Kentucky
‘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.
Kentucky
Saturday Headlines: Kentucky vs. Illinois Gameday Edition
Kentucky baseball began their NCAA Tournament with a 10-8 victory over Western Michigan on Friday afternoon at Kentucky Proud Park in Lexington. The No. 2 overall seed Wildcats scored eight runs in four innings to pretty much put the game out of reach.
While Western Michigan battled back with a valiant effort of eight runs themselves, Kentucky was able to add two more of their own to ice the game.
James McCoy was the big bat of the day, dialing up a two-run homer along with a RBI double to lead the team’s offense.
Kentucky had seven players log a RBI, three steal a base and as many be hit by a pitch.
Kentucky will play Illinois at 6 p.m. tomorrow in the Winners Bracket Game.
️ https://t.co/qG02ENNNUk#WeAreUK x #RoadToOmaha pic.twitter.com/OCPheWNwJp
— Kentucky Baseball (@UKBaseball) June 1, 2024
Next up for the Wildcats will be Illinois who defeated Indiana State 4-1 late Friday night. These two will face off at 6 PM today for the right to play in Game Five on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Western Michigan and Indiana State will play in the losers bracket at noon today with the loser being the first team eliminated from the Lexington Regional.
Tweet of the Day
Something about postseason baseball in Lexington…#WeAreUK x #RoadToOmaha pic.twitter.com/IKsxMlPItj
— Kentucky Baseball (@UKBaseball) May 31, 2024
Kentucky Proud Park was a vibe on Friday.
Headlines
Kentucky Baseball Holds Off Western Michigan – Vaught’s Views
Nail biter towards the end.
Pels to defer Lakers’ first-round draft pick to ‘25 – ESPN
Interesting strategy.
Get to Know Ansley Almoner – Vaught’s Views
He’s bringing a lot of good things to UK.
Troy Weaver out as GM of Pistons amid shakeup – ESPN
NBA news drop from Friday.
4 takeaways from SEC Spring Meetings – KSR
Change is coming.
College basketball transfer portal rankings 2024 – CBS Sports
Jaxson Robinson is big on this list.
Vince Marrow shares his recruiting secret sauce – KSR
Best in the business.
Mike Tyson facing health risks as he trains with an ulcer – USA Today
Too old for this.
Kentucky
Kentucky baseball vs Illinois prediction, odds for NCAA tournament regionals
LEXINGTON — Kentucky jumped to an eight-run lead Friday and then held on for a 10-8 win over Western Michigan in the opening game of the NCAA Tournament’s Lexington Regional.
Illinois never trailed in a 4-1 win over Indiana State in Friday’s nightcap.
Now, the Wildcats and Fighting Illini are set to square off Saturday.
UK, 41-14 on the season and the NCAA Tournament’s No. 2 overall seed, captured a share of the SEC regular-season title for only the second time. Illinois is a regular-season conference champ as well, winning the Big Ten for the first time since 2015.
Get to the game: Looking for Kentucky baseball tickets in the Lexington Regional? Here are the best options for the 2024 NCAA Tournament
Here’s what to know about UK’s NCAA regional matchup against Illinois at Kentucky Proud Park, with first pitch set for 6 p.m. Saturday:
Kentucky baseball vs Illinois prediction in NCAA regional bracket
Kentucky 5, Illinois 4: On paper, this matchup is like splitting hairs. Illinois averages 8.2 runs per game; Kentucky is at 8.1. The expected starting pitchers, UK’s Trey Pooser and Illinois’ Cooper Omans, have nearly identical rates in hits allowed per nine innings (7.01 for Omans, 7.14 for Pooser) and walks + hits per innings pitched — better known by its acronym WHIP — that has Pooser (1.18) slightly ahead of Omans (1.24). When teams are this evenly matched, give the most infinitesimal of edges to the squad playing in its home venue. In this case, that’s the Wildcats, who escape with a one-run victory to improve to 2-0 at the regional.
Kentucky vs. Illinois odds in 2024 NCAA tournament
Odds courtesy of BetMGM. Odds will be updated as they become available.
Spread: N/A
Moneyline: N/A
Over/under: N/A
Kentucky baseball odds to reach 2024 College World Series BetMGM
Odds courtesy of BetMGM. Odds will be updated as they become available.
Kentucky: The Wildcats have the fifth-best odds at +1000 to win the College World Series, per BetMGM.
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Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at rblack@gannett.com and follow him on X at @RyanABlack.
Kentucky
McCoy helps Kentucky hold on for 10-8 win over Western Michigan
LEXINGTON, Ky. — James McCoy hit a two-run homer and drove in three runs to break out of a hitting slump and Kentucky held on for a 10-8 victory over Western Michigan on Friday in the opening game of the Wildcats’ home regional.
The No. 2 overall seed Wildcats (41-14) got off to a hot start after earning the highest seed in program history and winning just their second Southeastern Conference regular-season title. They jumped ahead 8-0 through the first four innings before Western Michigan (32-22), the Mid-American Conference Tournament champions, rallied and put the potential go-ahead run on base in the ninth.
Western Michigan loaded the bases with two outs off Robert Hogan on Josh Swinehart’s single, a hit batter and a walk.
Hogan got a flyout to left field from Grady Mee to end the threat and earn his first save. He allowed two hits and struck out four in 3 1/3 scoreless innings to earn his first save. Cameron O’Brien (2-0) got the win with one scoreless inning.
Western Michigan starter Brady Miller (6-6) allowed six runs, four earned, in two innings.
Kentucky will face the Indiana State-Illinois winner on Saturday.
McCoy had a double and scored twice for the Wildcats in addition to hitting his sixth home run of the season — in the second inning. He snapped out of a 0-for-21 batting slump.
Mitchell Daly added a pair of doubles and two RBIs.
Western Michigan chased Kentucky starter Dominic Niman with a five-run fifth inning. CJ Richmond’s two-run double in the sixth pulled the Broncos within two and capped the scoring.
Kentucky will face the winner of Indiana State and Illinois on Saturday night at 6 p.m. ET.
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