US
(2010-03-03)
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Rep. Martha Jane King, D-Lewisburg, says her "sexting" bill is not a parenting bill. She says it's just an attempt to try to protect young people from engaging in ill-advised and potentially dangerous behavior.
Photo courtesy Legislative Research Commission (Click image to enlarge)
FRANKFORT, KY (WEKU) - Bipartisanship was on full display in the Kentucky House when a transparency bill with input from both sides of the aisle sailed through the chamber.
(CLICK ARROW ON BAR ABOVE TO HEAR TONY'S REPORT)
House Minority Leader Jeffrey Hoover says lawmakers, especially in tight budget times, need to know more about personal service contracts. Those are state contracts with outside entities, like attorneys, for legal counsel.
"There are no central depository of information on the number of personal service contracts," said Hoover. "And really it is a shadow type of government, because we really don't know the number."
Hoover's bill, which passed 99-0, will require the Finance Cabinet to report the number on a quarterly basis. Lawmakers also accepted an amendment to the bill from Speaker Greg Stumbo requiring itemized invoices of services rendered under personal service contracts.
(HOUSE ALSO PASSES SEXTING BILL)
A bill addressing the growing problem of "sexting" by minors won unanimous House approval. Sexting is the use of cell phones to transmit nude photographs and videos to others. Rep. Martha Jane King of Lewisburg says it's not a parenting bill. It's just an effort to protect young people who should not be engaging in this kind of behavior.
"To go before a juvenile justice with an opportunity for the judge to fine them $100, give them community service, talk to their parents and not have that child face a pornography charge or registering of a sex abuse," said King.
King says sexting is dangerous.
"I do not believe that teenagers who are sexting are aware of the severity of what they're doing," said King. "And House Bill 143 gives this a way that we can address this with our kids - makes it where we can discuss the issue."
King says teenage girls in Ohio and Florida sent nude photographs of themselves to their boyfriends, who later spread the photos all over school. Both girls committed suicide. The sexting bill now moves to the Senate.
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