All Access Pass: Frankfort

What are our representatives in Frankfort doing?

When we elect someone to the House of Representatives, the Senate, or the Executive Branch, they become our voice at the state capitol. But the only mechanisms for learning what they're doing during the legislative session are often communications from their own offices and staff, and those limited bulletins don't always tell the full story.

This toolkit is designed to demystify Frankfort and give you the tools you need to learn what your vote supports each year. It includes information for Kentuckians who volunteer with the ACLU of Kentucky or just want to know how to connect with lawmakers and navigate the state house. 

If you have questions, see an error, or have a suggestion for this page, please email [email protected]. Your vote is your voice!

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Make Your Voice Heard

Connect with your representatives.

Make your voice heard.

Read the ACLU of Kentucky's Citizen Lobbying Guide

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Our team works in courts, the state legislature, city councils, and with grassroots activists to defend the civil rights and liberties guaranteed to all people in Kentucky by the United States and Kentucky Constitutions.

At the state house, the ACLU-KY teams work with legislators to propose new bills, make bills better, and defeat harmful legislation. We also connect legislators with people directly affected by certain policies so lawmakers can learn about the real-life impacts of legislation, from mass incarceration, to racial equity in healthcare, to reproductive freedom. This guide is a toolkit to help you understand how laws are made and how you can get engaged with the legislative process.

DOWNLOAD THE GUIDE

Find Your Representative, See Legislatice Calendars, Watch Committee Hearings, and More

The Legislative Research Commission (LRC) was created in 1948 as a fact-finding and service agency. The Commission operates as the administrative and research arm of the General Assembly and maintains the General Assemby website. Here are some helpful shortcuts:

Weekly Legislative Calendar

Regular Session Calendar

LIVE LEGISLATIVE COVERAGE

Call Your Legislator

When you call the Legislative Hotline, an LRC staff member will take your message and put it on a physical slip of paper that is delivered to your lawmaker. It doesn't take many calls to get the attention of your State Representative or Senator. Save this number in your phone and call when legislation that is important to you is moving!

You can use this number to: 

  • Leave a message for a legislator or committee
  • Access the Kentucky Relay Service by dialing 711
  • Call the calendar (meetings) line at 1-800-633-9650
  • Call the bill status line at 1-866-840-2835
  • Call the En Español line at 1-866-840-6574
  • Call the TTY message line at 1-800-896-0305

Call Your Legislator

Script for Calling the Legislative Hotline

Caller: *calls 1-800-372-7181* 

Operator: Hello! Thank you for calling the LRC message line. 

Caller: Hello! I’d like to leave a message for my representative and senator. 

Operator: May I get your name and address? 

Caller: Yes, my name is Heather Ayer and my address is 325 W Main Street Louisville, KY 40202. 

Operator: It looks like your representative is Pamela Stevenson and your senator is Gerald Neal. What would you like your message to say? 

Caller: I would like for them to support/vote yes on the Family Preservation and Accountability Act. 

Operator: Okay I will make sure they get that message. Is there anything else you’d like for them to know? 

Caller: Nope that’s it! 

Operator: Thank you for calling the LRC Message Line. Have a good day. 

 

Spread the Word

Use social media to inform others. 

Spread the word

Follow the ACLU of Kentucky on our social channels to receive up-to-date information on what is happening in Frankfort and share information with your networks.

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For ACLU-KY Volunteers only.

Volunteers Impacting Policy
           

GLOSSARY

A.GLOSSARY

A.

This list covers some terms commonly used during the legislative session. We will update this list throughout the year, and each definition has a graphic you can share to help others better understand how Frankfort works. 

Amend (motion to)

A.Amend (motion to)

A.

Amend (motion to): An action to modify the contents of a bill or question under consideration; the motion to amend is in order at any time prior to final passage, unless the previous question has been ordered. 

Amend Definition

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Bill

A.Bill

A.

Bill: A draft of a proposed law presented to legislative bodies for discussion and consideration.

bill definition

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Chamber

A.Chamber

A.

Chamber: A legislative, judicial or deliberative assembly. 

chamber_definition

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Committee

A.Committee

A.

Committee: A group of legislators, usually members of the same house, assigned to consider some issue or question and submit a report on its recommendations for action by the body which created it. 

committee definition

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Committee Chair

A.Committee Chair

A.

Committee Chair: The legislator who is in charge of a committee and its proceedings.

committee chair definition

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Committee Substitute

A.Committee Substitute

A.

Committee Substitute: A bill offered by a committee in lieu of a bill it has considered; technically, the committee substitute is an amendment to the original bill. 

committee substitute definition

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Companion Bill

A.Companion Bill

A.

Companion Bill: A bill identical to one that has been introduced in the opposite chamber. 

companion bill definition

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Consent Calendar (or consent orders)

A.Consent Calendar (or consent orders)

A.

Consent Calendar (or consent orders): A list of bills having had one (or two) reading(s), and on which members in attendance are presumed to vote yes unless they indicate a negative vote prior to the call of the roll. 

consent_calendar_definition

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Floor

A.Floor

A.

Floor: The area of a legislative chamber which is occupied by the members and staff of the body. Only legislators, staff, and invited guests are allowed on the floor.

floor_definition

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Floor Amendment

A.Floor Amendment

A.

Floor Amendment: An amendment filed with the clerk to be considered on third reading of the bill to which it has been filed.

floor amendment definition

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Gallery

A.Gallery

A.

Gallery: The area of a legislative chamber from which the proceedings may be viewed by spectators; usually a balcony or other raised area. Some parts of the Gallery are reserved for press, and some are reserved for family and guests of legislators.

gallery_definition

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Hearing

A.Hearing

A.

Hearing: A meeting, usually of a committee, at which testimony on a question or issue is accepted, whether from the public generally or from invited witnesses. 

hearing definition

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House

A.House

A.

House: One body of deliberation in a legislature; customarily a shortened name for the House of Representatives. Kentucky has 100 members. 

house_definition

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Interim

A.Interim

A.

Interim: The period of time between sessions of a legislature. The legislature can meet during this time, but cannot vote or pass laws.

interim_definition

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Kentucky Revised Statutes (KRS)

A.Kentucky Revised Statutes (KRS)

A.

Kentucky Revised Statutes (KRS): The official title of statute law in Kentucky; each bill creates, amends, or repeals a section of the KRS.

KRS_definition

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Lobbyist (Legislative Advocate or Agent)

A.Lobbyist (Legislative Advocate or Agent)

A.

Lobbyist (Legislative Advocate or Agent): A person, usually under hire, engaged in representing a particular interest or group of interests before the legislature; commonly referred to as a lobbyist. 

lobbyist definition

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Majority Party

A.Majority Party

A.

Majority Party: The political party whose members occupy at least one more than half of the total membership of the body. 

majority party

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Minority Party

A.Minority Party

A.

Minority Party: The political party with members fewer than half plus one of the total membership of the body. 

minority party

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Move the Clincher

A.Move the Clincher

A.

Move the Clincher: A motion in the Kentucky House of Representatives that prevents an action from being reconsidered. 

move the clincher definition

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Quorum

A.Quorum

A.

Quorum: The number of members of a legislative body which must be present to transact business. 

quorum definition

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Reading

A.Reading

A.

Reading: Each bill to be enacted in Kentucky must have three “readings” in each chamber (House and Senate). Most often the bills are read by number and title only.

reading definition

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Recess

A.Recess

A.

Recess: Intermission during a daily session, usually for caucus or committee meetings. 

recess definition

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Senate

A.Senate

A.

Senate: The second, smaller body of deliberation in a legislature. Kentucky has 38 senators.

senate_definition

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Sine Die

A.Sine Die

A.

Sine Die: (Latin) Adjournment without a day. This action ends a session, since no time is set for reconvening. 

sine die definition

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Sponsor (Co-Sponsor)

A.Sponsor (Co-Sponsor)

A.

Sponsor (Co-Sponsor): The legislator(s) responsible for presenting an item of legislation to the body.

sponsor definition

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State Representative

A.State Representative

A.

State Representative: An elected official who represents a specific state district and works to support the interests of their constituents. 

state representative definition

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State Senator

A.State Senator

A.

State Senator: An elected official who represents a specific state district and works to support the interests of their constituents. 

state senator definition

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Suspend the Rules

A.Suspend the Rules

A.

Suspend the Rules: Action to negate the application of a particular rule of procedure; the rule and purpose must be stated in the motion to suspend.

suspend the rules definition

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Vote

A.Vote

A.

Vote: A decision on a question by a member of a deliberative body, either affirmative or negative.

vote definition

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