By Representative Kim King

As the 2017 General Assembly session nears its end and we approach Sine Die, I cannot help but reflect on how honored I am to serve you. The privilege you have given me to be your voice and representation in Frankfort is something that I deeply appreciate; I’m grateful for your confidence.

This session has had a greater sense of urgency than any we have seen in recent years. The best indicator of this is the legislation we’ve considered and passed. The House wanted to address an agenda focused on economic job growth and pro-Kentucky policies. To kick-off our initiative, we passed several economic jobs bills, including Right to Work, early in the session.

While the government doesn’t create jobs, we can create an economic-friendly climate that opens our state for business.

To encourage a thriving economy, we must make sure we invest in the future of our workforce. The General Assembly put a premium on education in the 2017 session. This week the House passed House Bill 520. This bill grants the boards of education in their respective localities the capacity to permit the charter schools while oversight is provided by the Kentucky Board of Education. It should be noted that these installments will be governed by an independent board of directors in place of overreaching federal or state input. This friendly environment will allow the children to reach his or her full potential. Some standards will still be mandatory in areas such as transparency, safety, and some forms of assessment testing.

As your voice in Frankfort, I’m always deeply interested in issues that impact you personally. In 2017, I championed three pieces of legislation inspired by citizens of Kentucky’s 55th House District. House Bill 23 would require pawnbrokers to record daily transaction information and also provide that information online to be accessed by law enforcement agencies. House Bill 33 mandates the Health and Family Services Cabinet to notify the school of persons allowed to contact the child or remove the child from the school grounds. Finally, House Bill 38 which effectively bans registered sex offenders from entering the premises of a public playground without written permission of the controlling authority of the playground.

We’ve done our best to take a fresh perspective to Frankfort this session. You realized last November that the policies of the past 90-plus years were holding us back. With the election of a 64-seat majority in the House of Representatives, retention of the State Senate, and, a highly proactive Governor, we hear the message you sent. It’s a new day in Kentucky. As always I appreciate your support.

Please share your comments and concerns on any issues impacting our Commonwealth during the 2017 Regular Session. I can be reached through the toll-free message line in Frankfort at 1-800-372-7181, or you can contact me via e-mail at kim.king@lrc.ky.gov. You can track committee meetings and potential legislation through the Kentucky Legislature Home Page at www.lrc.ky.gov.