General Assembly
Charging ahead on Voting Rights in the Senate
Yesterday, our Voting Rights bill (HB 70) made it through the House to the Senate.
Today, twenty KFTC members and allies were there in Frankfort to talk lobby senators, thank represenatives, and make our voices heard.
It was a productive lobby day in which we met with 22 legislators, left personal notes and information for many dozens more, scheduled meetings with 13 more for days to come, and were generally a visible prescence in Frankfort.
Voting Rights passes House, 75 -25. On to the Senate!
House Bill 70, our bill to restore voting rights to former felons who have served their debt to society, has just passed a vote on the House floor 75 to 25.
Please thank your representative if they voted yes (see how they voted).
That's an overwhelming majority, but some of the new legislators just elected last year tended to vote no, perhaps proving that this is an educational issue and it takes a while to get through to people about it.
Representative David Floyd (R) spoke on the House floor in favor of voting rights, asking "Are felons forever comdemned or can they be restored? ... I think if you've served your debt to society, you've served your debt to society. I want the people of Kentucky to vote on this and that's what HB 70 does."
Water-quality rules scrutinized; Cabinet tried to avoid public review
This editorial points out criticisms raised by KFTC members and many ally organizations about the Beshear Administration's effort to rush through new, weaker standards for selenium pollution. "If there's one thing we can count on from the Beshear administration, it's a willingness to sacrifice Kentucky's water to the coal industry."
Cleaner energy means healthier commonwealth
The author of this op-ed, a retired nurse, makes the link between pollution from power plants and our health. "For decades, our legislators in Frankfort have ignored the health consequences of the commonwealth’s reliance on fossil fuels when making energy policy."
Voices of I Love Mountains Day
“Every time I do something with KFTC, it’s energizing and inspiring. It gives you energy. When you’re with a big group of people, you know you're in this together and are sharing this experience.” – Katie Pirotina, Perry County
People traveled from across Kentucky and beyond to I Love Mountains Day Thursday in Frankfort. Some came for the first time; others come every year.
Here are some quotes from the day:
“I’m here because I’m so frustrated with mountaintop removal, and it’s just got to stop. It’s destroying mountains we’ll never have again and people are getting sick and the water’s getting polluted, and it’s just got to stop.” – Jenny Neat, Frankfort
“I am 12 years old and I want my kids when I grow up to be able to see all the beautiful mountains and be healthy and not have orange water like I do. PLEASE HELP!” – Isaac Owens, Floyd County, in a note to Rep. Greg Stumbo
“I’m here because this means something to me. I care about my mountains. Once we lose them, we can’t get ’em back. This is all we have to give our young people. We need them to stay here and they have to have something to stay for.” – Bennie Massey, Harlan County
“I love the mountains where I live and the streams, and they’re being destroyed, simple as that. I know it creates jobs, but it seems to me a lot of people can’t see beyond their jobs to what they’re doing.” – Carter Castle, Magoffin County
“Mountaintop removal is a broad-spectrum injustice. It affects our water, air, and soil quality. It threatens our natural beauty and biodiversity; attacks our identity; endangers property and culture; divides communities; and negatively impacts health and safety of our people. And contrary to what the coal industry would say, it negatively impacts our economic future.” – Cari Moore, Knott County
Here are links to a few news articles about the day:
Take Action
Want to take action? Call the Legislative Message Line (800-372-7181) and leave a message to your Representative and Senator to express your support for the Clean Energy Opportunity Act (House Bill 170) and the Stream Saver Bill (House Bill 86 / Senate Bill 29).
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