Contact:
Andrea Bennett
502-381-1176
abennett@kyyouth.org

Two Blueprint for Kentucky Children bills progressed through the legislature today with favorable votes from the House Judiciary Committee. Below are statements on each bill from Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates.

“Thank you to the Kentucky House for passing HB 109 today sponsored by Representative Joni Jenkins. This bill will better protect child victims of repeated abuse that occurred over a period of time, known as a continuous course of conduct. While children can often remember details about when abuse occurred, they often have difficulty remembering a specific date on which the abuse happened. Accommodating a child’s more generalized testimony of abuse recognizes the effects age and trauma can have on a child’s memory. We thank Representative Joni Jenkins for sponsoring this bill. We also thank all Representatives who spoke in favor of the bill on the House floor and for the unanimous favorable vote in the House today. We look forward to this important priority for children becoming a reality in 2016.”

“HB 40 sponsored by Chairman Darryl Owens and Representative David Floyd to expunge some felonies is crucial to helping parents get back to work and support their families without being held back by past mistakes. Parents who messed up but are back on track often have a hard time finding employment, furthering their education, and finding stable housing, which impacts their children, even if they have stayed on track after serving their sentences. This bill is a pro-family, pro-child bill, and we thank Chairman Darryl Owens and Representative David Floyd for championing this piece of legislation. We look forward to the Senate taking up this bill and passing it this legislative session.”