FRANKFORT, Ky. (WDRB) -- The Kentucky General Assembly passed legislation that would grant broader spending authority to superintendents of Jefferson County Public Schools and limit how often the Jefferson County Board of Education can meet, among other items.

The Senate approved changes made to Senate Bill 1 on a 21-15 vote with one “pass” vote from Sen. Adrienne Southworth, R-Lawrenceburg, on Thursday. Republican Sens. Julie Raque Adams, C.B. Embry, Alice Forgy Kerr, Brandon Smith, Brandon Storm, Johnnie Turner and Whitney Westerfield joined the upper chamber’s Democrats in opposition.

The legislation began as a bill giving superintendents across the state control of curriculum design and principal hiring, but it was amended in the House to include language from another bill on how teachers can handle social studies lessons, particularly regarding issues of race and gender, and new language limiting the JCPS board to meeting once every four weeks to approve "necessary administrative matters" and allowing JCPS superintendents to approve purchases and contracts worth up to $250,000 without board approval.

JCPS superintendents can currently spend up to $20,000 on purchases and contracts without board approval.

The language targeting JCPS drew a rebuke from Jefferson County Board of Education Chairwoman Diane Porter, who said in a statement Wednesday that she would push the board to take “appropriate legal action if these targeted attacks against our duties as duly elected officials are not remediated in the final version of the bill.”

“The attempt to restrict the authority of a duly elected board of education for the state’s largest majority-minority district is very concerning and perhaps unconstitutional,” Porter said. “... Efforts to undermine that authority and single-out only one board of education fails the requirement that we have as a system of common schools across the state.”

Some Louisville-area senators expressed similar reservations about SB 1, which cleared the House on a 67-29 vote Tuesday.

“These are elected officials who represent just as many people as the members of this body, and here we are from Frankfort saying when they can and can't meet, arbitrarily setting limits,” said Senate Minority Floor Leader Morgan McGarvey, D-Louisville. “What if something comes up and they need to call a board meeting?”

Sen. David Yates, D-Louisville, said he has heard only “pure frustration” with the provisions singling out JCPS in SB 1.

“The way this legislation is written, we're going to micromanage the Jefferson County school board without the support of one elected official from Louisville in here,” Yates said.

Other concerns with the legislation prompted opposition from Republicans and Democrats.

Westerfield, R-Crofton, worried that future legislatures would add or remove works from the 24 documents required for instruction in language added from Senate Bill 138. Senate Minority Caucus Chair Reginald Thomas, D-Lexington, argued that language from SB 138 would essentially “chill” classroom lessons on sensitive subjects.

“Teachers are now going to be reluctant to be afraid or hesitate to say things that are very educational regarding our children,” Thomas said.

Sen. Max Wise, a Campbellsville Republican who sponsored SB 138, said language from his bill would not stifle classroom instruction and that students will still learn about “atrocities” and “mistakes” in U.S. history.

“There is nothing, nothing in this that will tell the teacher you cannot teach on a certain subject matter,” Wise said. “... It's not a list of don'ts. It’s a list also of opportunities to engage and educate our young people.”

SB 1 will move to Beshear’s desk for his signature or veto.

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