Blog — Whitney Westerfield

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Sen. Westerfield Named Co-Chair

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Sen. Westerfield Named Co-Chair

Earlier this year, the National Conference of State Legislatures named me, along with a colleague from the Nebraska Senate, as Co-Chair of a newly formed Juvenile Justice Principles Working Group.  My Co-Chair and I have been working with NCSL staff over the last few months to prepare for the group's upcoming meetings this year.  We aim to produce a report, or white paper of sorts, to guide states looking at reforming their juvenile justice systems.  Here's my release about the news:


For Immediate Release
Contact: John Cox
859-492-2963
John.Cox@LRC.KY.GOV

SENATOR WHITNEY WESTERFIELD APPOINTED AS CO-CHAIRMAN OF NCSL JUVENILE JUSTICE PRINCIPLES WORK GROUP

FRANKFORT, Ky. (June 5, 2017) – State Senator Whitney Westerfield was recently appointed as co-chairman to the newly-established Juvenile Justice Principles Working Group, a subset of the National Conference of State Legislature’s (NCSL) Law, Criminal Justice And Public Safety Committee.

It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.
— Frederick Douglass

According to NCSL, the purpose of the juvenile justice work group is to discuss and develop a set of principles of effective juvenile justice state policy that NCSL will publish as a report to guide policy review and reform in the states. The report is intended to identify policy-making strategies that are rooted in research, reflect bipartisan/nonpartisan values, and help states invest in proven methods to put justice-involved youth back on the right track, while also keeping communities safe.  The principles and report will be an important tool that state lawmakers can apply both now and well into the future.

Senator Westerfield, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee and a member of both the Juvenile Justice Oversight Council and Governor Matt Bevin’s Criminal Justice Policy Assessment Council, thanked NCSL for the appointment. “Our work in the juvenile justice system here in Kentucky has set a national standard, giving a template for several other states to follow, yet we still have so much to do to improve outcomes for youth and improve public safety,” said Senator Westerfield. “I thank NCSL for this opportunity and I look forward to bringing my experience to the table, working with many dedicated men and women from across the United States to shape policy that will help our children in Kentucky and across the country.”

The Juvenile Justice Principles Working Group’s first meeting is June 6-8. Senator Westerfield championed Kentucky's comprehensive juvenile justice reform in 2014, and the Commonwealth's 2017 criminal justice reform law, Senate Bill 120, and will be presiding at two of the conference’s meetings. Those meetings will focus on juvenile justice research and data and juvenile justice reform, both for which Senator Westerfield has been an advocate in Kentucky.
 

The National Conference of State Legislatures was established in 1975 and is a bipartisan, non-governmental organization dedicated to the success of state legislatures. NCSL has three main objectives: improve the quality and effectiveness of state legislatures; promote policy innovation and communication among state legislatures; and ensure state legislatures have a strong, cohesive voice in the federal system.

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Sen. Westerfield Appointed to National Cybersecurity Task Force

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Sen. Westerfield Appointed to National Cybersecurity Task Force

For Immediate Release
Contact: John Cox
859-492-2963
John.Cox@LRC.KY.GOV

SENATOR WHITNEY WESTERFIELD APPOINTED TO NCSL TASK FORCE ON CYBERSECURITY

FRANKFORT, Ky. (August 2, 2016) – Senate President Robert Stivers (R-Manchester) announced the appointment of Senator Whitney Westerfield (R-Hopkinsville) to  the National Conference of State Legislatures’ (NCSL) Task Force on Cyber Security

“I cannot think of anyone better suited to represent Kentucky on this task force than Senator Westerfield,” said President Stivers. “He has shown a deep understanding of the issues facing the Senate Judiciary Committee, and he is a perfect fit to lead Kentucky’s fight in the virtual realm.”

The Task Force on Cybersecurity’s mission is “to engage members in policy discussions, educate members and extend networking opportunities to legislative leaders on cybersecurity issues through a series of well-defined programs, webinars on key definitions and critical cyber policy issues as well as supporting private-public networks.”

Senator Westerfield, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, thanked President Stivers and NCSL for the appointment. “In our highly-digital world, the threat to Kentuckians and the rest of the country is rapidly changing.  We must be prepared to combat the digital threats that impact not only retailers and service providers that call Kentucky home, but also our children and senior citizens who are targeted by predators and scams" said Senator Westerfield. “I look forward to working with many talented men and women from across the United States on this task force, and I hope our work will make a difference in keeping our Commonwealth—and nation—safe.

The National Conference of State Legislatures was established in 1975 and is a bipartisan, non-governmental organization dedicated to the success of state legislatures. NCSL has three main objectives: improve the quality and effectiveness of state legislatures; promote policy innovation and communication among state legislatures; and ensure state legislatures have a strong, cohesive voice in the federal system.

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Juvenile Justice Reform Work Begins

Sen. Westerfield (R, Hopkinsville) speaks at the ceremonial SB200 bill signing at the Christian County Day Treatment center in Hopkinsville (formerly CCMS) on August 28, 2014.

After a two year task force process, and an arduous legislative session filled with thousands of hours of writing, studying, debating and re-writing (rinse and repeat), Senate Bill 200 was finally passed by the General Assembly, and signed into law by the Governor.  SB200 is easily my biggest accomplishment to date, and my bill (as well as the task force process that led to it) has already become a model used by states across the country, the most recent of which are West Virginia and South Dakota.  Best of all, the bill has already brought agencies together to collaborate in an unprecedented way.  The trajectory of the lives of Kentucky's children and their families have already begun to change, and it will only get better.

Gov. Steve Beshear prepares to ceremonially sign Senate Bill 200, sponsored by Sen. Westerfield (R, Hopkinsville - 4th from the right) on August 28, 2014.

A critical part of SB200 sets up a temporary group called the Oversight Council (the group dissolves after 8 years so as to avoid creating another permanent governmental bureaucracy).  The Oversight Council is made up of various agency heads and stakeholder representatives, is co-chaired by the Senate and Judiciary Chairs (as non-voting members), and has two objectives:  (1) discuss each agency's SB200 implementation efforts, including a discussion of problem areas to make recommendations for administrative or legislation action to keep the reforms of SB200 on track, and (2) study and debate a handful of policy issues that SB200 did not include, but that we believed warranted further discussion and possible legislative action down the road.

The first meeting of the Oversight Council took place today (September 4, 2014) and uncovered a couple of trouble spots that agencies can begin to work on immediately.  The collaboration amongst agencies is just refreshing - this is the way government is supposed to work, cooperation, communication and openness.  The meeting was a refreshing break from politics, easily one of the more productive meetings I've had on the job.  I hope this keeps up!

Recently, I had a chance to give an interview with Nick Storm at cn|2 Pure Politics about SB200 and the work agencies have already begun.  Read about it here, and watch cn|2 clip of the interview below.

Uploaded by cn2Kentucky on 2014-09-04.

You can download either a two-page summary of the bill or the legislation in its entirety by heading over to this page.

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Hard Fought Victory

Senate Bill 200, overhauling Kentucky's juvenile code to achieve better outcomes for kids and save taxpayer money in the process has seen final passage in the Senate. Following original Senate passage at 32-6 and House passage of 84-15, the Senate concurred with minor changes made in the House Judiciary Committee and voted a final time 30-8, sending the bill to the Governor's desk. 

Big, comprehensive reforms take a Herculean effort. I didn't have a full grasp of that truth until today. Under the best of circumstances it still takes time to get input from all stakeholders, shape the policy draft, vet the policy through stakeholders again (rinse and repeat) until you finally have a bill to file.  After the bill is filed the other legislators have to be brought up to speed on the topic enough to make an informed decision to support it with their vote.  These two steps alone make up the bulk of legislative effort.

Senate Bill 200 was not an example of "the best of circumstances."  Indeed, because the bill touches all three branches of government, two Executive Cabinets and multiple departments within them, and was the largest overhaul in three decades.  We were bound to run into reluctance to change, and we did.  Having said that, there is an important thread that you can find throughout the fabric of SB200: the will to change.  Still more important is the motivation for that will, the best interest of Kentucky's children.   We (myself included) had to dig down, to tap wells of patience, calm, energy and concentration.

The official jacket of SB200 moments after enrollment in the Senate, bearing the signature of Senate President Stivers before heading to the Speaker, then the Governor.

The official jacket of SB200 moments after enrollment in the Senate, bearing the signature of Senate President Stivers before heading to the Speaker, then the Governor.

I may eventually provide a more detailed story of just what exactly we had to go through, including absurd email blasts accusing the bill, and me as it's sponsor, of being a "Trojan horse" for the United Nations (I'm still stunned by absurdity of that one).

I will simply and proudly report that the bill has seen final passage, and as of this writing, already sits on the Governor's desk awaiting his signature.

 

 

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Juvenile Code Reform

As Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I am pleased to write to you about a potential partnership between Kentucky and the PEW Charitable Trusts on juvenile justice reform.

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