Freedom Index

A Legislative Scorecard Based on the Principles of the U.S. Constitution

Votes


Prohibiting COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates  |  SB295

SB295 prohibits a requirement for any individual to receive a COVID-19 vaccine for the purposes of student enrollment, employment, or medical treatment.

The Senate passed SB295 on March 26, 2024, by a vote of 25 to 11. We have assigned pluses to the yeas because vaccine mandates should be opposed, as an individual’s non-injurious personal health care decisions should be considered private matters not under federal, state, or local jurisdiction in the United States. Compelling every person to be vaccinated under the guise of “preventive medical treatment” violates the fundamental rights of the people protected by the Bill of Rights and the 14th Amendment.

Universal Education Funding Amendment  |  HB2

HB2 proposes to amend the Kentucky Constitution to authorize the financial support of students outside the public school system.

The Senate passed HB2 on March 15, 2024, by a vote of 27 to 8. We have assigned pluses to the nays because ratification of this amendment would further expand the government’s monopoly on K-12 education, which seeks to displace traditional private schools and homeschooling in favor of universal state-sponsored schooling. Its exchange of public subsidies for curriculum and other regulatory controls effectively turns every participating student into a government-school student. Moreover, education is not the role of government. A child’s education is the responsibility of his or her family. The best “school choice,” by far, is for parents to choose not to place their child’s education in the hands of the state. Educational and economic freedom cannot be achieved by forcing other citizens to furnish their hard-earned tax dollars to fund all that now entails a compulsory, failing, and government-run K-12 school system.

Universal Education Funding Amendment  |  HB2

HB2 proposes to amend the Kentucky Constitution to authorize the financial support of students outside the public school system.

The House passed HB2 on March 13, 2024, by a vote of 65 to 32. We have assigned pluses to the nays because ratification of this amendment would further expand the government’s monopoly on K-12 education, which seeks to displace traditional private schools and homeschooling in favor of universal state-sponsored schooling. Its exchange of public subsidies for curriculum and other regulatory controls effectively turns every participating student into a government-school student. Moreover, education is not the role of government. A child’s education is the responsibility of his or her family. The best “school choice,” by far, is for parents to choose not to place their child’s education in the hands of the state. Educational and economic freedom cannot be achieved by forcing other citizens to furnish their hard-earned tax dollars to fund all that now entails a compulsory, failing, and government-run K-12 school system.

Second Amendment Financial Privacy  |  HB357

HB357 forbids the use of a merchant category code that distinguishes a firearms retailer from other retailers and provides that no person or governmental entity may keep a list of privately owned firearms or firearms owners.

The Senate passed HB357 on March 13, 2024, by a vote of 32 to 6. We have assigned pluses to the yeas because this bill prevents the unlawful use of credit card payment information to track firearms purchases. Recent adoption of a new merchant category code for “gun and ammunition shops” by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO)—a globalist collaborative linked to the United Nations—aids unconstitutional efforts by the federal government to conduct mass surveillance, which, in part, is intended to create a national gun-owner database and confiscate firearms from law-abiding citizens. States should interpose between and nullify the actions of private or public entities that frustrate, if not blatantly violate, the Second and Fourth Amendment rights of the American people.

“Stop Arm Camera” Citations  |  HB461

HB461 allows the use of “stop arm cameras” on school buses and enforces civil penalties against motor vehicle owners for violations, including fines of up to $1,000, license suspension, and imprisonment.

The House passed HB461 on March 11, 2024, by a vote of 79 to 14. We have assigned pluses to the nays because this bill is equivalent to placing “red light cameras” on school buses, extending the baneful and coercive “policing-for-profit” schemes employed by state and local governments and (even foreign-owned) third-party companies. Besides, Kentucky law already provides civil penalties for motor vehicle operators witnessed to be in violation of passing a stopped school bus. Hence, the use of “stop arm cameras” is nothing more than a techno-authoritarian method to fast-track an unconstitutional means of taxing citizens. It infringes upon the Bill of Rights and the 14th Amendment, specifically the accused’s right to privacy and due process.

Federal Drug Pricing  |  SB27

SB27 ensures that pharmaceutical manufactures comply with the federal 340B Drug Pricing Program.

The Senate passed SB27 on March 8, 2024, by a vote of 32 to 5. We have assigned pluses to the nays because Section 340B of the Public Health Service Act, which requires pharmaceutical manufacturers participating in Medicaid to sell outpatient drugs at discounted prices, is unconstitutional. Medicaid, not to mention the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is not authorized under Article I, Section 8, of the Constitution, as neither health care nor social welfare is the legitimate object of government. Government-subsidized health care or drug pricing, not to mention the “benefits” provided to illegal aliens, is financed by immoral and anti-constitutional forms of taxation (e.g., personal or corporate income taxes). It violates the Bill of Rights and 14th Amendment by taking from citizens the wages they have rightfully earned. The General Assembly should act instead to nullify all unconstitutional federal laws and end reckless economic incentives.

Second Amendment Financial Privacy  |  HB357

HB357 forbids the use of a merchant category code that distinguishes a firearms retailer from other retailers and provides that no person or governmental entity may keep a list of privately owned firearms or firearms owners.

The House passed HB357 on February 27, 2024, by a vote of 78 to 18. We have assigned pluses to the yeas because this bill prevents the unlawful use of credit card payment information to track firearms purchases. Recent adoption of a new merchant category code for “gun and ammunition shops” by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO)—a globalist collaborative linked to the United Nations—aids unconstitutional efforts by the federal government to conduct mass surveillance, which, in part, is intended to create a national gun-owner database and confiscate firearms from law-abiding citizens. States should interpose between and nullify the actions of private or public entities that frustrate, if not blatantly violate, the Second and Fourth Amendment rights of the American people.

Cutting “Work Waivers” for Food Stamps  |  HB367

HB367 prohibits SNAP recipients who are “able-bodied adults without dependents” from receiving any waiver of work requirements, unless specifically authorized by the General Assembly.

The House passed HB367 on February 22, 2024, by a vote of 61 to 33. We have assigned pluses to the yeas because providing cash or food assistance, especially to “able-bodied adults without dependents,” is not the legitimate object of government. There exists no “right to food” apart from a person working and earning it themselves or having received it privately and voluntarily from someone else. Taxation in the name of “social welfare” is neither just nor charitable. “Public assistance benefits” rely on the unconstitutional and discriminatory use of federal and state taxpayer money on behalf of some citizens (particularly those who have little or no tax liability) at the expense of others, resulting in more debt, dependency, and poverty. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is not authorized under Article I, Section 8, of the U.S. Constitution.   

Freeing Young Adults from “Child Labor Laws”  |  HB255

HB255 repeals a section of state law that prevents the Department of Workplace Standards from making “child labor” regulations less restrictive than those imposed by the United States Secretary of Labor.

The House passed HB255 on February 22, 2024, by a vote of 60 to 36. We have assigned pluses to the yeas because young adults (e.g., 17 or 16-year-olds), who have reached an age of discretion, should not be subject to “child labor laws” or other unreasonable barriers to willful and gainful employment. Parents—not the government—ought to have the final authority and say as to whether their minor children can work. Kentucky must protect the fundamental rights of parents and freedom of association of the American people, which are retained under the Bill of Rights and the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.   

Protecting the Rights of Tenants and Landlords  |  HB18

HB18 preempts local governments from adopting or enforcing ordinances that bar owners of housing accommodations from refusing to lease or rent to persons who receive federal housing assistance.

The Senate passed HB18 (Third Reading) on February 20, 2024, by a vote of 25 to 11. We have assigned pluses to the yeas because local governments in Kentucky have absolutely no business passing “source-of-income antidiscrimination” ordinances, and nothing in the U.S. Constitution authorizes the federal government’s Section 8 “housing choice voucher program.” As dishonest and manipulative tactics of government efforts to control the housing market, they unconstitutionally deny the property rights of both tenants and landlords by violating freedom of association. They prevent individuals from entering into lease agreements privately and voluntarily, according to their own terms, hindering the most qualified renters from obtaining the best housing at the best prices. The Bill of Rights and the 14th Amendment were intended to promote the “General Welfare” of all Americans through safeguarding against such undue deprivations or disparagements of a person’s “liberty, or property” and guaranteeing “equal protection of the laws.”

“Moment of Silence” to Pray in School  |  HB96

HB96 requires each local school district to have a “moment of silence or reflection” at the start of every school day, ensuring that all students may “pray” without distraction.  

The House passed HB96 on January 31, 2024, by a vote of 79 to 17. We have assigned pluses to the yeas because this bill supports the religious liberty of students, including their right to pray in school. Prior to the U.S. Supreme Court’s erroneous decision in Engel v. Vitale in 1962 (a case in which the Court failed to cite even a single precedent to justify its opinion), prayer in schools had been not just constitutionally protected, but a long-standing tradition and common practice. In fact, Kentucky law still authorizes the recitation of the “Lord’s prayer” in elementary schools as a reminder that it “is the prayer our pilgrim fathers recited.” The U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment clearly says, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” As a restriction addressed exclusively to “Congress,” it limits only the federal government, not the States. Since 1792, the Kentucky Constitution has consistently declared that “all men” have “the right of worshipping Almighty God according to the dictates of their consciences,” and that “no human authority shall, in any case whatever, control or interfere with the rights of conscience.”

Secure Voter ID Requirements  |  SB80

SB80 removes college and university identification documents, along with credit and debit cards, from being used as “proof of identification” to confirm a voter’s eligibility.

The Senate passed SB80 on January 30, 2024, by a vote of 27 to 7. We have assigned pluses to the yeas because this bill would improve Kentucky’s voter ID requirements by closing a significant loophole that risks electoral fraud and disenfranchisement of qualified U.S. citizen, Kentucky-resident voters. Section 147 of the Kentucky Constitution grants the General Assembly power to provide by law for the “registration” of all persons “entitled to vote” in the state, with the requirement that it “shall pass all necessary laws” to enforce the provision that “only persons registered shall have the right to vote.” The American people alone retain the “right of Representation in the Legislature,” and lawmakers in Kentucky should perform their duty and exercise the full extent of their authority under Article 1, Section 4, of the U.S. Constitution, as well as the 14th and 26th Amendments, to implement free, fair, and secure elections, thereby ensuring “the right of citizens of the United States to vote.” 

Eliminating the ‘Bourbon Barrel Tax’  |  HB5

HB5 phases out state and local property taxes on the production of “distilled spirits stored or aging in barrels” beginning in 2026 and eliminating them by 2043.

The Senate passed HB5 on March 30, 2023, by a vote of 23 to 14. We have assigned pluses to the yeas because the ‘Bourbon Barrel Tax’ is a form of wealth transfer legislation based on property confiscation. Property should not be taxed at any level against anyoneespecially Kentucky’s $9 billion signature industry that generates new jobs, higher wages, and better opportunities. Property taxes, like income taxes, are immoral and anti-constitutional acts of government-imposed theft. Since property is tied to ownership, only when a person or business is secure in the possession of their property can they have the freedom to exercise self-government. Every attack on private property is, therefore, an attack on individual liberty. The U.S. Constitution’s Bill of Rights and 14th Amendment were written to safeguard “private property” and prevent “any State” from depriving “any person” of “property, without due process of law.” Moreover, neither education nor public health is the role of government, and taxing property to fund them is even more egregious.

Eliminating the ‘Bourbon Barrel Tax’  |  HB5

HB5 phases out state and local property taxes on the production of “distilled spirits stored or aging in barrels” beginning in 2026 and eliminating them by 2043.

The House passed HB5 on March 30, 2023, by a vote of 60 to 39. We have assigned pluses to the yeas because the ‘Bourbon Barrel Tax’ is a form of wealth transfer legislation based on property confiscation. Property should not be taxed at any level against anyoneespecially Kentucky’s $9 billion signature industry that generates new jobs, higher wages, and better opportunities. Property taxes, like income taxes, are immoral and anti-constitutional acts of government-imposed theft. Since property is tied to ownership, only when a person or business is secure in the possession of their property can they have the freedom to exercise self-government. Every attack on private property is, therefore, an attack on individual liberty. The U.S. Constitution’s Bill of Rights and 14th Amendment were written to safeguard “private property” and prevent “any State” from depriving “any person” of “property, without due process of law.” Moreover, neither education nor public health is the role of government, and taxing property to fund them is even more egregious.

Parental Rights in Education  |  SB150

SB150 limits the authority of public schools in relation to parental rights, a student’s use of pronouns, medical or mental health services, and instructional content on human sexuality.    

The Senate passed SB150 on March 29, 2023, by a vote of 29 to 8, overriding the Governor’s veto. We have assigned pluses to the yeas because the upbringing, education, and care of children belongs to parents, not the government. Parental rights, as with all other fundamental rights, are guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution’s Bill of Rights and 14th Amendment.

Parental Rights in Education  |  SB150

SB150 limits the authority of public schools in relation to parental rights, a student’s use of pronouns, medical or mental health services, and instructional content on human sexuality.    

The House passed SB150 on March 29, 2023, by a vote of 76 to 23, overriding the Governor’s veto. We have assigned pluses to the yeas because the upbringing, education, and care of children belongs to parents, not the government. Parental rights, as with all other fundamental rights, are guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution’s Bill of Rights and 14th Amendment.

Saving Kentucky’s Coal Power Plants  |  SB4

SB4 prevents a utility company from shutting down a “fossil fuel-fired electric generating unit” without demonstrating that it would result in reliability and resilience of the electric grid as well as cost savings for customers.

The House passed SB4 on March 16, 2023, by a vote of 66 to 28. We have assigned pluses to the ayes because this bill assists with efforts to save Kentucky’s coal power plants amid an unconstitutional war on fossil fuels that seeks to deny local citizens their right to access the natural energy resources in the Bluegrass State. Rather than submit to the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for “sustainable development,” which threatens to reduce our standards of living and compromise the integrity of our utility infrastructure, Kentucky should act to stop the “climate change” grift and reject all attempts by power-hungry globalist elites to further regulate the use of coal or other fossil fuels. The Bill of Rights and the 14th Amendment were intended to protect free-market enterprise.

Prohibiting Enforcement of Federal Firearms Restrictions  |  HB153

HB153 prohibits state and local agencies from enforcing any “federal law, executive order, rule, or regulation that is enacted, adopted, or becomes effective on or after January 1, 2021.”

The Senate passed HB153 on March 15, 2023, by a vote of 27 to 9. We have assigned pluses to the yeas because this bill prevents the state from enforcing certain federal firearms regulations, helping to restore the rights of law-abiding citizens. The U.S. Constitution’s Second Amendment expressly declares that “the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” Whenever the federal government assumes power to impose firearms restrictions in blatant violation of the Bill of Rights and the 14th Amendment, nullification of such acts by the several States is the proper remedy.

Extending State “Unemployment Benefits”  |  HB146

HB146 extends the minimum weeks of state “unemployment benefits” available from 12 weeks to 16 weeks.   

The House passed HB146 on March 13, 2023, by a vote of 94 to 0. We have assigned minuses to the yeas because there exists no right to a wage or remuneration apart from a person earning it themselves through their own labor or investment. As government has no money of its own, the reality is that so-called “unemployment benefits,” despite being organized by the state, are nothing but an illegitimate “insurance” mandate (i.e., tax) on employers—the cost of which is ultimately paid for by hard-working employees. Unfortunately, the state-subsidizing or compulsory financing of unemployed individuals only undermines work ethic and profit incentive, creating more unemployment and poor people dependent on the government for income. The State of Kentucky must not be permitted to pursue such policies that are beyond its proper constitutional scope and authority.

Protecting Children from Lewd or Lascivious Conduct  |  SB115

SB115 would make engaging in a “live sexually explicit performance” on public property or in a location where it could be viewed by a minor child a criminal offense.  

The Senate passed SB115 on March 10, 2023, by a vote of 26 to 6. We have assigned pluses to the yeas because the citizens of Kentucky have the right—which the State has a duty to uphold—to protect both themselves and their children from obscene, indecent, or profane activity. This right of the people is retained under the 9th and 10th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

Saving Kentucky’s Coal Power Plants  |  SB4

SB4 prevents a utility company from shutting down a “fossil fuel-fired electric generating unit” without demonstrating that it would result in reliability and resilience of the electric grid as well as cost savings for customers.

The Senate passed SB4 on March 2, 2023, by a vote of 25 to 8. We have assigned pluses to the ayes because this bill assists with efforts to save Kentucky’s coal power plants amid an unconstitutional war on fossil fuels that seeks to deny local citizens their right to access the natural energy resources in the Bluegrass State. Rather than submit to the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for “sustainable development,” which threatens to reduce our standards of living and compromise the integrity of our utility infrastructure, Kentucky should act to stop the “climate change” grift and reject all attempts by power-hungry globalist elites to further regulate the use of coal or other fossil fuels. The Bill of Rights and the 14th Amendment were intended to serve as a bulwark against undue interference with free-market enterprise.

Ban on Sex Mutilation of Children  |  HB470

HB470, the “Do No Harm Act,” would ban the provision of “gender transition services” to a person under the age of 18 years.

The House passed HB470 on March 2, 2023, by a vote of 75 to 22. We have assigned pluses to the yeas because no person has a right to abuse a child using the pretext of LGBTQ+ ideology. Sex mutilation against minor children violates their unalienable right to life and limb, as it absurdly attempts to erase their biological characteristics with fictional “gender” constructs. According to the Bill of Rights and the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, the States have a duty to defend the humanity of all peoplemale and female—who, as the Declaration of Independence affirms, are created by God and form the basis of individual and family self-government.

“Electronic Money” in the Uniform Commercial Code  |  SB64

SB64 would change Kentucky’s definition of “money” to include “electronic money,” as provided by the Uniform Commercial Code.  

The Senate passed the SB64 on February 28, 2023, by a vote of 34 to 0. We have assigned minuses to the yeas because this bill would end free-market-based cryptocurrencies and pave the way for an exclusively government-controlled Central Bank Digital Currency—presenting a significant danger to civil liberties. In fact, the bill was pushed by the Uniform Law Commission, an influential ‘Deep State’ globalist organization that promotes uniform state laws in America, particularly those “consistent with U.S. laws and international obligations,” so as to pursue integration with other countries. Nevertheless, the power to “coin money,” let alone authorize or adopt the use of “electronic money,” is among the powers denied to the States in Article 1, Section 10, of the U.S. Constitution.

Prohibiting Enforcement of Federal Firearms Restrictions  |  HB153

HB153 prohibits state and local agencies from enforcing any “federal law, executive order, rule, or regulation that is enacted, adopted, or becomes effective on or after January 1, 2021.”

The House passed HB153 on February 22, 2023, by a vote of 78 to 19. We have assigned pluses to the yeas because this bill prevents the state from enforcing certain federal firearms regulations, helping to restore the rights of law-abiding citizens. The U.S. Constitution’s Second Amendment expressly declares that “the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” Whenever the federal government assumes power to impose firearms restrictions in blatant violation of the Bill of Rights and the 14th Amendment, nullification of such acts by the several States is the proper remedy.

Women’s Sports  |  SB83

SB83 prohibits male students from participating in athletic teams, activities, and sports designated as “girls”.

The Kentucky State Senate passed SB83 on April 13, 2022 by a vote of 29 to 8. We have assigned pluses to the ayes because the left has been promoting radical Marxist ideas for years. This indoctrination is letting people believe that they can choose their pronouns and that they can be transgender. Scientifically and biblically, there are two genders. Taxpayers fund sports programs in schools, so this legislation ensures that taxpayer dollars will not be going to athletic programs that embrace the woke culture.

COVID-19 Policy  |  SB2

SB2 prohibits the governor from creating a statewide mask mandate and prohibits healthcare facilities from requiring vaccinations of employees. This law also requires visitation in long-term care facilities for family members and friends.

The Kentucky State Senate passed SB2 on September 9, 2021 by a vote of 23 to 5.  We have assigned pluses to the ayes because an individual’s personal health care decisions should not be the object of government, nor be under its federal, state, or local jurisdictions in the United States. Forcing an individual to produce their vaccination status would be a violation of their fundamental rights, freedoms, privileges, or immunities protected by the Bill of Rights and the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Elections  |  HB574

HB574 expands the state’s early voting, lets people fix their own ballot issues, and allows drop boxes for people to submit their absentee ballots.

The Kentucky State Senate passed HB574 on March 16, 2021 by a vote of 33 to 3. We have assigned pluses to the nays because this legislation compromises the integrity of our elections, opening the door to fraudulent behavior, which ultimately drives people to lose faith in the election process. We need to push back against measures like drop boxes and early voting.

Vaccine Mandates  |  SB8

SB8 provides exemptions from mandatory immunization for any child, emancipated minor, or adult who, personally or by a parent or guardian, submits a written sworn statement objecting to the immunization based on conscientiously held beliefs.

The Kentucky State Senate passed SB8 on March 16, 2021 by a vote of 33 to 1. We have assigned pluses to the ayes because an individual’s personal health care decisions should not be the object of government, nor be under its federal, state, or local jurisdictions in the United States. Forcing an individual to receive a vaccination or partake in any medical procedure would be a violation of their fundamental rights, freedoms, privileges, or immunities protected by the Bill of Rights and the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Reopening the Economy  |  HB1

HB1 provides relief to businesses by allowing them to open during the COVID-19 pandemic. Also made is so that no state or local agency shall enforce restrictions related to the state of emergency impacting the ability of any business, nonprofit organization, or religious organization to remain open and fully operational for in-person services. This legislation also deems that visitors must be allowed in residential long-term care facilities or nursing homes.

The Kentucky State Senate passed HB1 on February 2, 2021 by a vote of 29 to 8.  We have assigned pluses to the ayes because Article IV, Section 4, of the U.S. Constitution, requires a limitation and separation of powers and the state legislature stepping in to stop the Governor’s intrusive shut down. The right to peacefully assemble, exercise of religion and to operate a business are protected by both the Bill of Rights and the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and no situation or event in the United States shall lead to the suspension of those rights. The Declaration of Independence states, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” and government interference in entrepreneurship and private business is in violation of that belief.

Broadband Fund  |  HB459

HB459 appropriates Federal Funds from the Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 in the amount of $127,000,000 and Federal Funds from the State Fiscal Recovery Fund of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 in the amount of $123,000,000 to the broadband deployment fund.

The Kentucky State Senate passed HB459 on March 30, 2022 by a vote of 36 to 0. We have assigned pluses to the nays because federal funds for unconstitutional use comes with string attached, which expands the size of government. Government subsidized internet benefits only a specific part of the population. This is also another step towards socialism and government interference in the free market.

Women’s Sports  |  SB83

SB83 prohibits male students from participating in athletic teams, activities, and sports designated as “girls”.

The Kentucky State House of Representatives passed and overrode the Governor’s veto for SB83 on April 13, 2022 by a vote of 72 to 23.  We have assigned pluses to the ayes because the left has been promoting radical Marxist ideas for years. This indoctrination is letting people believe that they can choose their pronouns and that they can be transgender. Scientifically and biblically, there are two genders. Taxpayers fund sports programs in schools, so this legislation ensures that taxpayer dollars will not be going to athletic programs that embrace the woke culture.

Gun Rights  |  HB29

HB29 prohibits government within the state from enforcing federal firearm bans and prohibits state government entities from allocating public resources or money to enforce a federal firearms ban.

The Kentucky State House of Representatives passed HB29 on March 10, 2022 by a vote of 75 to 20. We have assigned pluses to the ayes because the fundamental right of the American people to keep and bear arms is protected by the U.S. Constitution, particularly in the 2nd, 9th, and 10th Amendments, and should not be infringed. Furthermore, under Article VI of the U.S. Constitution, states have a duty to nullify infringements by the federal government.

Elections  |  HB574

HB574 expands the state’s early voting, lets people fix their own ballot issues, and allows drop boxes for people to submit their absentee ballots.

The Kentucky State House of Representatives passed HB574 on March 29, 2021 by a vote of 91 to 3.  We have assigned pluses to the nays because this legislation compromises the integrity of our elections, opening the door to fraudulent behavior, which ultimately drives people to lose faith in the election process. We need to push back against measures like drop boxes and early voting.

Vaccine Mandates  |  SB8

SB8 provides exemptions from mandatory immunization for any child, emancipated minor, or adult who, personally or by a parent or guardian, submits a written sworn statement objecting to the immunization based on conscientiously held beliefs.

The Kentucky State House of Representatives passed SB8 on March 12, 2021 by a vote of 77 to 20. We have assigned pluses to the ayes because an individual’s personal health care decisions should not be the object of government, nor be under its federal, state, or local jurisdictions in the United States. Forcing an individual to receive a vaccination or partake in any medical procedure would be a violation of their fundamental rights, freedoms, privileges, or immunities protected by the Bill of Rights and the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Reopening the Economy  |  HB1

HB1 provides relief to businesses by allowing them to open during the COVID-19 pandemic. This legislation also made is so that no state or local agency shall enforce restrictions related to the state of emergency impacting the ability of any business, nonprofit organization, or religious organization to remain open and fully operational for in-person services. This legislation also deems that visitors must be allowed in residential long-term care facilities or nursing homes.

The Kentucky State House of Representatives passed and overrode the Governor’s veto for HB1 on February 2, 2021 by a vote of 72 to 22. We have assigned pluses to the ayes because Article IV, Section 4, of the U.S. Constitution, requires a limitation and separation of powers and the state legislature stepping in to stop the Governor’s intrusive shut down. The right to peacefully assemble, exercise of religion and to operate a business are protected by both the Bill of Rights and the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and no situation or event in the United States shall lead to the suspension of those rights. The Declaration of Independence states, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” and government interference in entrepreneurship and private business is in violation of that belief.

Broadband Fund  |  HB459

HB459 Appropriates Federal Funds from the Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 in the amount of $127,000,000 and Federal Funds from the State Fiscal Recovery Fund of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 in the amount of $123,000,000 to the broadband deployment fund.

The Kentucky State House of Representatives passed HB459 on February 23, 2022 by a vote of 97 to 0. We have assigned pluses to the nays because federal funds for unconstitutional use comes with string attached, which expands the size of government. Government subsidized internet benefits only a specific part of the population. This is also another step towards socialism and government interference in the free market.