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A RESOLUTION honoring the extraordinary service of Senator John Schickel to 1
the Commonwealth of Kentucky upon his retirement from the General Assembly. 2
WHEREAS, Senator John Schickel was born in 1954 in Mariemont, Ohio, as one of 3
eleven children; and 4
WHEREAS, Senator John Schickel is a proud Kentuckian who served his state 5
through 40 years of law enforcement experience before he became a member of the 6
Kentucky Senate, and he is renowned for his strength, wisdom, and passion for individual 7
liberty; and 8
WHEREAS, Senator John Schickel has always fought to protect personal freedom, 9
support businesses, and ensure that state government takes a limited role in local 10
economies; and 11
WHEREAS, throughout his service, Senator John Schickel has been a proud 12
conservative, promoting sensible state budgets, pro-life values, support for our veterans 13
and troops, community safety, and our constitutional rights, including those guaranteed 14
by the Second Amendment; and 15
WHEREAS, known as a man of faith and integrity, Senator John Schickel has 16
always stood by the courage of his convictions, and has never hesitated to take a stance 17
contrary to party or popular opinion to do what he thinks is right for his constituents and 18
for this Commonwealth; and 19
WHEREAS, Senator John Schickel has represented the 11th Senate District in 20
Boone County with honor and distinction for over 15 years; and 21
WHEREAS, Senator John Schickel serves as the Chair of the Senate Standing 22
Committee on Licensing and Occupations, a position he has held since the 2011 Regular 23
Session of the General Assembly. In this role, Senator John Schickel has successfully 24
advanced hundreds of bills, including many to benefit and enhance our Commonwealth's 25
two signature industries: bourbon and horse racing; and 26
WHEREAS, Senator John Schickel previously worked as Co-Chair of the 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 24 RS BR 1158
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Legislative Oversight and Investigations Committee, which was then known as the 1
Program Review and Investigations Committee, and as a member of the Government 2
Contract Review Committee; and 3
WHEREAS, Senator John Schickel has served on numerous Senate Standing 4
Committees, including the Senate Standing Committees on Judiciary, State and Local 5
Government, Banking and Insurance, Transportation, and Natural Resources and Energy; 6
and 7
WHEREAS, Senator John Schickel has been a member of several subcommittees, 8
including the Penal Code and Controlled Substance Act Subcommittee, the Kentucky 9
Waterways Subcommittee, the Energy Subcommittee, and the Budget Review 10
Subcommittee on Justice and Judiciary; and 11
WHEREAS, Senator John Schickel serves as the Co-Chair of the Jail and 12
Corrections Reform Task Force and as a member of the Certificate of Need Task Force, 13
and previously served on the Kentucky Public Pensions Task Force and the Elections, 14
Constitutional Amendments, and Intergovernmental Affairs Task Force; and 15
WHEREAS, Senator John Schickel is a graduate of Northern Kentucky University 16
with a Master’s Degree in Public Administration; and 17
WHEREAS, Senator John Schickel served as a law enforcement officer for many 18
years, with the Northern Kentucky University Police Department from 1975 to 1976, and 19
with the Florence Police Department from 1977 to 1987. While serving with the Florence 20
Police Department, he was one of the first law enforcement officers to arrive on the scene 21
of the Beverly Hills Supper Club fire in 1977; and 22
WHEREAS, Senator John Schickel was elected Boone County Jailer and served in 23
that position from 1987 to 2001; and 24
WHEREAS, Senator John Schickel was appointed by President George W. Bush to 25
head the U.S. Marshals Service for the Eastern District of Kentucky, a post he held from 26
2002 to 2008 until his election as a State Senator; and 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 24 RS BR 1158
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WHEREAS, Senator John Schickel has served as an adjunct professor at Northern 1
Kentucky University in their Justice Studies program, where he was also on their 2
curriculum advisory committee, with an emphasis on exoneration through post-3
conviction DNA evidence; and 4
WHEREAS, Senator John Schickel's service to Boone County extends far beyond 5
his legislative accomplishments, and includes his role as a substitute bus driver for the 6
local school district; and 7
WHEREAS, several Kentucky Governors have recognized Senator John Schickel's 8
skill and expertise, and they have appointed him to the Kentucky Corrections 9
Commission, the Kentucky Crime Commission, the Kentucky Council for Interstate 10
Adult Offender Supervision, and the Jail Standards Review Commission; and 11
WHEREAS, Senator John Schickel is the recipient of numerous professional 12
awards and honors, including Jailer of the Year, President of the Kentucky Jailers 13
Association, Elected Official of the Year by the Northern Kentucky Municipal League, 14
and a 2024 award from the Innocence Project for his work on post-conviction DNA 15
evidence; and 16
WHEREAS, as Chair of the Senate Standing Committee on Licensing and 17
Occupations, Senator John Schickel is well-known for his strong belief that important 18
issues should be vetted in public during the legislative interim before those issues receive 19
a vote in the chambers. His resolve for transparency and public notice is so strong that his 20
committee will not hear a bill that failed to meet this rule. The Majority Floor Leader has 21
coined the term "Schickelized" to describe a bill that meets Sen. Schickel's rule, much to 22
the delight of Sen. Schickel and other members of the committee; and 23
WHEREAS, Senator John Schickel has dutifully served the Commonwealth of 24
Kentucky for most of his life, and he has made an outstanding and long-lasting impact on 25
its citizens and on the Kentucky Senate. His retirement will leave a void not easily filled 26
in this chamber, and he leaves a legacy for others to emulate; 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 24 RS BR 1158
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NOW, THEREFORE, 1
Be it resolved by the Senate of the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of 2
Kentucky: 3
Section 1. The Kentucky Senate does hereby honor the extraordinary service of 4
Senator John Schickel to the Commonwealth of Kentucky upon his retirement from this 5
august body. His commitment and dedication to public service will forever be etched in 6
the hearts and minds of all who served with him. 7
Section 2. When the Senate adjourns this day, it does so in honor of the 8
steadfast service of Senator John Schickel to the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 9
General Assembly. 10
Section 3. The Clerk of the Senate is directed to transmit a copy of this 11
Resolution to the Office of Senator Damon Thayer for delivery to Senator John Schickel. 12