What Every AME Member Needs To Know About Conference Claims

The Mission of the AME Church is to minister to the social, spiritual, and physical development of all people.

The AME Church isn’t just local. It’s global.

As members of the AME Church, we have the privilege of working together to help people all over the world with their education, housing and mission work. In addition, we support the administration and resources required by our global church. We do this by paying conference claims. As members, we are the financial resource of the Church, both local and connectional. (Acts 4:32-37; 1 Corinthians 16:1-3).

At Historic St. Paul, adult member as asked to pledge $500 per year, payable twice a year –March 1 - $250, and August 1 - $250.

International Outreach includes:

The African Methodist Episcopal Church Service and Development Agency (AME-SADA). A non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life in Africa and the Caribbean.

AME Church supported HBCUs and Education Institutions

Institutions of Higher Education

1. Abington School of Religion

1302 Herring Avenue Waco, TX 76706

2. Allen University www.allenuniversity.edu 1530 Hardin Street Columbia, SC 29204

3. Bonner-Campbell School of Religion 436 Stomp Bridge Road Canton, MS 39046 (601)506-8482 foursight@aol.com

4. Dickerson-Green Theological Seminary

1530 Harden Street Columbia, SC 29204 (803)376-5706

5. Edward Waters College www.ewc.edu

Dr. A. Zachary Faison Jr., President 1658 Kings Road Jacksonville, FL 32203 (904)470-8000

12. Turner Theological Seminary- ITC www.turnerseminary.com

700 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive Atlanta, GA 30314-4143 (404)527-7700

6. Jackson Theological Seminary 208 North Tennessee Crossett, AR 71635

7. Morris Brown College www.morrisbrown.edu 643 Martin Luther King Jr., NW Atlanta, GA 30314

8. Paul Quinn College www.pqc.edu 3837 Simpson Stuart Road Dallas, TX 75241

9. Payne Theological Seminary www.payne.edu P.O. Box 474 Wilberforce, OH 45384 mbrown@payne.edu

10. Richard Allen Chapel

Paul Quinn College Dallas, TX 75241

11. Shorter College www.shortercollege.edut 604 Locust Street North Little Rock, AR 72114 info@shortercollege.edu

13. Wilberforce University www.wilberforce.edu

1055 N. Bickett Road

Wilberforce, Ohio 45384

Institutions of Higher Education

1. AME University

34 Camp Johnson Road

Monrovia, Liberia

2.Bryant Theological Seminary

35 Camp Johnson Road

Monrovia, Liberia

3.Monrovia College

Clay Street, Off Camp Johnson Road

Monrovia, Liberia

West Africa

4. R.R. Wright Theological Seminary

11306 Bodea Road

Republic of South Africa

5. Sizane School

P. O. Box 55

Mpopoma, Bulaway

Zimbabwe

6.Wilberforce Community College

Evaton, South Africa

The Lay Organization: The purpose of the Lay Organization is to organize, teach, train and empower the lay members of the church so that they may: a. maximally utilize their God given abilities and skills to improve and extend the kingdom to create happiness, peace, and harmony among our members, and b. learn about the rules, regulations and duties of the members, officers, organizations and ministerial leadership of the local, district, Conference and Connectional church,

KEY DATES: Last Day to register to vote April 17, 2023, by 4pm local time. Online absentee request portal open for Mail-in Absentee - April 1 – May 2, 2023.

Senator Reginald L. Thomas

March 31, 2023

Legislative Update

March 31, 2023

Submitted by Senator Reginald Thomas

FRANKFORT As the sun sets on the 2023 Regular Session of the Kentucky General Assembly, we take a moment to reflect on the final two days of the session. The legislature returned to the Capitol after a 10-day veto recess, with the agenda for the remaining two days clear: taking up vetoes handed down by Governor Andy Beshear, appointment confirmations, and acting on several bills waiting in the shadows.

Despite the Governor’s reasons for vetoing a handful of bills, the General Assembly wasted no time voting to override all 15 he returned to the legislature. The dynamic between the Governor and the supermajority was difficult to navigate this year, especially in an election year. Even though we are all elected to serve the people of Kentucky, it often felt as if the political differences were insurmountable. The fact that the supermajority needed only a simple majority to override the Governor's vetoes made it even more challenging.

The bill drawing the most attention this session, as well as large crowds of supporters and opponents alike to Frankfort, was Senate Bill (SB) 150. The legislation essentially bans all gender-affirming care for minors, even with parental consent, and nullifies trans-inclusive policies in Kentucky's education system. The Governor vetoed the measure asserting that it is blatant government overreach in personal health care issues and that it endangers the health of transgender youth.

Anti-trans policies have come into the national spotlight recently, being framed as a boogeyman, orchestrated by organizations seeking to marginalize and demonize the LGBTQ+ community. Narratives have been created to stoke fear, including outright falsehoods such as widespread genital mutilation happening in Kentucky. Yet, there are no identifiable cases of this happening. The reality is that SB 150 brings government into personal health care decisions, eliminates parental rights, and limits the ability of transgender youth to access vital gender-affirming medical care, including treatments and therapies that are widely considered crucial in supporting their mental health and well-being.

SB 150 is not about protecting children or preserving parental oversight as legislators who voted against sustaining the veto claim. It is an outright attempt to codify discrimination through fear-mongering and misinformation to achieve its goals. Nonetheless, the legislature overturned the veto in both chambers, and SB 150 will go into law notwithstanding the signature of the Governor. However, I expect several constitutional challenges in the coming months regarding these policies.

Notable bills vetoed by the Governor and overridden by the legislature: SB 65 nullified Medicaid regulations that provided dental, hearing, and vision care for adults. Governor Beshear vetoed the bill citing that it harmed nearly one million Kentuckians and complicated efforts to increase Kentucky's workforce. I agree with the Governor and fear this bill could harm our most vulnerable residents to receive health care access.

SB 107 required the state education commissioner to be subject to Senate confirmation before taking office. The Governor vetoed this bill with the note that it politicizes the process of hiring the commissioner of education and adds an unnecessary bureaucratic obstacle to hiring and keeping the commissioner. SB 107 is yet another effort to diminish the powers of the executive branch and weaken public education.

SB 122 designates specific areas of the Capitol Annex and adjacent parking spaces allocated to the General Assembly and the Legislative Research Commission. The Governor vetoed SB 122 because he says the General Assembly should not be passing legislation to determine control over parking spaces at the Capitol and the Capitol Annex. SB 122 is insignificant and spiteful, and there is no reason we should assign more than 1,500 parking spaces for only 400 legislators and staff.

SB 126 allows plaintiffs or defendants to seek a change of venue in civil actions challenging the constitutionality of a statute, executive order, administrative regulation, or executive action. Similar to my reasoning for voting against the bill earlier in the session, the Governor argued that it was an unconstitutional power grab by the General Assembly to control Kentucky judges and force Kentuckians to challenge the constitutionality of governmental acts in places where they do not reside. Furthermore, he stated that it violates the separation of powers, creates an arbitrary process for selecting the venue of civil actions, and blocks Kentuckians' access to courts.

SB 226 requires the Energy and Environment Cabinet to presume water quality is maintained if the permittee complies with industry standards. The Governor vetoed SB 226 and argued there is a significant threat that the federal EPA could take over Kentucky's permitting process if it does not meet federal requirements. The Governor noted that he supports speeding up decisions on environmental permitting applications but believes Kentucky businesses will be worse off with the federal EPA controlling the process.

House Bill (HB) 4 aimed to regulate merchant electric generating facilities but removed local input on enforcement of the construction certificates issued by the Kentucky State Electric Generation and Transmission Siting Board, including the bonding and decommissioning requirements. The Governor vetoed the bill stating that it violates local input in decision-making.

HB 568 merged the Louisville Metro Public Defender's Office into the Department of Public Advocacy. The Governor vetoed the bill reasoning that there was no clear picture of how much state funding would be needed to offset the funding currently provided by the Louisville Metro government. He also noted that it was a retaliation measure against attorneys in the Louisville Metro Public Defender's Office for their efforts to unionize.

Even though I supported all 15 vetoes handed down by the Governor, each bill was overridden and will be sent directly to the Secretary of State and signed into law, regardless of the Governor's signature. While there may be some exceptions for emergency clauses that take immediate effect, most of these new laws will go into effect in July.

Even in the waning hours before adjourning this year's short 30-day session, the General Assembly took up over a dozen measures that now go to the Governor for consideration. Unlike legislation passed prior to the veto recess with time allocated for veto overrides, these bills do not have the same protections. Due to the adjourning of the legislature, the Governor has the power to decide the fate of legislation passed in the final days without the interference of the General Assembly.

Significant bills passed in the final two days: SB 47, the medical marijuana bill, has been given final approval. The measure will finally legalize the limited use of medical marijuana in the state. Once signed into law, patients with qualifying medical conditions, such as cancer, chronic pain, epilepsy, and post-traumatic stress disorder, will be eligible to obtain a doctor's recommendation for the use of cannabis. While smoking cannabis is still prohibited, the bill will allow the use of unprocessed cannabis herbs for vaporization and various formulations like capsules, tinctures, and topical products. The Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services will enforce regulations for distribution, with operations set to roll out in January 2025. As a co-sponsor and advocate, I am delighted to see its passage so that we can provide much-needed relief to patients statewide.

HB 5 repeals property taxes on aging whiskey barrels in rickhouses in Kentucky. The bill exempts distilleries from paying a portion of property taxes on spirits aging in warehouses starting from January 1, 2026, and increasing gradually to be tax-free over the next 20 years. It passed the Senate by a vote of 24-13 to gain final passage.

HB 551 authorizes sports betting at horse racing facilities and other locations where certain betting is permitted and paves the way for online betting. The bill proposes an excise tax of 9.75% for wagers placed at tracks and 14.25% for online waging. Since HB 551 was a measure dealing with revenue in a non-budget year, it needed a two-thirds majority in the Senate to pass. In a narrow margin, it passed the Senate with a vote of 25-12 to receive final passage. I was proud yes vote to finally legalize sports betting in the state.

Looking back on the events of this session, it's evident that the outcome was not what many of us had hoped for. However, there were also some solid, bipartisan policies passed. As we adjourn for the year, it's important to remember our work continues through the interim, and the bills passed this session with constitutional challenges now go to the courts. I will continue to fight for the needs of my constituents and the working people of Kentucky, even when the odds are not in our favor.

With the session now adjourned, we can look back with some relief. The Kentucky General Assembly has demonstrated that even in a politically-charged atmosphere, sometimes there is room to work together with a shared purpose, while other times there are just fundamental differences. I look forward to seeing what the next session will bring and remain hopeful that the spirit of cooperation and progress can prevail to guide our leaders in the years ahead.

Unless a special session is called by the Governor to address a specific issue, lawmakers will not act on legislation until January 2024. We now look to the interim joint session to review and study issues that could arise next year. For more information on the 2023 session, visit the legislative record online at www.legislature.ky.gov. There, you can view all bills, watch archived coverage of committee meetings, search legislator contact information, learn about the legislative process, and view informational materials.

To share feedback with me on this issue, or if you have any comments, questions, or concerns, I am accessible by email at Reginald.Thomas@LRC.KY.GOV. You can also leave a message for me on the Legislative Message Line at (800) 372-7181. Citizens with hearing impairments can use the Kentucky Relay Service at 711. A Spanish language line for legislative information will be available by calling 1-866-840-6574.

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