#22GA wrap-up Days 3-5: School governance bill passes Senate; redistricting bills head to governor's desk

Redistricting bills for the Kentucky House, Senate, congressional districts and Supreme Court are on their way to Gov. Andy Beshear’s desk for his signature as the first week of the 2022 KY legislative session comes to an end.

The redistricting process made it necessary to extend the filing deadline for all candidates from Jan. 7 to Jan. 25, a policy signed into law by the governor this week.

Also, Senate Bill 1 passed on the Senate floor and moves on to the House. This bill contains reforms which BIPPS has worked on for several years with sponsor Sen. John Schickel, R-Union, making key changes to the current law allowing School Based Decision-Making Councils (SBDMs) to set school curriculum and hire principals.

Schickel’s legislation returns that power to superintendents, allowing for greater transparency and ultimately holding elected school board officials accountable for such important education decisions.

The legislative update is comprised by Sarah May Durand, director of government affairs for the Bluegrass Institute for Public Policy Solutions. She can be reached at sarahmaydurand@freedomkentucky.com.