LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- There are only two days left in Kentucky's legislative session, and a number of bills have yet to be voted on. Two of those measures address no-knock warrants.
A House bill banning no-knock warrants entirely, named after Louisville resident Breonna Taylor, will likely go nowhere, according to a co-sponsor, because it has not even received a vote in a committee. A Senate bill limiting the use of such warrants, however, awaits a vote by the House after being approved by the Senate last week.
Senate Bill 4, filed by Senate President Robert Stivers, would limit no-knock warrants to being served only between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. and for potentially violent cases.
"For instance, there's the weapons of mass destruction, kidnapping (and) terrorism," said Sen. David Yates, a Louisville Democrat who is co-sponsoring SB 4.
The measure also requires the officer seeking the warrant to have approval from a supervisor, consult with a commonwealth attorney or county attorney and disclose to the judge any previous attempts asking a different judge to sign off on the warrant. Additionally, the bill requires officers on a raid to wear body cameras.
"If it wasn't for the situation surrounding the death of Breonna Taylor, then we probably would not be here today," said Sen. David Yates, a Louisville Democrat who is co-sponsoring SB 4. "I hope that her death won't be in vain."
Related: Changes proposed to Kentucky bill aimed at limiting no-knock warrants
Rep. Attica Scott, another Louisville Democrat, is the author of "Breonna's Law," the House bill banning no-knock warrants entirely. Because there is no time for her legislation to make it through, she said she is working with colleagues to make changes to SB4.
"One amendment would mandate that there is an EMT, some kind of ambulance service that is near by," Scott said. "It would also address some of the issues that were brought up around drug offenses being included in the categories of no-knock warrants."
Although differences remain, legislators on both sides of the aisle said they are working toward a common goal.
"I truly do hope that, whatever passes, that it's a good bill that saves people's lives across Kentucky," Scott said.
Kentucky lawmakers will resume their session on March 29 and 30.
Related Stories:
- Changes proposed to Kentucky bill aimed at limiting no-knock warrants
- Kentucky lawmakers working on compromise bill to limit no-knock search warrants
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