District 36 Newsletter
June 2023
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Greetings!
Happy June!
Pictured with me on Primary election night are your new Republican Nominees for Governor and Attorney General - my friends Daniel Cameron and Russell Coleman! The general election season will be spooling up now, and KY will be in the national news a lot as a predictor of 2024.
In June, the Legislature moves into the "Interim Joint Committee" phase, where the House and Senate committees meet together to discuss 2024 proposed bills in detail, and hear testimony from interested parties. I am working with others on 3 large legislative packages for 2024:
1) Emerging Technology Privacy Bill - covering: privacy from drones, malicious "deepfake" videos, human micro-chipping restrictions, and data usage restrictions from license plate cameras. Any other ideas on what we should look at?
2) Election process - my bills HB214 (audits) and HB230 (voter roll cleanup) did not make it over the finish line in 2023, so they will be worked on in committee this summer, adjusted, and re-launched for 2024 session. KY has greatly improved in election integrity since 2020, with law changes, ranked now #12, and I hope to get us up into the top 10% of the nation.
3) Public Safety - school safety, gang violence, sentencing and parole, jails, rehabilitation, policing, bail groups, witness protection, prosecutor accountability. This is a complex and controversial subject, and now is the time to provide ideas and input. My detailed policy paper on the subject is here: https://conta.cc/43z3Dlo
My office number is 351D in the Capitol Annex.
Office phone is 502-564-8100.
- Elections & Constitutional Amendments
- State Government
- Transportation
Watch live internet video of the session and committees on this KET link. I will do my best to answer your questions and consider your input on District 36 issues if you would like to contact me. Liberty is a team sport!
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Let's protect faith, family, and freedom in KY! |
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District 36 Road & Traffic Plans
The 2022 KY Highway Plan is posted, with $281 Million in projects near District 36.
The 2050 Master long range road plan is here online.
Sign up here for email ROAD CONSTRUCTION & DETOUR UPDATES
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Crash Data (see picture) is a major driver of road priorities in the Biennial Road Budget. Billtown Rd has been hazardous for some years, due to increased development (14,000+ cars a day) with narrow shoulders, many intersections and no turn lanes.
This project adds turn lanes in a dozen places, in addition to widening the road by 4 feet, and improving drainage and sidewalks.
Follow this link for a detailed overview of the project. Other roads in our District will be re-evaluated for safety and traffic this year, for prioritization of future funds.
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Power inherent in the people -- Right to alter, reform, or abolish
government.
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KY Constitution, Section 5:
Right of religious freedom.
"No preference shall ever be given by law to any religious sect, society or denomination; nor to any particular creed, mode of worship or system of ecclesiastical polity; nor shall any person be compelled to attend any place of worship, to contribute to the erection or maintenance of any such place, or to the salary or support of any minister of religion; nor shall any man be compelled to send his child to any school to which he may be conscientiously opposed; and the civil rights, privileges or capacities of no person shall be taken away, or in anywise diminished or enlarged, on account of his belief or disbelief of any religious tenet, dogma or teaching. No human authority shall, in any case whatever, control or interfere with the rights of conscience." -1891
Over the last few years, there has been increasing public controversy over leftist moral and ideological teachings in Public Schools that parents find in conflict with their religious beliefs. An ideology does not need to be an "organized religion" for its tenets to be conscientiously opposed by a parent under the KY Constitution. This is one more reason why School Choice is going to be top priority legislation in 2024. Parents have the right to send their child to a school that does not violate their religious beliefs, in addition to the need for them to have a solid education in reading, writing, math, etc. The quest for such liberty is what drove the Pilgrims to America in 1620, and caused the Founders to protect religious liberty in the Constitution in 1787.
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The KY Constitution of 1891 Is evern longer and more explicit than the US Constitution in protecting our rights. As a legislator, I look to the KY Constitution often to make sure we are on the correct, legal path with lawmaking.
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Legislative Update - Justice and Public Safety |
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2023 Legislative Action on Justice and Public Safety - I voted "yes" on these bills with my colleagues to toughen our criminal laws and penalties:
HB 78 - Incest - Clarifies the relationships prohibited by state incest laws by specifically listing them and closes a loophole to include a relationship between nieces, nephews, and uncles.
HB 249 – Child Murder - Adds to the list of aggravating circumstances the intentional killing of a child under 12 and provides that individuals convicted of a capital offense with an aggravating circumstance could face the death penalty or life in prison without the possibility of parole.
HB 262 – DUI - Toughens penalties in fatalities caused by driving under the influence by
establishing the offense of vehicular homicide and provides that an individual arrested for
a violation shall be detained in custody for at least 6 hours.
HB 338 – Jury Duty - Allows those 70 and older to opt out of jury service instead of waiting for a
judge’s approval. (but they can still run for President!)
HB 353 – Decriminalizes fentanyl testing strips by excluding testing equipment used to
determine the presence of a synthetic opioid or its analogues in controlled substances..
SB 9 – Hazing - Establishes the crime of hazing in the first degree as a Class D Felony and
establishes a Class A misdemeanor for hazing in the second degree.
SB 80 – Prohibits a sex offender from loitering within 1,000 feet of schools, playgrounds,
daycares, public pools, and splash pads. SB 80 also establishes the crime of assault in the
third-degree offense for those who assault emergency room healthcare workers.
SB 199 – Criminalizes the use of tracking devices on motor vehicles without the consent
of the owner. The legislation also clarifies language within DUI statute, and adds
protections to hospitals who draw blood for DUI investigations if a person does not
consent.
SB 203 – Places additional safeguards on private medical records in court cases.
Good Justice and Public Safety Bills that did not get to a final vote, will try again in 2024:
HB 103 – No torture of cats and dogs – no floor vote
HB 371 – Make Fentanyl transport a class B felony - never called to Committee
HB 400 – Increase DUI penalties - never called to Committee
HB 483 – biometric privacy – never called to committee
HB 500 – prevent hostile foreign nations from buying US farmland – no Senate vote
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Political Happenings in Dist 36 |
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Primary Election Results, November Match-ups |
And the Nominees are...
Governor: Attorney General and my friend Daniel Cameron (R) won a crowded 12 way race with a stunning 48% of the vote, and will face incumbent Andy Beshear in the fall in an election that will get a lot of national attention as a predictor of the 2024 Presidential and Congressional races.
Attorney General: My friend Russell Coleman (R) believes in enforcing the law. He was unopposed in the Primary, and will face State Rep. Pamela Stevenson (D) in November.
Secretary of State: Incumbent Michael Adams (R) prevailed over 2 challengers with 64% of the vote, and will face Democrat Charles Wheatley in November.
Secretary of Agriculture: Former State Representative Jonathan Shell (R) won over Richard Heath with 57% of the vote, and will face Democrat Sierra Enlow in November.
State Treasurer: Lexington prosecutor Mark Metcalf (R) had an unexpected 51% victory over 2 better known competitors, and will face Democrat Michael Bowman in the fall.
State Auditor: Current Treasurer Allison Ball (R) easily won the Auditor primary with 72%, and will face Democrat Kimberly Reeder in November.
There are no other positions on the ballot this year.
I would be interested to know who you are supporting and why.
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Small Business JCN Luncheon July 20:
Job Creators Network, the voice in DC for small business and "main street" will be here for a business luncheon July 20 with their president, Alfredo Ortiz. Contact me if you would like to attend! I know a guy.
School Group Touring the Capitol? See my intro video here.
Archived Recent Newsletters:
May 2023 - 2023 Education bills, Taylorsville road project, 2024 priorities
March 2023 - legislative session, N English Station road project, Taiwan ambassador
February 2023 - Part 2 of Session, Eastwood cutoff project, election law
January 2023 - How to track the Session and bills, new legislation, Eastwood Cutoff project
December 2022 - Election recap, legislative preview, how a bill becomes law
September '22 – Eastwood Cutoff project, Constitutional Privacy protection
August '22 – KY 155 / Pope Lick project, Limitations on Government Power
July '22 – First newsletter – our God-given Rights
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Thanks for reading and being involved!
John Hodgson
State Representative District 36
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Address: PO Box 74
Fisherville, KY 40023
Phone: (502) 276-5213
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