February 5, 2018
Visit from Lawrence Co. Supt. Fletcher noted by York; 400 emails a day coming in, she says…
FRANKFORT, Ky., February 5, 2018 – By this time in our legislative world, over 40 House and Senate bills have passed at least one chamber at this point in the session, with two bills receiving final passage. That’s a good pace considering the many weighty issues that are being considered each day here at the Capitol.
It’s been said for a long time that technology would erase barriers and help pull the world closer together. I think a good part of that is true. Our connectivity to one another is greater than it has ever been before. Email let’s us zap our letters out instantly and social media users banter about, add followers and count “likes” at a rapid-fire pace.
I mention that as a shout-out to everyone who has taken to Facebook, Twitter and email to ask me about something they heard on the internet or to pass along a letter someone wanted them to forward.
Thank you for taking the time to keep me informed! This year has brought never before seen amounts of email into my office. We have forty-three thousand people in the 96th District alone — before you add comments and concerns from the remaining 4.3 million folks in the Commonwealth! Some days see 400 new messages hitting my legislative in-box. I do read through them all and count those that relay personal insight from within my district as especially dear.
Most of the recent messages have been from educators sharing concerns about the Governor’s budget address that suggested that teacher health insurance would lose funding. The big questions on their minds: “Will this idea pass? Will there be any other budget ideas considered?”
I’ve been copying and pasting answers to those questions over and over on Facebook in the past few days and would like to also address them here.
The Governor’s budget proposal gets budget talks started and then both the House and the Senate create plans of their own so two more plans are in the works. Adding those chamber’s ideas into the mix means that it is highly unlikely that the Executive branch plan will pass without a whole lot of revision.
About the de-funding teachers’ health insurance question, specifically — I have not encountered much support in the House for that measure. It will be no shock to those who know me well that it is not something that I can support.
What I do know is that the House and Senate budget plans are being put together now and I know that I and other members are working to first address the big hits included in the current proposal — health insurance and school transportation, while keeping an eye on ways to hold onto the other great programs and services our kids need.
I am very grateful to all who have contacted me in advocacy for the programs and agencies they want us to make priorities and keep maintained through this budget process. Keep up the good work letting me and other legislators know about the concerns you have.
Especially helpful was a visit from Dr. Robbie Fletcher, who always does a great job keeping me informed on issues confronting Lawrence County Schools, but this time he went so far as to hand carry the data to me about what the cuts and shift of costs from the state to local districts would mean to the Lawrence County district.
There is great value in a superintendent who works openly and honestly, honoring collaboration and ideas from educators within the schools and building that trust outward to include those of us working for our citizens at the state level.
The real-world impacts and numbers we discussed undoubtedly translate similarly to Carter County as well and that enables me to mount a great case against the bulk of the cuts and what they would do to our rural school districts.
In other activity, House Bill 84 passed the chamber with a vote of 88-0 and is now before the Senate. HB 84 would require coroners or medical examiners who know that the deceased person in their care intends to be an organ or tissue donor to release information to an organ and tissue procurement agency. This initiative makes uniform the procedures of notification so that all who have chosen to donate in such a manner’s gifts can be used timely and honors their wishes.
There is no higher honor for me than to serve as your representative in Frankfort. As always, I welcome your comments and concerns on any issues impacting our Commonwealth. I can be reached through the toll-free message line in Frankfort at 1-800-372-7181, or you can contact me via e-mail at jill.york@lrc.ky.gov. You can keep track of committee meetings and potential legislation through the Kentucky Legislature Home Page at www.lrc.ky.gov.
