Kentucky teachers poured into the Capitol again Thursday as several counties continued to stage protest "sick-outs." Yet it remained unclear what form education-related bills might take.
Lines to get into the building stretched all the way back to Capitol Avenue. Inside, hundreds huddled at the base of the Kentucky House steps with messages for lawmakers like "No 525!" and "This is our house!"
On the protesters' radar are bills introducing tax credits for donors to private school scholarships — a move demonstrators fear will eat away at public schools resources — and a measure reworking the teacher pension board, among others. Kentucky Education Association President Stephanie Winkler said, as is often the case late in the session, the measures are moving targets.
"We're concerned about lots of bill, frankly, and what could be shifted around and tacked on to various bills," she told WUKY.
Meanwhile, lawmakers in both chambers are meeting for what's known as a free conference committee to work out differences on a possible tax bill, one some speculate could serve as a vehicle for other legislation.
"It's very fluid," said Senate President Robert Stivers, a member of the committee, said.
Asked specifically about the controversial tax credit language, the Manchester Republican responded, "It's really not been discussed because we had those initial documents and everything that's been discussed so far has been right there in the public. There's been no outside discussions on this."
Thursday saw sick-outs in Jefferson, Oldham, and Bullitt counties. Fayette County Public Schools remained open.
Governor Matt Bevin appeared to take aim at the protest tactic on Twitter Wednesday night, writing that, "Tomorrow is a school day in Kentucky... School children should be in school... Learning..."
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