LRC’s Capitol Notes: School dropout bill
advances, would change age to 18 by 2017

From Kentucky Legislative Research Commission

Thursday, Feb. 16

School dropout bill advances

A proposal to raise Kentucky’s school dropout age from 16 to 18 within the next five years was passed by the House by an 87-10 vote.

House Bill 216, sponsored by Rep. Jeff Greer, D-Brandenburg and Rep. Reginald Meeks, D-Louisville, now goes to the Senate for its consideration.

If the bill becomes law, the dropout age would change to age 18 in 2017 after being gradually increased from age 16 to 17 on July 1, 2016 and age 17 to 18 on July 1, 2017. Next year’s public school freshman class would be the first students affected by the legislation, said Greer, who has sponsored similar proposals three years in a row.

Greer said high school dropouts earn approximately $7,800 less a year and approximately $327,000 less over their lifetimes than high school graduates. He also said that 75 percent of inmates in Kentucky prisons are school dropouts.

“We’ve come a long way since KERA (the Kentucky Education Reform Act), but this is the last piece of the puzzle I think we need…,” Greer said.

Some lawmakers questioned whether increasing Kentucky’s compulsory school attendance age was the best way to improve education, while others commented on the pitfalls of keeping students in a classroom if they want to drop out of school. Greer said the state Education Cabinet already has plans to develop regulations that lead those students through appropriate alternative education programs.

“It is much better to be walking to get a diploma than to be walking out of school,” he said.

Felon voting rights bill passes House 78-18.

A proposal that would allow Kentucky voters to decide whether to restore the voting rights of most types of felons has cleared the House by a vote of 78-18.

House Bill 70, sponsored by Rep. Jesse Crenshaw, D-Lexington, is the latest attempt to give voters the ability to amend the state constitution to restore voting rights for convicted felons. If the amendment is placed on the ballot and approved by voters, all Kentucky felons except those convicted of sexual contact with a minor, rape, sodomy or intentional killing would have their voting rights automatically restored after they complete their sentence or probation or parole requirements.

“We ask people to rehabilitate themselves. We ask them to work,” said Crenshaw. “And, as it currently stands, we do not welcome them back after they pay their debt to society…”

The Kentucky Constitution currently revokes the voting rights of convicted felons in the Commonwealth. Felons can only regain their voting rights through a pardon by Kentucky’s governor. 

HB 70 now goes to the Senate for consideration. If approved, the amendment would appear on this fall’s statewide election ballot.

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The Kentucky Legislative Research Commission (LRC) was created in 1948 as a nonpartisan, fact-finding service agency. The commission operates as the administrative and research arm of the General Assembly. LRC provides these regular news updates during the annual Kentucky legislative sessions.