Kentucky
House Bill 3 aims to combat human trafficking in Kentucky
FRANKFORT, Ky. (WKYT) – A bill in the Kentucky House of Representatives aims to fight human trafficking in the commonwealth.
House Bill 3 was introduced on Feb. 26 and as of March 2, is waiting to be picked up by a committee.
The bill is sponsored by six republicans, including Majority Caucus Chair Suzanne Miles (R-Owensboro), who said the bill builds on prior human trafficking-related legislation.
“We needed to do a little bit of cleanup to kind of keep moving forward to protect Kentuckians,” said Rep. Miles.
HB3 would expand the definition of human trafficking and gives the Office of the Attorney General the ability to form a working group to address all aspects of human trafficking.
“We continue to circle back to that and see what tools they need to make sure that they can charge these people, go after these people with the fullest extent of the law,” said Rep. Miles.
The Kentucky Statewide Human Trafficking Task Force’s 2024 report provided recommendations to improve state anti-trafficking work.
“These sorts of things aren’t necessarily what most of the public thinks about that are important for human trafficking,” said Dr. Glenn Harden, assistant professor at Asbury University and chair of the tasks force’s data and research working group. “We often think about law enforcement or helping survivors or prevention.”
Dr. Harden said the bill seems to follow a few of the recommendations, such as increasing the capability for comprehensive anti-trafficking work and focusing on proactive law enforcement efforts. He also said combatting human trafficking goes beyond the work of law enforcement.
“[Stakeholders] also include people who are working with survivors, they include healthcare workers, education, academics, there’s a whole realm of different sectors that are involved in anti-trafficking work in Kentucky,” he said.
In 2020, Rep. Miles cosponsored House Bill 2, which added offenses to what qualifies as a sex crime. The bill passed unanimously in both chambers and received Gov. Andy Beshear’s signature.
Rep. Miles said she has a similar feeling about this year’s HB3.
“This is one of those topics that anyone and everybody is very supportive [of] except for the criminals that are involved in it.” she said.
Another part of HB3 that Rep. Miles said is important is making sure trafficking victims have access to resources available for help. The bill would require places like hotels, bus station and airports to post signs or window clings with that information.
If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, help can be found through the National Human Trafficking Hotline (888-373-7888).
Copyright 2024 WKYT. All rights reserved.
The best shooter in college basketball will, in fact, stay in college basketball — and Kentucky is ready to make its final push.
Iowa State star Milan Momcilovic has withdrawn from the 2026 NBA Draft and will play somewhere at his current level in 2026-27. That’s not expected to be back in Ames, as Cyclone coach T.J. Otzelberger made clear, saying that if the 6-8 forward doesn’t make the jump to the pros, “it’s important that he’s able to find a landing spot at a college that fits what he’s looking for.”
Could Lexington be that final destination? The perimeter sniper already said he’s got respect for the Wildcats and Mark Pope, watching his programs closely since his time at BYU when they competed against each other in the Big 12.
In his eyes, he could be the piece Kentucky was missing this past season in the program’s Round of 32 exit, led by Momcilovic’s 20 points and five rebounds in the Cyclones’ 82-63 victory in St. Louis.
“I think Kentucky would be a good fit,” Momcilovic told the Herald-Leader’s Ben Roberts last week at the NBA Draft Combine. “I obviously went against Pope at BYU his first year (in the Big 12), and I loved how his team played. I think we went 1-1 against them, but they killed us at their place, because they fly the ball up the court and shoot 3s. I really like the way they play.
“And obviously, Kentucky last year, he didn’t have enough shooters around him to really coach, I feel like, the way he wanted. But I think — if I were to choose Kentucky — that would be a good fit for me. I feel like I’d be a great player for him, and he’d be a good coach for me.”
Momcilovic averaged a career-high 16.9 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 30.5 minutes per game while shooting 50.6 percent from the field, 48.7 percent from three and 87.8 percent at the line. He knocked down 260 3-pointers, good for 3.7 makes on 7.5 attempts per contest.
The former four-star recruit has been Kentucky’s dream portal target all offseason. Now, he’s officially a free agent, pulling out of the draft ahead of the withdrawal deadline.
On Tuesday, head coach Mark Pope revealed that there will likely be no summer trip for the 2026-27 Wildcats.
“We’re probably a lean towards not going right now,” Pope told Darrell Bird of Cats Pause.
The NCAA recently adopted a proposal that will allow schools to take summer tours every year after the rules previously limited schools to one trip every four years. Even if it ended up being somewhere close by, this would’ve been a great experience for the Cats to get some exhibition games in, especially with the roster overhaul they’re going through.
Oh well. The good news is UK will still have plenty of summer practices to develop and build chemistry.
Kentucky
Funeral arrangements announced for Eastern Kentucky man electrocuted while power washing building
MORGAN COUNTY, Ky. (WKYT) – Funeral arrangements have been made for a Morgan County man who was electrocuted while pressure washing a building last Friday in Johnson County.
Services for 48-year-old Jonathan “Jon” Brown will be Sunday, May 31, at 2 p.m. at Jamie Ferguson’s Garage in West Liberty.
According to his obituary, Brown was a former Morgan County Fiscal Court magistrate, and the owner of Kentucky Pool Company and a power washing business.
Brown also helped out with radio broadcasts of Morgan County High School sports.
Copyright 2026 WKYT. All rights reserved.
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