Ensuring rape kit backlog never returns is top-priority for KASAP in upcoming legislative session
12/17/2015 10:25 PM
As result of an audit initiated by the state Senate and carried out by Auditor Adam Edelen, lawmakers learned of 3,090 untested rape kits in the state of Kentucky; in the upcoming session the General Assembly will consider a series of reforms to prevent the backlog from occurring again. In September, auditors found “breakdowns at every step of the process” which led to the backlog of untested rape kits in Kentucky. The problem, in part, stems from limited resources, state... Read more 
Attorney General-elect Andy Beshear unveils leadership team
12/17/2015 01:12 PM
FRANKFORT – Attorney General-elect Andy Beshear announced his leadership team on Thursday, which he says will ensure his priorities of protecting children, families and seniors are achieved. Beshear has selected former state Personnel Cabinet Secretary Tim Longmeyer as Deputy Attorney General. Longmeyer was a prosecutor for more than 14 years in Jefferson County. As head of the Personnel Cabinet, he served as chair of the Kentucky Group Health Insurance Board, served on the Kentucky Retirement Systems Board, and presided... Read more
KSP commissioner shoots holes in call for bullet resistant glass, exposes other safety concerns
12/16/2015 10:34 PM
FRANKFORT — Following the shooting death of Kentucky State Police Trooper Cameron Ponder in September, lawmakers and the state police have been investigating ways to keep troopers safe which included the possibility of installing bullet resistant glass — something that’s cracked under scrutiny. Upon digging into the dilemma, Kentucky State Police Commissioner Rodney Brewer, said that he immediately found the bullet resistant laminate was not recommended for use in windshields or in the rear window, based on manufacturers... Read more
House majority slips again with latest appointment, Stumbo confident Democrats will control Rep. Pullin's district
12/16/2015 09:03 PM
FRANKFORT — Gov. Matt Bevin’s administration has managed to thin the House Democratic majority by one more seat, at least in the short term. On Tuesday, Bevin managed to lure Rep. Tanya Pullin, D- South Shore, to an administrative law judge position and temporarily thin the already narrow Democratic majority. The appointment brings Democratic majority in the House to 51-47, after Rep. John Tilley accepted the appointment of Justice and Public Safety Cabinet secretary, and Rep. Denny Butler of Louisville... Read more
State General Fund receipts are up overall for FY 16
12/16/2015 06:00 PM
FRANKFORT – The first five months of fiscal year 2016 saw Kentucky’s General Fund grow 2.9 percent from a year ago. That was the word from the staff of the Office of the State Budget Director who projected revenue estimates to members of the Consensus Forecasting Group on Wednesday that will help in determining the budget proposal for the 2016 session. The first quarter of fiscal 2016 saw General Fund growth of 4.5 percent, before November’s decline of 3.9 percent, because of... Read more
The Louisville Metro Council on Thursday approved a series of regulations for short-term rentals, a growing sector fostered by online services such as Airbnb. The regulations include a $25 annual registration fee, a requirement that hosts be located within 25 miles of the rental property and “clearly marked” evacuation plans for the premises. The new rules also include a requirement that the facility have no more than twice the number of renters as bedrooms, plus four, in the building. And the property can have no more than one short-term rental contract at a time. The regulations will carry penalties beginning with a [...]
Fri, Dec 18, 2015 4:07:00 AM, Continue reading at the source
Louisville received a perfect score for the very first time in the Human Rights Campaign’s annual Municipal Equality Index, which analyzes the laws cities have to protect and support their LGBT residents. Last year, Louisville received 66 out of 100 points. Chris Hartman, director of the Fairness Campaign, said Louisville received a better score this year because metro government employees and local police went through LGBT sensitivity training. “We are definitely one of the only Southern cities in the United States that has achieved a perfect score,” Hartman told WFPL News. Another important change, Hartman said, is that Mayor Greg Fischer changed city policy [...]
Thu, Dec 17, 2015 9:07:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
As a third-year pharmacy student in the British city of Leicester, Zainab Ali has made a cause of reducing the prevalence of diabetes at home. This week, Ali has taken her cause overseas to Louisville. Ali is among 15 students from the United Kingdom are in Louisville this week to launch an international partnership focused on developing interventions for diabetes. “Perhaps we could come here, learn a little bit from the people around here and also perhaps give them new fresh ideas about what we’re doing, too,” Ali said. The partnership, between Louisville City Collaborative and De Montfort University Leicester in the UK, allows students [...]
Thu, Dec 17, 2015 8:22:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
