Session Results: Workforce Development
By: Representative Derek Lewis
While I want to use this week’s update to share more about the laws we passed during the 2020 Regular Session, it is hard not to begin with a few words about the Governor’s recommendation to delay the start date for in-person education.
I take this virus seriously and have since the President first began talking about it earlier this year. No one should minimize how important it is that we take steps to address the spread of COVID-19, but we need to recognize that many medical experts are already sharing that they believe it will be a challenge for at least another year and likely two. That means we face two choices: shut down and go home or find ways to live and work safely. Since another massive shut down is not a real option, our only way to come through this successfully may very well be to incorporate COVID-prevention measures into our daily lives. That is what school administrators, educators, and parents across the state have spent the past five months trying to accomplish, until the Governor announced his recommendation last week. Once again, he acted with little input from the people directly impacted and with little regard for the fact that local school boards are in the best position to know what their community needs.
I find it even more disappointing that this recommendation is really a mandate because the administration has threatened districts with repercussions if they move forward with plans to offer any in person options. I may have an opinion on whether in person learning should be offered, but I know for a fact that the state government should never use its authority to bully local leadership. Particularly when it comes to making decisions that are heavily based on an individual community’s needs. Several districts have voted to move forward despite the recommendations, and we will continue to keep an eye on how the situation develops and write more in the weeks to come.
As I mentioned, I would like to share a bit about legislation we passed aimed at improving job opportunities for Kentuckians. You hear the term “workforce preparedness” thrown around a lot in Frankfort. This just measures how ready to work Kentuckians are, specifically what kind of training, education, and work ethic they have as well as if they face issues like substance abuse, poor health, or a criminal record. Even before the outbreak of COVID-19, Kentucky was a work in progress in this area. According to the Kentucky Center for Statistics, only 56.8 percent of Kentuckians who should have been working held a job. Let that sink in and consider that more than 40 percent of eligible Kentuckians were not working, and, at the end of 2019, there were more than 170,000 open jobs.
Jobs are important to our state’s success and to realize our potential we need to remove barriers. During the 2020 Session, the General Assembly passed several initiatives aimed at helping people enter the workforce. They include:
HB 284 created incentives for Kentuckians on probation to seek treatment for substance abuse, earn their GED or qualifying vocational/technical training, or complete qualifying work-for-time opportunities. I was proud to sponsor this measure, and I was grateful my colleagues saw the usefulness in this legislation. This approach has proven successful for paroled offenders and gives folks an incentive to pursue a path outside of criminal activity. I am hopeful that this program will open doors to those on probation and demonstrate the positive lifelong possibilities that come with education and job training.
HB 327 expunges the criminal records of a person acquitted of a crime or whose case was dismissed. Many employers do a thorough background check, and having a criminal record is a major red flag for those looking for a job. I believe it is unfair to punish individuals who have never been convicted of a crime, our criminal justice system is not supposed to work that way. I hope these folks will have the opportunity to realize their goals and earn gainful employment.
SB 191 is a new initiative designed to help employers assist workers struggling with substance use disorders. The program will allow employers to get good employees who need help into treatment without losing their job. This legislation will help address the substance use disorder crisis by incentivizing treatment while also supporting employee retention. This is a commonsense approach to allow people dealing with substance use disorder to get the support they need while also keeping their job.
These are some of our past results, and we are continuing to address this issue throughout the interim. The Substance Use and Recovery Task Force is working to evaluate and establish pathways for reentry for those overcoming addiction, especially as it relates to the workforce. I know this committee will work with our business community and interested stakeholders to ensure that commonsense, practical solutions are brought forth that will continue to help people recover and be productive members of society. I also believe we will continue to look at ways we can make existing state programs more helpful to those who want to work.
I am always available to discuss any issue that you find pressing. I can be reached through the toll-free message line at 1-800-372-7181, and you can contact me via e-mail at Derek.Lewis@lrc.ky.gov. You can also follow me on my Facebook page, Derek Lewis KY State Representative for regular updates. You can also keep track of committee meetings and potential legislation through the Kentucky Legislature Home Page legislature.ky.gov.
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