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Hello John ,
Happy September! Kids are back in school, and one of the things that high school kids will see at school is the poster with the number for the "Safe Haven Baby Box". Young mothers in crisis can call 1-866-99BABY1 and find information and location for the nearest Baby Box where they can surrender an infant - with no questions asked. The baby will be instantly cared for and immediately entered into the adoption process, with many finding a "forever home" within 90 days. The HB272 bill to make this happen passed the Legislature unanimously in both houses - bipartisanship at its best!. The boxes have saved 50 infants nationwide, and 4 right here in Kentucky. Learn more here.
I am working with a group of legislators on good bill ideas for 2025, including re-filing my Electronic Privacy bill, bills to protect property rights, bills to protect KY from Federal government overreach and foreign interference, bills to strengthen KY families, and of course bills with improvements in Election Integrity. Speaking of, take a look at this website on election integrity, which is now public information thanks to our work on the Elections Committee. My HB44 prompted a historical purge than got rid of 11,122 people that had been dead for decades, as we heard in testimony at the 8/22/24 Committee meeting.
All together, since 2020, the Board of Elections has removed over 400,000 voter names that had either "passed away, moved away, or been put away" - close to 10% of the population of KY!
In November, Kentuckians will use an ID to vote on 100% paper ballots, with vote totals posted at every precinct before workers go home, and with a post election human eye audit in every county to ensure the tabulators were not hacked or tampered with.
Big improvements, more to come!
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District 36 Road & Traffic Plans | |
ROAD CONSTRUCTION PROJECT UPDATES
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IMove I64 Interchange https://i-moveky.com/ New Ramp from I-265N to I-64 West opened in August. What a great improvement! It has a long slow curve, and plenty of space to accelerate and merge on I-64. The most hated and hazardous double merge ramp in District 36 has now been demolished. Rest in pieces, old exit!
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Old Henry Expansion Asphalt topcoat and striping were being installed in August, and the construction mess is getting cleaned up, and new grass planted. Project is on track to finish this winter. When complete, this provides a 3rd East-West connector from Jefferson to Shelby and Oldham counties, and provides more options that avoid the freeway.
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Billtown Rd improvements on three sections of KY 1819/Billtown Road. The project is expected to be completed by the summer of 2025.
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N English Station Widening Project: utility relocation are pacing the project, will continue into 2026. KYTC anticipates awarding bids for the project construction in the fall of 2026, with construction work between 2027 and 2028.
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US 60 Gilliland intersection project: Utility relocation (complicated) has begun, and will take until 2026, with construction starting afterward.
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I64 Interchange Study: The Planning study and recommended alternative will be completed in the Fall of 2024. Basically this study is just to come up with a final plan and cost estimate to be considered in future budgets. I do not expect dirt to move for 6+ years, maybe longer.
We have so much road construction funded and planned for Jefferson County in the next 6 years; the biggest problems are going to be competition for scarce labor, building materials, and equipment. I wish we could make the process go faster, but it is going!
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The Road Plan includes these District 36 projects in the 2025-26 budget cycle and 6 year plan:
- Gilliland Rd intersection at US 60
- KY 155 widening from I265 to Fisherville
- Johnson Road plan for reconstruction
- US 60 widening to 6 lanes in Middletown
- KY 155 widening from Fisherville to Spencer Co
- KY 1819/Billtown Rd reconstruction
- Eastwood-Fisherville I64 exit & Connector road study
- I 265 pavement improvements
- KY 1819 pavement improvements
- Plantside Dr/Rehl Rd Extension to Taylorsville Rd
- KY1819/Watterson Trail reconstruction
- Clark Station bridge repairs
Projects are funded in 5 stages:
1 Planning
2 Design
3 Right of Way
4 Utility Relocation
5 Construction
Major projects are underway at KY155, I265 and I64, and Old Henry road, with detours often. Sign up here for email ROAD CONSTRUCTION & DETOUR UPDATES
Help Louisville Metro fix potholes by reporting online!
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KY Constitutional Amendments on the Ballot in November! | |
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Constitutions establish the fundamental principles and framework of a government and define the distribution of powers, citizens' rights, and the rule of law. Our KY constitution was adopted in 1891, and Kentucky voters have approved 42 constitutional amendments over the past 133 years. For example, it was amended in 1975 to restructure the court system; in 1992 to reform the executive branch and change the succession order; and in 2002 to create family courts.
The ability to amend the constitution allows us to adapt to changing needs and address legal ambiguities, but it is not taken lightly. Amendments all have to pass the Committee I serve on in the House, as well as the full Legislature, to then be on the ballot for voter approval.
The new language is in yellow below, the rest of the language is unchanged.
Amendment #1 (Only Citizens Vote) on the ballot reads:
Are you in favor of amending Sections 145 and 155 of the Constitution of Kentucky to prohibit persons who are not citizens of the United States from being allowed to vote in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, as stated below?
It is proposed that section 145 of the Constitution of Kentucky be amended to read as follows:
Every citizen of the United States of the age of eighteen years who has resided in the state one year, and in the county six months, and the precinct in which he or she offers to vote sixty days next preceding the election, shall be a voter in said precinct and not elsewhere. No person who is not a citizen of the United States shall be allowed to vote in this state. The following persons also shall not have the right to vote:
1. Persons convicted in any court of competent jurisdiction of treason, or felony, or bribery in an election, or of such high misdemeanor as the General Assembly may declare shall operate as an exclusion from the right of suffrage, but persons hereby excluded may be restored to their civil rights by executive pardon.
2. Persons who, at the time of the election, are in confinement under the judgment of a court for some penal offense.
3. Idiots and insane persons.
It is proposed that section 155 of the Constitution of Kentucky be amended to read as follows:
The provisions of Sections 145 to 154, inclusive, shall not apply to the election of school trustees and other common school district elections. Said elections shall be regulated by the General Assembly, except as otherwise provided in this Constitution. No person who is not a citizen of the United States shall be allowed to vote in said elections.
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Amendment #2 (School Choice) will appear on the ballot as:
To give parents choices in educational opportunities for their children, are you in favor of enabling the General Assembly to provide financial support for the education costs of students in kindergarten through 12th grade who are outside the system of common (public) schools by amending the Constitution of Kentucky as stated below?
It is proposed that a new section be added to the Constitution of Kentucky to read as follows:
The General Assembly may provide financial support for the education of students outside the system of common schools. The General Assembly may exercise this authority by law, Sections 59, 60, 171, 183, 184, 186, and 189 of this Constitution notwithstanding.
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Bills from the House Judiciary Commitee; these are now law: (look up any here)
Fighting Human Trafficking – HB 3 adds hotels and rest areas to the list of places required to post human trafficking awareness information and expands the options for required postings. The measure also creates a working group to collect, study, and report statewide human trafficking data.
Protecting Innocent Kentuckians/Safer Kentucky Act – HB 5 contains multiple provisions aimed at preventing crime and addressing criminal activity at all levels. The measure targets experienced and persistent violent felony offenders, regulates bail funding organizations, creates a statute for carjacking, removes early release for criminals using guns in crimes, enhances the penalty for the murder of a first responder, hardens sentences for adults using juveniles as criminal accomplices, cracks down on those involved in drive by shootings, improves protocol for involuntary confinement of the mentally ill, increases penalties for attempted murder, and toughens sentencing for those who flee the police.
Addressing Torture of a Dog or Cat/Ethan’s Law – HB 258 makes the torture of a dog or cat a Class D felony and allows each act of torture to be considered as a separate offense.
Protecting Kentucky Children from Sexual Abuse and Pornography – HB 278 increases penalties for adult offenders who are in a position of authority or trust. The measure would also require individuals convicted of distributing child pornography to serve 85% of their sentence.
Clarifying State Intervention in Juvenile Cases – HB 333 requires written consent from a county attorney or district or circuit court judge to allow attorneys from the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to prosecute juvenile court cases.
Improving Advocacy for Children – HB 436 requires a paid guardian be appointed to any unrepresented minors named in an interpersonal protective order, emergency protective order, or domestic violence order. The guardian shall be paid a fee fixed by the court not to exceed $500, which shall be paid by the Finance and Administration Cabinet.
Addressing Persistent Offenders – HB 619 allows the aggregate of consecutive indeterminate prison sentences to exceed the longest term authorized by state law when a person convicted of a felony is convicted or enters a guilty plea to an additional felony while on parole, probation, shock probation, or conditional discharge. The measure also applies to individuals convicted of or enters a guilty plea to an offense that he or she committed while awaiting trial on another offense.
Prosecuting Juveniles Who Commit Adult Crimes – SB 20 allows a juvenile to be tried as an adult if they were at least 15 years old at the time of the alleged crime and used a gun while committing a Class A, B, or C felony.
Protecting Children from Registered Sex Offenders on Social Media – SB 249 require sex offenders who have committed a criminal offense against a victim who is a minor to display their full legal name on social media platforms. The first offense would be considered as a Class A misdemeanor and a Class D felony for second and subsequent offenses. The measure applies retroactively.
I will cover more of the 215 enacted bills in future newsletters. There were nearly 1000 bills that were introduced and not passed - some good, some bad, some will be re-filed.
My 4 Committee assignments are:
- Elections & Constitutional Amendments
- State Government
- Transportation
- Information Technology Oversight Committee (House Co-Chair)
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 John.Hodgson@lrc.ky.gov
I will do my best to answer your questions and consider your input on District 36 issues if you would like to contact me.
In Case You Missed It:
Here are some links to my key bills from the recent Session -
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Let's protect faith, family, and freedom in KY - Liberty is a team sport! | |
Political Happenings in Dist 36 | |
KY Amendment #2 Controversies | |
The School Choice Amendment on the ballot is a hot topic, because more than 50% of our State Budget goes to Education related expenses, and passions run high on this debate, especially in school administrations.
I am 100% supportive of School Choice, especially since KY is one of the few states in the union that does not have any!
I will be voting YES on Amendment 2.
Government officials have to be careful not to expend tax dollars to advocate for or against political candidates or ballot issues. It is required under the Ethics rules, and is also a law:
KRS 65.013 Tax dollars not to be used to advocate for or against public question on ballot.
Local, state, and federal tax dollars shall not be used to advocate, in partial terms, for or against any public question that appears on the ballot. For purposes of this section, "local" means and includes any city, county, urban-county government, consolidated local government, unified local government, charter county government, or special district.
Pulaski County Schools' leadership has put themselves in the middle of a growing legal issue about their repeated use of public resources to tell people to vote against this amendment. The AG has issued an opinion that their actions were illegal. The Governor has weighed in, along with numerous organizations and lawyers. We can expect lawsuits and potential charges in coming weeks if this course continues.
Every official has the personal first amendment right to express their opinion, and the legal right to advocate for or against ballot issues... but not at public expense!
[NOTE: this version of my newsletter does NOT use any taxpayer funds - see what I did there? Not that complicated to stay legal...]
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School Group Touring the Capitol? See my intro video here.
Archived Recent Newsletters:
August 2024 - road project updates, healthcare related new laws,
July 2024 - Budget bills, Shelbyville road plans, legislation taking effect July 15
June 2024 - Road plans, legislation affecting veterans and safety
May 2024 - Veto overrides, session recap, road budget/plan
April 2024 - Session, budget, road bills
March 2024 - mid-session update, Senate Vacancy bill
Feb 2024 - Session update, road budget, City of Eastwood?
Jan 2024 - Priority bills, road budget, 2024 preview
Dec 2023 - Road budget priorities, 2024 Session preview, election recap
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
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Thanks for reading and being involved!
John Hodgson
State Representative District 36
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Address: PO Box 74
Fisherville, KY 40023
Phone: (502) 276-5213
https://hodgson4ky.com/
Social Media:
@Hodgson4KY on X (Twitter)
JohnHodgson@Substack.c
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