Jody Richards

Richards and Stone: Lawsuits Put Added Pressure on State to Get Redistricting Done

Kevin Willis — Sun, 19 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

A Warren County lawmaker says he agrees with Governor Steve Beshear on the need to get legislative redistricting maps done before the 2014 General Assembly.

Bowling Green Representative Jody Richards told WKU Public Radio he hopes House and Senate leaders can come to an agreement on new maps ahead of a possible special legislative session this fall.

"I hope that everybody gets together, and that we do a five-day session, which is the quickest you can possibly do," said Richards. "We don't need to get up there and argue. Everything needs to be settled before we go."

Richards says two lawsuits filed against the state over the lack of a redistricting plan are adding to the urgency lawmakers feel about getting new maps passed. Those lawsuits were filed by a group of county clerks in northern Kentucky and the state chapter of the ACLU, and accuse the state of violating federal law by not having in place new legislative maps based on the latest U.S. Census data.

Kentucky Lawmakers Target High School Dropout Ages for Both U.S. and Foreign Born Students

Associated Press — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 12:52:33 +0000

Students wouldn't be allowed to drop out of school before their 18th birthday under legislation that's passed the Kentucky House. The House also passed a bill sponsored by Bowling Green Democrat Jody Richards that would allow foreign born students to stay in school until they're 23.

Governor Beshear has been promoting the drop out legislation for years, most recently in his annual State of the Commonwealth speech last month. The proposal would increase the dropout age incrementally from 16 to 17 to 18 over a period of six years, giving both students and school districts time to adjust to the change.

The Democratic-controlled House has approved the measure in past years, but it has never been passed by the Republican majority in the Senate. Critics fear, among other things, that classrooms would be disrupted by students who don't want to be there.

Kentucky House Bill Would Help Local Airports

Joe Corcoran — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 18:04:59 +0000

South-Central Kentucky area House members from both sides of the aisle are teaming up to push legislation that could send millions of dollars to the Bowling Green-Warren County Regional Airport over the next five years to expand flights and services.

The Bowling Green Daily News reports the bill's sponsors include Democratic Representatives Jody Richards of Bowling Green and Wilson Stone of Scottsville, and Republican Bowling Green Representative Jim DeCesare of Bowling Green.

Yet to be determined is which airline route, either to Chicago or Atlanta, would best serve the airport's business customers if a commercial service is landed. Also under consideration is a less than daily flight with a leisure carrier.

If approved, the bill would direct $2 million for each of the next five fiscal years to communities that already have federal Small Community Service Grants. Bowling Green has received a $500,000 grant in that category.

Jody Richards Elementary School Dedicated in Warren County

Joe Corcoran — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 12:43:17 +0000

Warren County's newest school is named in honor of career educator and long-serving state representative former Speaker of the House Jody Richards. The $12 million school on Elrod Road in south Warren County features state of the art energy efficient systems and a healthy cafeteria kitchen with no deep fried food.

Governor Beshear's Chief of Staff Dies Suddenly in Frankfort

Joe Corcoran — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 10:41:09 +0000

Spokeswoman Kerri Richardson says Mike Haydon passed away Sunday afternoon. The cause of Haydon's death was uncertain but thought to be a massive heart attack.