LRC News Releases
House committee weighs death penalty-related bill
Sen. Stephen West, R-Paris, testifies on Senate Bill 251 during Thursday’s House State Government Committee meeting. The bill would change how the state Department of Corrections can prescribe and implement execution protocols. A high-res version is available here.
FRANKFORT — — The House State Government Committee advanced Senate Bill 251 on Thursday.
Sponsored by Sen. Stephen West, R-Paris, the legislation would allow the state Department of Corrections to prescribe and implement execution protocols and procedures for inmates on death row by internal policy, memorandum or other forms of action.
The department is currently required to promulgate administrative regulations to prescribe and implement execution protocols.
West said SB 251 is not a death penalty bill.
“This bill is less about the death penalty and more about the rule of law and the powers between the branches in Kentucky,” West said.
West told the committee the legislation is needed due to the lengthy administrative regulations process that often leads to litigation.
“You have this revolving door of litigation, and so this bill attempts to address that issue,” West said. “… All this does is allows the administration, the Department of Corrections, to implement execution protocols if they choose to.”
Wil Schroder, senior counsel in the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office, shared a letter of support from a family member who is related to both victims of Ralph Baze. Baze has been on Kentucky’s death row for more than 30 years.
“I wholeheartedly support anything, including Senate Bill 251, that will cut down on the intolerable delay in seeing that justice is served for my brother and brother-in-law. My family and I want justice. My family and I need justice, and we have been waiting on it for over three decades,” the individual wrote in the letter.
Members of the House State Government Committee carefully considered the legislation, with several members sharing their moral opposition to the death penalty.
Rep. James Tipton, R-Taylorsville, said he’s filed legislation multiple times to abolish the death penalty in Kentucky. He expressed sympathy for the victims, but said his concern about wrongful convictions and his personal pro-life, Christian beliefs are the reasons why he’s against the death penalty.
“Sometimes the courts, the juries make mistakes, and I know Rep. Nemes had a bill a few years ago to provide for people who are wrongfully convicted – to provide them benefits. I don’t know what you could do for someone who is wrongfully executed,” Tipton said.
Additionally, Tipton asked West if there is another way to address the length of time it takes to promulgate administrative regulations.
“I know one of the concerns that has been raised to me is that if we go with this process, it will not be transparent … Would it not be just as simple to require the Department of Corrections to issue regulations in a more timely manner to prevent these delays from happening in the future?” Tipton asked.
Jack Heyburn from the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office said that would not fix the issue. He shared an example of a recent Department of Corrections regulation that will become final in two weeks nearly a year after Franklin County Circuit Court found part of the regulation unlawful.
“I think that the bill addresses that because it gives DOC more flexibility to respond quickly and expeditiously to a court order like that,” Heyburn said.
On the transparency issue, Schroder said a defendant’s attorney would still have the right to review and challenge the department’s policies if SB 251 becomes law.
“It can be a much quicker process, but they’ll still be transparent in the sense that they’ll have that access to see what it is and challenge it if they feel that there is a legal challenge to do so,” he added.
Rep. Anne Gay Donworth, D-Lexington, said she still has transparency concerns when she voted “no” on SB 251.
“We are talking about life and death, and of all times when we need to be open about what we are doing here as a government, I think this is the most critical time we can possibly do it,” she said.
Rep. Wade Williams, R-Earlington, who is a retired police chief, said he’s personally witnessed heinous crimes, which is why he supports the legislation.
“I do believe that that person could have everlasting life, but there’s also an amount of accountability that we society and those victims are owed too,” he said.
SB 251 is now before the full House for consideration after a 13-6 vote.
Committee advances bill on gubernatorial pardons
FSen. Christian McDaniel, R-Ryland Heights, testifies on Senate Bill 10 before the House Elections, Constitutional Amendments and Intergovernmental Affairs Committee. A high-res version is available here.
FRANKFORT — Legislation that would propose a constitutional amendment to limit the governor’s pardoning power during election periods advanced in the House Elections, Constitutional Amendments and Intergovernmental Affairs Committee on Thursday.
Senate Bill 10, sponsored by Sen. Christian McDaniel, R-Ryland Heights, proposes a constitutional amendment to limit the Kentucky governor's ability to grant pardons and commute sentences, prohibiting the exercise of that power during the 60-day period preceding a gubernatorial election through the fifth Tuesday following the election.
“In essence, 90 days out of every 4 years, there is no power to pardon vested in the governor. That way, if a governor believes in a pardon strongly enough, he or she can stand in front of the voters, or have their party stand in front of the voters to decide their opinion of the pardon,” McDaniel said.
Rep. Josh Calloway, R-Irvington, asked McDaniel’s thought on restricting the governor’s pardoning power based on categories of crime rather than a specific time period.
McDaniel said he settled on a time limitation because that approach simply gives notice to voters when pardons take place. “The whole intent of this to ensure the voters are informed of the person or party they are casting their vote for,” he said.
Rep. John Hodgson, R-Fisherville, asked what the amendment would affect outside of pardons.
“We’ve talked about pardons, but I believe the language of the constitution would also include commutations. Would it also include expungements and lifting the restrictions that come with a felony conviction?” Hodgson asked.
“That is an excellent question,” McDaniel replied. “I don’t believe expungements would fall under this heading. It does cover commutations and pardons, but I do not believe it covers expungements.”
Rep. T.J. Roberts, R-Burlington, expressed concern that the bill might have some unintended blowback.
“My concern is that there are times where innocent people are convicted and the community is absolutely convinced that they did do it, and an issue of granting a pardon at any other time other than immediately after the election would lead to blowback, even if the person was not guilty,” he said.
Roberts asked McDaniel if he would be open to an amendment to the bill that would allow for pardons to take place through some other method during the 90 days the governor would not be able to issue a pardon.
In response, McDaniel said that while he saw Roberts’s concern, he believed there were enough safeguards in place for the bill to not need an amendment.
“There are other safeguards in place to handle the situation that you’re describing. While I appreciate the motive behind it, I believe there are sufficient safeguards in place at this point in time to allow the innocent person to move into a new administration who could review their pardon.” McDaniel said.
SB 10 now goes before the House. If the bill becomes law this year, Kentucky voters would still need to ratify the proposed amendment through a ballot vote before the change could take effect.
House bill advances limiting civil actions against gun makers
Rep. T.J. Roberts, R-Burlington, testifies on House Bill 78 before the Senate Judiciary Committee. A high-resolution photo can be found here.
FRANKFORT — Legislation insulating gun manufacturers and sellers from qualified civil liability actions advanced out of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday.
House Bill 78, sponsored by Rep. T.J. Roberts, R-Burlington, would make Kentucky law on firearms civil liability consistent with federal protections under the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act. It would prevent state courts from imposing liability on firearms manufacturers, sellers, and trade associations if a firearm is used in the commission of the crime.
"House Bill 78 is based on the same fundamental premise that we accepted when we adopted HB 222 in 2022, which is that no level of government and no branch of government can be used to nullify a constitutional right," Roberts said.
Sen. Aaron Reed, R-Shelbyville, testifying alongside Roberts, spoke in favor on common sense grounds.
"This is an extremely common-sense bill. The issue is like if we were allowed to sue Ford for a drunk driver causing an accident with their vehicle. I hope we can all support this," Reed said.
HB 78 carves out exceptions to this immunity for sellers who negligently entrusted a firearm to someone they knew, or reasonably should have known, would use it in a dangerous manner.
Additionally, under HB 78, manufacturers do not have immunity in cases where a defective product caused injury while being used lawfully as intended.
Sen. Danny Carroll, R-Paducah, raised concerns about the bill's effect on the constitutional right to a jury trial.
"My primary concern with the bill is not its intent, but a person's constitutional right to a trial. Under this legislation, the basic finding that a petitioner would be seeking from a court through a jury trial is basically being determined up front by a judge. On that issue, what is your response?" Carroll said.
Roberts responded that the legislature makes the law and that a judge's role is to determine whether a petitioner's allegations, if true, constitute a violation.
"This bill does not infringe upon the right to a trial by jury. We have a right to a jury trial, yes, but we also have the right to free speech, and the right to bear arms. I do not believe we can use one right to nullify another," Roberts added.
Senate Minority Caucus Chair Reginald L. Thomas, D-Lexington, voted no, arguing the bill granted gun manufacturers blanket immunity regardless of wrongdoing.
"What this bill does is just give a blanket immunity to gun manufacturers regardless of any flaws in a gun's design or whether they're subject to improper uses. I am not one who believes in immunity to manufactures because the court system should be open to anyone who feels that they have a just claim of being wronged," Thomas said.
House Bill 78 now goes to the Senate floor.
Senate committee advances bill to treat veterans’ PTSD
Rep. Scott Sharp, R-Ashland, testifies Thursday on House Bill 369 during a Senate Veterans, Military Affairs and Public Protection Committee meeting. A high-resolution photo can be found here.
FRANKFORT — During Thursday’s meeting of the Senate Veterans, Military Affairs and Public Protection Committee, legislators advanced a bill to further assist military veterans who are struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder.
House Bill 369 would create provisions in state law for veterans to receive hyperbaric oxygen therapy, said Rep. Scott Sharp, R-Ashland. “We’re trying to help veterans with the post-traumatic stress disorder using these chambers.”
The bill defines post-traumatic stress disorder and makes a veteran eligible for hyperbaric oxygen therapy if he or she has a diagnosis of PTSD that is attested to by the patient’s health care provider.
Sharp, a U.S. Army veteran, said the measure would not cost the state anything, but would provide a new option for veterans.
With Sharp was Eric Koleda, a U.S. Air Force veteran and president and cofounder of Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment for Kentucky Veterans.
Koleda testified that in 2018, the legislature passed a bill giving veterans with traumatic brain injuries access to the therapy. But at the time, there wasn’t enough research on hyperbaric oxygen treatment for PTSD.
“Since that passage, there have been over 28 clinical trials completed. There’s been a meta- analysis on eight of those 28, definitively defining medical evidence showing that hyperbaric oxygen therapy is healing up PTSD vets,” he said.
Sen. Aaron Reed, R-Shelbyville, said he’s a retired Navy SEAL, and he has several friends who have, “done this type of therapy and swear by it.”
Committee Chair Sen. Matthew Deneen, R-Elizabethtown, thanked Koleda for traveling to Frankfort to testify. He said that hyperbaric oxygen therapy chambers are being used at Baptist Health Hardin in Elizabethtown and they are doing a “wonderful job.”
HB 369 now heads to the full Senate.
Committee passes bill aimed at preventing child marriage
Sen. Julie Raque Adams, R-Louisville, speaks on Senate Bill 156 during Thursday’s meeting of the House Families and Children Committee. A high-resolution photo can be found here.
FRANKFORT — Legislation aimed at eliminating child marriage in Kentucky advanced Thursday from the House Families and Children Committee.
Senate Bill 156 would raise the legal age for marriage to 18 without exception, closing a provision in current law that allows 17-year-olds to marry in certain cases. Supporters say the change would strengthen protections for minors and prevent situations involving coercion, abuse or exploitation. Under existing law, a 17-year-old may marry with judicial consent following an investigation into potential abuse. Lawmakers backing the bill argue that this process still leaves room for vulnerable minors to be placed in harmful situations and creates inconsistencies in how cases are handled. Bill sponsor Sen. Julie Raque Adams, R-Louisville, said the proposal builds on earlier efforts to address child marriage in Kentucky. “This bill builds on the foundation we laid in 2018. It strengthens enforcement. It increases accountability. It improves training and clarity for officials responsible for issuing and recording marriage licenses, and it closes the gaps that predators continue to exploit,” she said. Advocates told lawmakers that, while reforms have been made in recent years, underage marriage continues to occur. The legislation would remove remaining loopholes by requiring all individuals to be at least 18 to marry, regardless of circumstances. Donna Simmons, founder of the Revive Collective, testified before the committee and shared her experience with multi-generational child marriage. Simmons described how her mother was married at a young age, a cycle that continued into her own life. Starting at 14, Simmons said she was placed in situations involving an adult man and later married him in Tennessee with parental consent at 16. She told lawmakers the relationship led to a miscarriage, exploitation and long-term legal challenges after she left, including losing custody of her child and being required to pay child support. “My credibility, my education, my body and my income, and even my child has been ripped away from me and given to my rapist, who’s hidden his offenses behind a marriage license legally.” Simmons said that it isn’t right for children to miss out on childhood and education due to abusive situations involving adults. “Let us not continue to legally allow children to be subjected to an interruption in their process of development, and let us begin giving them full childhoods that they do not have to spend decades of life recovering from,” she said. Rep. Kim Holloway, R-Mayfield, asked how the bill would apply in cases involving teen pregnancy or emancipated minors. Adams said emancipated minors would be treated separately, as they are granted the legal rights of adults. Simmons added that the bill would prevent marriage as a response to teen pregnancy, which she said can trap young people in harmful situations. “When I was 16 and I had the miscarriage, I was not able to consent to my own medical care as a married minor. I had to wait for my husband, who again was in his 30s, to decide that I could get medical treatment, and therefore I almost died,” she said. “So many survivors have shared the same experience. They didn’t have access to child protective services because they’re no longer considered a minor, but they also do not have enumerated rights as an adult. So, they fall into this legal gray area without any protection.” Adams emphasized that underage marriage is still occurring in Kentucky despite existing laws and said removing the exception for 17-year-olds would ensure stronger, more consistent protections for minors. “What we did back in 2018, we thought that we had sufficiently covered it with that caveat that if you are 17, you can get married if you go before a court and you meet certain parameters,” she said. “Unfortunately, what we have found is that Kentucky is not doing those things, which is why we’re having to close that 17-year-old loophole.” Rep. Michael Sarge Pollock, R-Campbellsville, noted that his parents married at 16 and 17 due to a teen pregnancy but said couples who truly want to marry can wait until adulthood. “When you share the purpose and intent behind this bill, and that is to protect our children,” he said, “obviously, if they’re truly loving each other, they can wait another 6 months or 8 months or whatever the case might be.” Rep. Daniel Elliott, R-Danville, asked how many other states have enacted similar laws. Simmons pointed to growing national efforts to end child marriage and emphasized the importance of Kentucky aligning with those changes. “We bring this up because a bill is only going to be as good as proximity to the states around it, and that is one of the reasons it is so critical for us to place focus on achieving this in Kentucky,” she said. “Yes, for Kentuckians, but for children of neighboring states who may not be able to get that license there but may try to take advantage of lax laws in other areas.” The bill passed the committee on a 13-0 vote and now heads to the House floor.Senate committee advances bill to transform Kentucky State University
Committee Chair Sen. Christian McDaniel, R-Ryland Heights, testifies Wednesday on Senate Bill 185 during a special-called meeting of the Senate Appropriations and Revenue Committee. A high-resolution photo can be found here.
FRANKFORT — In 1886, state legislators authorized the creation of what would become Kentucky State University in the state’s capital city. On Wednesday, legislators advanced a bill crafted to transform it into a polytechnic institution.
During a special-called meeting of the Senate Appropriations and Revenue Committee, Committee Chair Sen. Christian McDaniel, R-Ryland Heights, testified that over the past decade, the university had caused frustration, and crime on campus led some to thoughts of its closure.
However, over the course of the past few months, when legislators returned to Frankfort, several of them met with KSU President Koffi C. Akakpo, and listened to him talk about his vision for the school and its past, great days.
“We became convinced that now was not the time to explore closure of Kentucky State, but rather to be a partner in the redefinition of this institution and what it can mean for the commonwealth,” McDaniel said.
McDaniel testified that Senate Bill 185 calls for KSU to transition to a new mission and become a polytechnic university over the next five years, offering polytechnic, STEM and education degree-related classes in person. There will be no cuts made in the biennium to the KSU budget, he said.
Under SB 185, exigency is declared, any employment provisions are suspended and employment status will be determined by the university president. The minimum GPA for admission will be raised to a 2.5 with a score of 18 on the ACT, McDaniel said.
McDaniel said that under another provision, no student with more than $1,000 in debt shall be enrolled beyond 30 days of the date that the amount is due.
In addition, all fraternities and sororities must reapply for their charters, any in-state person owing KSU money shall have a tax return intercepted by the state Department of Revenue, and any liberal arts degrees will be largely moved to an expanded online offering except for education. The Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education will continue to provide oversight of operations.
McDaniel said the legislation presented Wednesday wouldn’t have been possible without Aaron Thompson, president of the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education and his staff, and Akakpo and his staff.
“This work is a recognition of the importance of a vibrant HBCU in the commonwealth,” McDaniel said. “It is a recognition that high standards will lead to great outcomes, and it is a vote of confidence in Dr. Akakpo’s leadership of the university and our belief that with our partnership, the university can return to the glory for which it is known.”
Thompson also thanked those who worked on the legislation.
“It’s important to have a vibrant HBCU in this state that’s public. It’s important for us to have a vibrant 1890s land grant institution. That’s the base of this conversation,” he said.
Looking ahead, Thompson said the changes won’t be just about KSU’s finances, but how leaders can be proactive beyond being an HBCU and land grant institution. He said the school should become an important driver to help the state boost economic development with a highly educated workforce that KSU can provide.
To be successful, Akakpo said continued support from the legislature will be needed, and he can guarantee that good things will stem from the university.
“I’m here speechless. I want to first thank the leadership of the Senate, the leadership of the House, several of you, Chairman McDaniel, for us to get to this point,” he said. “I know the discussion in the very beginning was very heated, but we have found a way to move forward.”
Senate President Pro Tempore David P. Givens, R-Greensburg, said the legislation presents great challenges, and he encouraged alumni to be champions for the university by supporting it financially and otherwise.
“This is a new start, a revisioning for Kentucky State University in my opinion. The schedule is aggressive, and that’s been cited by some of the questions on the panel,” he said. “And I’m going to reflect on the fact that I think the aggressive schedule is necessitated by the alternative. The alternative that we had some frank conversations about was closure.”
Senate Democratic Floor Leader Gerald A. Neal, D-Louisville, said the proposed changes are complicated, and he had a very short time to review the bill on Wednesday.
He asked McDaniel to consider some changes related to expenditure limits, flexibility on retaining faculty and increased discretion concerning student debt. However, he ultimately voted for the measure in committee.
“I think this a huge opportunity here, and I’m looking at this and I think we’ve got the right leader in place here. We’ve got the right support in terms of CPE and we have now to have the right policies that give the ability to get to the objectives I think we all embrace,” he said.
Legislation intended to increase school safety passed the House
Senate Bill 101 would require school boards to expel students who assault school staff.
FRANKFORT — Legislation intended to protect teachers and school staff from violent students passed the Kentucky House on Wednesday, advancing a measure that would require stricter disciplinary action and expand reporting requirements in schools.
Under Senate Bill 101, sponsored by Sen. Matt Nunn, R-Sadieville, school boards would be required to expel students in grades 6 through 12 for at least 12 months if the student “recklessly” with a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument, or intentionally caused or attempted to cause physical injury to a school district employee on school property or at a school function.
Rep. Patrick Flannery, R-Olive Hill, carried the legislation in the House. He highlighted previsions in the bill on how the legislation applies to students with disabilities, noting that protections remain in place under federal law.
“If the student has an IEP and the assault is determined to be a manifestation of their disability they are exempted, the student will be given educational services in an alternative setting as long as they can be provided safely.”
In addition to mandatory expulsions, the bill would strengthen reporting requirements for school personnel. Teachers or staff who fail to report incidents that occur on school property or at school-sanctioned events, when there is probable cause, could face misdemeanor charges, with penalties increasing for repeated failures.
Lawmakers adopted multiple floor amendments that broaden the scope and implementation of the measure.
House Floor Amendment 2, filed by Rep. Daniel Grossberg, D-Louisville, expands the bill’s language to include school bus stops as locations where misconduct could trigger expulsion. The change follows concerns about incidents occurring outside traditional school property.
Grossberg cited an incident in his district to illustrate the need for the amendment.
“In my district there has been a number of incidents that have taken place at school bus stops, including violence so bad that children who are new to our country and struggle with the English language were beaten so badly that they had to go to the hospital.” He said “Their parents had no recourse because Jefferson County Public School said that the bus stops were not their responsibility and LMPD said it was not their responsibility during school hours.”
He added that ensuring student safety must extend beyond school buildings.
“If we can’t keep our kids safe including at mandatory bus stops, if we can’t keep them alive, we are all failing.”
House Floor Amendment 3 filed by Rep. Chad Aull, D-Lexington, creates a pathway for expelled students to return to school. Under the amendment, an expulsion could end after 26 weeks if certain conditions are met, including writing a letter to anyone injured in the incident, completing 15 hours of community service, and earning a 3.0 GPA on coursework completed during the expulsion period, along with any additional requirements set by the local school board.
House Floor Amendment 5, filed by House Majority Whip Jason Nemes, R-Middletown, would require local law enforcement to be notified when a school has knowledge of a threat of violence or that a firearm is present on school property.
Flannery said educators should not have to fear for their safety while doing their jobs.
“It is not fair to teachers who merely want to earn a living. They shouldn’t be fearful at work and shouldn’t be assaulted. This risk often leads to teachers leaving the profession and their career because they fear for their own safety.”
Rep. Lisa Willner, D-Louisville, also emphasized the strain placed on educators, though she ultimately opposed the bill on the House floor.
“We’ve left our teachers vulnerable; our teachers should be focused on educating kids and I think we all agree on that, and instead they are in the trenches every single day bearing the brunt of every community problem, that becomes a school problem and it’s not fair.”
Willner initially voted in favor of the measure in committee but later changed her position after speaking with educators in her district.
“Teachers concerns about safety were too often not taken seriously by school administrators. Teachers were simply not heard, they weren’t protected.” She Said “A teacher would report that a student was dangerous. The student was briefly removed and then returned to the classroom”
Rep. Tina Bojanowski, D-Louisville, said while the bill addresses safety concerns, lawmakers should also consider long-term outcomes for students who are removed from school.
“As we have these children that are expelled from our school systems that we need to figure out what supports they need so that they so they’re not just thrown out and not thought about and you know we get them out of our schools it alleviates the problem but what about the child.”
The legislation passed the House 84-5 and now returns to the Senate for concurrence on the amended version of the bill.
Grandparent visitation bill advances from committee
Sen. Rick Girdler, R-Somerset, speaks on Senate Bill 281 during Wednesday’s meeting of the House Judiciary Committee. A high-resolution photo can be found here.
FRANKFORT — Legislation that would change how courts determine grandparent visitation rights passed the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday.
Sen. Rick Girdler, R-Somerset, said the legislation stems from a 2020 decision by the Kentucky Supreme Court, which ruled that Kentucky’s grandparent visitation statute violated the rights of parents.
Senate Bill 281 would replace the unconstitutional language in state law, requiring courts to apply a “clear and convincing evidence” standard while creating a more structured legal pathway for evaluating grandparent visitation rights that aligns with the supreme court’s decision.
“I’ve got nine grandkids and I can’t imagine my life without my grandkids, I really can’t,” he said. “I have some friends of mine that have grandkids that are not able to visit like I am able to and I thank God for that every day, I really do.”
Girdler emphasized the bill is not intended to alter custody arrangements, but to connect children with grandparents in certain situations.
“I’m not trying to take my grandchild from my daughters or my son, but I do want the ability to be able to be seen if that grandchild is being raised by somebody else due to a death of my child or due to another reason I can’t.”
Committee members largely expressed support for the legislation, while also noting concerns about current law.
Rep. Mitch Whitaker, R-Fleming-Neon, said, as a parent, he appreciates strengthened parental rights due to challenges seen under existing statute.
“As a parent I appreciate you strengthening my rights to have my child,” he said. “I have in my practice as a lawyer seen the down side of having this presumption in the instance of a death of a parent. I’m sure you’re a great grandparent. Not all grandparents are great grandparents, and I think this clear and convincing evidence standard helps weed that out.”
Rep. Patrick Flannery, R-Olive Hill, questioned how the bill could affect fundamental parental rights.
“About five of six years ago there were a few lines of these cases that the court ruled there was a fundamental right to parents, therefore it struck down certain issues,” he said. “Is it your position that this would not run afoul of the fundamental right to be a parent because of a higher standard of clear and convincing – is that your belief on this?”
Girdler said the bill was written with those concerns in mind. He added that the bill is intended to allow grandparents to love their grandchildren, not take over parenting roles.
“I had an aunt who said the nearest thing to God’s love you’ll ever see is a grandparents love for a child. And I agree with that 100%. I don’t have to raise that child; I have to love that child.” He said “And that’s the whole purpose, don’t take these grandchildren from the people that love them the most without conditions at all.”
The bill passed committee 16-0 with one pass vote and now moves to the House floor.
Child welfare, safety bill approved by Senate committee
Rep. Nick Wilson, R-Williamsburg, speaks on House Bill 778 during Tuesday’s Senate Families and Children Committee meeting. A high-resolution photo can be found here.
FRANKFORT — A multi-pronged bill designed to boost child welfare and safety was unanimously advanced Tuesday by the Senate Families and Children Committee.
House Bill 778, sponsored by Rep. Nick Wilson, R-Williamsburg, seeks to strengthen protections for young people in foster care, boost coordination between agencies and codify bill language regarding ingestion of controlled substances by children.
“This bill is a product of the work we’ve done through the interim on the Families and Children Committee, in the interim committee meetings as well as roundtable discussions with members of the cabinet, members of law enforcement, many interested parties,” Wilson testified.
The first goal of HB 778 is to strengthen protections in the foster care and placement system. The measure includes four sections addressing this issue.
“Currently, when a child is in the foster care system and they turn 18, they have the decision to opt out or stay in the system. Sometimes, they give it a go as an adult and realize they want to opt back in. This makes the change where they can do that up to three times until they’re 20½ years old,” Wilson said.
The second part of the bill addresses placements of children, and it states that, “each placement shall meet the need of that individual child,” Wilson said.
HB 778 seeks to ensure that children in foster care are not placed with someone on the sex offender registry. It also calls for improving coordination between agencies.
Wilson said legislators met with those from the court system, schools, investigators and child advocacy professionals to craft the legislation, and further cooperation is addressed in the bill.
A large portion of the bill addresses “modern threats to the child’s safety,” and this includes dangerous substances children accidentally ingest. Under HB 778, child injuries caused by ingestion or inhalation of a controlled substance would be included in the definition of neglect, and neglect would be added to the child abuse statute.
“We’ve codified ingestion as a part of criminal neglect. We’ve added to the criminal statute of criminal abuse, and we’ve provided for a lot of trainings that are required for many different professions – social workers, child care centers, family home child care centers, urgent care centers, the Board of Medical Licensure, basically anyone we think needs to be aware of this situation,” Wilson said.
Committee Chair Sen. Danny Carroll, R-Paducah, serves on the state’s Child Fatality and Near Fatality External Review Board. He said, through work on the panel, he learned that the numbers of ingestion are “increasing dramatically” over the last 5-7 years and therefore the topic is addressed in the bill.
Sen. Keturah J. Herron, D-Louisville, thanked Wilson for his work on the bill, especially the provisions regarding young people aging out of the foster care system.
“We know that that’s a huge problem, that when we look at homelessness in our commonwealth, a lot of those young people are kids who have aged out of the foster care system. So, I hope that those changes will definitely provide better supports for those individuals, and I look forward to seeing the impact of that,” she said.
Carroll said he also appreciates the work that was put into the bill.
“It was nice to be able to work together on a bill and pull together several different topics that will be meaningful and put it all together in one piece of legislation,” Carroll said. “I know there were several folks involved in this, and it is a great product and I’m very honored to be a part of it.”
House approves portable benefit plans for self-employed workers
Rep. Deanna Gordon, R-Richmond, listens to a question about House Bill 732 on the House floor on Tuesday. The legislation would allow portable benefit plans for self-employed workers in the commonwealth. A high-res version is available here.
FRANKFORT — A bill hoping to give self-employed workers more access to benefits advanced off the Kentucky House floor on Tuesday.
House Bill 732 would allow portable benefit plans for self-employed workers. Rep. Deanna Gordon, R-Richmond, said Kentucky is home to more than 330,000 freelancers, contractors or self-employed professionals who contribute $18 billion annually to the state economy.
“These workers value the flexibility and independence of contract work, but many lack access to benefits, like health coverage, retirement savings or paid leave,” she said. “Current law creates a barrier. House Bill 732 addresses this by allowing portable benefit accounts, which are worker-owned that follow the worker from job to job.”
According to the bill, portable benefit plans would be provided by third-party insurance companies chosen by the self-employed worker and assigned to a beneficiary rather than to an employer or hiring party.
The bill also defines a self-employed worker as “a person who earns his or her living from an independent pursuit of economic activities, rather than from a separate company or individual.”
Companies can voluntarily contribute to portable benefit plans, and workers can use the funds for health expenses, retirement savings or paid-time off, Gordon said.
“The bill creates no mandates and does not change existing employer obligations. It simply adds regulatory certainty,” Gordon added.
House Minority Caucus Chair Lindsey Burke, D-Lexington, believes HB 732 would create a “huge gray area.”
“I would go as far as to argue that this bill incentivizes employers to misclassify their workers, undermining job quality for Kentuckians,” she said, adding it could leave self-employed workers underpaid and at-risk.
Burke proposed two floor amendments: House Floor Amendment 3 and House Floor Amendment 4.
House Floor Amendment 3 would limit the bill to marketplace contractors who earn at or below 80% of the state median income. Burke said the amendment would apply to app-based workers, like food delivery and rideshare services.
House Floor Amendment 4 would require the state to collect data and track portable benefit plans.
Neither amendment was adopted after Gordon spoke against the proposals. She said House Floor Amendment 3 would “create a narrow-scope of benefits, which does create misclassification and takes us out of alignment with federal law,” and House Floor Amendment 4 would violate the First Amendment.
Rep. Adrielle Camuel, D-Lexington, also spoke on the House floor against HB 732. She said the legislation undermines Kentucky’s workforce.
“As a member of a union, I do not see any way in which this builds benefits for workers in Kentucky,” she said. “As we continue to bring in more and more businesses and new industries, we want to be able to provide them with the strongest workforce possible, and this bill will actually undermine those efforts.”
After hearing several colleagues speak against HB 732, Rep. T.J. Roberts, R-Burlington, said he has “no idea how ensuring independent contractors have the ability to access health insurance, unemployment insurance, workers’ compensation and other benefits” is harmful to workers.
“This is about ensuring that workers, no matter what their category is, no matter how they are working, no matter what their contract is, they are still able to receive these benefits,” he added.
Rep. Josh Calloway, R-Irvington, also spoke in favor of the legislation. He said rural Kentucky is full of self-employed workers who would benefit from a portable benefit plan.
“Self-employed people are the backbone of rural Kentucky, and they deserve the opportunity to grow and to be able to have these types of benefits,” Calloway said.
The House voted 63-24 to send HB 732 to the Senate.
Lawmakers adjust General Assembly’s 2026 session calendar
The updated calendar designates Friday, March 27, as the 55th session day. The House and Senate will conduct proceedings that day on the chamber floors. A high-resolution photo is available here.
FRANKFORT — State lawmakers have amended the calendar for the 2026 Regular Session with the Kentucky General Assembly now set to convene for a session day on Friday, March 27.
Under the revised calendar, lawmakers are still planning to gavel in for two concurrence days on March 31 and April 1 before breaking for the 10-day veto recess, which starts on April 2.
The House and Senate will reconvene on April 14 and 15 for the final two days of the session.
The revised 2026 Regular Session calendar can be viewed here.
House committee approves ibogaine research bill
Sen. Donald Douglas, R-Nicholasville, speaks on Senate Bill 77 before the House Veterans, Military Affairs and Public Protection Committee meeting on Tuesday. The legislation would establish a framework for future ibogaine research in Kentucky. A high-resolution photo can be found here.
FRANKFORT — A Senate bill that would establish a framework for future ibogaine research in Kentucky advanced from the House Veterans, Military Affairs and Public Protection Committee on Tuesday.
Sen. Donald Douglas, R-Nicholasville, is the primary sponsor of Senate Bill 77. He told the committee the legislation is the “first step” toward Kentucky having a role in developing a revolutionary treatment for substance use disorder.
“This bill really describes and sets up a foundation and framework for research and for studies, including Federal Drug Administration approval, to assess the clinical and the medical uses of a crystalline substance called ibogaine,” Douglas said. “The research will also explore its medical effectiveness in treating and improving certain neurological conditions as well as chemical addictions.”
Under SB 77, the State Treasury would establish the Ibogaine Research and Intellectual Property Fund to allow Kentucky to establish a public-private partnership with a single drug developer upon FDA approval of clinical drug development trials for ibogaine.
Texas, Mississippi and West Virginia have already passed similar legislation, said Northern Kentucky physician Dr. Jean Loftus, who testified alongside Douglas.
“Once the FDA approves ibogaine, Kentucky will share in the profits, making this revenue generating,” Loftus said. “Funding can be public, private and grant dollars.”
Ibogaine, a crystalline alkaloid psychogenic compound obtained from the Tabernanthe iboga plant, is currently illegal in the U.S.
Loftus told the committee research from other countries shows ibogaine is a successful treatment for opioid use disorder, alcoholism, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, traumatic brain injury and other substance use disorders.
Loftus said ibogaine is a powerful drug that corrects most of the brain damage caused by these conditions.
“These conditions have much in common,” she said. “They collectively affect nearly a million Kentuckians. It’s estimated that 40% of all combat veterans are afflicted by one or more of these conditions. They cause severe functional impairment, leading to a high rate of death and suicide, with veterans being affected three times more than the general public.”
Ibogaine is being utilized in six other countries, and typical treatment involves administering several ibogaine capsules over a single 8- to 12-hour period under the supervision of a physician, Loftus said.
Ibogaine is more successful than traditional treatments of substance use disorder because it greatly cuts down on withdrawal and craving symptoms, Loftus said.
Citing a Mexican study involving scientists from Stanford University, Loftus said there are also high rates of successful remission when ibogaine is used as a treatment for PTSD and depression.
Douglas said the drug has the potential to have the greatest positive impact on society since antibiotics.
If Kentucky does not pass SB 77, Loftus said the commonwealth would be delayed in offering ibogaine as a treatment to Kentuckians in need.
Rep. Adam Moore, D-Lexington, asked Douglas about a provision in the bill that states the fund “may receive state appropriations.”
“Are you just essentially opening up the opportunity that if we, down the line from now, want to fund it through budget bills, that you’re just putting it in statute there that it could? Is that what it’s there for?” Moore asked.
Douglas said he doesn’t want to prevent any funding source from going toward ibogaine research.
“I don’t want to prevent anyone from wanting to donate or put money toward the betterment of society,” Douglas said while also clarifying SB 77 does not appropriate any money into the fund.
Loftus said FDA approval can cost up to $500 million. Rep. T.J. Roberts, R-Burlington, asked how that compares to the cost of addiction in Kentucky.
“Currently, Kentucky is spending between $1 and $2 billion on treating afflicted Kentuckians,” Loftus said. “And then when you add on to that the other cost to the system, the social services, the judiciary, the police – it’s exponential.”
In explaining why he supports SB 77, Roberts said he believes the legislation is “a small price to pay” compared to the cost of addiction in Kentucky.
“This is a new hope for people who are going through something that is devastating our communities in the commonwealth,” he said.
SB 77 will now go before the full House for consideration after receiving an 18-2 vote in committee.
This Week at the State Capitol (3-20-26)
House Speaker Pro Tempore David Meade, R-Stanford, (foreground) looks over documents as a conference committee on the new state budget begins deliberations Friday. A high-resolution photo is available here.
FRANKFORT — Lawmakers overrode a veto on a major education bill this week, advanced two key bills on firearms and kicked off negotiations between the House and Senate on a handful of bills related to the state’s next two-year spending plan.
The Kentucky General Assembly is inching ever closer to the veto recess – a 10-day period reserved on the calendar for the governor to consider vetoes of any recently passed legislation.
Lawmakers save two days at the end of the recess to reconvene and potentially override any vetoes the governor issued during the break.
The general assembly has already overridden two vetoes so far, including one this week on House Bill 1, which will clear the way for Kentucky to participate in the new federal educational tax credit program.
U.S. Congress created the program last year through passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
It allows taxpayers to contribute up to $1,700 to scholarship organizations that assist K-12 students in public and private schools. Families can use the funds for a wide range of education-related expenses, and taxpayers would receive a matching federal tax credit for contributions.
The House voted to override the governor’s veto on Monday and the Senate followed suit on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, both chambers moved forward on bills related to firearms that have garnered debate throughout the session.
The House on Tuesday passed House Bill 78, legislation that would codify federal standards outlined in the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act of 2005. It would prevent firearms manufacturers and sellers from facing lawsuits when guns are used in the commission of a crime.
The measure cleared the chamber 75-17 and has been sent to the Senate Judiciary Committee, which voted Thursday to advance a separate measure on Kentucky’s concealed carry law.
House Bill 312 would allow Kentuckians aged 18 to 20 years old to obtain a provisional concealed carry permit after undergoing a background check and firearms training.
The full Senate voted 30-7 to give the bill final passage on Friday following a debate over public safety, gun rights and the maturity of people in the age group. The bill now heads to the governor’s desk.
Many other high-profile bills made progress this week, including legislation on the death penalty, impeding first responders, nuclear energy, school governance, license plate readers, financial exploitation, literacy and gaming.
But for many, the state budget remains at the center of the action this year.
The Senate unveiled its versions of the state budget bills on Wednesday, passing the measures out of committee in the morning and off the Senate floor later in the day.
The House did not concur with the Senate’s changes to the bills, and the Senate refused to recede, setting the stage for a conference committee to begin meeting Friday afternoon to nail down a compromise.
The two chambers appear close on many priorities but differences remain on about two dozen points, including money for performance-based funding in higher education, payments to Medicaid managed care organizations, unfunded pension liabilities, funding for out-of-home care, raises for county sheriff’s deputies, and other provisions.
In a rare move, the House also voted 73-13 Friday to adopt articles of impeachment against Fayette Circuit Judge Julie Muth Goodman over allegations of abusing judicial discretion and authority in six court cases.
A House impeachment committee heard testimony from Goodman and her attorneys on Monday, and lawmakers debated the impeachment resolution for close to two hours before Friday’s vote.
The measure – House Resolution 124 – calls for the appointment of a committee to prosecute the articles of impeachment before the Senate.
Friday marked day 51 in this year’s session, and many other bills are making headway toward the finish line. Here’s a look some of the other bills that moved forward this week:
Motor Vehicle Racing – House Bill 425 would enhance the penalties for illegal street racing with increased fines and provisions for impounding and forfeiting vehicles used in the races. The House advanced the measure Monday.
Death Penalty Regulations – Under Senate Bill 251, the Kentucky Department of Corrections would no longer be required to promulgate death penalty regulations and could implement execution protocols and procedures through internal policy, memorandum or similar action. Supporters say the change would help end an impasse over death penalty regulations in the courts and clear the way for executions to resume in Kentucky. The Senate passed the bill Monday.
Kentucky State Police – Senate Bill 278 calls for the commissioner of Kentucky State Police to allow state troopers to participate in approved, off-duty law enforcement work for public entities, entities that receive state funding and certain ticketed events. The legislation cleared the Senate on Monday.
Missing Children – Senate Bill 289 would provide more flexibility to issue Amber Alerts when a child is missing and may be in danger. The Senate voted for the bill Monday.
KEES Scholarships – House Bill 298 would expand the eligibility requirements from the Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship program, allowing students enrolled in noncertified schools to obtain scholarships based on equivalent grade point averages. The House Postsecondary Education Committee passed the measure Tuesday.
Student Housing – House Bill 766 calls on Kentucky colleges and universities with on-campus living requirements to provide a formal exemption process for qualifying students. The bill seeks to allow more students to opt out of these requirements, potentially reducing overall education costs. The legislation received a nod from the House Postsecondary Education Committee on Tuesday.
Impeding a First Responder – Senate Bill 104 seeks to prevent interference or harassment of first responders. It would create a 25-foot safe zone around police, firefighters and others while they are performing their official duties. Individuals who remain in the zone could face criminal charges if they ignore an initial warning to move back. The House Veterans, Military Affairs and Public Protection Committee voted Tuesday to move the bill forward.
Hearing Aids – House Bill 164 would increase the coverage amounts that health insurance plans provide for purchasing hearing aids and related services for minors. The bill cleared the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee on Tuesday.
Nuclear Energy – Senate Bill 57 would create the Nuclear Reactors Site Readiness Pilot Program to help energy providers obtain licenses and permits related to site work for nuclear power projects. The program would provide up to $25 million in grant funding to each of three projects in Kentucky. The House Appropriations and Revenue passed the legislation Tuesday.
Autism Trust Fund – Senate Bill 69 would create an autism spectrum disorder trust fund administered by the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services. The fund could accept grants, appropriations and other types of contributions to support research and services. SB 69 received a favorable vote in the House Appropriations and Revenue Committee on Tuesday.
School Safety – House Bill 643 would allow school districts to implement a wearable panic alert system so that teachers and staff can silently notify first responders in the event of a security threat. The House voted Tuesday to move the bill forward.
Organ Donors – House Bill 510 aims to protect patients during the organ donation process by requiring additional verification steps before organ procurement can begin. It would also clarify that donor consent must be properly documented and that a patient must be formally declared dead before organs are donated. The Senate Health Services Committee passed the bill Wednesday.
Student Violence – Senate Bill 101 would mandate that local boards of education expel students for a minimum of 12 months when a student in grades 6–12 recklessly or intentionally causes or attempts to cause physical injury to a district employee on school grounds or at a school function. The measure cleared the House Primary and Secondary Education Committee on Wednesday.
Campaign Finance – House Bill 136 would allow the use of campaign funds to pay for the “reasonable costs” of security measures for candidates, office holders and family members. The Senate State and Local Government Committee advanced the legislation Wednesday.
License Plate Readers – House Bill 58 would limit the use of readers to largely public safety purposes, such as regulating parking, controlling access to secured areas, deterring crime and conducting criminal investigations. The state Transportation Cabinet could also use readers for toll and revenue collection and certain enforcement needs. HB 58 also would require data captured by automatic license plate readers to be deleted after 90 days, with limited exceptions for criminal investigations and other needs. The Senate Transportation Committee voted in favor of the bill Wednesday.
Financial Exploitation – House Bill 794 would increase the penalties for financially exploiting a person age 65 and older. The House passed the bill Wednesday.
Energy Study – House Joint Resolution 77 would direct the Kentucky Energy Planning and Inventory Commission to conduct a comprehensive assessment of coal resources and electricity affordability in the region. The study aims to provide lawmakers with research and data that could guide future energy and economic policy decisions affecting coal-producing communities. The measures cleared the House on Wednesday.
Medal of Distinction – House Bill 644 would create the Kentucky General Assembly Medal of Distinction and establish criteria and a selection process for the award. The bill won support on the House floor Wednesday.
Child Welfare – House Bill 778 proposes multiple changes to Kentucky law related to child welfare. It seeks to ensure safe and adequate foster care placements and that children in foster care are not placed with someone on the sex offender registry. Also under HB 778, child injuries caused by ingestion or inhalation of a controlled substance would be included in the definition of neglect, and neglect would be added to the child abuse statute. The House passed HB 778 on Wednesday.
Dismissed Eviction Records – House Bill 338 calls for the automatic expungement of dismissed eviction filings and would protect minors from being listed in eviction cases. The bill cleared the House on Wednesday.
School Bus Safety – House Bill 7 would allow school districts to install traffic cameras on school buses to help enforce laws against stop-arm traffic violations. The Senate Veterans, Military Affairs and Public Protection Committee passed the measure Thursday.
Public Utilities – Senate Bill 8 seeks to modernize the Kentucky Public Service Commission to better handle utility regulations, infrastructure investment and rate cases. Among many provisions, it would expand the commission from three to five members and establish professional qualification standards for members. The House Committee on Natural Resources and Energy passed the bill Thursday.
Alternative Sentencing – Senate Bill 122 aims to keep families intact when a parent is convicted of a felony. It would require Kentucky courts to consider alternative sentences for certain nonviolent felony convictions when the defendant is a primary caretaker of a dependent child. The House Families and Children Committee passed SB 122 on Thursday.
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library – Senate Joint Resolution 54 calls on the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives and the state Cabinet for Health and Family Services to cooperate in exploring ways to increase enrollment in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. The resolution advanced out of the House Families and Children Committee on Thursday.
Expungement – Senate Bill 290 seeks to create an automatic procedure for courts to expunge convictions that meet the eligibility requirements under Kentucky’s expungement law. It would also waive a fee for requesting an expungement. The Senate Judiciary Committee voted for the bill Thursday.
Grooming – House Bill 4 would criminalize efforts to manipulate a minor into sexual contact with an adult, a practice known as “grooming.” HB 4 received a favorable vote in the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday.
School Communications – House Bill 67 seeks to clarify a law adopted last year regarding communications between school employees and students. The Senate Education Committee voted in favor of the bill Thursday.
Literacy and School Employee Misconduct – House Bill 253 would end the use of the three-cuing method, a system used to teach reading, in Kentucky schools by the 2029-30 academic year. The bill seeks to replace that model with evidence-based reading approaches that emphasize techniques like phonics, vocabulary and fluency. The latest version of the bill also includes a provision that would prohibit schools from entering into non-disclosure agreements with employees related to abusive misconduct involving a minor or student. Another section calls on schools to share information on disciplinary actions related to abusive conduct when applicants are considered for a job at another school. The Senate Education Committee moved the bill forward on Thursday.
Physician Residencies – Senate Bill 137 would allow the state Board of Medical Licensure to issue a provisional license to a physician who completed residency in a foreign country and can meet other requirements. The applicant would need to provide an offer of employment from a licensed health care provider located in an underserved area. The House Health Services Committee voted for the bill Thursday.
Pesticide Labeling – Under Senate Bill 199, pesticides that display a warning label approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will have met legal standards concerning the duty to warn consumers about potential health effects. The latest version of the bill applies only to products that have an agricultural use label. SB 199 cleared the House on Tuesday and received final passage in the Senate on Thursday.
Storm Shelter Rebates – Senate Bill 11 would create a residential safe room rebate pilot program that helps homeowners pay for building emergency storm shelters. The goal is to provide matching grants using money from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The rebate fund would not include state appropriations. The bill won support in the House Veterans, Military Affairs and Public Protection Committee on Tuesday and cleared the House on Thursday. SB 11 has been delivered to the governor.
Sports and Charitable Gaming – House Bill 904 would overhaul multiple sections of Kentucky law on sports wagering and charitable gaming. Among other changes, the legislation would raise the sports wagering age from 18 to 21 and regulate fantasy contests. It would also ban proposition bets on Kentucky college athletes. The House passed the bill Thursday.
School Administrator Salaries – Senate Bill 2 would prohibit school administrators from receiving a percentage pay increase that is greater than the average percentage pay increase provided to classroom teachers in that district unless the increase is due to a significant change in job duties. The bill includes a waiver process for certain circumstances. SB 2 moved off the House floor Thursday and received final passage in the Senate on Friday.
Cannabis-Infused Beverages – Senate Bill 223 would prohibit open containers for cannabis-infused beverages in motor vehicles. It would also create a new permit that allows establishments already holding alcohol licenses to sell individual cannabis-infused beverages, by the drink, to consumers 21 and older. The Senate voted to advance the bill off the chamber floor Friday.
Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners – House Bill 134 aims to expand the availability of sexual assault nurse examiners across Kentucky. It calls for a statewide coordinator to recruit nurses, facilitate training and improve collaboration between hospitals, law enforcement and rape crisis centers. HB 134 cleared the Senate on Friday.
School Leadership – Senate Bill 4 would create a three-year training program that provides leadership development and mentorship opportunities for new school principals in Kentucky. The latest version of the bill would also create an improvement advisory process for school districts that have more than four schools identified for comprehensive support and improvement. Other sections would overhaul the governance of large school districts, designating two seats on the school board for appointees of the state treasurer, each with expertise in finance. The House Primary and Secondary Education Committee moved the bill forward on Wednesday, and the measure cleared the House on Friday.
Lawmakers are scheduled to reconvene on Tuesday for day 52 of the session.
Kentuckians can track the action through the Legislative Record webpage, which allows users to read bills and follow their progression through the chambers.
Citizens can also share their views on issues with lawmakers by calling the general assembly’s toll-free message line at 1-800-372-7181.
Senate gives final passage to firearms legislation
Sen. Aaron Reed, R-Shelbyville, speaks Friday on the Senate floor on House Bill 312, which relates to concealed firearms and deadly weapons. A high-resolution photo can be found here.
FRANKFORT — After debate on the Senate floor, legislators gave final passage to a bill Friday that would create a provisional concealed carry license for Kentuckians who are 18-20 years old, among other provisions.
Sen. Aaron Reed, R-Shelbyville, said House Bill 312 would require applicants to undergo a background check and firearms usage and legal training in full compliance with existing eligibility standards. The bill would not change purchase requirements for anyone 18-20 years old.
“Last session, this body passed Senate Bill 75, constitutional carry. It easily passed this freedom-loving Senate body, but it did not move in the House,” he said. “This year, House Bill 312 brings a more structured approach that I believe to be a fair compromise in the interest of serving our people.”
Reed said the legislation is a “responsible step forward,” and the provisional license is similar to a standard conceal carry license. The key difference is that it is valid only in Kentucky, while a standard license includes reciprocity with many other states, he said.
Reed said the bill is a “good faith step forward” that gives young adults a lawful path to exercise their rights. He pointed out that young people can join the military when they are 18 years old, and the bill would allow the same adults to carry responsibly at home.
“This matters because every adult deserves the right to defend themselves, especially our daughters who today are often left without that clear protection,” he said.
Senate Minority Caucus Chair Reginald L. Thomas, D-Lexington, spoke against the bill, noting that over the last two years, there has been a significant reduction in crime across the commonwealth and in the state’s major urban areas.
“In Louisville, in the last two years, violent crime is down 30%. The murder rate in Louisville is down about 25%. In the city of Lexington, violent crime is down over 50%. The murder rate is down about 40%,” he said.
Thomas said young adults hang out with younger children, and he expressed concern about the duration of training.
He also said the firearms training service members receive is not comparable to the “undefined amount” of training in the bill. The service members learn how to use a weapon properly, carefully and accurately, he said.
Sen. Danny Carroll, R-Paducah, also voted against the measure.
“I love freedom. I support the constitution. I support the Second Amendment, but there are simply some things that are better off left alone, and this is one of those things,” he said.
But Sen. Donald Douglas, R-Nicholasville, argued that Kentucky has an open carry law now that doesn’t require training.
“At least this bill adds background checks, mandates training and it is a provisional license only to be used in Kentucky,” he said.
Sen. Gex Williams, R-Verona, said he has 18-year-old granddaughters, and any 18-year-old can open carry now in Kentucky. But it would be safer for his granddaughters to carry a weapon in their purses, he said.
“And they can protect themselves from those 15-, 16-, 17-year-olds and 18-year-olds that are carrying concealed right now, against the law,” he said.
The bill now heads to the governor’s desk.
Provisional licenses for foreign doctors bill on the move
Sen. Stephen Meredith, R-Leitchfield, testifies Senate Bill 137 would create a pathway for foreign-trained doctors to practice medicine in Kentucky during Thursday’s House Health Services Committee meeting. A high-resolution photo can be found here.
FRANKFORT — A bill that would create a pathway for foreign-trained doctors to practice medicine in Kentucky advanced from the House Health Services Committee on Thursday.
Sen. Stephen Meredith, R-Leitchfield, is the primary sponsor of Senate Bill 173. He told the committee he hopes the legislation will be part of the solution to Kentucky’s physician shortage.
“It’s projected that we’re going to have a shortage of 3,000 physicians by 2030, and close to 650 of those are going to be primary care physicians,” Meredith said. “We already have eight counties that have no physicians in rural Kentucky, which is 41% of our population.”
Under SB 137, the state Board of Medical Licensure would be permitted to issue a provisional license to a physician who was educated and completed residency in a foreign country and can meet other requirements.
Specifically, the applicant for the provisional license would also need to provide an offer of employment from a licensed health care entity that is located in a medically underserved area, according to the bill.
Meredith said he worked with foreign-trained doctors during his career in health care.
“I had several foreign medical graduates who did an excellent job, not just in terms of medicine, but became a part of our community and our very fabric of life there,” he said.
Meredith told the committee foreign medical graduates graduate from accredited schools and complete accredited residency programs. To practice in the U.S., the physicians will have to be fluent in English, he added.
“They’re quite comparable to American physicians, and sometimes may even be superior,” Meredith said.
SB 137 is not the only piece of legislation this year that’s geared toward improving the physician shortage, but those efforts will require more time before Kentucky can begin to see results, Meredith said. He hopes SB 137 will be provide some more immediate relief.
Mack Howell, the chief operating officer for Owensboro Health Medical Group, testified alongside Meredith. He said Kentucky hospitals have a good vetting process when it comes to hiring physicians.
“I think it could be really a game changer for the state of Kentucky,” Howell added.
Adam Meyer, the health policy director for Cicero Action, said SB 137 would also ensure spots remain open for Kentucky medical school graduates who still need to complete a residency.
“We’re here to support Senate Bill 137 … and to stress the importance of not taking up valuable residency slots, finite residency slots for people that have already done a residency, so that clears that deck for others who may also need these residency slots,” he said.
Committee Chair Rep. Kimberly Poore Moser, R-Taylor Mill, said she appreciates Meredith’s work on SB 137.
“I think this creates a consistent, predictable path for individuals who are hoping to come to Kentucky, and we want to recruit those quality candidates,” she said.
The House Health Services Committee unanimously approved SB 137.
In explaining his “yes” vote, Rep. Robert Duvall, R-Bowling Green, said the legislation was one of the recommendations from the 2024 Workforce Attraction and Retention Task Force.
Rep. Josh Bray, R-Mount Vernon, and Rep. Mary Lou Marzian, D-Louisville, praised the bill for its potential to bring more doctors to rural areas.
“Back home, we were very fortunate that we were able to get a surgeon from a war-torn area who has been persecuted for his Christian beliefs,” Bray said. “The fact that we’ve got a general surgeon now practicing back in Rockcastle County is a game changer.”
Marzian said she hopes the bill is successful.
“I surely hope it really adds physicians and other practitioners to our rural areas, which is a desperate need,” she said.
SB 137 is now before the full House for consideration.
Committee passes bill aimed at reforming caregiver sentencing
Sen. Julie Raque Adams, R-Louisville, (right) and Rep. Nick Wilson, R-Williamsburg, speak on Senate Bill 122 during Thursday’s meeting of the House Families and Children Committee. A high-resolution photo can be found here.
FRANKFORT — Legislation aimed at maintaining parent-child bonds for incarcerated caregivers passed the House Families and Children Committee on Thursday.
Senate Bill 122 would allow courts to consider alternative sentencing programs for individuals convicted of nonviolent offenses who are the primary caregivers of dependent children. The measure would also require participation in programs designed to support and preserve child-parent relationships during alternative sentencing.
Supporters say the bill is intended to reduce the long-term impact of incarceration on children while still holding offenders accountable through structured supervision, treatment and rehabilitation services.
Sen. Julie Raque Adams, R-Louisville, the bill’s primary sponsor, told lawmakers that while she introduced the legislation, much of the work to move it forward has been done in the House.
“Even though this has a Senate bill number attached, it’s Representative Wilson’s,” she said. “I want to give him all the credit because as a lawyer he has been able to participate in conversations that were not in my wheelhouse.”
Rep. Nick Wilson, R-Williamsburg, emphasized the importance of a quicker recovery process.
“If we can speed up that recovery process for any mothers, fathers, family members, then that would be a huge win for Kentucky.”
Lawmakers heard testimony from several Kentuckians who shared personal experiences with incarceration and its effects on families, particularly children separated from their primary caregivers.
Brittany Herrington, a mother who previously struggled with drug addiction, told the committee that access to treatment programs rather than incarceration could have significantly changed her life and her relationship with her child.
“I currently work with many mothers who aren’t getting a second chance, and their kids are currently wondering where their mothers are,” she said. “That is why this bill matters. It still holds people accountable, but it does so while keeping families together and gives parents a chance to recover before permanent damage is done to a family unit.”
Her son, Gavin Herrington, also spoke in support of the bill, describing the emotional toll of having a parent incarcerated.
“I’m lucky in one way. I was young when I lost my mom for that time, but I wasn’t so young that I forgot what it felt like to not be with her,” he said. “My mom wasn’t a bad mom, she was sick, and instead of getting help right away she was punished first.”
Another son of an incarcerated parent, Jayden Spence, told lawmakers that no child should have to experience the trauma associated with a parent battling addiction and navigating the criminal justice system.
“The trauma of it will probably never leave me, and I just don’t want others to feel the same way because it’s not necessary, it’s not needed,” he said. “These people can be helped, these children can be helped.”
Rep. Sarah Stalker, D-Louisville, shared her experience as a foster parent, describing the instability faced by children when a parent is incarcerated due to substance use.
“I remember sitting there on the side of his bed while he was crying because he didn’t understand why his mom was picking drugs over him and that’s what was causing her to be incarcerated,” she said. “It was a difficult conversation to try and explain about the powers of addiction and that’s not really what she wanted. It was heartbreaking, and anything we can do to avoid children having these really traumatic experiences, I will always be in favor of.”
Jessica Ashby, a mother who was pardoned by the governor, also spoke briefly in support of the legislation. Ashby said she remains without custody of her daughter and believes earlier access to treatment could have changed the trajectory of her life.
Wilson said the legislation is not about avoiding incarceration but about improving outcomes for families.
“Senate Bill 122 is not just about letting people out of jail; we all understand that. However, we’ve heard from two successful mothers who, given the opportunity, have turned their lives around. Senate Bill 122 is really about trying to help those opportunities happen while in probation as opposed to while in prison.”
The bill passed committee 14-0 and now moves to the House floor.
Senate committee advances school bus safety bill
Rep. David Hale, R-Wellington, speaks on House Bill 7 during Thursday’s meeting of the Senate Veterans, Military Affairs and Public Protection Committee. A high-resolution photo can be found here.
FRANKFORT — A Senate committee unanimously advanced a bill Thursday that would allow school districts to install camera systems on school buses to help curtail stop arm traffic violations.
Rep. David Hale, R-Wellington, is sponsoring House Bill 7, and he told the Senate Veterans, Military Affairs and Public Protection Committee that the school bus safety bill could lead to saving lives.
“What this bill does is it sets up an option for these districts to have these manufacturers or vendors install these cameras, which in turn then they would maintain. They would monitor. They would collect the data and the only time there would be a recording would be when the bus would be stopped,” he said.
Hale said when a bus’s stop arm is extended, the camera would record the loading and unloading processes, and once the arm retracts, the recording would stop.
Hale said HB 7 is extremely important to him because it relates to the safety of children and young people, and when he researched school bus-related violations, he became concerned.
“I’ve researched it a lot. I’ve collected a lot of data and I was alarmed. I mean I was actually astounded at the amount of violations that occur every day by people passing a school bus that is stopped, either loading or unloading children,” he said.
Hale said the state Department of Education worked a few years ago with bus drivers who completed a log one day to record how many violations occurred. The participating drivers recorded 1,600 violations that day, he said.
Hale said some districts already have stop arm cameras on their buses, but the cost is “astronomical.”
Hale said under HB 7, if there is a violation and a recorded violation is seen, that data is collected by the camera vendor and sent to local law enforcement officials.
To ensure the safety efforts are successful, Hale said law enforcement groups would have to be involved in the efforts. He said officers, deputies and others would conduct further action using license plate numbers. A letter would be sent to the person associated with the license plate number with the date, location and time of the alleged offense. He said there’s also an appeals process.
“But if not, and they wanted to pay that fine, the fine would be a $300 fine on the first offense and a $500 fine of any offense thereafter in the next three-year period,” Hale said. “That would be collected by the school. That would go to the schools, which in turn would help them pay off what the expense of these cameras would be to install, which is thousands of dollars for each bus.”
The bill stipulates that recorded images related to a violation are considered private and would be accessible only by authorized personnel.
Committee Chair Sen. Matthew Deneen, R-Elizabethtown, said changes adopted by the committee Thursday narrow down the bill to its intent, which is only related to the traffic violation of going around a school bus when the stop sign is extended.
Sen. Gary Boswell, R-Owensboro, thanked Hale for his work on the bill and said it’s long overdue.
“I’ve been watching the testimony over a long period of time. Years ago, when I was in the insurance business, one of the first, most difficult cases I had was a young man walked in front of a school bus to get on the school bus in Daviess County,” he said, noting that the individual was struck and killed.
Sen. Lindsey Tichenor, R-Smithfield, also thanked Hale for the legislation. She said it would be interesting to see the data from participating districts to determine if a fiscal note is needed and ensure more students in Kentucky would be safe.
Sen. Matt Nunn, R-Sadieville, said he had privacy concerns when the bill was first filed, but decided he would support it after looking at Thursday’s changes and hearing testimony.
“We know the severity, the potential severity if something were to occur,” he said. “But the volume in which we’re seeing it, and that’s how you measure risk. You measure severity times volume. That’s how you measure risk. And so, you helped me understand the risk here today.”
The bill now heads to the full Senate.
Budget bills advance with strong support
Sen. Christian McDaniel, R-Ryland Heights, speaks Wednesday on the Senate floor. McDaniel, chair of the Senate Appropriations and Revenue Committee, gave an overview of budget-related legislation. A high-resolution photo can be found here.
FRANKFORT — The Senate advanced four budget-related bills Wednesday with bipartisan support as legislators anticipate the next two-year spending cycle for state government.
All four bills – House Bill 500, House Bill 503, House Bill 504 and House Bill 900 – received unanimous approval from the Senate Appropriations and Revenue Committee earlier in the day. The Senate unanimously approved its versions of HB 500, HB 503, HB 504 and HB 900 in the afternoon.
Sen. Christian McDaniel, R-Ryland Heights, chairs the Senate Appropriations and Revenue Committee. He said it was a pleasure for him to unveil priorities the Senate has for the commonwealth’s spending, and it took teamwork from many people to get the budgets to this point.
“We have written these budgets at times that were exceptionally tight. We have written these budgets during the period of global pandemic and we have written these budgets as things got better,” he said on the Senate floor. “But throughout it…as a chamber, I could not be more proud of our current and past members because we did things with discipline. We made tough decisions when we had to. We crafted our budgets for the future, not just for today.”
HB 500 represents the state executive branch’s budget. The large bill includes scores of appropriations toward education, health care, social services, public safety, economic development, infrastructure and other priorities.
Some of the appropriations in HB 500 as the bill cleared the Senate include:
- Increases in the Support Education Excellence in Kentucky (SEEK) funding formula for schools. The base per-pupil guarantee would increase to $4,626 in the first year and $4,774 in the second year
- Increases of 2% per year in the Kentucky Law Enforcement Foundation Program Fund training incentive
- $5 million each year for school safety initiatives
- Full funding for actuarially required contributions to the Kentucky Teachers’ Retirement Fund
- $145 million to help address unfunded pension liabilities under the Kentucky Public Pensions Authority
- Around $80 million to provide a 13th check for qualified state retirees
- An annual salary increase of 2% per fiscal year for state employees
- $100 million to meet growing federal requirements of the SNAP program
- $42 million in bond funds for a prison education program through the Kentucky Community and Technical College System
- $44 million to support out-of-home care
The bill calls for reductions to many state agencies at 4% in 2027 and 7% in 2028.
However, there are exemptions, including for the Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs, SEEK funding, Kentucky Educational Television, Medicaid benefits, family resource youth centers, juvenile justice, Kentucky State Police, the Department of Revenue, the Office of the Secretary of State, adult correctional institutions, the Department of Public Advocacy and the Kentucky Teachers’ Retirement System, McDaniel said.
HB 503 is the legislative branch budget, and McDaniel said it would provide a 2% raise for each fiscal year for all employees.
He said the judicial branch has not completed a comprehensive salary study from which the legislature can fund employee pay. In the first budget year, $1 million is earmarked for the study, he said.
Senate Democratic Floor Leader Gerald A. Neal, D-Louisville, said he has appreciated the budget process, discussions and exchange of information. However, he said not everyone will be satisfied, including himself.
“Today, I’ll be casting a yes vote with respect to this legislation, but I think it’s important to make it clear that this is a very complex process. There’s a lot involved here, and coming together and agreeing collectively and speaking in one voice is very important,” he said.
Sen. Shelley Funke Frommeyer, R-Alexandria, said the budget-planning process has taken countless hours.
“It is such a beneficial time that goes through the interim. We join together with our partners in the House and really puzzle through what’s working and what’s not working,” she said.
HB 504 is the judicial branch budget and includes 2% raises over the biennium along with full funding for nine judges who were added in 2022.
McDaniel said HB 900 relates to the Budget Reserve Trust Fund and is a work-in-progress. It would create a framework for the members of the Senate and House to have input from their local districts and then collaborate on state and local investments.
“We have members from across the commonwealth, across the partisan divide and across many other spectrums who have submitted requests for one-time funding. Those will continue to be addressed as this process moves along. As has been said so many times, this is a lengthy process with many stops along the way, and we will continue consultation as it relates to this bill as it moves,” he said.
Budget bills will now return to the House, and if the House does not concur with the Senate’s changes, the chambers will appoint a committee of lawmakers to hash out the differences.
Bill on financial exploitation of seniors passes the House
Rep. Matt Lockett, R-Nicholasville, speaks on House Bill 794 on the House floor on Wednesday. The legislation would change how the state handles financial exploitation of seniors. A high-res version is available here.
FRANKFORT — Legislation that would strengthen Kentucky laws against financially exploiting senior citizens passed the House on Wednesday.
House Bill 794 aims to protect senior citizens by increasing the felony class and punishment for people convicted of offenses related to financial exploitation of those 65 and older. It would also allow the Kentucky attorney general to file for extradition of individuals in another state who have committed financial exploitation of older Kentuckians.
The measure also seeks to implement training procedures for licensed investment advisors, requiring two hours of training that can count toward their mandated 12 hours.
Bill sponsor Rep. Matt Lockett, R-Nicholasville, highlighted the scope of financial exploitation schemes commonly conducted on seniors.
“Common scams reported by older Kentuckians involve tech support fraud, romance schemes, and grandparent government impersonation schemes,” he said. “These schemes can sometimes be very elaborate, convincing seniors to withdraw thousands of dollars from investment accounts, bank accounts and retirement accounts.”
During discussion, Rep. Sarah Stalker, D-Louisville, asked whether the bill would affect training requirements for bank tellers or apply only to licensed investment advisors.
Rep. Michael Meredith, R-Oakland, responded with insight into current training protocols for bankers and tellers.
“I think this would specifically just apply to licensed investment advisors,” he said. “However, banks and their employees are trained on these things annually as well to try and prevent these frauds.”
Stalker shared an experience involving a friend’s parents who were victims of financial exploitation.
“It stated with a simple phone call,” she said. “It was so bad that she went to the bank not once but twice to make withdraws.”
She said a bank teller recognized suspicious activity and contacted the family.
Rep. Adrielle Camuel, D-Lexington, shared a similar experience with her mother.
“She was almost a victim of a very large scheme. The scams, the stories that Kentuckians are being told are so realistic,” she said. “We don’t know how they had specific information, including bank information, her address, other personal information, and I cannot thank you enough for bringing this.”
Lockett urged members to vote yes on the measure, emphasizing the importance of protecting vulnerable groups.
The legislation “is a great step in protecting those 65 and older and from financial exploitation,” he said. “It’s time we send a very strong message to those that would pray on our senior adults.”
The bill passed 94-0 and now moves to the Senate.
Bill to expel students who assault school staff advances
Sen. Matt Nunn, R-Sadieville, explains Senate Bill 101 would require school boards to expel students who assault school staff during Wednesday’s House Primary and Secondary Education Committee meeting. A high-res version is available here.
FRANKFORT — A Senate bill that calls on school boards to expel students who intentionally physically harm teachers advanced from the House Primary and Secondary Education Committee on Wednesday.
Sen. Matt Nunn, R-Sadieville, said he’s spent the last two years working on Senate Bill 101. He said the legislation is the result of a conversation he had with a friend who told him her physical safety was at risk at school due to violent students who do not fear authority or consequences.
“That just weighed on me,” Nunn said about the conversation. “I don’t think anybody should fear for their physical safety when they’re going to work, particularly our school teachers who do so much for our communities and young people.”
Nunn said there are around 5,000 assaults against educators reported each year in Kentucky. One constituent told Nunn her student-involved assault left her seriously injured and ended her career. The student had assaulted a pregnant teacher before and was only suspended for a few days, she said.
Under SB 101, school boards would be required to expel students in grades 6 through 12 for at least 12 months if the student “recklessly, with a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument, or intentionally caused or attempted to cause physical injury to a school district employee on school property or at a school function.”
Rep. Josh Calloway, R-Irvington, told Nunn he’s heard concerns from some people in his district about how the bill may impact students with disabilities.
“When somebody has a disability, can you talk a little bit about what that looks like? Because we know that probably a lot of those ‘assaults’ take place in those types of classes,” Calloway said.
Nunn said the disability would be taken into consideration, noting circumstances for students with an individualized education program (IEP).
“If a student has an IEP, and this behavior is considered a manifestation of that disability that led to the IEP, they’d be exempted,” Nunn said. “For example, if they don’t have a disability that would lead to physical violence, then they wouldn’t have that exemption.”
For the other students, SB 101 lays out “pretty strict” guidelines on what additional educational services can be offered to an expelled student, said Committee Chair Rep. Chris Lewis, R-Louisville.
“It has to be offered at a location other than the school the student would have otherwise attended where the teacher would be, so there could be no contact with the teacher that assault occurred on,” Lewis added. “They would be provided no transportation. If they’re that dangerous, they don’t need to be riding with other kids on the school bus.”
The bill would also prohibit expelled students from participating in extracurricular activities.
Additionally, Lewis said the new version of SB 101 “clarifies the nature of infractions that shall result in expulsion by tying them back to current statute, and a district is not limited to using only these when they expel students.”
Rep. Adrielle Camuel, D-Lexington, said she worries about the children who wouldn’t have alternative transportation if the school district doesn’t provide it.
“I do worry about the kids who are struggling with trauma and maybe acting out inappropriately in school, that denying transportation for kids who don’t have transportation or are rural will impact them disproportionately,” she said. “Just looking at an equity standpoint there.”
Nunn said he would worry about the safety of the other children if the expelled child was able to ride the bus.
“Someone who will assault a teacher, he or she will certainly assault another student,” Nunn said. “While I do have compassion for that student, I also have compassion for other people in that classroom, in that building or on the school bus.”
Lewis said there is nothing in the bill that would prohibit a school district from providing other services to the expelled students.
“I want to make that clear. In this bill, it says that if you have good services in your district that will keep this kid away from the teacher that was assaulted, the employee, whoever it might be, you can still do exactly what you were doing,” Lewis said.
SB 101 will now go before the full House for consideration after receiving a 14-1 vote in committee.
In explaining his “yes” vote, Rep. David Hale, R-Wellington, thanked Nunn for the bill.
“We need to be more concerned about the students that are behaving and protect them and their teachers than the ones that are causing all this trouble,” he added.
House passes firearm liability bill
Rep. T.J. Roberts, R-Burlington, speaks on House Bill 78 on the Kentucky House floor on Tuesday. The bill would prevent firearms manufacturers and sellers from facing certain lawsuits. A high-res version is available here.
FRANKFORT — A bill that would prevent firearms manufacturers and sellers from facing certain lawsuits advanced off the Kentucky House floor on Tuesday.
Rep. T.J. Roberts, R-Burlington, said House Bill 78 codifies federal standards outlined in the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act of 2005.
Roberts said HB 78 is the opportunity to protect the Second Amendment just as House Bill 222 in 2022 was an opportunity for the House to protect the First Amendment.
The Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act makes clear “that criminals should be held liable for their actions, not manufacturers, not sellers,” he added.
Manufacturers and sellers could be held liable under the legislation for product defects and if other gun laws are violated, like the Gun Control Act of 1968 or the National Firearms Act, Roberts added.
“Whenever it comes to someone who followed the law and sold a firearm and it is later used in a crime, the criminal is the person who should be held accountable,” he said. “… We have to ensure that our constitutional rights are protected from extra-legal efforts to suppress these basic rights.”
Rep. Erika Hancock, D-Frankfort, spoke against the legislation. She argued that Congress recognizes through the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act “that the courts should still be able to examine cases where there are allegations that a company violated laws governing the sale and marketing firearms.”
Hancock said she believes HB 78 would limit the ability of the courts and prevent full accountability for gun violence.
“Accountability strengthens public safety,” she said. “When negligent practices exist anywhere in the chain of conduct, our justice system should have the ability to examine it.”
Rep. Lisa Willner, D-Louisville, joined several other lawmakers in expressing opposition to HB 78. She said the bill does nothing to protect Kentuckians from gun violence.
“This bill is designed to protect gun manufacturers, but it does nothing to protect ordinary Kentuckians,” she said.
Roberts said Kentucky law already establishes the right for victims to seek accountability from criminal actions.
“If you are injured, if you suffer harm as a result of the actions of a criminal, you can sue that criminal,” he said. “Whom you should not be able to sue are the people that had ultimately nothing to do with it.”
Roberts said when someone drove a truck into a crowd in Wisconsin, he believes no one sued the truck manufacturer or dealer after the incident.
Additionally, Roberts said he believes HB 78 is designed to protect the Second Amendment.
“If there’s no industry, if there is no supply, that right may as well not even exist, and that is the point of this bill,” he said.
While explaining his “yes” vote on the legislation, Rep. Daniel Elliott, R-Danville, said he agrees with Roberts.
“These lawsuits are designed to bankrupt the gun industry,” Elliott said. “If that were to ever happen in this country, that would end the Second Amendment.”
HB 78 will now go before the Senate after a 75-17 vote.
House advances legislation on pesticide warning labels
Rep. Ryan Bivens, R-Hodgenville, listens to discussion on Senate Bill 199 on the House floor Tuesday. The legislation would change legal duties related to pesticide labeling. A high-res version is available here.
FRANKFORT — A bill that would clarify legal duties around warning labels on certain pesticides advanced off the House floor Tuesday.
Under Senate Bill 199, pesticides that display a warning label approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will have met legal standards concerning the duty to warn consumers about potential health effects.
Before voting Tuesday, the House amended the legislation to limit the bill’s effect to only products that have an agricultural use label.
Rep. Ryan Bivens, R-Hodgenville, presented the measure on the chamber floor on behalf of the bill’s primary sponsor, Sen. Jason Howell, R-Murray.
Bivens said the legislation would essentially give the EPA control of warning labels for agricultural pesticides and establish “the EPA-approved label as a manufacturer’s duty to warn in a lawsuit.”
The bill precipitated significant debate on the House floor as supporters argued that the proposed law would protect much-needed agricultural products from dubious lawsuits. Critics charged that the change would prevent Kentuckians from seeking financial damages if a pesticide leads to illness.
House Majority Floor Leader Steven Rudy, R-Paducah, pointed to his farming experience, highlighting the struggles farmers face in the current economy.
“We are desperate in agriculture right now. We just want to have the products that we need to feed you,” he said. “The farmers that I know — who are heroes and are begging for this legislation — are saying, ‘just give me a fighting chance.’”
But Rep. Matthew Lehman, D-Newport, said that the bill would limit litigation from consumers harmed by potentially dangerous products.
“This bill forces a judge’s hand to dismiss the case at the very start. You can’t prove that they are hiding the truth if this law slams the door shut before you’re even allowed to look behind it,” he said. “You can sue them if you have proof, but it makes it impossible to find that proof.”
Rep. Anne Gay Donworth, D-Lexington, urged fellow legislators to vote no, saying the product should be studied before legislation is passed. She pointed to one large pesticide company that has settled nearly $20 billion in lawsuits over the past few years.
“That’s a lot of money to dole out if you don’t think you’ve done anything wrong,” she said. “We know throughout history that corporations can’t be trusted to do the right thing by the consumer. I urge you to not pass this legislation until we have more research on the products.”
House Majority Caucus Chair Suzanne Miles, R-Owensboro, emphasized using products as intended. She noted that even toothpaste labels tell consumers to seek medical advice if they swallow excessive amounts.
“That’s what we’re talking about today — simply follow the labeling directions,” she said. “We don’t know, but we’re hoping that all the tests that go into anything we consume, that we expose our loved ones to, are safe. We have burdens that we employ on these people to do our testing.”
Bivens underscored that the bill does not grant businesses immunity, but ensures that claims brought forward are valid.
“As a person who uses these products on a daily basis, if I ever discover that one of them has made me sick — my family sick or my employees sick — I can guarantee you that I’m going to go after someone,” he said. “But I have to be able to prove it.”
SB 199 will need to return to the Senate for concurrence on changes made to the legislation in the House before it can go to the governor’s desk.
Halo Act advances from House committee
Sen. Matt Nunn, R-Sadieville, speaks on Senate Bill 104 during Tuesday’s House Veterans, Military Affairs and Public Protection Committee meeting. The bill would enforce a 25-foot safety barrier for first responders. A high-res version is available here.
FRANKFORT — A Senate bill that would make impeding a first responder a crime advanced from the House Veterans, Military Affairs and Public Protection Committee on Tuesday.
Senate Bill 104, also known as the Halo Act, is sponsored by Sen. Matt Nunn, R-Sadieville. He said the legislation will keep first responders safer by establishing a 25-foot safety barrier while first responders are performing their official duties.
“That’s an important thing to do because we want to make sure those first responders are safe and able to perform their duties in an efficient, effective manner,” Nunn said. “We also want to make sure the people they’re protecting and serving in that moment are safe and able to receive that care and that service protection in this efficient and effective manner.”
Nunn said law enforcement may be the first thing that comes to mind when people think of SB 104, but emergency medical service responders (EMS) would also benefit from this legislation.
“I had one EMS worker from Louisville drive from Louisville to Frankfort just to personally thank me for filing this bill,” Nunn said. “He told me about how often in the course of his duties he and the other people on his crew are interfered with or impeded while they’re just trying to provide someone with life-saving care.”
Under SB 104, a first responder would issue a verbal warning to bystanders to maintain a 25-foot distance from where the first responders are working.
If the person violates that verbal warning with the intent to impede or interfere with a first responder’s duties, threaten the first responder with physical harm, or harass the first responder, then they could be charged with a crime, according to the bill.
Impeding a first responder would be a class B misdemeanor on the first offense, a class A misdemeanor on the second or third offense, and a class D felony for each subsequent offense, according to the legislation.
Rep. Steve Bratcher, R-Elizabethtown, asked Nunn how he determined 25-feet should be the minimum barrier between first responders and bystanders.
Nunn said that distance is the standard based on research into similar laws in other states.
In addition to police, fire and EMS personnel, SB 104 includes a probation or parole officer, a university police officer and an airport police officer in its definition of first responder. Rep. Adam Moore, D-Lexington, said he doesn’t think of a probation or parole officer as typical first responder.
Nunn disagreed.
“There are instances where they are performing their official duties and they have been interfered with, so we just want to make sure we widen it to protect people who are performing their duties, but also the people who are receiving that service in the moment,” Nunn said.
Moore said he also has concerns how the bill may impact a person’s ability to record law enforcement if a law enforcement officer or agency considers recording law enforcement activity as harassment.
SB 104 defines harassment as “means to intentionally engage in a course of conduct directed at a first responder which causes or is intended to cause substantial emotional distress in the first responder and serves no legitimate purpose.”
“If law enforcement officers, especially if ICE is in Kentucky and operating, and they’re being recorded peacefully by just a cell phone that we all have in our pocket, would that be viewed as harassment under this law?” Moore asked.
Nunn said it would be up to the officer, but bystanders could still have the option to record law enforcement activity from a distance.
“In that instance, it’s the officer’s judgement, and I would say in that instance the person should step away 25 feet and record from a 25-foot distance,” Nunn said. “And all of our cameras nowadays are strong enough that you can get a good image from 25 feet away.”
Nunn said bystanders who feel an officer has given them an inappropriate instruction, can get the officer’s name and badge number and report the officer to their supervisor.
Rep. John Blanton, R-Salyersville, thanked Nunn for filing SB 104, and said the legislation is especially needed in a time when many people are more concerned about posting a video on the internet for fame than helping people in need.
“This is just common sense. Let first responders do their job,” Blanton said, adding if someone feels the need to record video, do it from 25 feet away.
SB 104 is now before the full House for consideration after receiving a 12-1 vote with one pass vote.
Committee passes bill aimed at reducing college housing costs
Rep. Steve Bratcher, R-Elizabethtown, speaks on House Bill 766 during Tuesday’s meeting of the House Postsecondary Education Committee. A high-res version is available here.
FRANKFORT — Legislation aimed at lowering college costs by expanding mandatory housing exemptions passed the House Postsecondary Education Committee on Tuesday.
House Bill 766 calls on Kentucky colleges and universities with on-campus living requirements to provide a formal exemption process for qualifying students. The bill seeks to allow more students to opt out of these requirements, potentially reducing overall education costs.
Under the proposal, exemptions would apply to students who live within a specific number of miles from campus, active-duty military members who may be deployed and other qualifying groups.
The measure would also require universities to track how many students request housing exemptions and how many are approved.
Bill sponsor Rep. Steve Bratcher, R-Elizabethtown, said mandatory campus housing can significantly increase the cost of attendance.
“In some cases, the amount you pay for a dorm is more than what you pay for tuition,” Bratcher said. “Then the schools are mandating that students live in these dorms.”
Bratcher also raised concerns about the condition of some campus housing facilities.
“In some areas, these dorms are substandard living conditions,” he said. “They have multiple code violations, and some of them date back 30 to 50 years.”
Some lawmakers questioned whether loosening housing requirements could affect student engagement and retention.
Rep. Kim Banta, R-Fort Mitchell, said universities have historically required on-campus living because it improves retention and involvement rates.
“Universities did this because they found that their retention rate was stronger if a student lived their first year on campus,” Banta said. “It wasn’t pure greed that led to this — it was a data-driven decision.”
Bratcher responded that today’s student populations are made up of more nontraditional students.
“It’s not just the traditional student who graduates high school and goes straight to college anymore,” he said. “We’re seeing a decrease in traditional students attending four-year institutions, and more are entering the workforce first and returning to school later with tuition assistance.”
Rep. Shane Baker, R-Somerset, echoed that sentiment.
“Not all students fit neatly in a box.,” he said. “Anything we can do to come along side students and help them to reach their goal, to attain their education, and to do so affordably and not saddled with a mountain of debt is a win in my opinion.”
Lawmakers also discussed how many institutions already offer exemptions.
Committee chair, Rep. James Tipton, R-Taylorsville, emphasized the importance of mandating the exemption process.
“All of them that have a requirement do have some kind of exemption process in place; however, those processes vary quite a bit,” he said.
Rep. Candy Massaroni, R-Bardstown, said the bill could also reduce costs tied to mandatory meal plans.
“When you are mandated to live in a dorm, you are also mandated to get the meal plan, which is very expensive,” she said. “I think this is going to help a lot of families.”
Bratcher said students should have the autonomy to decide where to live.
“In my opinion, you should not be mandated to live in a college dorm,” he said. “At 18 years old, you can make the decision about where to live while attending college.”
The committee approved the bill unanimously, 14-0. It now heads to the full House for consideration.
House votes to crack down on illegal street racing
Rep. Beverly Chester-Burton, D-Shively, spoke on House Bill 425 on the House floor on Monday. The bill would strengthen penalties for illegal street racing. A high-res version is available here.
FRANKFORT — A bipartisan effort to crack down on illegal street racing advanced off the Kentucky House floor on Monday.
Rep. Beverly Chester-Burton, D-Shively, is the primary sponsor of House Bill 425. She said the legislation addresses a growing problem that puts lives at risk.
“Street racing is not harmless entertainment,” Chester-Burton said. “It threatens the safety of drivers, passengers, pedestrians and entire neighborhoods. When people turn our public roads into racetracks, the consequences can be devastating.”
HB 425 seeks to strengthen the penalties for illegal street racing by increasing fines and allowing for jail time, Chester-Burton said, adding the proposed penalties match the seriousness of the behavior.
Illegal street racing would result in a $1,000 fine or up to 30 days in jail or both on the first offense, according to the legislation. Any motor vehicle used would be impounded for at least six months.
Upon a second or subsequent offense, a person found guilty of street racing would face a $2,000 fine or 30 days in jail or both. Any motor vehicle used would be forfeited to the state and be destroyed or sold at public auction, according to the legislation.
“The goal here is simple: create a real deterrent so people understand that putting lives at risk on our roads will come with serious consequences,” Chester-Burton said.
Rep. Michael Sarge Pollock, R-Campbellsville, is a cosponsor of HB 425. He said the bill is a “good piece of legislation.”
“I vote ‘absolutely’ on this bill,” Pollock added.
House Majority Caucus Chair Suzanne Miles, R-Owensboro, said she would love to vote “yes” on HB 425, but there is one provision of the legislation she does not support.
“I am not for the destruction of property, so I will be a ‘no’ today,” she said.
Rep. Deanna Gordon, R-Richmond, and Rep. Chris Fugate, R-Chavies, said they had concerns about how the bill may affect legal, recreational street racing in Eastern Kentucky.
“In the past, we have passed legislation regarding the Backroads of Appalachia and some street racing that they do. Will this affect that in anyway?” Gordon asked.
Fugate said he would vote “no” on HB 425 without a clear answer on how the legislation impacts Backroads of Appalachia.
After some quick research, House Majority Whip Jason Nemes, R-Middletown, who is also a primary cosponsor of the bill, said Backroads of Appalachia would not be impacted.
“It doesn’t affect the program my friends are worried about in Appalachia because they have a permit to engage in what they’re doing,” Nemes said. “This is something that is unlawful and that would not be unlawful.”
HB 425 will now go before the Senate for consideration after a 75-19 vote.
This Week at the State Capitol (3-13-26)
Sen. Craig Richardson, R-Hopkinsville, (left) and Sen. Brandon J. Storm, R-London, confer on the Senate floor during Friday’s proceedings. A high-resolution photo is available here.
FRANKFORT — The Kentucky General Assembly is entering the last weeks of the 2026 legislative session, and scores of bills are inching closer to final passage, including a battery of measures moving this week on child protection.
More than 250 bills have passed at least one chamber so far, and many have begun advancing on the opposite side of the legislature.
Measures on school salaries, sexual assault nurse examiners, school employee sick leave, status offenders, pesticide labeling and affordable housing are all nearing the finish line.
Others on social media, doctor shortages, impaired driving and civil rights made headway in the chambers this week before lawmakers gaveled out on Friday – day 46 of the 60-day session.
On the local level, many officials were undoubtedly watching action in the House on Tuesday when a budget proposal for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and separate measures on the state road plan cleared committee and advanced off the House floor.
Those proposals are now in the hands of the Senate, which is drawing up its version of the next two-year spending plan for the state executive, judicial and legislative branches of government.
Budget proposals are expected to receive significant discussion over the next two weeks as lawmakers seek an accord between the House and Senate before breaking for this year’s veto recess.
Early this week, lawmakers overrode the first gubernatorial veto of the session, allowing House Bill 314 to become law. The legislation transfers oversight of the Kentucky Communications Network Authority to the Commonwealth Office of Technology and establishes a new director and governing board.
Legislators also advanced multiple bills throughout the week that are designed to promote child welfare, improve child care or otherwise enhance legal safeguards for young people.
Among them was House Bill 6, which proposes a broad overhaul of the regulatory framework for Kentucky’s child care sector. Specifically, it seeks to modernize the system, enhance data collection, and improve access and quality of services. The Senate Families and Children Committee advanced the bill Tuesday.
On Thursday, the House Families and Children Committee advanced House Bill 778, proposing multiple changes to Kentucky law related to child welfare.
The legislation aims to ensure safe and adequate foster care placements and that children in foster care are not placed with someone on the sex offender registry. Also under the bill, child injuries caused by ingestion or inhalation of a controlled substance would be included in the definition of neglect, and neglect would be added to Kentucky’s child abuse statute.
The Senate Veterans, Military Affairs and Public Protection Committee took up Senate Bill 289 on the same day. That bill that would provide more flexibility to issue Amber Alerts when a child is missing but authorities do not have proof of an abduction.
The Senate Judiciary Committee – also on Thursday – advanced a measure on homicides that result from child abuse. Under Senate Bill 138, child abuse that results in a death would qualify as a capital offense in Kentucky law.
Other bills gaining momentum included efforts to improve school safety and combat child pornography. Another measure involves an effort to protect children from addictive features and profile-based advertising on large social media platforms.
House Bill 227 would call on platforms to use existing technology to estimate the age of young account holders and ensure parental consent. It also would require platforms to limit features designed to keep young users engaged for extended periods, such as infinite scrolling, autoplay video and certain push notifications and personal metrics.
That bill cleared the House on Monday in a sweeping show of unity across the majority and minority caucuses.
Lawmakers have 11 session days scheduled on the calendar before the veto recess, and dozens of bills are continuing to gain ground in the legislative process. Here’s a look at some of the other bills moving forward this week:
Workplace Violence in Health Care – House Bill 713 seeks to combat workplace violence in health care facilities. Among several provisions, it calls on health facilities to annually verify that they maintain workplace safety plans and assessments and provide violence prevention training to staff. The bill cleared the House on Monday.
Physician Shortages – Senate Joint Resolution 116 would direct the University of Kentucky, the University of Louisville and Eastern Kentucky University to work together in meaningful ways to alleviate physician shortages in underserved areas of the state. The Senate advanced the resolution Monday.
Medal of Distinction – House Bill 644 would create the Kentucky General Assembly Medal of Distinction and establish criteria and a selection process for the award. The House Committee on Veterans, Military Affairs and Public Protection gave the bill a go ahead on Tuesday.
Cannabis-Infused Beverages – Senate Bill 223 would create a new permit that allows establishments already holding alcohol licenses to sell individual cannabis-infused drinks to consumers 21 and older. The Senate Licensing and Occupations Committee passed the legislation Tuesday.
Intoxicating Products – House Bill 9 seeks to streamline the regulatory and taxation framework for intoxicating products, including alcohol, cannabis-infused beverages, hemp-derived cannabinoids and other products like kratom. It would also establish a new 4% regulatory retail licensing fee on alcoholic and cannabis-infused beverages beginning in July 2027. The bill advanced out of the House Appropriations and Revenue Committee and off the House floor on Tuesday.
Research Fund – Senate Bill 6 would appropriate $150 million to an endowed research fund to support research collaboration and innovation across Kentucky universities. The bill cleared the Senate on Tuesday.
Constitutional Amendments – Senate Bill 262 seeks a change to the state constitution regarding how proposed constitutional amendments appear on the ballot. Instead of printing the full text of the proposed amendment on the ballot, SB 262 seeks to have the proposal appear in the form of a ballot question or summary that clearly and accurately states the substance and effect of the amendment. The Senate advanced the measure Tuesday.
School Administrator Salaries – Senate Bill 2 would prohibit school administrators from receiving a percentage pay increase that is greater than the average percentage pay increase provided to classroom teachers in that district. The bill includes a waiver process for certain circumstances. The House Primary and Secondary Education Committee approved the bill Wednesday.
Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners – House Bill 134 aims to expand the availability of sexual assault nurse examiners across Kentucky. It calls for a statewide coordinator to recruit nurses, facilitate training and improve collaboration between hospitals, law enforcement and rape crisis centers. The legislation cleared the Senate Health Services Committee on Wednesday.
School Employee Sick Leave – Under Senate Bill 124, school districts would have the option to let employees voluntarily cash in sick days. Employees would need to maintain a minimum of 15 sick days, but could cash in additional days at 30% of their current pay rate. The bill would also allow teachers to use sick days for religious holidays that do not appear on the school calendar. The legislation won support in the House Primary and Secondary Education Committee on Wednesday.
School Safety – House Bill 643 would allow school districts to implement a wearable panic alert system so that teachers and staff can silently notify first responders in the event of a security threat. The House Primary and Secondary Education Committee advanced the legislation on Wednesday.
Sports and Charitable Gaming – House Bill 904 would overhaul multiple sections of Kentucky law on sports wagering and charitable gaming. Among other changes, the legislation would raise the sports wagering age from 18 to 21 and regulate fantasy contests. It would also ban proposition bets on Kentucky college athletes. The House Licensing, Occupations and Administrative Regulations Committee advanced the bill on Wednesday.
Motor Vehicle Racing – House Bill 425 would enhance the penalties for illegal street racing with increased fines and provisions for impounding and forfeiting vehicles used in the races. The legislation received a favorable vote in the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday.
Status Offenders – Senate Bill 170 would create a four-year pilot program in up to 10 school districts to help address barriers to school attendance. It also aims to strengthen diversion of status offenders using Responsive Interventions to Support and Empower (RISE) teams and increased family involvement. The bill on Wednesday cleared the House Judiciary Committee.
Dismissed Eviction Records – House Bill 338 calls for the automatic expungement of dismissed eviction filings and would protect minors from being listed in eviction cases. The House Judiciary Committee voted in support of the bill Wednesday.
Pesticide Labeling – Under Senate Bill 199, pesticides that display an EPA-approved label will have satisfied state laws related to the duty to warn consumers. The bill includes an exception for manufacturers that knowingly mislead the EPA about potential health risks. The House Agricultural Committee passed the bill Wednesday.
Locally-Grown Food – Senate Bill 5 would make it easier for Kentucky schools to purchase locally-grown food for student meals. It seeks to lift some procurement requirements and better connect students with the agricultural economy. The legislation cleared the House Agricultural Committee on Wednesday.
Financial Exploitation – House Bill 794 would increase the penalties for financially exploiting a person age 65 and older. The House Banking and Insurance Committee passed the measure Wednesday.
Impaired Driving – Under Senate Bill 66, a suspect in an impaired driving case who refuses to submit to a blood test would have their driver’s license suspended at the time of arraignment. If the person is convicted, their license will be subsequently suspended by the state Transportation Cabinet. The bill would require the cabinet to maintain records of moving traffic convictions for 10 years. It would also add clonazepam, cyclobenzaprine and fentanyl to the list of drugs that, when detected in a driver’s blood, could lead to an impaired driving conviction. The Senate passed the bill Wednesday.
Civil Rights – Among several provisions, House Bill 468 would align state disability protections with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008. It would also move certain adjudicative functions from the Kentucky Commission on Human Rights to the courts. The legislation cleared the House on Wednesday.
Abuse of a Corpse – Senate Bill 221 would make clear that knowingly purchasing, selling, or transferring a corpse, or part of one, after the corpse has been authorized for cremation or burial would be a class D felony in the commonwealth. The bill advanced out of the Senate on Wednesday.
Kentucky State Police – Senate Bill 278 calls for the commissioner of Kentucky State Police to allow state troopers to participate in approved, off-duty law enforcement work for public entities, entities that receive state funding and certain ticketed events. The Senate Veterans, Military Affairs and Public Protection Committee approved the bill Thursday.
Death Penalty Regulations – Under Senate Bill 251, the Kentucky Department of Corrections would no longer be required to promulgate death penalty regulations and could implement execution protocols and procedures through internal policy, memorandum or similar action. Supporters say the change would help end an impasse over death penalty regulations in the courts and clear the way for executions to resume in Kentucky. The Senate Judiciary Committee passed the bill Thursday.
Child Pornography – House Bill 366 would expand child pornography prohibitions to include computer-generated images of a minor. It would also require someone convicted of possessing or viewing child pornography to serve 85% of their criminal sentence. The Senate Judiciary Committee advanced the bill Thursday.
Affordable Housing – House Bill 333 would allow faith-based organizations to build small-scale affordable housing units on property located near religious institutions. The Senate Committee on Economic Development, Tourism and Labor approved the measure on Thursday.
School-Based Medicaid Program – House Bill 583 aims to help school districts recover Medicaid funding for medically necessary services that are provided by school nurses to Medicaid-enrolled students with parental consent. The bill cleared the House Health Services Committee on Thursday.
Drug Treatment Map – Senate Joint Resolution 74 would direct the Legislative Research Commission and state agencies to create a statewide fiscal map of substance use disorder programs and funding sources to support better policy, budgeting and accountability. The House State Government Committee passed the resolution Thursday.
Prostheses and Orthoses Coverage – Senate Bill 97 seeks to expand coverage in health benefit plans for prostheses and orthoses. The Senate Banking and Insurance Committee passed the legislation Tuesday, and the bill cleared the Senate on Thursday.
Hospital Police Departments – House Bill 248 would provide hospitals the option to create an onsite police department staffed by fully sworn, trained and certified law enforcement officers. The bill won support in the House Committee on Veterans, Military Affairs and Public Protection on Tuesday and advanced off the House floor Friday.
Ibogaine Research – Senate Bill 77 calls for creation of an ibogaine research and intellectual property fund to be administered by the Department of Agriculture. It would allow the department to partner with a drug developer to conduct clinical trials on using ibogaine to treat substance use disorders. The Senate Committee on Health Services passed the bill Wednesday, and the full Senate followed suit on Friday.
Prison Education Programs – House Bill 5 would establish the Kentucky Community and Technical College System Prison Education Program, seeking to reduce recidivism and support workforce development. KCTCS would partner with the state Department of Corrections to build and operate a vocational training campus at Northpoint Training Center. The Senate Judiciary Committee passed the bill Friday.
The general assembly is scheduled to reconvene on Monday.
Kentuckians are urged to check the general assembly's calendar for updates. Kentuckians can track the action through the Legislative Record Webpage, which allows users to read bills and follow their progression through the chambers.
Citizens can also share their views on issues with lawmakers by calling the general assembly's toll-free message line at 1-800-372-7181.
Death penalty-related bills approved by Senate committee
Sen. Stephen West, R-Paris, speaks on Senate Bill 251, which relates to the death penalty. A high-res version is available here.
FRANKFORT — Two death penalty-related bills – Senate Bill 138 and Senate Bill 251 – were both advanced Thursday by the Senate Judiciary Committee.
SB 138, sponsored by Sen. Brandon Smith, R-Hazard, seeks to define child abuse homicide as a capital offense and increase the punishment for offenders.
“We basically stripped it down to where a person is guilty of child abuse homicide when he or she intentionally abuses another person or knowingly permits another person of whom he or she actually has custody of to be abused and thereby causes the death to a person who is under 18. Child abuse is a capital offense.” Smith testified.
Smith said children should be one of the state’s highest priorities and that killing a child will result in the highest punishment that the state can mete out.
Smith testified about the search for 10-year-old Jayden Spicer, a child killed last summer in Breathitt County. Jayden’s mother has been indicted on a murder charge in the case.
A child from Smith’s area also testified Thursday that Jayden’s death sent shockwaves through the community and “hurt lots of people.”
Senate Minority Caucus Chair Reginald L. Thomas, D-Lexington, said that, as a father of three and a self-described ‘helicopter parent,’ he understands how horrific child abuse is and “people should always recall how barbaric and unjust that act was.”
But he also questioned whether the threat of the death penalty would have prevented Jayden’s death, noting that mental illness reportedly played a role in the crime.
“I do not believe in the death penalty. I just don’t. I think that is a pillar that should not exist in an intelligent and enlightened society,” he said.
The second death penalty-related bill to advance was presented by Sen. Stephen West, R-Paris, who said the legislation stems from issues that have been transpiring in the courts for at least 10 years.
West said the death penalty is already law in Kentucky as set forth by the general assembly. In 2009, the Supreme Court ruled that Kentucky’s execution protocol must be promulgated by administrative regulation. That ruling started what West called a “merry-go-round” process involving the Kentucky Department of Corrections, the Kentucky Office of the Attorney General and the Franklin County Circuit Court, he said.
Under SB 251, the Department of Corrections would no longer be required to promulgate death penalty regulations and could implement execution protocols and procedures through internal policy, memorandum or similar action.
Supporters hope that change would end the impasse in the courts and clear the way for executions to resume in Kentucky.
Wil Schroder, senior counsel for the Kentucky Office of the Attorney General, read a letter during his testimony that was sent to him from a supporter of SB 251 who is involved in the Ralph Baze death penalty case. Baze has remained on death row in Kentucky for decades.
The woman wrote the bill would allow the Department of Corrections to make changes to its death penalty regulations more rapidly, allow Kentucky to swiftly restart the execution of death row inmates and cut down on delays that serve justice.
West said if the executive branch wishes to put execution protocols in administrative regulations, it is free to do so, but this is not required.
“They can use internal procedures or administrative regs,” West said.
Thomas asked West if he’s concerned that relying on internal policy memorandum or statements will make a death penalty case more successful under the Eighth Amendment, which deals with cruel punishments.
“Because the courts have made it clear that policy memorandum or policy statements within the agency do not have the force of law. Administrative regulations do have the force of law, and courts have recognized that,” Thomas said
West said he’s not concerned. He noted that Kentucky hasn’t always had administrative regulations, and when the state’s founders wrote the constitution, capital offenses happened. The Eighth Amendment was in place at that time, he said.
“This is less a death penalty question and more a rule of law question. So, the legislature writes the laws. It’s the job of the executive branch to carry out the laws. And it’s the job of the judicial branch to interpret the laws,” West said.
Committee advances bill on school-based Medicaid program
Rep. Steve Riley, R-Glasgow, speaks on House Bill 583 during Thursday’s meeting of the House Health Services Committee. A high-res version is available here.
FRANKFORT — Legislation that would allow Kentucky schools to seek Medicaid reimbursement for certain health services provided by school nurses passed the House Health Services Committee on Thursday.
House Bill 583 aims to help school districts recover Medicaid funding for medically necessary services that are provided to Medicaid-enrolled students with parental consent.
The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Steve Riley, R-Glasgow, said the measure would allow school staff to focus on their primary roles instead of taking on responsibilities outside their training.
“I worked in the education program for a large number of years, and in my final years I worked as an assistant principal and a principal and never had the great opportunity of having a school nurse,” Riley said. “As an assistant principal, I felt like I had a billion different jobs — the judge, the jury, investigator, counselor — but one of those jobs I felt like I had was a school nurse.”
Emily Beauregard, executive director of Kentucky Voices for Health, testified in support of the legislation, stating Medicaid currently covers about half of Kentucky’s students.
“The only state cost would be from training school staff to bill appropriately,” she said. “We are strengthening a system that already exists to improve the health of our students.”
Eva Stone, a nurse practitioner who said she has worked in school nursing for 25 years, told lawmakers many students rely on school-based care because they lack regular access to health services.
“It doesn’t matter what district you’re in — we have children who don’t have regular access to health care,” Stone said. “Kids who aren’t healthy aren’t going to learn.”
Stone said many families struggle to take children to medical appointments during work hours.
“I’ve always had a job where I could leave if I needed to and take my kid to the doctor, but many of our families aren’t in that situation,” she said.
Rep. Kimberly Poore Moser, R-Taylor Mill, also spoke in favor of the proposal.
“This keeps parents at work, it keeps kids in school and kids are getting the care when they need it,” Moser said. “I see this as a real plus.”
Rep. Emily Callaway, R-Louisville, raised some concerns about the legislation. She said while she supports increasing access to health care, she questioned whether schools are the appropriate setting for expanded services.
“When I think of expanding health care, I don’t think of that happening in a school nurse’s office,” Callaway said. “I want these children to be under the regular care of a pediatrician on a regular basis.”
Callaway also expressed concern that Medicaid billing could result in students with Medicaid receiving more attention than those with private insurance and questioned whether school nurses were being asked to take on responsibilities outside their intended role.
Stone responded that school nurses already work to connect students with regular health providers but often face long wait times.
“When I started working at Jefferson County Public Schools, we had about 100,000 students and about 20,000 kids who weren’t current on their vaccines,” Stone said. “Ninety-two percent of those children were living in poverty and didn’t have a place to go.”
Stone said nurses often provide temporary care while working to connect students with a “medical home,” but wait times for appointments can stretch three to six months.
“We’re providing some stopgap measures that are essential but are not necessarily absorbing the role of primary care providers,” she said.
The bill passed committee 13-2 and now heads to the full House for consideration.
Child welfare bill advances
Rep. Nick Wilson, R-Williamsburg, shares how House Bill 778 will address several child welfare issues in Kentucky during Thursday’s House Families and Children Committee meeting. A high-res version is available here.
FRANKFORT — A bill seeking to address several child welfare issues, including child substance ingestion deaths, advanced from the House Families and Children Committee on Thursday.
Committee Vice-Chair Rep. Nick Wilson, R-Williamsburg, and Committee Chair Rep. Samara Heavrin, R-Leitchfield, are the primary cosponsors of House Bill 778. The bill contains provisions on foster care placements, data collection, school safety and more.
Wilson told the committee the first section of the bill would ensure a child in foster care cannot be placed with someone on the sex offender registry.
According to the legislation, this would include any adult or child living in the home who is a registered sex offender or juvenile sex offender. This would include a relative caregiver or fictive kin placement as well.
“It has happened, so we want to make that clear that that’s not acceptable,” Wilson said. “Sometimes I think it’s unknowingly, say a family member or new boyfriend or girlfriend or something like that, but we just thought we should address that situation.”
The bill also calls for safe and adequate foster care placements designed to meet the child’s needs. The legislation would also create a pathway for former foster care youth to reenter the system for support. The new definition of eligible youth would include a person 18 to 20.5 years old.
Heavrin, who serves on the state’s Child Fatality and Near Fatality Review Panel, told the committee more Kentucky children have been dying from ingesting harmful substances. Half of HB 778 focuses on this issue.
“If you look at the annual report that was put out recently, you will see that there, and it’s something that we really have to address,” she said.
Under HB 778, child injuries caused by ingestion or inhalation of a controlled substance would be included in the definition of neglect. Neglect would also be added to the child abuse statute.
Third-degree criminal abuse would include neglect under HB 778, and be a class A misdemeanor unless the child is under the age of 13. If a child under the age of 13 has suffered serious physical injury due to the ingestion or inhalation of a controlled substance, then the individual would face class D felony charges.
“I think we’ve done a really good job of threading the needle on criminalizing behavior that leads to these cases without criminalizing pure accidents,” Wilson said.
Rep. Emily Callaway, R-Louisville, also serves on the House Licensing, Occupations and Administrative Regulations Committee. She said there is an ongoing effort to address the packaging issue on certain substances that also look like candy.
“I did want to add that little bit of encouragement there, that we’re not just putting it solely on the parents and the people in the house,” Callaway said. “There’s going to be some more accountability as we’re delving into this kind of dangerous realm of these attractive cookies, gummies and all that goes with that.”
Wilson said children taking medication that looks like candy is a huge aspect of the recent increase of child ingestion-related fatalities in the commonwealth.
Another major aspect of HB 778 would allow public school superintendents, principals and school resource officers to be notified of certain details of a child’s diversion agreement within the juvenile justice system or if the child is under a domestic violence order or interpersonal protective order.
Rep. Kimberly Poore Moser, R-Taylor Mill, asked Wilson for clarification on the intent of those provisions.
“I just want to more clearly understand the intent of that and make sure that we are supporting the child in whatever diversion activities they need to participate in versus further stigmatizing the child,” she said.
Wilson said the intention of the legislation is to balance a safe environment for all children with privacy.
“We’ve had officers just basically come out and say, ‘This kid was charged with arson and nobody even knew,’ and we’re talking about some serious crimes,” Wilson said. “Sometimes it could be weapon-related, which is very important to know if you’re an officer in a school setting.”
Heavrin said she believes it’s important for the school to know about the child’s involvement in the juvenile justice system or in a domestic violence situation.
“I think it’s really important that people in the building know what’s going on to maybe say, ‘Hey, we need to keep an extra eye on him or her,’ in a way that’s best for the kid and maybe to give them extra, extra love,” she added.
HB 778 received unanimous approval from the House Families and Children Committee. It is now before the full House for consideration.
Ibogaine bill passes Senate Health Services Committee
Sen. Donald Douglas, R-Nicholasville, speaks on Senate Bill 77 during Wednesday’s meeting of the Senate Health Services Committee. A high-res version is available here.
FRANKFORT — Kentucky lawmakers on Wednesday unanimously advanced a bill that would create a framework to study the use of ibogaine, a compound found in root bark in central west Africa, to treat substance use disorders.
Sen. Donald Douglas, R-Nicholasville, is sponsoring Senate Bill 77, and he noted that approximately $1.8 billion is spent toward substance use disorder issues in Kentucky.
The legislation “may be one of the most consequential bills that we will see this session, primarily due to its impact, or possible impact, on addressing the barriers to preventing and decreasing addiction here in our commonwealth,” Douglas said.
SB 77 calls for creation of an ibogaine research and intellectual property fund to be administered by the Department of Agriculture. It would set the stage for the department to partner with a drug developer to conduct clinical trials on using ibogaine to treat substance use disorders.
The fund may receive state appropriations, gifts, grants, federal funds and other private and public funds.
Dr. Jean M. Loftus, a physician and business owner in Northern Kentucky, said in her testimony that ibogaine treats several disorders, including addictions to opioids, cocaine, methamphetamine, and alcohol, along with post-traumatic stress disorder.
“Ibogaine immediately enables over half of the patients to skip acute and chronic withdrawal and craving. It interrupts addiction so patients can choose sobriety,” she said.
Ibogaine is now used in six countries to treat conditions, and it is now synthesized by several small pharmaceutical firms. The treatment itself is a single 8- to 12-hour process in a hospital setting, and the compound is administered in multiple doses, she said.
“With traditional treatment, no one skips acute withdrawal, chronic withdrawal or craving. That’s a year and a half of misery and incapacitation. And that is why the failure rate is so high with traditional therapy because it is so long and so miserable,” she said.
Loftus said ibogaine is not a recreational drug and is much safer than traditional treatment.
Jessica Blackburn-Allen, a licensed social worker from Floyd County, testified she became addicted to opioids in high school. She subsequently went to Mexico to receive ibogaine treatment, and she described what she experienced during the process.
“In that moment, I understood deeply for the first time the devastating impact my choices were having on my family. I understood the value of my life. It became clear to me that I had a responsibility to be better for myself and those who loved me, and I knew that I had a choice,” she said. “The next day, I had no cravings, no withdrawal, no desire to smoke a cigarette and no thoughts of wanting my life to end.”
Sen. Karen Berg, D-Louisville, asked if smoking was on the list that ibogaine could treat, and Loftus said this is the case.
Sen. Keturah J. Herron, D-Louisville, asked about future plans to fund the research.
Douglas said appropriations will continue to be discussed in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Sen. Danny Carroll, R-Paducah, said he has further questions about ibogaine, but researching it could be beneficial. He said he has spoken to people planning to undergo the treatment and that ibogaine could provide answers to these issues.
“We don’t need to let that pass by without taking some action,” he said.
Carroll asked who would serve as the drug developer in the partnership, and Loftus said that, in a similar program in Texas, several developers are competing for the role.
Douglas said ibogaine could be effective and helpful for many Kentuckians who battle substance use disorder.
“Here in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, we are putting billions of dollars in treating substance use disorder,” he said. “It is not the way to do business – to prop up businesses by locking people into a dependency or addiction.”
Committee advances bill seeking to improving school safety
Rep. Kevin Jackson, R-Bowling Green, speaks on House Bill 643 during Wednesday’s meeting of the House Primary and Secondary Education Committee. A high-res version is available here.
FRANKFORT — Legislation seeking to improve school safety in Kentucky by introducing wearable panic alert technology for teachers and school staff advanced Wednesday from the House Primary and Secondary Education Committee.
Rep. Kevin Jackson, R-Bowling Green, said this technology would allow teachers and staff members to instantly alert law enforcement and school administrators during emergency situations.
“This is about public safety,” Jackson said.
House Bill 643 is called Alyssa’s Law, named after Alyssa Alhadeff, a 14-year-old who was killed in the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida.
Since their daughter’s death, Alyssa’s parents, Lori Alhadeff and Ilan Alhadeff, have advocated for improved school emergency response systems. They argue teachers need faster ways to notify law enforcement during a crisis.
Jackson emphasized the technology is not meant to replace school resource officers.
“This is in no way to take the place of school resource officers. We all know the human factor of school resource officers is one of the best factors of school safety.” Jackson said. “This would work in conjunction with them to make schools safer for our kids, our staff and our faculty.”
Rep. Steve Bratcher, R-Elizabethtown, asked about the cost of implementing the program.
“I noticed the bill says 50% will be matched by the Center for School Safety. Do they already have that in their budget,” Bratcher asked.
Jackson said the funding model would require a shared investment between the state and school districts.
“As funds are available, it would be a 50-50 match,” Jackson said. “Ideally we would put in $8–10 million, and the school systems that want to activate the program would match those funds.”
Jackson spoke on the bill and the allocation of state funding.
“Right now there are no funds,” he said. “Some states, such as West Virginia, have just passed similar legislation without state funding but created an account where industries and individuals can donate. Schools can then opt in and match funds.”
Rep. James Tipton, R-Taylorsville, said the measure addresses a critical safety issue.
“This is a very important bill. There is nothing more important than safety for children,” Tipton said. “I actually have one of these devices in my office.”
Tipton questioned how many schools have already implemented this.
Co-sponsor of the bill, Rep. Chad Aull, D-Lexington, said about 19 districts across Kentucky currently use the technology. Aull also spoke on the possible expansion of that number.
“There’s about 19 across all of Kentucky, but that includes some private schools,” Aull said. “It’s about 14 or 15 public school systems, and we are aware of some districts that are going through the implementation process now.”
The bill passed committee 16-0 and now moves to the full House for consideration.
Comprehensive bill on sports wagering clears committee hurdle
Rep. Michael Meredith, R-Oakland, (right) and Rep. Matthew Koch, R-Paris, present House Bill 904, which would bring many changes to Kentucky’s sports wagering and charitable gaming statutes. The bill advanced from the House Licensing, Occupations and Administrative Regulations Committee on Wednesday. A high-res version is available here.
FRANKFORT — A Kentucky House bill that would raise the sports wagering age from 18 to 21 and regulate fantasy contests advanced from the House Licensing, Occupations and Administrative Regulations Committee on Wednesday.
House Bill 904 is sponsored by Rep. Michael Meredith, R-Oakland, and Committee Chair Rep. Matthew Koch, R-Paris. They told the committee HB 904 would bring many changes to Kentucky’s sports wagering and charitable gaming statutes.
“Fantasy sports have been offered in Kentucky for a long time, but there’s never been a direct licensing statute or tax statute related to them,” Meredith said, adding that a separate measure – House Bill 757 – would create a taxation framework for fantasy sports.
HB 757 advanced from the House Appropriations and Revenue Committee on Tuesday.
Another change Kentuckians would see under HB 904 is the banning of proposition bets on Kentucky college athletes, which involves bets placed on an individual athlete’s statistics.
On prediction markets, Meredith said Kentucky is limited in its ability to directly regulate this type of wagering due to federal law. However, HB 904 would ban any license holders in Kentucky, such as tracks or providers, from affiliating with prediction market platforms, he said.
Another provision of HB 904 would create a purse stabilization fund for fixed-odds wagering, Meredith said.
HB 904 would also update Kentucky’s charitable gaming statute, Koch said. He said the committee will continue to study charitable gaming, but in the meantime HB 904 would address some of the charitable gaming issues.
One provision of HB 904 would increase the charitable gaming prize limit from $599 to $1,499.
Another section of the bill would “eliminate the middleman,” Koch said.
“You have a charity that’s out there operating, you have a retail store location that’s out there – the middleman is simply the agent,” Koch said. “It’s combining those. We’ve had quite a bit of examples of bad players within that space, so that’s one of the things we’re going to take on immediately.”
The charitable gaming age would also increase from 18 to 21 under this bill, Meredith added.
In discussion of HB 904, the prediction market aspect of the gaming industry became the lead topic of the conversation.
Rep. Kim Banta, R-Fort Mitchell, said she’s heard from constituents on the prediction market issue.
“I had a question from a constituent about voting on elections and things like that,” she said. “This is more of a curiosity question because I don’t even buy lotto tickets, so can somebody run a betting on elections?”
Meredith said the prediction market space allows bets on elections along with other betting on politics in the U.S. and globally.
“We’ve been told we can’t regulate them directly, preempted by federal law, but there’s nothing that says we can’t tax them,” Meredith said.
Meredith told the committee HB 757 would tax the prediction markets at 17.25%, which is a higher rate than the licensed operators are taxed.
Banta said she “hates that” Kentucky can’t do more to regulate prediction markets.
Meredith said he hopes there will be a change at the federal level soon.
“This prediction market space has been something that has happened very quickly, and we’re all trying to adapt to it the best we can,” he said. “We would love to see change at the federal level that would allow this to be addressed in a little different way.”
Koch said the committee doesn’t have an issue with gaming, but he believes regulation of prediction markets should happen at the state level like other forms of gaming and gambling.
“We don’t want to run them out of business. That is not our goal,” Koch said. “Our goal is to make sure that we can have state regulations on this… We can’t have one that’s not operating by our rules.”
HB 904 received committee approval by a 19-0 vote with one pass vote. It will now go before the full House for consideration.
House approves new tax framework for alcohol, cannabis beverages
Rep. Matthew Koch, R-Paris, speaks on House Bill 9 on the House floor on Tuesday. The bill would streamline a new regulatory and tax framework for intoxicating products, like alcohol. A high-res version is available here.
FRANKFORT — A comprehensive bill on alcoholic beverages, cannabis-infused beverages and other intoxicating products advanced off the House floor on Tuesday.
Rep. Matthew Koch, R-Paris, who is one of the sponsors of House Bill 9, said the legislation would streamline the regulatory and taxation framework for intoxicating products.
“That includes alcohol, cannabis-infused beverages, hemp-derived cannabinoids and products like kratom, all while laying out the framework to capture any new and emerging products as they come into the marketplace,” Koch said.
Although HB 9 is revamping the tax framework for intoxicating products, Koch said the bill is designed to be “revenue neutral-ish” when it comes to alcohol.
“We eliminated the cumbersome structure of the existing alcohol tax system to assist us with compliance while maintaining the revenue neutrality,” he added.
If HB 9 becomes a law, Kentucky would be the first state in the nation to establish a regulatory fee based on the pure alcohol content, Koch said.
The legislation would also establish a new 4% regulatory retail licensing fee on alcoholic and cannabis-infused beverages beginning July 1, 2027. To make the bill revenue neutral, Koch said other taxes were eliminated.
Additionally, HB 9 would streamline the local regulatory license fee collected by cities and counties and implement a 5% cap within a year, Koch said.
Cities and counties that drop the fee to 3% or lower will be able to use the funds for any emergency services and not just alcohol-related emergency services, he added.
As for the bill’s provisions on hemp, Koch said there is language to ensure proper lab testing and labeling on the products so hemp can be taxed properly.
Another major aspect of HB 9 would strengthen the penalties on retailers who sell alcohol to minors.
“Three strikes within two years at the same retail location is a lifetime ban on holding that alcohol license,” Koch said.
During debate on the legislation, Rep. Lisa Willner, D-Louisville, asked Koch if he could clarify who would be paying the taxes on the products.
Koch said who pays the taxes will not change under HB 9.
“(It’s) the same people who have always paid the tax on these products, and that’s all of us. That’s anybody that purchases alcohol,” Koch said.
Willner said she doesn’t think it is “sound fiscal policy” to continue to pass expenses on to consumers, so she would be voting against HB 9.
In answering a question on revenue from Rep. Adrielle Camuel, D-Lexington, Rep. Jason Petrie, R-Elkton, said the alcohol industry generates around $170 million in revenue.
Petrie, who is a co-sponsor of HB 9, reiterated Koch’s earlier statement that the goal of the legislation is not to gain or lose revenue, but to remain “revenue neutral-ish.”
“This is a realignment of taxes, not to shift it to consumers, because consumers are paying all the taxes now,” he said. “It’s just written into the price. This is just a realignment of where it’s collected.”
The Kentucky House passed HB 9 by a 63-31 vote. It is now before the Senate for consideration.
Senate committee advances child care bill
Rep. Samara Heavrin, R-Leitchfield, testifies Tuesday on House Bill 6 during a meeting of the Senate Families and Children Committee. A high-resolution photo can be found here.
FRANKFORT — Multi-pronged legislation designed to improve Kentucky’s child care landscape advanced Tuesday during a meeting of the Senate Families and Children Committee.
House Bill 6 would lay a foundation for building a stronger and more sustainable private child care network, which includes 2,000 small businesses, nonprofits and faith-based organizations throughout the state, among several other measures, bill sponsor Rep. Samara Heavrin, R-Leitchfield, testified.
“More efforts will be needed in the future, but this is going to initiate work that should have happened years ago, including the modernization of All STARS, data reforms and financial transparency,” she said.
HB 6 would establish clear legal intent for the Kentucky All STARS program to become an outcome-driven program based on quality research and for the state Cabinet for Health and Family Services to align the program with legislative goals, Heavrin said.
The bill would also authorize a new type of child care licensure known as microcenters to help ease regulatory challenges, encourage innovation and reestablish the certified child care community program to encourage local problem-solving and address barriers, she said.
Other provisions in SB 6 seek to improve child care data, create more financial transparency in publicly funded child care programs, reform the provider payment formula, codify the state’s free child care for child care workers’ program, and support children with special needs in child care.
Heavrin also highlighted another section that would create a two-year pilot program that streamlines issues related to the certification and regulation of child care operated by military families exclusively for military children.
“House Bill 6 is legislation that reflects more than 18 months of conversations and consensus-building on key measures to help strengthen access to affordable, quality child care to support workforce development and working Kentucky families,” Heavrin said.
More than 40 stakeholders with different opinions and ideologies came up with eight key priorities. They are: resources, regulations, quality, innovation, working family focus, employer participation, community engagement and data analysis, she said.
“It focuses on working families and affordability. Median child care costs are passing $12,000 per year in Kentucky counties. Care is out of reach for too many families. This legislation aims to improve affordability by strengthening the state’s low-income subsidy programs and reforming the employee child care assistance partnership,” Heavrin said.
Also, during the meeting, the committee unanimously advanced related legislation – House Joint Resolution 50 – which would require the state auditor of public accounts to commission an independent study of child care regulations in Kentucky.
Sen. Shelley Funke Frommeyer, R-Alexandria, voted against HB 6 and for HJR 50. She thanked Heavrin and others for working to improve child care, but expressed concern about taxpayers funding child care for other people’s children.
“I think we’re not actually getting to the root cause of the issue here. We have created so much friction on the administrative side, and a great business can reduce the costs,” she said.
Sen. Matthew Deneen, R-Elizabethtown, said his focus is on the last portion of the bill that relates to child care for military families. He asked about the differences between state and federal regulation in those situations.
Heavrin said the federal regulation is much more stringent than Kentucky’s regulation, and those in military leadership at Fort Campbell are very interested in seeing the legislation move forward.
Senate Minority Caucus Chair Reginald L. Thomas, D-Lexington, asked Sarah Vanover, policy and advocacy director for Kentucky Youth Advocates, what is the greatest strength of HB 6.
“I think the biggest strength is that we’re looking at an infrastructure package. Together, with all these different components, we have a foundation of ways that the community is involved, ways that parents benefit and ways that the child care programs can sustain,” she said.
Sen. Robin L. Webb, R-Grayson, and Sen. Gex Williams, R-Verona, both expressed concern regarding the costs associated with HB 6.
Heavrin said requests of about $53 million have been made for each year in the budget, conversations are continuing and the bill requests more financial data to determine true child care costs.
After both pieces of legislation were passed, Committee Chair Sen. Danny Carroll, R-Paducah, said improvement of child care in Kentucky is vital.
“We keep kicking this can down the road, and we’re reluctant to invest to make changes. This is about our kids. This is about workforce. This is about our economy. This touches every segment of what we do as a state,” he said. “Yet we’re reluctant to invest in it, and for the life of me, I don’t understand that. And until we do that, we’re going to keep falling behind.”
Committee advances bill on regulating cannabis beverages
Sen. Stephen Meredith, R-Leitchfield, speaks on Senate Bill 223 during Tuesday’s meeting of the Senate Licensing and Occupations Committee. A high-resolution photo is available here.
FRANKFORT — Legislation that would expand the sale of cannabis-infused beverages in certain establishments advanced Tuesday out of the Senate Licensing and Occupations Committee.
Current law allows cannabis-infused beverages to be sold in Kentucky if they contain no more than five milligrams of intoxicating cannabinoids per 12-ounce serving. But state law prohibits such beverages from being sold individually for on-site consumption in establishments such as bars, restaurants and event venues.
Senate Bill 223 seeks to implement an additional permit that would allow establishments already holding alcohol licenses to sell individual cannabis-infused drinks to consumers 21 and older.
“This bill establishes a clear regulatory framework for cannabis-infused beverages in Kentucky under the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, which I think is where it should be,” said the bill’s sponsor, Sen. Stephen Meredith, R-Leitchfield.
Jim Higdon, co-founder of Cornbread Hemp in Louisville, said the legislation would build on the legal foundation created last year when the general assembly adopted an initial measure to regulate cannabis beverages in Kentucky.
Higdon said the legislation would place cannabis-infused beverages under rules similar to alcohol regulations.
“As we regulate alcohol, those same rules need to apply as a safety and responsibility measure that was missed last year,” Higdon said. “We think it’s very important to get it on the record now.”
Meredith said the legislation would also create an open-container offense for cannabis-infused beverages in vehicles, aligning the law with existing alcohol rules.
“Senate Bill 223 simply regulates THC beverages like alcohol,” Meredith said.
Sen. Amanda Mays Bledsoe, R-Lexington, asked about federal oversight of THC beverages.
Meredith said federal regulation of hemp-derived products is still developing.
“I am aware that the whole hemp industry is being reviewed by the federal government and there is discussion about legislation that could be passed,” Meredith said. “But I don’t know of anything that’s tangible at this point in time.”
Gene Cole, president of the Kentucky Ethics League and executive director of the Kentucky League on Alcohol, Gambling and Substance Use Disorders, testified against the bill. He argued that first responders are already dealing with impaired drivers and expressed concern about introducing another intoxicating beverage.
Jack Mazurak, a representative for the Kentucky Distillers’ Association, urged lawmakers to proceed cautiously.
Mazurak said the distilled spirits industry can compete with hemp-based beverages but warned the bill could significantly expand access to intoxicating THC drinks without a fully developed federal regulatory framework.
Sen. Karen Berg, D-Louisville, asked whether there is federal regulation on highly caffeinated beverages and suggested that the cardiac effects of those drinks could be comparable to or greater than those of the standard dosing in THC beverages.
Mazurak said he did not have an answer but would be willing to look into the issue.
Sen. Jimmy Higdon, R-Lebanon, spoke in favor of the bill, highlighting differences between synthetic THC and hemp-derived THC, adding that “synthetic THC is the devil itself.”
Higdon also asked whether there had been any issues resulting from the legislation passed last year allowing the sale of boxed THC beverages in liquor stores.
Mazurak responded that he was not aware of any health or public safety issues tied to the law.
“I have not, but I think we agree on this — the FDA, TTB and other agencies that regulate the alcohol industry need to be aligned on regulations for hemp at the federal level,” Mazurak said.
Higdon agreed that federal regulation is needed but emphasized the committee’s role in addressing the issue at the state level.
“Today we’re talking about Kentucky and its regulation, and right now we’re the only ones with authority over this product,” Higdon said.
The bill passed the committee 9-2 and now heads to the full Senate for consideration.