Snow remains on the ground and cold temperatures are sticking around, but the legislature was back in action this week. Two Blueprint for Kentucky’s Children bills progressed in the House: HB 429 to create a strong child care sector in Kentucky through a child care council passed the House Health and Welfare Committee on February 24. It now awaits a vote on the House floor. HB 301 to ensure school personnel receive education on child [...]
Photo credit: capitol.ky.gov Winter decided it wanted to intervene with progress in Frankfort this week and brought a blanket of snow and cold temperatures. We hope everyone out there stayed safe and warm in this extreme weather. Due to the weather, the Kentucky House and Senate both cancelled session Tuesday and Wednesday. (They were already scheduled to be out Monday due to President’s Day.) The House ended up taking off the rest of [...]
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 [...]
Yesterday’s Children’s Advocacy Day was one of the biggest yet, with over 700 children, youth, and adults attending to ask leaders to step up for kids in 2015. Thank you to the Blueprint for Kentucky’s Children partners, sponsors, speakers, performers, and elected and appointed officials who made the day possible. And thank you to the hundreds of people—including more than 150 youth—who prioritized Kentucky’s kids and took time to advocate on their behalf! During the [...]
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 [...]
Children’s Advocacy Day is an opportunity for advocates to tell elected officials to stand up for kids and protect Kentucky children. But oftentimes kids don’t have the opportunity to tell those leaders what it is that they need in their homes, schools, and communities. This year, children across the Commonwealth created art and wrote essays telling elected officials what “Kentucky kids need.” That art has been hanging in the tunnel that connects the Capitol to [...]
Check here for up to date information on important legislation related to the Blueprint for Kentucky's Children during the 2015 Kentucky General Assembly. 1. Protect children from abuse by ensuring educators receive information on child abuse recognition and reporting SB 119 sponsored by Senator Julie Raque Adams (companion bill to HB 301) Feb 4 - Introduced in the Senate Feb 6 - Sent to Senate Judiciary Committee Feb 12 - Passed Senate Judiciary Committee Feb [...]
The 11th Annual Children’s Advocacy Day is only one week away. Will you be there next Thursday, February 5th? Hundreds of youth and adults from across the Commonwealth will attend Children’s Advocacy Day to encourage their legislators to step up for kids in 2015. By going to Frankfort on February 5th, you will be one of those advocates for Kentucky’s children. Whether you are a young person or an adult, your voice matters. Whether you [...]
Last week, Governor Beshear announced the results of the Brigance Kindergarten Readiness Screener, which showed that 50 percent of incoming Kindergarteners entered school prepared to learn last fall. That’s a slight improvement from last year’s result of 49 percent and suggests good news for the Commonwealth. We hope this means we are moving in the right direction. Why does it matter? Kindergarten readiness scores are a great tool to help answer the question of how [...]
The Kentucky Core Academic Standards Challenge is still on. Terry Holliday, our Commissioner of Education, on behalf of the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) and in cooperation with a number of education advocacy groups across the state, originally issued this challenge on August 25, 2014. It will stay open until April 30, 2015. Kentucky became the very first state to adopt these standards in 2010. Even in the initial creation and subsequent adoption of them, [...]
