Kentucky League of Women Voters

The 2013 LWVKY Convention was held April 12-13 in Louisville.

Elections: See our new Board of Directors.

Recommendations Passed:

1. That the LWVKY monitor the implementation of the Affordable Care Act in KY.
2. Proposal of closing recommendations for the Juvenile Justice study to be reviewed and published to the membership.

Invitation: 
Members are invited by Terry Naydan and Nita Smith to join the Legislative Committee.

Call to Convention 

Friday/Saturday, April 12-13, 2013
Louisville, KY – Lang House – 115 S. Ewing

Please register by Thursday, April 4 ($25 registration fee includes continental breakfast and lunch)

Convention Delegates: Each local League is entitled to 1 voting delegate for every 10 members or part thereof up to 5 delegates; then 1 delegate for every 20 members or part thereof. Let your local president know if you would like to represent your local league as a delegate.

Detailed agenda and registration form available in the Spring Voter Newsletter.

• Kentucky one of four states to ban former felons from voting
• Kentucky #3 in rate of disenfranchisement
• Kentucky #2 in disenfranchisement of African Americans
• 243,000 currently disenfranchised, 57,000 more than reported in 2006 study

Frankfort, KY – The League of Women Voters of Kentucky released a state report today, Felony Disenfranchisement in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, showing Kentucky has the third highest rate of citizens and the second highest rate of African Americans who have lost their right to vote despite completing their full felony sentence. This report is an updated version of a similar 2006 study.

According to the report, Kentucky is one of only four states to enforce lifetime voting bans on all persons with felony convictions resulting in the disenfranchisement of over 243,000 residents. This is an increase of more than 57,000 since the figures reported by the League in 2006.

One of every 14 adults in Kentucky is ineligible to vote due to a previous felony conviction, a rate of 7.35 percent, nearly three times the national rate of 2.5 percent. Among African Americans, almost one in five is disenfranchised, a rate of 22.3 percent, nearly triple the national rate of 7.66 percent. The report also finds that 90 percent of those disenfranchised live in the community, and 74 percent have completed their full sentence.

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Please join us for LWV Day at the Capitol!

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

9:30 – 10:00

Check in: Capitol Annex Cafeteria (basement), Frankfort, KY

12:00 – 1:00 p.m.

Lunch with Rep. Ruth Ann Palumbo, Room 362, Capitol Annex

Check in at 3rd floor reception area to get a badge.

See details below for lunch.

2:00 p.m.

Observe House and Senate in Action from the Galleries

(Terry/Cecile will have tickets at lunch)

All day:

Appointments with Legislators:

Call ahead to make appointments: 502-564-8100 Ask for your legislator’s office.
Their secretaries can help.

Attend Committee Meetings. The schedule is subject to change.

Look for daily schedule and meeting agenda posted on the walls in the Annex.

 http://www.lrc.ky.gov/sch_vist/13RS_Standing_Schedule.pdf

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Please click here to view the entire newsletter.

Legislative Session-2013

The formal Kentucky legislative session begins on Tuesday, January 9. However, many legislators have already prefiled bills, some of which are of special interest to the League of Women Voters of Kentucky. Representative Jesse Crenshaw’s bill (BR 166), which calls for automatically returning the right to vote to former felons who have served their sentence, is the same bill that did not pass in the last session. Our coalition partners and I think that the bill has a good chance of passing this year as there is new leadership in the legislature. We will lobby for this bill again in this session.

Another bill that we are supporting is Representative Jim Wayne’s bill (BR 233) calling for public financing of judicial campaigns, beginning with Supreme Court justices. Most citizens that we talked to last session agreed that judges should not be beholden to any special interest groups. We want our judges to be free of influence from anyone. The last bill that we are interested in is Senator Denise Harper Angel’s bill (BR 26), which has to do with dating and domestic violence. We are looking to National to inform us if we have a position on dating and domestic violence (more to follow).

When we have a “call to action” on the bills we are supporting, I would appreciate it if you would call the legislative message line (1-800-372-7181) and leave a message of support. Legislators like to know if there is real support from Kentucky citizens for the bills they introduce and champion. I hope that the upcoming session is a productive one and that the bills we support will become law.

Terry Naydan

LWV Legislative Liaison

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From the Co-Presidents:

The League of Women Voters Kentucky has made several changes as we begin the new year. The board decided to close the Frankfort office as a money-saving effort and move our mailing address to the Louisville LWV offices at Lang House, 115 South Ewing Ave, Louisville. The state League will pay a small fee to store materials and pay their part time staff assistant to send state mail to appropriate officers, reducing our budget by about $3200. To date, the plan is working well. The board also decided with the office move to hold board meetings in different locations this year. Members are always welcome to attend state board meetings and we especially encourage your attendance when we are in your community. (See the LWV Calendar of Events on page 4.) We know local Leagues are busy planning candidate forums or meet and greets giving citizens more information as they vote this fall. Many Leagues tape your events and air them on local cable channels. This is an important service to your community and we appreciate your efforts. We hope each League will participate in the Civics Education and Juvenile Drug Court studies. We had a conversation at council about using these studies to promote the League as we interact in our communities. (See Council report for more details.) Both have been extended through fall 2013. LWV US reports that several Leagues are moving to a leadership ‘management team’ model and we got word that Hardin County LWV is operating by committee this year. Although the three of us are officially co-presidents, we consider ourselves to be your management team. Feel free to contact any of us with questions or concerns.
Tammy Fagley, Cindy Heine, Cecile Schubert
Co-presidents

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Call to 2012 Council!

Hosted by: Hopkinsville-Christian County LWV

WHEN: Friday, April 27: 6:00 – 9:00 P.M. All times listed are Central Daylight Time.
Come to The Executive Cottage for sandwiches, desserts, sharing LWV ideas and an Update
on the 2012 Legislature (legislators invited)

Saturday, April 28, 2012: The Executive Cottage Meeting site
8:00-8:30 a.m. Registration and light breakfast
8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Meeting & Silent Auction

WHERE: Rough River State Dam Park
450 Lodge Road
Falls of Rough Ky,40119
(Grayson County near Litchfield; Exit 94 off Western KY Parkway)

REGISTRATION: Cost $35 (includes meeting packet, reception, breakfast and lunch)

OVERNIGHT LODGING: $80 for two double beds or Standard Cottages for four persons;
Contact: Carolyn Self: (270) 887-3522 or email bcself@newwavecomm.net.