December District 36 Newsletter: Election results, Road news, Legislation preview, Politics, and more

District 36 Newsletter

December 2023

Hello John ,

I filed for re-election with the Secretary of State in November, only 11 months after getting sworn in!

The House has short 2 year terms per the Constitution, with the intent to keep Legislators in touch with the taxpayers.

I very much appreciate the support and encouragement I get from the folks of District 36 as I work to protect our interests in Frankfort, and wish a Merry Christmas to all!

We start the 60 day Budget Session Jan 2, and I have a long list of bills I am planning to file or co-sponsor, topics including:

Electronic privacy protection
Voter roll cleanup
Post-election ballot count audits
Safer Kentucky Act, including the Street Camping Ban (as seen on WDRB TV), harsher penalties for violent crime, more support for law enforcement, reforms on bail funding and parole board, mental health confinement, and other provisions to combat violent crime and gang activity.
Fire Protection change notification rules - to prevent "surprise" reductions in Fire and EMS coverage, like we finally got resolved in Fisherville.
Co-sponsoring a number of other measures to shrink government, reduce regulation, safeguard our liberty, and protect us from intrusive leftist ideology

District 36 Road & Traffic Plans

Major projects are underway at KY155, I265 and I64, and Old Henry road, with detours often.

It is Pothole Season! Help Louisville Metro find them all by reporting online!

Road Budget Planning Time!

Every 2 years, the Legislature updates the Road budget for the state. Part of the process is using the "SHIFT" score, that ranks projects by safety, traffic, and economic factors. All of our local projects that are "moving dirt" now will be completed in the current budget. Here are the rankings of projects that have not started yet, that I will be advocating for in the Planning process:

Updating the Road Plan is a complicated and competitive process, as there are 99 other Legislators like me who are seeking the limited project funds for the next 2 years. Click here for an explanation of the process.

Bottom Line: I will be making sure that District 36 competes effectively for scarce road funds in the Budget Planning process over the next few months, and there may be a time that I need to call for some "helpful pressure" from community groups to make sure the rest of KY understands our needs. Stay tuned. Community involvement is important. I welcome any feedback or information you have on road needs.

Constitutional Minute

"Come bail me out!"

US Constitution, 8th Amendment:

"Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted."

What is "excessive"?

In practice, this gives Judges a lot of discretion in how high to set bail to avoid being unfair to impoverished defendants. The intention of bail is to put enough of a person's assets at risk to ensure that the defendant will show up for a court hearing, vs fleeing to another state or country.

In recent years, social justice groups have tried to eliminate cash bail, or have outside charity groups pay the bail for a defendant, so the defendant risks no money. This frequently results in violent criminals who could otherwise not make bail being released pre-trial, and many re-commit violent offenses. The Safer Kentucky Act would regulate this practice in Kentucky.

Section 16 of The KY Constitution of 1891:

Right to bail -- Habeas corpus.

"All prisoners shall be bailable by sufficient securities, unless for capital offenses

when the proof is evident or the presumption great; and the privilege of the writ of habeas

corpus shall not be suspended unless when, in case of rebellion or invasion, the public

safety may require it"

Section 17

"Excessive bail or fine, or cruel punishment, prohibited.

Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel

punishment inflicted" - The wording is the same as the US 8th Amendment

Legislative Update

The 2024 Regular Session starts Jan 2.

This is a 60 day budget session (odd numbered years are only 30 legislative days) and runs Jan 2- Apr 15.

The budget will be at the top of the agenda. The budget itself is a state law that lasts for 2 years, and it is way more than just math and accounting. The law will detail what things are funded and what are de-funded, and attach certain restrictions to those funds. This is the primary responsibility of the Legislature under the KY Constitution, the law that makes all of government possible for 2 more years. Click here for a Budget 101 explanation.

KY has a balanced budget requirement in the constitution - we cannot spend more than we take in via taxes and other revenue. We tax and spend around $13 billion a year from KY residents, with another $30 billion a year coming from other sources like the Federal government, road funds, tobacco settlement funds, and restricted funds.

The Legislature must approve ALL expenditures, even those provided by sources outside KY.

My 4 Committee assignments are:

Elections & Constitutional Amendments
State Government
Transportation
Information Technology Oversight Board (newly formed)

Watch live internet video of the session and committees on this KET link.

I welcome your input and perspective on legislative issues (online form here).

My office number is 351D in the Capitol Annex.

Office phone is 502-564-8100.

State email is [email protected]

I will do my best to answer your questions and consider your input on District 36 issues if you would like to contact me.

Let's protect faith, family, and freedom in KY - Liberty is a team sport!

Political Happenings in Dist 36

Election Recap

Governor - Daniel Cameron (R) lost to incumbent Andy Beshear, in spite of some predictions of an upset. There were a number of factors at play, but the biggest one is that only 38% of the people showed up to vote. In fact, embattled Gov Bevin in 2019 got more votes than the more popular Gov Beshear in 2023. Unseating an incumbent is difficult, but almost impossible when turnout is low, reflecting the mood of the public to leave the status quo alone. Democrats normally carry the urban areas, but this time a big swath of the east that received a lot of help and funding from the floods last year went blue in the Governor race, while voting red in the down ticket races. Beshear will not be eligible for a 3rd term, but may get attention as a future presidential contender based on this win.

Attorney General: Russell Coleman (R) won easily with 58%. We are already working with him on our crime bill, the Safer Kentucky Act. He is the partner we need in the AG office to fight crime.

Secretary of State: Incumbent Michael Adams (R) won easily with 61%. I am working with him on my voter roll cleanup bill and post-election audit bill I hope to pass in 2024.

Secretary of Agriculture: Jonathan Shell (R) won easily with 59%. He will build on the success of Ryan Quarles in that job.

State Treasurer: Lexington prosecutor Mark Metcalf (R) won easily with 57%. He is a solid conservative who will execute the Treasurer job with integrity.

State Auditor: Current Treasurer Allison Ball (R) won easily with 61%. We are working with her already on some planned audits for 2024 already.

Last Notes

School Group Touring the Capitol? See my intro video here.

Archived Recent Newsletters:

Nov 2023 - I64 project,, State Gov Committee bills, election preview

Oct 2023 - Crime bill, Billtown Road project, VMAP Committee bills passed

Sept 2023 - privacy bill, I64 interchange, Family & Children legislation passed

August 2023 - Road budget process, interim committees, Licensing and Admin Regulation bills

July 2023 - Energy & Environment bills, I64/Gene Snyder project, November election lineup

June 2023 - Primary election, crime legislation update, Billtown Road project

May 2023 - 2023 Education bills, Taylorsville road project, 2024 priorities

April 2023 - 2023 Session recap, 2050 road plan

March 2023 - legislative session, N English Station road project, Taiwan ambassador

February 2023 - Part 2 of Session, Eastwood cutoff project, election law

January 2023 - How to track the Session and bills, new legislation, Eastwood Cutoff project

December 2022 - Election recap, legislative preview, how a bill becomes law

November 2022 - KY highway Plan, election preview

October 2022 - I64 Interchange, Judicial races

September '22 – Eastwood Cutoff project, Constitutional Privacy protection

August '22 – KY 155 / Pope Lick project, Limitations on Government Power

July '22 – First newsletter – our God-given Rights

Thanks for reading and being involved!

John Hodgson

State Representative District 36

Hodgson For Kentucky

Donate Today

Get in touch with Email

Address: PO Box 74

Fisherville, KY 40023

Phone: (502) 276-5213