vote, passed out of committee Wednesday on a 9-2 vote.
GOP Secretary of State Michael Adams’ spokesperson responded with concerns of legal challenges, adding that lawmakers should “be careful not to gratuitously alienate young voters.”
Senate Bill 7, which lets homeschoolers score KEES money, passed the Senate Tuesday, 33-4.
This type of legislation has been pushed for years, and always seems to move a bit before dying somewhere in the process.
House Bill 275, a sweeping measure aimed at cracking down on teacher misconduct, cleared the House Education Committee Tuesday.
Its sponsor, GOP Rep. James Tipton, filed a similar measure last year that saw some movement but ultimately didn’t make it through.
Last year, some lawmakers got stuck on pieces of the bill that would keep allegations against teachers tied to their file, even if their name is ultimately cleared. Tipton said he’s taken that some of that language out.
I’ve covered a lot of teacher misconduct issues, and my expert hot take is a lil mixed on this situation.
Due process and investigations and vetting student claims — it is all important, and that’s where these initial concerns seemed to stem from.
But it isn’t a secret that the “good old boys” energy is alive and well in some districts, nor is it a secret that teachers can easily bounce from district to district when facing allegations. I can think of a few situations where, had districts been aware of a clear track record of accusations against an educator, there are students who would have not been harmed.
House Bill 96, which would require a moment of silence at the start of each school day, also passed out of the House Education Committee.
Speaking of education
Two semi-big education bills got an initial brush with committee — but not a vote — during Tuesday’s House Ed meeting:
House Bill 228 would require Kentucky’s public colleges and universities to give professors performance reviews every four years and remove ones deemed unfit for the college classroom, regardless of their “status” with the university.
Tipton, the bill sponsor, previously said the bill — which, as written, appears to pretty much end tenure — “has nothing to do with ending tenure.”
And then, during the committee meeting, he said tenure is not a job for life.
McKenna Horsley at the Kentucky Lantern has a nice recap of how lawmakers on the committee reacted to the bill.
House Bill 162 focuses on improving Kentucky students’ math scores.
It is a hefty boy, and I’m still working my way through it to figure out what it exactly does, tbh. Stay tuned.
But KDE spoke in favor of it during Tuesday’s info-only discussion, so there’s that.
Hi, Olivia, I am also Olivia, and I have questions
A new bill from GOP Rep. Nancy Tate would require Kentucky public schools to teach kids about how babies are made (not, like, made-made, but starting with fertilization, OK) with a video from anti-abortion groups that appears to take some liberties with the truth — to put it generously.
The video in question is dubbed the “Meet Baby Olivia” video and I really wish they could’ve picked literally … any other name. Literally any other one. (Ngl, I like the font choice.)
I am kinda confused about, like, all of it, though. There was, and is, a significant GOP push to keep convos like, idk, how babies are made, up to the parents and specifically out of the public schools. This does not do that.
Also, as a survivor of Kentucky Public School Attempts at Sex Ed, I’m pretty sure this type of video is already on the syllabus?
Open the road, some of us are late
Sen. John Schickel is, yet again, pushing for a tiny section of road between the Capitol and the Capitol Annex to reopen to cars. The space used to be open to cars, but was blocked off a few years ago due to some security concerns.
Schickel said in a press release for Senate Bill 75 that he “was incredibly disappointed when this route was closed because it took away something special for Kentuckians. That is the open access to this jewel of a capitol, which I think is the best in the United States.”
SB 75 cleared committee Wednesday, and will likely pass the Senate like it has the last two years. The big question is whether or not the House will do anything with it or kill it like it typically does.
Incredibly, this might be the piece of legislation that has the most gripping, immediate and clear impact on my livelihood. I wish I was joking. Unfortunately, due to the fact I am perpetually late, and that road is the quickest route to the parking garage, I am v much not joking.
Assorted other things
As a bill to move Kentucky’s state elections to presidential election years awaits its fate in the House, a new analysis found that Senate Bill 10 would save local governments around $20 million — up from the previous estimate of $13.5 million.
A quick S/O to the Senate GOP for, after being blasted online for having an accidentally-boys-only meet-and-greet with Senate President Robert Stivers, having another 8 a.m. meetup for the ~ladies~ (See, kids, public shaming works!)
But, YES, I, of course, managed to get so lost in downtown Frankfort trying to find parking that I ended up missing the moment entirely, but I am thankful for the opportunity, nonetheless.
And, YES, I am embarrassed I missed the meeting I basically demanded (and am embarrassed for repeating it now).
Small silver lining: I did not find myself in a situation where I hard launched my bangs via KY Senate GOP Twitter photo gallery. It is called owning the narrative.
The last newsletter left out a critical word in my description of House Bill 304. That should’ve said, “Educators who knowingly break the law (aka not out their students) would lose their teaching certificate for two years.” TYSM to the reader who spotted it and let me know.
As for the rest of the week
Things are starting to pick up in Frankfort, so remember all of this is subject to change. Follow the LRC and me on Twitter for live updates.
Thursday:
We got a few committee meetings:
10 a.m. — House Elections/Constitutional Amendments/Intergovernmental Affairs Committee
One bill on the docket: House Bill 341, which would change the state constitution to forbid non-US citizens from voting in Kentucky elections, as long as the voters say it is OK.
11 a.m. — Senate Education Committee
12 p.m. — House Health Services Committee
Also at noon, the Whitney/Strong Organization will share some updates about yet-to-be-filed-but-previously-discussed Crisis Aversion & Rights Retention (CARR) legislation.
The House and Senate start at 2 p.m.
One big thing to watch is House Bill 5, the sweeping crime bill, in the House. It has been on the House’s Orders of the Day for a few days and can get a full floor vote at any moment. There are *27* floor amendments filed to HB 5 as of rn, so expect a lengthy floor debate and vote (and potentially some changes to the bill) whenever it comes up.
Friday:
The House and Senate should start at 9 a.m. Don’t expect any committee meetings.
Where to find my work
As always:
The Gallery Pass, obvs. Tell your friends to subscribe and/or upgrade to a paid subscription, plz plz plz.
Live updates go on Twitter.
TikTok is for bill explainers + answering questions.
Instagram is very much for the aesthetic (but also shareable recaps of what’s going on, so you can show your friends you are hip and with it).
LEO Weekly will be home for all of my full-length, original reporting.
ok, byeeee!