WILSON’S PRIORITY LEGISLATION SENATE BILL 8
PASSES OUT OF SENATE CHAMBER
Legislation would shake up Kentucky Board of Education
FRANKFORT, KY (March 5, 2024) – Today, Senate Majority Whip Mike Wilson, R-Bowling Green, presented Senate Bill 8 (SB 8) to the full Senate chamber. SB 8 would change the selection of Kentucky Board of Education (KBE) members from a unilateral appointment by the governor with confirmation by the Senate to an election by voters across all seven Supreme Court districts.
The governor currently appoints the 11-member board directly. Gov. Andy Beshear disbanded the entire board as his first official act as governor and appointed a new board made up of Democrats.
“SB 8 will put the power of election to one of the most influential boards in Kentucky right where it belongs, with the people across the Commonwealth,” said Wilson.
The Kentucky Board of Education’s primary purpose is to develop and adopt policies and administrative regulations, with the advice of the local Superintendents Advisory Council, through which the Department of Education operates Kentucky schools.
“Our public school system is the largest single entity and receives the majority of the funds generated by working Kentuckians,” said Wilson. “SB 8 will give a greater, clearer, louder voice to the parents whose children attend our public schools.”
The Council on Postsecondary Education and the secretary of the Education and Labor Cabinet will continue to act as ex-officio non-voting members. A non-voting teacher and student member will be selected by the board from the state's six congressional districts on a rotating basis from different districts. The public high school student will be a junior at the time of the appointment, and the teacher and student members will serve a one-year term.
Two KBE members will be elected from each of the seven Supreme Court districts across Kentucky. Each board member will serve a four-year term and must be 30 years old, have earned at least an associate's degree or technical certification, and have been a resident for at least three years.
Board members cannot be members of the General Assembly, hold another elected position, or have a material interest in educational material production. They also cannot be related to anyone in the department or currently serving on a local school board.
A new power given to the board includes the ability to, by a vote of at least five other members, remove a member for misconduct, incapacity, or willful neglect. The member will have the right to a full public hearing and require a two-thirds vote to be removed.
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Sen. Mike Wilson, R-Bowling Green, represents the 32nd Senate District, including Logan, Simpson, and Todd Counties and southern Warren County. He serves as the Senate majority whip and, as a Senate majority leadership member, serves on the Legislative Research Commission, the Committee on Committees, and the Rules Committee. Wilson is a member of the Senate Agriculture; Economic Development, Tourism and Labor; Education; Transportation; and Veterans, Military Affairs and Public Protection committees. He also serves as Education Assessment and Accountability Review Subcommittee and Public Pension Oversight Board member. Wilson recently served as a 2022 Interim Early Childhood Education Task Force member.