Kentucky State Legislative Election 2018 Political Courage Test

Abortion & Reproductive

1. Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?
- No Answer

2. Should abortion be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape?
- Yes

3. Do you support the prohibition of public funds for organizations that perform abortions?
- No

4. Other or expanded principles
- I consider myself pro-life because I accept that life begins at conception and support any public policy that supports a woman who decides to bring that life into the world. I have twin daughters and I do not believe the government should dictate what a mother does with her body and the life she was entrusted with. With every gift comes responsibility and I do not believe third parties should control my daughters', my sisters', my mother's or my wife's bodies. For me, being pro-life is actually building a culture that values all people and is not merely pro-birth.

Budget, Spending, & Tax

1. Reducing state employee salaries AND/OR pensions?
- No

2. Instituting mandatory furloughs AND/OR layoffs for state employees?
- No

3. Reducing benefits for Medicaid recipients?
- No

4. An income tax increase on any tax bracket?
- Yes

5. Other or expanded principles
- Our public employees have suffered from stagnant wage growth and rising costs for benefits. When working people are stretched thin, Main Streets across my District suffer. Our communities flourish when the broadest number of people have economic security. Our state is suffering from an antiquated tax system that needs a comprehensive overhaul. I support tax relief for the middle class and will pursue progressive taxation so that those who are the most economically blessed bear the larger tax burden.

Campaign Finance & Government Reform

1. Do you support any limits on campaign contributions to state candidates?
- Yes

2. Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions?
- Yes

3. Do you support the use of an independent AND/OR bipartisan commission for redistricting?
- Yes

4. Do you support requiring a government-issued photo identification in order to vote at the polls?
- No

5. Other or expanded principles
- Government derives its power from the consent of the governed. Money in politics is corrupting and must be regulated. Arbitrary maps that carve up communities to diminish voting strength is anathema to democracy. In a healthy democracy we need people to be engaged and feel that their voice matters. I also believe that people should have the right to vote early in the weeks leading up to an election to maximize participation.

Crime & Public Safety

1. Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes?
- No

2. Do you support the legalization of marijuana for medical purposes?
- Yes

3. Do you support the legalization of marijuana for recreational purposes?
- No Answer

4. Should a minor accused of a violent crime be prosecuted as an adult?
- Yes

5. Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police?
- No

6. Do you support alternatives to incarceration for certain non-violent offenders, such as mandatory counseling or substance abuse treatment?
- Yes

7. Other or expanded principles
- I believe the criminal justice system should be restorative rather than punitive. Criminals need to be responsible for healing the harms they committed. Violations of the social compact are not healed merely through incarceration. Incarcerating non-violent offenders in the current numbers is unsustainable. I have not taken a position on recreational marijuana and I believe the will of the people of my district should dictate my position. I understand pro and con arguments and am open to this debate and have not closed my mind to the possibility of legalization of marijuana for recreational purposes.

Economic

1. Do you support state government spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
- Yes

2. Do you support lowering state taxes as a means of promoting economic growth?
- Yes

3. Do you support reducing state government regulations on the private sector?
- Yes

4. Do you support expanding access to unemployment benefits?
- Yes

5. Do you support requiring welfare applicants to pass a drug test in order to receive benefits?
- No

6. Do you support an increase of the minimum wage of Kentucky?
- Yes

7. Do you support the legalization of casino gambling in order to fund Kentucky's pension system?
- Yes

8. Other or expanded principles
- Our economic policies should reward work and not merely passive investment income. I believe taxes should be lowered on the middle and working class and should be increased on the wealthiest among us. More money in the pockets of the middle class stimulates local economies (more families get to enjoy local restaurants etc.) while more money for the wealthiest is merely deposited or invested and does not turn over in the same way. I also support reducing some regulations on small businesses in the private sector but clearly that question is specific to each industry.

Education

1. Do you support adopting federal education standards in Kentucky?
- No

2. Do you support state funding for charter schools?
- No

3. Should immigrants unlawfully present in the United States who graduate from Kentucky high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities?
- Yes

4. Other or expanded principles
- Public schools are the seeds of our democracy and should be the focal points of our communities. I support premier public education for every child and to reach that goal we need to properly compensate those who educate and protect our children including guaranteeing their pensions. Our public schools can also be local economic engines and should use locally grown agricultural products for lunches, local labor for construction and remodeling and should also have resources for healthy parenting. These aspirations are only possible when the state government does its job properly funding public education.

Environment & Energy

1. Do you support state funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, thermal)?
- Yes

2. Do you support state government regulations of greenhouse gas emissions?
- Yes

3. Do you support increasing state funding for clean drinking water initiatives?
- Yes

4. Do you support decreasing compensation for citizens who generate excess energy from personal solar panels ("net-metering")?
- No

5. Other or expanded principles
- I believe we are stewards of God's creation and we have a responsibility to ourselves and our neighbors for the things that we share such as our air and water. I believe in sensible regulations that ensure we take that stewardship seriously.

Gun

1. Do you generally support gun-control legislation?
- No Answer

2. Should background checks be required on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows?
- Yes

3. Should teachers be allowed to bring guns into the classroom?
- No

4. Should a license be required for gun ownership?
- No Answer

5. Other or expanded principles
- I support the private right to gun ownership. I am a gun owner and I believe I have a responsibility to maintain my guns in a safe manner for my family and my neighbors. I believe those who have committed violent crimes or committed domestic violence have forfeited their right to gun ownership. Responsible gun owners have nothing fear from closing the gun show loophole or the institution of background checks.

Health

1. Should the state government increase funding for treatment facilities to combat opioid abuse?
- Yes

2. Do you support Medicaid expansion through Kentucky's health care programs?
- Yes

3. Do you support requiring individuals to purchase health care insurance?
- Yes

4. Do you support legislation that grants citizens the right to choose to die through euthanasia?
- No

5. Do you support eliminating religious exemptions for vaccinations?
- No

6. Other or expanded principles
- Affordable and quality health care is a right and it is despicable that some people could lose everything they have worked for merely because of a serious health condition. Protecting the most vulnerable in society through expanded healthcare access is a moral imperative for all of us who believe we will be judged how we treat the least among us.

Social

1. Do you support the inclusion of sexual orientation in Kentucky's anti-discrimination laws?
- Yes

2. Do you support the inclusion of gender identity in Kentucky's anti-discrimination laws?
- Yes

3. Do you support greater efforts by Kentucky state government in closing the pay gap between men and women?
- Yes

4. Other or expanded principles
- I do not believe people should be discriminated against for qualities/characteristics that are out of their control. Employers can still evaluate and make decisions about people based on an infinite number of other lawful criteria.

Legislative Priorities

In the following area, please explain in a total of 100 words or less, your top two or three priorities if elected. If they require additional funding for implementation, please explain how you would obtain this funding.
- 1) Properly fund our public schools through comprehensive tax reform; 2) Protect seniors by fully funding public pensions and expanding access to Medicaid and other health care;3) Strengthen the position of working families by repealing "right to work"; reinstating the "prevailing wage" for public construction and increasing the minimum wage for large employers.