2026 Regular Session - Day 48 - HB 569 | Rep. Stephanie Dietz

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Please have the clerk report House floor Amendment 1 to House Bill 569. Mr. Clerk, please report House Floor Amendment 1 to House Bill 569. Lady MacKinnon. Mr. Speaker, I move adoption of House Floor Amendment 1 to House Bill 569. Motion made for the adoption of House Floor Amendment 1. Is there any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor please signify by saying aye. Aye. All opposed nay. Motion carries. House Floor Amendment 1 is adopted. Lady MacKinnon. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. No one should be a judge in their own case. This maxim originated from Roman law in the 17th century. This principle emphasizes the importance of impartiality in legal proceedings, ensuring that judges do not have a personal stake in the outcome of a case to prevent any potential bias. One dilemma that attorneys often face is when a client or a client's interest may be served by asking for the disqualification of a judge who the lawyer or client's belief may have a bias for or against a particular party or issue. The only remedy is to ask that same judge to declare himself or herself biased. Often attorneys must choose not to request disqualification rather than risk retaliation against the client in that case or against that attorney in future cases in that same court. House Bill 569 with the Floor Amendment merely gives a party to a case or a non-party the ability to ask that independent party's review whether a judge meets the judicial conduct standard of an appearance of bias such that the judge should be disqualified. That review is conducted by the same Chief Justice that now reviews such requests, but without first accusing the very judge who may have a bias and risk retaliation against that client. The Attorney General in this bill is the gatekeeper. House Bill 569 is fair to litigants. It is a fair, independent review of the appearance of bias. It is an anonymous and protects the reputation of judges in our judiciary and most importantly preserves the ability of Kentucky attorneys to zealously represent their clients without operating under the fear of alienating the person who will decide many of their clients' fate. Mr. Speaker, I move passage of House Bill 569 as amended by House Floor Amendment 1.