Kentucky

‘Safer Kentucky’ and abortion exceptions: Legislature sees notable bills filed in Week 2

Published

2 years ago

January 13, 2024

‘Safer Kentucky’ and abortion exceptions: Legislature sees notable bills filed in Week 2

FRANKFORT – Kentucky legislators came to a fork in the road in Week 2 of the 2024 session. And in the words of the great Yogi Berra, they took it.

Several notable bills were filed, while committees took early action on other pieces of legislation that were put forward in the General Assembly’s first week. There’s plenty of time before the session ends in April, but we have an early look at some key priorities legislators brought with them to Frankfort for the 60-day session.

Here’s a quick breakdown of highlights, news and notes from the session’s first full five-day week, with the House and Senate set to gavel back in Tuesday afternoon.

A busy week for new legislation

Several high-profile bills hit the floor for the first time.

Sen. David Yates, D-Louisville, announced Tuesday morning he would file a bill adding exceptions to Kentucky’s near total abortion ban for circumstances including rape, incest, the mother’s health (current law only allows abortions in cases where the mother’s life is at risk) and if the fetus is not expected to survive birth.

Yates, who filed Senate Bill 99 later that day, was joined by advocate Hadley Duvall and Gov. Andy Beshear, who urged legislators to take action. Duvall is a sexual abuse survivor who appeared in a Beshear campaign ad last fall calling for exceptions to the law.

That afternoon, the “Safer Kentucky Act” was filed by Rep. Jared Bauman, R-Louisville, and a group of other Jefferson County Republicans. House Bill 5 would take several steps at improving public safety, including increased penalties for people convicted of three violent felonies, establishing a carjacking statute, new restrictions on charitable bail organizations and a crackdown on street camping.

Co-sponsor Jason Nemes, R-Louisville, said the legislation is about “getting people who are going to continue to commit crimes” off the streets. And Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg, who said Wednesday he appreciates the General Assembly’s efforts to improve public safety but did not offer much insight as to whether he supports all items in HB 5, was in Frankfort a day later to discuss it and other issues with legislators.

It’s certain to attract plenty of attention. Several groups who oppose it plan to speak out at a press conference Tuesday morning in Frankfort.

Meanwhile, Senate Bill 10, which would let voters decide whether to push Kentucky elections for statewide offices back a year to fall in line with presidential races, advanced through committee to the Senate floor. The measure is sponsored by Sen. Chris McDaniel, R-Ryland Heights, who argued it would increase voter participation and save Kentucky money.

Stephen Voss, a professor of political science at the University of Kentucky, said it’s “no surprise” Republicans want to alter the state’s election schedule because GOP candidates tend to do well in national elections.

Around the Capitol

The Senate approved its first bill of the 2024 General Assembly on Tuesday — Senate Bill 5, which would eliminate the state’s hunting and fishing license requirements for people who own the land on which they are hunting. Current law requires a permit for hunting and fishing on private properties consisting of five or fewer acres.
A wave of legislators announced before the session that they don’t plan to seek reelection, including Senate Majority Leader Damon Thayer, R-Georgetown, along with two lawmakers who will instead seek seats on Louisville’s Metro Council in Democratic Rep. Josie Raymond and Republican Rep. Kevin Bratcher. But Senate President Robert Stivers, R-Manchester, isn’t going anywhere — he told reporters Tuesday he plans to remain in Frankfort for at least five more years.
A Senate resolution put forward in the first week of the General Assembly by Sen. Lindsey Tichenor, R-Smithfield, would have called on the chamber to recognize many of those arrested after the Jan. 6, 2021, riots at the U.S. Capitol “have been wrongfully detained for exercising their constitutional rights” and have not been afforded due process. But it’s unlikely to advance — Sen. Whitney Westerfield, R-Crofton, has told reporters he has no plans to bring it up in the Senate Judiciary Committee, which he chairs.
House members took most of Friday’s time in session to honor Rep. Brandon Reed, R-Hodgenville, who’s leaving the legislature to work under new Commissioner of Agriculture Jonathan Shell. Reed had been in office since 2017. House Speaker David Osborne, R-Prospect, will set a date for a special election to fill his seat.

Looking ahead

The budget bill is still hanging over the session like an anvil, but expect action on it soon.

Osborne told Kentucky Educational Television on Monday that the bill was likely within the next week or two (you can be excused for having missed that broadcast — Stivers joked Tuesday morning that it was tough competing with the College Football Playoff title game for viewers that night).

The budget is the biggest priority of the legislature this year. Gov. Andy Beshear released his budget proposal last month, though the General Assembly will pass the bill that eventually lands on his desk.

That bill isn’t on the docket yet, though. On Tuesday, the Senate is set to discuss Senate Bill 17 (which includes tweaks to Kentucky’s death certificate process) and Senate Bill 24 (which would limit the number of Medicaid organizations contracted by the state to three or fewer). The House, meanwhile, will discuss House Bill 88, which would prevent groups that are not banks from presenting themselves as such in ads to homeowners.

Monday is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, in honor of the civil rights icon, and the General Assembly will not be in session. Legislators will gavel back in for a four-day week in Frankfort at 4 p.m. Tuesday.

Reach Rebecca Grapevine at rgrapevine@courier-journal.com. Reach Lucas Aulbach at laulbach@courier-journal.com.

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Kentucky

Ronald Exantus being transported back to Kentucky

Published

23 hours ago

October 28, 2025

Press Room

Ronald Exantus being transported back to Kentucky

OCALA, Fla. (WKYT) – The man convicted in the stabbing death of a 6-year-old who was arrested in Florida while serving mandatory re-entry supervision is headed back to Kentucky.

In a press conference on Tuesday that included Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, officials announced that Ronald Exantus is being transported back to Kentucky.

Ronald Exantus was charged with stabbing and killing Logan Tipton in 2015. While he was found not guilty of the child’s murder by reason of insanity, Exantus was convicted on three assault charges for stabbing other members of Logan’s family.

The court sentenced Exantus to a combined 20 years in prison.

Ronald Exantus(WKYT)

On October 1, The Department of Corrections released Exantus on mandatory re-entry supervision, overriding the parole board’s recommendation that he complete his full sentence behind bars. Exantus chose to service his mandatory re-entry supervision in Florida.

Exantus was arrested in Marion County, Florida on October 9. In a release, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office said Exantus failed to register as a felon with the sheriff’s office within 48 hours as required by law.

WKYT is working to learn more details about the situation.

This is a developing story.

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Kentucky

Andre Woodson, Mike Hartline help Cutter Boley break through at Kentucky

Published

2 days ago

October 27, 2025

Press Room

Andre Woodson, Mike Hartline help Cutter Boley break through at Kentucky

It hasn’t been pretty for the Kentucky Wildcats on the football field this season, but one obvious bright spot comes in the form of a 6’5″ redshirt freshman quarterback out of Hodgenville in Cutter Boley. He entered the game late vs. Ole Miss and has started every outing since with one win and four losses, but steady growth leading to a breakthrough against Tennessee this past weekend.

Boley racked up 330 yards and five touchdowns on 26-35 passing with 31 rushing yards on seven carries, hitting marks matched by only four other SEC quarterbacks in the last 30 years. Tim Couch is the only other Kentucky gunslinger to throw for at least 330 yards and five touchdowns on 74-plus percent passing in a single game.

“He’s really done a phenomenal job with his presence in the pocket, and each and every week, he’s getting more and more confident in that,” Mark Stoops said during his call-in show Monday evening. “The other thing I think he’s really doing at a high level right now is he’s been exceptional at throwing the ball with accuracy on the move. Under duress, he’s gotten way better since the first game of the year this year that he started, and then in trusting that he’s going to have some protection. …

“He’s been hanging in there when he has to hang in the pocket, but he’s escaping at times, and then he’s been remarkably accurate when he’s on the move.”

Seeing so many quarterbacks torch the Kentucky defense this year, along with coming up with game plans for all of the opposing greats to come and go over the years, Stoops is grateful to have an elite one on his sideline that others have to figure out.

“Cutter is a tough young man, and he’s getting bigger and stronger. He has a very good feel for that pocket right now. That’s been fun because, as a defensive guy, to coach a lot of defenses, that’s very aggravating when you feel like you got things matched up really well and pretty decent pressure, and you escape and make something happen.”

What if I told you not one, but two former Wildcats are helping Boley in that ongoing breakthrough?

Andre Woodson, who threw for 9,360 yards and 81 touchdowns as a two-time All-SEC selection in his four-year career in Lexington, has built a relationship with the redshirt freshman as he’s found his footing. From one in-state kid to another, the Radcliff native has been in Boley’s shoes and wants to help him live up to that superstar potential in the blue and white.

“I know Andre reached out to him and talked to him, and I appreciate that. With Andre — you know, these guys care about Kentucky. They care about how we play and want to see a guy like Cutter develop. It’s been good.”

It’s not just Woodson, though. In fact, there is a former player in that building taking Boley under his wing as a hands-on mentor — the guy who actually followed No. 3 in Lexington, suiting up from 2007-2010. Mike Hartline, who threw for 5,680 yards and 38 touchdowns during his time at Kentucky, is now an offensive quality control coach on Stoops’ staff.

What Bush Hamdan doesn’t have time for as offensive coordinator, Hartline steps in to do the heavy lifting with Boley’s development. Without him, we don’t see the current on-field success for the kid from Hodgenville.

“Another one that has made a big difference for him is Michael Hartline,” Stoops said. “I tell you, Michael does a really good job. Bush has a lot on his plate and a lot to work on, and we’re up there all hours, day and night, but a lot of times when Cutter comes in, he spends one-on-one time with Michael. He’s really done a good job, he’s been a great addition to our staff.

“It’s another UK guy that cares about this place, and I’m very impressed with him. He’s a great coach, and he’s really helped us, and he’s helped Cutter.”

Two great Kentucky quarterbacks, but can Boley be better? He’s already up to 1,553 yards and 11 touchdowns with five games to go as a redshirt freshman — then three more years of eligibility.

Things are starting to stick for the kid.

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Kentucky

LSU fires Brian Kelly, owes $53 million buyout

Published

3 days ago

October 26, 2025

Press Room

LSU fires Brian Kelly, owes million buyout

The dominoes are falling in the SEC, the latest potentially impacting Kentucky in terms of candidates should the Wildcats move on from Mark Stoops. LSU has fired head coach Brian Kelly, according to On3’s Pete Nakos, coming off the Tigers’ 49-25 loss to Texas A&M to fall to 5-3 on the season.

It’s been an all-day back-and-forth leading to the breakup Sunday night, conversations taking place earlier regarding staff changes and a potential parting of ways, Nakos ultimately reporting Kelly’s status was “in limbo” and “in flux” in Baton Rouge. Those “high-level discussions” included officials within the athletic department, executives at the university, and even Gov. Jeff Landry.

Kelly was in his fourth season at LSU after signing a 10-year, $95 million deal back in 2021. With a combined record of 34-14 and 19-10 in the SEC, including 10-win seasons in each of his first two seasons, he will be owed a $53 million buyout — the second-largest in college football history, behind only former Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher.

He joins James Franklin (Penn State) and Billy Napier (Florida) as Power 4 coaches fired during the 2025 season with 12 total FBS jobs already open.

What does that mean for Kentucky, now 2-5 on the year and 0-5 in conference play coming off an embarrassing 56-34 loss to Tennessee? Lane Kiffin has been a rumored target for not only Florida, but also LSU — the latter potentially more of a threat to reel him in from Oxford. Where would the Gators go from there? Franklin and Kelly are free agents, but Louisville’s Jeff Brohm is a name that has been tossed around. Would Oregon OC Will Stein return home to coach at his alma mater as a former Card? That would take a big-time target for the Wildcats off the table. Where does Jon Sumrall fit into all of this? Does UF go after the Tulane head coach? Does he replace Kiffin at Ole Miss?

Needless to say, the coaching carousel is spinning out of control with Kentucky potentially in the market for a new leader.

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