FRANKFORT, Ky. — With just days left to meet, Kentucky lawmakers have been busy passing bills related to charter schools, the nursing shortage, transgender athletes and the death penalty. 

What You Need To Know

  • The House narrowly passed House Bill 9, which will fund charter schools

  • The House also passed Senate Bill 10, which has not yet received final passage in the Senate, and Senate Bill 1, which has received final passage

  • Senate Bill 83, which bans transgender girls in sixth through 12 grade and college-aged transgender women from playing on girl's and women's teams, went to the govenor's desk and may be vetoed 

  • A bill that would eliminate the death penalty for defendants with certain serious mental illnesses passed the Senate despite opposition by some Republicans

Here’s a recap: 

CHARTER SCHOOLS 

On Tuesday, the House narrowly passed House Bill 9, putting in a system to fund charter schools over the objections of lawmakers who say it will take funding away from other public schools.

“I’m not telling you this is going to work everywhere,” said Rep. Chad McCoy (R-Bardstown). “I’m not telling you this is the answer, but folks, when we went through COVID, we had a lot of parents who wanted some choice.”

House Bill 9 has been sent to a Senate committee. 

NURSING SHORTAGE

On Wednesday, the House passed Senate Bill 10, which supporters say will help Kentucky’s nursing shortage by removing red tape for out-of-state nurses. 

Senate Bill 10 has not yet received final passage in the Senate.

TRANSGENDER ATHLETES

On Thursday, Senate Bill 83 went to the governor’s desk.

It bans transgender girls in sixth through 12th grades from playing girls’ sports and transgender women from playing on college women’s teams. 

“We do not have a single case in this state where this has so far been an issue,” said Sen. Karen Berg (D-Louisville), who voted against the bill. “We have people in this room who are willing to take this issue up because they see it as a political positive for them, regardless of the harm that it will cause children in this state.” 

Supporters say the measure is about fairness and ensuring fair competition. 

The governor may decide to veto the bill, but the legislation likely has enough support to override a veto. 

HISTORY STANDARDS

Senate Bill 1, which would require certain documents and speeches to be included in middle and high school history standards, received final passage Thursday. 

“There is nothing, nothing in this that will tell a teacher you cannot teach on a certain subject matter, but to go to those core documents as a source to be able to use,” said Sen. Max Wise (R-Campbellsville), the bill sponsor. 

DEATH PENALTY

On Friday, a bill that would eliminate the death penalty for defendants with certain serious mental illnesses passed the Senate despite opposition by some Republicans, who called it a slippery slope to ending capital punishment entirely.  

“It is my hope as a pro-life caucus, we will see it fit to no longer sentence people to death who have severe mental illness,” said Sen. Julie Raque Adams (R-Louisville), who voted in favor of the bill. 

The legislative session ends April 14.

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