Biting Legislation – Part Two

House passes HPV vaccine bill

Under a measure approved by the House of Representatives yesterday, all Kentucky middle school girls would be vaccinated against a virus that causes cervical cancer &mdash unless their parents sign a form saying they object to the vaccine.

Controversial end with laudible means. Teenagers are sexually active. This will not change. Governor Fletcher, sign this bill.

Senate panel OKs bill requiring more information before abortions

Women seeking abortions would be informed about fetal pain and use of anesthesia in prenatal surgeries under a bill headed to the Kentucky Senate. The measure, which easily cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee Wednesday, would add to the information given to women before they undergo abortions. The bill says the new material would inform women that by 20 weeks gestation the "unborn child has the physical structures necessary to experience pain."

Emotional decisions are rapid. Women should view the entire picture. Sign this bill!

Bill would make more child-sex crimes a felony

Those who commit any sexual offense against a child under 16 — and those who fail to report such abuse — could be charged with felonies under a bill filed by Rep. Mary Lou Marzian, D-Louisville. Making such actions a felony would allow prosecutions decades after the crimes occurred. Victims of sexual abuse have sought this change because they say it often takes years for those traumatized as children to seek justice, beyond the statute of limitations.

Why are these crimes not felonies?

Cost of senior judges has ballooned

When legislators were asked to approve the senior status judge program seven years ago, it was sold as a cost-efficient way to clear growing case backlogs. At a cost of $420,000 a year to taxpayers, a pool of around 25 retired judges would work part time in exchange for an enhanced retirement benefit of several thousand dollars, they were told. Today, there are 45 senior judges, and the Judicial Form Retirement System will pay out at least $1.57 million for the program this year, according to a Herald-Leader computer analysis of publicly available data.

Governor wishes to slice spending? Commence with this program.

House passes bill proposing amendment allowing felons to vote

Felons would automatically have their voting rights restored, once they had served their sentences and paid their fines, under a proposed constitutional amendment approved by the House of Representatives Wednesday. The change would not apply to those who have been convicted of murder or a sexual crime against a minor.

Imagine a murder in the booth next door… Governor Fletcher should veto.

House passes bill allowing victims' spouses to sue for loss of companionship

Widows and widowers of accident victims would be able to sue for loss of companionship under a bill approved Wednesday by the House of Representatives. Under current law, spouses may sue for economic damages when their partner dies in an accident, but they can't sue for the loss of the relationship. "Our law is just basically patently unfair to anyone who loses a spouse," argued Rep. Rob Wilkey, D-Scottsville, who sponsored the bill.

A bill which ceases pain. Congratulations, legislature.

House panel approves 70 mph speeding limit change

A Senate-passed bill allowing motorists to drive faster on most stretches of interstates and parkways in Kentucky won approval from a House panel Tuesday. The House Transportation Committee revised the bill to specifically list which stretches of interstates and parkways could have a 70 mph speed limit.

Yeah, teenagers need a reason for speeding.