Policy Agenda
Successes
Our hard work at Kentucky Youth Advocates in pushing for policies that benefit Kentucky’s youngest citizens has paid off. While there is still much to do, we are proud of what we consider legislative victories.
- Dental Screenings for Children
Pain from dental problems is a leading cause of school absences in Kentucky. It is important to increase children's access to dental providers. With our support, a bill requiring children enrolling in schools to get a dental screening or exam was signed into law on April 15, 2008.
- Booster Seats
Children who are too big for infant seats but too small for regular seats should be properly restrained in a belt-positioning booster seat in order to reduce the risk of crash injuries. Kentucky Youth Advocates supported the passage of a booster seat bill which was adopted on April 14, 2008.
- Read the booster seat Fact Sheet
- Read our Booster Seat Issue Brief
- Bullying
Bullying is a serious issue both nationally and in Kentucky. Kentucky Youth Advocates conducted a comprehensive analysis of how the state addresses bullying in the school system. In 2008 we supported passage of a bill which requires the state Department of Education to craft discipline guidelines. The bill also requires local school authorities to alert law enforcement when school harassment involves a potential felony.
- Read our issue brief Bullying: A Schoolhouse Reality for Kentucky Students.
- Child Sexual Abuse
In 2008, Kentucky Youth Advocates supported passage of House Bill 211 which broadened Kentucky's child sex abuse laws while increasing penalties for abusers and those who fail to report abuse. The bill includes older children under state laws that protect minors from first-degree sexual abuse by raising the age of children covered by the law from 12 to 16, or 16 to 18, if the perpetrator is in a position of trust or authority.
- Graduated Driver’s License (GDL) Legislation
Car accidents are the leading cause of teen death in the United States. Kentucky Youth Advocates lobbied for a GDL that would ease Kentucky teens’ transition from passengers to drivers. A new GDL law went into effect on October 1, 2006.
- Read our issue brief, A Promising Future for Kentucky’s Teen Drivers (October 2006)
- Read an October 2007 press release from Governor Fletcher's office announcing the reduction in fatalities after one year.
- Closing Loopholes in the Captive Real Estate Investment Trust
Kentucky Youth Advocates supported the passage of HB 258 which disallows the dividend paid deduction to captive real estate investment trusts (REITS). The new law closes a loophole and will provide an estimated $20 million to the state’s revenues annually. Read two influential reports to legislators:
- Opposition of Budget Bill HB 184
This legislation failed to pass after much opposition from Kentucky Youth Advocates and a number of other advocacy organizations. The bill would have permitted lawmakers to set aside existing statutory provisions to create new laws within the executive branch budget bill. Generally, the provisions in the budget bill expire after two years, but lawmakers have recently used the budget bill in an attempt to extend or make changes to statutory language permanent, solely through the budget process. There is litigation pending to clarify the situation.
- Raise the Wage Coalition
Kentucky Youth Advocates co-chaired the coalition to increase the state’s minimum wage. HB 305 became law, increasing Kentucky’s current minimum wage of $5.15 an hour by $2.10 over the next two years. Workers began receiving 70 cents more an hour on June 26, 2007. The wage will go to $6.55 an hour in July 1, 2008 and to $7.25 an hour beginning July 1, 2009. Kentucky Youth Advocates hoped to index the state’s minimum wage to inflation, however this provision was removed from the final bill.