A reader pulled all the bills currently filed in the House in this year’s General Assembly, then looked up all the primary sponsors and their parties. And guess what? NOT ONE Dem bill in the House has even been assigned to a committee.
We’re not talking about a bill being debated, then voted down on the floor. We’re not even talking about a bill failing to make it out of a committee.
We’re talking about the standard, normal process of assigning a bill to a committee … something that USUALLY happens for both parties.
Here are the numbers in the Kentucky House broken down further, as of when this research was done:
- Total bills filed (as of the research): 402
- Bills with Repub primary sponsors: 281
- Bills with Repub sponsors assigned to a committee: 106
- Bills with Dem primary sponsors: 121
- Bills with Dem sponsors assigned to a committee: None, zero, zip
And what sort of bills are the Republicans blocking? Here’s just a small sample of what Kentucky is NOT getting a chance to even weigh in on:
- HB 19 – Conversion therapy ban
- HB 21 – Breonna’s Law
- HB 23 – Public redistricting commission
- HB 27 – Maternal health bill
- HB 34 – Raise the minimum wage
- HB 42 – Parental leave for state employees
- HB 51 – Extend voting hours
Do you see anything in that list that you think is a good idea? Even more, do you see anything there that at least ought to be discussed? If you do, contact your Repub legislators in the House by leaving a comment at (800) 372-7181.
Ask them what they are afraid of. Ask them why these bills aren’t in a committee.
If you’re in the majority, that makes you the de facto leaders. And leadership involves more than throwing your weight around and showing us how powerful you are. Leadership involves using your power for good.
And so far, Republican leadership in the House is not being the leaders they should be.
Uncork the bills, House Repubs. Or stop calling yourselves “legislative leaders” and start calling yourselves “legislative bullies.”
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