Tagged: Dennis Keene

Kentucky judges could order breathalyzers installed into the vehicles of drunk driving offenders under a bill approved Wednesday in the House Judiciary Committee.

Under current law, some DUI offenders qualify for hardship licenses. Those allow the offender to drive to and from specified locations at limited times—such as work and school—even though their regular drivers license has been suspended. 

The bill would give judges  the option of instead installing an Ignition Interlock Device in the offenders vehicle. Before starting the vehicle, the driver would have to breathe into the device. If the device detects that the driver has a heightened blood alcohol level, the engine won't ignite.

The bill would also require random breath samples from the driver after the engine has been started.

Women who produce children as a result of rape would not be obligated to share parental rights with their rapist under legislation filed Tuesday in the Kentucky House.

Kentucky, along with 34 other states, allows rapists to take their victims to court to seek those rights.

Rep. Dennis Keene, who is sponsoring the bill, called the allowance a "loophole in Kentucky law."

"I've got two daughters," said Keene, a Democrat from Wilder. "I wouldn't want any human being to go through that."