FRANKFORT, Ky. (1/17/13) – Working to ensure Kentucky’s schools are taking every precaution to be safe, Kentucky House Speaker Greg Stumbo created the Special Subcommittee on School Safety Issues this week and named state Rep. Richard Henderson as its chairman. The committee will hold its first meeting this afternoon in the Capitol Annex.
 
“In the wake of last month’s tragedy in Newtown, Conn., every state is taking a fresh look at this issue,” said Speaker Stumbo, D-Prestonsburg. “Here in Kentucky, Rep. Henderson is helping to lead the way, as shown by legislation he has filed to make this committee permanent. As a co-sponsor, I thought the sooner it could meet, the better, because this is not an issue in which we can afford to wait.”
 
“Kentucky, unfortunately, is no stranger to school shootings, given what happened in Paducah in the late 1990s,” said Rep. Henderson, D-Jeffersonville. “We’ve made a lot of strides in the years since then, but the time has come to see what other steps may need to be taken. I’m proud to lead this committee, and I will work hard this session to make sure it becomes permanent.”
 
Today’s inaugural meeting, set for 3:30 p.m. in Room 129 of the Annex, will feature officers from Kentucky State Police and the Louisville Metropolitan Police Department; a school resource officer from Estill County High School; and Jon Akers, the Director of the Kentucky Center for School Safety.
 
In addition to Rep. Henderson and Speaker Stumbo, who will be an ex officio member, those serving on the committee are Representatives Carl Rollins, Mike Denham, Derrick Graham, Keith Hall, John Carney, and Brian Linder.
 
Rep. Henderson’s bill to make this committee a permanent subcommittee under the Legislative Research Commission is House Bill 135. It will be considered when the General Assembly reconvenes the 2013 Regular Session on Feb. 5th.
 
SurfKY News
Information provided by Brian Wilkerson

Copyright © 2012 SurfKY News Group, Inc. all rights reserved.  SurfKY.com is an eNewspaper providing local news FREE to Kentucky 24/7.  Read Statewide Kentucky News, Sports, Obituaries and more from the following Kentucky Counties:  Calloway, Christian, Daviess, Fayette (Lexington), Henderson, Hopkins, Logan, McCracken, Muhlenberg, Warren, and Webster Counties as well as the Kentucky Lakes Area.