Safety of high school

athletes, law enforcement

officers among concerns with latest bills

This week in the Kentucky General Assembly began on quite a somber note. The House of Representatives recognized the ultimate sacrifice made by Kentucky’s military personnel who perished over the course of the past year. This is always one of the most touching ceremonies and I am honored to be a part of recognizing the lives of these soldiers as their families come to the Capitol. This year we honored the lives of seven military heroes, most of whom perished while serving in Afghanistan.

The day was even more touching as we were also joined by six distinguished World War II veterans. The five men and one woman, all in their 90’s, were recognized on behalf of the 8,892 Kentucky World War II veterans who are still living. Hearing the stories of their service and accomplishments proved to me why they are commonly referred to as the greatest generation. As we are now losing so many of our World War II veterans, it is fitting that we do all we can to remember all they did in service to our nation.

The House took up several pieces of meaningful legislation this past week, including one which intends to increase the safety of both our law enforcement officers and the general public. House Bill 314 affirms the legal right of off-duty and retired law enforcement officers to carry concealed firearms anywhere in the state that is also allowed for on-duty law enforcement officers. The bill passed the House by a vote of 87-2.

The safety of high school athletes was the topic of other legislation that came before the body. House Bill 217 provides that high school coaches would not be able to call on athletes who are diagnosed with a concussion, and any athlete suspected of having a concussion would not be able to return to play if there is no physician or other licensed medical provider present at the practice or competition to evaluate the athlete. Those who are not evaluated would be sidelined during practice or games unless they have written clearance from a doctor. The bill passed the House by a vote of 96-0.

Privacy concerns were the driving factor behind House Bill 413, which passed the House by a vote of 95-0. The bill would prohibit the marketing, sharing or selling of mobile phone numbers of subscribers without express written consent of the subscriber. As you are well aware, the do-not-call registry has been in existence for several years and, for the most part, has significantly reduced the number of telemarketer calls people receive. However, recently, telemarketers have found ways to begin calling people on their mobile phones. This legislation simply updates Kentucky’s laws to keep up with current technology.

The state budget, of course, remains a top priority of this session. The House Appropriations and Revenue Committee gave the budget its first preliminary approval this past week. While it is expected to still be changed, I am optimistic that we have time to pass a budget for the next two years. I look forward to having the opportunity to hear the debate and vote on the bill in the near future.

Finally, this past Thursday, I had the honor to speak at a rally in support of the Family Resource and Youth Service Centers. These centers, located in each county in the state, strive to help children with non-academic barriers to success, such as poverty or abusive home situations. Now celebrating their 25th year in existence, these centers have been extremely successful in their mission. Their work allows students to be able to focus more on academic concerns. I have long been a supporter of the efforts of these centers and am committed to work to make sure they have the resources necessary to continue their very important work.

If you would like to stay up-to-date on all legislative action of interest to you during this session of the Kentucky General Assembly, you can visit www.lrc.ky.gov or call the LRC toll-free Bill Status Line at (866) 840-2835. As always, I welcome your thoughts and comments. You can send me a message either at jeff.hoover@lrc.ky.gov or by calling (800) 372-7181.