This document provides an overview and summary of the 2016 Kentucky legislative session as well as looking ahead to the 2017 session. Some key points: - The 2016 session was dominated by budget negotiations, with 4.5-9% cuts to most areas except P-12 education, KSP, and Corrections. The final budget included $1 billion for pensions and $7.5 million annually for early childhood partnerships. - Several education bills passed, including one requiring CPR training for students and another defining and prohibiting bullying. Charter school and voucher bills failed to pass. - Pension reform is expected to continue being addressed, including potential separation of retirement systems. Tribunal reform and allowing superintendents to

1. Breaking Down 2016
Building Up for 2017
Hope McLaughlin
Director of Governmental Relations

2. 2016 Legislative Session Overview
 60 – day budget session
 Nearly 1,500 pieces of legislation filed (KSBA tracked over 200)
 About 130 pieces of legislation became law
 Budget negotiations dominated all conversations
 P-12 education, KSP and Corrections were the only areas in the final budget with
funding held constant 4.5 – 9% cuts in every other area
 Final budget
 Unprecedented $1 Billion for pensions
 SEEK stable with up to $10 million for shortfall
 $125 Million in a permanent pension trust fund
 $7.5 Million per year for early childhood partnerships

3. Education Bills, Passed
 HB184 (J. Donohue, Louisville), Principal Selection JCPS – Allow an alternative principal
selection process for JCPS. Superintendent may make recommendation for principal
candidate to school councils and those candidates for principal vacancies can be kept
confidential and be discussed in closed session. Must make final recommendation in public
meeting.
 HB626 (G. Stumbo, Prestonsburg), Work Ready KY – Sets up last dollar in scholarship
program or conversion loan for students to attend public/private/KCTCS when working
toward associate’s degree, establishes dual-credit scholarship rate and provides scholarships
to students for up to three courses, establishes Workforce Investment Fund Advisory Board
and processes for grants to be awarded in each congressional district from $100M bond
pool under Education & Workforce Cabinet. Vetoed, now subject to litigation, bond pool and
dual credit funds still available.
 SB228 (D. Carroll, Paducah)/HB316 (R. Smart, Richmond), Student Safety – Requires school
districts to prohibit bullying and defines bullying. We have a session available on this topic.
 SB33 (M. Wise, Campbellsville), CPR Training – Requires school districts provide CPR training
to students one time while enrolled between grades 9-12. Does not require any equipment
or AEDs to be purchased. KY Nurses Association will donate a mannequin to each school
district.

4. Education Bills, Failed
 HB270 (J. DuPlessis, Elizabethtown)/SB223 (S. West, Paris), School Marshals – Would
have allowed local school boards to create a position of school marshal. The school
marshal would have been allowed to carry a firearm on school property. School
marshal would have been required to purchase the firearm and fungible ammunition.
Ammunition would be required to be locked in school office. (No hearing)
 HB620 (A. Wuchner, Burlington)/SB273 (M. Wilson, Bowling Green), Vouchers for
students with disabilities – Would have set up a voucher system through the state
treasury to be used by parents of students with IEPs, a 504 plan or students meeting
the definition of disability under IDEA. Funds could be used for tuition, textbooks,
private tutoring, curriculum materials, technology, transportation etc. (No hearing)

5. Education Bills, Failed
 SB1 (M. Wilson, Bowling Green), Public Education – Sweeping education reform,
would have removed program reviews, would have set up standards review
process, would have reformed statewide assessment system, and developed
turnaround models for low performing schools. (Passed Senate, No hearing in
House)
 SB50 (C. Girdler, Somerset), School Start Date – Would have required school to start
Monday closest to Aug. 26. Bill amended to establish calendar committee with
each local board of education and incentivize districts to start Monday closest to
Aug. 26 by giving flexibility in meeting 1,062 instructional hours. (Passed Senate as
amended, No hearing in House)
 SB88 (D. Givens, Greensburg), Teacher Tribunal – Would have required formal
hearing officers for teacher tribunals and allow for final determination to uphold or
overturn the decision of the superintendent. (No hearing, modified version
attached to another bill also failed)
 SB253 (M. Wilson, Bowling Green), Charter Schools – Would have created charter
school pilot project in JCPS and FCPS. Bill was amended to make local boards the
only authorizers of charter schools. (Passed Senate as amended, No hearing in
House)

6. Pension Issues
 Approximately 30 pension bills filed in 2016 – a few passed
 Takeaways from 2016 on pensions
 Over $1 Billion included in the budget
 There is a strong desire to make changes to the systems to increase transparency and
find cost savings
 New $125 million trust fund to assist in funding pensions, $3 million for audits
 Auditor has issued an RFP to look into ALL state pension systems for
 Overall solvency/liquidity
 Assessment of outstanding obligations
 A critical review of past revenue and expenditures to identify reasons for current financial status
of plans
 Analysis of the impact of alternative courses of future actions that might be considered by the
Commonwealth and their effect on the long-term solvency and successes of the plans

7. Other Issues
 HB40 (D. Owens, Louisville), Felony Expungement – Will allow for a number of low-level
felonies, such as burglary, theft and drug possession to be vacated and have records
expunged. If a prior felony has been expunged or charges are pending expungement
may not occur. Violent crimes and sex crimes are not included in the list of felonies that
are eligible for expungement.
 HB80 (C. Harris, Forest Hills), The Revenue Bill/General Govt. – Raises threshold of
universities using cash from $600K to $1M before gaining approval from Capital Projects
Comm, IRS Code update, SFCC may award cash grants to schools to bring them up to
code under certain criteria, nickel levies will receive equalization only through the life of
the bond of a project, school districts may be open on election day if no schools in a
district are used as a polling place, and several other provisions.

8. What will the 2017 session hold?
 Any changes necessary to implement ESSA
 SB1 from last session is likely to return in some form
 Pension issues
 Governance
 Structural changes
 Transparency issues
 Potential separation of CERS from KRS
 Charter school legislation

9. Let’s stop doing this . . .

10. What do you need to make public
education better?
 Online survey highlights
 95% of you want to see tribunal reform
 92% of you want to see tax reform provide additional funding to
education
 88% of you said superintendents should select the principal in a low
performing school
 78% of you want to see tenure reform
 These policy changes were also the most common answers
when asked what changes could be made to improve public
education

11. Get your phones out - Instant poll
 Go to the KSBA app on your phone
 KSBA’s Summer Leadership Inst
 Go to the FEEDBACK icon
 Of the items below which one would you most like to see the
Kentucky General Assembly act on during the 2017 legislative session?
 Tribunal reform
 Allow all superintendents to select the principal in a low performing school
 Tenure reform
Results to be shared during regional meetings.

12. How do we advocate for
public education during
the interim?

13. We are not just school
board members,
administrators or
superintendents. We are not
even just advocates for
public education.

14. We are all
AMBASSADORS for public
education!

15. What’s the difference?
 Ambassador: A person who acts as a representative or promoter of a specified
activity.
 Diplomatic
 Building goodwill
 Mission  Public Education
 Advocate: A person who publicly supports or recommends a particular cause or
policy.
 Argue
 Support
 Plead

16. Challenge:
Be an AMBASSADOR not just
an advocate

17. How many of you have
something amazing
happening in your school
district?

18. How many of you have
shared that amazing
thing with a legislator in
your district?

19. Become an ambassador:
 Invite your local legislators to see an amazing thing
happening in your school.
 New programs? Arts? STEM+H? Summer enrichment?
 New technology?
 Never underestimate the power of cute kids
 Ask for help identifying things – Superintendent, PR, DACs, Counselors
 Board meetings
Invite your legislator to a board meeting
Are you approving something good for students
Featuring students
Receiving a recognition

20. How to extend an invitation
www.lrc.ky.gov
Find your legislator in the drop down menu
Who’s my legislator
LRC Offices: (502) 564-8100
Need help? Call or email me!

21. Build a network locally
 Build a network around public education with the PTA, school
councils, local chamber, other local elected officials and invite your
network to see the amazing things happening in your district
 Attend and engage at community events – talk about your schools
 Include the press in school events
 Use social media
 Legislator Twitter handles available on LRC website
 Follow Brad Hughes @ksbanews, Mike Armstrong @KSBAMike and Hope
McLaughlin @McLHope
 Tweet about your district – use board meeting breaks, student
performances, approving a building
 Post photos and events on Facebook

22. But Hope?
 “They don’t believe in public education.”
 “We need more of . . .”
 “There are so many mandates . . .”
 “They should do . . .”
 Show them how, show them what is good, make them believe
- The rest will come
 Be and ambassador first and an advocate second
 A positive message is always well received
 Remember you get more flies with honey

23. Don’t Forget!

24. Be an ambassador

25. Thank you!