Lawmaker reflects on highs and lows of legislative session

(WTVQ) — Lawmakers will be back in Frankfort on Friday as the legislative session is coming to a close with many bills filed, others vetoed.

“I think this year, we’ve done a good job of communicating,” says Senator David Yates, reflecting on this year’s session.

As the legislative session winds down, many emotions ramping up.
This year, bills that seemed questionable, others that seemed like a step in the right direction.
For Sen. Yates, “I guess a lot of the highs and lows can go through the budget process.”

Sen. Yates, reflecting on how the process went this year.

“A lot of the infrastructure investments were able to get through, I think we’ll do well, I think we have an unprecedented amount of money coming back to my district to the Louisville area, which is exciting. But you know, some of the things that I thought were going to be gimmies at the beginning that, you know, we talked about the teacher raises, because how important it was to make sure we attract teachers, but we also looked at the return on that investment from education,” he said.

Yates adding one of the bills he was most passionate about, did not get the discussion it should’ve.

“To someone who’s already been victimized had been abused and hurt, and now is carrying a child of sometimes their father their rapist in and what it is instead of just these children, for now, the state to come in and say there is no choice. I think that that’s wrong. I think a lot of Kentuckians agree and ultimately, I don’t think that decision should rest with me or any other member of the legislature. I think it rests with the woman,” he adds.

The senator also says that while certain legislation seems to be moving slowly, especially regarding gun violence, “I know there’s a lot of people frustrated that how slow it is because people are dying. But we’ve got to just keep moving forward. If you, if you can’t fly, you run, if you can’t run, you walk and if you can’t walk, you crawl, but we keep moving forward.”

He even shared his thoughts on UK’s search for their next basketball coach.

“It’s a priority, not just as a fan, but economically, when our programs are doing good when we’re top 10, in, you know, and UofL and UK are kicking butt, we’re making money to universities, we’re able to provide better levels of education, but also doing some talent attraction. So hats off to them. I know the search is hard, I think I know, there’ll be a lot of love behind it, and wow to coach the University of Kentucky what an honor,” he adds.

Yates says if there are issues that are affecting the community to contact your senators and representatives rather than waiting to do so during the legislative session.