Legislative Accomplishments

Oversight for Taxing Districts – Legislation was passed to strengthen accountability and oversight of state’s 1,200-plus taxing districts that collect revenue from the taxpayers.

Hemp – creating jobs and providing a boost for Kentucky’s farmers was achieved with passage of industrial hemp legislation.

Economic Development – On March 19^th, the Governor signed into law new tax increment financing adjustment legislation to make economic development in Newport more feasible for developers.

Pension Reform – The House and Senate came together to pass bipartisan reform that includes funding and reforms for new hires to strengthen the state pension program.

Human Trafficking – Governor signed House Bill 3 into law that will strengthen enforcement against the fast growing crime of human trafficking.

Prescription Drug Regulation – The General Assembly passed new legislation to cleanup issues with the sweeping prescription drug abuse legislation that passed during last year’s session.

Child Pornography – House Bill 39 was signed into law making viewing of child pornography a criminal offense.

Military Voting – Legislation was passed to make it easier for Kentucky’s active duty citizens to vote while serving in the military overseas during election season.

Land Line Protection – An attempt to de-regulate telephone service in Kentucky was defeated because of the fear of leaving certain areas without reliable telephone and Internet services.

Simplify Alcoholic Beverage Laws – I served on the Governor’s task force and we passed legislation to clean up the state’s hundreds of alcohol laws, meeting the recommendations of the task force.  House Bill 300 provides consistency for the industry, regulators and law enforcement.

Redistricting – The House passed a modified redistricting plan that more fairly aligns legislative districts with the changing population demographics.

Looking Ahead

Looking ahead to 2014’s legislative session, next year’s major focus will be adopting a budget that includes funding for transportation and road projects.  This will be among my top priorities.  I will also continue to work for tougher DUI laws, passage of my rape victim protection legislation, angel tax credits and support for tougher laws against heroin dealers in the Commonwealth.

Representative Dennis Keene has served the citizens of the 67^th District since 2005 and is the chairman of the House Licensing and Occupations Committee, Vice Chairman of Economic Development, Vice Chairman on the Budget Subcommittee on Transportation and a member of the Banking & Insurance Committee.  Keene is a small business owner and an economic development advisor for EGC Construction.  For more information, visit: www.DennisKeene.com.

NKY Enquirer – DAYTON — Several seniors at Dayton High School took a step towards a more successful future Thursday, March 28, by signing letters of intent to further their education.

During the school’s second annual College Signing Day assembly, 40 of the school’s 55 seniors took stage with representatives from various universities, colleges and technical schools to make a commitment to attend the schools this fall.

“This event is like what they have at other schools where athletes get to sign with the school they plan to play for,” said school counselor Jen Glass. “We felt that our students committing to go to college deserved to be recognized for their accomplishments.”

Glass said during the past several years, the district has been through a lot, with much of the focus being on the negative.

This event, which serves as an opportunity for students to show how hard they’ve worked and how resilient they’ve been, focuses on the positive, Glass said.

“This is just a way for us to recognize these students for all their hard work,” Glass said.

Principal Rick Wolf said last year, when the students scored an average of 16.5 on the ACT, he challenged them to do better.

Wolf said the students answered that challenge by bringing up the class average to 18.

During the assembly, State Representative Dennis Keene, D-Wilder, congratulated the students on their accomplishments and talked about the importance of education.

“Education is one of the keys to developing our economy in the Commonwealth,” Keene said.

Speaker Jack Moreland, president of Southbank Partners and former superintendent of Dayton schools, encouraged the students to work hard, stay committed and do something they really want to do.

“If you do something you love, you’ll never work a day in your life,” Moreland said.

To honor the students’ achievements, Keene provided a special pen, usually only given when a bill is signed into a law, to each of the students to sign their letters of intent.

To participate in the event, students had to meet five requirements including holding a senior conference, applying to at least one college, going on at least one college visit, taking the ACT at least twice and completing a FAFSA application for financial aid.

The event was part of the school’s Operation Preparation week, which included daily activities meant to help students be college and career ready.

Click here to read NKY Enquirer story.

The committee reviews matters pertaining to professional licensing not assigned specifically to another committee; racing; prize fighting and wrestling; places of entertainment; alcoholic beverage control; private corporations; cooperative corporations and marketing associations; religious, charitable and educational societies; nonprofit corporations; professional service corporations; cemeteries; barbers and cosmetologists; professional engineers and land surveyors; architects; real estate brokers and agents public accountants; detection of deception examiners; auctioneers; business schools; warehouses; partnerships; trade practices.

Below are summaries of Bills Drafted by Licensing & Occupations Staff That Have Passed Both Chambers as of March 13, 2013:

HB 66

AN ACT relating to coal mine reclamation, making an appropriation therefor, and declaring an emergency.

Defines “actuarial soundness,” “Date of establishment of the fund,” “discount rate,” “Kentucky Reclamation Guaranty Fund,” “Reclamation guaranty fund commission,” and “Voluntary bond pool”; creates sections to establish the Kentucky reclamation guaranty fund and identifies the funding sources and use of moneys into the fund; establishes the Kentucky Reclamation guaranty fund commission as a seven-member commission; identifies the members of the commission and the terms of membership; assigns the commission to the Energy and Environment Cabinet and authorizes the commission’s functions and duties; establishes the Office of the Reclamation Guaranty Fund and allows the commission to hire an executive director; prescribes the duties of the director; prescribes the start-up funding mechanisms for the Kentucky Reclamation Guaranty Fund and requires payment of onetime assessment within 30 days after notice and prohibits issuance of a permit until onetime assessment is paid; creates exemption from the onetime assessment for former voluntary bond pool members; establishes tonnage fees for members and a deviation from those fees for former voluntary bond pool members; allows a permittee to post full cost bond in lieu of participation in the fund; requires audits and actuarial studies; requires report of the financial status of the Reclamation Guaranty Fund annually to the Interim Joint Committee on Natural Resources and Environment; establishes sanctions and penalties for nonpayment of fees and assessments; makes documents issued in response to subpoenas confidential and not subject to open records; amends KRS 12.020 to add the Office of the Reclamation Guaranty Fund; amends KRS 350.595 to add the Reclamation Guaranty fund and deletes references to the former voluntary bond pool; amends KRS 350.990 to send 50 percent of recovered funds to the reclamation guaranty fund rather than the voluntary bond pool; repeals the following KRS sections: 350.700, 350.705, 350.710, 350.720, 350.725, 350.730, 350.740, 350.745, 350.750, and 350.755; adds noncodified section to wind up operations of the Kentucky Reclamation Guaranty Fund; adds noncodified section to declare an emergency. 

HB 100

AN ACT relating to auctions.

Amends KRS 330.220 to permit an individual party to a dissolving trust or limited liability company to bid as an individual entity apart from the selling entity on real or personal property being offered at auction pursuant to that dissolution; amends KRS 45A.365 to clarify notice requirements.

HB 104

AN ACT relating to healthcare providers.

Amends KRS 309.130 to define “licensed professional art therapist associate”; amends KRS 309.1305 to include licensed professional art therapist associate; amends KRS 309.1315 to require the board to establish requirements and qualifications for supervision and conditions for inactive status; creates a new section of KRS 309.130 to 309.1399 to establish licensure of professional art therapist associates; provides education requirements, supervision requirements, term of licensure and extension provisions, and advancement procedures; amends KRS 309.1335 to include licensed professional art therapist associates; amends KRS 309.135 to establish fees for licensed professional art therapist associates; amends KRS 311.860 to give the supervising physician or the credentialing facility oversight of a physician assistant’s nonseparate location practice; reduce the waiting period before a newly graduated physician assistant may practice in a separate location from 18 months to 3 months; make the 3-month waiting period effective until May 31, 2014; revoke the waiting period beginning on June 1, 2014; remove the board’s authority to modify or waive the separate location practice privileges.

HB 109

AN ACT relating to athletic trainers.

Amends KRS 311.900, 311.901, 311.903, 311.905, 311.907, 311.909, and 311.911 to require licensure rather than certification for authorized practice by athletic trainers; qualifies a person for licensure without having to meet any new application, fee, or national board requirements if the person was certified by the board on July 12, 2006; amends KRS 160.445 and 319B.090 to conform.

HB 120

AN ACT relating to real estate appraisal.

Creates new sections of KRS 324A.150 to 324A.164 to establish the appraisal management company recovery fund; directs the Real Estate Appraisers Board to assess each registrant an annual fee of $800 to be included in the fund; designates purposes of the funds to benefit Kentucky licensed or certified real property appraisers who have suffered a loss as a result of an appraisal management company ceasing to be registered if the appraiser has received a final judgment from a court of competent jurisdiction within the Commonwealth, and if the board determines that there is no viable alternative for full restitution; adds that amount of payment to an appraiser includes any reasonable and appropriate court costs associated with determining the final judgment in favor of the appraiser; designates procedures for payment of restitution to one or more appraisers from the fund if the restitution exceeds the balance in the fund; directs the board to promulgate administrative regulations to ensure the balance in the fund shall not fall below $300,000; authorizes the board to assess fees upon appraisal management companies not to exceed $800 per year whenever the fund drops below the required minimum balance and instructs board to cease imposing fees when the balance of the fund is replenished to the required minimum balance; requires the board to make public a statement of income and expenses of the appraisal management company recovery fund in accordance with KRS 424.180 and 424.190; amends KRS 324A.150 to include under the definition of “appraisal management company” providing software products used to select appraisers or order appraisals; amends KRS 324A.154 to delete the requirement for an applicant to maintain a surety bond with the board in addition to the filing fee for the company; amends KRS 324A.164 to clarify under the exemptions from company registration that an exempt real estate broker or agent properly licensed is doing business in Kentucky by listing or selling real estate; amends KRS 324A.010 to include electronic communication under the definitions for “appraisal” and “appraisal report”; adds definition for a “federally related transaction”; amends KRS 324A.015 to delete initial terms for board members and mandates appraiser appointees be certified and engaged in appraisal in Kentucky for at least 10 years; amends KRS 324A.030 to require certificate holders and licensees to maintain a current e-mail address and phone number; imposes a penalty not to exceed $200 for failure to notify the board within 30 days if contact information has changed; prohibits a person from performing duties usually performed by a certified real property appraiser for a federally related transaction unless holding a valid license or certification for a real property appraiser in Kentucky; amends KRS 324A.035 to direct the board to promulgate administrative regulations for appraisers who perform appraisals of real property in federally related transactions; amends KRS 324A.045 to mandate that 6 months or more after renewal, a former certificate or license holder shall meet all current requirements as if applying for initial certification or licensure; creates a new section of KRS Chapter 324A to establish requirements for a national and state criminal background check for initial applicants for licensure or certification as a real property appraiser; amends KRS 324A.050 to include a cap on the fine per violation the board may impose at $5,000; adds ability of the board to discipline if sufficient grounds exist in another jurisdiction that are sufficient to cause disciplinary action to be taken in this state; designates what constitutes the minimum standard of conduct and performance for a licensee or credential holder; authorizes the board in any proceeding imposing a 30-day or more suspension or revocation to order the respondent to pay actual investigation costs and proceedings not to exceed $10,000; amends KRS 324A.065 to conform and to make a technical correction; amends KRS 324A.075 to mandate an individual from an another state with substantially equivalent to or greater requirements to apply within this state if seeking to practice within Kentucky; amends KRS 324A.090 and 324A.152 to conform. 

HB 153

AN ACT relating to barbers.

Amends various sections of KRS Chapter 317 to eliminate the barber apprenticeship; amends KRS 317.450 to require graduation from a licensed school of barbering as a prerequisite to qualifying for a license to practice barbering; establishes the probationary examination, license, and probationary period of six continuous months prior to issuance of a barber license; permits the board to discipline a probationary licensee or to require a retake of any part of the exam during the probation period; eliminates the barber apprenticeship examination fee of $150 and various other apprenticeship fees, and in lieu thereof permits but not requires the board to charge a single combined barber examination fee not to exceed $300.

HB 162

AN ACT relating to elevator inspections and licensure.

Amends KRS 198B.400 to make technical corrections; amends KRS 198B.4013 to allow both full and limited licensure as an elevator mechanic; sets the limited license as an “accessibility and residential elevator mechanic” license; adds definitions consistent with the new license type; directs an accessibility and residential elevator mechanic license applicant to include the types of elevators he or she has installed, maintained, or serviced in the applicant’s years of experience; requires the applicant to prove that he or she has at least 12 months of qualifying experience; mandates passage of an authorized examination and completion of a recognized training program for an accessibility and residential elevator mechanic license; deletes lapsed timing requirements.

HB 176

AN ACT relating to cosmetologists.

Amends KRS 317A.155 to allow a licensed cosmetologist or nail technician who practices in a salon licensed by the board to render services to a terminal patient receiving the services of hospice either at home or in a hospice inpatient unit.

HB 221

AN ACT relating to local option elections.

Creates a new section of KRS Chapter 242 to exempt listed projects or districts from a precinct vote in favor of prohibition if the precinct is located either partially or entirely within a qualifying city; defines a qualifying city as one with a total population of at least 12,000 within its municipal boundaries based on the most recent decennial census; excludes pre-existing entertainment destination centers, theme restaurant destination attraction projects, and districts of special interest from a precinct-level vote in favor of prohibition; limits exemption for districts of special interest to those districts that are designated as an entertainment district and that have a minimum city government investment of $5,000,000 in infrastructure or other public space; forbids changes to the boundaries of a district of special interest after the submission of a prohibition petition unless the resulting vote is against prohibition.

HB 315

AN ACT relating to alcoholic beverages.

Amends KRS 243.150 to allow a brewery to serve samples produced at the brewery, on brewery premises, in amounts not to exceed 16 ounces per patron per day if the brewery is located in wet territory.

SB 110 

AN ACT relating to the standardbred development fund.

Amends KRS 230.770 to delete the requirement that progeny eligible for the standardbred development fund are sired by stallions standing within the Commonwealth.

Since its beginning 14 years ago, the Kentucky Lottery has earned over $3.5 billion for Kentucky ‘s state treasury. Currently, Kentucky Lottery dividends support college grants and scholarships, childhood reading and adult literacy programs, and the State’s General Fund.

Lottery proceeds fund millions annually in state student financial aid awards, including the College Access Program (CAP) Grant, the Kentucky Tuition Grant (KTG), the merit-based Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship (KEES) program and the KHEAA Teacher Scholarship. Most notable is the KEES program that is a merit–based scholarship given to Kentucky students based on their high school GPAs and ACT/SAT scores.

During Fiscal Year 2012, 766 grants and scholarships worth $1.3 million were awarded to students in House District 67.  This is part of the 2,299 grants and scholarships worth $3.6 million in Campbell County awarded last year.

Colleges, universities and vocational schools also felt the impact of Lottery funds.  Northern Kentucky University saw 4,763 grants and scholarships worth nearly $7 million used on its campus.

Prior to 1999, the Council on Postsecondary Education found the number of students attending college in Kentucky had remained flat for several years.  Since the start of the Lottery funded scholarship and grant programs, college attendance in the Commonwealth has jumped more than 40%.  At the same time, KEES data indicates more of Kentucky’s best and brightest students are staying in Kentucky to attend college.

Representative Dennis Keene has served the citizens of the 67^th District since 2005 and is the chairman of the House Licensing and Occupations Committee, Vice Chairman of Economic Development, Vice Chairman on the Budget Subcommittee on Transportation and a member of the Banking & Insurance Committee.  Keene is a small business owner and an economic development advisor for EGC Construction.  For more information, visit: www.DennisKeene.com.

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Legislative Update for the 67th House District by Representative Dennis Keene

In July of last year, Governor Steve Beshear appointed a Task Force to study Kentucky’s alcoholic beverage control laws in an effort to improve our outdated and sometimes contradictory statutes.  I served on that Task Force and from our recommendations I filed House Bill 300.

This does not expand or take away alcohol sales, it doesn’t change anything about the current wet or dry status of any city or county, and it does not change the rights or responsibilities of licensees.  The bill avoids controversial areas such as wine in grocery stores or Sunday sales.

House Bill 300 consolidates some alcohol license types under new non-quota license categories; modifies fees to reflect license consolidation; improves local option election language including election challengers, re-canvassing, and petitions.

It also removes all-day closing of ABC licensees in a county holding a local option election (currently licensees must close their entire business, not just lock up their alcohol) and establishes limited medical amnesty for intoxicated minors, to encourage them to report medical emergencies.

Stakeholders including licensees, state regulators, law enforcement and private citizens worked together to bring about House Bill 300 which truly will help modernize and simplify the state’s alcoholic beverage laws.  The legislation passed the full House by a vote of 67-28 and will now be considered by the Senate.

Two other important issues the House took up this week relate to Medicaid managed care organizations (MCOs) and last year’s laws addressing prescription drug abuse.

More than $500 million Medicaid dollars paid by the state have not been paid to the providers.  In order to clarify and streamline billing disputes House Bill 5 would treat MCO’s as private insurers and give Kentucky’s Department of Insurance more authority to levy and enforce penalties. It would also encourage more open dialogue and communication so providers and patients would understand why claims may be denied.

While last year’s prescription pill legislation has seen positive results in its implementation, some modifications were needed. House Bill 217 would exempt hospitals and long-term care facilities from making repeated reports to KASPER (Kentucky’s prescription-drug monitoring program) for hospitalized patients.  Surgery patients would have a 14-day exemption, and allowances would be given to cancer patients, individuals enrolled in federally authorized research projects and those in hospice and other end-of-life care.  These measures will help doctors and patients truly in need of pain medication manage their care plans more effectively.

This week my House Bill 448 passed by a unanimous vote.  House Bill 448 addresses the problems homeowners experience from theft or losses related to negligent closing practices by closing attorney or agents.  It also helps title insurers who have faced losses due to agent theft of escrow funds more complex lender closing instructions and mortgage fraud.  House Bill 448 now heads to the Senate for consideration.

Other legislation passed out of the House this week includes:

·         House Bill 354 which would require schools to develop and practice safety plans and drills, implement a notification process for students with criminal backgrounds and strengthen training for employees when dealing with students with mental illness.

·         House Bill 290 would create a panel of experts to review social workers case files about children killed or nearly killed from abuse or neglect and provide more oversight of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services.

·         House Bill 337 would allow coal producing counties to request a re-allocation of coal severance funds to other projects where county officials agree the need is greater.

·         House Bill 98 would require maintain statistics regarding teen dating violence and provide resources to middle school and high school administrators and guidance counselors to deal with the problem.

There are long days and nights ahead as we head into the final days of the session and I will continue to keep you update on our work.  Please log onto the Legislative Research Commission website at www.lrc.ky.gov or by calling the LRC toll-free Bill Status Line at 866-840-2835. To find out when a committee meeting is scheduled, you can call the LRC toll-free Meeting Information Line at 800-633-9650.

Frankfort – The Kentucky House of Representatives voted unanimously today for two bills House Speaker Greg Stumbo sponsored to address concerns with Medicaid managed care and to update last year’s law targeting prescription drug abuse.

“Taken together, these bills will improve our healthcare system by making some common-sense changes and clarifications,” said Speaker Stumbo, D-Prestonsburg.  “House Bill 5 will do that by making it easier for medical providers to resolve payment disputes much more quickly with the state’s Medicaid managed care organizations (MCOs).  House Bill 217, meanwhile, will make some minor changes to last year’s ‘pill mill’ legislation and ensure that both the law and the regulations being finalized by the medical licensure boards mesh well.

In remarks to his fellow House members on House Bill 5, Speaker Stumbo said his plan would be to treat the MCOs more like private insurers when disputes with healthcare providers arise.  The bill would give the state’s Dept. of Insurance more authority to levy and enforce penalties, and it encourages more transparency so that providers and patients alike know why claims may be denied.

Speaker Stumbo said the Auditor’s office has indicated that the MCOs have received a half-billion Medicaid dollars from the state that have yet to be paid to the providers.  In some cases, he added, the MCOs changed the rules after a claim had been submitted, causing a delay.  “That’s just unfair,” Speaker Stumbo said.

In speaking on behalf of House Bill 217, he said that evidence is mounting that last year’s law on prescription drug abuse is having a positive impact across the state.   Shady pain clinics have shut their doors and the number of prescriptions of the heaviest narcotic drugs is down, he said.

This year’s legislation maintains that spirit but makes some minor tweaks, including exempting hospitals and long-term care facilities from having to make repeated reports to Kentucky’s prescription-drug monitoring program, known as KASPER, for patients they have admitted.  Surgery patients would have a 14-day exemption as well.  Other allowances would be given to cancer patients, those enrolled in federally authorized research projects and in cases involving hospice and other end-of-life care.

Speaker Stumbo said he had worked on the legislation with Governor Beshear’s administration, Senate leaders and the medical licensure boards, “so I’m confident that we can put these changes into place quickly.”

Both bills now head to the state Senate.

Rep. Dennis Keene’s Bill for Local Option Expanded Gaming Had First Hearing Friday 

Frankfort, KY–Citing the need for more funding, representatives of the Governor Steve Beshear’s Office on Early Childhood spoke in support of additional revenue needed to support the investment in early childhood education and care during Friday’s meeting of the House Licensing & Occupations Committee, chaired by Representative Dennis Keene (D-Wilder).  “Kentucky has a long tradition of supporting early childhood development, one that we must continue for the future economic well-being of our Commonwealth,” said Terry Tolan Executive Director of the Governor’s Office of Early Childhood.  “But as we look at the past few years we see the impact the economic recession has had on our progress.”

Representative Keene filed House Bill 52 as a means to bringing much needed revenue into the Commonwealth by expanding gaming by a local option vote in counties with a population in excess of 90,000 or in cities of the fourth class or greater with an existing horse track.  “It is feasible that we would have at least seven casinos operating in Kentucky fairly quickly which would help to solve our retirement funding problems and expand funding in much needed areas such as early childhood education, and would boost economic development in areas where votes choose to do so,” says Dennis Keene.  “The local option approach puts the decision in the hands of the people who would be most affected by the decision.”

Under House Bill 52, tax revenues generated would be split three ways: one third going towards the retirement fund, one third to early childhood education and kindergarten and remaining third going towards job creation and economic development within the communities surrounding each gaming venue.

“House Bill would have a positive effect on the unfunded liability in the Kentucky retirement fund,” said Willaim Thielen, Executive Director for the Kentucky Retirement Systems.

Tourism, Arts & Heritage Cabinet Secretary Marcheta Sparrow also testified about the positive impact upon tourism in Kentucky.  She spoke in support of the bill that would help areas with infrastructure dollars that will boost economic development and tourism, using Lawrenceburg and Rising Sun Indiana as examples where gambling dollars and transformed the communities.

Representative Dennis Keene has served the citizens of the 67^th District since 2005 and is the chairman of the House Licensing and Occupations Committee, Vice Chairman of Economic Development, Vice Chairman on the Budget Subcommittee on Transportation and a member of the Banking & Insurance Committee.  Keene is a small business owner and an economic development advisor for EGC Construction.  For more information, visit: www.DennisKeene.com.

New Federal law makes passage in Kentucky more likely

WILDER, KY – For the fourth consecutive year, Kentucky Rep. Dennis Keene, D-Wilder has filed legislation to toughen Kentucky’s DUI laws.  House Bill Number 286 will require individuals convicted of drunk driving to install an ignition interlock device which would test the operators breath for alcohol before allowing the engine to start without any cost to the taxpayers.  “This important legislation has unanimously passed the House each time but died in the Senate,” said Rep. Dennis Keene.  “I am confident that 2013 will be the year this legislation passes both the House and Senate and is signed into law by Governor Steve Beshear.”

Representative Keene’s confidence is stemming from a new Federal law that was passed by Congress in 2012 and took effect October 1, 2012 requiring states to mandate ignition interlock devices or risk losing Federal highway funding.  MAP-21 requires states to require to adopt ignition interlock laws and sets up a discretionary grant program that allows the secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation to provide additional funds to states that adopt alcohol ignition interlock laws.

According to Robyn Robertson of the Traffic Injury Research Foundation of Canada, “Ignition interlock devices are designed to protect the public by incapacitating drunk drivers. Evaluation of interlock use shows a 35-90% recidivism, with an average of 64%,” said Ms. Robertson.

“The cost of the alcohol interlock device is about $3-4 a day or about the cost of a drink or about the cost of a gallon of gas,” testified Robyn Robertson.  “There will be no cost to the Kentucky taxpayers if the program is enacted; all costs are borne by the convicted offenders.”

According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), alcohol ignition interlock devices save lives.  “Studies on interlocks for both first-time and repeat offenders show that interlocks reduce repeat drunk driving offenses by an average of 64%,” according to the MADD website.

“Requiring ignition interlocks for all convicted drunk drivers is a key part of MADD’s Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving because interlocks are proven to save lives and prevent injuries,” said MADD National President Jan Withers. “As we approach this spring’s 25^th anniversary of the horrific Carrollton bus crash, we’re thankful for Rep. Keene’s leadership and we urge the House to honor the 27 victims who were killed and the 34 who were injured, by passing this legislation.”

Representative Dennis Keene nearly lost his daughter Kelly Keene Jones in a drunk driving accident in 2002.  She required three subsequent surgeries in order to overcome her injuries and now Kelly is an outspoken advocate for tougher DUI laws.

The legislation will include a provision for indigent funding which was a point of contention during the last legislative session.

Representative Dennis Keene has served the citizens of the 67^th District since 2005 and is the chairman of the House Licensing and Occupations Committee, Vice Chairman of Economic Development, Vice Chairman on the Budget Subcommittee on Transportation and a member of the Banking & Insurance Committee.  Keene is a small business owner and an economic development advisor for EGC Construction.  For more information, visit: www.DennisKeene.com.

Frankfort, KY:  Representative Dennis Keene (D-Wilder) filed legislation, House Bill 204,  to close a loophole in Kentucky law that grants parental and visitation rights to convicted rapists should they choose to seek those rights.  Currently, Kentucky is one of 34 states that has no protection for rape victims who become mothers as a result the rape.

“I was shocked when I heard about a case in Massachusetts last summer where the victim was 14 years old when she was raped and was dealing with this issue in the courts.  I then learned that Kentucky was one of the states with no law that protects the victim in this circumstance,” says Rep. Dennis Keene.  “What kind of society are we to force a victim of rape into a lifelong sentence with a convicted perpetrator of such a violent crime?”

Keene’s bill seeks to create a new statute that states: “Any person who has been convicted of rape in the first degree in which the victim of that rape has conceived and delivered a child shall not be entitled to parental or visitation rights.”

Executive Director of The Women’s Crisis Center, Marsha Croxton, weighed in on Keene’s legislation, “Pregnancy resulting from rape can change every aspect of a survivor’s life, especially if the rapist tries to use custody and visitation as weapons. We greatly appreciate Rep. Keene’s interest in this issue and willingness to champion legislation to protect rape victims.”

Representative Dennis Keene has served the citizens of the 67^th District since 2005 and is the chairman of the House Licensing and Occupations Committee, Vice Chairman of Economic Development, Vice Chairman on the Budget Subcommittee on Transportation and a member of the Banking & Insurance Committee.  Keene is a small business owner and an economic development advisor for EGC Construction.  For more information, visit: www.DennisKeene.com.

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