FRANKFORT, Ky. — Kentucky lawmakers have just a few more days to file new bills during this legislative session.

This week, they debated measures related to student pronouns, the juvenile justice system and more.

What You Need To Know

  • The Senate passed Senate Bill 150, over the objections of opponents who say it will harm trans students  

  • The measure moves to the House for consideration

  • Bills related to hair discrimination, disaster relief funds and juvenile justice also advanced

  • Lawmakers have a few days left to file new bills

Under legislation that moved ahead Wednesday, children accused of certain violent crimes would be held before a hearing for up to 48 hours to see if they’re eligible for therapy or treatment.

Nearly $9 million would go toward reopening the former youth detention center in downtown Louisville, according to House Bill 3. 

“The nearest detention center is Adair County,” said Rep. Kevin Bratcher (R, Louisville). 

Rep. Keturah Herron (D, Louisville) said that while the people of Jefferson County want their children back in the area, she has concerns about the plan. 

“Spending $8.9 million on an old building and we have not done an assessment on what that looks or what those needs are going to be like in five years or in ten years, it just makes me very hesitant,” she said.

Thursday the Senate passed Senate Bill 150, what some are calling a “parents’ rights” bill. 

Opponents say it would hurt trans children.

Among other things, the bill would ban school districts from requiring staff or students to use the pronouns aligned with a student’s gender identity. 

“The terms ‘he’ and ‘she’ communicate fixed facts about a person and teachers should not be forced to violate their consciences regarding what they know to be true or not true,” said the bill’s sponsor, Sen. Max Wise (R, Campbellsville). 

Sen. Karen Berg (D, Louisville), whose adult trans son died by suicide in December, pleaded with her colleagues not to pass it. 

“Your vote ‘yes’ on this bill means one of two things: either you believe that trans children do not exist or you believe that trans children do not deserve to exist,” she said. 

Also Thursday, the Kentucky Supreme Court released a ruling keeping two abortion bans in place while a lawsuit challenging them plays out.

Friday, Gov. Andy Beshear signed House Bill 1, lowering the state income tax to 4% next year. 

Democratic lawmakers argued last month that the cuts won’t give much help to most Kentuckians.

“What I’m faced with is a bill that would lower the income tax that has some long-term repercussions for potentially funding state services, but would put at least a couple hundred dollars in the pockets of most Kentuckians at a time when they need it,” said Beshear.  

The Republican Party of Kentucky said in a statement Friday that Beshear’s signing amounted to “taking credit for Republican policies after having previously vetoed them.”

Last year, Beshear vetoed House Bill 8, the bill that set up the tax reduction and that made dozens of additional services subject to Kentucky’s sales tax. 

Lawmakers later voted to override his veto. 

Beshear said Friday that the best way to give relief to Kentuckians would have been a sales tax reduction.  

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