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Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Can your kids be home alone during summer break? What Kentucky law says
Note: A version of this story first published in July 2024. It might be for a quick trip to the grocery store or because of an 8-hour work day, but all parents eventually ask themselves: "Can I leave my kid home alone?" For that matter, is it legal in Kentucky? Here's what the law says in the Bluegrass State about leaving children home by themselves, and what parents might want to consider regarding their child's welfare before shutting the door and stepping away for a few hours. Technically, there is no Kentucky law in that prevents children from being left home alone. Parents have discretion on when it's appropriate to do so based on the maturity level of their children. There are, however, consequences if a child suffers harm as a result of neglect. Kentucky statute KRS 600.020 determines what constitutes as child abuse and neglect, said Mike Wynn, a spokesperson with the Legislative Research Commission, to The Courier Journal in previous reporting. Abuse or neglect occurs when a child's "health or welfare is harmed or threatened with harm" as a result of actions from their parent or person in charge. This includes not providing adequate care, supervision, or food and abusing the minor, according to the statute. While Kentucky doesn't have a specific age for when kids can or can't be left alone, children, according to are generally ready to be left unsupervised around age 12-13. Granted, children develop at different rates. There's no "magic age" when a kid becomes suddenly responsible enough to be left by themselves for long hours at a time. What it really comes down to, experts say, is maturity. Children, experts say, should have several basic skills before becoming latchkey kids, which include knowing the following: How to lock and unlock a door. How to respond if a stranger knocks or calls. How to apply basic first aid. How to be safe in the kitchen. How to make themselves a snack. What to do in an emergency situation if there's a fire or tornado. Of critical importance: they must have a reliable method of communication to call their parent or guardian, or 9-1-1. Experts recommend parents assess their child's needs, which begins with a conversation. Does your child want to be alone? For other considerations, the Children's Service Society of Utah has this checklist: Mentally, can your child: Tell time? Recognize danger and know when to get help? Understand clearly what 'stranger' and 'emergency' mean? Solve problems on his or her own? Consider how his or her actions affect others? Physically, is your child able to: Lock and unlock doors and windows in your home? Do self-care tasks, such as making a sandwich, dialing the phone and writing messages? Socially, does your child: Solve conflicts with siblings with little help from adults? Talk easily to you about school, friends and about his or her feelings? Feel confident enough to contact an adult if a problem arises? Emotionally, does your child: Feel confident and secure when alone? Seem willing to stay alone for short periods? For longer periods? Know how to handle fear, loneliness or boredom? Handle responsibilities, such as going to school on time? Know how to look out for younger siblings? Before you leave your child, show them: Where things are in the house and how they work (circuit breaker, etc). Where the flashlight and first aid kit are located. Things in the house that may make strange noises. How to be safe in the kitchen, including turning off the stove. Who to call or where to go if there is a problem. What they need to do as soon as they get home (lock the door, call you, etc). What gas smells like when it is leaking (if applicable) and what to do. Practice with your child: Safe ways to answer the phone and the door. How to get out if there's a fire. Locking and unlocking doors. Prepare for your child: A phone list of people they know well and can call if they need help. A list of house rules (for moments when friends arrive at the door). Healthy snack foods they can make without cooking. An extra key hidden outside in case they lock themselves out. Fun things for each child to do when they get home. Leave on lights or radio as pre-planned with them. Protect your child: Lock up medicines, alcohol and weapons. Install smoke detectors and make sure they work. Let them know what time you will be home; call if you will be late. Ask them how things went; allow them to suggest changes in these plans. Kentucky law requires anyone who suspects child abuse or neglect to contact authorities and make a report. If it's an emergency, call 9-1-1. Otherwise, call toll-free (877) 597-2331/(877) KYSAFE1, or (800) 752-6200. You can make a report online for a non-emergency situations at online portal, which is monitored from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Eastern time, Monday through Friday, according to Reports will not be reviewed during evenings, weekends or state holidays. John Tufts covers trending news for IndyStar and Midwest Connect. Send him a news tip at JTufts@ Find him on BlueSky at JohnWritesStuff. This article originally appeared on Henderson Gleaner: Is it legal to leave your kid home alone in Kentucky? What the law says
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Cohn introduces Workforce Freedom and Protection Act
RALEIGH — Rep. Bryan Cohn (NC-32) announced the introduction of the Workforce Freedom and Protection Act on March 5, a legislative effort to remove unnecessary restrictions on employment and promote a more competitive job market in North Carolina. House Bill 269 aims to promote fair labor practices by repealing restrictions on labor organizing, banning non-compete agreements for most workers, and streamlining occupational licensing requirements. 'North Carolinians deserve the freedom to pursue better job opportunities, negotiate fair wages and work without unnecessary restrictions holding them back,' said Cohn. 'The Workforce Freedom and Protection Act is a major step toward ensuring a labor market that provides opportunities for workers and businesses.' Key Provisions of the Bill * Restores Workers' Right to Organize — The bill repeals restrictive laws that limit workers' ability to unionize and collectively bargain for better wages and benefits. * Bans Non-Compete and No-Poach Agreements — Prevents employers from using restrictive contracts to prevent workers earning less than $75,000 from seeking better job opportunities. * Overhauls Occupational Licensing Rules — Directs the Legislative Research Commission to conduct a comprehensive review of licensing requirements that may be unnecessary or overly burdensome, particularly in industries like construction, healthcare and personal care services. * Encourages Wage Growth and Economic Mobility — The bill aims to drive up wages and create a fairer labor market by ensuring workers can seek new opportunities freely. North Carolina's economy depends on a strong and flexible workforce. Unnecessary barriers like non-compete clauses and excessive licensing requirements prevent workers from advancing their careers and small businesses from hiring the best talent. By repealing these outdated restrictions, the Workforce Freedom and Protection Act will boost competition, encourage entrepreneurship, and put more money in the pockets of working families.
Yahoo
07-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
How much would that bill cost? Beshear provides a price list.
Kentucky Capitol in Frankfort. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Arden Barnes) Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear's office this week launched a webpage displaying projected price tags for bills before the legislature — known as fiscal notes — which he touted as a step toward transparency. The Democrat in a Thursday press conference said fiscal notes in recent sessions have not been made public on the legislature's website or sometimes even shared with lawmakers. 'The least that we can do for transparency is when we're going to put one of these together that we post it so that the people of the commonwealth, so that journalists, so that other legislators can see the approximation of what a bill costs that we've sent either to the [committee] chair or to leadership or to others,' Beshear said. Any lawmaker may ask for such a fiscal impact statement, and the fiscal impact of a bill has traditionally been estimated by nonpartisan Legislative Research Commission (LRC) staff in consultation with the executive branch agency that would be responsible for implementing the new law. These statements give a general idea of how much money a piece of legislation would take to implement. Last year, the governor refused to implement a number of laws passed by the GOP-controlled legislature because he said the legislature didn't properly fund them, something legislative leaders pushed back on. Some of those laws in question didn't have fiscal notes publicly attached to them. Louisville Public Media reported fiscal notes for many bills haven't been made public, deemed 'confidential' by a bill sponsor and hidden from public view. Some new Kentucky laws are in limbo as governor says lawmakers failed to fund them 'I think this can hopefully help the General Assembly on the budgeting side, making sure that if we're going to pass a bill, that we have an appropriation where we the executive branch can then execute that law,' Beshear said. The webpage — called '2025 Facts & Fiscal Notes' — as of Thursday lists more than two dozen bills and corresponding cost estimates, ranging from legislation that would remove a state requirement that water utilities add fluoride to drinking water — estimated to cost $19.7 million to $59.1 million for health care costs incurred from more dental work needed — to a bill that would establish an Office of Outdoor Recreation Industry, estimated to cost $810,000. At least some bills on the governor's webpage lack fiscal impact statements on the legislature's website. It's unclear if the language and estimates on Beshear's webpage are identical to the fiscal notes usually created in collaboration between the LRC and executive branch. Mike Wynn, the public information officer for the LRC, who wasn't immediately aware of the webpage, told the Lantern LRC staff members would have to compare the cost estimates on the webpage with fiscal notes in their possession. Louisville Public Media previously reported members of both parties have criticized the notion of passing laws with 'confidential' fiscal notes — a practice that was unknown to all but three of 30-plus lawmakers l interviewed by the public radio station last year. Kentucky is in a minority of states where the legislature does not require a fiscal note on bills that would impact the budget, LPM reported. Rep. Savannah Maddox, R-Dry Ridge, is sponsoring a bill this session that would require legislation that makes it to the floor of a legislative chamber to have a publicly available fiscal note attached. Maddox told the Lantern, having not seen the webpage herself as of Thursday afternoon, that she was supportive of the governor making fiscal notes publicly available. But she said she still sees a need to pass her bill given future gubernatorial administrations may act differently. 'I think that transparency is a bipartisan issue,' Maddox said. 'If we went to the grocery store and there weren't price tags on any of the items and then we got to the checkout counter…we'd be pretty surprised by the bill. But here, we're expected to take votes on legislation without knowing how much that legislation would cost taxpayers.' Senate President Robert Stivers, R-Manchester, has previously defended the 'confidential' fiscal note process in comments made to Louisville Public Media, arguing that publicly available fiscal notes can be 'quicksand' for bills prioritized by leadership, particularly toward the end of a legislative session. Stivers in a Thursday interview questioned the validity of some fiscal notes produced in part by the executive branch, saying their interpretation of state statute in some cases makes lawmakers question whether a fiscal note is 'legitimate.' He also pointed to a Kentucky Department of Corrections memo that Beshear pulled creating a process for transgender inmates to request gender-affirming care, arguing the governor was instituting policies 'without coming to us asking for and telling us what the fiscal implications would be.' 'He picks and chooses within the appropriations units what he is deciding to fund instead of the policy that we send him, which is quite violative of our constitutional duties,' Stivers said. Crystal Staley, a spokesperson for Beshear, in an emailed statement said it was 'concerning that any legislator would respond negatively to the governor providing transparency to the people of Kentucky about how much of their tax money is needed to implement a bill.' 'As the governor has said during his Team Kentucky updates – lawmakers would pass bills without the necessary information to know how much it would cost. The governor's action allows everyone to see the associated cost and should promote better government,' Staley said. Staley didn't immediately respond to a question about whether the cost estimates on the website are identical to the fiscal notes normally created in collaboration between the executive branch and the LRC. Amye Bensenhaver, the co-director of the open government advocacy nonprofit Kentucky Open Government Coalition, who has previously criticized 'confidential' fiscal notes, told the Lantern the move appears to be a way for Beshear to get out ahead of a politically contentious issue of having bills passed by legislature that the executive branch says it doesn't have sufficient funds to implement. 'The public (and certainly every lawmaker) should have access to fiscal notes prepared by [the] LRC to make informed decisions about a bill,' Bensenhaver said in a text message. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
