Louisville Metro Public Safety Committee Meeting - June 3, 2026
Louisville Metro Public Safety Committee Meeting - June 3, 2026
The Louisville Metro Public Safety Committee met on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, at 4:00 PM in Council Chambers with virtual attendance options. Chair Dan Seum Jr. (R-13) presided. Eight committee members were present, with two excused (Andrew Owen and Scott Reed). The meeting lasted one hour and covered four agenda items, including one resolution, two ordinances, and one postponed item.
Consent Calendar
- R-051-26: A resolution authorizing the Mayor to accept $19,942.31 from the U.S. Department of Justice through the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) grant program for the Louisville Metro Police Department's Victim Services Unit. Chief Corey Robinson explained the funds will expand community outreach and professional development for victim services personnel. The resolution passed by voice vote and was sent to the Consent Calendar.
Public Comments & Testimony
- O-075-26 (Safe Haven Law): Council member JP Lyninger (D-6), primary sponsor, expressed full support, stating the ordinance affirms protections for transgender residents. He noted that 35 local businesses and 3,262 individuals signed in support, while about 100 individuals opposed. Liz Hardin (District 24) argued for leadership and against capitulation to state-level bullies. Madelyn Spalding urged passage to send a message of safety for LGBTQ+ youth.
- Opposing speakers included:
- Jaz Williams (Kentucky Health Justice Network) expressed concerns that the ordinance lacks research, defined terms, and enforcement mechanisms, and that black and brown trans voices were excluded from the process.
- Dr. Bobbie Glass (Fairness Education Fund) stated the coalition supports protections but has concerns the current proposal is not the most effective or broadly supported.
- Dr. Alden Jones (trans scholar) criticized the process for not centering marginalized voices and for lacking material benefits for trans people.
- A letter of opposition was submitted from the ACLU of Kentucky, Fairness Campaign, and other organizations.
- Committee member Shameka Parrish-Wright (D-3), co-sponsor, spoke in favor, stating the legislation responds to constituents' requests and represents a chance to improve protections.
- Committee member Markus Winkler (D-17) opposed, arguing the ordinance risks retaliation from the state legislature that could undermine existing protections like the Fairness Ordinance, and that the vote's likely failure would harm trans individuals seeing headlines of rejection.
- Committee member Ginny Mulvey-Woolridge (R-24) stated she cannot support the ordinance as written, noting it does not meet everyone's needs.
Discussion Items
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O-047-26 (Administrative Search Warrants): Jeff O'Brien, Executive Director of Economic Development, presented an ordinance creating a formal process for obtaining administrative search warrants to enforce Metro Code violations (e.g., illegal auto junkyards, vacant abandoned properties, illegal smoke shops, massage parlors). An amendment by substitution was offered that added requirements: an agency director must approve the application, and the application must detail prior notice or explain why no notice was given.
- Committee member Parrish-Wright raised concerns about asset forfeiture, judge selection, documentation, and protection against theft accusations. Christian Garrison (County Attorney's Office) confirmed warrants go through the Administrative Office of the Courts, preventing judge-shopping.
- Vice Chair Tammy Hawkins (D-1) questioned whether contact with property owners is required, expressing concern about complaints being used to target properties in the West End. Deputy Mayor Nicole George noted the process formalizes existing practices and incentivizes compliance. O'Brien clarified the goal is compliance, not property seizure, and that foreclosure is a separate, lengthy process.
- The amendment passed by voice vote. The amended ordinance then passed unanimously (8-0) on a roll call vote and was sent to Old Business.
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O-280-25 (Late-Night Business Security): This item remained postponed in committee per the sponsor's request.
Key Outcomes
- R-051-26: Approved via voice vote, sent to Consent Calendar for the June 11, 2026 Metro Council meeting.
- O-075-26: Motion to recommend approval failed 1-6-1 (Parrish-Wright yes; Seum, Joseph, Winkler, Ruhe, Bratcher, Mulvey-Woolridge no; Hawkins present). Sent to Old Business with an unfavorable recommendation. A technical correction was noted: the title incorrectly cites section 39.405, which does not exist.
- O-047-26: Amendment adopted, then ordinance passed 8-0, sent to Old Business.
- O-280-25: Remained postponed.
- The meeting adjourned at 5:00 PM.
Meeting Transcript
A suburban form district usually is made up of single family houses with garages that face the street and stores or offices that are built in separate areas away from the homes. In contrast, a traditional form district puts homes, shops, and public places close together so people can easily walk from one to another, making the neighborhood more friendly for pedestrians. Free tickets to museums, to performances, to historic homes, to galleries and cultural experiences all across our entire community. There are nearly 50 venues that participate in the Cultural Pass program. And the Cultural Pass gives kids the chance to try something new, discover an interest that they might not have even known that they had. And Joseph, Councilman Marcus Winkler, Councilwoman Betsy Ruey Online. We have virtually we have Councilman Kevin Bradcher and Jenny Mulvey Woolridge and Shamika Parish Wright. We have excused absences with uh Scott Reed and Andrew Owen. Um please keep uh our colleague Scott in prayer. His son was just in a bad accident, and he's in the ER, so that's why he's not here. So uh Clerk, will you please read the virtual meeting language? This meeting is being held pursuant to KRS sixty-one point eight two six in Council Rule five A, read in full. Thank you, Madam Clerk. We have four items on the agenda that include one resolution and three ordinances. Item number four will be held in committee per the sponsor's request. Please note we will take the items in order according to the agenda. Madam Clerk, please read item number one into the record. Item one, a resolution authorizing the mayor to accept nineteen thousand nine hundred forty-two dollars and thirty-one cents from the U.S. Department of Justice through the International Association of Chiefs of Police IACP grant program to be administered by the Louisville Metro Police Department, read in full. It's an organization Chief Humphrey and the executive staff are a member of Miss Carroll here applied for the grant through the DOJ, and we were um awarded this grant that will be going to Victim Services Unit, and the grant will be used to fund our victim services by expanding community outreach efforts and support our professional development of our victim services personnel. Yeah, I got a question. Okay. Yes, I wanted to know. Um, exactly in detail. Can you tell us when you say victim services? What type of services? Yes, ma'am. That's a great question. The question was what type of services that we will do victim services. Um for instance, we have the traditional services where a person is a victim of a violent crime or a violent offense for victim services unit. Um, is a liaison for that person to extend services to them, but also in the more non-traditional sense, such as the UPS crash site, the victims from that, where it wasn't a victim of a crime per se, but it was a catastrophe in the community. Our victim services unit also aids in those type of events as well. Councilwoman Hawkins, is that it? I'm okay with that. Thank you. Thank you. I see no one else in the queue. And no more additional compact contact uh comments or concerns, hearing none. This is a resolution that requires a voice vote. The resolution passed. If it passes, it'll go to consent calendar. So we'll vote. Uh aye for in favor. Aye. May. The ordinance passes, it will be sent to the consent calendar. Madam Clerk, will you please read number two into the record? Thank you for your time. Good to see you, sir. Item two in ordinance amending chapter 39 of the Louisville Metro Code of Ordinances to create new sections 39.400, 39.401, 39.402, 39.403, 39.404, and 39.405 to be known as the safe haven law read in full.
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