Local legislator discusses house bill 188 and 189

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – State legislators are hard at work in Frankfort reviewing hundreds of House and Senate bills. One bill in particular has been brought up in part by a local elected leader.

Warren County Jailer Stephen Harmon and local legislator Kevin Jackson have been crucial to House Bill 188, which creates more benefits and protections for those who work inside jails and correctional facilities. The bill would help create an opportunity that is already available to law enforcement, while also making assaults on healthcare workers in jail a felony instead of just a misdemeanor.

“This bill allows jailers, deputy jailers, correctional officers employed by local detention centers, local correctional facilities, or regional jails to participate in a peer support counseling program and have confidentiality. The police have that now, but jailers and people working in correctional facilities did not have that,” said Rep. Jackson.

House Bill 189 focuses on a common problem also seen around South Central Kentucky.

HB 189 is focused on protecting pedestrians on roadways that are not meant for foot traffic, such as highway exits.

Jackson said that this law helps prevent tragedies that this area has seen a few times just in the past few years.

“I think we’ve all seen that, whether you’re coming off the interstate and somebody is standing there. These state-maintained highways were made for high speed. Not like a city street that you’re going 25 on. So it’s very, very dangerous. We’ve had more accidents and even some deaths, over the last 2 or 3 years in Bowling Green and Warren County because of this issue” Jackson said.

Jackson said that there will be situations where exceptions can be made, like if the fire department holds a donation.

The legislative session will continue for another 30 days, with these bills looking for support from the state senate before they head to the governor’s desk for his signature.