 In 1976, Bendl was elected to represent the 34th district in Kentucky General Assembly, where she would push for legislation regulating nursing homes and fighting domestic violence.For the former subject, her sponsored bills included HB 106, the Nursing Home Reform Bill, and several others.For the latter, she overwhelmingly passed her 1980 bill on warrantless arrests for domestic violence despite strong opposition and debate, including a clash where she shouted into her microphone out of turn.