Still under a state of emergency.Day one of the Kentucky special session and a big item is already decided.Lawmakers voted to extend the state of emergency into January of next year.The resolution will now go to Gov. Andy Beshear's desk while lawmakers continue debate on other bills.Beshear called back Kentucky legislators to clarify his executive powers. "Now we find ourselves having to reevaluate those executive orders and if you'll notice, on these executive orders extending them until Jan. 15, 2022. That is to give us time should there be a need to come back in when we come in January for regular session," said KY Speaker of the House Rep. David Osborne.That first order of business did not see much resistance.The topic of schools was much different. "Every county in Kentucky, as of today, is in the red. More importantly, in our schools right now we have 32 school districts who are closed," said Sen. Reginald Thomas, (D) Lexington.A proposed Senate bill would eliminate the mask mandate handed down by the Kentucky Board of Education. "To say now that we are not going to require masks in our public schools, where our children are going to school, is completely irresponsible of us and it's bad policy," said Thomas. "If a local school district wants to come up with their own policy and procedure moving forward that's up to local control," Sen. Max Wise, (R) Campbellsville.Beshear does not currently have the power to mandate masks.But he said in a news conference Monday afternoon that is the difference between in-person and virtual classrooms this year. "I think universal masking is absolutely necessary if we want our kids in school," he said.The House is scheduled to reconvene Tuesday at 10 a.m.
Still under a state of emergency.
Day one of the Kentucky special session and a big item is already decided.
Lawmakers voted to extend the state of emergency into January of next year.
The resolution will now go to Gov. Andy Beshear's desk while lawmakers continue debate on other bills.
Beshear called back Kentucky legislators to clarify his executive powers.
"Now we find ourselves having to reevaluate those executive orders and if you'll notice, on these executive orders extending them until Jan. 15, 2022. That is to give us time should there be a need to come back in when we come in January for regular session," said KY Speaker of the House Rep. David Osborne.
That first order of business did not see much resistance.
The topic of schools was much different.
"Every county in Kentucky, as of today, is in the red. More importantly, in our schools right now we have 32 school districts who are closed," said Sen. Reginald Thomas, (D) Lexington.
A proposed Senate bill would eliminate the mask mandate handed down by the Kentucky Board of Education.
"To say now that we are not going to require masks in our public schools, where our children are going to school, is completely irresponsible of us and it's bad policy," said Thomas.
"If a local school district wants to come up with their own policy and procedure moving forward that's up to local control," Sen. Max Wise, (R) Campbellsville.
Beshear does not currently have the power to mandate masks.
But he said in a news conference Monday afternoon that is the difference between in-person and virtual classrooms this year.
"I think universal masking is absolutely necessary if we want our kids in school," he said.
The House is scheduled to reconvene Tuesday at 10 a.m.
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