Kentucky lawmakers heading back to Frankfort for legislative session

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Crime, the state budget, and JCPS issues are three of the headlining topics lawmakers are set to take up in the 2024 Kentucky legislative session which begins Tuesday.

Republican leaders in the House say a sweeping public safety bill is one of the top immediate priorities.

The Safer Kentucky Act is a long list of ideas on tackling crime Republican lawmakers presented in September.

House Majority Whip Jason Nemes (R-Louisville) now says the bill is ready to go, and should be filed this week.

Republicans pushing the bill say it includes a Kentucky statute for carjacking, would increase penalties for vandalism, and combats street camping.

Nemes says the legislation also targets persistent violent felony offenders.

"If you're going to assault somebody, burglarize them, or rape or kill them, we're going to treat you much more seriously than we have in the past," Nemes said.

Since before taking office, Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg has stated he wants LMPD to have the ability to destroy weapons used in violent crimes.

Nemes says the public safety bill would meet part of the proposal by allowing ordinary citizens to bid at auctions on confiscated weapons used in violent crimes.

"That an entity, not the taxpayer dollars, but a private individual can purchase the gun," Nemes said. "And they'll never touch it, but they can purchase it for the sole purpose of Kentucky State Police destroying it."

Democratic Senate Whip David Yates is among a bipartisan group backing a proposal that could temporarily remove a gun from someone deemed a threat to themselves, or others.

"I'm all for individuals carrying guns as long as you are a responsible gun owner," Yates (D-Louisville) said. "Not in a mental health crisis with the intention of imminent harm to me or someone else."

Republican Sen. Whitney Westerfield presented two versions of the proposed law, CARR, which stands for Crisis Aversion and Rights Retention. But others in the GOP, including Nemes, are concerned if this could infringe on Second Amendment rights.

"It is taking their constitutional right way under the prediction that they'll commit a crime in the future, and that makes me uncomfortable," Nemes said.

Yates hopes for open minds, especially when thinking of the mass shooting at Old National Bank back in April 2023.

"If that (CARR) doesn't get more open discussion, then I don't know what does," Yates said.

As for the largest school system in the state, Nemes says they could consider legislation about neighborhood schools in light of the transportation issues. He continues to call for an audit of the district.

Nemes says they will look at the future structure of the district, which includes studying whether JCPS should be split up.

"We have 155 schools, that's too big for anybody to manage. It's over a $2 billion budget. That's twice as big as the city of Louisville's budget," Nemes said.

Yates is open to conversations about the future of JCPS, but doesn't agree with splitting up the district.

"I think oversight and accountability is good. I think a working relationship is good," Yates said. "I think we look at seeing what the best funding model is important."

Nemes says there will be some bills related to the Louisville Metro Comprehensive Review Commission's recommendations. That was the bipartisan review ordered by a state law that examined the 20 years of Louisville Metro.

One of those could include a proposal that would make the mayor and Metro Council races non-partisan.

This will be a 60-day legislative session which calls for lawmakers to pass a two-year budget.

The governor pitched his plan last month, but the Republican-led state legislature will have the final say. The House and Senate both hold a veto-proof supermajority.

The House and Senate gavel in at noon on Tuesday January 2, 2024.