Legislature dealing with bills in varying stages

By Max Wise, 16th District Senator

This week we welcomed the Kentucky Right to Life Association to the Capitol and joined them for a Rally for Life in the Capitol Rotunda.

Governor Bevin held a ceremonial signing of Senate Bill (SB) 4, the first piece of pro-life legislation the Kentucky General Assembly has considered in over 12 years. I was honored to speak at the rally and encouraged colleagues in the House to keep fighting for life and pass Senate Bill 7, a bill that defunds Planned Parenthood in Kentucky.

Another pro-life bill, SB 152, passed out of committee this week and would require women to receive an ultrasound before having an abortion. The Senate is still working to pass more pro-life legislation, and we hope to see those bills signed into law by the end of session in April.

Yet another rally was held in Frankfort this week to encourage passage of SB 33, another bill I sponsored that would require CPR training in high schools. We had a great crowd and could feel the momentum building for this life-saving legislation.

Senate Bill 20 finally passed the Senate this week as well. I was proud to cosponsor this bill for all of the small and nonprofit providers in the Commonwealth who are denied claims from our Medicaid Managed Care Organizations (MCO’s) which have made it difficult for them to continue providing vital services in many communities. Many of our MCO’s have been denying payment to provider claims under the guise of “managing care” but instead have been merely increasing their own profitability. This legislation gives providers further appeals opportunities.

On Thursday I chaired the Education Committee where Senate Bill 1 was presented and reported out favorably. This priority bill is bipartisan education reform that would overhaul Common Core standards, allowing Kentucky teachers to teach by removing crippling standards and review programs that only hinder student growth. We had many teachers call and write in support of this bill, and we are proud to move forward with legislation making it easier for our educators to do their jobs well.

Senate Bill 5, another priority, passed out of committee this week. SB 5 would remove the names of county clerks from marriage licenses, a bill crafted after county clerk Kim Davis was faced with criminal charges for standing up for her religious beliefs.

If you have any questions or comments about these issues or any other public policy issue, please call me toll-free at 1-800-372-7181 or email me at Max.Wise@LRC.ky.gov. You can also review the Legislature’s work online at www.lrc.ky.gov

Senator Max Wise (R-Campbellsville) represents the 16th District which encompasses Adair, Clinton, Cumberland, McCreary, Russell, Taylor, and Wayne counties. Senator Wise serves as Chair of the Senate Enrollment Committee; Vice Chair of Education Committee; and a member of Appropriations and Revenue Committee; Economic Development, Tourism and Labor Committee; Health and Welfare Committee; and Veterans, Military Affairs, and Public Protection Committee. He also serves as chair of the Budget Review Subcommittee on Transportation and member of Budget Review Subcommittee on Education, NR, and EP.