GUEST FEATURE by Kentucky State Representative Joni Jenkins, (D-44) –
Rep. Joni Jenkins on Kentucky House floor
In the 1980’s, the Commonwealth of Kentucky was a leader in the prevention of violence against women. We were one of the first states to enact Emergency Protection Orders and Domestic Violence Orders. The VINE (Victim Notification Everyday) system was developed in Louisville, KY and went statewide in the 1990’s. Sadly, we have fallen behind in the protection of people in abusive relationships, by being one of just 3 states that do not allow dating partners the protections of EPOs and DVOs when abuse occurs.
I first filed legislation to address this void nearly 10 years ago. Each year, I have filed this legislation and finally through education and advocacy, the measure is poised to pass this year. The Chair of the House Judiciary is the sponsor of HB 8, the Speaker of the House is a co-sponsor, and the Governor endorsed the bill in his State of the Commonwealth address 3 weeks ago.
HB 8 passed out of the House Judiciary Committee on the second day of the 2014 session. Just as the House was ready to pass it out to the Senate, a Republican Representation hung an anti-choice amendment on the bill. While this amendment is clearly not germane to the bill, it has caused the sponsor to send the bill back to committee.
I should back up and explain a little history of the pro-choice movement in Kentucky. Kentucky has not passed an anti-choice law since 1998. Yes, you read that right – KENTUCKY, 1998.
Each year, a number of anti-choice bills are introduced and each year they are heard in the House Health and Welfare Committee, where eight brave Democratic men and women vote them down. The anti-choice legislators (mostly republican) will then try to attach the language by amendment to any bill that seems important. One year, anti-choice language was attached and killed my bill to study the effects of Domestic Violence on Children. It is a mean and nasty maneuver that demonstrates the political motives of the anti-choice movement – it’s really not about “life”, it’s about politics and the continuing the “War on Women”.
Logically, you might think that if the language is not germane to the bill, it would be a simple matter of House procedurally voting down the amendments. Not so simple in the politically charged atmosphere that is the Kentucky House.
The Kentucky House is the last chamber in the South to have a democratic majority. We are under attack. Sadly, many House Democrats are not willing to make a vote that may be politicized as pro-abortion.
As we approach the end of the first trimester of the 2014 session; HB 8 resides in the House Judiciary Committee. Because one representative with a single issue agenda refuses to recede from his amendments, Kentuckians are less protected and have fewer tools to find safety from partner abuse.