Bill advances on safeguarding grand jury testimony February 4, 2026 Rep. Candy Massaroni, R-Bardstown, speaks on House Bill 305 during Wednesday’s meeting of the House Judiciary Committee. A high-resolution photo can be found here. FRANKFORT — A House bill aimed at strengthening protect ions around grand jury secrecy advanced Wednesday in the House Judiciary Committee. The legislation would extend Kentucky’s statute of limitations for prosecuting anyone who secretly records grand jury proceedings from one year to 10 years. It would also extend the statute of limitations for unlawfully sharing grand jury testimony from one year to five years. Rep. Candy Massaroni, R-Bardstown, said the measure is designed to protect the integrity of the grand jury process and ensure those who violate its secrecy can still be held accountable years later. “This bill is to protect the integrity of the grand jury and to extend the statute of limitations for anybody secretly recording grand jury testimony,” Massaroni told committee members. Grand juries are used to review evidence in serious criminal cases and determine whether charges should be filed. Proceedings are conducted in secret to protect witnesses, safeguard investigations, and prevent testimony from being influenced. Sherry Ballard, the mother of Crystal Rogers, spoke in support of the bill. Rogers, a Bardstown mother, disappeared in 2015. Ballard said the proposed changes could have made a difference in her daughter’s case. During the investigation, the FBI discovered some recordings during a search on the suspect’s property, Ballard said. “This was years after my daughter went missing.” Investigators later determined the recordings included grand jury material. Because of the current one-year statute of limitations, no charges were filed related to the recordings, Ballard said. Jackie Steele, commonwealth’s attorney for the 27th Judicial Circuit, told lawmakers the issue extends beyond a single case. He said illegal recordings of grand jury proceedings can affect drug investigations and even lead to the sale of sensitive testimony on the black market. “There are protections within the judicial system for that material so it doesn’t get out, but if someone is recording, it unknowingly gets out,” Steele said. Steele proposed an amendment to clarify that routine grand jury functions, such as issuing subpoenas or conducting interviews, would not create legal issues for prosecutors. “We are for the bill, other than just allowing us to do our job without committing a class D felony,” Steele said. Lawmakers asked questions about the broader impact of the bill. House Majority Whip Jason Nemes, R-Middletown, asked why it is critical to prevent recordings from being shared publicly. Steele said secrecy is essential to prevent witnesses from tailoring their testimony. “That way further testimony cannot be tailored to cover for somebody,” he said. House Minority Caucus Chair Lindsey Burke, D-Lexington, asked whether someone who both records and distributes grand jury material could face two charges. Steele said they could be charged separately for each offense. Rep. T.J. Roberts, R-Burlington, asked whether recordings put witnesses at risk. Steele said fear of exposure is a real concern, especially in smaller communities. “When you get to smaller jurisdictions, you’re hearing cases about your neighbor,” Steele said. “If you can’t deliberate honestly because you’re scared somebody’s recording it and playing it to your neighbors, that’s an obstruction of justice.” Several lawmakers thanked Ballard for advocating for changes and her persistence in fighting for justice in her daughter’s case. House Judiciary Chair Rep. Daniel Elliott, R-Danville, said the legislation should be known as the “Crystal Rogers Act.” The bill passed the committee and now heads to the full House of Representatives. The post Bill advances on safeguarding grand jury testimony appeared first on The Lexington Times. ...read more read less