Staff report
School safety
The House passed HB63 that builds on the School Safety and Resilience Act of three years ago by requiring a School Resource Officer on every public school campus by August 1.
“The foundation of this bill is keeping our children safe,” said Rep. Kevin Bratcher of Louisville, the bill’s sponsor.
The measure passed 78-17 and now goes to the Senate.
Sports safety
Also winning adoption was HB 220 which would make intimidation of a sports official a class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year in jail and a fine.
“We have seen, over the last few years, and it is getting progressively worse, the aggressive action that is being taken towards referees, umpires, and other officials,” said Rep. David Hale of Wellington, the bill’s sponsor.
The bill passed on an 89-6 vote and now goes to the Senate.
Opt-out masks for kids
HB 51 gives parents the right to opt their students out of mask mandates in Kentucky’s public school and childcare settings. It passed out of the House Education Committee Tuesday. The measure now heads to the House floor.
Bailout for Kentucky State University
The House Appropriations and Revenue Committee sent HB 250 out of the committee by a 21-1 vote. It provides $23 million to Kentucky State University to bail them out of a shortfall for the current fiscal year.
The bill is set up as a loan and could become forgivable by action of a future General Assembly.
It directs the Council on Postsecondary Education to initiate a plan and reporting requirements for the KSU board and president.