Kentucky Senate update

New developments in the Kentucky State Senate dispute:

A Franklin Circuit Court judge refused yesterday to order the Kentucky Senate to seat Democrat Virginia Woodward in Jefferson County's disputed 37th District.

His decision sets up a battle in the appellate courts that could put the Kentucky Supreme Court in the middle of the controversy that has left the district without representation since the beginning of the year.

Judge William Graham kept in place his earlier ruling that Republican Dana Seum Stephenson could not vote, attend Senate events or receive pay as a senator.

In effect, he has ruled that, while he can't tell the Senate whom to seat, he may be able to decide that someone doesn't meet constitutional guidelines and order that person not to serve.

If Graham's decisions are upheld and made permanent, the Senate would be left with a choice of seating Woodward or declaring the 37th District vacant and ordering a special election.

Stephenson, you may remember, had failed to meet state residency requirements and was ruled ineligible to serve in the Kentucy state Senate.