On Friday morning, the Republican-controlled Senate in Kentucky passed three bills sponsored by Democrats. Senate Bills 48 and 14 garnered unanimous approval, while Senate Bill 45 secured 32 votes from both Republicans and Democrats, with three GOP senators dissenting. This marks the first instance this session where bills primarily backed by Democrats have progressed through the Senate, with 23 legislative days remaining. Given the Republican supermajority in Kentucky’s legislature, committee hearings and floor votes typically favor GOP legislation.
Senator Jared Carpenter, representing Berea and a member of the Republican Party, expressed gratitude for the bipartisan atmosphere in the chamber as he voted in favor of Senate Bill 48. This legislation, championed by Democratic Whip David Yates from Louisville, proposes treating multiple theft offenses committed within a year as a single offense. The current timeline for enactment is within 90 days.
Carpenter humorously remarked, “I thought we were here on Good Friday for a second because of all this peace and love we’re having this morning.” He acknowledged the collaborative spirit in considering the bills brought forward by colleagues from across the aisle, viewing it as a positive opportunity for bipartisan cooperation.
Yates, also the primary sponsor of Senate Bill 45, advocates for the establishment of the Kentucky Ashanti Alert System, aimed at disseminating public alerts regarding missing adults. Additionally, Senate Bill 14, backed by Democratic Caucus Chair Reggie Thomas of Lexington, seeks to enhance representation on the Kentucky Board of Cosmetology by adding a licensed nail technician representative and another citizen at-large member. The bill also aims to remove obstacles for nail technician applicants, such as permitting written theory tests in their first or second fluent languages.