About Tara Grieshop-Goodwin

This author has not yet filled in any details.
So far Tara Grieshop-Goodwin has created 51 blog entries.

This Week in the Kentucky Legislature: Speedy Bills

In a short legislative session (only 30 days), bills need to move fast if they’re going to make it. And several Blueprint for Kentucky’s Children priorities moved forward this week. HB 145 to create a statewide indoor smoke-free law passed the full House on February 13. This is the first time a statewide smoke-free bill has cleared the Kentucky House and was an important step forward in clearing the air for Kentucky children and pregnant [...]

By |2015-02-13T10:50:54-05:00February 13th, 2015|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Education, Health|

This Week in the Kentucky Legislature: Bill Filings and a Big Step Forward

This week was the first week back of the legislature after they took a month-long break during January. A lot happened on Blueprint for Kentucky’s Children priorities this week, and with this being a short session, we expect action to pick up quickly. HB 145 to create a comprehensive, statewide indoor smoke-free law passed the House Health and Welfare Committee on Thursday, February 5 with testimony from a bipartisan group of legislators from the House [...]

By |2015-02-06T10:58:27-05:00February 6th, 2015|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Education, Health|

Poll Shows Voters Support Extending Protective Orders

New data from the Kentucky Health Issues Poll released this week by the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky shows 80 percent of voters support extending protective orders to people in dating relationships. Men and women; Democrats, Republicans, and Independents; and voters in all regions of the state support allowing dating partners to get protective orders. The strong support among voters reinforces the bipartisan support that has emerged on the issue from policymakers. Senator Whitney Westerfield [...]

By |2015-01-22T08:11:46-05:00January 22nd, 2015|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety|

Beyond the Numbers: People’s Health Suffering from Secondhand Smoke

Today is the Great American Smokeout, a day when the American Cancer Society encourages smokers to develop a plan to quit. The health impacts of smoking affect more than smokers, and a new law could protect workers from secondhand smoke. The Kentucky legislature has been debating passage of a smoke-free indoor workplace bill for several years now. It is easy for such debates to become about ideology, but the kickoff last week for the effort to [...]

By |2014-11-20T11:32:03-05:00November 20th, 2014|Blog, Health|

It’s Time to Protect Young Victims Where Protections Don’t Exist

Did you know the Clarkson Honeyfest is Kentucky’s official state honey festival? Or that it is illegal to release a hog or pig into the wild? With the breadth of issues covered under Kentucky law, it can be surprising to hear some of the critical issues left unaddressed. Last week Friday, members of the Interim Joint Committee on Judiciary heard about one such gap. Current Kentucky law provides no protective order option for victims of [...]

By |2014-11-12T14:34:03-05:00November 12th, 2014|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety|

2015 Blueprint for Kentucky’s Children: Let’s Make It Happen!

A couple weeks ago, I shared with my 2nd grade son that I was going to a strategic planning meeting to talk about how to make things better for the community. My son enthusiastically asked if he could go too. The idea of being a part of figuring out how to make things better for something he cared about excited him. I had to break the news to him that the meeting was during the [...]

New Juvenile Justice Reforms on Track to Positively Impact Kentucky Kids

The implementation of Senate Bill 200, passed during the 2014 session, is underway, and the work reported so far shows great promise for the new law to truly transform the lives of children for the better. After several years of the Unified Juvenile Code Task Force meeting and the many weeks of negotiations as SB 200 moved through the legislative process earlier this year, the courts and state agencies have been working to change practices [...]

By |2014-09-11T13:49:41-04:00September 11th, 2014|Blog, Youth Justice|

REDEEM Act Provides Opportunity for a Second Chance

A bipartisan bill was filed in Congress last month that is good for kids and even has the potential to reduce poverty. Sounds too good to be true, but it happened. Kentucky’s own Senator Rand Paul filed The Record Expungement Designed to Enhance Employment (REDEEM) Act with Democratic co-sponsor Senator Cory Booker. The bill makes changes to both the adult and youth justice systems that essentially allow people to move on with their lives and have a better shot [...]

By |2014-08-07T09:52:15-04:00August 7th, 2014|Blog, Economic Security, Youth Justice|

Ice Cream, Fresh Tomatoes and New Laws

It is July in Kentucky, and the frenzy of the legislative session is only a distant memory as summer staples like trips to grandma’s house, ice cream and fresh tomatoes from the garden fill our attention. Yet, July 15th brought reason to shift our attention momentarily back to the legislative session and celebrate the progress made. On that day, legislation took effect, including a number of substantive wins achieved in the 2014 legislative session for Kentucky children. As of July 15th, doctors who regularly treat children are required to receive training on [...]

Help Determine 2015 Policy Priorities for the Blueprint for Kentucky’s Children

Kentucky Youth Advocates and the Blueprint Steering Committee invite you to give your input on the potential priorities for the 2015 Blueprint for Kentucky's Children agenda. Click here to take the survey. The Blueprint for Kentucky’s Children is a policy initiative created by children’s advocates across the Commonwealth to address the most pressing challenges facing Kentucky children. The Blueprint seeks safe and healthy families, a fair deal for working parents and a fair opportunity for every child [...]

Go to Top