‘Inadvertent change’ caused first cousins to be struck from proposed incest law, Representative claims
FRANKFORT, Ky. (WTVQ)
1/17/24, 1:37 p.m.
An “inadvertent change” to a proposed bill caused first cousins to be struck from the state’s incest law, the Representative who filed the bill claims.
Wilson, who filed HB 269 yesterday, says that during the drafting process, the change occurred and he “failed to add it back in.”
He said he intends to withdraw the bill during today’s session and refile it with the first cousin language intact.
“The fact that I was able to file a bill, catch the mistake, withdraw the bill and refile within a 24 hour period shows that we have a good system,” he wrote in a statement on his Facebook page.
The original intent of the bill, Wilson says, was to include “sexual contact” such as “touching/groping” as part of the definition of incest, which it currently doesn’t apply.
“I understand that I made a mistake, but I sincerely hope my mistake doesn’t hurt the chances of the corrected version of the bill. It is a good bill, and I hope it will get a second chance,” he finished the statement.
1/17/24, 12:21 p.m.
A southern Kentucky lawmaker and former Survivor winner has filed a bill that would remove the first cousin clause from our state’s incest law.
House Bill 269, or a bill that relates to incest, would remove first cousins from the list of “familial relationships,” meaning it would no longer be illegal to have sexual contact with those family members.
The bill was filed by Rep. Nick Wilson, a Republican from Whitley County.
Here’s a summary of the bill:
“Amend KRS 530.020 to define terms; provide that a person is guilty of incest when the person engages in sexual contact with a person to whom he or she knows to have a familial relationship with; remove first cousin from the list of familial relationships; provide that incest by sexual contact is a Class D felony unless the victim is under 12 years old, in which case it is a Class C felony; amend KRS 439.3401 to amend the definition of “violent offender” to include a person who has been convicted of incest by sexual contact.”
It was introduced to a committee on Tuesday.
Wilson is known for winning the David vs. Goliath season of Survivor, a competition television show that “strands” contestants on an island and they compete to be the “sole survivor.”
He won with a 7-3-0 vote for the 37th season.
Wilson was elected to the House seat in 2022.
To read the bill in its entirety, head here:
