SENATOR BRANDON STORM’S LEGISLATIVE UPDATE (Week 4)

Week 4 of the 2022 Legislative Session

Dear friends,

I hope that this update finds you well, The Kentucky General Assembly returned this week ready to work on your behalf in Frankfort, and I am pleased to report that we were able to finish the one-quarter mark of the session on a high note. I have a few updates that I feel are particularly notable and would like to share with you.

On Monday, lawmakers welcomed the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office from Atlanta. The delegation joined the Senate on the floor and was honored for its $100,000 donation to aid victims of the horrific storms here in western Kentucky. During the visit, we thanked our friends for the donation while stressing the importance of our economic and cultural ties with Taiwan.

While our relationship with Taiwan began as mutual desire to boost trade, it quickly turned into a friendship. Their generous gift shows that the people of Taiwan were there for us in our time of need, and as they face an increasingly hostile communist Chinese regime, it is imperative we continue to support them when they need us the most.

On Tuesday, we received a visit from U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell, who provided an update from Washington and encouraged our legislative efforts this session.

On Thursday, I had the pleasure of meeting with Attorney General Daniel Cameron. We had a lengthy discussion about a wide array of topics but in particular his upcoming case before the Kentucky Supreme Court defending House Bill 454, Kentucky’s law prohibiting live-dismemberment abortions. The Kentucky General Assembly will continue to fight for the unborn right to life.

The remainder of the week was focused on passing crucial legislation for the commonwealth. The following are a few of the bills passed by the Senate, which are now on their way to the state House of Representatives for consideration:

With 1,000 patients in Kentucky waiting for their gift of life, this bill is needed now more than ever. Senate Bill 30 aims to make voluntary organ donation more widely known and participated in. The bill allows for organ donation registration and monetary donations to the Trust for Life during online vehicle registration renewals or while in-person at the county clerk’s office.

The Trust for Life affords every Kentuckian obtaining a driver’s license or ID an opportunity to donate to promote organ and tissue donation. The trust has raised more than $9 million since its inception in 1992. In 2018, more than 45 percent of all Kentuckians obtaining a license contributed. Trust for Life uses funds to raise public awareness and encourage organ and tissue donation.

SB 100 allows for residents of assisted-living facilities, long-term care facilities, and mental health hospitals to be visited by a ‘compassionate caregiver’ under certain health and safety protocols. A compassionate caregiver could be a family member, legal guardian, outside caregiver, friend or volunteer, who will be allowed at a resident’s bedside. The bill extends the original provision put in place by lawmakers during the recent special session. Prior to action by the Kentucky General Assembly, reports detailed heart-wrenching stories of elderly residents passing away alone, separated from those who made their lives meaningful. SB 100 considers the holistic well-being of those in their last days by giving equal attention to social, emotional and spiritual needs.

Over the course of the pandemic, as Kentucky attempted to respond to COVID-19, constituents and lawmakers quickly recognized the flaws in our state statutes pertaining to executive powers during a state of emergency. Schools, small businesses, and at one point even our houses of worship, were subject to executive branch. It all occurred during the interim when the General Assembly was not in session, and unable to take legislative action.

That’s why I was proud to sponsor SB 88, which establishes the framework of what a special session would look like if initiated by the General Assembly. Currently, only the governor can call a special session, per the Constitution of Kentucky. In last year’s session, House Bill 4 was passed. That bill places a constitutional amendment on the November general election ballot for Kentucky voters to determine if they would like the General Assembly to be able to call a special session. Kentucky is currently one of only 14 states in the nation that does not allow the legislative branch to call a special session.

Lastly, I join our community in grief upon the passing of my dear friend, London Police Officer Travis Hurley. It is with the deepest sorrow that I have to announce the passing of Officer Hurley, who served the City of London heroically for approximately 21 years. He impacted many lives and has always had a passion for helping others. Please join me in praying for comfort for the family.

Romans 8:38-39 (King James Version):

38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

If you have any questions or comments about these issues or any other public policy issue, please contact me toll-free at 1-800-372-7181 or email me at david.givens@lrc.ky.gov . You can also review the Legislature’s work online at www.legislature.ky.gov.

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Note: Senator Brandon J. Storm (R-London) represents the 21st District, which encompasses Bath, Estill, Jackson, Laurel, Menifee, and Powell Counties. Senator Storm is the vice-chair of the Senate Standing Committee on Transportation and serves as chair of the Senate Enrollment Committee. He also serves as a member of the Senate Standing Committees on Economic Development, Tourism, and Labor; State and Local Government; Banking and Insurance; and is a liaison member of the Budget Review Subcommittee on Human Resources. Additionally, Senator Storm is a member of the Legislative Oversight and Investigations Committee; and the Child Welfare Oversight and Advisory Committee.