justice
Legislature approves ‘random’ venue changes for Kentuckians challenging state laws, decisions
FRANKFORT — Kentuckians challenging the constitutionality of state laws and executive branch decisions could move their lawsuits across the state at random, under a Republican-backed bill approved by the legislature last week. Lawyers representing the state also would be entitled to random changes of venue. The sponsor, Sen. Jason Howell, R-Murray, called Senate Bill 126 […]
Lofton’s Law, criminalizing hazing, clears both chambers of Kentucky legislature
FRANKFORT — The Kentucky House on Wednesday voted to make hazing that causes a death or serious injury a felony. Lofton’s Law – named after 18-year-old Thomas “Lofton” Hazelwood, a University of Kentucky freshman who died from alcohol poisoning at his fraternity house – was approved in the House by a vote of 97-3. The Senate […]
Anti-hazing Lofton’s Law passes House Judiciary Committee
FRANKFORT — An anti-hazing bill is one step closer to becoming law in Kentucky after a 15-1 vote by the House Judiciary Committee. Known as Lofton’s Law, Senate Bill 9, was introduced after the death of 18-year-old Thomas “Lofton” Hazelwood, a University of Kentucky freshman who was found unconscious in Farmhouse Fraternity after drinking approximately […]
Bill mandating detention, opening crime records of some juveniles has cleared both chambers
FRANKFORT — A Republican-backed bill that would reopen a juvenile detention center in Louisville and open some minors’ confidential records has now cleared both chambers of the Kentucky legislature. House Bill 3 passed the House in late February and the Senate on Tuesday along party lines, 29-7. Democrats argued unsuccessfully against the bill’s mandatory detention […]
Juvenile justice would get more money, more scrutiny under bills approved by Kentucky Senate
FRANKFORT — The Kentucky Senate Tuesday unanimously passed two bills aimed at stemming what lawmakers called a crisis in Kentucky’s Department of Juvenile Justice. Senate Bill 162, sponsored by Sen. Danny Carroll, R-Benton, would allot more than $50 million for salaries, retention, new workers and security upgrades, including $30 million for workers in the adult […]
Two juvenile justice bills advance in Kentucky Senate. Here’s what they say.
Two Senate bills aimed at addressing Kentucky’s juvenile justice issues cleared the Senate Appropriations and Revenue committee unanimously on Wednesday. The first, SB162, would allot millions of dollars to the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) for salaries, retention, new workers, security upgrades and more – among other things. Those price tags are: $3.2 million for […]
Torture a dog or cat? You could be charged with a felony under proposed Kentucky law
Under a bipartisan bill that passed a House committee on Wednesday, Kentuckians who torture a dog or cat could be charged with a felony. House Bill 103 would make it a Class D felony to torture a domestic dog or cat. Two members of the House Standing Committee on Judiciary passed and 15 voted in […]
Bipartisan bill would clear way for distribution of fentanyl test strips in Kentucky
FRANKFORT — Fentanyl test strips could no longer be considered drug paraphernalia in Kentucky under a bipartisan bill that passed a House committee Wednesday. The House Standing Committee on Judiciary approved the measure 17-0, with three members passing House Bill 353, sponsored by Reps. Kimberly Poore Moser, R-Taylor Mill and Rachel Roberts, D-Newport, states: “Testing […]
Juvenile justice bill passes House, would open some minors’ now-confidential records
FRANKFORT —A Republican-backed bill that would reopen a juvenile detention center in Louisville passed the House 79-18 hours after it passed a House committee Tuesday morning. It may now go to the Senate for a vote. Members of the House Standing Committee On Appropriations And Revenue voted 20-2 – with two passes – to advance House […]
Bill allowing attorneys to opt out of Kentucky Bar Association advances from House committee
FRANKFORT — Over the objections of Chief Justice Laurance B. VanMeter, the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday approved a bill limiting mandatory dues charged lawyers to support the Kentucky Bar Association. Rep. Steven Doan, R-Erlanger, the sponsor, said licensed attorneys would no longer be forced “to be associated with or pay dues to a trade […]
Lofton’s Law headed for Senate, would make hazing that causes death or serious injury a felony
FRANKFORT — A bill that would make hazing a separate crime in Kentucky and provide prison sentences for hazing that causes injury or death cleared committee Thursday and now awaits a vote by the Senate. The Senate Judiciary Committee heard from the mother of Thomas “Lofton” Hazelwood, 18, who died in 2021 of alcohol poisoning […]
Kentucky Supreme Court keeps abortion ban in place
The Kentucky Supreme Court has ruled against an ACLU request to uphold an injunction that had briefly reinstated access to abortion in Kentucky. That means the commonwealth’s six-week abortion ban will remain intact as the case is litigated. The high court decision came down Thursday more three months after arguments on the issue were heard […]