2024 Kentucky Amendment 2
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School Choice Amendment | |||||||||||||
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Against 70%–80% 60%–70% 50%–60%
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2024 Kentucky Amendment 2 was a rejected legislatively referred amendment to the Kentucky Constitution, which was voted on as part of the 2024 Kentucky elections. If enacted, the amendment would have allowed the Kentucky General Assembly to fund charter schools.[1]
Text
[edit]To give parents choices in educational opportunities for their children, are you in favor of enabling the General Assembly to provide financial support for the education costs of students in kindergarten through 12th grade who are outside the system of common (public) schools by amending the Constitution of Kentucky as stated below?
IT IS PROPOSED THAT A NEW SECTION BE ADDED TO THE CONSTITUTION OF KENTUCKY TO READ AS FOLLOWS:
The General Assembly may provide financial support for the education of students outside the system of common schools. The General Assembly may exercise this authority by law, Sections 59, 60, 171, 183, 184, 186, and 189 of this Constitution notwithstanding.
Background
[edit]In 2021 the General Assembly passed a law awarding tax credits for donations to private schools. The law was struck down by the Kentucky Supreme Court in 2022 for violating provisions of the Constitution of Kentucky forbidding public funding of private education.[2] The General Assembly passed a separate law in 2022 which would have allowed for the public funding of charter schools and the creation of two pilot schools, which was also declared unconstitutional by a Circuit Court judge in December 2023.[3]
Legislative history
[edit]Amendments to the Kentucky Constitution require 3/5 support in both houses of the General Assembly and a majority vote by referendum; they can not be vetoed by the governor. The amendment was first introduced on January 26 in the 2024 General Assembly as House Bill 2 by representative Suzanne Miles.[4] The bill passed both houses and was voted on in November 2024. It was one of two constitutional amendments to be approved by both houses during the 2024 legislative session.[5]
House vote
[edit]
The amendment was approved by the house on March 13 with 65 yeas, 32 nays, and one abstention.[6] Representative Billy Wesley later modified his vote from nay to yea.[7]
| Party | Votes for | Votes against | Abstentions | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic (20) | – | 20 | – | |
| Republican (78) | 65 | |||
| Total (98)[a] | 65 | 32 | 1 | |
Senate vote
[edit]
The amendment was approved by the senate on March 15 with 27 yeas, eight nays, and three senators not voting.[5] Senator Johnnie Turner later modified his vote from yea to nay. Brandon Smith and Robin L. Webb, who did not vote, modified their votes to nay. Jared Carpenter, who also did not vote, later modified his vote to yea.[8]
| Party | Votes for | Votes against | Not voting | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic (7) | – | 6 | 1 | |
| Republican (31) | 27 | 2 | 2 | |
| Total (38) | 27 | 8 | 3 | |
| Party | Votes for | Votes against | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic (7) | – | 7 | |
| Republican (31) | 27 | ||
| Total (38) | 27 | 11 | |
Endorsements
[edit]U.S. Senators
- Rand Paul, U.S. Senator from Kentucky (2011–present)
Statewide officials
- Andy Beshear, governor of Kentucky (2019–present)[6]
- Jacqueline Coleman, lieutenant governor of Kentucky (2019–present)[6]
State legislators
- Jacob Justice, representative from the 94th district (2023–present) (voted yes on HB 2)[6]
Newspapers
Organizations
Results
[edit]| Choice | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|
 No
|
1,302,466 | 64.79 |
| Yes | 707,819 | 35.21 |
| Total votes | 2,010,285 | 100.00 |
See also
[edit]- 2024 Kentucky elections
- Charter schools in the United States
- Education Reform in Kentucky
- History of education in Kentucky
Notes
[edit]- ^ At the time of the vote, the 24th and 26th districts were vacant.
References
[edit]- ^ "Kentucky Constitutional Amendment 2, Allow State Funding for Non-Public Education Amendment (2024)".
- ^ Schreiner, Bruce (December 15, 2022). "Kentucky Supreme Court strikes down school choice provisions". The Associated Press. Frankfort, Kentucky. Retrieved March 15, 2024.
- ^ "Kentucky's charter school bill struck down". Spectrum News#Spectrum News 1 (Kentucky/Spectrum News 1. Louisville, Kentucky. December 11, 2023. Retrieved March 15, 2024.
- ^ a b Schreiner, Bruce (January 26, 2024). "Prominent Kentucky lawmaker files bill to put school choice on the statewide ballot in November". The Associated Press. Frankfort, Kentucky. Retrieved March 15, 2024.
- ^ a b Duvall, Tessa (March 15, 2024). "Can public tax dollars go to private schools? Kentuckians will answer on November ballot". The Lexington Herald-Leader. Retrieved March 15, 2024.
- ^ a b c d Duvall, Tessa (March 15, 2024). "Kentucky House approves 'school choice' amendment despite bipartisan opposition". The Lexington Herald-Leader. Retrieved March 15, 2024.
- ^ "Kentucky House of Representatives Vote Modifications by Roll Call Vote" (PDF). Kentucky General Assembly. March 29, 2024. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
- ^ "Kentucky Senate Vote Modifications by Roll Call Vote" (PDF). Kentucky General Assembly. March 29, 2024. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
- ^ "KY General Election Tuesday, November 5, 2024 - C-FAIR Endorsements". The Fairness Campaign. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
- ^ "Kentucky – COMPAC Endorsements". United Mine Workers of America. Retrieved September 26, 2024.