Jeffersontown, KY – The American Heart Association, Kentucky Cancer Consortium, Kentucky Youth Advocates and the YMCA Youth Association presented the 2012 Community Fitness Champion award today to Senator Katie Stine of Northern Kentucky. Her sponsorship and leadership in the passage of Senate Bill 110 during the 2012 Kentucky General Assembly was celebrated by many across the state, and this award recognizes the important role she played in making Kentucky a healthier place to live, work and play.

SB 110 encourages schools in Kentucky to share facilities with community members and agencies during non-school hours by extending the same protections from liability that they have during the school day to after hours. A recent study by Kentucky Youth Advocates and the Kentucky Cancer Consortium,  Sharing School Facilities: How Collaboration Can Increase Physical Activity in Communities, revealed that many schools engage in shared-use, but the fear of liability was listed as an obstacle for many principals. SB 110 helps alleviate some of those concerns.

“SB 110 was an effort to ensure there was a partnership with and support for public schools. It is my hope that this bill will encourage families and organizations to use their local schools to foster a stronger partnership for their own health as well as the community’s,” said Senator Stine.

The American Heart Association, Kentucky Cancer Consortium, Kentucky Youth Advocates and the YMCA Youth Association thank Senator Stine for her leadership and look forward to seeing the impact SB 110 has on communities across the Commonwealth.