If you say that those who have nothing to hide have nothing to fear, that’s like saying you shouldn’t care about free speech because you have nothing to say. Today, during the Interim Joint Committee on Judiciary meeting, I questioned the Flock Safety Government Affairs Director about what their technology can actually do, and the answers raised more questions than they answered. Flock has repeatedly told lawmakers and local governments that their license plate reader technology does not use facial recognition. They repeated that same falsehood today. I asked about that claim directly because Flock holds a patent describing how to integrate license plate reader data with its own facial recognition technology. The patent, approved four years ago, describes investigators being able to identify a driver's face and then query a system for footage containing a person with matching facial recognition data points. The Flock representative told the committee that their ALPRs do not utilize facial recognition and said they would follow up with a more detailed answer from their legal team regarding the patent. I hope they do, because getting your technology wrong once is a mistake. Getting it wrong twice starts to look like a pattern. Getting it wrong three times establishes the pattern. When lawmakers and the public have been given inaccurate information about what this technology can do, we have a serious transparency problem. ➡️ In Oshkosh, Wisconsin, a Flock representative told a city council they could not do heat mapping of vehicles. The police chief checked. The patent shows the technology absolutely does. The council canceled the contract within 24 hours after the police chief notified them of this falsehood. ➡️ Last month in West Virginia, there were questions about multi-factor authentication to access flock data. The claim was that it had been required for years. It had not. The representative later admitted that it was his mistake. And now today in Kentucky, we see Flock claiming they don’t use facial recognition, but their approved patents say otherwise. If lawmakers are being told that surveillance technology cannot do something, while patents or technical capabilities indicate that it can, legislators and the public deserve a clear explanation. Good policy can only come from good information. It appears Flock either does not understand its own technology or it is downplaying what these systems can do to track Americans. Either way, transparency and accuracy is a must. I look forward to receiving further written correspondence on this issue. Because I have even more questions than before. We need to know exactly what these systems are capable of, exactly what is currently deployed, exactly what data is being collected, who can access it, how long it is retained, and what legal process is required before the government can search it. At a minimum, we must respect the Fourth Amendment’s warrant requirement, and these companies must be honest about their capabilities. Our Constitution demands it. I will keep pressing this issue in Frankfort. Kentucky should not outsource its privacy to a company that cannot give straight answers about its own technology.

Today, I joined Secretary of State Michael Adams as he signed the form that officially opts Kentucky into President Trump’s federal school choice program. This happened because of House Bill 1, the legislation I was honored to sponsor alongside Representative @5boymom. When I ran for office, I promised to fight for more freedom, more opportunity, and more choices for Kentucky families. Today is proof that those promises were more than empty campaign slogans, but words I live by in my legislative service. HB 1 allows Kentucky to participate in the new federal school choice program by creating a pathway for Scholarship Granting Organizations to operate in our Commonwealth. Individuals who donate to these organizations can receive a dollar-to-dollar federal tax credit, and those donations are then used to provide scholarships for Kentucky students, regardless of how they receive their education. Those scholarships can help families pay for school tuition, public school programs, tutoring, textbooks, educational therapies, homeschooling expenses, and many other educational needs that can make a real difference in a child's future. Families win by opting into this school choice program. Every child learns differently. Some students thrive in their neighborhood public school while others need a different setting to reach their full potential. Parents know their children better than any government agency ever will, and they deserve the freedom to make those decisions without financial barriers standing in the way. The best part is that this program does not require Kentucky taxpayers to fund another government program. This program costs the taxpayer NOTHING. Instead, it encourages private citizens to invest directly in the education of Kentucky children through Scholarship Granting Organizations. That creates new opportunities for students while respecting taxpayers and expanding educational freedom across our Commonwealth. Many colleagues have said it would be stupid not to pass HB 1, so of course Beshear vetoed it. Governor Beshear vetoed House Bill 1 because he wanted to stop Kentucky from participating in this historic program that helps Kentucky families and students. Fortunately, Republicans in the legislature stood firm and overrode his veto because we understood what was at stake. We refused to let politics stand between Kentucky families and better educational opportunities. Today, we also released guidance for Scholarship Granting Organizations so they can begin preparing to serve Kentucky families while complying with federal law. The groundwork is now in place to begin opening new doors for students across our state. I believe every family deserves the opportunity to pursue the best education possible for their children, regardless of their income or where they live. Your support makes victories like this possible. Let’s continue working to make Kentucky the best place in America to live, work, raise a family, and receive an education. Thank you, Kentucky!

I’m happy to announce that nearly $130.6 million of your tax dollars has been returned through critical investments into Boone County! House Bill 900 includes $45 million in funding for river safety investments to benefit Boone County, to support the construction of a new river station along the Ohio River for the Boone County Water Rescue Team. Bringing tax dollars back home to support our first responders is an honor. This $45 million investment in a new river station ensures that the Boone County Water Rescue Team is equipped and ready to respond whenever our community is in need. HB 900 represents a continued effort by Kentucky lawmakers to make strategic investments in rural communities, ensuring they have the resources needed to thrive while preserving the character and strengths that make them unique. HB 502 further appropriates $84.9 million to Boone County in the biennial road plan. Key projects in House District 66 include funding to address regional transportation projects determined by the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments (OKI), I-275 to address bridge deficiencies, KY 18 Burlington Pike, and CR 1001 to improve the safety and mobility along Camp Ernst Road from Pleasant Valley Road to Hathaway Road. The measure provides a two-year roadmap for the construction and maintenance of the transportation infrastructure. Maintaining high quality roads in our local infrastructure is essential to the safety and quality of life in Boone County. This funding allows us to prioritize critical resurfacing projects, ensuring our roads are smooth and reliable. By investing in these improvements today, we are making our commutes safer for every resident and traveler on the road. HJR 76 also allocated $602,000 to Boone County, with House District 66 receiving $120,000 of it for a critical road resurfacing project on Chinquapin Hill Road. The measure funds the Local Assistance Road Plan (LARP) with local projects dedicated to county and city road resurfacing projects, bringing critical improvements to communities across the Commonwealth. I want to extend my sincere thanks to the Boone County Fiscal Court and the entire Boone County delegation in the legislature for their diligent partnership throughout the legislative process. By working together and standing united, we have ensured that our local priorities are brought to Frankfort. This collaboration is essential to delivering the results our community expects and deserves.

VETO OVERRIDDEN AND FILED WITH SECRETARY OF THE STATE: HB 78 IS NOW THE LAW OF THE LAND! It is an honor to announce that the Kentucky House and Senate have officially overridden Governor Beshear’s veto of HB 78. Because of the bill's emergency clause, this protection for our Second Amendment industry takes effect immediately. For too long, radical anti-gun groups have used "lawfare" to try to bankrupt the firearm industry through politically motivated lawsuits. They want to hold law-abiding manufacturers and sellers liable for the criminal acts of third parties, acts they have absolutely no control over. But we the people stood firm and have put a stop to this! I filed HB 78 because firearm manufacturers and sellers should not be held liable for the criminal acts of third parties the industry had nothing to do with. This bill brings Kentucky law in line with federal standards by protecting firearm and ammunition manufacturers, sellers, and trade associations from being held liable for the acts of third parties they had no control over. Law-abiding businesses shouldn’t be targeted with politically motivated lawsuits that aim to cripple a vital industry and a constitutional right. We don’t sue Ford for drunk drivers, we shouldn’t sue the Second Amendment out of existence. Now that it is enrolled, it is LAW! Thank you to everyone who played a role in making this happen, especially @jjreeves for creating the idea to ensure the protection of the 2A Industry is clarified and incorporated to the states, @AaronReed4KY for carrying the bill in the Senate, @WVPRO2A for his tireless advocacy for the bill, every pro-gun organization who mobilized the grassroots in support of the right to keep and bear arms, and most importantly the PEOPLE for their insistence on essential liberty! This is your win! This is the Constitution’s win!!

VETO OVERRIDE IN THE HOUSE AND SENATE! HB 78 will be the law of the land upon enrollment! Thank you to everyone who played a role in making this happen, especially @jjreeves for creating the idea to ensure the protection of the 2A Industry is clarified and incorporated to the states, @AaronReed4KY for carrying the bill in the Senate, @WVPRO2A for his tireless advocacy for the bill, every pro-gun organization who mobilized the grassroots in support of the right to keep and bear arms, and most importantly the PEOPLE for their insistence on essential liberty! This is your win! This is the Constitution’s win!!

ANOTHER MASSIVE VETO OVERRIDE! Andy Beshear has predictably vetoed @Rawlings4Ky’s SB 59, which I carried in the House, to bring accountability when governments illegally use your tax dollars to finance political activities. WE JUST OVERRODE THE VETO! Tax dollars should be used to protect life, liberty, or property - NOT for politics! Governments using tax dollars to engage in politics is blatant corruption, denies funding to essential services, and often is used to advocate for even more taxes on you (maybe a tax increase wouldn’t be necessary if the government didn’t waste your money on political campaigns). For years, it has been illegal to use state, federal, or local tax dollars to advocate for or against ballot measures in KY. The problem: there is no penalty for violating the law, and governments have persistently ignored this law. SB 59 fixes this issue by adding penalties to this preexisting law. But Andy Beshear vetoed this basic anti-corruption measure. His reason: he claims you not being forced to pay for someone else’s advocacy violates the First Amendment. He’s wrong as usual. The Supreme Court has ruled repeatedly that compelled speech violates the First Amendment and that the First Amendment protects the financial elements of speech, yet this happens every single day through taxpayer-funded lobbying! The First Amendment protects your right to speak. It also protects your right to choose NOT to speak. It’s obviously unconstitutional! It’s not right. It’s not conservative or liberal, it’s a structural corruption that tilts the playing field against citizens and in favor of bigger government. Andy Beshear wants you to be FORCED to finance his corrupt special interest groups and his presidential campaign. We won’t let it happen. SB 59 protects your voice and stops the forced financing of government speech. It’s good to see it become law!

VETO OVERRIDE IN THE HOUSE!! I’m honored to announce Andy Beshear’s Veto of HB 78 in Effort to Bankrupt Second Amendment has been OVERRIDEN!! Radical anti-gun groups have a new strategy: if they can't pass gun control in the legislature, they try to bankrupt the industry through "lawfare." I filed HB 78 because firearm manufacturers and sellers should not be held liable for the criminal acts of third parties the industry had nothing to do with. This bill brings Kentucky law in line with federal standards by protecting firearm and ammunition manufacturers, sellers, and trade associations from being held liable for the acts of third parties they had no control over. Law-abiding businesses shouldn’t be targeted with politically motivated lawsuits that aim to cripple a vital industry and a constitutional right. We don’t sue Ford for drunk drivers, we shouldn’t sue the Second Amendment out of existence. By vetoing this bill, Governor Beshear has opened the door for activist lawsuits designed to dismantle our 2A rights. I will not allow this veto to stand, and look forward to overriding Beshear’s veto when we return to Frankfort. We won't back down. We will continue to protect the industry that ensures our right to keep and bear arms. It’s on to the Senate!!

Tomorrow, the General Assembly returns to session to override Andy Beshear’s vetoes! Veto override day is an essential part of the legislative process, as the governor has vetoed critical legislation such as my bill to defend the Second Amendment, the bill to stop governments from using your money for politics, and even critical election integrity legislation to ensure illegals aren’t voting in our elections. So I ask you, what should be the FIRST veto we override tomorrow?

🚨 Andy Beshear vetoes bill to protect your tax dollars from political uses 🚨 Andy Beshear has predictably vetoed @Rawlings4Ky’s SB 59, which I carried in the House, to bring accountability when governments illegally use your tax dollars to finance political activities. Tax dollars should be used to protect life, liberty, or property - NOT for politics! Governments using tax dollars to engage in politics is blatant corruption, denies funding to essential services, and often is used to advocate for even more taxes on you (maybe a tax increase wouldn’t be necessary if the government didn’t waste your money on political campaigns). For years, it has been illegal to use state, federal, or local tax dollars to advocate for or against ballot measures in KY. The problem: there is no penalty for violating the law, and governments have persistently ignored this law. SB 59 fixes this issue by adding penalties to this preexisting law. But Andy Beshear vetoed this basic anti-corruption measure. His reason: he claims you not being forced to pay for someone else’s advocacy violates the First Amendment. He’s wrong as usual. The Supreme Court has ruled repeatedly that compelled speech violates the First Amendment and that the First Amendment protects the financial elements of speech, yet this happens every single day through taxpayer-funded lobbying! The First Amendment protects your right to speak. It also protects your right to choose NOT to speak. It’s obviously unconstitutional! It’s not right. It’s not conservative or liberal, it’s a structural corruption that tilts the playing field against citizens and in favor of bigger government. Andy Beshear wants you to be FORCED to finance his corrupt special interest groups and his presidential campaign. We won’t let it happen. SB 59 protects your voice and stops the forced financing of government speech. I look forward to overriding the governor’s veto!

Andy Beshear Vetoes HB 78 in Effort to Bankrupt Second Amendment Radical anti-gun groups have a new strategy: if they can't pass gun control in the legislature, they try to bankrupt the industry through "lawfare." I filed HB 78 because firearm manufacturers and sellers should not be held liable for the criminal acts of third parties the industry had nothing to do with. This bill brings Kentucky law in line with federal standards by protecting firearm and ammunition manufacturers, sellers, and trade associations from being held liable for the acts of third parties they had no control over. Law-abiding businesses shouldn’t be targeted with politically motivated lawsuits that aim to cripple a vital industry and a constitutional right. We don’t sue Ford for drunk drivers, we shouldn’t sue the Second Amendment out of existence. By vetoing this bill, Governor Beshear has opened the door for activist lawsuits designed to dismantle our 2A rights. I will not allow this veto to stand, and look forward to overriding Beshear’s veto when we return to Frankfort. We won't back down. We will continue to protect the industry that ensures our right to keep and bear arms.

🚨 LOGAN’S LAW IS LAW 🚨 I’m honored to announce that Logan’s Law, House Bill 422, has been signed. Logan’s Law carries the name of a six-year-old boy stabbed to death in his own bed while he slept. A monster used every loophole in our broken system and walked free far too soon. Enough is enough. It’s time for justice. Logan’s Law shuts down the loophole allowing for murderers to be found not guilty by reason of insanity on some counts, but guilty on others, that let Logan’s killer go free. It cracks down on early release that rewards violent offenders. It is a win for the people of Kentucky! This bill also honors Jordan Wells, who was murdered by a repeat violent felon who was released on MRS, but should have NEVER been released. HB 422 finally recognizes this reality. The signing of Logan’s Law marks a significant step towards strengthening public safety and closing critical gaps in Kentucky’s criminal justice system. This serves as a meaningful reminder that public safety must come first by ensuring that dangerous individuals are held accountable for their actions. While this cannot erase the hurt that Logan’s family has endured, HB 422 reflects a firm commitment to learning from tragedy and taking actionable steps to better protect Kentuckians. By prioritizing accountability, prevention, and responsibility, Logan’s Law places a renewed emphasis on longer incarceration for serious offenders over early release, helping ensure that those who pose a threat remain behind bars and out of our communities. I am honored to sponsor this bill with Rep @DanFister56th. I stand with the Tipton family all the way and will fight until this bill is signed into law. Their strength turned their loss into the change that will protect so many Kentucky families in the future. Thank you further to @AmandaMBledsoe for carrying the bill in the Senate and to Senator Brandon J. Storm - Kentucky, 21st District for his work on this bill!! To every parent who wants to put their kids to bed safely, To every victim who fears their attacker will walk free, This bill is for you. I thank the Tipton family for their courage and for meeting with us to help shape this bill, especially to Dean Tipton for his powerful testimony. Their strength drives this fight. This was a long fight, but we got it done! For Logan! For Jordan! For Kentucky!

🚨 LOGAN’S LAW PASSES SENATE 🚨 I’m honored to announce that Logan’s Law, House Bill 422, has UNANIMOUSLY passed the Senate. Logan’s Law carries the name of a six-year-old boy stabbed to death in his own bed while he slept. A monster used every loophole in our broken system and walked free far too soon. Enough is enough. It’s time for justice. Logan’s Law shuts down the loophole allowing for murderers to be found not guilty by reason of insanity on some counts, but guilty on others, that let Logan’s killer go free. It cracks down on early release that rewards violent offenders. It is a win for the people of Kentucky! This bill also honors Jordan Wells, who was murdered by a repeat violent felon who was released on MRS, but should have NEVER been released. HB 422 finally recognizes this reality. I am honored to sponsor this bill with Rep Dan Fister. I stand with the Tipton family all the way and will fight until this bill is signed into law. Their strength turned their loss into the change that will protect so many Kentucky families in the future. Thank you further to @AmandaMBledsoe for carrying the bill in the Senate and to Senator Brandon Storm for his work on this bill!! To every parent who wants to put their kids to bed safely, To every victim who fears their attacker will walk free, This bill is for you. I thank the Tipton family for their courage and for meeting with us to help shape this bill, especially to Dean Tipton for his powerful testimony today. Their strength drives this fight. With overwhelming support already in place, we will not rest until HB 422 is law.

HB 78 is finally passed and heading to the governor’s desk! This bill brings Kentucky law in line with federal standards by protecting firearm and ammunition manufacturers, sellers, and trade associations from being held liable for the acts of third parties they had no control over. Law-abiding businesses shouldn’t be targeted with politically motivated lawsuits that aim to cripple a vital industry and a constitutional right. We don’t sue Ford for drunk drivers, we shouldn’t sue the Second Amendment out of existence. Huge thanks to @WVPRO2A for his outstanding help and expertise in getting this bill across the finish line. And a big thank you to Senator @AaronReed4KY for carrying HB 78 on the Senate Floor and championing it through the process. Now on to the House for concurrence and then to the Governor’s desk. Kentucky’s firearm industry and our constitutional rights just got stronger!

I’m thrilled to announce that my HB 78 has passed the Kentucky House AND Senate Floor! This bill brings Kentucky law in line with federal standards by protecting firearm and ammunition manufacturers, sellers, and trade associations from being held liable for the acts of third parties they had no control over. Law-abiding businesses shouldn’t be targeted with politically motivated lawsuits that aim to cripple a vital industry and a constitutional right. We don’t sue Ford for drunk drivers, we shouldn’t sue the Second Amendment out of existence. Huge thanks to @WVPRO2A for his outstanding help and expertise in getting this bill across the finish line. And a big thank you to Senator @AaronReed4KY for carrying HB 78 on the Senate Floor and championing it through the process. Now on to the House for concurrence and then to the Governor’s desk. Kentucky’s firearm industry and our constitutional rights just got stronger!

🚨 LOGAN’S LAW PASSES SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE 🚨 I’m honored to announce that Logan’s Law, House Bill 422, has UNANIMOUSLY passed the Senate Judiciary Committee. Logan’s Law carries the name of a six-year-old boy stabbed to death in his own bed while he slept. A monster used every loophole in our broken system and walked free far too soon. Enough is enough. It’s time for justice. Logan’s Law shuts down the loophole allowing for murderers to be found not guilty by reason of insanity on some counts, but guilty on others, that let Logan’s killer go free. It cracks down on early release that rewards violent offenders. It is a win for the people of Kentucky! This bill also honors Jordan Wells, who was murdered by a repeat violent felon who was released on MRS, but should have NEVER been released. HB 422 finally recognizes this reality. I am honored to sponsor this bill with Rep Dan Fister. I stand with the Tipton family all the way and will fight until this bill is signed into law. Their strength turned their loss into the change that will protect so many Kentucky families in the future. To every parent who wants to put their kids to bed safely, To every victim who fears their attacker will walk free, This bill is for you. I thank the Tipton family for their courage and for meeting with us to help shape this bill, especially to Dean Tipton for his powerful testimony today. Their strength drives this fight. With overwhelming support already in place, we will not rest until HB 422 is law.

I’m honored to announce that my HB 78 has passed the Senate Judiciary Committee, which protects the industries essential to the 2nd Amendment from BS lawsuits designed to bankrupt the gun industry. For too long, all across the country, anti-gun activists have tried to use the courts to accomplish what they cannot pass through the legislature. HB 78 stops those attacks and defends the Second Amendment.   HB 78 would establish clear liability protections for manufacturers, sellers, and trade associations involved in the lawful production and sale of firearms and ammunition. The measure would ensure these entities cannot be held responsible for damages caused by the criminal or unlawful use of their products by third parties. The bill would also incorporate the federal standard in PLCAA, which passed in 2005 with bipartisan support, into Kentucky law while clarifying the limited circumstances in which a civil action could move forward. Criminals who break the law in Kentucky must be held solely responsible for their actions. HB 78 would bring the Commonwealth law in line with federal standards and ensure that businesses operating responsibly are protected from politically motivated lawsuits designed to cripple an industry that is vital to Kentucky’s economy and to a basic constitutional right. HB 78 would further clarify that general statutes, such as public nuisance laws, cannot be used to circumvent the protections established by the legislation. This is about protecting lawful commerce while maintaining accountability where bad actors break the law. This legislation would strike a responsible balance. It would protect Kentucky jobs and businesses from abusive litigation designed to shut down the lawful exercise of a constitutional right while ensuring that bad actors who truly violate the law can still be held accountable to the fullest extent. Thank you to all who have supported this effort! I look forward to it passing the Senate Floor!

I’m honored to announce that we passed @Rawlings4Ky’s SB 59 in the House to bring accountability when governments illegally use your tax dollars to finance political activities. Tax dollars should be used to protect life, liberty, or property - NOT for politics! Governments using tax dollars to engage in politics is blatant corruption, denies funding to essential services, and often is used to advocate for even more taxes on you (maybe a tax increase wouldn’t be necessary if the government didn’t waste your money on political campaigns). For years, it has been illegal to use state, federal, or local tax dollars to advocate for or against ballot measures in KY. The problem: there is no penalty for violating the law, and governments have persistently ignored this law. SB 59 fixes this issue by adding penalties to this preexisting law. You and I are literally forced to illegally fund political speech, regardless of whether you agree or disagree with what the lobbyists are promoting. The Supreme Court has ruled repeatedly that compelled speech violates the First Amendment and that the First Amendment protects the financial elements of speech, yet this happens every single day through taxpayer-funded lobbying! The First Amendment protects your right to speak. It also protects your right to choose NOT to speak. It’s obviously unconstitutional! It’s not right. It’s not conservative or liberal, it’s a structural corruption that tilts the playing field against citizens and in favor of bigger government. SB 59 protects your voice and stops the forced financing of government speech. I’m overjoyed to see it pass both chambers, and look forward to overriding the governor’s veto!