(Reposted from The Kentucky Secular Society)

Here is a list of Ky House and Senate Bills in process and my brief thoughts about each. The links go to the text of the bills so you can review them if you want to see more detail.

KY is going crazy.

House Bill 128, Creation of Biblical Literacy Course www.lrc.ky.gov/record/17RS/HB128.htm

Opposed because this is an opportunity for teachers to preach religion in the classroom. If this course is really for literary purposes, it should include other mythologies and literatures that have impacted our culture as well.

House Bill 103, Charter School bill permitting existing private and religious schools into charter schools for the purpose of receiving tax money. www.lrc.ky.gov/record/17RS/HB103.htm

Opposed to charter schools because they do not serve the public in the way that public schools do and bleed funds away from the public schools.

House Bill 105, Religious Freedom bill prohibiting jail or fines on the basis of denial of services for religious convictions. www.lrc.ky.gov/record/17RS/HB105.htm

This is a license for people and businesses to discriminate against LGBT people in particular due to their religious beliefs.

House Bill 2, Require Ultrasound before all abortions www.lrc.ky.gov/record/17RS/HB2.htm

It’s ridiculous to require women who are exercising their rights to medical treatment to undergo an unnecessary and costly medical procedure. There is no reason for this other than blocking and shaming abortion.

House Bill 106, Biological Bathroom Bill, anti transgender www.lrc.ky.gov/record/17RS/HB106.htm

Opposed because it is shaming to transgender people and may even put them in risky situations because of prejudice against non-genderbinary people.

Senate Bill 17, Permitting schools to sponsor artistic programs about religious heritage, students in assembly to say or wear any religious thing they want, etc. www.lrc.ky.gov/record/17RS/SB17.htm

Students already have freedom of religious expression in schools. This is an opening for schools and school staff to favor the religion of the majority over minority religions and non-religion.

Senate Bill 5, Bans abortions at 20 weeks www.lrc.ky.gov/record/17RS/SB5.htm

There are multiple medical reasons why abortions are needed sometimes after 20 weeks. This is not something that politicians should be deciding for women and their families.

Senate Bill 8, No federal funds for any reason to organizations that provide abortions www.lrc.ky.gov/record/17RS/SB8.htm

Politicians should not be meddling in people’s health care decisions. Organizations such as Planned Parenthood provide vital healthcare functions to low-income people who may not be able to get help in other ways.