Seven more Senate bills will be waiting in the Kentucky House’s inbox come Monday. The Republican-led chamber passed a flurry of legislation ahead of more winter storm warnings.
While House Speaker Greg Stumbo chose to suspend session activities in his chamber Thursday and Friday, the Senate pressed ahead on a number of measures – including SB 71, guaranteeing students’ right to “express religious and political viewpoints in school assignments free from discrimination” and to voluntarily pray in a non-disruptive manner in school.
Bill sponsor Sen. Albert Robinson said it does not expand rights but collects a number of provisions under one umbrella. But Democratic Sen. Morgan McGarvey asked what would happen were a student to publish personal attacks or offensive material in a student newspaper.
"Do the school administrators, as has been held by the courts who act as sort of the publishers in that instance, have any type of control in what goes in front of the student body. Is that something they that should have? I think that's a question before this body as we decide this today," he told his colleagues. "It's been stated that this bill doesn't expand the rights of any students in Kentucky. Well, if it doesn't expand the rights, why are we looking at it?"
The Senate also approved a bill mandating a Supreme Court review of judicial districts during legislative redistricting years, a measure expanding health plan coverage for colorectal cancer screenings, and several other pieces of legislation.
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