LINK nky invited our local legislators to share their priorities for the 2025 legislative session, which began Jan. 7 and concludes March 29. Kim Banta, a Republican from Fort Mitchell, represents House District 63.
In the 2025 season I will continue my focus on improving on education for our children. I will support legislation to provide local school districts with making the Praxis test for teachers optional rather than mandatory. Having dedicated my life to educational opportunities and development I am a firm believer we need to focus on continuing education and mentorships and place less emphasis on expensive tests which are not a definitive measure of an individuals potential success as an educator.
Secondly, I will continue my focus on doing whatever can to encourage the best and brightest in our community to become first responders. To achieve this, I will support legislation to mandate that thyroid cancer, which has been proven to impact fire fighters as a greater percentage of our population than other professions.
Finally, I will seek a hearing in legislation to make it clear that when a minor commits a crime with a firearm, the parents are civilly liable for the actions of their children. Some argue this already interpreted in existing statutes, I simply want a hearing in the issue to determine if the acts are current covered, and if not, that we take proactive steps to empower the judiciary to deal with this situation. Let me be clear, this is not a demand for punitive actions, it is a demand for accountability from parents for the actions of their children.
As in the past, I will be focused on education, first responders, and safety in our community.