FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) Wading into the volatile issue of invoking God at graduations and ball games, the Kentucky Senate on Thursday passed a bill touted as providing a guide to public schools on the religious and political free-speech protections of students.

A leading supporter, Kent Ostrander, executive director of The Family Foundation, said after the Senate's 30-4 vote that the bill would put "a stake in the ground for free speech and religious liberty" for students.

An online service is needed to view this article in its entirety. You need an online service to view this article in its entirety.

If you subscribe to home delivery of the Advocate Messenger newspaper, please click here to activate your free online access to the articles, videos, photo galleries and more.

Need an account? Create one now.

kAmQxEVD 32D:42==J E@ 2==@H DEF56?ED E@ 92G6 E96 D2>6 C6=:8:@FD 7C665@> E92E 2?J3@5J 6=D6 92D[Q 96 D2:5]k^Am

kAm%96 3:== 😀 @AA@D65 3J E96 p>6C:42? r:G:= {:36CE:6D &?:@? @7 z6?EF4 s:C64E@C s6C6< $6=K?:4< 42==65 :E 2? QF??646DD2CJ 2EE6>AE E@ @G6CC68F=2E6Q D@>6E9:?8 AC@E64E65 3J E96 u:CDE p>6?5>6?E DEF56?EDV G@=F?E2CJ 23:=:EJ E@ AC2J 2?5 6IAC6DD C6=:8:@FD G:6HA@:?ED 😕 2 Q?@?5:DCFAE:G6 >2??6CQ 2E D49@@=]k^Am

kAmQqJ 255:?8 >@C6 8@G6C?>6?E C68F=2E:@? :?E@ E96 2C62 @7 DEF56?EDV 7C66 DA6649 C:89ED[ E96 3:== H:== C6DF=E 😕 ?665=6DD 2?5 4@DE=J =:E:82E:@?[ A2CE:4F=2C=J @G6C DEF56?EDV 23:=:EJ E@ :?E6C;64E C6=:8:@FD @C A@=:E:42= G:6HD :?E@ D49@@= 2DD:8?>6?ED E92E 92G6 ?@E9:?8 E@ 5@ H:E9 6:E96C[Q 96 D2:5 😕 2 DE2E6>6?E]k^Am

kAm!2DD286 😕 E96 #6AF3=:42?=65 $6?2E6 D6?5D E96 3:== E@ E96 s6>@4C2E:4CF? w@FD6 7@C 4@?D:56C2E:@?] t77@CED 😕 C646?E J62CD E@ AC@E64E C6=:8:@FD 2?5 A@=:E:42= DA6649 @7 DEF56?ED 92G6 DE2==65 😕 E96 v6?6C2= pDD6>3=J]k^Am

kAmp>@?8 @E96C E9:?8D[ E96 3:== DE2E6D E92E 2 DEF56?E D92== 36 A6C>:EE65 E@ G@=F?E2C:=J AC2J @C 6?8286 😕 C6=:8:@FD 24E:G:E:6D 😕 2 AF3=:4 D49@@= E@ E96 D2>6 6IE6?E 2D 2 DEF56?E 😀 A6C>:EE65 E@ 6?8286 😕 ?@?C6=:8:@FD >2EE6CD] xE D2JD E9@D6 C:89ED 2C6 E@ 36 4@?D:DE6?E H:E9 E96 DE2E6 2?5 7656C2= 4@?DE:EFE:@?D]k^Am

See the rest here:

Student free-speech bill passes Ky. Senate