Beech Tree News Network

Week 7 

We have officially crossed the half-way point of the 2022 60-day Regular Session. Week 7 of session was action-packed as we introduced consequential legislation and moved it through the Senate. Three significant matters I want to update you on are motor vehicle taxes, legislation to address the state’s nursing shortage, and the Teaching America’s Principles Act, which cleared the Senate Education Committee on Thursday.

As the Senate unanimously passed Senate Joint Resolution 99 on Friday, February 11, to exempt Kentucky taxpayers from increased motor vehicle taxes

Fortunately for Kentucky taxpayers, the administration relented from assurance the precise language in SJR 99. Kentuckians will now be relieved from their inflated vehicle taxes and those who have already paid them will be issued a refund. See your local county clerk for that.

One of  the most headline dominating topics since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has been education, primarily deriving from parents' concerns about the quality of their child’s education and fears that students are being taught what to think rather than how to think. The behavior of special interest groups to not only ignore parents' concerns, but even mock and ridicule them, have heightened attention on school curriculums and educational standards. The groundswell from the public has been so strong, even places like San Francisco are recalling school board members. Elections across the nation, most notably the gubernatorial election in Virginia, are demanding lawmakers take seriously the concerns of parents. The Senate has identified a way to positively adhere to the desires that the Kentucky public demands. 

Senate Bill 138 is a positive, landmark piece of legislation to preserve alignment of middle and high school instruction with American principles of equality, freedom, and personal agency. It sets out to include historical topics, giving a list of ingredients which must be taught, but does not exclude any documents.. This flexibility allows educators the autonomy to create the whole recipe for teaching American History.  

The key tenets of SB 138 are to teach the value of American democratic principles of equality, freedom and individual rights; the understanding that in America, regardless of race, sex, or socioeconomic status, personal agency and resilience afford citizens the power to succeed; and lastly, the understanding that although slavery and post-Civil War laws and discrimination were contrary to our founders’ original intent for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, that defining racial disparities solely on that legacy is destructive to our nation’s unity. It’s noteworthy that teaching these principles does not exclude the teaching of controversial aspects of our nation's history. 

One of the most important aspects of SB 138 is the requirement to instruct students using core primary source historical documents and speeches, including but not limited to the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and the Gettysburg Address. Through studying the original documents, students are able to get a window into the minds of our country’s founders and the ideals that make America the country she is.

SB 138 also sets the parameters for teacher training, allowing them to choose whether to engage in diversity-based professional development. It prohibits assignments, projects or extra credit on politics, social-policy or lobbying activities for which a student or their family objects.

The nursing shortage is not a new challenge in the Commonwealth but the COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated the problem. SB 10 aims to alleviate the shortage by tackling several issues within the profession, making it easier to accept nurses from other states and expedite licensing while not sacrificing quality of care. SB 10 has been designated priority legislation and will address the ongoing nursing shortage that stresses Kentucky’s healthcare system.

One focus area includes removing arbitrary caps on nursing education programs which codifies and extends provisions of the governor’s executive order last fall. SB 10 would also restructure the Kentucky Board of Nursing to be more reflective of Kentucky’s geographical diversity and most importantly, bolster the voices of practicing nurses by requiring 10 board members be practicing nurses. Additionally, the bill implements legislative oversight of nominations by requiring Senate confirmation of members. 

Two significant provisions of the bill include reciprocity so more nurses from other states can practice in Kentucky. The Commonwealth currently has a compact with 24 states for reciprocity, but SB 10 opens possibilities for nurses in states beyond that compact. Those from non-compact states in good standing can obtain an immediate temporary work permit to go straight to work. The bill would recognize out-of-state licenses and create a process for foreign trained nurses who pass the National Council Licensure Examination test or a Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools test to practice in Kentucky.

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 [email protected].