State League of Women Voters Elects New Officers
April 27, 2015
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Cindy Heine, Publicity Co-chair
502-875-6481
KentuckyLWV@gmail.com
STATE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS ELECTS NEW OFFICERS
SHAKER VILLAGE at PLEASANT HILL, KY. – The League of Women Voters of Kentucky elected new officers at its April 11 biennial convention at Shaker Village. Terry Naydan, Ed.D. and Nita Smith, both of Lexington, were elected as co-presidents; Bonnie Lynch, Hopkinsville, was elected first vice-president; Steve Senft of Lexington was elected second vice-president; Fran Wagner, Louisville was elected secretary; and Richard Heine, Lexington was elected treasurer. They will serve two-year terms.
The members agreed to a program including a review of the legislative oversight of Kentucky’s state-funded pension system; follow up on Kentucky’s recently adopted social studies frameworks with a focus on civics; and a review of issues related to the judicial system to determine a more targeted approach for future study and/or action.
A panel including Senator Whitney Westerfield, Christian County, chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Gretchen Hunt, Staff Attorney with the KY Association of Sexual Assault Programs and Neil Ward, Bell County Attorney, discussed House Bill 8, the so-called dating violence bill, enacted in the 2015 legislative session. They shared the extent of domestic violence in Kentucky and the need for expansion of emergency protective orders. Senator Westerfield described the bi-partisan work on the bill over several sessions, resulting in support from both chambers.
Members also heard from Melissa Currence, the former co-chair of the national LWV Young People Task Force. As a young member from Cincinnati, Ms. Currence shared trends related to the interests and needs of younger people as League members seek to engage younger members in their work.
The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan organization of women and men who work to educate and involve citizens in government. The League does not support or oppose candidates for office or political parties.