Family Foundation Legislator Champions

The Family Foundation is one of the most prominent social conservative political organizations in the state.
The following are their highest rated KY Legislators for the 2023 legislative session.
FF23_Senate_Champions

2023 Legislative Summary

Most Important Bills that were Passed this Session

* Unless otherwise noted, the Governor signed these bills into law.

SB150 (with large portions of HB470, HB30, some of HB173 & HB177 substituted into it):
Bans “gender affirming care” including sex change operations (ie genital and breast mutilation) and puberty blocking drugs (ie chemical castration) for people under the age of 18 in KY.
Requires school bathrooms, locker rooms, shower rooms be designated for only one sex.
Bars classroom discussion of gender identity or sexual orientation, K-12.

            => ANDY BESHEAR VETOED THIS BILL. VETO OVERRIDEN.

SB3: Will (likely starting after next session) have the state pick up teacher liability insurance, eliminating one of the costs of being a teacher. Virtually universal support, 92-1 and 37-0.
SB4: Requires a study establishing that there will be no increase in brown/black-outs whenever closing a coal-fired power plant for federally subsidized “green energy.”
            => ANDY BESHEAR REFUSED TO SIGN THIS BILL.
SB5: Establishes an official process for parents to complain about material that is “Harmful to Minors” (ie obscene) in their child’s school and potentially get it removed, involving Principal and School Board.
            => ANDY BESHEAR REFUSED TO SIGN THIS BILL.
SB7: Will eliminate the automatic deduction of union dues from government employee paychecks starting mostly in a couple of years.
            => ANDY BESHEAR VETOED THIS BILL. VETO OVERRIDEN.
SB107: Requires KYBOE members show up to vote & senate confirmation of the KY Board of Ed commissioner every 4 years.
            => ANDY BESHEAR VETOED THIS BILL. VETO OVERRIDEN.
SB156: Sets up a new statewide reading institute to recommend best practices for K-12 ed.
HB1: Lowers the State income tax from 4.5% to 4.0% starting in 2024.
HB3 (Kevin Bratcher): JUVENILE JUSTICE REFORM – Reopens the Jefferson County Youth Detention Center with significant funds for upgrades. Juveniles charged a violent felony offense may be detained up to 48 hours pending a detention hearing. Changes to parent accountability, expand mental health interventions, etc.
HB9: Sets legal framework to receive substantially more federal grant money for rural KY.
HB144 (John Hodgson): Bans warrantless surveillance on private property, including open fields, except for a few exceptions. Very widespread support, 81-13 and 37-0.
            => ANDY BESHEAR REFUSED TO SIGN THIS BILL. NOW LAW.
HB153: Second Amendment Sanctuary Bill. Bars local and state employees (incl. police) from assisting the Federal Gov’t in the enforcement of new federal firearms and ammo bans (this has been long established by SCOTUS to be constitutional for states under the 10th Amendment).
            => ANDY BESHEAR REFUSED TO SIGN THIS BILL. NOW LAW.
HB236: Bans ESG investing with the public pension fund (only pecuniary interests considered).
HB360: Alters the tax codes to increase sales tax on various services (more of the shift of taxes from income to taxes on goods and services). Exemptions for advertising and marketing are hard to justify. Pass-through entity is meant to exclusively benefit the very wealthy, but for the time being it makes sense given recent IRS regulations (should roll back if regs change).
HB538: Student discipline bill. Requires suspension of students who pose a threat to the safety and wellbeing of other students or who commit assault including off campus. Also, eases process of assigning to alternative schools.
HB594: Effectively bans “gray machines” (slot-like game machines seen in the backs of gas stations & restaurants) which were of questionable legal status. Will be legally challenged.

High-impact Bills That Lingered to Final 2 Days

SB47: Legalizes Medical Marijuana (NOT recreational), starting in 2025.
SB115
(Sexually explicit show ban; Tichenor): Bars sexually driven drag shows and sexually explicit performances both: on public property, and allowing children into them. Good bill, utter commonsense, but Beshear is likely to veto it (if the Republicans are savvy enough to pass it).
            => DENIED A FLOOR VOTE.
SB33 (M. Nemes): Starts the KY Cybersecurity Center at the University of Louisville.
            => DENIED A FLOOR VOTE.
SB64: Sets regulations for use of cryptocurrency as a medium of exchange in the Uniform Commercial Code. 166 pages. (*For now, my recommendation is that this bill be opposed for this session. It isn’t entirely clear what the intents and results of this legislation really are, to be frank. So, until we see the effects in other states of similar legislation and better understand its implications, hold off until next year.)
            => DENIED A FLOOR VOTE.
HB5 (Barrel Tax Repeal Bill): Gradually phases out the special tax on warehoused bourbon that has existed for decades.
HB207 (Police Wellness Programs; Bratcher): Allows police to get therapy or wellness treatment without it being entered on their record. SB12, a similar measure for physicians passed during the session.
HB551: Legalizes sports gambling/betting in the state of Kentucky, but only at horse race tracks, the NKY Speedway, and online.

Check out our New Alternative Media Page

Our newest addition, at the bottom, is local Street Artist, Luke Rawlings (Reunited-States.com).
Luke produces video and graphic art meant to wake people up and motivate them to change what is happening around them.

KY Liberty Caucus Candidates

We do NOT endorse candidates. We simply vet whether politicians' views and actions
closely align with a Principled, Constitutional Conservative, Liberty-minded Worldview.

We ARE Patriotic & Populist: We Believe in America & Government Of, By & For The People.
We are NOT Libertarian, neither by Party Affiliation nor Ideology. See our Platform.
* Hover over Candidates & Click to Explore Their Social Media. *
(note: the ball icons take you to their individual campaign website)

Our Platform & Philosophy of Governance Summary

These Concepts Promote LIMITED Government (3 Ls):
Law & Order | Less Bureaucracy & Government Intervention | Lower Taxes

We Proudly Promote Our Shared Values (4 Fs):
Faith | Family | Freedom | Fairness

Current Issues of Elevated Urgency (Hot Buttons: 4 Ss):
Safe Streets | Secure Elections & Borders | Spending Sanity | School Choice

*Disclaimer: The specific policy proposals detailed below are embraced by the majority of our candidates. However, not every office (Local, State, Federal,...) has influence over every policy, and not every candidate supports every proposal. Check the candidate's website. Approach this from a place of: ``On which points do we share common ground, and how can we work together on those for positive change?``

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If political involvement, elections, and legislation aren't your cup of tea,
consider some alternatives to advocating for your values:
Join a Conservative Church or Charitable Organization, or join like-minded people in Local Liberty Activism Groups. Get informed and educate the public... Do Something!
All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.
 

Click on a Liberty Activism Group below to go to their website.
Disclaimer: Presence here does not constitute any Group’s Political Endorsement of any candidate(s).

THINKING LONG-TERM

STOP STRENGTHENING OUR ENEMIES,
START BUILDING UP OUR ALLIES.

We must start building an ALTERNATIVE COMMUNITY:
A “city on a hill” that is separate from, and superior to, the current one
that is controlled, at nearly every turn, by our powerful ideological foes.

To control language & information is to control thought:

(1) We must control our ability to speak and associate freely, instead of being confined to a MATRIX of censorious, left-wing communication echo chambers (FAKE NEWS, REGIME MEDIA, HOLLYWOOD, BIG TECH).
(2) We must supporting our own content producers & generate more high-quality, high-production value content to out-compete NYT, WaPo, Hollywood, Netflix, Amazon, NBC… in the marketplace of ideas.

BUSINESS BLACKLISTING
Build Up Conservative Social Institutions

Stop Financially Supporting Businesses that
Actively Advocate Against your Values

(3) Temporary Boycotts without media pressure are pointless. Be thoughtful with your purchases, even if it is (almost always) a lesser of two evils decision. Cut companies that advocate against your values out of your life completely. BLACKLIST them and form new purchasing habits. Build up local, small businesses, and religiously grounded, liberty-minded corporations.

(4) Build up and strengthen existing conservative social institutions, infrastructure, groups, and advocacy networks in your world.

ESCAPE Coalition

Enabling School Choice & Alternative-ed for Parental Empowerment

“Freedom is never more than one generation from extinction.” – Reagan
“Only a fool would allow his enemy to educate his children.” – Malcolm X

Nothing has been more destructive to the long-term prospects of liberty than Marxist infiltration, control of, and indoctrination within our educational system (esp. higher ed & teacher colleges). Freedom is never more than one generation from extinction.

ESCAPE is a Coalition of Education Activism Groups, Concerned Parents, and Community Leaders have begun several initiatives to address Kentucky’s Educational System. Beyond legislative actions, these groups have been working to facilitate K-12 homeschooling and helping to start Christian Schools.

Take this ESCAPE Coalition Parent Survey about your interest in School Choice and Alternative Education. Then, print out and popularize this flier to other concerned parents and grandparents (eg hand them out in a blitz at school events, after-school pick-up lines, etc.).

ESCAPE Flier

URGENT: CANDIDATE RECRUITMENT

MAYBE YOU?

WE ARE LOOKING FOR GREAT CANDIDATES!
Do you like what you see? Agree with our values & want to run for office? We can help.
For state & local offices, it's not as hard as you think! Contact us well before Jan. 7, 2022 to File for a Political Run.
URGENT: VOTER SWITCHING & REG

To Vote Out RINOs in the May 17 Republican primary,
Switch your Party Affiliation by Dec 31, 2021.
To Vote Out Dems in the Nov 8 Gen. election after
an address change, Register to Vote by Oct 10.
It only takes about 5 minutes.

Voter Reg

Recruit More Activists

A fantastic way to build our movement is through collecting contacts for like-minded people and then putting them together with existing groups and resources. Let your friends and social media contacts know about the broader liberty activist network out there.
ISSUE AND LOCATION TARGETED PETITIONS that you then promote on Social Media are a great way to easily and cheaply collect those contacts and build our networks.

Re-Focus Teacher Unions

Educate Teachers on Availability of Affordable, A-political Unions

The largest national Teacher Unions (AFT; NEA/NFT) have become among the largest and most influential financiers of left-wing political candidates and opponents to School Choice. Not to mention, they have been major proponents of their members indoctrinating children in to radical Marxist ideology.
Try handing this flier out at, or taping to the door of, the teachers’ entrances at schools one or two days every week.