FRANKFORT — Members of the Interim Joint Committee on Agriculture asked questions and made comments Thursday about a possible veterinary medicine school at Murray State University.
Amy Wittmayer, specialist leader at Deloitte Consulting, presented findings from a report that lawmakers called for during the 2024 legislative session. The meeting focused on the proposed veterinary medicine school, but the report includes feasibility assessments regarding other higher education programs in the commonwealth.
“Importantly, the vet med program would employ a distributive model for clinical education. The students would complete their education via a network of clinical partners,” Wittmayer said. “This contrasts with a traditional model of veterinary education where DVM students complete most of their clinical education in affiliated teaching hospitals.”
Wittmayer said the proposed program launch date is fall 2027, with a target cohort size of 70 students. The goal is to reach a total enrollment of 280 by the fifth year. She said it’s estimated 15 incremental faculty and 42 staff and administrators would be needed to operate the school.
Brian Parr, dean of the Hutson School of Agriculture at Murray State University, offered reasons why a veterinary medicine school should be located at the institution.
“I would say that there are a lot of reasons why Murray State is the perfect place for this. The resources are there. It’s the most financially responsible way to put this in place, and it’s desperately needed by our state,” he said.
Rep. James Tipton, R-Taylorsville, said legislators have had many discussions about a possible veterinary school of medicine in Kentucky over the last two years, and he served on a task force that discussed the topic several years before that.
The consensus at that time was to continue working with veterinary schools at Auburn University and Tuskegee University in Alabama, he said, adding that “there is no doubt we have a shortage of veterinarians, primarily large animal veterinarians.”
Tipton said he agrees with Senate Majority Floor Leader Damon Thayer, R-Georgetown, who said the school would need to benefit the entire state.
“Will it justify the huge taxpayer expense that is going to be made to support Murray’s desire to have a vet school,” Thayer said. “Will it end up with more veterinarians, specifically large animal veterinarians, in the rural areas of the state? It can’t just be good for Murray to have this program, and it can’t just be good for Western Kentucky. It has to be good for all 4 ½ million people who live in the commonwealth.”
Legislation would have to pass muster with the appropriations committee, and supporters would face tough questions there, Thayer said. He also questioned why the state’s flagship university isn’t pursuing a veterinary medicine school.
“Why isn’t the University of Kentucky all over this with enthusiasm and asking for the program themselves? Many of our animal science graduates at the University of Kentucky end up taking advantage of the program we have with Auburn,” he said.
House Minority Caucus Chair Cherlynn Stevenson, D-Lexington, said she’s concerned about the possible costs involved with the proposed school.
“My biggest concern is that we make this huge investment and down the road as we keep cutting income tax and all of that money is going away, I worry that at some point we will have to make a decision between funding those spots at Auburn and Tuskegee versus keeping in with this,” she said.
Rep. David Hale, R-Wellington, said he hasn’t made up his mind about the proposed school yet, but said his very good friend who is a veterinarian told him to be cautious about moving forward.
Murray President Bob Jackson said the university stands poised to establish a school that’s needed in the commonwealth.
“There are issues with any academic program that may be started at any institution at any time. We have 148 different academic programs at Murray State University. And at some point in time, we have started each and every one of those with an investment and many have been highly successful. All have been successful in some form or fashion,” he said.
FRANKFORT — Kentucky lawmakers are considering more legislation to keep tobacco products, like vapes, away from minors in 2025.
Sen. Jimmy Higdon, R-Lebanon, testified on the topic before the Interim Joint Committee on Licensing, Occupations and Administrative Regulations on Tuesday. He’s drafting a bill to implement more regulations on tobacco retailers.
“Under this proposed legislation, we would license everyone in the state of Kentucky that sold vapes or tobacco products, and it would give ABC enforcement authority over those institutions,” Higdon said.
The Alcoholic Beverage Control’s (ABC) regulatory authority would be similar to its authority over alcohol regulations, he added.
“It would give the officers the ability to enter and inspect the premises without a warrant,” Higdon said. “It would also give the ability to confiscate evidence of criminal activity.”
Stricter fines and penalties for tobacco retailers who violate the law would be established under Higdon’s bill. Unpaid fines would keep a business from renewing its license until the fees are paid, he said. If a business loses its license, it will not be able to reapply for two years.
“The first offense for retailers selling to a minor would be paid by the clerk who sold the product,” Higdon said. “Fines that happened after that first offense, that would be a fine on the retailer.”
The legislation will also recommend allocating a portion of the fines to programs that educate youth on the dangers of vaping, Higdon added.
The Kentucky General Assembly passed House Bill 11 during the 2024 regular session. The bill aligns state law with FDA regulations regarding the sale of tobacco products.
Specifically, it prohibits the sale of tobacco products to individuals under the age of 21. It also creates penalties for retailers who violate the restrictions. The bill goes into effect Jan. 1.
Higdon said his proposed legislation would give the ABC “some more teeth” to take down those who continue to break the law by selling tobacco products to minors.
“We have a lot of great retailers in the state that follow the law every single day of the year, and we have some bad actors that we need to deal with,” Higdon said.
Two students representing #iCANendthetrend – Philena Ash and Griffin Nemeth – testified alongside Dr. Brit Anderson, vice president of the Kentucky Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, in support of legislation to keep tobacco products away from minors.
“Nicotine has detrimental effects on a developing brain, including diminished impulse control, learning difficulties, problems with attention, and even mood disorders like anxiety and depression,” Anderson said. “… You have the awesome privilege and responsibility of making policy, and tobacco 21-enforcement can change the health trajectory of real children in our state.”
Sen. Donald Douglas, R-Nicholasville, who is also a doctor, said reducing vaping among minors will take more than just legislation.
“No matter what laws we pass, no matter what legislation we pass, unless we get buy-in from our public, from our parents, it won’t make a difference,” he said.
Douglas thanked Ash and Nemeth for their work on the issue, encouraged them to continue, and told them, “We will do the very best we can.”
Abbie Gilbert with The Denton Group read a statement to the committee on behalf of the Vapor Technology Association. She said the group believes regulations like the ones in HB 11 from this year are harmful to small businesses and the economy. The group would like the general assembly to delay the HB 11 effective date until after the U.S. Supreme Court has a chance to weigh-in on the issue later next year.
The statement said this would “allow time to create regulation which is based on science and help keep small businesses operating in the commonwealth.”
Sen. Christian McDaniel, R-Ryland Heights, said the legislature wouldn’t be looking to create new regulations on tobacco retailers if “they quit selling to underage kids.”
“(Minors) have absolutely no problem accessing these products in this commonwealth, and until they do, you will find us being more and more and more stringent about this,” McDaniel added.
The Kentucky General Assembly cannot act on legislation until the 2025 legislative session begins on Jan. 7. The Interim Joint Committee on Licensing, Occupations and Administrative Regulations is not scheduled to meet again in 2024.
For more information, visit legislature.ky.gov.
FRANKFORT — The Workforce Attraction and Retention Task Force heard from an organization on Thursday that is seeking to improve Eastern Kentucky’s population growth and workforce problem.
Shaping Our Appalachian Region, or SOAR, is a nonprofit focused on increasing the economic mobility and population in Eastern Kentucky, said Executive Director Colby Hall.
Hall said the population in Eastern Kentucky is aging faster than the national average and people are moving away. Long term joblessness is also an issue. The shrinking coal industry, childcare deserts, and housing and transportation issues are among some of the barriers to workforce participation, he added.
“You’re starting to get into multiple generations of families and individuals that have been outside the workforce,” Hall said. “They haven’t been attached to an industry. People have been in survival mode.”
EKY Remote, which received $1.5 million from the general assembly, is one way SOAR is working to bring new people to the region, Hall said. The program launched in 2023 to bring individuals with remote jobs to live in Eastern Kentucky. To date, 36 adults and 14 children have relocated to the area through the program.
“So far, just in the people that have moved, you’re already seeing an estimated economic impact of about $1.5 million and $200,000 in direct tax contributions,” Hall said.
Getting the domestic population back into the workforce is also a goal of SOAR. Hall said there are more than 150,000 people across 36 Eastern Kentucky counties between 16 and 64 years old who are not working.
One way SOAR is working to bring these individuals back into the workforce is the Recompete Program. The program recently received a $40 million federal grant, and the legislature previously invested $4 million in matching funds, Hall said.
“This grant is going to provide a multitude of resources and supports where we’re going to find them and bring them back into the jobs that are in sectors like healthcare, sectors like infrastructure-related projects, and emerging opportunities in the remote workspace,” Hall said.
Task force co-chair Rep. Robert Duvall, R-Bowling Green, asked Hall what impact Pikeville’s healthcare industry and education opportunities are having on the region.
Hall said it is “huge.”
“There’s no question that healthcare is the No. 1 job-creating sector in the region in terms of good paying jobs, family-sustaining wage jobs,” he added.
Rep. Michael Sarge Pollock, R-Campbellsville, said the federal funding Kentucky received in response to COVID-19 has been nice for investments into infrastructure.
“Is the infrastructure there (in Eastern Kentucky) that you see as far as roads, as far as to provide that advertisement for employers to come to Eastern Kentucky?” Pollock asked.
Hall said the infrastructure piece he is “very excited” about is internet infrastructure.
“I’m really excited as the economy evolves, the opportunities that are going to come via digital and remote employment,” Hall said, adding he doesn’t think it will be a “silver bullet” but a number that “can move the needle.”
Sen. Shelley Funke Frommeyer, R-Alexandria, said she wanted to know more about why the workforce population is struggling in Eastern Kentucky and solutions.
“What are we doing with that grant to attract some meaningful employers that will hold people accountable?” she asked, adding she wonders if there are too many resources available that may be inspiring people not to work.
Hall said the grant’s launch date was Oct. 1, so SOAR is just getting started on the Recompete Program.
“Inside of that are some various seven or eight different interventions that we’re going to try and test to try to prove to be some new models for activating this section of the workforce,” Hall added.
FRANKFORT — Legislators put the spotlight on immigration during Tuesday’s Interim Joint Committee on State Government meeting.
Jeremy Bacon, an assistant field office director for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, gave lawmakers an overview of enforcement and removal operations, among other immigration topics. Bacon is based in the agency’s Chicago Field Office, which covers Kentucky.
Committee Co-Chair Sen. Robby Mills, R-Henderson, said committee members have discussed immigration issues recently, but have more questions.
“We have kind of tasked Jeremy with talking about the ICE process and anything he can familiarize us with on the current process,” Mills said.
Bacon said he strongly thinks immigration is an important topic at the federal, state and local levels. He has approximately 16 years of federal law enforcement experience within immigration.
“ICE’s mission is to protect America from the cross-border crime and illegal immigration that threaten national security, public safety,” he said. “This mission is executed through the enforcement of more than 400 federal statutes focusing on smart immigration enforcement, preventing terrorism and combating the illegal movement of people and goods.”
Bacon said the laws are enforced through four main phases – identification, arrests, detainment and removal of “subjects that are amenable to our immigration and nationality laws.”
Bacon said a detainer is a lawful request issued by Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) of ICE to federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. With a detainer, agencies have custody of an identified noncitizen for up to 48 hours beyond when they would have otherwise been released, or to quickly provide notification. This allows ERO time to assume custody before the subject is released.
Mills asked Bacon if a national database or a reporting mechanism exists that officials at local jails can use to report information about non-American inmates’ arrests and other information.
Bacon said this is not the case, but as part of the screening process, authorities may ask the country of citizenship or where they are from.
“Wouldn’t that make sense for safety’s sake that we know who’s in our jails, and that would make your work a lot easier, wouldn’t it?” Mills said.
“It would make our work exponentially easier. Yes, sir,” Bacon answered.
Rep. Josie Raymond, D-Louisville, asked Bacon about the effects of ICE’s work with children.
“Are we deporting any children from Kentucky, and if we’re not, what happens when a parent is deported,” she said.
Bacon said in terms of children, it’s a more of a national issue and he would have to give Raymond an answer later.
“Every encounter that we have, we’re asking the questions regarding children. We ask the mother and father, ‘Do you have any kids? Where are they?’ that type of situation. And those are all part of the aggravating and mitigating factors as we’re going through the process to determine if and when we take custody of someone,” he said.
Sen. Michael J. Nemes, R-Shepherdsville, asked Bacon if he had seen child and human trafficking in Kentucky because of the increase in immigrants.
“I would have to defer that to one of our other agencies here in Kentucky, because like I said, specifically that trafficking portion is not typically handled by ERO officers, respectfully,” Bacon said.
Sen. Phillip Wheeler, R-Pikeville, asked Bacon about news stories depicting flights with people using an app who are seeking to immigrate to the United States.
“Is that happening here in Kentucky?” Wheeler asked.
“To my knowledge, no sir,” Bacon said.
Mills said it looks like ICE is conducting business with “one hand tied behind your back.”
FRANKFORT — Tax revenue, road maintenance and county jail funding were among the main topics the Kentucky League of Cities (KLC) and the Kentucky Association of Counties (KACo) discussed with lawmakers on Tuesday.
Both groups presented their 2025 legislative priorities to the Interim Joint Committee on Local Government. KLC Executive Director and CEO J.D. Chaney described KLC’s agenda as “lengthy,” with road maintenance and a variety of revenue issues at the forefront.
KLC President and Benton Mayor Rita Dotson said cities need more funding for road maintenance projects, as city roads often cost more to maintain than county roads due to curb and gutter systems.
Currently, the state allocates more money to county governments for road maintenance than they do cities, Dotson said. KLC suggested making the local government funding for road maintenance from the state gas tax equal.
“The state would then split the local government portion equally between the road aid programs – the municipal road and county road aid – allowing 13% each from the 48.2% of the local government share,” Dotson said.
Another issue KLC advocated for is revenue diversification. A constitutional amendment and a change in the the restaurant tax statute were suggested.
“KLC supports legislation that would sever the statute that limits the ability of cities that are a specific size to collect consumption-based restaurant revenue, rather than imposing a nets profit or gross receipt tax on restaurant businesses,” Dotson said. “This approach ensures that every city can benefit from the economic advantages of restaurant revenue to support tourism in our communities.”
Maintaining the pension system, addressing substance use disorder, and combating the housing shortage were among the other legislative priorities for KLC. The organization also opposes legislation that would require cities to assist with county jail costs and centralized collection of local transient room tax revenue.
In response, Sen. Christian McDaniel, R-Ryland Heights, urged KLC to pare down its list of priorities since the upcoming legislative session is only 30 legislative days. He also shared his opinion on centralized collection.
“If there’s one thing I hear about from businesses on a regular basis, they despise the number of local and municipal returns they have to file,” McDaniel said. “I have over 46 myself and my small company in Kenton County.”
On road funding, Sen. Phillip Wheeler, R-Pikeville, said the county road maintenance demands are high.
“We do have certain obligations, at least in rural Kentucky, that I do think call into question as to whether or not it would be wise to take away any money under the current formula,” he said.
KACo’s presentation was next, and the organization focused on three topics: jails, revenue streams and county road and bridge funding.
“Today’s presentation could better be described as an update on the issues, rather than a big presentation filled with a lot of requests,” KACo President-elect and Harlan County Judge/Executive Dan Mosley said.
County governments are struggling to fund county jails, but that issue is not news to the committee. KACo spoke in-depth on that topic to the committee in July. Mosley focused on the issue of medical care cost for inmates on Tuesday.
“Significant changes are on the horizon for jail medical care. This year, a new federal mandate requires county jails to offer medically assisted treatment for inmates as part of the Americans with Disabilities Act,” Mosley said, using opioid abuse treatment like suboxone as an example.
One suggestion to address this issue is to consider making changes to Medicaid eligibility for inmates.
“Once someone is arrested, their Medicaid coverage is suspended,” Mosley said. “A process is being developed for inmates to remain eligible for Medicaid or to be able to re-enroll in Medicaid at the end of their sentence.”
On revenue issues, KACo also advocated for more consumption tax options at the local level.
“We understand the constitutional hurdles this presents. We urge the general assembly to approach this discussion with full appreciation for the need to protect our current revenue streams,” Adam O’Nan, KACo first vice-president and Union County judge/executive, said.
Additionally, O’Nan said Kentucky counties want to maintain funding for the services it provides while being mindful of how taxes affect residents.
Sen. Amanda Mays Bledsoe, R-Lexington, said as Kentucky grows and changes, the legislature will have to address the tax revenue issues.
“As our revenue continues to change, and as we move towards consumption, we’re going to have to have some really difficult conversations about how we pay for services,” she said. “Regardless of who does it, people still want (services) and it is our job to provide them as elected officials wherever we happen to serve.”
McDaniel brought the conversation back to county jails. He said jails “are not a city issue,” and he is concerned about how to address the medical care costs.
“What exactly happens, when we’re a state that’s already a third of the population on Medicaid, when we add even more people to that?” McDaniel said. “If there’s a formulaic change, instead of having 90/10 and 70/30 populations, what if we have 60/40 populations? And then the state’s budget becomes a disaster.”
The Kentucky General Assembly cannot act on legislation until the 2025 legislative session begins on Jan. 7. Currently, the Interim Joint Committee on Local Government will not meet again in 2024.
For more information, visit legislature.ky.gov.
FRANKFORT — During Friday’s Interim Joint Committee on Education meeting, legislators heard testimony about the effects of social media and cell phone use on students.
A researcher and author, a superintendent from Ohio and two administrators from Bourbon County all shared findings and stories of students they said are excessively using technology.
Zach Rausch testified virtually. He is associate research scientist at New York University’s Stern School of Business and chief researcher for a book on how technology trends are impacting mental health.
“Childhood…went through a rapid transformation between 2010 and 2015 where kids moved from what we called a play-based childhood embodied physically in the real world in to a phone-based childhood where we are on screens 10 hours a day, being online almost of all of the time,” he said.
Rausch said children sometimes spend an “enormous” amount of time using cell phones and social media, and some of them experience a deterioration in their mental health. He testified about depression, loneliness, sextortion and a decrease in test scores. He said there is often overprotection in the real world, but under protection online.
Rep. Josh Calloway, R-Irvington, said a bill was filed during the last legislative session to address some of the problems associated with overuse of technology, and he expects it will continue to be addressed by legislators. He asked presenters about superintendents who think the overuse is a lost battle.
Larry Joe Begley, superintendent of Bourbon County Schools, said he would encourage his colleagues to have more conversation and not assume that there will be pushback. However, he said it if comes, they should persevere with tackling problems sometimes associated with technology.
“There’s always pushback in everything that we do. And I would just encourage them to be courageous and at least take a try before you say no,” he said. “And can speak to myself on that. I certainly come to you and self-profess that until other people get behind you and give you a little nudge, it does seem scary.”
David Lawrence, superintendent of Dayton Public Schools in Ohio, said he was backed up by seven board members who were all supportive of the district’s technology policies.
Rep. Jared Bauman, R-Louisville, said he thinks Fern Creek High School in Louisville was the first cell phone-free school in Kentucky.
“As we’ve seen in the presentation here, the results from Fern Creek are pretty clear in the early returns here that performance is up, behavior is better, the kids and teachers appreciate it; they like it,” he said. “As far as I’m aware, there is absolutely nothing in KRS today that is preventing school systems across our state from implementing the policy necessary to help our children.”
Rep. Emily Callaway, R-Louisville, said the presentation was “very eye-opening and disturbing, especially how it’s disproportionately affecting the females.”
She said she has spoken with a principal within her district, and the district used bags for storing cell phones at a high school.
“There were some definite benefits, but she ended up pulling them out. Her approach was we want to teach our high schoolers to be able to regulate this themselves. They’re about to go out in the real world, and it’s not going away,” Callaway said.
She said the students aren’t allowed to use cell phones in the hallways, and teachers are able to restrict them in the classrooms as necessary.
“But what they’ve spent the money on because those bags are so expensive, is more interactive, physically challenging activities. A VR, they’ve got a VR room now – anything they can do to get the students up and moving, that’s what they’re investing in,” she said.
Rep. Kevin Jackson, R-Bowling Green, said legislators have taken steps recently to attract and retain teachers, and curbing technology overuse would continue this effort.
“I heard all those horror stories all the time when I served on a school board. You know, we talk about we want test scores to go up, and I think this evidence that they have shown us, test scores and social scores go down. Mental health issues and suicide goes up,” he said.
Committee Co-Chair Sen. Stephen West, R-Paris, called the problems “very important,” and said he expects several bills to be filed to address it.
The Kentucky General Assembly can’t act on legislation until the 2025 Regular Session begins Jan. 7.
The next IJC on Education Committee meeting is scheduled for Dec. 10 at 11 a.m.
FRANKFORT — The Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) gave the Interim Joint Committee on Judiciary an update on the Behavioral Health Conditional Dismissal Program on Thursday.
The pilot program provides an alternative to incarceration to certain low-level offenders. Senate Bill 90 from the 2022 legislative session created the program.
Angela Darcy, executive officer for the AOC Department of Pretrial Services, said the program gives people facing low-level criminal charges an opportunity to better their lives through a behavioral health or substance use disorder treatment program and other services.
“It has a wide array of services, such as adult education,” Darcy said. “They can go to college. They can go to cosmetology school. If they choose to, they can just get a GED. Some people just want to read, so it’s really an opportunity to try and improve lives and then get some people that treatment that they so desperately need.”
Letcher County was the first county to participate in the pilot program, Darcy said. There were 11 counties chosen for the pilot program initially. Now, AOC is working on expanding the program to additional counties.
The program has a strict set of criteria, according to AOC’s presentation. To be eligible, the defendant must be a Kentucky resident and at least 18 years of age. The defendant cannot be charged with a violent offense, sexual offense, a DUI, or a domestic violence offense. Also, they cannot have a protective order filed against them.
Previous convictions are also considered, and the defendant must be considered low-risk for failure to appear or new criminal activity, according to the presentation. Additionally, defendants are clinically assessed for substance use and mental health disorders.
“The prosecutors have the opportunity to override some of those disqualifying offenses and put them into the program themselves, and we’ve seen a substantial amount of prosecutor overrides in this program,” Darcy said.
Rep. Jennifer Decker, R-Waddy, wanted to know how this program differs from another diversion program in Kenton County.
“The other day we heard testimony from Rob Sanders Commonwealth Attorney’s initiative with the Life Learning Center, and it sounded similar. Is it the same?” she asked.
Jason Dufeck, manager for the AOC Department of Pretrial Services, said the Behavioral Health Conditional Dismissal Program is similar, but the program in Kenton County deals with more higher risk, higher need individuals.
Dufeck said the Behavioral Health Conditional Dismissal Program is typically for low-risk defendants facing low-level charges. He said 1,400 of the interviewed defendants were eligible for the program in 2023 and 4,600 were ineligible.
Defendants were ineligible for a variety of reasons, Dufeck said. Around 15% were charged with class A, B or C felonies, and 4.1% were charged with a violent offense.
“And DUI is the big one,” Dufeck said. “A little bit more of a third of the folks are currently charged with a DUI … That’s about 2,900 people that came through the door that were charged with DUI, and that’s what kicked them out of eligibility.”
Committee co-chair Sen. Whitney Westerfield, R-Fruit Hill, said the legislature should work to find a way to get drunk drivers access to behavioral health intervention.
“I’m not saying they’ve all got to get a chance, I’m not. And I don’t know what it needs to look like, but that’s a category of people who have a behavioral health problem that everyone agrees they need help with,” he said. “Let’s get them help much earlier in the pipeline.”
Westerfield also encouraged his colleagues to consider expanding eligibility altogether.
“We’re leaving a lot of people out that could benefit from behavioral health intervention,” he said while also acknowledging there is a “ceiling” and a limit to who should be eligible to participate.
When it comes to recidivism, Darcy said there are 125 people who have completed the program and 84% of those people have not faced new charges.
“It is a hard program to complete,” Darcy said. “It’s not easy for them, but it changes their lives. And when you hear the stories, you’re so moved and … your heart is warmed by just the sheer velocity of the people we’re helping.”
While the program is growing and helping many people recover and lead better lives, Darcy said there are barriers.
“There are some counties that have kind of stalled with participation … and there’s just that overall continued hesitation from some of those partners,” Darcy said. “It could be the prosecutor, the defense attorneys or sometimes our other partners.”
Darcy said AOC plans to meet with those counties to learn what they can do to improve participation rates and the program.
Decker said she “loves” the program.
“Thank you for doing it, and keep up the good work,” she added.
FRANKFORT — Changes to statute regarding Quarter horse racing and the definition of “Kentucky-bred” may be considered during the 2025 legislative session.
Rep. Jonathan Dixon, R-Corydon, and Adam Koenig, executive director of the Kentucky Quarter Horse Racing Association, shared their ideas on expanding Quarter horse racing and breeding with the Interim Joint Committee on Licensing, Occupations and Administrative Regulations on Thursday.
A new Quarter horse race track is currently under construction in Ashland. With that, Koenig said it is time for Quarter horses to have their own section of statute when it comes to governance. Currently, Quarter horses are regulated the same as Appaloosa, Paint and Arabian horses, he said.
“Now that we are fortunate enough to have a license and a track here soon, it would probably be best to separate that out so that when we need specific changes specific to us, we are (separate) from all those other breeds,” Koenig said.
Changing what it means to be a Kentucky-bred horse is another idea Koenig and Dixon would like the Kentucky General Assembly to consider. The proposed new definition would allow a foal born in Kentucky to be a Kentucky-bred horse, even if the broodmare was bred in another state.
Dixon said Quarter horse racing is growing rapidly in other states and these proposed changes will help Kentucky be competitive.
“There are a lot of breeders that are out there that those types of incentives would help bring Quarter horses here to Kentucky,” Dixon said.
Senate Majority Floor Leader Damon Thayer, R-Georgetown, said he is the original author of the Kentucky breeder’s incentive legislation that repurposed the sales tax on stud fees into an incentive program for people to bring mares to Kentucky, breed them to Kentucky stallions and leave them to foal.
“Quarter horses are moving forward, and I certainly think that part of your statutory change is in line with that necessity,” Thayer said, adding there is precedent to change the statute.
Thayer also acknowledged the importance of the horse racing industry and how bringing more horses into the state also creates more jobs.
“Whether it’s a stallion or a mare, they create jobs,” he said. “It has a huge trickle-down effect, and I appreciate the creative approach that you’re looking to do here to try to get Quarter horse mares into Kentucky.”
A full draft of the bill is not yet available, but Thayer asked Koenig to talk about a sunset provision committee co-chair Rep. Matthew Koch, R-Paris, mentioned.
“We’re not going to leave (the bill) open-ended,” Koenig said. “We were talking about three years.”
The hope is that after three years enough Quarter horses will be in the state that the incentives will no longer be needed, Koenig added. Thayer said he supports a sunset clause.
“I would like to see a sunset provision on it to see if the stallions follow the mares. They usually do,” he added.
The Kentucky General Assembly cannot act on legislation until the 2025 legislative session begins on Jan. 7.
The next Interim Joint Committee on Licensing, Occupations and Administrative Regulations meeting is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Nov. 19. For more information, visit legislature.ky.gov.
FRANKFORT — Short-term rental regulation is a hot topic in cities – big and small – across Kentucky.
On Tuesday, the Interim Joint Committee on Local Government heard from a lobbyist for Airbnb, a short-term rental company, on policy ideas for the upcoming 2025 legislative session.
Jason Underwood, president of Capitol Strategies, said Airbnb wants the legislature to consider banning conditional use permit requirements for short-term rentals. He also proposed what he calls a “tenants’ rights” bill.
“If you live in an area that says you can rent your home out as a short-term rental, you should be able to. If you live in an apartment, you should be able to rent that apartment out and make some money on that as well,” Underwood said.
An in-progress draft of the proposed bill would prohibit local governments from restricting a tenant from offering a property as a short-term rental if the property owner has granted the tenant permission. Underwood said this could allow renters to make some extra income and possibly save toward buying a house.
On conditional use permits, Underwood said the process is inequitable and can be difficult to navigate, especially for immigrants and people of color.
“If you bought a house and you applied for a permit first and then I lived next door and apply for a permit second, if you beat me to the punch, you win,” Underwood said. “I could not use my house if it was next to yours because there’d be a conditional use permit ban on it … so picking winners and losers is not what we want to see happen here.”
Although Airbnb wants to make some changes to current statute, Underwood said the company is not against local governments creating ordinances about noise and other issues.
“If we do short-term rental reform, localities can still regulate parking issues, noise complaints, any violations like that,” Underwood said. “This is not trying to give a free ticket to short-term rentals to do whatever they want, but we don’t want to use zoning to infringe upon the property rights of legal homeowners in Kentucky.” v
During discussion, Sen. Phillip Wheeler, R-Pikeville, asked if any of the proposed policies would impact neighborhood associations.
“If you have an HOA, this doesn’t impact that,” Underwood said.
Committee co-chair Rep. Randy Bridges, R-Paducah, and Rep. Adam Bowling, R-Middlesboro, both raised concerns about Airbnb paying local taxes.
“I’ve got locals that are reaching out to me saying, ‘Hey, this is a problem. We’ve not been paid since 2022.’” Bowling said.
Underwood explained that there is a not a tax payment issue in large population centers like Louisville, Lexington, Bowling Green and Owensboro. There is litigation underway regarding smaller cities and the best way to get those taxes to those cities following the passage of House Bill 8 from the 2022 legislative session.
“There were some that wanted to be paid quarterly, some wanted to be paid annually.” Underwood said. “There was no document, I think it’s called the source of knowledge, that we could accurately ascertain what we owed these districts. So, we’ve asked the legislature to amend that (law) to include centralized payment like they do in Tennessee to make it easier for us to pay.”
Bowling said he “hopes a solution can be worked out quickly.” In response, Underwood said he is aware of another group working on a bill for 2025 to fix the issue.
After the taxes discussion, Sen. Cassie Chambers Armstrong, D-Louisville, said the regulations in Louisville mainly impact non-owner-occupied short-term rentals in residential areas, and the ordinance had bipartisan support. She said Louisville did a study and found non-owner-occupied short-term rentals had increased calls for service for LMPD for noise complaints and other issues.
“We didn’t see that whenever we had owners at the property, because then folks sort of have this incentive to make sure that it’s not becoming a public nuisance or becoming a problem, Chambers Armstrong said. “… I appreciate your perspective, but I have a lot of concerns about what you’re proposing.”
The Kentucky General Assembly cannot take action on legislation until the 2025 legislative session begins on Jan. 7.
The next Interim Joint Committee on Local Government meeting is scheduled for 9 a.m. on Nov. 12. For more information, visit legislature.ky.gov.
FRANKFORT — Members of the Interim Joint Committee on Judiciary learned during Thursday’s meeting about a Medicaid services reentry project designated to improve care transitions for adults and juveniles who are incarcerated.
Deputy Commissioner Leslie Hoffman and Behavioral Health Supervisor Angela Sparrow, both of the Kentucky Department for Medicaid Services, offered testimony and answered several questions from committee members.
“Kentucky has a wonderful opportunity to improve health care for incarcerated individuals and juvenile offenders. There are many challenges and needs still that we have to address in Kentucky,” Hoffman said.
Eligible populations include all adults who would be eligible for Medicaid if not for their incarcerated status in one of Kentucky’s state prisons overseen by the Kentucky Department of Corrections. This excludes state inmates housed in county jails, according to the state Department for Medicaid Services.
All adjudicated youth who would be eligible for Medicaid if not for placement in one of the state’s Youth Development Centers overseen by the state Department of Juvenile Justice could participate, according to the Department for Medicaid Services.
“Incarcerated individuals and juvenile offenders face disproportionate challenges and barriers upon reentry to society and therefore they are at higher risk for injury and death – higher than the general public,” Hoffman said.
On July 2, 2024, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services approved the state Department for Medicaid Services’ 1115 reentry project application. CMS is a federal agency that administers Medicare, Medicaid and other health programs.
“This was the first opportunity of its kind to allow state Medicaid agencies across the nation to reimburse for targeted services pre-release,” Hoffman said.
The project will enhance and streamline the reentry processes by improving care coordination through systematic collaboration and ensuring continuity of care while linking justice-involved individuals to medical and behavioral health services upon their release, she said.
The Department for Medicaid Services was able to demonstrate to CMS that the project will be budget neutral and this will be monitored throughout the implementation, Sparrow said.
Rep. Kimberly Poore Moser, R-Taylor Mill, asked if the needed resources and partnerships to refer those in the program for treatment and follow-up are available.
“I’ve been working on this for eight years, so I couldn’t be happier that this has been approved. It’s been a long journey. Lots of different applications, you know, scenarios. And some of my questions have been answered, but do we know that we have all the resources and the staff in our 12 state prisons to carry this out?” she said.
Sparrow said these issues are part of the planning process that’s being built in.
“Short answer, yes, there are some staffing needs. Again, that’s through the planning process. We will plan on how to address those needs to be able to support the implementation,” she said.
Sen. Phillip Wheeler, R-Pikeville, said determining who is covered and who is not is somewhat confusing, and he noticed the “glaring omission” that inmates in county jails will not be covered.
“Generally, the largest cost for any rural county government is the maintenance of the county jail, and a very large portion of that is, in fact, the health care costs associated with managing the county jail,” he said.
Wheeler said the program could help alleviate costs that are straining rural counties, and Sparrow said they agree.
“It’s a very complex project, so again, there are many things that we need to be able to demonstrate to CMS for approval in terms of, if we think of the infrastructure, there are nearly 80 jails across Kentucky that do operate differently,” Sparrow said.
Sparrow said the department would like to eventually onboard the county jails.
Wheeler said he is also concerned about medication-assisted treatment for counseling individuals with a substance abuse disorder up to 60 days prior to their release.
“I mean, frankly, one of the most common street drugs you see in Eastern Kentucky right now is Suboxone from people going to medication-assisted treatment,” he said.
Rep. Keturah Herron, D-Louisville, said she welcomes the project.
“So, it’s exciting to hear that we as a state should be proud that we are one of the states to be part of this and the only state in the south. And so, I am very excited about the possibilities and the partnerships,” she said.
FRANKFORT — Legislators on the Budget Review Subcommittee on Education received an overview Wednesday related to school safety, especially following budget allocations and legislative changes earlier this year.
Jon Akers, executive director of Richmond-based Kentucky Center for School Safety, and Chris Barrier, chief of police for Montgomery County Schools, testified about multi-pronged efforts to help keep schools safe and offered thanks for funding and support the center has received.
Lawmakers passed Senate Bill 2 during the most recent session of the Kentucky General Assembly.
The bill sought to boost the number of school resources officers by allowing some veterans and former police officers to serve as school “guardians.” It also called for a school mapping plan, increased trauma informed care in schools and suicide prevention measures, Akers said.
Additionally, the new state budget is helping to defray the costs of SROs, and House Bill 63 requires SROs in schools, he said.
Senate Democratic Floor Leader Gerald A. Neal, D-Louisville, asked if overall success in schools is being determined by using data, and Barrier pointed to recidivism rates.
“During the time that I have them, during this four-year time at the high school or the three years at the middle school, if they offend, can we keep them from reoffending? And I think that those are the things that are important in the long-term sense,” Barrier said.
Rep. Steve Riley, R-Glasgow, said overseeing those at schools can be daunting.
“I, like you, am a retired principal,” he said to Akers. “I know that I lost countless hours of sleep as a high school principal worrying about school safety because I felt the burden of being responsible for 1,300 students and over 100 employees. And that’s a great burden to feel.”
Riley said approximately four of five weeks ago, his area was experiencing threats and rumors of shootings at schools. They caused the schools to have to make extremely difficult decisions.
“They had to decide whether they’re going to continue school and risk losing money because they have a large number of students that missed because parents are scared or go ahead and have or not have school and then that creates a burden for parents, teachers and everybody else,” he said.
Sen. Matthew Deneen, R-Elizabethtown, who is co-chair of the subcommittee, said the Kentucky Center for School Safety has been integral to the protection of staff and students, and thanked other legislators for supporting the center.
“I want to thank the members of the House and the members of the Senate and their budget committees. This year alone, I think we added an additional $16.5 million and next year, that will be another $18 million to help protect our students and our staff and our schools. So, our members here value your input. We understand the importance of protecting our most precious asset, and that’s our students and our children,” he said.
The next meeting of the subcommittee is scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 6.
FRANKFORT — Legislators on the Interim Joint Committee on Education heard from Kentucky’s top education officials Tuesday about some of the latest numbers on student performance in Kentucky schools.
Three officials from the state Department of Education, including Commissioner Robbie Fletcher, testified on the 2024 assessment and accountability data.
Among the many numbers presented Tuesday, the percentage of students performing at the proficient or distinguished levels in reading remained steady in elementary and middle schools, but ticked up one point in high school to 45%.
In math, student performance remained level in elementary school. But the percentage of students performing at the proficient or distinguished levels increased from 37% to 39% in middle school and from 33% to 35% in high school.
Kentucky experienced declines in science, however. The percentage of proficient or distinguished students fell from 35% to 34% in elementary school, from 23% to 22% in middle school and from 10% to 6% in high school, according to the presentation.
In social studies, the numbers dropped from 42% to 39% in elementary school but rose one point to 35% in middle school and remained steady in high school. The percentages for writing on-demand were level in elementary, jumped from 44% to 49% in middle and rose from 40% to 42% in high school.
Committee Co-chair Rep. James Tipton, R-Taylorsville, said there’s much data to absorb.
“It’s important for us to know the data, but I think it’s even more important for us to be able to analyze the data and make decisions about how we can move forward,” he said.
Tipton said he visited an elementary school in Anderson County yesterday, and the students in a third grade reading class were reading about vertebrates and invertebrates.
He said imbedding varying content into literacy when students are very young can benefit them.
Rep. Timmy Truett, R-McKee, is principal at McKee Elementary School in Jackson County. He said the power of positive relationships can’t be underestimated to boost student success.
“The most important thing, like you mentioned, is those relationships, especially for those kids who struggle at home, who are low socioeconomic status, who are high poverty. You got to love those kiddos. They’ll run through a wall for you if you give them a hug,” he said.
Rep. Lisa Willner, D-Louisville, agrees with Truett that good relationships between educators and students are important.
“They’re going to be more successful, and we see that in data over and over again. And I wondered if KDE looks at all at the overlay between school climate and culture and the success of schools on these performance tests,” she said.
Fletcher said much assessment and accountability information was released in the fall to the public, but some of it was released earlier to officials at school districts so decisions can be made as soon as possible.
“There are two major components overall. One is status, and one is change. With status, you have to have two years of data before you can really incorporate change. So, the accountability for 2024 is comparable to 2023, then 2023, we use that data for change compared to 2022,” he said.
Rep. Kevin Jackson, R-Bowling Green, thanked the KDE officials for their accessibility and expressed concerns about the data.
“I guess as a career educator, I’m concerned about why we use change versus growth. Change, am I seeing this right, change is what this year’s fourth grade class does compared to last year’s fourth grade class? To me, that’s comparing apples to oranges,” he said.
Fletcher said he agrees with Jackson.
“One of the strongest pieces of data is, we need to look at student growth. And to me, a successful school is this: Where did you get the student and where did you take them?” Fletcher said.
Sen. Shelley Funke Frommeyer, R-Alexandria, asked how the growth metric can be put in place and emphasize communication with parents and others who raise children that students should not be truant.
“We expect the parents to show up, because this truancy is killing many students in my area’s future earnings potential. We’re struggling. We have some really tough, tough numbers, and these growth numbers aren’t there. So, what can we do to help you?”
Fletcher said the officials will hopefully come back to legislators in the spring to look at the next accountability model that will most likely emphasize growth. He also said professional development training investments are making a positive difference and he’d like to see them continue.
FRANKFORT — Generative artificial intelligence programs can clone people’s faces and voices to disseminate harmful, false messages. Kentucky Secretary of State Michael Adams told the Artificial Intelligence Task Force on Tuesday how this technology, also known as deep fakes, harms elections.
Adams shared a quote from a Foreign Affairs Magazine article co-authored by Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab that resonated with him: “Specifically, generative AI will amplify cybersecurity risks and make it easier, faster and cheaper to flood the country with fake content.”
Earlier this year in New Hampshire, a political consultant used AI to generate a robocall impersonating the president’s voice. The call urged voters not to vote in the primary. Adams said this is one example of how generative AI is being used to undermine the electoral process.
“Should you take up AI legislation when you return in 2025, I would encourage you to consider prohibiting impersonation of election officials,” Adams said. “It is illegal to impersonate a peace officer and for good reason. It should be equally illegal to impersonate a secretary of state or county clerk and put out false information in any format about our elections.”
Task force co-chair Sen. Amanda Mays Bledsoe, R-Lexington, filed Senate Bill 131 during the 2024 legislative session. It would have allowed candidates to take legal action against deep fake sponsors.
The bill was approved by the Senate, but did not become law before the end of the legislative session. Adams said he was grateful for her work.
Mays Bledsoe said she agrees that deep fake technology poses a great danger to voters, but there is “tension” between free speech and the laws.
“Do you have any thoughts on what’s that balance between the free speech element and the protection of the (election) process?” she asked.
Adams said he thinks some protections can be added to the laws on impersonating public officials and others related to voter intimidation and suppression. He also mentioned the Federal Election Commission is considering a disclaimer requirement for political ads using generative AI.
“If there is a disclaimer requirement and no one is told they can’t say something, I think that easily passes muster,” Adams said. “There are a lot of disclaimer requirements in just a standard ad … I think very clearly a disclaimer law is constitutional and would easily pass review.”
Mays Bledsoe said disclosure was part of SB 131, but there was some criticism that disclosures are hard to read or spot in an ad.
Utilizing voice-actors is another way people can impersonate elected officials or candidates. Sen. Gex Williams, R-Verona, asked Adams if he is wants to only address AI impersonations or take on voice-actor ones as well.
“I don’t think people should use any technology to impersonate an election official and put out false information about the elections,” Adams said, citing a chapter of state statute, KRS Chapter 119, which creates prohibitions on various harmful elections practices.
Rep. Josh Bray, R-Mount Vernon, is the other co-chair of the Artificial Intelligence Task Force. He said he thinks Adams’s policy recommendations are “reasonable.”
“It’s something I know we’ve debated internally. We’ve had Senate bills filed, we’ve had House bills filed, and it’s very clear that this is something that’s going to be with us as technology evolves,” Bray said.
The Artificial Intelligence Task Force is a special committee tasked with studying AI systems and how they're being used by Kentucky government agencies and other states.
The task force will provide recommendations on how Kentucky's use of AI systems would benefit state agencies and the legislative initiatives needed to provide consumer protection in the private and public sectors.
The task force's next meeting is currently scheduled for 11 a.m. on Oct. 29.
FRANKFORT — Delta-9 products are legal in Kentucky – if you’re at least 21 years old – but some hemp industry stakeholders want the products to be further regulated.
The Interim Joint Committee on Licensing, Occupations and Administrative Regulations discussed the issue Thursday. Jennifer Doering, general manager for Chas Seligman Distributing Co., said Delta-9 infused beverages need more regulations in Kentucky since they are intoxicating products.
“What we’re here to talk to you about is putting a little more regulation around these products because they are intoxicating and they don’t fall under the umbrella of the ABC,” Doering said.
In 2023, the Kentucky General Assembly passed legislation to put an age limit on hemp-derived products and to require testing and labeling requirements. The bill also gave the Cabinet for Health and Family Services the ability to develop administrative regulations for the products.
Joshua Mulberry, vice president of Kentucky for Heidelberg Distributing Co., said Kentucky’s current regulations are not adequate.
“There’s a registration process versus like a licensure, so there’s not as much checks and balances when it comes to what actually ends up in the marketplace,” Mulberry said. “So there are, unfortunately, examples of products that maybe aren’t registered or accounts that have not gone through the proper process.”
Bringing Kentucky law on intoxicating hemp-derived products into “parity” with rules on alcoholic beverages is something the legislature should consider, Mulberry said.
A licensing process, limiting the products to certain retailers and requiring more enforcement are some of the suggestions Mulberry and the other stakeholders made.
However, not everyone in the Kentucky hemp industry is on board with changing the current regulations. Hemp retailer and Kentucky Hemp Association board member Dee Dee Taylor said there is no reason hemp-derived beverages should be limited to liquor stores.
“The reason being is the cabinet has established regulations,” she said. “They have inspectors. I’ve already had one come out to my establishment.”
Lawmakers had many questions following the presentation. Rep. Ruth Ann Palumbo, D-Lexington, asked if the intoxicating hemp-derived products are sold in convenience stores.
Doering said convenience stores do sell the products but stock them next to alcoholic beverages.
Committee co-chair Sen. John Schickel, R-Union, wanted to know more about “reasonable regulations.”
Doering said Kentucky should move regulation for hemp-derived intoxicating beverages from the Cabinet from Health and Family Services to Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC).
Rep. Al Gentry, D-Louisville, said he is open to finding ways to better regulate hemp products.
“I don’t know what the exact or the best way is to do that,” he said, adding he wants to know more about the intoxicating effects of these products.
Mulberry said the level of THC in one Delta-9 beverage is akin to a beer.
“You’re talking two or three of these before you have any effects that you would feel,” Mulberry said, adding some products have a higher level making them more intoxicating.
Not every hemp-derived product is intoxicating, committee co-chair Rep. Matthew Koch, R-Paris, said.
“We’re not talking about something that doesn’t have an intoxicating effect,” he said. “These very much do … These are in very much a gray area, I could say, right now. And what we’re talking about is how do we put these for consumer protection on the market.”
FRANKFORT — Legislators on the Interim Joint Committee on Health Services heard testimony Wednesday from advocates of a proposed program that would help military medics become licensed practical nurses.
The initiative, dubbed Heroes to Healers, would help fill serious workforce gaps in Kentucky while creating opportunities for veterans, supporters said. They offered the same testimony to the Interim Joint Committee on Veterans, Military Affairs, and Public Protection later in the day.
Rep. Steve Bratcher, R-Elizabethtown, said the program is part of a bill supported by many stakeholders, and he thanked Rep. Kimberly Poore Moser, R-Taylor Mill, for joining him as a cosponsor of the measure. Moser is co-chair of the IJC on Health Services.
“I appreciate all of the members of the different organizations working together to show how we can work together to do better for the commonwealth,” he said.
Bratcher said the bill allows military medics to become LPNs, and they could later choose to work toward becoming registered nurses.
Committee Co-Chair Sen. Stephen Meredith, R-Leitchfield, agrees with Bratcher that teamwork is a must.
“One of our goals is being one of the most veteran friendly states in the United States, and I think this falls within that parameter in scope,” he said. “But also we try to address a workforce shortage that we’ve talked about throughout this meeting.”
Aaron Thompson, president of the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education, said it’s vital for Kentucky to get relief from the health care shortage.
“For many years at CPE, we’ve been establishing processes to actually combat that. We also know that to keep our economy going, we’re going to have to have a lot more people in our workforce who are educated to do that,” he said.
Thompson said officials from CPE went to Fort Campbell and realized that more should be done to help those leaving the military with leadership abilities move quickly into the civilian workforce.
“It’s about adult learners, true enough. But it is also about getting these highly trained veterans in our workforce that will stay in Kentucky and stay in our workforce,” he said.
Phil Neal, executive vice president and provost of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System, said a pathway for medics to become registered nurses already exists, but the new program would benefit even more veterans.
Kelly Jenkins, executive director of the Kentucky Board of Nursing, testified that the board’s goal is to protect the public, but that addressing the commonwealth’s workforce shortage with other agencies is important.
Bratcher agrees with Jenkins that public safety must be maintained.
“We’re not trying to lower the standards at all. We’re just trying to make a pathway to where people can come from the military and have that background in the military and move on to a viable field and then further on, once you get an LPN license, you can move on and do a bridge to do an RN,” he said.
Rep. Ryan Dotson, R-Winchester, said he was a military medic and took a test to practice as a civilian.
“This kind of hits a little home for me because I was a medic in the military as well. I went to X-ray school in the military, and I was able to transition rather smoothly from the military into the private sector,” he said.
He asked if a testing model would be put in place for those who received training in the military.
Jenkins said the National Council of State Boards of Nursing sets testing standards, and KCTCS would identify training gaps and offer classes in an accelerated program.
Moser said she’s very pleased with the proposal and called it a “great initiative.”
“It helps address our health care workforce shortage, and it is mission-driven in that it really helps our active duty military transition,” she said.
The next committee meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 23 at 9 a.m.
FRANKFORT — Rep. Emily Callaway, R-Louisville, plans to refile a bill in 2025 to help convicted felons reenter the workforce.
Callaway informed the Commission on Race and Access to Opportunity of her plans during the group’s Tuesday meeting. She said she believes an updated version of the legislation could potentially help 32,000 Kentuckians find meaningful employment.
Earlier this year, Callaway filed House Bill 124, which would require employers to inform potential employees if their criminal history would prevent them from working in a job that requires a professional license. This would happen prior to moving further in the application process or seeking the licensure, according Callaway.
“This significantly reduces the risk assumed by the people who are interested in pursuing work in licensed fields but are uncertain whether their criminal history will ultimately result in a denial,” Callaway said on Tuesday.
HB 124 passed the House by a 95-1 vote in March, but did not receive a vote from the Senate before the Kentucky General Assembly adjourned for the year. In order to be reconsidered in 2025, Callaway will have to refile the legislation, which she says will have minimal changes compared to the 2024 version.
Callaway said one of her goals is to promote transparency.
“All of this will be upfront and before an individual goes through the process of education and any other pursuit of that career. They know what they’re getting into,” Callaway added.
Additionally, the legislation would require hiring authorities and licensing boards to give the convicted felon applicant reasonable consideration, she said. The bill would ensure the licensure board and employer have details on the applicant’s conviction and rehabilitation.
“Reviewing these details during the application process will greatly reduce the number of appeals for denials and will encourage employers to hire these ambitious applicants due to a more thorough vetting process during the application process,” Callaway said.
Callaway said the legislation will benefit society.
“We want to get people who want to work back in society … This will maintain increased public safety, but it also gives citizens legitimate opportunity for well established employment, not just a job,” Callaway said. “It does obviously boost our economy by allowing people back into our workforce.”
Sen. Karen Berg, D-Louisville, said she supports Callaway’s bill.
“We need a trained workforce,” Berg said. “… This is a win, win, win.”
Co-chair Sen. Amanda Mays Bledsoe, R-Lexington, said she and Rep. George Brown Jr., D-Lexington, have discussed what policy recommendations the commission might make leading into the 2025 session.
“What we want to do is create more access and opportunity, and this legislation fits that,” Bledsoe said. “I applaud your efforts and look forward to supporting you.”
Callaway said several organizations across the state are working to help convicted felons find employment post incarceration, but this legislation would help remove additional barriers.
“This does take all of us working together,” Callaway said. “I’m really excited to hear you all having these conversations, because I rarely meet somebody who doesn’t know someone – it’s usually a family member – that’s been affected by some kind of criminal record.
“Anything we can do to help them and get them back into society and stop creating that kind of stigma, I’m excited to do so.”
The Kentucky General Assembly cannot take action on legislation until the 2025 legislative session begins on Jan. 7.
The next Commission on Race and Access to Opportunity meeting is scheduled for Oct. 22 at 1 p.m.
The commission is a statutory committee comprised of select Kentucky legislators and citizen members who study issues related to education, health, economic opportunity, justice, and other sectors to identify areas of improvement in providing services and opportunities for minority communities.
FRANKFORT — Legislators on the Kentucky Housing Task Force received an overview from industry leaders Monday about challenges and possible solutions to housing needs across the state.
Kate Shanks, senior vice president of public affairs for the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, testified with Anetha Sanford, chief executive officer/executive vice president of the Home Builders Association of Kentucky.
Sanford said the state faces a shortage of skilled laborers in fields such as carpentry and plumbing. Planning and zoning requirements, inflation and financing can also be challenges for stakeholders, she said.
When workforce shortages happen, construction is delayed and costs can climb, Sanford said. However, she told legislators the association is grateful for legislators’ continued investments in education pathways.
“Last year, you all supported and passed KEES funding for trade schools,” she said, referring to Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship money.
Kentucky is estimated to have a shortage of 206,000 housing units, but moving forward, housing does create jobs, Sanford said.
“People are working. When people purchase a new home, they’re going into furniture stores. They’re helping support the economy. But often times, there can be a downside, which is if companies don’t have housing or can’t hire employees to come and work, that can put a hamper on our local economy,” she said.
Shanks said the chamber and the state homebuilders’ association published a two-part study in June after hearing about housing issues from members and chambers of commerce in local communities.
Shanks said the policy solutions focus on support for housing infrastructure and local zoning reform, the homebuilding workforce, government relations, and regional approaches to housing.
Senate Minority Whip David Yates, D-Louisville, noted that the legislature earmarked money for converting vacant office spaces into housing. He said there’s a need for affordable, mid-range and upper-level housing.
“We have a demand at all levels of housing,” he said.
J.D. Carey, executive director of the Louisville Apartment Association, suggested multi-family dwellings should be encouraged to help Kentucky alleviate its shortage.
“We need to allow for townhomes and small lot homes. Allow your transit-rich corridors to turn into functional, mixed-use communities. Allow multi-family and mixed-use development at all commercial areas,” he said.
Sen. Jimmy Higdon, R-Lebanon, asked Carey if he sees a trend especially on multi-family units moving to smaller units to help reduce costs.
Carey said this is the case, and Higdon said he’s aware of multiple generations of families living in the same unit to save money.
Logan Hanes, executive director of the Kentucky Manufactured Housing Institute, said the housing of yesterday has been drastically improved. He showed legislators images of site-built homes and other housing side-by-side, and said manufactured housing stigma is outdated.
Rep. Mike Clines, R-Alexandria, said in 2023 he attended a manufactured housing exposition in Louisville and was “blown away” by the quality and the appearance of today’s manufactured homes.
Sen. Robby Mills, R-Henderson, and co-chair of the task force, said there were three “very good” presentations during the meeting.
The next task force meeting is scheduled for Oct. 21.
FRANKFORT — Legislators on the Interim Joint Committee on Education received updates Tuesday from five university presidents regarding diversity, equity and inclusion policies on college campuses.
Committee members volleyed questions to the presidents of the University of Kentucky, the University of Louisville, Eastern Kentucky University, Murray State University and Western Kentucky University. The updates follow the 2024 Regular Session when DEI topics were widely debated.
UK President Eli Capilouto said he encourages those at the school to ask themselves, "Did we care? Were we fair? and Did we give everyone a fair shot?"
He said he hears the concern that everyone be represented in what is said and done at the university. These concerns are voiced from faculty, staff and students.
"So, we're here today to find a common approach to a common concern, and that is how we support everyone regardless of where they are from, what they think and who they are," he said.
Capilouto said changes at UK were announced approximately a month ago. They include the closure of the Office for Institutional Diversity.
"The work of representing everyone needs to take place everywhere," he said. "Units that support all students have moved to the Office for Student Success where there already exists a suite of services, whether they be for first-generation students, students with disabilities, individuals who have particular mental health concerns. There are a whole host of things."
Rep. Steve Rawlings, R-Burlington, said he has concerns about teachings on victim ideology, microaggressions, toxic masculinity and more. He asked Capilouto if the changes are simply rebranding and shifting DEI concepts to other programs and departments.
"We did redefine and rewrite those job descriptions. When I met with the individuals that had some of those terms in their job descriptions or titles, I learned firsthand that their responsibilities extend to everyone," Capilouto said.
Those at the university seek to respond to and serve everyone, and some of the topics might be a subject of inquiry in a classroom and a fair debate, but not part of trainings, Capilouto added.
Rep. Tina Bojanowski, D-Louisville, asked Capilouto how much of the taxpayers' money was used to prepare documents and slides shared with legislators. She said the entire process regarding DEI isn't a microaggression, it's "a macroaggression against universities who are trying to ensure that all of their students' needs are being met."
She said she is uncomfortable with the situation and embarrassed that the committee met to discuss it.
"From my perspective, the problem is the demonization of diversity, equity and inclusion programs by certain members of this body," she said.
UofL President Kim Schatzel said the school's goal is to, "focus relentlessly on success of all our students...where no student is left behind."
Senate Minority Caucus Chair Reginald Thomas, D-Lexington, asked Schatzel if she has any reservations about the changes at UofL.
"I spent seven years with the same goal and same priority at Towson University where we were very directed with being able to support student success for all students, and we made the same kind of changes there as we're doing here," she said.
Rep. Candy Massaroni, R-Bardstown, said UofL provides additional salaries for DEI employees, and she asked if their salaries are based on race or sex.
Schatzel replied they are not.
Sen. Lindsey Tichenor, R-Smithfield, said testimony was given during the 2024 Regular Session by a university student who Tichenor said was unjustly not chosen to be a resident assistant.
"The efforts of DEI, I think at their beginning, were not to be divisive, but to create a more inclusive environment," she said. "But unfortunately, we see that it has created divisive and exclusive situations for a student to be told she couldn't be hired because she was too white and too Christian."
WKU President Timothy Caboni said the university is a guardian of free speech, and it has an obligation to establish an environment where a wide range of viewpoints are exchanged.
"Every student matters. And we remain committed to providing a support structure tailored and responsive to the needs of every student at our institution, from first-year programs and student organizations to global study and research opportunities," Caboni said. "And just as important, we remain committed to ensuring a sense of belonging and to protecting freedom of expression."
Rep. Timmy Truett, R-McKee, said the meeting offered legislators understanding.
"Talks like this need to happen. We need time like this to where you can explain why you are doing things and we can ask you why are you doing these things. So, this has been very informative to me, and I want to take this time to thank you guys for listening. You guys have listened," he said.
FRANKFORT — Members of the Interim Joint Committee on Health Services on Wednesday heard testimony from a human trafficking survivor, those who assist victims and former victims, and the leader of a data and research group.
"I live in Columbus, Ohio and have been doing this work for 15 years – sharing my story all around the country trying to open up people's eyes to what the words human trafficking mean and what they look like here in the United States," said Theresa Flores, a human trafficking survivor, licensed social worker and founder of The SOAP (Save Our Adolescents from Prostitution) Project.
Flores said her abusers kept track of her and threatened to kill her family. She was terrified and stuck in the situation when she was 15 and 16 years old. Today, there are still many people who don't know about human trafficking, and not only should the traffickers be prosecuted, but also the buyers, she said.
Committee Co-Chair Rep. Kimberly Poore Moser, R-Taylor Mill, said human trafficking is probably more prolific now due to social media and the different ways people connect versus in the 1980s. She said it's scary to think about human trafficking and what's happening to the victims. She thanked Flores for coming forward with her experiences.
"I really appreciate your sharing your story. It is difficult to hear. It is difficult to understand that this is going on in the U.S. and in Kentucky, but I felt like it was important for everyone to hear you and to hear what we are working on here in Kentucky." she said.
Sen. Lindsey Tichenor, R-Smithfield, said human trafficking is shocking and staggering, and buyers should be held accountable. She cited familial trafficking, unaccompanied minors who are unaccounted for, sextortion, child pornography and online exploitation. She said those who experience these things are all victims and are being continually sold to buyers.
Rep. Scott Sharp, R-Ashland, said he's concerned about children becoming victims of human trafficking at the Mexico-United States border.
"I appreciate this presentation today, and as a father of two daughters, it just really gets me mad," he said.
Two authors of the 2024 Kentucky Statewide Human Trafficking Data Report, Glenn Harden of Asbury University, and Marissa Castellanos of The Coterie, testified during the meeting. The report stems from the Kentucky Statewide Human Trafficking Task Force, which was established in 2013.
Harden testified that the report contains a 10-point recommendation summary of ways to address human trafficking in the commonwealth. It calls for increasing institutional capacity, expanding community resilience through policies to promote economic opportunities and other measures, and prioritizing survivor-centered human trafficking training for law enforcement and other stakeholders.
Harden said labor trafficking in Kentucky also needs to be addressed. He noted that certain visa holders are especially vulnerable to labor trafficking, but this can also happen in familial settings.
"Often people think of human trafficking as stranger danger, which exists. But the importance of recognizing that human trafficking can occur in the family, to raise awareness and to address those appropriate intervention issues are critical," he said.
Rep. Adrielle Camuel, D-Lexington, asked if there are programs to help those dealing with K-12 students recognize signs of trafficking or similar issues.
Castellanos said on the national level, the Department of Education has some helpful webinars and the Office on Trafficking in Persons has funded grants for prevention education for school districts. Kentucky districts could possibly benefit from these grants, she said. Others testified about additional resources.
Sen. Shelley Funke Frommeyer, R-Alexandria, said she got to meet Charity, a dog used by the Kentucky Office of the Attorney General to detect electronics such as USBs and cell phones possibly used in human trafficking and other cases.
Flores said although survivors' stories are hard to hear, they are reality. She said human trafficking is a highly prevalent crime, and sextortion is rising at epidemic rates.
"So, it is time that we really take a stronghold against this, and I'm confident that a great state like Kentucky can do some really good work," she said.
The next committee meeting is scheduled for Sept. 25.
FRANKFORT — Kentuckians Sean and Tia Edwards made history several years ago when they opened the first African American-owned distillery in Kentucky.
On Tuesday, the couple spoke to the Commission on Race and Access to Opportunity on the barriers minorities face working in the bourbon industry.
The commission is a statutory committee comprised of select Kentucky legislators and citizen members who study issues related to education, health, economic opportunity, justice, and other sectors to identify areas of improvement in providing services and opportunities for minority communities.
The Edwardses said the goal with their company – Fresh Bourbon Distillery – was to create an approachable product that anyone can enjoy, but they have faced some barriers being an African American-owned company.
Historically, the bourbon industry has been led by white men since the end of the Civil War due to many Black Americans moving away from the area during reconstruction, Sean Edwards said.
"We're happy about being in the industry, but you also deal with inherit prejudices that people have and ideas," Sean Edwards said, adding a misconception some buyers have is that their bourbon is being marketed as a bourbon for Black people when it is a bourbon for everyone.
Working with the banking industry has also been an issue for Fresh Bourbon Distillery, Sean Edwards said.
"(Banking) has been a very hard challenge for us and other people we know in this industry and other industries that have African Americans breaking into it ... because banking is built on relationships," Sean Edwards said.
The Edwardses learned by speaking with other startup distilleries that they had access to more capital due to relationships rather than credit profiles or business plans.
Senate Democratic Floor Leader Gerald A. Neal, D-Louisville, said it's important for the legislature to talk about what barriers exist in order to move forward.
"I think that the initiative is very important as well as overdue, but the barrier parts of it certainly have struck me with respect to this," Neal said. "We need to look deeper into that and how we can do things from a policy standpoint to alleviate some of that."
The Edwardses said the legislature and the consumer can do several things to help break down some of the barriers facing Black bourbon distillers in Kentucky.
"How can the consumer like myself and the commonwealth contribute to breaking those barriers" citizen member Katima Smith-Willis asked.
Tia Edwards said when it comes to restaurants, it helps if the customer requests the bourbon.
"The more that it is requested by the consumer, it's going to force them to bring it in even if they don't want to," Tia Edwards said. "Like Sean said, we've been told ‘Oh, this is a bourbon for Black people.' Well, no, it's a bourbon for everyone."
Sean Edwards agreed, and said policy wise, tax incentives might be something to consider.
"I think tax incentives to banks that work with underrepresented communities would be a good starting place," he said. "There might be some that exist, but creating and establishing relationships with the banking community or banks around Kentucky would do well for the African American population."
Rep. Killian Timoney, R-Nicholasville, who co-chairs the commission, said he thinks the Edwards have a lot to offer when it comes to being entrepreneurs.
"The Governor's School for Entrepreneurs is something that's put on every summer. I think that's definitely a venue that you need to take a look at and explore because there are probably a lot of people who have ideas, but they don't know how to materialize them," Timoney said.
Sen. Amanda Mays Bledsoe, R-Lexington, who also serves as a co-chair, agreed there is a need to create a pathway for more diversity in the bourbon industry, such as scholarship opportunities for university students.
Mays Bledsoe said sometimes all it takes is a student seeing someone who is like them to realize they can accomplish that goal too.
FRANKFORT — Legislators on the Kentucky Housing Task Force heard during Monday's meeting from a mayor, county judge/executive and an attorney about housing-related challenges facing communities throughout the commonwealth.
Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton and Myron Lewis, county judge/executive of Elliott County, along with F. Keith Brown of Pike Legal Group PLLC answered legislators' questions and testified during the meeting.
Gorton said Lexington is experiencing the same housing affordability and supply issues as many other cities across Kentucky and other parts of the United States. Without affordable housing, the economy of cities could falter, and officials in Lexington are working to improve the situation, she said.
"We work on this every day because we know that housing is one of the foundations of a strong city. It touches every aspect of our lives," Gorton said. "For example, as one of the state's largest economic engines, Lexington's businesses are dependent on a reliable workforce. That workforce requires housing that's affordable."
Gorton said as the only fully merged city-county government in the commonwealth and one of a very few merged governments nationwide, Lexington's housing policies must be attentive to the housing needs of both the rural and urban areas.
Like Gorton, Lewis said Elliott County has its own challenges regarding housing.
"Elliott County has been suffering from a diminishing population for several decades due to non job growth in and around our area. For many years, we've watched good families pack up and leave Elliott to chase the American dream elsewhere because it could not be realized here at home," he said.
Lewis pointed to the removal of tobacco crops as a catalyst for sinking income, closed businesses and decreases in property values and property taxes. He said this is choking the school system's tax base.
However, the Kentucky General Assembly and governor committed $114 million to double the size of the Little Sandy Correctional Complex and there will be jobs available, he said.
"This investment back into Elliott will send a generational ripple into homes right here by assuring a much more respectable living wage is available to those who choose to stay and find their version of the American dream right there in Sandy Hook," Lewis said.
More housing for workers is expected to be needed so they can be near the facility.
"Once construction is complete at our prison, LSCC will be adding up to 150 new jobs. The clock for demand of quality housing for prison workers is now ticking. And so far, we're already late," he said.
Rep. Kevin D. Bratcher, R-Louisville, recalled how controversy ensued in the 1990s when zoning issues came to the forefront.
"There was a lot of battles down there. I don't know if you guys were around during that time, but there was, compared to Louisville where I'm from, there was a real squeeze not to allow too much development that you'd be sorry for later," he said.
Bratcher asked Gorton if Lexington has a housing shortage and if details could be provided.
Gorton said a housing assessment is being completed to determine the kinds and quantity of housing needed, and she wants to know for certain what the study will show.
"We believe we are short of housing. That's why we are putting a lot of our resources into affordable housing. That is a huge need for us," she said.
Sen. Robby Mills, R-Henderson, said he spent five years on a planning and zoning board and three of them on the board of zoning and adjustments.
"I think every community fights the battle of where's the balance and allowing development versus property rights and people's rights to be heard, and you know I think that's best solved on a case-by-case basis in the communities," he said.
Sen. Jimmy Higdon, R-Lebanon, said he would like more details as well.
He responded to Gorton, saying "you said you're doing an assessment of what the needs are, and we're certainly gathering information. I'm trying to get my arms around what are the needs."
Higdon added that one size doesn't fit all.
"Like you said, it's going to be a lot of different needs. A lot of different sizes. A lot of different cost points, or price points," he said.
Rep. Lindsey Burke, D-Lexington, praised the officials from Lexington.
"I really am grateful for the work that Lexington is doing to advance affordable housing for all of our residents, so I know that's a commitment that you continue to follow through day after day, so I want to thank you," she said.
FRANKFORT — Domestic violence doesn't always involve physical violence. Rep. Stephanie Dietz, R-Edgewood, spoke to the Interim Joint Committee on Judiciary on Friday about coercive control and how the abuse tactic is used to leave victims feeling isolated and trapped.
"It involves a pattern of behavior aimed at undermining a victim's autonomy and freedom," Dietz said. "This can include manipulation, isolation, financial control and threats, none of which necessarily involve physical violence but are equally devastating."
Dietz said she has seen the impacts of coercive control firsthand as a family law attorney. She's met victims who were slowly isolated from their friends and family and slowly lost access to their own bank accounts, for example.
"I now understand just how important it is for us to look at the patterns of control and the behavior that ultimately results in the physical act of domestic violence," she added.
Dietz said her proposed legislation for the 2025 legislative session would "present a crucial amendment to our current domestic violence statute."
Current statute says an act or threat of physical violence is a requirement to receive an emergency protection order or interpersonal protective order. Dietz's bill would allow courts to issue protection orders to protect a victim from coercive control.
"This legislation would give victims a way out before the physical violence starts," she said. "This legislation could save lives."
House Majority Whip Jason Nemes, R-Middletown, asked which state has the best language for protection orders involving coercive control.
Christy Burch, CEO of The Ion Center for Violence Prevention, said eight states currently have coercive control language in statute. Burch testified alongside Dietz on the dangers of coercive control and shared different, real-life examples with the committee, like how one abuser used control over food and hygiene to manipulate and abuse a Kentucky woman and her children.
When working on the current draft of the bill, Dietz said she felt it was more appropriate to have more general language.
"Some states were much more specific in their examples... I don't know if all those specific examples are necessary because it could bind the court," she added.
In response, Nemes said he had some concerns about the language.
"This is new to me, so I don't have a position on it yet, but the generalization is what gives me great concern," Nemes said. "I'm don't know where I'm at on it and want to learn more about it, but I think maybe more particular (language) would be better."
A copy of Dietz's proposed bill is available here.
The Kentucky General Assembly cannot take action on legislation until the 2025 legislative session begins on Jan. 7.
The next Interim Joint Committee on Judiciary meeting is currently scheduled for Sept. 19 at 11 a.m. For more information, visit legislature.ky.gov.
FRANKFORT — The Workforce Attraction and Retention Task Force on Wednesday heard from two legislators and others about barriers some legal immigrants face when they seek employment.
Rep. Matthew Koch, R-Paris, and Rep. Nima Kulkarni, D-Louisville, testified during the meeting about those challenges and ways services might be connected to make attaining employment easier.
Koch recalled that, while serving in the military in Afghanistan, he met a translator who also worked in the medical profession before he immigrated to the United States.
"He goes from working in the medical field over in Afghanistan to coming over here and driving a cab," Koch said. "And that's always resonated with me because he did a great service for our country."
Koch said Wednesday's discussions dealt with those who came to the United States legally.
"Let me tell you what this conversation is not. This is not a conversation about the border of the flow of illegal immigrants. I'm a Marine. There's nothing I love more than a secure perimeter," he said. "This is about the Green Card holders. This is about our international students. This is about those who have come over here seeking asylum. Think about Ukraine. Think about Iraq."
Kulkarni said Kentucky is not the only entity dealing with challenges related to helping immigrants obtain employment, and learning best practices is paramount.
"It's not necessarily a Kentucky-specific issue, either. There's not one solution that's worked in every state. I will say overall what you heard from our guests, you've heard models that work, programs that work, but that have really sprouted up in areas on their own in a response to a growing need that is only getting bigger," she said.
If Kentucky officials take on some responsibility for funding, expanding and supporting programs where they exist, the commonwealth will benefit, Kulkarni said. Kentucky has the potential to harness a huge and growing potential workforce that's already here, she added.
Kristina Mielke, of Jewish Family and Career Services in Louisville, testified that Kentucky could benefit from legal immigrants who are in high-demand professions such as medicine and dentistry.
Sen. Robin L. Webb, D-Grayson, who practices law, said protocols could possibly be put in place – such as an apprenticeship or practicum under supervision – or some acknowledgement of job seekers' skills could be made.
"There are other ways to verify things, to come up with some alternative criteria for that. And then incorporate that with testing protocols. And I know a lot of these professions, including mine, are somewhat protectionist." she said.
Kulkarni said some who have come to Kentucky had to quickly flee their country of origin without documentation, which is often required to secure a job.
"The reason I think that we wanted to identify barriers to historically underrepresented workforce populations is exactly the point Senator Webb was making. Why are licensure boards not able to individually evaluate these foreign credentials because we're talking about populations that are displaced, so they don't come here with certified transcripts and copies of diplomas that we all may have in our basements or attics," she said.
Co-Chair Sen. Max Wise, R-Campbellsville, said recent legislation has helped some new Kentuckians more easily obtain employment, particularly related to nail salons.
The bill sparked a lot of interest "by that community that showed up in the halls here in Frankfort. I know that was a huge push into getting that bill across the line," he said.
Sen. Jason Howell, R-Murray, expressed concern about the difficulty of having enough interpreters and interpreters of certain languages. He said he thinks those who testified conveyed a similar message that efforts could be coordinated.
"This is new to us on a supply-demand standpoint. And we're just not set up from an infrastructure thing to deal with this appropriately," he said.
Kulkarni pointed out that the employment process could be improved by the federal government.
"So, this is just hopefully the beginning of the conversation. I mean in my years as an immigration practitioner, I do primarily employment based, so there's a lot of issues federally. There are a lot of reforms that should happen federally. And increasingly, it means states have come up with their solutions in order to harness patterns of global migration," she said.
FRANKFORT — For nearly a year, the Commonwealth Office of Technology (COT) has worked to learn all it can about artificial intelligence technology.
Ruth Day, chief information officer at COT, told the Kentucky legislature's Artificial Intelligence Task Force what the agency has learned and how it's being used by state government on Tuesday.
"Since we are early in the journey, I can tell you that's very limited use," Day said. COT currently has a list of all the AI tools that have been procured, but how they're being used is decided agency-by-agency, she added.
The Cabinet for Health and Family Services, for example, is using a generative AI tool to identify on its self-service portal where users are spending most of their time to indicate where users might be having difficulty with the portal, Day said.
COT currently has 30 AI tools available for agency use, according to Day. In order to ensure ethical usage and privacy protection, COT is also drafting a new AI policy that will strengthen the agency's current technology usage policies.
Additionally, Day said COT has been using a process called Kentucky Information Technology Standards during the AI tech procurement process. Staff is also undergoing annual training on AI.
In September 2023, COT held an "AI Day" where Day and other staff met with several companies like Google and Microsoft about AI.
"The key takeaway that my team and I heard ... was understand that generative AI, like ChatGPT, is powerful. But know what you put into those public, free models are then in the public domain," Day said.
Being aware of bias, data quality, privacy and other accuracy issues were also topics of concern.
"In all use cases of generative AI, there must be human oversight and human review of the output," Day added.
Co-chair Sen. Amanda Mays Bledsoe, R-Lexington, asked: "Do you feel like we have a good handle on employees being wise about their uses?"
Day said she does, however, COT is still working on understanding how to use all the AI tools currently available.
Following up on that topic, Co-chair Rep. Josh Bray, R-Mount Vernon, asked Day what the state can expect to see with AI in the next two years.
"Will we see AI maybe within the unemployment system to maybe help process some of these claims?" Bray asked. "Nationally, we've seen an uptick in unemployment insurance claims. The markets have kind of appeared to cool off, and there are some that think we're headed towards a recession. Is the commonwealth prepared for that?"
Day said the future of AI in Kentucky is being discussed every day.
"I'm not familiar with all the workings of the unemployment insurance, but I do know they have had great success in this optical character recognition," Day said. "It's not the stuff you knew 10 years ago. It's come a long, long way, and they have a high level of accuracy."
With the 2025 legislative session in mind, Senate Minority Caucus Chair Reginald Thomas, D-Lexington, asked Day when the policy COT is drafting will be finished.
"We, as a task force, would like to see your report prior to us formulating what we're going to be doing beginning in January," he said.
Day said the hope is to have the policy finished before Thanksgiving.
Tuesday was the second meeting of the Artificial Intelligence Task Force. The special committee is tasked with studying AI systems and how they're being used by Kentucky government agencies and other states.
The task force will also provide recommendations on how Kentucky's use of AI systems would benefit state agencies and the legislative initiatives needed to provide consumer protection in the private and public sectors.
The task force's next meeting is currently scheduled for 11 a.m. on Sept. 10.
FRANKFORT — Legislators on the Interim Joint Committee on Health Services heard Tuesday from paramedic and emergency medical technician advocates, trauma network supporters and other medical-related stakeholders.
John Holder, chair of the Kentucky Board of Emergency Medical Services, said EMS groups are "hemorrhaging providers," causing great concern.
"The EMS in Kentucky has an attrition rate of 21% among our providers right now. That means for us, two out of 10 of our providers will not return and will not certify again next year," he said.
Additionally, Holder said the call volume is up 30,000 runs from the time a legislative task force started examining the situation approximately two years ago.
Committee Co-Chair Sen. Stephen Meredith, R-Leitchfield, said he filed legislation last year dubbed the "super speeder bill." He said it's modeled after legislation in Georgia, a state that didn't have a trauma network and needed a way to fund it.
"So, in Georgia, if you go 20 miles over the speed limit, you get an additional $200 fine, which is put into a trauma fund. And for Georgia, this generates $20 million a year. The legislation I filed – I had a compromise on it. It would actually call for 25 miles over the speed limit," he said.
Meredith said the fines could possibly generate $9 million a year in Kentucky by using the 25-mile-an-hour speeding infraction. He said that could help improve the EMT situation in Kentucky, bolster the Kentucky Rural Hospital Revolving Loan Program and pay for new automated external defibrillators (AEDs).
Sen. Karen Berg, D-Louisville, who is a physician, said she favors allowing inmates who are trained to be emergency medical technicians to keep practicing once they are released from incarceration.
"They've already been selected. They've already been trained. This is just a suggestion. I made it years ago. Nobody wanted to listen to it because these people have felony convictions, but the truth is you have a right to make up a debt to society," she said.
Rep. Lisa Willner, D-Louisville, asked Holder what paramedic and EMT leaders need from the legislators to increase reimbursement rates. She expressed apprehension that paramedics and EMTs don't get reimbursed when patients aren't transported to a hospital.
Holder said treatment in place is a good thing because patients don't have to go to a hospital unnecessarily and hospitals don't have to incur the costs if patients can be treated in the field.
"Basically, we would need support from you to increase those reimbursement rates. We're moving our advanced practice paramedics forward, including community paramedics and mobile integrated health programs," he said. "Looking forward in the very near future, we're going to be looking for avenues for those folks to be reimbursed when they go out and provide that care."
Committee members also heard from Richard "Dick" Bartlett, Kentucky State Trauma Program Director for the Kentucky Hospital Association, who said trauma is a severe health problem and is a major cause of death and long-term disability. He said trauma centers save lives and money.
"We have built a system essentially using voluntary assistance, grants and gifts, and we've grown it from four verified trauma centers in 2008 to where we are today, which is about 23. And I've got probably five to seven more that are working hard to become trauma centers down the road." he said.
Meredith said the cost of doing nothing to remedy trauma system and EMT/paramedic situations would be staggering.
"We heard from the trauma system that they want $1 million. Really, that's not that much money, but the return is just phenomenal. The EMTs are asking for $3 million and $6 million over the biennium. Again, the return on investment could be incredible," he said.
FRANKFORT — Counties are struggling to fund jails, according to county jailers, judge-executives, and other stakeholders.
A presentation on the financial burden county jails have on local governments was given to the Interim Joint Committee on Local Government on Monday. Kentucky Association of Counties (KACo) Executive Director Jim Henderson said the fiscal impact jails have on counties is challenging and complex.
In Kentucky, about 43 out of 120 counties do not have a jail, he added, and funding for jails comes from several different sources. For jails that house federal inmates, they receive some federal reimbursement. But Kentucky counties spend about $350 million per year to operate jails, Henderson said.
Rowan County Judge-Executive Harry Clark joined Henderson to talk about the jail funding issue. In 2018, Rowan County opened a new 279-bed facility where a third of the inmates come from other counties.
Six out of the seven counties surrounding Rowan County do not have a jail, so they fit a need for the region. However, the cost of operating the jail is still an issue, Clark said.
"We're struggling now," Clark said. "The counties are definitely struggling to keep up these jails, so we need to come up with a long-term solution, whatever that may be."
Clark said cleaning and food costs have increased over the last few years making the fiscal issue worse. He suggested that contracting for some services might reduce costs.
"It's bleeding us dry," Clark said. "There's so many other things we could do with the money that we're spending on this."
Menifee County Judge-Executive Rick Stiltner also spoke before the committee. He said his county's jail closed more than 30 years ago, and he doesn't want to open a new one.
Counties without jails in Kentucky are forced to contract with other county jails to house their inmates. Stiltner said this decision saves Menifee County money, but the county is still spending about one-fifth of its budget on prisoner costs.
Stiltner said he isn't sure how to fix the issue, but he likes Clark's idea to contract out services, like food.
Sen. Amanda Mays Bledsoe, R-Lexington, said bringing certain services in-house has helped Fayette County's jail. It has its own medical facility, which has cut down on transportation costs and has made health care more immediate for inmates, she said.
"It does not by any means touch long-term the cost of medical, which is huge, but it is something," she said. "I think it's a good idea to look at maybe regionally is there some cost savings where we can have people come in to the facilities and provide that care"
Hardin County Attorney Jenny Oldham also spoke before the committee. She said sometimes the medical needs of an inmate are so expensive that the inmate must be released, but she and the jailer do everything they can to prevent that from happening.
Rep. Sarah Stalker, D-Louisville, asked if anyone is keeping track of how many inmates have to be released due to expensive medical needs. Oldham said they are not keeping any official data, but it is something they can start doing.
The length of time an inmate spends waiting for trial was also discussed. Sen. Greg Elkins, R-Winchester, said he's aware some inmates can spend up to three or five years waiting for trial or a resolution.
"I think we're going to have to find a way to get those inmates sentenced quicker and through the system quicker," he said. "One-thousand-plus days on the county dime is unreasonable."
Oldham said there are systems in place to help the courts cut down on jail time, but bail schedules are an issue. She said the Administrative Office of the Courts sets those.
"Those are not local," Oldham said. "I don't think that is conducive to having the right kind of control to reduce those costs."
FRANKFORT — During Thursday's meeting of the Interim Joint Committee on Natural Resources and Energy, members heard testimony about the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's rule on greenhouse gas standards and guidelines for coal-fired power plants.
A state Department for Environmental Protection official, an attorney with experience in environmental law and an attorney from Kentucky's Office of the Attorney General offered comments. Lawmakers questioned how the rules would affect new and existing power plants that run on coal, oil or gas.
Allison D. Wood, a partner at the McGuireWoods law firm, said many states are opposing the rule, but others support it.
"This is in fact a final rule. It is being litigated vigorously by not just states, but also many industry parties," she said. "There are 27 states that are challenging the final greenhouse gas rule, including the Commonwealth of Kentucky, and there are 22 states that are defending it."
Committee Co-Chair Rep. Jim Gooch Jr., R-Providence, said affordability and reliability could be affected soon "if we continue on the current path."
He said he doubts the rule would be attainable, and the state is being forced to switch from coal to other energy sources.
"We still have a lot of unanswered questions. The problem that we have is that with the new rule – the things that they're talking about – 90% sequestration of carbon dioxide is probably not possible, certainly not feasible. It's not something that can be done as far as cost is concerned," Gooch said.
Like Gooch, Committee Co-Chair Sen. Brandon Smith, R-Hazard, said he's also a skeptic.
Smith said he was on a clean air task force in China before the Olympics, and the Chinese government sought "blue sky days," when the air is cleaned up so the sky can be viewed.
"When I was there with the task force, every single industry we went to couldn't wait to get past the preliminaries and introductions so they could show us their new generators that they had purchased in America," Smith said. "And so, they would use their quota from the government. As soon as they reached their 10,000 megawatts or whatever they had, they would fire up these generators which would cause pollution at a different level than I think China had ever dreamed would happen."
Wood said the rule would put energy producers in a tough spot by creating standards that aren't achievable. Producers will look to retire plants rather than break the law, she said.
Anthony "Tony" Hatton, commissioner of the state's Department for Environmental Protection, said the federal rule requires Kentucky to submit a state implementation plan for the new rule in 2026.
"Intuition, no value judgment, but intuition says that there will be impacts, potential impacts to current and future electric generation," he said.
Hatton said property would need to be set aside for carbon sequestration, and issues would arise with private landowners. In some states, there might be issues surrounding surface rights and minerals rights – a process that could become extremely complicated, he said.
The rule potentially forces state officials to choose between meeting requirements of the Clean Air Act or providing electricity as required by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Hatton said.
Rep. John Blanton, R-Salyersville, asked Hatton about facilities across the state and summed up what could happen due to the standards and guidelines.
"Because of these regulations that they're pushing down, we've going to end up losing some plants or some partial plants, and we're going to increase rates for our customers across the commonwealth and weaken our power grid is what I'm hearing from all this. It just all comes into play," he said.
FRANKFORT — Teen mental health and staffing issues at detention facilities were discussed during a presentation on juvenile justice issues given to lawmakers Thursday.
The Interim Joint Committee on Judiciary heard from Nina Salomon, deputy division director for the Corrections and Reentry Justice Center with The Council for State Governments (CSG).
CSG's national data shows the number of incarcerated youth declined by 70% from 2000 to 2022, and youth arrests for violent offenses remain historically low, she said. However, there has been a post-pandemic increase in youth arrests for homicide and weapons, resulting in a concurrent increase in youth victimization.
"We've definitely heard a concern around youth violence and youth gun violence in particular," Salomon said. "While youth gun violence remains historically low – a decline of about 54% from 2000 to 2022 – it's still a long-standing problem, and one that we know deserves further attention and more targeted attention."
In Kentucky, Salomon said the data shows behavioral health needs are a significant driver of justice involvement.
Students in Kentucky report various ways of experiencing trauma, she said, adding that "23% of Kentucky high school students reported ever seeing someone get physically attacked, beaten, stabbed or shot in their neighborhood."
Although the current data is alarming, Salomon said it also shows arrests have declined significantly since 2010.
"This is a testament to the great work that folks in Kentucky across the board have done over the last several years to reform the front end of the juvenile justice system, and keep kids out of the juvenile justice system who don't need to be there, especially since the passage of that reform bill about a decade ago," Salomon said.
CSG's national data also showed more female students reported feeling "sad or hopeless" in the last year than male students. Rep. Steven Doan, R-Erlanger, asked how the youth crime data reflects those statistics.
"Are we seeing a proportional increase based on that and offenses related to young women as opposed to young men? And if so, how are facilities changing or moving towards addressing young women, particularly with respect to housing as opposed to young men?" Doan asked.
Salomon said males tend to commit more serious offenses than females, who are more likely to commit non-person offenses that are rooted in experiencing behavioral health issues and abuse. She suggested looking deeper at the system as a whole and how it addresses the different needs of females and males experiencing trauma and behavioral health problems.
Rep. Keturah Herron, D-Louisville, said the presentation showed 62% of committed youth are status offenders or committed a non-person or technical violation. She asked Salomon what are some solutions to those issues.
Salomon said some states have passed laws that say youth cannot be detained or incarcerated for certain technical violations or they have created graduated response matrices.
Staffing issues at juvenile justice centers was another issue lawmakers wanted to discuss with Salomon. Rep. Nima Kulkarni, D-Louisville, asked what the top reasons were for retention issues.
COVID-19 changing the way younger people experience the workforce, pay, training, and safety were among the top reasons, Salomon said.
Rep. Kimberly Poore Moser, R-Taylor Mill, said prevention and programming are topics the legislature has discussed before.
"I think we need to look into things like better training and mobile crisis response, early assessment, as for that sort of thing upon intake and really see what it is kids need," she said.
FRANKFORT — Legislators on the Interim Joint Committee on Education offered a variety of viewpoints Tuesday about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs in Kentucky higher education.
Committee Co-Chair Sen. Stephen West, R-Paris, said bills related to DEI programs were filed in both the House and Senate during the 2024 legislative session.
"We felt that if we were going to broach the subject, if this subject was going to be addressed again, that we should have all the information available to us, and we should have a thorough understanding of what all our postsecondary institutions were doing as it pertains to DEI," he said.
Presidents of two state universities, a representative from a constitutional advocacy center, and two officials from the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE) were on hand to testify and answer lawmakers' questions.
Travis Powell, vice president and general counsel for CPE, said the Office for Civil Rights found Kentucky in violation of the Civil Rights Act in 1982 due to racial segregation in higher education. CPE was tasked at that time with responding to the U.S. Department of Education's desegregation plan.
Kentucky was released from the plan in 2008, "which was a great accomplishment for the state." Powell said. "But we still had this legislation in place in order to set equal educational opportunity goals. So, in 2010, the council created a new diversity plan, and then in 2016, we created a DEI policy that was integrated into our strategic agenda."
Powell said CPE sets targets for supporting low-income and underrepresented minority students and evaluates campuses based on their progress toward those targets. However, he said, CPE does not set quotas.
"No one student is discriminated against based on any of our policies that we have in place," he said, adding that state universities maintain high admission rates. "We are not about turning anybody away on our campuses at all."
Cady Short-Thompson, president of Northern Kentucky University, and Jay Morgan, president of Morehead State University, also testified about DEI policies on campus.
Short-Thompson said NKU spent 0.34% of its budget on programs and activities related to DEI in fiscal year 2024.
Morgan testified that MSU does not require diversity statements from job applicants, require DEI training or use race-based admissions for students.
Lawmakers asked the presenters about several DEI-related issues, including campus pronoun policies, affinity groups and how DEI has impacted academic standing.
Sen. Lindsey Tichenor, R-Smithfield, noted that, even though Morehead serves a high-number of low-income students, it has not always met CPE's targets for DEI. She asked if the campus has been affected by CPE's scoring process.
Morgan said MSU did not meet the diversity goals one time out of the past seven years. However, he added that it can be hard for MSU to meet the diversity goals while supporting the region. Half of the institution's students qualify as low-income, placing serious demands on funding and resources, he said.
"We do not let diversity take a back seat with respect to the CPE state plan," he said. "However, there have been some times when we have gently disagreed with some of the metrics that were in there."
Timothy K. Minella, senior constitutionalism fellow at the Goldwater Institute's Van Sittert Center for Constitutional Advocacy, testified that CPE annually scores institutions based on DEI metrics.
"Through this annual process, CPE essentially threatens public institutions, ‘get on board with racial discrimination and DEI practices or lose the ability to expand your academic offerings to serve students,'" he said.
Senate Minority Caucus Chair Reginald Thomas, D-Lexington, said his grandmother once told him that there were only three or four other Black students when she attended the University of Kentucky in 1955.
He asked Minella if he wanted to return UK to the 1950s or if he had something else in mind that wasn't included in the report Minella shared with committee members.
Minella said the intent is to prohibit racial discrimination in public institutions of higher education, both in admissions and hiring
House Majority Whip Jason Nemes, R-Middletown, said conservatives do themselves a disservice in conflating efforts to help people who have been harmed historically, whether it be redlining, poverty or something else.
"What I think we should be hyper focused on is making sure we have intellectual diversity, and making sure that we attack the places in our university that are going after the institutions of western civilization and trying to change our culture like we've seen all over the country this past year," he said.
West said the committee will continue to discuss DEI and hear from state universities in September.
FRANKFORT — In 2022, the federal government granted Kentucky $69.5 million to install electric vehicle charging stations across the state by 2027.
On Tuesday, the Interim Joint Committee on Transportation heard testimony from John Moore, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet assistant state highway engineer, on the project's progress.
The National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program (NEVI) is funded by the federal 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Moore said the program is focused on building out the alternative fuels corridor, which includes all interstates and parkways.
In order to receive funding, charging stations are required to be within 50 miles of each other, within a mile of the corridor and publicly available 24/7. The charging stations must also be able to support four simultaneously charging vehicles at 150 kilowatts.
To date, Moore said the state has awarded two RFPs and $27.2 million to build 42 charging sites.
"Once these are completely built out, travelers will have access to 168 chargers conveniently located along Kentucky's primary corridors," Moore said.
Committee co-chair Sen. Jimmy Higdon, R-Lebanon, asked if a match is required to receive a grant from the program. Moore said it is a reimbursement program.
"Whatever expenditures they have that qualify for the NEVI program, we will reimburse 80% of that," he added.
Some of the new charging stations will be operational soon. Eleven charging sites should become operational this year with another 21 operational next calendar year, Moore said.
"We're optimistic that we'll be able to achieve build out certification in 2026," Moore said, adding once the federal requirements are met along the corridor, the program will be able to expand beyond the corridor.
Rep. Tom Smith, R-Corbin, asked if the Transportation Cabinet is planning to slow down the rollout of the program due to reports of manufacturers cutting back on production of electric vehicles.
"Are you aware of any downtrend in the electric vehicle use? I've heard manufacturers say they're going back to the hybrid system and not fully electric," he said.
Moore said the cabinet does not plan on scaling back the rollout of the charging stations. He also said although he's not fully "dialed-in" to what is going on in the electric vehicle industry, he knows dependable infrastructure is important for vehicle production.
"Part of the suppression of demand is the lack of dependability traveling long-distances," Moore added. "Right now, you almost have to plot your course out on a map to figure out if you can make it ... This is ideally going to break the logjam and provide that dependable infrastructure."
FRANKFORT — A battery of new state laws will take effect in Kentucky next week, including key measures on crime, autonomous vehicles, maternal health and child protection.
The Kentucky General Assembly passed more than 200 bills during the 60-day session, and most will become effective on Monday.
The Kentucky Constitution specifies that new laws take effect 90 days after the adjournment of the legislature unless they have special effective dates, are general appropriation measures, or include emergency clauses that make them effective immediately upon becoming law.
The general assembly adjourned the 2024 session on April 15, making July 15 the effective date for most bills.
Some of the measures set to take effect include:
Adoption Records: House Bill 87 will allow some family members to inspect adoption records if they are related to someone who was adopted or to the birth parents who gave up a child for adoption. The records can only be inspected after both birth parents or the adoptee have passed away.
Animal Abuse: House Bill 258 seeks to strengthen state laws against torturing a dog or cat. That includes stiffer penalties for first-time offenders, who could face a class D felony rather than a misdemeanor charge under the bill.
Autonomous Vehicles: House Bill 7 creates a legal framework in state statute for operating autonomous vehicles in Kentucky. The bill will take effect July 15 except for one section related to platoons of vehicles, which does not take effect until August 2026.
Capitol Statues: House Bill 513 requires the Historic Properties Advisory Commission to receive approval from the Kentucky General Assembly before adding or removing any statues, monuments or art on permanent display in the Capitol rotunda.
Child Care Subsidies: Senate Bill 240 clarifies that foster parents who work remotely can receive child care subsidies.
Child Protection: House Bill 278 will ramp up the criminal penalties for offenders who sexually abuse, assault or exploit children. The bill also seeks to prevent people convicted of sex crimes or violent felonies from working in public schools. Another provision in the final bill will require age verification to access adult websites.
Child Sex Dolls: House Bill 207 creates felony penalties for possessing, trafficking, importing or promoting the use of a child sex doll. It also expands laws against child pornography to include computer-generated images of an identifiable minor.
Civics Education: House Bill 535 calls on the Kentucky Board of Education to create academic standards for civic literacy in high schools. That includes lessons on America's founding, the U.S. Constitution, principles of government and civil liberties, among others.
Crime Victims: Senate Bill 319 calls for the Crime Victims Compensation Board to make its application process available online, to publish the application in additional languages, and to establish a tracking process for claims. It also clarifies who is eligible to file claims and extends the deadline to file claims.
Cursive Handwriting: Senate Bill 167 calls for elementary schools to teach cursive handwriting and ensure that students are proficient in cursive by the end of the fifth grade.
Emissions Standards: Senate Bill 215 forbids state agencies from adopting or enforcing California's emission standards on motor vehicles.
Firearms: House Bill 357 forbids government agencies from creating a list of privately owned firearms – or their owners – unless the information relates to a criminal investigation. The bill also prevents credit card companies from creating unique merchant codes for gun stores.
Foster Care: Senate Bill 151 allows family members who take temporary custody of a relative's child to apply to become a relative or fictive kin foster parent. That will help them access more state resources and support.
Gas Stations: House Bill 581 prevents local governments from passing or enforcing rules that treat retail gas stations differently from electric vehicle charging stations.
Health Care Background Checks: Senate Bill 145 will allow health care providers enrolled in the Medicaid program to conduct employee background checks through Kentucky's child and adult abuse registries.
Health Care Liability: House Bill 159 protects health care providers from criminal liability when a medical error harms a patient. The bill exempts harm resulting from gross negligence or wanton, willful, malicious or intentional misconduct.
Juvenile Offenders: Senate Bill 20 seeks to curb youth gun violence. Among several provisions, it clears the way for juveniles to stand trial as adults if they use a firearm in the commission of certain felonies and they are at least 15 years old.
Kratom: House Bill 293 aims to regulate kratom, an herbal drug frequently sold online and in convenience stores. The bill prohibits sales to people under 21 and provides guidelines for manufacturing and labeling the product.
Kindergarten Readiness: House Bill 695 will establish the Adaptive Kindergarten Readiness Pilot Project within the Kentucky Department of Education. The program will offer reading, math and science instruction through an online platform.
Maternal Health: Senate Bill 74 aims to support maternal and infant health and reduce the high mortality rate for mothers in Kentucky. Several sections of the bill are set to take effect on July 15, including one that will provide more information about breastfeeding and safe sleep to at-risk parents. Other sections will establish a state maternal fatality review team and require state Medicaid services to cover lactation consulting, breastfeeding equipment, and in-home and telehealth services. The bill also calls on state health officials to compile an annual report about the number and types of delivery procedures performed at each hospital. Other sections of the bill will not take effect until 2025.
Mathematics Education: House Bill 162 seeks to improve numeracy in Kentucky. It calls for reform to early education math standards and for more professional development for teachers. The bill will also create multitiered support systems for struggling students.
Medicinal Cannabis: House Bill 829 seeks to update some aspects of Kentucky's upcoming medicinal cannabis program. It will allow schools to opt out and allow local governments to apply a small fee to the program, among other changes. Three sections of the bill related to applications for business licenses, state enforcement and patient pamphlets will not take effect until 2025.
Missing Adults: Senate Bill 45 calls on Kentucky State Police and other state officials to operate a new alert system that helps find missing people over the age of 17.
Nuclear Energy: Senate Bill 198 establishes the Kentucky Nuclear Energy Development Authority to support and facilitate the development of a nuclear energy ecosystem across the state.
Official State Rock: House Bill 378 changes the official state rock from Kentucky agate to coal. It also changes the official mineral from coal to calcite and the official gemstone from the freshwater pearl to Kentucky agate.
Pseudoephedrine: House Bill 386 eases purchase limits on pseudoephedrine to help people with chronic allergies legally obtain enough of the medication to meet their medical needs.
Recording Food Operations: Senate Bill 16 forbids people from capturing or distributing unauthorized video, audio or photos from a commercial food manufacturing facility or an animal feeding operation. Violators could face a class B misdemeanor on the first offense and a class A misdemeanor for a subsequent offense.
Research Consortiums: Senate Bill 1 creates an endowment fund to support collaborative research consortiums among public universities in Kentucky. Administered by the Council on Postsecondary Education, the program will focus on research projects that seek to improve quality of life through medicine, health and economic development.
Safer Kentucky Act: House Bill 5 aims to crack down on repeat, violent offenders. It will also allow prosecutors to file a manslaughter charge against anyone who sells or distributes fentanyl that causes a fatal overdose. Other provisions seek to curb unlawful street camping and set limits on charitable bail organizations.
School Bus Behavior: House Bill 446 seeks to address disciplinary issues on school buses. Under the bill, every bus rider and at least one of their parents or guardians will need to sign a transportation agreement with the district. The agreement would outline expectations for students and parents and explain the consequences for misbehavior.
School Notifications: Senate Bill 11 seeks, in certain cases, to speed up notifications to schools when a student has been charged with a crime.
School Safety: Senate Bill 2 seeks to enhance school safety by allowing some veterans and former police officers to serve as school "guardians." It also calls on school districts to assemble trauma-informed teams to improve mental health interventions.
Sex Offenders and Social Media: Senate Bill 249 will require sex offenders who have been convicted of abusing a minor to use their legal name on social media platforms.
Truancy: House Bill 611 calls for school officials to file a complaint with the county attorney when a student misses 15 days or more of school without an excuse. For students in elementary school, the parent would be held responsible.
Vaping in Schools: House Bill 142 will ban all tobacco, alternative nicotine and vapor products in Kentucky public schools. It will also require school districts to adopt disciplinary procedures for students who violate the bans.
Veteran Suicide Prevention: Under House Bill 30, the Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs will create a suicide prevention program for service members, veterans and their families.
Window Tinting: Senate Bill 46 allows windshield tinting on vehicles as long as at least 70% of light can still pass through the material.
Youth Employment Programs: Senate Bill 128 allows nonprofit organizations to employ 12- and 13-year-olds for the purpose of learning life and employment skills. To participate, organizations would need to first receive approval from the state Department of Workplace Standards, and the work can not exceed 18 hours a week.
Youth Medical Records: House Bill 174 stipulates that parents have access to their child's medical records. Right now, children ages 13 and older must sign a waiver for parents to have access.
FRANKFORT — Members of the Tobacco Settlement Agreement Fund Oversight Committee learned Thursday how the Community Farm Alliance helps bring healthy food to Kentuckians.
Myrisa K. Christy, executive director of the alliance, and two others offered committee members an overview of the Kentucky Double Dollars and Farmers Market Support Program. Through Kentucky Double Dollars, spending power is increased on Kentucky-grown fruits and vegetables, she said.
The program is designed to increase sales and income for the state's farmers, develop new farm customers by introducing local food for low-income populations and leverage federal food and nutrition program funds, she said.
"I think it's important to have farmers markets participating in the program and taking ownership, because that's how they're going to end up supporting it long-term and developing the community around it," Christy said.
Sen. Amanda Mays Bledsoe, R-Lexington, also committee co-chair, said the program is good because it brings healthy food to more people.
"The dollar program is fantastic, and I know in my county, the farmers markets are critical to providing accessibility to what you need – fresh food," she said.
Rep. Shawn McPherson, R-Scottsville, said he's thinks Allen County leads the state in vegetable production, and he supports the local farmers market on the downtown square and other efforts to put producers' goods in front of potential customers.
"It's a big thing, and we do a lot with our local square there. We have First Fridays. We do a lot of things so everybody's familiar with and they come to," he said.
McPherson said it's a good thing when farmers can take risks and plant more crops annually knowing the demand is there; that the food won't go to waste.
"And so, we're always looking to see where we can expand that market," he said.
Rep. Rachel Roarx, D-Louisville, said her interest was piqued after learning about the program's expansion at Save A Lot stores in Louisville. She asked which locations will participate.
Jamie Fitzwater, director of Kentucky Double Dollars, said the group will be at the stores on Portland Avenue and Taylor Boulevard.
Rep. Myron Dossett, R-Pembroke, also committee co-chair, expressed concern about inflation.
"As we have seen for the last three, four years, inflation has impacted every family whether they be low income or going up the economic ladder. We're all experiencing increased costs. We're seeing it within agriculture as well," he said.
He asked if there has been an increase in shoppers at farmers markets.
Christy said food service benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic might not be topped. However, there is an increase in awareness of other places to get resources.
She explained that multiple point surveys are expected to be implemented this year to find out who is being served and how their shopping and eating behaviors change over the long term.
Fitzwater said that social media has been a great way to get the word out about Kentucky Double Dollars.
Sen. Robin L. Webb, D-Grayson, said promoting a healthy lifestyle will cut down on medical costs and decrease cancer rates and diabetes. She said she would like to see more counties participate in the program.
"I'd like to see SNAP benefits going to promote healthy lifestyles because when you're experiencing cheap foods, carbs, wasted calories and all that, I mean, health is a lifestyle. You talk about dollars in funding, but you can't really quantify reaching those children and the life choices that they make," she said.
Webb said school family resource centers are the "boots on the ground" for various nutrition issues.
Mays Bledsoe said cooperation between agriculture-related groups will benefit many Kentuckians.
"What's so interesting, I think about this committee, is that you do get to see all different partners working together and leveraging funds and resources, because we do want a better and a healthier Kentucky, and that's the goal," she said.
FRANKFORT — Legislative leaders have appointed five citizen members to a new task force that will study the administration of Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) and recommend possible reforms ahead of the 2025 legislative session.
House Speaker David Osborne and Senate President Robert Stivers established the Efficient and Effective School District Governance Task Force in May. The 13-member panel is tasked with reviewing the district's governance model and identifying areas for potential improvement by Dec. 1.
Rep. Kim Banta, R-Fort Mitchell, and Sen. Michael J. Nemes, R-Shepherdsville, will lead the group as co-chairs. They selected the citizen members through a public application process announced last month. The appointments include:
Angela Masden-Wilson and Brittany Abdelahad will serve as resident-parent members. To qualify for the position, both appointees had to be taxpayers living in a school district with an enrollment greater than 75,000. Both had to have competency and experience or knowledge in the field of education and have children who are currently attending or recently graduated within the past five years from the school district. Neither appointee could be a current employee of the district.
Jody Wurtenberger will serve as the business member. This role required experience in the finance, management, and operations of large businesses that operate in the commonwealth.
George Nichols will serve as the teacher member. To qualify, this appointee had to be a certified teacher currently employed as a classroom teacher in a school district with enrollment greater than 75,000. The appointee had to have at least five years of experience working in the district.
Dr. Rebecca Nicolas will serve as the principal member. She was chosen from a list of three principals nominated by the superintendents of school districts with enrollment of 75,000 or greater.
The task force is a direct result of House Concurrent Resolution 81, which the Kentucky General Assembly adopted during the 2024 legislative session.
Sponsored by Rep. Ken Fleming, R-Louisville, the measure called for a working group to review the administrative functions and learning outcomes of school districts that have more than 75,000 students.
The task force is also charged with gathering testimony from parents and policy experts and researching the structures and outcomes of similar districts in other states.
Fleming will serve on the panel along with Sen. Lindsey Tichenor, R-Smithfield; Rep. Tina Bojanowski, D-Louisville; and Senate Democratic Floor Leader Gerald A. Neal, D-Louisville.
State Auditor Allison Ball and Louisville Metro Councilman Phillip Baker will serve in the remaining two positions.
All members of the task force will have voting privileges, and the group will convene its first meeting at 1 p.m. on Monday, July 15.
More information on the task force is available here on the LRC website.
FRANKFORT — The Kentucky Housing Task Force, a new legislative panel focused on solutions to housing shortages, heard from several state officials Monday about efforts to address the problem.
Sen. Jimmy Higdon, R-Lebanon, was among those who had questions for officials from the Kentucky Housing Corp., the Kentucky Center for Statistics and the state's Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction.
"There's a lot of different spokes to this. It's no certain, no one thing can solve this problem. It's going to take a lot of different folks – like I said, a lot of partnerships and the private sector really has to step up and start working on this," he said.
Wendy K. Smith, deputy executive director of Housing Programs for the Frankfort-based Kentucky Housing Corp., said it's vital for the housing supply in Kentucky to be a main focus instead of niche or secondary housing issues.
She and others presented information from the first phase of the Housing Supply Gap Analysis, a study commissioned by the KHC and released in April.
"In our view, the housing supply shortage is Kentucky's most urgent issue," she said. "What we're seeing is while Kentucky Housing for 50-plus years has been investing in affordable housing, because there's not enough supply in the overall marketplace, we're losing ground in serving the folks we try to serve."
Smith said all of Kentucky's counties need housing, and if enough supply existed, the state would have lower average housing costs.
"Supply will bring down costs. That's just, that's economics, right? We would have higher ownership rates. We would have more workforce housing if we just had more supply. We would have lower addiction rates. We would have fewer homeless Kentuckians, and we'd have increased household stability," she said.
Smith said if there is more housing for higher income people and they can get what they want, people with fewer means will have more options open to them because it is a marketplace. Housing is also closely connected to economic development, she said.
"If you want jobs, you need homes," Smith said.
Senate Majority Caucus Chair Julie Raque Adams, R-Louisville, said Detroit has added housing to the city by using sites that were conducive to construction.
"They looked at sites that were already ready to go. They already had the infrastructure there. They already had all of the sewer lines, everything, and they rebuilt those areas, part of the metropolitan area," she said. "And everything that I've read, they've done it block by block by block, and they've really stabilized a huge portion of their metropolitan area."
Senate Minority Whip David Yates, D-Louisville, asked Smith about possible KHC gap incentives for construction companies and developers to spur construction.
"I mean we can, but we don't have any more to work with than we did before. Some of our resources could do that, and are doing that in some communities, but there's not any more to go around. Who are we going to take from I guess is where we're left," Smith said.
Rep. Mike Clines, R-Alexandria, asked Smith if there's a good housing program in another state that KHC favors more than others.
Smith said she would like more time to research the issue, but mentioned Oklahoma's is interesting to her.
Committee Co-Chair Rep. Susan Witten, R-Louisville, said the task force was established after House Concurrent Resolution 68 was adopted during this year's legislative session. The task force is charged with studying and reviewing current and future policy needs to address access and availability of housing for the state's citizens.
Witten said this includes a demographic analysis of housing costs, population and employment opportunities statewide and regionally; a comprehensive review of state and local laws, regulations, policies and procedures that affect housing; analysis of the availability and accessibility of housing; and evaluation of land use, zoning, infrastructure and community planning to identify barriers to attainable and affordable housing.
The task force will also examine efforts in other areas of the United States to address housing shortages and boost home ownership, she said.
Phase 2 of the Housing Supply Gap Analysis will be a 5-year projection of future supply gaps in Kentucky, Smith said. This report is expected to be released Aug. 21 during the Kentucky Affordable Housing Conference in Louisville, she said.
The task force's next meeting is scheduled for Monday, July 29 at 1 p.m.
FRANKFORT — The Interim Joint Committee on Families and Children discussed the future of Senate Bill 151 on Wednesday.
The general assembly unanimously passed SB 151 earlier this year, which will allow family members who take temporary custody of a relative's child to become certified as a "child-specific foster home." The bill will give those caregivers more access to state resources. SB 151 officially becomes law on July 15.
The bill's primary sponsor, Senate Majority Caucus Chair Julie Raque Adams, R-Louisville, asked Lesa Dennis, commissioner for the Department of Community Based Services, how the Cabinet plans to implement the legislation.
Dennis said the Cabinet needs additional funding to implement SB 151.
"The Cabinet is supportive of Senate Bill 151, but during those conversations we also identified there would be additional funding needed to implement, and that funding was not made available," Dennis said. "So at this time, we are still hopeful in the near future that there will be an additional pathway for funding of Senate Bill 151. But without that support, the Cabinet will have difficulty moving forward with implementation."
Adams said since SB 151 will be law, she isn't sure if the Cabinet can opt not to implement it. She also questioned whether additional funding was requested from the legislature.
"I can also show you documentation from the Cabinet that says that the cost can be absorbed within your current budgetary framework," Adams said, adding that she would like to hear more from the Cabinet on the issue in July.
Sen. Robin L. Webb, D-Grayson, also had questions about the funding issues for SB 151. Dennis said the estimated cost is $20 million.
"Is there any federal relief or anything we could apply for that would ease the burden of that?" Webb asked.
Dennis said no, because general funds would support additional staffing and pay for the cost of care for the children.
Under SB 151, Dennis also said the process the Cabinet will have to use to transition children from a temporary custody situation to relative/fictive kin foster care situation makes the child ineligible for federal reimbursement.
Rep. Sarah Stalker, D-Louisville, asked Dennis if there is a different way the Cabinet can implement SB 151 in order to be eligible for federal support.
Dennis said no.
"We have asked our federal partners, and we have worked with our consultants and others in various ways to try to find a solution that would enable us to receive federal funding for this population of children and have not found any workarounds or other options available," she added.
Toward the end of the discussion on the issue, committee co-chair Rep. Samara Heavrin, R-Leitchfield, said she wants the Cabinet to come back in July to continue to discuss the implementation of SB 151.
"To hear that (SB 151) is not going to be implemented because there aren't enough funds when it was stated that the Cabinet could absorb the funds is a major problem," she said.
The next Interim Joint Committee on Families and Children is currently scheduled for 1 p.m. on July 30. For more information, visit legislature.ky.gov.
FRANKFORT — Family members of those dealing with psychological injuries offered impassioned testimony during Wednesday's meeting of the Interim Joint Committee on Veterans, Military Affairs and Public Protection.
Rep. Lindsey Burke, D-Lexington, credited Rep. John Blanton, R-Salyersville, with, "a fabulous bill that's been around for many years" and has had bipartisan support.
"Kentucky's workers' comp system was created in 1914 with a goal of placing responsibility for workplace injuries on the industry in which such injuries occur as opposed to putting that on the general public," she said.
Burke said only physical injuries or physical illnesses are covered under current law, and the measure – House Bill 363 – would create a carve-out for psychological injuries experienced as first responders, who are defined as firefighters, EMTs, police, National Guard and front-line social workers.
"Our first responders take great risks to provide services to the public when we're in crisis. They come to us at our worst moments," she said. "They see the absolute, most awful things that any of us can imagine. They do it willingly, courageously..."
Caleen Treadway of Sharpsburg, cried while testifying about witnessing seizures her father, Bobby Treadway, had that she said were due to PTSD stemming from his EMS employment.
"And my dad has dedicated his life to saving others and sacrificing his own life and his time with his family so others would get the opportunity to make it back to their loved ones," she said. "No one will ever really know what my dad has seen on these runs or calls or what any of these first responders see on a daily basis."
Like Treadway, Wendy Johnson spoke about how her husband, Kyle Johnson, was affected by things he saw during period of civil unrest in Louisville. He had been serving in the Kentucky National Guard for eight years when he received orders to go to Louisville.
"We are here today to address the gap in coverage and benefits for those who find themselves struggling with PTSD. As all of you know, this is mostly an invisible injury, an injury that affects the most important organ in your body...It is a real and devastating injury to receive," she said.
Rep. Bill Wesley, R-Ravenna, thanked Burke for presenting the bill, and said National Guard personnel serve the governor and take the same oath as anybody else who has served in the military.
"If a national guardsman that has taken that same oath, if they're not deployed, they're not considered a veteran, and I think that's wrong. They served in so many different ways...We have people serving all over the world that are from the Commonwealth of Kentucky as a national guardsman," he said.
Rep. Mark Hart, R-Falmouth, said he served for nine years in the National Guard, and more than 30 years as a fire officer and a paramedic. He said there are 23 states with some type of presumption for workers' compensation for mental health for firefighters. He said he wasn't sure if this includes police and EMS in those states. He asked Burke if there are other states with laws providing for workers' compensation for National Guard personnel.
"I do believe it's a similar number. Kentucky is an outlier that we're not providing care for our national guardsmen who are on state deployment," she said.
Rep. Daniel Grossberg, D-Louisville, said those in the National Guard should be treated as a veteran whether they are deployed or not.
"I want it stated in the record that 23 states already have the presumptions for first responders for mental health...I hope that this bill is expanded to include those who work in the call centers, either the 911 dispatchers or in the cases of 988, I think a 988 dispatcher or person should be included as well," he said.
Sen. Matthew Deneen, R-Elizabethtown, said it's the legislature's job to reduce red tape that holds back services for those who have provided invaluable assistance. He said he's grateful to the General Assembly for funding USA Cares, which addresses possible lapses in policies.
Rep. Sarah Stalker, D-Louisville, thanked the families for their testimony and said they were brave for sharing their stories.
"I do not think that vulnerability is a sign or weakness. I do not think that individuals should be humiliated by their circumstances," she said.
The next committee meeting is scheduled for July 30 at 11 a.m.
FRANKFORT — Ensuring Kentucky possesses enough energy to attract and retain businesses was only one facet of Thursday's meeting of the Interim Joint Committee on Natural Resources and Energy.
Committee members heard from the chairman of the Kentucky Public Service Commission, two executives from two major industries in the commonwealth and a representative of an energy-related state association.
Committee Co-Chair Sen. Brandon Smith, R-Hazard, said a business person from Indiana recently showed him a power bill from that state. The energy provider was the same, but the cost per kilowatt was much lower – in some cases almost half – and the firm determined that it was cost prohibitive to come to Kentucky.
Years ago, businesses interested in locating here were focused on building specifications, he said. "Now, I'd say that the No. 1 question that they all ask is what is your power rate."
Kent A. Chandler, chairman of the Kentucky Public Service Commission, said system growth is happening primarily as a result of data center expansion in the Columbus, Ohio and Northern Virginia areas. He expressed concern about replacing current power-generating units.
"I'm still concerned with our ability to reliably and cost effectively replace energy that is lost from a significant number of retirements of current resources," he said. "One or two here and there I think would be fine. A wholesale replacement of our generating fleet, I don't know what we would build to replace it. I'm being very honest."
Chandler said in 2023, Kentucky ranked 14th nationwide for residential electricity rates and second east of the Mississippi River behind only Tennessee. The state ranks No. 11 nationwide for industrial rates.
"On average, our rates across the entire state are very competitive, at least for our entire region," he said, citing state profiles by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Rep. DJ Johnson, R-Owensboro, asked Chandler why transmission costs are increasing.
"I would say that the primary cause of it is the replacement of older transmission with similar or like-kind new transmission," Chandler said.
Committee Co-Chair Rep. Jim Gooch Jr., R-Providence, said the committee is looking for ways to ensure Kentucky has reliability and the availability of power at an affordable cost. However, he said he's not in favor of large corporations that "blindly follow some of the policies in Washington."
Gooch said that capturing carbon emissions at a high rate is not feasible and can't be done.
One of those who testified during the meeting was Cathy Waddell, controller of Ghent-based Nucor Steel Gallatin. She said the company produces sheet steel, which has hundreds of everyday uses. For example, the steel goes into parts for automobiles, solar farms, lawnmowers, appliances and office furniture. Additionally, Nucor opened a second steel mill in Brandenburg last year.
Waddell said with many manufacturing facilities in Kentucky, Nucor is one of the largest electricity consumers in the state.
"For industrial operations like ours, access to reliable and affordable electricity is one of the most important factors to our success," she said.
Nucor is investing in next-generation nuclear technology, she said.
"We're working with NuScale Power, a start-up company that is developing small, modular nuclear reactors. They were the first company to have their new reactor design approved by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission," she said. "Besides a financial investment, we're also evaluating with NuScale the possibility to co-locate their small modular reactors at one of our steel mills as well as supplying them with the steel to build the reactor."
Kim Allen Menke, regional director of Government Affairs for Toyota Motor North America, said severe weather can create a brief power outage that can shut down manufacturing equipment such as spray booths, curing ovens and paint systems.
"There's no question energy curtailment or brownouts would have a negative impact on our ability to run production and operate our building systems for our team members," Menke said.
Michael L. Kurtz, general counsel for Kentucky Industrial Utility Customers, said utility companies in Kentucky are challenging federal rules regarding coal-fired plants.
"So really, if this federal rule survives, all the coal plants effectively will have to shut down by 2038," he said.
Smith said the important issue is what would the closure of the coal-fired plants mean to companies such as Nucor and Toyota.
"We realize that we're going to have to do something because we want you to know we're going to fight for you, and we're going to fight to keep that industry and those jobs here," he said.
FRANKFORT — The 2024 legislative session ended in April, but Kentucky lawmakers are already working on bills for 2025.
Rep. Kim Banta, R-Fort Mitchell, spoke to the Interim Joint Committee on Judiciary on Thursday about this year's House Bill 67. The bill did not become law, but Banta is hoping to refile the legislation in 2025.
Under HB 67, registered sex offenders would be restricted from residing within 3,000 feet of a high, middle, or elementary school; preschool, publicly owned or leased playground; or licensed daycare facility. Current law provides a 1,000-foot limit.
Banta said she's had many people ask her for this bill.
"It's beginning to impact some of our city areas and residents within," she added.
Sen. Johnnie Turner, R-Harlan, said he is concerned how the bill might impact people living in rural areas.
"I represent a rural area, and presently 1,000 feet is a football field in a straight line. Three thousand feet would probably prevent anybody from living in any small town in my county," Turner said.
The bill is not retroactive, Banta said, so anyone convicted prior to this bill would not be impacted. Turner said he still has concerns about punishing people who have already served out their sentence.
Banta said that she supports many policies aimed at helping people, like voting rights restoration and expungement, but sex offenders require different consideration.
"They're always going to be a sexual predator," she said.
Committee co-chair Rep. Daniel Elliott, R-Danville, said he also has concerns on how the legislation would impact rural areas.
"I know you're trying to prevent future crimes and future victims, and I appreciate what you're doing. But there could be an effect, I think, unintentionally of requiring these individuals to live in rural parts of a county for instance where there's only a sheriff's patrol," Elliott said.
Sen. Danny Carroll, R-Benton, said from a law enforcement and executive director of a childcare center perspective, he supports the 1,000-foot limit. But he wanted to know why 2,000 more feet is needed.
Banta said she's aware of a situation in which a convicted sex offender uses binoculars to watch children playing soccer at a nearby school.
Rep. Kevin D. Bratcher, R-Louisville, said he knows of a similar incident happening in his district. However, that person was convicted when the limit was 500 feet.
The Kentucky General Assembly cannot act on legislation until the 2025 legislative session begins on Jan. 7.
The next Interim Joint Committee on Judiciary meeting is scheduled for July 18 at 11 a.m.
For more information, visit legislature.ky.gov.
FRANKFORT — The Kentucky General Assembly continued its efforts to monitor Kentucky's juvenile justice system on Wednesday.
Kentucky's new Department of Juvenile Justice Commissioner Randy White provided an update to the Budget Review Subcommittee on Justice and Judiciary and spoke on the impacts of recent legislation on the department.
White said in his 27 years working in corrections, today's youth are different.
"They're committing harsher crimes, which require stronger rehabilitative efforts," White added.
In order to reduce Kentucky's juvenile detention center population, White said the state needs to focus on alternatives to detention, education, programming, employment and mental health. Ensuring the safety of incarcerated youth and detention center staff is also a priority.
The legislature has appropriated millions toward the improvement of the Department of Juvenile Justice in the last few years, White said. Due to 2023 legislation, starting salaries at juvenile justice centers went from $30,000 to $50,000. This has resulted in filled positions going from 313 at the beginning of 2023 to 454 as of May 22, 2024, White added.
Ensuring facilities are fully staffed is a major priority. White said the department is expecting more youth to enter the facilities as the result of 2023's House Bill 3 and 2024's House Bill 5 and Senate Bill 20.
HB 3 requires the automatic detention of juveniles charged with violent crimes. HB 5, also known as the Safer Kentucky Act, enhances penalties for certain violent crimes, and SB 20 requires youth who use a firearm in the commission of a crime to be tried as an adult.
Committee co-chair Rep. Patrick Flannery, R-Olive Hill, asked if the department has enough funds to complete the Jefferson County Youth Detention Center and the Jefferson Regional Juvenile Detention Facility at Lyndon renovation projects.
Roberta McCann, acting executive director for the department's Office of Administrative Services, said additional funding provided in this year's budget is adequate.
To maintain order inside the juvenile facilities, corrections officers may use pepper spray, tasers and shields for protection, White said. All usage of pepper spray is investigated. Out of 107 investigations, 14 incidences have been determined to be "substantiated misuses."
"(Pepper) spray continues to be a safer alternative than physical contact between juveniles and staff, reducing injuries and medical attention," White said. "A comparison of staff assaults before and after the use of pepper spray was authorized shows that staff assaults have decreased by 40%."
Sen. Robin L. Webb, D-Grayson, said she wanted more information on the use of pepper spray in juvenile facilities, especially if juveniles are informed on what may be used on them if they misbehave.
"I represent guards and juveniles and I would like to think they're well informed of the potentiality of that," Webb said. "... and what is the penalty for misusing for employees?"
White said he believes potential disciplinary measures for juveniles in detention is in the handbook they're given upon entry to the facility. As for employees who misuse, White said they are often suspended and have to undergo additional training and counseling.
Sen. Christian McDaniel, R-Ryland Heights, said he supports the use of pepper spray and other measures in juvenile detention facilities due to how violent some of Kentucky's youth offenders are.
"I find it unfortunate that those who would rather forget that there is a problem that must be dealt with societally, know that the people on the front lines of providing that solution to that problem have to feel safe in that environment that we charge them to operate," McDaniel said.
The next Budget Review Subcommittee on Justice and Judiciary is currently scheduled for 9 a.m. on July 17. For more information, visit legislature.ky.gov.
FRANKFORT — During Tuesday's meeting of the Interim Joint Committee on Education, legislators received an update on budgeting, enrollment and other key issues affecting Kentucky State University in Frankfort.
Lawmakers heard testimony from five representatives from the commonwealth's only public historically Black college and university (HBCU).
KSU has faced severe financial challenges in recent years, and the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education has undertaken a financial review of the institution. The Kentucky General Assembly also passed legislation to provide financial relief to the university.
Tammi Dukes, who serves on the KSU Board of Regents, said she's grateful for the committee and general assembly for the investment in the university, which led to the largest general fund in the school's history.
"The nearly 400% increase in asset preservation and the $5 million for the planning and design of the new health sciences education building have not gone unnoticed," she said. "In addition, your support, particularly through the passing of House Bill 250 in 2022, has been pivotal in our journey towards realizing measurable outcomes and fostering a brighter future for our students and the commonwealth."
Dukes said the university's focus has been on three primary goals – to balance the budget, to ensure robust internal controls across the organization and to grow the enrollment.
Sen. Shelley Funke Frommeyer, R-Alexandria, asked about the school's outreach to potential students in Northern Kentucky and enrollment numbers.
"We have hired five admission specialists, and we have divided the state among them. And so we do have a contact there in the Northern Kentucky area. What we're looking to do is to continue to grow," said Stephanie Mayberry, KSU's vice provost of student affairs.
Mayberry said the university plans to also reach out to potential students in Bowling Green and Christian County.
Mentioning the current enrollment of approximately 1,700 at KSU, Funke Frommeyer asked how many students live on campus.
Mayberry said the school has the capacity for about 1,200 students on campus. She also said summer school is offered online and several camps are set to kick off this week at KSU.
Rep. James Tipton, R-Taylorsville, also committee co-chair, said it's encouraging to hear that good news is happening at KSU, and he asked about the recent relationship between KSU, the KSU Board of Regents and the Kentucky State University Foundation, which he said has been described as "pretty much nonexistent."
Dukes said the board of regents has attempted to forge relationships, but has had no real success.
"In addition, we've also been asking for financial information as it relates to the endowments and all the funds that are being managed through the foundation and have received sporadic, incomplete information over the last two years," she said.
Tipton said committee members would be monitoring the situation and it can hopefully be resolved soon.
Senate Minority Caucus Chair Reginald Thomas, D-Lexington, asked Michael Dailey, interim provost and vice president of academic affairs, about the record number of degrees awarded during KSU's most recent commencement.
"We had the largest graduating class that we have had in the history of Kentucky State University – over 300 degrees were awarded...," he said.
Thomas also asked about graduation rates going up by almost 25% in KSU's new president's first year in office.
Dailey said the efforts made by Mayberry and her team started with retention. Also addressing gaps in curriculum and the pathways students were pursuing helped boost the rates.
Sen. Stephen Meredith, R-Leitchfield, said the presentation was encouraging, and he asked about student recruitment and the five admissions counselors.
"I'll be honest. We started behind the eight ball this year. Those five were not in place until January and the recruitment time is September to October," Mayberry said. "We feel confident that we'll be able to get into the high schools. We've been building those relationships all semester so that we can go right into those high schools in the fall so that we have a presence."
Senate Democratic Floor Leader Gerald A. Neal, D-Louisville, said after hearing the presentation that he's encouraged by the transparency and the future of the university.
"I have to tell you this is one of the most refreshing presentations that I've heard before this body. There have been many, but this is one of them. And it's very encouraging what I've heard here," he said. "I think I'm speaking for most of the folks up here, and I haven't looked at facial expressions or anything, but it seems like you're on the right track."
FRANKFORT — Kentucky lawmakers are kicking off the 2024 interim period this week with the first of many joint committees slated to convene on Tuesday.
The interim period typically runs from June to December each year and provides lawmakers time to hold hearings and study issues in preparation for the next regular session, which begins in January.
The full 2024 interim calendar is available here. Please note, however, that it may be subject to change throughout the year.
Unless otherwise indicated on the calendar, most interim joint, statutory and special committee meetings are held in the Capitol Annex building in Frankfort.
The Legislative Research Commission's website will include a weekly calendar of committee meetings throughout the interim period, offering more detailed information on meeting times, committee members and agenda items. The weekly calendar is available here.
Both Kentucky Educational Television (KET) and the Legislative Research Commission provide livestreams of the committee meetings, and more information on accessing those feeds is available here.
To view materials such as information sheets, handouts and PowerPoint presentations that are compiled for lawmakers to review at committee meetings, please visit the committee pages on the Legislative Research Commission's website. Click on the "Meeting Materials" tab on the right side of each committee's page. Meeting agendas are also posted on this page.
To share feedback on an issue with lawmakers, call the General Assembly's Message Line at 1-800-372-7181. Kentuckians with hearing loss can use Kentucky Relay by dialing 7-1-1.
To directly reach a lawmaker's office, call 502-564-8100. An operator will transfer the call to the office of the lawmaker you want to reach.
If you have a question about the lawmaking process or legislative resources, the LRC Public Information Office can be reached by calling 502-564-8100, ext. 59105.
FRANKFORT — The Kentucky General Assembly confirmed a new education commissioner and passed a prominent bill on maternal health Monday before the gavel fell for a final time in the 2024 legislative session.
The proceedings capped off a relatively conventional year for the legislature – one that started with a gradual pace but picked up steam in the second half amid a flood of proposed legislation.
Lawmakers filed more than 1,200 bills this year – the highest number in more than two decades – and passed around 215 before the session drew to a close. More than two dozen of those received a vote on the final day.
That included the much-discussed "momnibus" legislation, a comprehensive bill that aims to support maternal and infant health and reduce the high mortality rate for mothers in Kentucky.
The measure will require most health plans to cover pregnancy, child birth and postpartum care along with in-home treatment for substance use disorder. It also calls on most plans to cover labor and delivery costs and all services and supplies related to breastfeeding.
The bill's fate remained uncertain when lawmakers adjourned for the veto recess last month; it was still stuck on the Senate floor with several proposed amendments. However, the legislation was attached to a separate bill on maternal health – Senate Bill 74 – and cleared both chambers Monday without much opposition.
Monday also brought the first confirmation hearing on a state education commissioner. The general assembly passed a law in 2023 that requires appointments to the position to receive Senate approval before assuming the post.
Lawmakers enacted the change amid contention with the previous commissioner, but the new appointment glided through the chamber with high praise. Senators voted 36-1 to confirm Robbie Fletcher, superintendent of Lawrence County Schools, to the job.
Throughout the session, the House and Senate found plenty of issues to debate – education, housing, elections, guns and even the official state rock. Big data and artificial intelligence gained significant attention this year, as did questions over the future of nuclear energy in Kentucky.
Many in the majority party will regard the Safer Kentucky Act as the landmark bill of the session. The omnibus anti-crime bill – House Bill 5 – will ramp up penalties for repeat violent offenders and clamp down on carjacking and street camping among many other provisions.
Others will look to House Bill 2, which proposes to amend the state constitution and allow the general assembly to provide financial support for education outside Kentucky's system of public schools.
But few bills garnered more attention than House Bill 6, the $128 billion budget plan for the state executive branch. It was among several major budget bills that will also fund community projects, transportation and the judicial and legislative branches of government over the next two years.
Other issues that sparked legislation included autonomous vehicles, child protection, horse racing and elections. Here's a final look at some of the most discussed bills from the year:
Lawmakers will return to Frankfort in June for the interim period, when they can hold committee hearings on issues and consider proposals for the 2025 legislative session.
Kentuckians can continue to track the action through the general assembly webpage, which will provide a weekly calendar of committee meetings during the interim period. 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.
FRANKFORT — During the last day of the 2024 Regular Session, the Senate voted 36-1 to confirm Dr. Robbie Fletcher as Kentucky's next education commissioner.
Selected by the Kentucky Board of Education, Fletcher was introduced to members of the Senate Education Committee during a hearing on his appointment last week. The Senate confirmation process is mandated under Senate Bill 107, which lawmakers passed last year.
Fletcher, superintendent of Lawrence County Schools, has also been a classroom teacher, assistant principal and principal. He was introduced on the Senate floor Monday by Sen. Phillip Wheeler, R-Pikeville.
"I first met Dr. Fletcher approximately five years ago when I was elected to this position and have had multiple dealings with him since that time," he said. "What I have been impressed with all during that while is his continued commitment towards the children of Kentucky schools."
Wheeler said Fletcher has performed his duties with steadfast diligence and with the guidance of his Christian faith. He said Fletcher is not someone who will "fall back" from a challenge.
"I am proud that he is both a Kentuckian as well as an Eastern Kentuckian," Wheeler said.
Sen. Stephen West, R-Paris, also spoke in favor of the confirmation. He said Fletcher did a great job during the education committee meeting.
"We had a full Senate hearing and numerous questions. I believe he may be the Mark Pope of Kentucky education. He knows the program, and he will be returning to the program. And he's been a lifelong Kentuckian and I'm glad to see a Kentuckian as commissioner," West said.
Senate Majority Whip Mike Wilson, R-Bowling Green, who sponsored SB 107, said he was pleased with how the confirmation process advanced.
"I'm very pleased that the board members came over and met with us and talked to us and got our thoughts and ideas and continually reached out to us to work with us. I see a new day in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and this process has been great," he said.
FRANKFORT — Lawmakers overrode vetoes on two dozen measures Friday as the Kentucky General Assembly reconvened in Frankfort for the penultimate day of the 2024 legislative session.
It was the first time the House and Senate have gaveled into session since the chambers adjourned in March for a two-week veto recess. The recess provides time for the governor to sign bills, allow them to become law without his signature or issue vetoes.
Of the more than 160 measures that cleared the chambers last month, the governor vetoed 20 and issued line-item vetoes to several more related to budgeting in state government.
However, lawmakers had little trouble overriding those actions as proceedings unfolded throughout the day.
House Bill 5, known as the Safer Kentucky Act, was one of only a few that drew much debate during votes on the chamber floors.
The legislation will enhance penalties for repeat, violent offenders. It will also allow prosecutors to file a manslaughter charge against anyone who sells or distributes fentanyl that causes a fatal overdose.
Other provisions seek to curb unlawful street camping, set limits on charitable bond organizations and crack down on carjacking.
Lawmakers overrode the veto on HB 5 despite continued objections that it will harm homeless population s and increase incarceration costs.
Supporters have argued, however, that the bill is needed to address increasing crime in Kentucky, especially murders.
The House and Senate also defeated the governor's line-item vetoes on the budget bills. Those include a $128 billion executive branch budget and other measures related to the legislative branch, the state transportation cabinet and one-time expenditures.
Another major override focused on House Bill 7, a much-debated bill that creates a regulatory framework for operating autonomous vehicles in Kentucky.
Here's a look at some of the other bills that were subject to a veto override before lawmakers adjourned for the weekend.
Lawmakers as scheduled to return Monday for the final day of the 60-day legislation session.
Kentuckians can track the action through the Legislative Record webpage, which allows users to read bills and follow their progression through the chambers. Capitol observers can also track budget bills on the 2024 Budget Bills webpage.
In addition, citizens can share their views on issues with lawmakers by calling the General Assembly's toll-free message line at 1-800-372-7181.
FRANKFORT — More than 160 bills earned a final tap of the gavel this week, including a new state budget and an omnibus crime bill, as lawmakers worked late into the night to clear a trove of legislation off the House and Senate floors.
Friday marked the beginning of the 10-day veto recess, and lawmakers were keen to wrap up as many bills as possible before adjourning for the break. That led to four days of fast-paced action in committee and several marathon floor proceedings that resolved just before midnight on Thursday.
A slate of budget bills has hung heavy over the agenda this year, but the House and Senate reached a deal on a $128 billion plan for the state executive branch before gaveling out.
Supporters say it will provide historic investments in education, public safety, economic development and other key priorities over the next two years. But critics argue that the plan should have channeled more funds to public schools and to improve conditions in juvenile justice.
Along with the executive branch budget, lawmakers also reached an accord on a nearly $3 billion plan to fund one-time investments in infrastructure and community projects. That package relies on money from the state's budget reserve trust fund.
Separate budget bills for the state road plan and the legislative and judicial branches are also headed to the governor.
Another priority measure for majority lawmakers – the Safer Kentucky Act – won final passage in the House on Thursday following an impassioned debate over public safety, incarceration costs and the appropriate response to homeless camps.
The legislation, House Bill 5, would crack down on repeat, violent offenders. It would also allow prosecutors to file a manslaughter charge against anyone who sells or distributes fentanyl that causes a fatal overdose. Other provisions seek to curb unlawful street camping and set limits on charitable bond organizations.
The House and Senate also came together on Senate Bill 2, a much-discussed measure that seeks to enhance school safety by allowing some veterans and former police officers to serve as school "guardians." It also calls on school districts to assemble trauma-informed teams to improve mental health interventions.
SB 2 won a final nod in both chambers Thursday and has been delivered to the governor.
The Senate ended the week with an intense debate over House Bill 7, which stalled on the Senate calendar two weeks ago. The bill would create a regulatory framework for operating autonomous vehicles on public highways in Kentucky.
Senators voted 20-18 on final passage after opponents raised safety concerns about how driverless vehicles would perform on roadways, particularly in challenging conditions.
Proponents argued that that technology has proven safer than human drivers and will set the stage for more innovation in Kentucky. The bill was delivered to the governor on Thursday.
Among the scores of other bills that received final passage this week were key measures on medical records for minors, truancy, youth gun violence, child abuse and consumer data. Here's a look at some of the bills that cleared a final vote:
The governor has 10 days to take action on bills that have passed the general assembly He can sign measures into law, allow them to become law without his signature, or issue vetoes. The governor also authority to veto line items in the budget.
However, lawmakers have reserved two days to reconvene in April, when they can override vetoes and continue passing bills. The chambers are scheduled to gavel back in on April 12 for day 59 of the 60-day session and adjourn sine die on April 15.
Kentuckians can track the action through the Legislative Record webpage, which allows users to read bills and follow their progression through the chambers. Capitol observers can also track budget bills on the 2024 Budget Bills webpage.
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.
FRANKFORT — FRANKFORT, Ky. (March 28, 2024) — After many weeks of number-crunching and deliberation, the Kentucky General Assembly sent the biennial budget to the governor's desk Thursday afternoon.
House Bill 6 allocates more than $128 billion toward the operation of the executive branch for the next two fiscal years. The Kentucky Senate gave final passage to the measure Wednesday by a 36-1 vote. The House approved the measure Thursday by a 72-26 vote.
Senate President Robert Stivers, R-Manchester, spoke highly of the spending plan.
"This is solid budget," he said. "It is the best budget that has been proposed or passed by the general assembly."
On the House floor, Rep. Jason Petrie, R-Elkton, said HB 6 addresses the continuing expenses of the commonwealth while making key investments in education, public safety, state pensions and more.
"I think this is a good product that will deal with the ongoing, recurring costs and services of the Commonwealth of Kentucky," Petrie said.
Among the provisions, HB 6:
Lawmakers in both chambers debated the appropriations for schools and juvenile justice along with spending caps for when the executive branch responds to natural disasters.
On the House floor on Thursday, Rep. Josie Raymond, D-Louisville, said the budget does not invest enough in K-12 public schools, early childhood education or child care. She also said she would have liked to see a one-time bonus check for retirees, more funding for housing and more.
"This budget does have a lot of good stuff in it … it is still not good enough," Raymond said.
In explaining his "yes" vote on HB 6, Rep. Timmy Truett, R-McKee, said he's spoken to several superintendents who had positive things to say about the provisions for education.
"They're very excited that with these significant increases that they're going to be able to maintain their staff and also give some sort of a raise," Truett said.
In the Senate on Wednesday, Senate Minority Whip David Yates, D- Louisville, said budgeting involves intense work, but it's the most important thing lawmakers do in the general assembly.
"It is not everything that we all want," he said of the bill. "But I think that we have done tremendous work and improvements. This came over to us, and piece by piece, it got better and better. I think that's from the open dialogue."
HB 6 was not the only budget-related bill that was sent to the governor's desk on Thursday.
The legislative budget, judicial branch budget and transportation cabinet budget – House Bills 263, 264, and 265 – also advanced from both chambers on Thursday.
The general assembly also passed House Bill 1, which makes historic, one-time investments in infrastructure and special projects by allocating nearly $3 billion from the budget reserve trust fund.
The governor has 10 days to sign, veto or let the legislation become law without his signature. The governor can also implement line-item vetoes in the budget.
FRANKFORT — FRANKFORT, Ky. (March 27, 2024) — During a busy Wednesday near the end of the legislative session, the Kentucky Senate advanced a bill to ensure that parents have access to medical records of their children who are under the age of 18.
Sen. Donald Douglas, R-Nicholasville, presented House Bill 174 on the chamber floor and said it's about parental rights. It passed with a 28-7 vote.
"This bill is about access to the medical records of minor children by their personal representative. I've heard the argument of HIPAA gives us all the access, but ultimately, if one reads all the HIPAA forms, they find that often these decisions are left up to the states or even sometimes these decisions are left up to the treating physician," he said.
Douglas said previous legislation has put up barriers for parents. He read a passage from current state law that grants physicians the ability to treat certain medical conditions affecting a minor patient without the consent of a parent or guardian.
Douglas said children who are at least 16 years old can receive mental health treatment without the consent of a parent, and this is "wrong."
"House Bill 174 simply says that the personal representative – that means the individual who has the authority under law to make health care decisions for that minor child. So, I have the right to access the patient's health information maintained by a health care provider in a medical record," he said.
Sen. Cassie Chambers Armstrong, D-Louisville, spoke against the measure. She said that, under federal law, parents can already access most of their children's health records and that state law includes a few additional protections for children.
The areas Chambers Armstrong cited include reproductive health care, mental health care and cases of possible child abuse suspected by a medical provider.
"In these circumstances, a child is allowed to consent to their own medical treatment without the permission of a parent, for good reason. It would not make sense for a child who is being abused to have to seek the consent of that parent in order to get treatment for injuries related to that abuse," she said.
Sen. Karen Berg, D-Louisville, also spoke against the bill. Over the weekend, Berg said she spoke with several pediatricians in her district. She asked them how the measure would affect their practices.
"Every pediatrician I asked about this bill told me that under no circumstances would they follow it, that they felt that this was a huge break in physician-patient confidentiality around certain singular issues that growing teenagers sometimes desire and sometimes need confidentiality from their parents," she said.
Douglas countered that if medical providers suspect abuse, they are obligated to call the police.
"Our purpose in our job as a physician and as physician health care providers is to provide opinions and treatment. Not to rear our children," Douglas said. "That's not our job. We don't have that power."
Sen. John Schickel, R-Union, voted for the measure, and said children are under the authority of their parents.
Another supporter, Sen. Michael J. Nemes, R-Shepherdsville, said he hasn't heard from any doctors about the bill but has heard from many parents who want it.
He said he wanted to remind health care providers that he goes to them for professional advice. "I do not go to you to raise my child or to tell me what to do."
HB 174 now heads back to the House.
FRANKFORT — The Kentucky Senate advanced an amended bill Tuesday that would prohibit COVID-19 vaccines from being required for employment, professional licenses, receiving medical treatment or student enrollment and activities.
Senate Bill 295's sponsor, Sen. Lindsey Tichenor, R-Smithfield, said the release of the vaccine ushered in an unprecedented overreach of the government by requiring a "novel medical product to be forced on people just to participate in society."
The measure won approval with a 25-11 vote and now heads to the House. One legislator abstained from voting.
"In 2020, our world, as we all recall, was turned upside down based off projections that indeed have been proven to be grossly inflated. Out of an abundance of caution, we closed our schools, shut down businesses – many of them permanently – we changed our election processes…" Tichenor said.
She said the bill underscores individual liberties even in the face of public health challenges, and its passage would set a precedence and standard on those personal liberties.
Sen. Karen Berg, D-Louisville, voted against the measure and argued that vaccine exemptions already exist in Kentucky. She said all legislators should understand the importance behind public health measures.
"Nobody who has a serious medical contraindication or a true religious contradiction to vaccination has been forced to take a vaccine in this state. It hasn't happened, and it won't happen. We have those exemptions in our books," she said.
She said she's concerned about what the viral disease might look like in the future – from two years or even 10 years from now.
"To say under no circumstances can we require even health care professionals, it is a danger to our patients if we go in there with communicable diseases. We cannot do that to them," she said.
Senate President Pro Tempore David P. Givens, R-Greensburg, also spoke against the bill. He said his family's business doesn't require employees to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, but he has concerns about the hospital and nursing home in his community.
"When we say any COVID-19 vaccine, the literal reading of that means any known today and any known in the future," he said. "Those employees caring for my great aunt at the nursing home or one of my family members in the hospital are not going to be required to be vaccinated if they choose to not be upon passage of this legislation."
He also said he didn't see any provisions in the bill to provide any shield of liability for nursing home owners.
Speaking in favor of the bill, Sen. Stephen Meredith, R-Leitchfield, said SB 295 is "truly about personal freedom" and argued that medical professionals should be trusted to make the decision for themselves.
But Senate Minority Whip David Yates, D-Louisville, said the bill would prevent small business owners, with eight or more employees, from making any mandate at their local businesses.
"Now, I believe in individual freedom…If I don't want a vaccination, I'm not going to. But if I'm the employer and I want to say this is what I think is reasonable in my employment, we're saying even the employer can't do that in this bill," he said.
Sen. Stephen West, R-Paris, voted for the measure and said time teaches a lot of lessons. He said the COVID-19 vaccine was issued through an emergency authorization and was not fully tested under normal FDA protocols.
"Each individual should be able to make their own personal decision whether or not to use the COVID vaccine," he said. "If they feel good about it, fine. If they feel that it's safe for them, that's fine. But they should not have to give up their job. They should not have to give up their mortgage payment. They should not have to give up food on their table in order to protect their privately held views on whether or not to take the vaccine."
FRANKFORT — A bipartisan bill that would pave the way for freestanding birthing centers to operate in Kentucky received House approval Tuesday.
House Bill 199 would regulate freestanding birthing centers and exempt ones with no more than four beds from the certificate of need requirement.
Primary sponsor House Majority Whip Jason Nemes, R-Middletown, said Kentucky would join 43 other states in safely regulating and permitting the operation of freestanding birthing centers.
"This is another safe alternative for a mother having a baby at a hospital or at home," he said.
A floor amendment filed by Nemes and adopted by the House addresses some of the safety concerns from healthcare stakeholders, Nemes said.
Under the amended HB 199, freestanding birthing centers would be required to be insured and have a physician or licensed advanced practice registered nurse serve as a clinical director. The bill would also require the centers to be located within 30 miles of a hospital and enter into a transfer agreement with a hospital.
Additionally, the floor amendment requires the centers to obtain written, informed consent from each patient, Nemes said.
HB 199 co-sponsor Rep. Lisa Willner, D-Louisville, spoke on the legislation alongside Nemes. She said 73 out of Kentucky's 120 counties do not have an OBGYN. Allowing freestanding birthing centers should help lower Kentucky's high maternal mortality rate, she said.
"Freestanding birthing centers utilizing midwifery-led care are an important tool in improving maternal health outcomes for both mother and infant and in reducing health outcome disparities," Willner added.
Rep. Kim King, R-Harrodsburg, asked Nemes how HB 199 ensures the safety of freestanding birthing centers.
Since not every mother would be a good candidate for a freestanding birthing center, Nemes said the clinical director would be charged with making that determination. Only low-risk, healthy pregnancies would qualify. The centers would transfer a patient – whether that be a mother or a baby – to a nearby, local hospital if needed, he added.
King said she does not support HB 199 due to safety concerns.
"One-third of home births end up in emergency transport to a hospital … If we really care about the health and safety of mom – keeping her healthy and the healthy birth of a baby – I will speak against this type of situation all the time," King said.
The House approved HB 199 by a 69-25 vote.
House Minority Caucus Chair Cherlynn Stevenson, D-Lexington, and Rep. Courtney Gilbert, R-Hodgenville, shared why they voted "yes" on the bill on the House floor.
Stevenson said "a lot of good work" has gone into HB 199.
"I do believe that (freestanding birthing centers) will be safe, and ultimately I believe women should have a choice in all their health care decisions, she said.
Gilbert said she thinks HB 199 is "a wonderful opportunity" for people in the profession and mothers.
"I am happy to give my support to this bill today. I, myself, am the product of a home birth," she added.
HB 199 now goes before the Senate for consideration.
FRANKFORT — In an effort to curb truancy and chronic absenteeism in Kentucky's schools, legislators on the Senate Education Committee unanimously advanced House Bill 611 during a meeting on Tuesday.
The primary sponsors of the bill, Rep. Jared Bauman, R-Louisville; and Rep. Timmy Truett, R-McKee, testified that truancy is a huge problem now, and they had to act through legislation. They are both House Education Committee members.
"As I learned in the education committee that we all sat on over the interim, we have a significant issue in our state with truancy and chronic absenteeism in our schools," Bauman said. "The district that I represent is at 38%, and I'm sad to report that there are 40 districts in our state that have higher rates than that even, with 13 districts over 50%."
House Bill 611 would allow for cases to be referred to county attorneys after a student has missed 15 unexcused days of school.
Bauman explained that schools are budgeting based on enrollment, even though they are funded based on attendance.
"We have to take action, more so for the students though than the funding. We have to ensure that kids are in school where they need to be during the school year, setting them up for success in life and that's simply not happening today," he said.
Truett, an elementary school principal, said the bill is a start to improve the situation in the commonwealth. It calls for an extension of diversion time, and this can be helpful in some cases. Students in diversion can only miss four additional unexcused days, he said.
"We're extending that diversion time from six months to 12 months. So we're watching this student for 12 months as opposed to just six. Because what's happening, they may be good for six months, get out of the diversion, go back to normal and what's happening is they're going right back in six months later," Truett said.
Senate Democratic Floor Leader Gerald A. Neal, D-Louisville, asked about the possible fiscal impact of the measure.
Bauman answered that he did not confer with state officials about this, but he would do this if Neal thinks it's a best practice.
Sen. Shelley Funke Frommeyer, R-Alexandria, said she learned how truancy is a critical issue in Kentucky during the interim, and she asked about the efficacy of Family Accountability, Intervention and Response Teams (FAIR).
Truett said FAIR Teams currently meet with students of all ages and their parents. They try to resolve the issues and attempt to get to the root of the problem, he said.
"Obviously, if the FAIR Team was working in every district, we would not need this bill. Some districts, the FAIR Team works well. Some districts, they do not," Truett said. "So, what this bill will do is, it does something that we don't have currently. It will allow for consistency across the state."
Truett said the bill calls for parents of students in K-5 grades to be held accountable, and for students in higher grades, FAIR Teams would work with them and their parents.
Senate Minority Caucus Chair Reginald Thomas, D-Lexington, said the bill is a good one, but it's important to remember that underlying problems need to be addressed, such as poverty, unemployment and dysfunctional families.
"I think to be fair, and to do it right, we've got to acknowledge that those ills exist in the community as well and that school district as well, and that's the real driver behind such high truancy rates," he said.
Sen. Stephen West, R-Paris, asked Bauman to speak on districts with high percentages of truant students, and called the situation, "a serious crisis." West is also chair of the committee.
"These kids are not in school with their peers, learning, socializing, where they should be as children so they can become the next generation of Kentuckians that are going to be contributing to our society," Bauman said. "They need to be in school. This helps us identify those children and get them into the classroom where they need to be."
FRANKFORT — A bill that would allow a public-school guardian program and seeks to improve the mental health of students is one step closer to final passage.
The House Education Committee approved Senate Bill 2 on Tuesday. Primary sponsor Sen. Max Wise, R-Campbellsville, said the legislation builds on school safety measures from previous years.
"A lot of times we talk about mental health, but we can't wrap our hands around what actually is occurring right now within our school walls," Wise said.
SB 2 would direct schools to include school psychologists, social workers, school resource officers (SROs) and other mental health service providers on trauma-informed teams. This is in addition to school administrators, counselors, family resource and youth service coordinators, school nurses and other district personnel, Wise said.
The bill would direct the trauma-informed teams to help support students impacted by trauma, identify ways to respond to mental health issues, and build resiliency and wellness in all students. These teams would also be required to compile an annual report.
SB 2 would also require two evidence-based suicide prevention lessons each school year for all students in sixth through 12th grade. Teachers would also be required to undergo suicide prevention training beginning at the fourth-grade level.
As for the safety aspect of the legislation, SB 2 would allow school districts to employ retired law enforcement and honorably discharged, retired military veterans as armed guardians at public schools.
The bill is not a mandate, and the guardians would not have arresting authority, Wise said. The guardians would also have to be within five years of retirement and undergo a vetting and training process.
Committee chair James Tipton, R-Taylorsville, said he worked with Wise on strengthening the qualified immunity provision in the legislation. The guardians would have the same criminal and civil immunity as other law enforcement in the state. School boards would also be protected.
During discussion of SB 2, Rep. Josh Calloway, R-Irvington, proposed a committee amendment to allow schools to add a licensed pastoral counselor to the trauma-informed team. He said with the statewide shortage of counselors and psychologists, this would give schools another option.
Wise told the committee he has "no qualms" about the amendment. "We've got young people that need assistance and help," he said.
Abby Piper, a representative of the Kentucky School Counselors Association, testified against the amendment. But she said she supports the other mental health provisions in the legislation.
Rep. Tina Bojanowski, D-Louisville, made a motion to table the amendment. She said she finds the amendment "gravely concerning." Her motion failed.
The committee approved Calloway's committee amendment to SB 2.
Rep. Emily Callaway, R-Louisville, said she's in favor of Calloway's amendment.
"I really appreciate this and an opportunity to keep our kids safe and to get to some of the root of our issues and concerns for our kiddos," she said. "I'm a very strong ‘yes.'"
After approving Calloway's amendment, the committee continued to discuss the legislation.
Bojanowski asked Wise why schools need guardians when there are SROs. Wise said the guardians are for districts who don't have enough SROs or are in rural areas.
"The guardians are a stop-gap measure," Wise said.
The House Education Committee approved SB 2 by a 14-3 vote.
Rep. Lisa Willner, D-Louisville, said while she supports the mental health care portions of the legislation, she has concerns with the guardians and the pastoral counselor provisions of the bill.
"I'm very emotional about voting ‘no' on this because there's so much good in it," Willner said. "We've doubled up on the suicide prevention training. That's going to save lives. There's no question, so I'm happy that piece is going to pass."
SB 2 now goes before the full House for consideration.
FRANKFORT — The Senate Education Committee unanimously advanced a bill Thursday that would strengthen investigations into misconduct among school employees.
Rep. James Tipton, R-Taylorsville, is the primary sponsor of House Bill 275 and chair of the House Education Committee. He said the legislation focuses on a few key components.
The bill would require school districts to complete investigations into employee misconduct even if the employee resigns. It would also prevent schools from entering into a non-disclosure agreement with an employee who is subject to an investigation.
Another provision calls on school job applicants to disclose whether they were subject to an allegation or investigation for abusive conduct in the prior 12 months.
"I want to begin by saying that 99.9% of our teachers and school employees across the commonwealth – we're not talking about them," Tipton said. "But unfortunately, we have some bad actors who are in society and who are in the school system."
Tipton said the bill would allow records of investigations to be removed from an employee's personnel file if the allegations are determined to be false.
During the meeting, Kotomi Yokokura, a student at the University of Kentucky, testified in favor of the measure and shared her experiences as a survivor of sexual abuse at the hands of a high school teacher.
Yokokura said she was a teenager when a teacher created a private group chat with her and her friends. It was a texting platform utilized by her high school to update assignments and other important information.
She said her teacher gained her trust and emotionally manipulated her.
"It wasn't until talking with college friends that I began to fully understand the gravity of my experience and the betrayal of an individual I trusted, my community trusted," she said. "Now I'm sitting before you just one month away from my graduation from UK, but my experience of educator sexual misconduct almost stole this from me."
Sen. Shelley Funke Frommeyer, R-Alexandria, asked about coaches, who may not always be considered employees. She asked if the bill would cover coaches who may be volunteers.
"As I've reviewed the language, I believe that it would," Tipton said.
Senate President Pro Tempore David P. Givens, R-Greensburg, asked Tipton about the bill's language. He said he wants to make sure it would apply to noncertified personnel. Tipton answered affirmatively.
Sen. Lindsey Tichenor, R-Smithfield, asked if sexual misconduct and grooming could be better defined in the legislation. Tipton said an existing law references those situations, but he's always open to make legislation the best it can be.
Tichenor reiterated that "this is not directed toward the majority of our teachers. But we have to ensure that our students are safe and protected from the small number of teachers that may prey on our students."
FRANKFORT — Juveniles accused of committing certain felonies while using a firearm could be tried as adults under Senate Bill 20.
The House Judiciary Committee advanced the measure Wednesday. The bill is sponsored by Sen. Matthew Deneen, R-Elizabethtown.
Deneen said SB 20 addresses an unfortunate situation in the commonwealth: youth gun violence. Deneen cited several recent incidences of shootings involving teens, including one in Louisville from over the weekend.
"Our kids are using guns to settle their disputes," Deneen said. "In many cases, they're using guns that are illegally obtained through carjackings and sometimes even with the help of an adult."
With current statute, Deneen said many juveniles are allowed "to go into jail and walk right back out before our policemen even have time to finish the paperwork." SB 20 would change that, he said.
"It takes our most heinous crimes – A, B and C felonies involving the use of a gun – and it transfers those to circuit court," Deneen said.
The original version of SB 20 contained provisions that were included in House Bill 5, which passed off the Senate floor last week. SB 20 was amended in the House Judiciary Committee to remove those redundant provisions, Committee Chair Daniel Elliott, R-Danville, said.
The new version of SB 20 only focuses on juvenile felony offenses involving firearms.
Under SB 20, the circuit court could use a reverse waiver to send cases back to district court. The requirements for the waiver involve reviewing 10 factors already established in statute. If the offender doesn't meet at least two of those factors, the case can be sent back to district court, Elliott said.
The new version of SB 20 also ensures only children who used a firearm are implicated, Deneen and Elliott said.
Deneen said this bill would hold violent juveniles accountable and prevent them from creating more victims.
"This is not a perpetrator-centered bill. This is a victim-centered bill," Deneen said. "We owe it to those families that have been wounded that are now in wheelchairs because of gun violence committed by other juveniles."
During discussion, Rep. Keturah Herron, D-Louisville, said she agrees that gun violence is a major issue that needs to be addressed. However, she does not believe SB 20 will help, and she advocated for more prevention measures.
"There has been over 100 JCPS students who have been shot – some killed, some just wounded – and we need to do something," Herron said. "However, some of you all know I think the approach is the wrong approach."
Rep. Kimberly Poore Moser, R-Taylor Mill, thanked Deneen for the bill and said seeing the increase in youth gun violence tells her the legislature needs to do more. She asked Deneen if there is an opportunity to hold more parents accountable when they allow children to have access to or do not properly secure firearms.
Deneen said he agrees adults should be held accountable, but SB 20 only focuses on juvenile gun-related cases.
As for the fiscal impact of SB 20, Rep. Nima Kulkarni, D-Louisville, said she has concerns.
"My concern is the capacity and the bandwidth to actually implement this if we don't have that money being allocated in the budget for it," she said.
Deneen said there is a cost associated with the bill, but the cost of not moving forward with SB 20 is greater when lives and the well-being of Kentuckians is at stake.
Rep. Lindsey Burke, D-Lexington, said she also has concerns about the fiscal impact of SB 20. She made a motion to table the bill until an updated corrections impact statement can be drafted. The motion failed.
Rep. Patrick Flannery, R-Olive Hill, said he "proudly supports" SB 20 and believes it will keep Kentuckians safer.
"When you have serious violent offenders that are locked up, that keeps them off the streets and keeps them from doing this to our family members, our loved ones, our neighbors, people that we care about or people that we may not even know," he said.
The House Judiciary Committee approved SB 20 by a 12-4 vote. It now goes before the full House for consideration.
FRANKFORT — A bill that would set regulations for adult-oriented businesses advanced from the House Veterans, Military Affairs and Public Protection Committee on Tuesday.
Sen. Lindsey Tichenor, R-Smithfield, is the primary sponsor of Senate Bill 147. She said the bill seeks to protect children from sexually explicit materials and performances.
"The bill defines adult-oriented businesses to mean an adult arcade, adult bookstore or video store, adult cabaret, adult theater or any establishment that predominately hosts any performance involving sexual conduct," Tichenor said.
The commonwealth has a history of regulating all sorts of businesses, like real estate, horse racing and alcohol, Tichenor said.
"The intent of this bill is to set regulations around an unchecked industry to ensure we are protecting communities and minors within those communities from the exposure that leads to adverse, secondary effects," she added.
Under SB 147, adult-oriented businesses would not be permitted within 933 feet – the length of the average city block – of a childcare facility, a children's establishment, park, recreational area, place of worship, schools, libraries, and any area where children predominately gather. These businesses would also not be allowed to employ anyone under 18 and would be responsible for preventing obscene material from being accessed by minors.
Violators would face civil penalties, Tichenor said. Enforcement of the new regulations would fall under the attorney general's office, a commonwealth's attorney's office or a county attorney's office. A previous version of the legislation allowed citizens to bring civil action. Tichenor said that provision has been removed.
A grandfather clause was also added to the legislation for already established adult-oriented businesses that would allow them to continue to operate even if they're in violation of the bill, Tichenor added.
During discussion, House Minority Whip Rachel Roberts, D-Newport, asked Tichenor how the bill limits drag queen appearances and performances at restaurants and libraries.
Tichenor said the bill only prohibits performances with nudity and/or sexual conduct as defined in the legislation.
Roberts said she feels the bill targets certain groups of people, and she is "incredibly disappointed" when the legislature "tries to legislate morality."
Rep. Bill Wesley, R-Ravenna, however, spoke in support of SB 147.
"The reason I'm voting ‘yes' today: it puts up guardrails for our children," he said.
Rep. Stephanie Dietz, R-Edgewood, said she can support SB 147 due to some of the changes Tichenor made to the bill. Dietz said she trusts the county attorney and commonwealth's attorney in her diverse district to know what types of performances should and should not be permitted.
"I have to trust that my officials that are being elected by those citizens are going to enforce this the way that it's intended to be," she said.
The committee approved SB 147 by a 16-2 vote. It will now go before the full House for consideration.
FRANKFORT — The Kentucky House and Senate are squaring up for a robust end to the 2024 legislation session, moving major bills on crime, school choice and diversity initiatives with only two weeks to go before the veto recess.
Perhaps the most watched bill of the session – the biennial state budget – is also making headway after the Senate unveiled its version of the plan this week. The $130 billion proposal breezed through committee and cleared the Senate floor on Wednesday with near unanimous support.
A conference committee is set to begin negotiating a compromise between the House and Senate in the coming days. The House passed its proposal Feb. 1, and the Senate version includes key changes, including additional money for Kentucky's school funding formula known as SEEK.
The Senate also proposes to increase performance funding for higher education and jails and provide additional funds to pay down bonds related to the KentuckyWired project.
Lawmakers will need to hammer out an accord by March 28 if they want time to override any gubernatorial vetoes before the general assembly adjourns sine die next month.
Friday marked day 52 of the 60-day session, and lawmakers have revised the legislative calendar to provide two extra days next week for committee meetings. That foreshadows a busy schedule ahead as members continue to grapple with a number of preeminent bills.
One measure moving close to final passage is House Bill 5, an omnibus anti-crime bill that would enhance penalties for some felonies – especially for repeat, violent offenders.
Called the Safer Kentucky Act, the legislation would also allow prosecutors to file a manslaughter charge against anyone who sells or distributes fentanyl that causes a fatal overdose. Other provisions seek to curb unlawful street camping and set limits on charitable bond organizations.
HB 5 cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday and, after a long debate, won approval on the Senate floor Friday 27-9. It now goes back to the House for a vote on the Senate's changes.
Meanwhile, a measure on diversity, equity and inclusion on college campuses has won support in the House and now moves back to the Senate for consideration.
Senate Bill 6 calls for an end to DEI initiatives at Kentucky colleges and universities. The far-ranging bill would forbid differential treatment of individuals based on protected classes like race and sex. It would also prohibit campuses for expending resources on DEI trainings and offices, among many other provisions.
The House amended the legislation in committee Thursday, expanding significantly on the Senate's version, which focused more specifically on viewpoint discrimination. Lawmakers voted 68-18 on the House floor after a nearly four-hour debate, and the bill now goes back to the Senate for consideration.
Another major bill related to education, House Bill 2, received final passage in the Senate following several long debates throughout the week. That included a two- and half-hour exchange on the House floor Wednesday and another hour-long match in the Senate on Friday that preceded a 27-8 vote.
The legislation proposes to amend the state constitution and allow the general assembly to provide financial support for education outside Kentucky's system of public schools. That would allow the legislature to consider funding other types of educational models in future years.
Like all proposed amendments to the constitution, the changes would require ratification by Kentucky voters in an election before taking effect.
Many other bills continued to receive votes this week as they moved through the legislative process. Here's a look at some of the other measures on the move:
Lawmakers are expected to meet in committees on Tuesday and Wednesday next week. However, the chambers will not gavel back into session until Thursday for day 53. The veto recess begins on March 29.
Kentuckians can track the action through the Legislative Record webpage, which allows users to read bills and follow their progression through the chambers. Capitol observers can also track budget bills on the 2024 Budget Bills webpage.
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.
FRANKFORT — After several alterations, House Bill 5 advanced Thursday out of the Senate Judiciary Committee with a 7-3 vote and now heads to the Senate floor for consideration.
The 78-page bill – known as the Safer Kentucky Act – seeks to curb crime in the commonwealth through a major revamp of Kentucky's criminal code.
Amid dozens of provisions, the legislation would institute stiffer penalties for repeat violent offenders. It would also place limits on charitable bond organizations and prohibit unlawful camping on streets, sidewalks and other public grounds.
Anyone who sells or distributes fentanyl that causes a fatal overdose could be charged with manslaughter under the bill. In addition, HB 5 would classify carjacking as a class B felony and increase the penalties for fleeing or evading police, among other changes.
The legislation has undergone debate and revisions since it was introduced in the House in January. Supporters and detractors offered another round impassioned testimony during Thursday's meeting, touching on incarceration, homelessness, public safety and other related issues.
Rep. Jared Bauman, R-Louisville, the bill's primary sponsor, said he's grateful the bill is being augmented.
"I deeply appreciate you engaging with us in a constructive way so we can help sharpen this bill and make a couple small changes to improve it," he told the committee.
A cosponsor, House Majority Whip Jason Nemes, R-Middletown, said the bill's approach focuses on providing both treatment and cracking down on violence.
The annual number of murders in Louisville has soared from around 80 a decade ago to between 150 and 188 in the last four years, he said. "Violent crime in Kentucky is spiraling out of control."
Ryan Straw, vice president of the Kentucky State Fraternal Order of Police, testified that police officers aren't looking to go out and arrest people as easily as possible. But he said HB 5 contains many provisions that speak to the needs of law enforcement.
However, several others testified with concerns about how the bill would affect homeless Kentuckians. One of them was Elli Keeley-Fine of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School in Louisville. She represented her class, and said the students pray for the homeless people.
"For the past year, my class has spent over 2,000 hours serving the homeless and witnessing the trauma and hopelessness that defines the sacred spaces in which they live. We bring you the lessons of our heart and of our faith and ask you to reconsider House Bill 5," she said.
Mandi Fugate Sheffel, who owns a bookstore in Hazard, also testified against the bill, saying she used to be addicted to oxycontin and is proud to now be a business owner and someone who can meaningfully contribute to her community.
"In eastern Kentucky, our jails are already overcrowded and we don't need to be spending money on new jails," she said.
Sen. Karen Berg, D-Louisville, voted against the measure and said she's worried about gun violence involving children.
"In my experience as a physician working in the emergency room at one of the two Level 1 trauma centers that we have in this state, the prevalence of guns and the availability of guns for our children has skyrocketed," she said.
She asked if the bill would address minors' gun access.
Nemes said the bill doesn't address gun access by minors directly, but there are two provisions that are related to the issue. If an adult uses a child to commit a crime, that results in a heightened penalty, he said. Also, if a gun is used in the commission of a crime, the individual would not be eligible for parole or probation, Nemes explained.
"But we always hear we don't take gun crime seriously. House Bill 5 does," Nemes said.
Senate President Robert Stivers, R-Manchester, addressed those who assist homeless individuals. He asked if they are aware of millions of dollars in the Senate budget to match a substantial investment by a group of bankers in Lexington to reduce homelessness.
He said the funding would support substance use disorder treatment, mental health treatment and access to health care and housing.
Sen. Phillip Wheeler, R-Pikeville, voted in favor of the bill and said he commends the bill's sponsors for their hard work and said Kentucky does struggle with crime.
"We do have a crime problem in Kentucky, and I think this bill will go a long way to address it by a multi-lateral approach. It gives people an option to improve their lives and get better by utilizing treatment, and at the same time it protects society from repeat violent offenders," he said.
FRANKFORT — A bipartisan House bill would bring transparency to an educational medical practice that patients are often unaware about.
Rep. Sarah Stalker, D-Louisville, is the primary sponsor of House Bill 252, which would require physicians to seek informed consent for intimate exams performed on a patient who is unconscious.
Stalker told the House Health Services Committee on Thursday that it is not uncommon for some teaching hospitals to allow medical students to perform rectal, pelvic or prostate exams while a patient is under anesthesia. Most of the time the patient is unaware the exam took place and it is not noted on their medical chart.
Stalker said HB 252 will protect patients and support medical students.
"(This will) support our medical students who need to be confident and comfortable giving exams knowing that they have a patient's consent prior," Stalker added.
Under HB 252, health care providers would have to obtain informed consent from a patient before allowing anyone to do a pelvic, prostate or rectal exam to a patient while they are under anesthesia or unconscious. Separate consent would not be needed if one of those intimate exams is included in the procedure the patient has already consented to.
Stalker said the issue has come to the attention of lawmakers nationwide after medical students started speaking out against the practice.
"There really is a disconnect between a lot of people within the medical community who see this as normal and nonproblematic, and people who are patients, med students or members of the public who see this as a disturbing violation," Stalker said.
The physicians who support the practice say the consent form patients sign before any procedure is sufficient, she added.
Knowing how many of these exams are done nationwide or in Kentucky is difficult to know, Stalker said, since many patients are unaware.
"There was a recent study that estimated more than 3.5 million men and women (nationwide) may have received unconsented intimate exams within the past five years," Stalker said.
Rep. Danny Bentley, R-Russell, asked how the bill handles penalties.
Committee chair and primary co-sponsor Kimberly Poore Moser, R-Taylor Mill, said HB 252 does not create any special penalties for violators.
Cory Meadows, directory of advocacy with the Kentucky Medical Association, testified alongside Stalker. They worked together on the legislation. Meadows told Bentley that recourse can still be sought through the medical board and medical malpractice lawsuits.
Committee vice-chair Ryan Dotson, R-Winchester, said it "blows his mind" intimate exams are being performed without consent. He wanted to know if the informed consent includes letting the patient know how many medical students would be involved.
Stalker said the bill says informed consent includes notifying the patient about the identity and training status of the individuals involved with the procedure.
Dotson said he supports HB 252, but he'd like to see the informed consent be more specific.
Rep. Rebecca Raymer, R-Morgantown, said she hopes these exams are not happening in Kentucky without consent, but not knowing does not impact her support for the legislation.
"It doesn't bother me to vote on this legislation and pass it without knowing that it's happening because I do see this as protection," she said.
The House Health Services Committee approved HB 252 by a 15-0 vote with one pass vote. It now heads to the full House for consideration.
FRANKFORT — The Senate advanced three budget-related bills with bipartisan support Wednesday as legislators look toward the next two-year spending cycle for state government.
All three bills – House Bill 1, House Bill 6 and House Bill 263 – received unanimous approval from the Senate Appropriations and Revenue Committee earlier in the day. The Senate approved HB 1 with a 38-0 vote, House Bill 6 with a 37-1 vote and HB 263 with a 37-1 vote in the afternoon.
HB 6, which represents the budget for the state executive branch, cleared the House floor on Feb. 1 and has remained under review in the Senate since then. The Senate Majority Caucus unveiled some key changes to the House plan as the bill was advancing Wednesday.
Those include close to $100 million in additional money for the Support Education Excellence in Kentucky – or SEEK – funding model for public schools.
The Senate also proposes to double the amount of money to support the performance funding model for higher education, raising the total appropriation to $201 million.
Other changes include increased performance funding for jails, more money for Medicaid and $200 million to pay down bonds related to the KentuckyWired project.
Sen. Christian McDaniel, R-Ryland Heights, chairs the Senate Appropriations and Revenue Committee. He said the budget process has been diligent and fair and provided opportunities for comment from around the state.
"I think those who have participated in the process and have seen the process will say that they've had the opportunity to do just that," he said. "Thanks to the work of every member sitting in this chamber."
Compared to the current state budget, HB 6 would provide:
The 257-page bill includes many other appropriations, including funds to support education, public safety, workforce development, energy, constitutional offices, and other government services.
Meanwhile, the Senate version of HB 1 proposes a series of one-time appropriations aimed at improving infrastructure, economic development, health care and housing. That includes $890 million for the state road fund, $150 million for the Commonwealth Center for Biomedical Excellence, $75 million toward the development of nuclear energy and many more projects.
"House Bill 1 is about transforming Kentucky, and we start with this bill asking ourselves how do we do transformational things? How do we ensure that we are competitive in the next century," McDaniel said.
Sen. Adrienne Southworth, R-Lawrenceburg, voted no on HB 6 and HB 263 and explained why.
"I really think we need to be focused on what we're spending our money on, and we just voted on all these things. We have money for a lot of these projects. They don't need to be funded with debt, and we shouldn't be balancing our budget with debt," she said.
But Senate Minority Whip David Yates, D-Louisville, commended lawmakers for looking at HB 6 as a document that serves all of the state.
"I'm greatly appreciative of that, and I look forward to finishing out as we get down to the bottom details. But I just want to take a second to voice my gratitude," he said.
All three bills head back to the House for lawmakers to vote on whether they concur with the Senate changes.
FRANKFORT — The Kentucky House approved a bill Wednesday that proposes a state constitutional amendment related to educational funding.
House Majority Caucus Chair Suzanne Miles, R-Owensboro, is the primary sponsor of House Bill 2. She said the proposed amendment would give the legislature the possibility to consider other types of education funding.
"This is not a policy decision," Miles said. "There is no funding in this bill whatsoever. There is no enabling legislation. This is solely a constitutional amendment to put on the ballot."
If approved by the Kentucky General Assembly, voters will have the opportunity during the November general election to change the state constitution.
The proposed amendment under HB 2 reads: "The general assembly may provide financial support for the education of students outside the system of common schools. The general assembly may exercise this authority by law, Sections 59, 60, 171, 183, 184, 186 and 189 of this constitution notwithstanding."
Voters would be given some context on the ballot on what the proposed amendment does.
HB 2 proposes this question be given to voters: "To give parents choices in educational opportunities for their children, are you in favor of enabling the general assembly to provide financial support for the education costs of students in kindergarten through 12th grade who are outside the system of common (public) schools by amending the Constitution of Kentucky as stated below?"
The House debated HB 2 for two and a half hours on Wednesday. Some lawmakers said the general assembly needs to ensure public schools are fully funded before considering things like school choice vouchers for private or other types of schools.
Rep. Chris Fugate, R-Chavies, was one. He said his district is still looking to secure funding to rebuild a few schools and provide raises for teachers after the July 2022 floods. While personally in favor of HB 2, Fugate said he could not vote "yes" due to the needs of his district.
"All I'm doing is pleading the case of my district because my people deserve their schools to be fixed before we fund other schools," Fugate said.
Rep. Josie Raymond, D-Louisville, also spoke against HB 2. She said the amendment could lead to legislation that would reduce funding for public education in the commonwealth.
"If the people of Kentucky approved this amendment, the legislature could enact legislation that would siphon public school money from rural, low-income areas of our state," she said.
House Minority Floor Leader Derrick Graham, D-Frankfort, said Kentucky parents already have a choice of where to send their child to school, and the general assembly needs to put public education first.
"(This bill) is not the right thing for us to do for our children in this commonwealth," he added.
During debate, House Minority Whip Rachel Roberts, D-Newport, asked Miles what she would like to happen if Kentucky voters approve the amendment.
Miles said: "I would like to see every child in the Commonwealth of Kentucky to have the best access and a level playing field to succeed, to be the best of their ability, and live the American dream."
When voting "yes" on HB 2, Rep. Kevin D. Bratcher, R-Louisville, said Kentucky is behind other states when it comes to school choice initiatives and it is time to catch up.
"There's going to be bad actors… whether it's public or private, but (other states) are experimenting and looking at ways to expand kids' education, so I'm voting ‘yes,'" Bratcher said. "I think this is a great step."
Rep. Josh Calloway, R-Irvington, said he was "honored" to support HB 2.
"Today we got to have a discussion about parents and children and to give children the opportunity to have the best fit education for them as possible, regardless of their zip code," he said.
HB 2 advanced off the House floor by a 65-32 vote with one abstention and now heads to the Senate. If approved by the Senate, the bill will automatically be sent to the Secretary of State's Office. Proposed constitutional amendments do not require the governor's signature.
FRANKFORT — The Senate Licensing and Occupations Committee approved a bill Tuesday that would create a regulatory structure for the commercial sale of vintage distilled spirits in Kentucky.
Under House Bill 439, vendors of vintage spirits would need to purchase a $300 annual license and file monthly reports with the state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. The reports would provide information about individuals who supplied the vendors with inventory.
Vendors could purchase no more than 24 packages of spirits from any single seller in a 12-month period. Violations could result in a $500 fine for the first offense, a $2,500 fine for a second offense and a $5,000 fine for subsequent offenses.
Another provision of the bill would allow state officials to auction off – rather than destroy – some confiscated spirits to help fund alcohol wellness and education efforts.
Rep. Matthew Koch, R-Paris, is sponsoring HB 439. He said the alcohol industry's current three-tier system has inadvertently created an unregulated fourth tier.
"This was allowing non-licensed persons to essentially make a living off reselling spirits with little to no tracking, and it's something we need to come back and clean up," he said.
Rep. Killian Timoney, R-Nicholasville, also testified about two portions of the legislation. One would allow delivery drivers to carry licenses electronically or on paper inside the vehicle rather than posted on the outside.
The other portion would change the quota for retail package licenses to one per 2,000 people rather than one per 2,300. That change would impact five Kentucky counties, Timoney said.
Dana Peddicord, owner of The Blushery in Lexington, spoke in opposition to the bill. The business is a bridal, hair, and makeup studio with a boutique and wine bar.
Peddicord argued that changing the license quota would increase the market advantage of large retailers in Lexington while also saturating the market with new storefronts that undermine boutique retailers.
Sen. Amanda Mays Bledsoe, R-Lexington, voted yes for the bill but said Peddicord raised some good points.
"She and I have talked quite a bit about some of the consequences in Lexington. We don't want a liquor store on every corner, and we still don't want them in certain areas," Mays Bledsoe said. "There is a challenge between demand and how we protect small businesses."
Senate Minority Caucus Chair Reginald Thomas, D-Lexington, also voted for the bill and said it's vital for small businesses to be treated fairly and in the same manner.
Senate Majority Floor Leader Damon Thayer, R-Georgetown, said that lawmakers are addressing the issue because enforcement officials have treated vendors aggressively and unevenly.
"I believe some stores have been improperly selected while others doing the same business have been left alone," he said. "I hope this clarifies things and we won't have this sort of overly aggressive punishment of legal businesses in Kentucky."
HB 439 received approval with an 8-0 vote. One legislator cast a pass vote. It now heads to the full Senate.
FRANKFORT — Last year, the Kentucky General Assembly passed legislation to allow Kentuckians with specific medical conditions access to medicinal cannabis in 2025.
The Kentucky House approved House Bill 829 Tuesday to make updates to the upcoming program. The bill's primary sponsor House Majority Whip Jason Nemes, R-Middletown, said the need to clean up last year's Senate Bill 47 is not unexpected.
A major provision of HB 829 would address medicinal cannabis use for K-12 students. Nemes said the bill would allow public and private schools to opt out of the program. If a school district chooses to allow students to use medicinal cannabis at school, the district would need to establish a policy.
"If they don't opt out of the program, that also requires them to have a mechanism by which they would administer the medication whether it's a school nurse, a different school employee or a parent," Nemes said.
Additionally, HB 829 would:
House Minority Whip Rachel Roberts, D-Newport, questioned the need for a pharmacist consultation before a person could be approved to access medicinal cannabis.
"(Some studies) do state that currently, cannabis drug interactions are mostly theoretical or come from case reports due to the lack of clinical trials," she said. "… I think that this is duplicative. I think that we should trust the prescribing physicians."
Rep. Danny Bentley, R-Russell, worked on the pharmacy provision of the bill with Nemes. He said the pharmacy consultation is needed because cannabis can have a negative interaction with certain blood thinners.
"We believe that this consultation will save lives," Bentley said.
On use of medicinal cannabis in public schools, Rep. Sarah Stalker, D-Louisville, said she doesn't think public school districts should be able to opt out of allowing students to be given medicinal cannabis at school.
"This doesn't feel like we're taking care of Kentuckians," she said. "I just want to remind this body that these are very vulnerable individuals – people who are sick – and we're making it harder for them to access medicine that could ease their quality of life."
Rep. Josh Bray, R-Mount Vernon, said he supports a school district's decision to opt out of the program under HB 829. He said some districts have liability concerns.
"This was one of my biggest concerns last year after speaking to my schools because they didn't want to be put in the position of administering medication that didn't have instructions, didn't have dosage, that they have no clue about," Bray said.
House Minority Caucus Chair Cherlynn Stevenson, D-Lexington, said she feels HB 829 is making access to medicinal cannabis more restrictive. She said she hopes the general assembly considers a proposed Senate bill that would expand the list of qualifying conditions.
Nemes said he understands some of his colleagues disagree with the legislation, but HB 829 is needed to clarify and "tighten things up."
"It is important we take these steps to further protect the patient," he added.
The House passed HB 829 by a 66-30 vote. It now heads to the Senate for consideration.
FRANKFORT — The House Education Committee approved a bipartisan bill Tuesday that seeks to improve early childhood education in the commonwealth.
House Bill 695 would establish an adaptive kindergarten readiness pilot project within the Kentucky Department of Education, Rep. Kevin Jackson, R-Bowling Green, said. He is the primary sponsor of the legislation.
"Over 50% of Kentucky kids are not kindergarten ready on day one," Jackson said. "That number alarms me, and I hope it does some of you since we know how critical the early years of learning are."
Jackson said HB 695 would use curriculum that aligns with state standards and national guidelines to improve kindergarten readiness in the commonwealth.
"The project will use family engagement to deliver age-appropriate reading instruction with an online learning platform 20 minutes per day," Jackson said. "It will offer optional instruction for math and science if wanted."
The pilot project would run during the 2024-25 and 2025-26 school years if funds are available, according to the bill. Jackson said the KDE has funds to cover at least one year of the pilot project. He and others are working on securing funding either through the state's general fund or a grant for the second year.
The pilot project would be available to at least 400 students, ages 4 and 5, across Kentucky, with 40% of its slots reserved for children and families up to 200% of the federal poverty line, Jackson said.
The program requires families to have access to a tablet or computer and the internet. Low-income families below 400% of the federal poverty line would receive the devices and internet if needed at no cost for the duration of the project, Jackson added.
Rep. Lisa Willner, D-Louisville, is one of the co-sponsors of HB 695. She asked Jackson to describe what family engagement would be like with this bill.
"The part that excites me the most is on page two – the part that utilizes family engagement," Willner said.
Jackson said the programs are "very entertaining," which is needed to keep children engaged.
"I think it's a win-win when we can bring a family together and do something educational," Jackson said. "I think it'll make that family learn together, work together and continue to do that hopefully through elementary, middle school and high school."
The House Education Committee approved HB 695 by a 12-3 vote with two pass votes.
Rep. Felicia Rabourn, R-Pendleton, voted "no" on the legislation. During discussion of the bill, she urged her colleagues to look at a study from Vanderbilt on the long-term consequences of focusing too much on academics at an early age.
"In some studies, like the one I'll provide to members of this committee, it actually ends up kids having negative feelings toward school right around grade three level," Rabourn said, adding she wants to know if a more play-based program would be more appropriate.
Rep. Steve Riley, R-Glasgow, voted "yes" on HB 695. He said doing nothing to address kindergarten readiness is "not a solution."
"We've got a major crisis not only in our state, but in our country of having young people who are not prepared," Riley said. "In many cases, it's not their fault. Obviously, many of them are growing up in difficult situations. But if we do nothing, that's exactly what we're going to get: nothing."
HB 695 will now go before the full House for consideration.
FRANKFORT — — The Kentucky House passed a bill Monday that would create specific criminal penalties for individuals who interfere with a legislative proceeding.
Rep. John Blanton, R-Salyersville, said he filed House Bill 626 to ensure the general assembly is not prevented from doing its work on behalf of constituents. He said there is "absolutely nothing wrong" with protesting, but some individuals take things too far.
"Protesting is as American as apple pie," Blanton said. "It is the foundation of who we are, and I'm fully supportive of that. But when you prevent a legislative body from doing its work, then you cross the line."
Under HB 626, a person would be guilty of first-degree interference of a legislative proceeding if they knowingly conspire or engage in disorderly or disruptive conduct that disrupts, impedes or prevents the general assembly from conducting business in any legislative building.
The penalties for first-degree interference of a legislative proceeding are a class A misdemeanor on the first offense and a class D felony on second or subsequent offense.
A person would be guilty of second-degree interference of a legislative proceeding if they enter or remain inside a chamber, gallery or room to disrupt, impede or prevent the general assembly from conducting its business.
This provision would also apply to individuals who obstruct the movement of a legislator, legislative officer or legislative staff member within a legislative building.
The penalties for second-degree interference of a legislative proceeding are a class B misdemeanor on the first offense and a class A misdemeanor on second or subsequent offense.
On the House floor, Blanton reminded lawmakers of an incident that occurred during the 2023 legislative session when protestors interrupted a legislative proceeding by chanting loudly from the House gallery. He said HB 626 is needed because current statute doesn't properly address the issue.
"We all remember what happened last year in this very body, and those folks ended up being charged with criminal trespassing," Blanton said. "I would argue that that doesn't necessarily fit either. This is a public place."
Rep. Daniel Grossberg, D-Louisville, said he disagrees. He believes criminal trespassing is a sufficient charge.
"I just urge we keep the laws on the books and not make it such that people who come to the Capitol and are part of a protest but aren't themselves acting violently, are dragged into the courtroom and prosecuted due to their dissent," Grossberg said.
Rep. John Hodgson, R-Fisherville, said he supports Blanton's explanation of the legislation, but when he reads the bill, he has a few concerns. Before becoming a legislator, Hodgson said he participated in a few protests at the Kentucky State Capitol.
"My concern here is that as I participated in those as well as organized them, would I have been guilty of the conspiracy offense that you described here?" Hodgson asked.
Blanton said the legislation would not apply to individuals protesting outside the chamber if they are not disrupting a legislative proceeding. He said there have been many times where lawmakers could hear people protesting outside the chamber, but the sound did not disrupt the proceeding. In that instance, no one would be charged.
Hodgson asked Blanton if he would be open to tightening the language in the bill to avoid unintended consequences. Blanton said he would be open as long as it doesn't change the intent of the legislation.
The House approved HB 626 by a 62-31 vote. It now heads to the Senate for consideration.
FRANKFORT — The calendar is shrinking fast, and a whirlwind of bills is spinning at full tilt as lawmakers continue to push measures on education, maternal health and digital media closer to final passage in the 2024 legislative session.
Friday wrapped up week 10 of the 60-day session, and the general assembly is wrestling with more than 1,200 bills – the highest number in 24 years. Legislative proposals have touched on virtually every issue facing the state, including two that inspired celebrity cameos this week.
Former basketball player Michael Kidd-Gilchrist testified in favor of a bill Tuesday that would eliminate some caps in insurance coverage for speech therapy. Country artist Eddie Montgomery appeared in committee Thursday on behalf of a bill to protect people's name, voice and likeness from deepfakes.
Lawmakers also dedicated time this week to override a gubernatorial veto on House Bill 18, a measure that prohibits local governments from requiring landowners to accept tenants who use federal housing assistance.
But like last week – and like many legislative sessions in the past – educational issues continue to garner much of the attention.
Legislation on civics education, House Bill 535, cleared the House Education Committee on Tuesday.
It calls on the Kentucky Board of Education to create academic standards for civic literacy in high schools. That would include lessons on America's founding, the U.S. Constitution, principles of government and civil liberties, among others.
Later in the day, a divided Senate passed two bills off the floor related to school safety and the state education board.
Senate Bill 2 seeks to enhance campus security by allowing some veterans and former police officers to serve as school "guardians." It also calls on school districts to assemble trauma-informed teams to improve mental health interventions. The bill passed 28-10.
Senate Bill 8 would change the process for selecting members of the Kentucky Board of Education. Right now, the governor appoints members to the board. But SB 8 calls for members to be elected from seven districts throughout the state. It cleared the chamber on a 24-14 vote.
Both bills now head to the House, which returned to education on Thursday with a long debate over truancy.
House Bill 611 calls on school officials to file a complaint with the county attorney when a student misses 15 days of school without an excuse. For students in elementary school, the parent would be held responsible.
Lawmakers spared over the impact of the bill, with some saying it would prove too heavy-handed, particularly for vulnerable students struggling with issues at home. Supporters argued that truancy has reached crisis levels and that it demands more accountability. The bill passed 79-15.
On the maternal health front, one major bill gaining momentum this week was House Bill 10, the so-called "momnibus" bill. The measure aims to support maternal and infant health care and reduce the high mortality rate for mothers in Kentucky.
HB 10 would require health plans to cover pregnancy, child birth and postpartum care along with in-home treatment for substance use disorder. It would also require the plans to cover labor and delivery costs and all services and supplies related to breastfeeding.
The House passed the legislation 90-0 Tuesday.
Throughout the week, legislators also focused on multiple bills related to social media and artificial intelligence along with others on guns, vaping and crime. Here's a look at some of the measures gaining traction:
Looking ahead, many are anticipating more action soon on the state's two-year budget. A slate of budget bills received a second reading on the Senate floor Friday, which sets the stage for additional movement next week.
However, all the bills still need a nod from the Senate Appropriations and Revenue Committee before lawmakers can advance them to the chamber floor.
The chambers are set to reconvene on Monday for day 48. That leaves 11 days before the lawmakers are scheduled to gavel out for the veto recess.
Kentuckians can track the action through the Legislative Record webpage, which allows users to read bills and follow their progression through the chambers. Capitol observers can also track budget bills on the 2024 Budget Bills webpage.
In addition, citizens can share their views on issues with lawmakers by calling the General Assembly's toll-free message line at 1-800-372-7181.
FRANKFORT — The Senate Economic Development, Tourism and Labor Committee approved legislation Thursday that would provide the framework to allow autonomous vehicles on Kentucky roads.
House Bill 7, sponsored by Rep. Josh Bray, R-Mount Vernon, received approval with an 8-2 vote. Bray said the measure would give the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet the ability to monitor, review and implement the necessary regulations.
"What I can say is we've seen these deployed all across the United States. Our neighbors in Tennessee, West Virginia, states like Florida and Texas, they've not had issues," he said.
The House added a provision in the bill that requires human drivers to remain inside autonomous semitrailers for the first two years after the measure takes effect. Human drivers would monitor the vehicles and intervene if necessary.
Bray said that was one of the biggest concerns he has heard since he proposed the legislation last year.
"I can understand because I've been in that seat. When we're talking about autonomous vehicles, that's kind of a new concept," he said. "But the fact of the matter is that the data shows that we've got a report here from transportation that talks about how their usage will reduce fatalities within Kentucky. The report also talks about how this is a great opportunity for Kentucky."
Sen. Phillip Wheeler, R-Pikeville, spoke about the downturn of the coal industry, and asked how much disruption the bill would cause to the trucking industry. He also asked how many people were expected to lose jobs due to the bill.
Bray cited a study showing a shortage of truck drivers.
"Right now, we're down 80,000 truck drivers nationwide. There are 80,000 vacancies as we speak. It's estimated by 2030, that number will double to 160,000 vacancies," he said. "As we look at bringing manufacturing back from China, and as we start shipping more goods across the country, we've noticed a significant bottleneck within the logistics and transportation aspect of things."
Bray said the bill would provide companies the opportunity to utilize autonomous vehicles in varying ways, and at times when humans might not want to be on the road.
"This will not replace the truck driver. I mean as this has been rolled out in other states, it's not replaced the truck driver. It's mainly used to get product from a distribution hub to a specific spot, or a specific retailer. And it's done during shifts that are less likely to be currently filled," he said.
Three members of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters testified during the meeting and raised concerns over accident rates for autonomous vehicles. They argued for changes that would require a human driver in all commercial vehicles for safety reasons.
Senate Minority Caucus Chair Reginald Thomas, D-Lexington, voted against the bill and said the data he's seen shows many people are still uneasy about highly autonomous vehicles.
"The bill's sponsor indicated that there's still a need for truck drivers in our transportation space today. I think with the fact that this is still new, as indicated, that was unrefuted today that it has a twice higher accident rate than regular drivers in vehicles," he said.
Sen. Shelley Funke Frommeyer, R-Alexandria, asked about how the economy might be affected by autonomous vehicles.
Bray pointed to Waymo, a ride-sharing company similar to Uber. They are also being used in retirement communities to get older adults to banks, doctors' office and pharmacies.
"So, we're not just talking about trucking. This bill doesn't speak to trucking specifically. It just allows a wide breadth of technology across the state," he said.
Bray said the technology could also help those with disabilities and those in rural areas as well as urban locations.
"It will provide an increase in access to transportation to those who ordinarily wouldn't have it," he said.
Senate Majority Whip Mike Wilson, R-Bowling Green, said he's grateful for the work Bray has done on the bill.
"And I appreciate the fact that you have a driver in there for two years, which would also give us the opportunity to see how it works in the state and if we need to have any further conversations or legislation on this, we can do so," he said.
FRANKFORT — The Kentucky House of Representatives approved a bill Thursday that seeks to reduce chronic absenteeism in Kentucky schools.
Sponsor Rep. Jared Bauman, R-Louisville, said he wishes House Bill 611 were not needed, but truancy is an issue across Kentucky. He said 38% of children in his district are chronically absent from school.
"House Bill 611 will ensure we identify truancy as early as possible with a 15-day threshold and report those cases to the county attorney for determination of appropriate court action," Bauman said.
The bill would only impact students with unexcused absences, Bauman clarified.
Rep. Timmy Truett, R-McKee, is one of the primary cosponsors of HB 611. He filed a floor amendment to specify that if a child has four or more unexcused absences while on diversion, the child will immediately be considered to have failed diversion. It would also extend the time of a diversion program from six months to 12 months.
The floor amendment also clarifies who would be held responsible for being truant. For kindergarten through fifth-grade students, the parent or guardian would be held responsible.
"Students being in the classroom is that important, and we've got to do everything we can to hold who is responsible for (the truancy) accountable," Truett said.
The House adopted the floor amendment.
Rep. Tina Bojanowski, D-Louisville, asked Truett what type of complaint a director of pupil personnel would file on the parent or guardian of a kindergarten through fifth-grade student with 15 or more absences. He said it would be educational neglect.
Bojanowski said there are many reasons why a child might be chronically absent outside of being sick or another excused absence. Some children live in homes where parents are going through a divorce and there's custody issues, she said.
"If I thought in my heart that (this bill) would change the behavior and get these kids to school, I would be all for it," she said. "But what I'm really looking for is how we can get to the root reason why our children aren't coming to school."
Rep. Keturah Herron, D-Louisville, said she finds HB 611 "very concerning." She said she understands the intent of the legislation, but fears it would hurt families who are facing transportation issues, among other problems that can take a while to resolve.
"The current system we have is doing what it needs to do," Herron said, adding the diversion plan Kentucky currently uses is a "national model."
Several lawmakers spoke in favor of HB 611. Rep. Jason Petrie, R-Elkton, said the amount of allowed unexcused absences is "too lenient," but he supports HB 611 "wholeheartedly."
"An essential component of what we're trying to do with K-12 is get the child in school," Petrie said. "You cannot educate a child if they're not there to receive the services."
Rep. James Tipton, R-Taylorsville, said the chronic absenteeism in Kentucky isn't a problem, but a crisis. He urged his colleagues to support HB 611 because some Kentucky school districts have more than 60% of students chronically absent.
"If these children are not at school, how are they going to have the opportunity to succeed in life?" Tipton said. "Sometimes it comes down to accountability and responsibility."
The House passed HB 611 by a 79-15 vote.
Rep. Rachel Roarx, D-Louisville, said she voted "no" on HB 611 because she wants to keep as many families as possible out of the court system.
"The court is there in extreme situations, absolutely," she said. "But we have so many families who are caught in cycles of system involvement and can't get their head above water."
House Minority Caucus Chair Cherlynn Stevenson, D-Lexington, voted "yes" on HB 611.
"I think this is needed … I trust our school personnel to know the difference between kids who are being truant versus kids who truly need help and their families need help," she said, urging for more funding for wraparound services.
HB 611 now heads to the Senate for consideration.
FRANKFORT — Another bill seeking to reduce tobacco use and vaping among Kentucky youth is on the move in the Kentucky House.
Rep. Rebecca Raymer, R-Morgantown, presented House Bill 11 to the House Health Services Committee on Thursday. The bill would bring state law in line with the FDA's regulations on tobacco products and improve Kentucky's ability to enforce the law, especially when it comes sales to minors.
Raymer said she began working on the legislation after finding out most products being confiscated at Kentucky schools are flavored and disposable vapes.
"Looking further, I found out these vapes are not even supposed to be offered for sale per the FDA," Raymer added.
Additionally, Congress raised minimum age of sale of tobacco products from 18 to 21 in 2019.
HB 11 would prohibit the sale of tobacco products to individuals under the age of 21. The bill would also ban certain tobacco products and set penalties for wholesalers and retailers who violate the restrictions.
Retailers caught selling products to minors would be issued a $100 to $500 fine on the first citation, a $1,000 fine on second citation and a $5,000 fine on a third or subsequent citation. On any fourth or subsequent citation within a two-year period, the retailer would lose the ability to sell Tobacco Control Act products for one year, according to the bill.
HB 11 would not punish minors who buy or attempt to purchase these products, only the adults involved.
Mallory Jones, a high school student from Winchester, spoke in support of HB 11 alongside a few other advocates. She said vaping among Kentucky youth is a serious issue, and addressing the source is critical.
"Kentucky high school students' e-cigarette usage has surpassed that of the national adult rate of cigarette use," Mallory said. "It is an adult's responsibility to protect kids from the harmful effects of nicotine and keep these products out of the hands of me and my peers."
Troy LeBlanc, a tobacco-related retailer and manufacturer, joined a few other industry stakeholders to share their concerns about the legislation. LeBlanc said he supports keeping Kentuckians under 21 away from tobacco products and raising fines for violators, but he has concerns about the plan to ban certain tobacco products altogether.
LeBlanc said HB 11 would effectively ban lower nicotine content products and leave only high nicotine content products on the shelves, which involves only a handful of brands.
Rep. Rachel Roarx, D-Louisville, said she appreciates the bill's goal to keep Kentucky youth away from nicotine products, but she has concerns HB 11 might have unintended consequences on the tobacco and e-cigarette industry.
"I hope we can continue to make progress to make sure that we're not just giving a couple of brands a monopoly on the entire industry," Roarx said.
Raymer said since Congress gave the FDA the authority to regulate the products, it is the state's responsibility to follow the FDA's rules.
"We as a state have an obligation to offer some public protection to our citizens," Raymer said. "If we know these products are not authorized – they're not legal per the FDA – we shouldn't have them on the shelf."
Rep. Steve Riley, R-Glasgow, asked Raymer how the bill addresses enforcement. Raymer said HB 11 gives local law enforcement the power to issue citations and report the violations to the state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, which would impose the fines.
The House Health Services Committee approved HB 11 by a 14 to 1 vote with three pass votes.
Rep. Felicia Rabourn, R-Pendleton, voted "no" on the legislation but said she agrees with some provisions in the bill.
"I do want to mention that I agree that we should penalize stores that are selling to minors," Rabourn added. "It is a major problem within our systems and our youth."
Rep. Emily Callaway, R-Louisville, said she was going to pass on voting on HB 11, but changed her mind to vote "yes."
"I do share concerns about the nicotine cap and the monopoly… but I guess I'm giving my 'yes' in good faith that these concerns are heard and we're going to address what we can going forward," she said.
HB 11 will now go before the full House for consideration.
FRANKFORT — The Senate advanced an amended bill Wednesday that would prevent adult-oriented businesses from operating near areas frequented by children.
Senate Bill 147 focuses on adult arcades, adult book and video stores, adult cabarets and theaters and other establishments that regularly host performances involving sexual conduct.
The bill would prohibit such businesses from operating within 933 feet of a child care facility, children's amusement establishment, park or recreational area, place of worship or a building used for educational purposes.
"We have recently seen performances that historically have been in the adult entertainment space but yet have now moved into the public sector and advertised for all ages, specifically for children," said the bill's sponsor, Sen. Lindsey Tichenor, R-Smithfield.
She said it's in the best interest of the state to create regulations that help guard against the adverse effects of such businesses. That includes increased crime, human trafficking, public indecency, and drug use, among other problems, she said.
"We all know the commonwealth regulates many of our businesses in order to ensure community safety and protection," Tichenor said.
SB 147 would also prohibit outside displays of nudity or sexual conduct, and adult-oriented businesses would be required to adopt policies and procedures to bar minors from gaining access.
The Senate adopted two amendments to the bill Wednesday, including one change that removed the word "drag" from the definition of adult cabaret.
Senate Minority Whip David Yates, D-Louisville, said he thinks that most senators would want to make sure that minors and children aren't exposed to sexually explicit conduct. However, he said he foresees possible constitutional challenges and voted against the measure.
"We want to make sure that minors are not going into strip clubs and those types of facilities," he said.
However, Yates cited concerns that the measure specifically targets drag performances even though the word had been removed.
The bill passed in the Senate 32-6 and now heads to the House.
FRANKFORT — Currently in Kentucky, children ages 13 and older must sign a waiver for their parent or guardian to access their medical records. House Bill 174 would change that.
Rep. Rebecca Raymer, R-Morgantown, is sponsoring the legislation, which advanced off the House floor Wednesday. Raymer said parents from her district drew her attention to the issue.
"House Bill 174 ensures that when a parent or guardian is acting as the personal representative for a minor they maintain access to the child's medical record," Raymer said.
There are exceptions in the legislation.
"The bill does allow for exceptions for times when the records of a minor would be protected under state or federal laws that already exist," Raymer said. "For example: Under HIPAA, if a minor is allowed to act as their own personal representative, the records associated with that care would be protected."
Rep. Ruth Ann Palumbo, D-Lexington, attempted to amend the bill on the House floor to keep mental health and reproductive health care medical records for minors private.
Raymer said the amendment was unnecessary due to HIPAA protections that would remain in place if HB 174 becomes law. The amendment failed.
Rep. Adrielle Camuel, D-Lexington, said she is concerned the legislation would put vulnerable children at risk.
"There are some young kids in our state who live in violent and abusive home situations in which disclosing certain health care records could put them at further harm," Camuel said. "This bill will discourage those in these dangerous situations from seeking the help and the care that they need."
Raymer said she believes this legislation is needed for parents to do their jobs effectively. She also said HIPAA already protects and will continue to protect children in vulnerable situations.
Reading an excerpt from HIPAA on the House floor, Raymer said: "A provider may choose not to treat a parent or guardian as a personal representative when the provider reasonably believes that the child may have been subject to domestic violence, abuse or neglect, or treating the parent as the child's representative could endanger the child."
Rep. Kimberly Poore Moser, R-Taylor Mill, said she worked with Raymer to ensure HIPAA protections remain in place for minors.
"There are very important reasons, medically speaking, why a parent would need to have the right to access a child's records, so I hope everyone keeps that in mind when it's time to vote on this very important measure," Moser said.
The Kentucky House passed House Bill 174 by an 81-15 vote. It now heads to the Senate for consideration.
FRANKFORT — Kentucky moms looking to give birth outside a hospital setting would have another option under House Bill 199.
Sponsored by House Majority Whip Jason Nemes, R-Middletown, HB 199 would exempt some freestanding birthing centers from the certificate of need requirement and set regulations for the facilities.
Nemes was joined by Mary Kathryn DeLodder with the Kentucky Birth Coalition and midwife Christy Peterson at the House Licensing, Occupations and Administrative Regulations Committee meeting Wednesday.
"We think that this (bill) is a very safe option for women," Nemes said.
Under HB 199, freestanding birthing centers would only be exempt from the certificate of need requirement if they have no more than four beds. This would remove current barriers that prevent freestanding birthing centers from opening in Kentucky, advocates say.
Another provision would require the centers to be accredited by the Commission for the Accreditation of Birthing Centers and carry malpractice insurance. Additionally, freestanding birthing centers would be required to have a plan for safely transporting a patient to a hospital if needed.
Nemes said a floor amendment is being drafted to address some of the concerns hospitals and physicians have with HB 199.
"I will not seek for this to be moved on the floor without a floor amendment that addresses these issues," Nemes said. "One is a transfer agreement that we think will improve things. Distance from the hospital is another one."
Dr. Alanna Oak, an obstetrician at a hospital in Edgewood, shared some of her concerns with committee about the legislation.
She said in order to make freestanding birthing centers safer, they need physician oversight. Complications can arise during any birth that require hospital and physician intervention, Oak added.
Nemes said while they can agree with four out of the five changes Oak and other stakeholders have requested, he cannot agree to the physician oversight recommendation.
Rep. Patrick Flannery, R-Olive Hill, said he has concerns about the safety of freestanding birthing centers when it comes to complications that may arise during birth.
"Time can be very critical, and those situations with the transfer agreement or location of the associated hospital or medical facility may improve those situations when time is very important," Flannery said.
Nemes said there's many "horror stories" about births in any location, but freestanding birthing centers are a safe option for many women.
"These birthing centers are safe. They're all over the country," Nemes added.
The committee approved HB 199 by a 14-0 vote with 5 pass votes.
In explaining his "yes" vote, Rep. Jonathan Dixon, R-Corydon, said he hopes Nemes and others continue to work together on the legislation.
"I do look forward to seeing you guys continue to work together and hopefully make those changes to be agreeable on the floor," Dixon said.
HB 199 now heads to the full House for consideration.
FRANKFORT — The Kentucky Senate advanced a bill Tuesday that would establish a guardian program to help improve school safety.
Senate Bill 2 would allow local education boards to hire some military veterans and former police officers to serve as school "guardians" starting in the 2025-26 school year. That would help schools cope with a dearth in school resource officers, according to supporters.
SB 2 also includes provisions to enhance mental health interventions in schools with trauma-informed teams. Sponsored by Sen. Max Wise, R-Campbellsville, the legislation won approval with a 28-10 vote and now heads to the House.
Wise said the bill is not seeking to replace or remove any current safeguards and will instead serve as a stopgap measure to help districts that have had trouble hiring school resource officers in recent years.
"We have continued to see a rise in school violence, school disciplinary issues, and unfortunately, also a rise in mental health services in a post-COVID school environment the school administrators, educators and staff bring to us in their stories," he said.
Wise said the bill shows a commitment to both the hardening approach to school safety and the softening approach for a student's well-being to trauma and mental health needs.
Certain honorably discharged U.S. military personnel and retired local, state and federal law enforcement officers would be eligible to serve as guardians.
However, before someone can become a guardian, the candidate must pass a medical examination, a drug screening and an extensive background check. They must complete a psychological screening and weapons training.
Senate Minority Caucus Chair Reginald Thomas, D-Lexington, said he voted in support of similar legislation in the past, but said he doesn't want to see schools possibly become "armed fortresses." He voted against SB 2.
"We've seen in this county, over the last several years, an increase in school violence, school shootings and mental health concerns," he said. "Yet today, what Senate Bill 2 does is address the problem by saying we want more guns in schools, not less. We want more armed camps in our schools, not less."
Thomas said the legislators need to get to the root of the problem by addressing mental health concerns.
Sen. Whitney Westerfield, R-Fruit Hill, said rather that creating the guardians program, he would prefer for lawmakers to appropriate the money that districts need to hire school resource officers. He's not sure how a guardian would interact within the system that already exists.
"And it again delays our investment in the SROs the school districts need and we've said that they're supposed to have. Let's do that," he said.
However, Sen. Stephen West, R-Paris, said lawmakers do not have perfect choices in the matter and that time is of the essence in active shooter situations. He voted in favor of the bill.
"Would I rather have a trained, armed veteran onside ready to act or would I rather have a highly trained SRO or law enforcement officer five minutes away," he said. "That's the choice we have."
FRANKFORT — A bipartisan bill aimed at reducing Kentucky's high maternal mortality rate is one step closer to becoming law.
Rep. Kimberly Poore Moser, R-Taylor Mill, and Rep. Nancy Tate, R-Brandenburg, are the primary cosponsors of House Bill 10. The Kentucky House of Representatives unanimously passed the legislation on Tuesday.
Also known as the "momnibus" bill – a combination of mom and omnibus – the legislation would take several steps to address maternal health issues.
"Kentucky has the unfortunate ranking as number two in the nation in maternal deaths in the year following childbirth," Moser said on the House floor. "There are several reasons for this, including our high rates of substance use and substance abuse among childbearing age women."
According to Moser, 53% of women who die in the year following childbirth die due to substance use disorder. Other factors affecting Kentucky's high maternal mortality rate include obesity, diabetes, heart disease and mental illness.
"These are all made more difficult during and after pregnancy and can cause dangerous situations," Moser said. "Deaths due to any of these factors are usually preventable. And the ways to prevent these deaths are to identify and treat these diseases early in pregnancy, if not before."
Prenatal care is "crucial" to reducing the maternal mortality rate, Moser said. One way to ensure access to that care is by making pregnancy a qualifying life event for health insurance purposes. HB 10 would do that.
A floor amendment adopted by the House would exempt small group and short-term limited duration plans from providing a special enrollment period for pregnancy. Moser said the change is needed to address concerns from insurers and small business owners.
Another provision would require a health benefit plan to cover in-home treatment for a substance use disorder, maternity care associated with pregnancy, and child birth and postpartum care. Plans would also be required to cover labor and delivery and all breastfeeding services and supplies. Telehealth would also be permitted.
As for mental health care, Moser said HB 10 would establish the Kentucky Lifeline for Moms. The hotline will operate out of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, which has already received a grant to implement the program. HB 10 would codify the program.
The lifeline staffed by psychiatrists and psychologists will assist OBGYNs and primary care physicians caring for mothers experiencing a mental health crisis.
HB 10 would also expand the Health Access Nurturing Development Services (HANDS) program by providing mothers and families counseling and education on breastfeeding, lactation and safe sleep and allowing telehealth for those services.
Rep. Sarah Stalker, D-Louisville, is a co-sponsor of HB 10. She filed legislation in 2023 to make pregnancy a qualifying event for insurance, but the bill did not advance. She thanked Moser for including her idea in HB 10.
"It is important that our women and babies have the ability to access prenatal care as early as possible," Stalker said. "And the fact that pregnancy is now being considered a qualifying life event is going to literally change the lives for so many Kentuckians as well as hopefully decrease the abysmal outcomes that we have."
Tate said she hopes to continue to work with Moser to make sure the services proposed in HB 10 are known by the public and utilized.
"One of my greatest concerns is that services will be available, yet their presence is unknown to the general public," Tate said. "While House Bill 10 will not address all the problems that are facing women and their families, it is certainly a step in the right direction for making Kentucky a better place to work, live and raise a family."
The House approved HB 10 by a 90-0 vote. It will now go before the Senate for consideration.
FRANKFORT — Some Kentuckians may soon have a way to get a state-issued ID or driver's license closer to home.
The House Transportation Committee approved House Bill 434 on Tuesday. Primary sponsor Rep. Kevin Jackson, R-Bowling Green, said the legislation allows a third party to partner with the Transportation Cabinet to issue and renew driver's licenses and personal ID cards.
"Currently, there are 32 regional driver's licensing centers in our state for 120 counties … and that seems wrong," Jackson said. "I know the Transportation Cabinet is doing all they can, we just want to give them another tool in their toolbox."
HB 434 defines a "third party entity" as a business or nonprofit member association. The bill would require the cabinet to establish an application procedure for third parties who wish to offer ID services.
Jackson said the legislation also includes language from Senate Bill 91, which would require the cabinet to establish at least one driver's license regional office within each of Kentucky's senatorial districts. A provision of SB 91 that would establish a driver's license skills test pilot program with Kentucky State Police in five counties has also been added.
The Kentucky Senate unanimously approved SB 91 on Feb. 20.
Several lawmakers had questions about HB 434.
House Minority Whip Rachel Roberts, D-Newport, asked Jackson what the fiscal impact of allowing third parties to issue IDs and licenses would be if the legislation became law.
"I agree with the intent of the bill that we definitely need more places to receive their IDs in the state," she added.
Jackson said the third party would be financially responsible for the equipment, not the state.
Rep. Keturah Herron, D-Louisville, said the current system is "a headache." She asked Jackson if it would be possible for IDs to go back to being issued through the county clerk offices instead of the regional centers.
Jackson and committee chair, Rep. John Blanton, R-Salyersville, said county clerks were included in the original version of the bill, but several factors played into removing that option from the legislation. Blanton said the REAL ID program established by the federal government makes getting an ID a "difficult process."
"Now the clerk's office has to have background investigations, and they have to receive a security clearance for whatever clerk may be issuing (the REAL IDs), and it's costing thousands and thousands of dollars in order to issue these new licenses," Blanton said, adding that a bill to address the issue is forthcoming, but won't be included in HB 434.
Rep. Thomas Huff, R-Shepherdsville, said he's "all for getting more facilities," but wanted to know why a business or nonprofit would want to spend its own money to offer ID services.
Lori Weaver Hawkins, public affairs manager for AAA Clubs in Kentucky, said AAA Clubs in other states have been offering ID services for decades. She said AAA can charge a convenience fee for the service.
As for the customer, Hawkins said members are drawn to the convenience and being able to accomplish multiple things in one visit to a AAA office, like meeting with an insurance agent or travel advisor.
The House Transportation Committee approved HB 434 by a 21-1 vote with one pass vote. It now heads to the full House for consideration.
FRANKFORT — The Senate Families and Children Committee on Tuesday unanimously advanced a bill to clarify that foster parents who work remotely can receive a child care subsidy.
Senate Bill 240 would decrease barriers facing families who wish to participate in foster care, the bill's sponsor, Sen. Cassie Chambers Armstrong, D-Louisville, testified. The inability to afford child care should not be the reason people can't provide a loving home, she said.
"We desperately need more foster families in Kentucky, and SB 240 can help us do just that. One of the ways that our state currently supports foster families is by providing child care support to families who participate," she said. "These subsidies help foster families so that they can both work and open their home to a child in need."
Current regulations require people to work outside the home at least 20 hours a week to qualify for the child care support, Chambers Armstrong said.
"But the interpretation of this regulation is inconsistent, and some have interpreted it to mean that families that are teleworking do not qualify for child care support because they are not physically working outside their home. This means that for these families, they cannot afford to become foster parents," she said.
She noted that the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services does not object to the bill, and that inspiration behind SB 240 is Megan Hamilton of Bullitt County, who testified during the meeting.
Hamilton said she wanted to adopt after babysitting years ago for a family with adopted children.
"When I was 22, I was driving home one day and I suddenly envisioned two children, a brother and sister waiting on the courthouse steps for me to pick them up, and that's the moment I knew I was going to be a foster mom," she said. "I began preparing to provide for my foster children by earning my master's degree, building a successful career, paying off my debts and moving to a better home."
Hamilton said she and her husband attended an informational meeting on Feb. 5, and they were told by a social worker that to qualify for a child care subsidy, they both must work outside the home.
She explained she works for a company based in Las Vegas, and as a marketing writer, she doesn't make enough money to commute by private jet. Instead, she telecommutes.
"We were told we would not receive child care assistance because the law is unclear as to whether telecommuting counts as working outside the home or not. This is a barrier for us and for other families like us," she said.
Hamilton said child care can cost several hundred dollars monthly, and many of the state's parents self-report paying $800-$1,000 per child per month.
Sen. Stephen Meredith, R-Leitchfield, said the legislation changes the rules to fit the times.
"I think this could be called a workforce modernization plan because it reflects the new world that we live in," he said. "I appreciate you bringing this to our attention."
Likewise, Sen. Whitney Westerfield, R-Fruit Hill, spoke in favor of the measure.
"I will be in court remotely today. I will be in court remotely again tomorrow. I will be in court remotely once again later this week," he said. "I will continue to do that even when I'm not in this legislative seat anymore because it's how I end up practicing law at least a third of my time. There is no reason why this shouldn't already be there."
FRANKFORT — Lawmakers shifted up a gear in the ninth week of the 2024 legislative session, introducing more than 200 new bills in the chambers and advancing a wave of legislation on education and school safety.
It was one of busiest weeks yet for this year's general assembly, and it brought a more complete view of the issues that lawmakers plan to tackle in 2024. That's because Monday was the last day to file new bills in the House, and Wednesday was the last day in the Senate.
The count now totals more than 1,200 bills in the two chambers combined, including two that lawmakers sent to the governor this week – one on hunting and fishing licenses and another on local housing ordinances.
More than any other issue, education seemed to take center stage as lawmakers deliberated over math standards, cursive handwriting, truancy and school bus cameras, among many other topics.
On Wednesday, the Senate State and Local Government Committee passed Senate Bill 8, which would change the process for selecting members for the Kentucky Board of Education. Right now, the governor appoints members to the board. But SB 8 calls for members to be elected from seven districts throughout the state.
The bill is headed to the Senate floor along with another key measure on school safety, which won approval in the Senate Education Committee on Thursday.
Senate Bill 2 seeks to enhance campus security by allowing some veterans and former police officers to serve as school "guardians." It also calls on school districts to assemble trauma-informed teams to improve mental health interventions.
Also on Thursday, the House Health Services Committee took up legislation on teaching human development.
House Bill 346 would require school districts to adopt a curriculum on the subject beginning in the sixth grade. That includes showing students a high-definition ultrasound video that explains the growth of vital organs during early fetal stages.
During testimony, lawmakers watched a video – called "Meet Baby Olivia" – that would meet the requirements of the bill. But they disagreed on whether the information in the video is medically accurate. The legislation passed 14-4 and now heads to the House.
A fourth bill generating headlines this week was Senate Bill 147, an act related to adult-oriented businesses.
The legislation would prevent adult-oriented businesses from operating near areas where minors might congregate, such as schools, churches, child care facilities and parks. In addition, such businesses would be required to ensure that minors are not exposed to explicit performances.
The Senate Committee on Veterans, Military Affairs and Public Protection passed the legislation 9-2 after debate over child protection and freedom of expression. It now heads to the Senate floor.
Other measures progressing through the legislature this week include bills on digital privacy, social media, sex crimes, firearms, energy and a host of other issues. Here's a look at some of the bills that were moving:
Lawmakers are scheduled to return to Frankfort on Monday for day 43 of the 60-day session.
Kentuckians can track the action through the Legislative Record webpage, which allows users to read bills and follow their progression through the chambers. Capitol observers can also track budget bills on the 2024 Budget Bills webpage.
In addition, citizens can share their views on issues with lawmakers by calling the General Assembly's toll-free message line at 1-800-372-7181.
FRANKFORT — A bill that seeks to enhance school safety by allowing some veterans and former police officers to serve as school "guardians" received approval Thursday from the Senate Education Committee.
Sen. Max Wise, R-Campbellsville, is sponsoring the measure, Senate Bill 2. It cleared the committee with a 10-1 vote and is headed to the Senate floor for consideration. One committee member cast a pass vote.
The legislation would allow local education boards to hire school guardians to supplement school resource officers starting next year. SB 2 also includes provisions to enhance mental health interventions with trauma-informed teams.
"With this, the General Assembly can show their commitment to both the hardening approach to student safety and a softening approach to a student's well-being to trauma and their mental health needs," Wise said.
He testified that the bill is not seeking to replace or remove any current safeguards and will instead serve as a stopgap measure to help districts that have had trouble hiring resource officers in recent years.
The program would be an option, not a requirement. Those eligible to serve as guardians would include certain honorably discharged U.S. military personnel and retired local, state and federal law enforcement officers.
Before someone can become a guardian, the candidate must pass a medical examination, a drug screening and an extensive background check. They must complete a psychological screening and weapons training.
Regarding mental health, SB 2 would facilitate trauma-informed teams consisting of school administrators, school counselors, school psychologists, school social workers, community-based mental health service providers, school nurses, SROs and other district personnel to assist with mental health issues affecting students.
The bill calls on districts to submit a report on their team's activities to state officials each year.
"I don't know how long I will be in my position as a state legislator," Wise said. "I will tell you this: I will always fight to protect our children in the commonwealth."
Senate Democratic Floor Leader Gerald A. Neal, D-Louisville, said he likes the collaboration, informed approach and mental health provisions of the bill. But he cast a pass vote, saying that he didn't have enough information.
Neal also said he didn't see any provisions in the bill on acclimating guardians to school practices or interaction with children. "A school has to be a welcoming place and a place of interaction. It has to be a place where folks have connectivity."
Sen. Danny Carroll, R-Benton, said he was a police officer for 24 years and expressed concerns about certain provisions in the measure.
"I don't have any issues with the retired troopers, and I'm assuming with retired special law enforcement officers you're referring to those that have worked in the schools," he said. "So, my concerns are most specific to veterans. And not to be disrespectful to any veterans, I have the utmost respect – different training, different mission and we, as a law enforcement agency, we recruited veterans."
Senate Minority Caucus Chair Reginald Thomas, D-Lexington, voted for the measure but said the problem in Kentucky and the United States is guns.
"We have a gun access problem. We have a gun violence problem, and the only way we're really going to resolve this is to stop it at the root and stop access to guns and make sure those people who have guns are using them responsibly," he said.
FRANKFORT — More education on human development could be coming to Kentucky schools.
House Bill 346 – also known as the Baby Olivia Act – advanced from the House Health Services Committee on Thursday. Rep. Nancy Tate, R-Brandenburg, is the primary sponsor of the legislation. She said the bill would require school districts to adopt curriculum on human growth and development beginning in the sixth grade.
"This act is important for children and, for that matter, adults to understand human development," Tate said.
The bill is named the Baby Olivia Act for one of the recommended animated videos on human growth and development that is available to school districts. Tate said showing the Baby Olivia video is not a requirement, but an option.
Under HB 346, the instruction on human growth and development shall include a presentation of a high-definition ultrasound video at least three minutes long showing the development of the brain, heart, sex organs and other vital organs in early fetal development.
The bill also mandates an age-appropriate, high-quality computer-generated rendering or animation showing the process of human cell fertilization and every stage of human development from pregnancy to birth be included in the curriculum.
Co-sponsor Rep. Emily Callaway, R-Louisville, said parents would have the option to opt their child out of viewing the videos. Schools would have to notify parents at least two weeks in advance. Parents would need to sign a permission slip before their child could participate in the lesson.
"I want to be clear that this isn't infringing on any parental rights, and this is recommended curriculum," Callaway said.
Rep. Lisa Willner, D-Louisville, said she is passionate about human growth and development education as a former teacher on the subject. After viewing the Baby Olivia video during the committee meeting, Willner said the video isn't entirely medically accurate.
"There's so much information in there that is wrong," Willner said. "… I think we're doing our kids real harm by promoting this particular (video) and calling this bill the Baby Olivia law. It is certainly very clear what the intention is, and I'm very uncomfortable with that."
Rep. Lindsay Burke, D-Lexington, said she also found the Baby Olivia video to be inaccurate. She said she would prefer to see the bill require medically accurate curriculum on sexual health and reproduction.
"If you would like to work on trying to make Kentucky a healthier state, let's scrap this and start from the beginning," she said.
Callaway disagreed with Willner and Burke's comments about the bill's intent to spread inaccurate information.
"I'm not sure exactly how this is even controversial," Callaway said. "The intent of the bill is education."
When voting "yes" on the legislation, Rep. Danny Bentley, R-Russell, said, "Education is key."
Committee vice-chair Ryan Dotson, R-Winchester, also voted yes on HB 346. He said he "absolutely loved" the Baby Olivia video.
"When I watched it, it tugged at my heart," Dotson said. "It showed that there was not just a clump of cells inside of a woman – that it was a growing, living child. So for that reason I support it fully."
The House Health Services Committee voted 14 to 4 to approve HB 346. It now heads to the full House for consideration.
FRANKFORT — The Senate State and Local Government Committee green lighted a measure Wednesday that would change the composition of the Kentucky Board of Education from gubernatorial appointees to elected members.
Sponsored by Senate Majority Whip Mike Wilson, R-Bowling Green, Senate Bill 8 received approval with a 9-2 vote and now heads to the Senate floor.
"We currently have 171 school districts where all of their boards are elected, every single one of them. This is the only board of education that is appointed by the governor," Wilson said. "This would change this board to be an elected board."
Wilson said 14 board members would be elected from Kentucky's seven Supreme Court districts – two from each district. The elections would not take place until 2026, and they would coincide with the regular elections of the General Assembly, he said.
"It would be alternating just like it is for the Senate," he said. "That way, you're replacing seven board members every two years. They would serve out 4-year terms, but the first one would only serve a 2-year term until it gets going."
The president of the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education and the secretary of the state Education and Labor Cabinet would remain on the board as ex-officio, non-voting members. The board would also include a teacher and student as non-voting members.
The commissioner of education would serve as the board secretary and could vote in the event of a tie.
Wilson said opponents of the bill have criticized it as political. But the board was created as an independent body, and every governor since has sought to influence education policy, he said.
"I think it's time that we made them accountable to the people that actually put their kids in our schools, and that is what this bill would do," Wilson said.
He added that it would give more voice to rural parents and provide more geographic diversity.
Sen. Cassie Chambers Armstrong, D-Louisville, voted against the measure, and said party politics have no place in classrooms.
"In fact, there are only five school districts by my research that have partisan elections for their boards of education, and so for that reason, I vote no," she said.
Sen. Amanda Mays Bledsoe, R-Lexington, voted for the bill, but said she's heard concerns about third party, independent money in those races that will have an influence on what voices get out and what message gets heard.
"And I think that does give me pause on how some of those races might be decided. But I certainly appreciate the intent of what you're trying to do with the bill," she said to Wilson.
Sen. Gex Williams, R-Verona, also voted for the bill and said he's old enough to remember when he had an elected school board superintendent, and "making him appointed has not changed or helped education since then. It's only gone downhill."
FRANKFORT — Social media platforms would be required to shield minors from harm under House Bill 463.
The bill's primary sponsor, Rep. Stephanie Dietz, R-Edgewood, presented the legislation to the House Small Business and Information Technology Committee on Wednesday. She said HB 463 would require certain social media companies to protect minors by regulating algorithms and protecting their private information, among additional requirements.
"Social media companies must ensure its internal controls are designed to prevent users under the age of 18 from being exposed to obscene matter," Dietz said. "The digital service providers (would be) required to create parental controls that allow a parent or guardian to control privacy settings and monitor and limit the amount of time their child spends on the platform."
Additionally, HB 463 would require social media companies to end targeted advertising for minors, block certain in-app purchases from minors, shield minors from pornographic and other obscene materials and cease collecting certain data on minor users.
"House Bill 463 is not a government initiative that requires age verification or parental consent to access constitutionally protected speech," Dietz said. "Instead, it gives parents and caregivers additional tools to keep their children safe online, including the ability to temporarily or permanently deactivate the child's account."
Dietz was joined by a mother named Jen who did not disclose her last name to protect her family's privacy. She told the committee that her son was targeted by an adult male on an online social gaming platform for children last year.
"Our whole family has been completely traumatized by this because my son could have disappeared," Jen said.
During discussion, several lawmakers had a few questions about certain provisions of HB 463.
Rep. Savannah Maddox, R-Dry Ridge, thanked Dietz for her work on the bill and asked her to elaborate on the age verification component of the legislation.
Under HB 463, social media companies would be required to ask the age of the individual signing up for an account. Acknowledging that minors could lie, Dietz said the bill would allow parents to notify the social media company of their child's actual age upon discovery of the account.
The bill does not require users to show proof of age upon registration. When drafting the legislation, Dietz said she looked at current litigation against social media companies and what other states are doing.
"In looking through all the litigation, we felt that this was the best way to possibly handle (age verification)," Dietz said.
Rep. Rachel Roberts, D-Newport, asked if the bill lays out any penalties for social media companies. Dietz said enforcement would lie with the attorney general's office.
Rep. Nima Kulkarni, D-Louisville, said she supports HB 463 and hopes the legislature can come back in the future to make the protections for minors stronger as certain court cases are decided.
"(I hope that) we are able to come back and revisit this issue to strengthen the requirements and the enforcement of some of this for these companies and not just leave it up to them," Kulkarni said.
The House Small Business and Information Technology Committee voted 14-0 to approve HB 463. It now heads to the full House for consideration.
FRANKFORT — A bill allowing school districts to install school bus stop-arm cameras is getting another chance.
The House Transportation Committee approved House Bill 461 on Tuesday. Rep. David Hale, R-Wellington, filed similar legislation in 2022. He said he hopes this year's bill gains approval from both chambers and becomes law.
Hale said he took the past into consideration when drafting HB 461. In addition to allowing districts to install stop-arm cameras, the bill establishes fines for violators.
"There are a couple of changes from last time … I actually increased the first penalty. If you are convicted of passing a bus and the camera showed that happening, the penalty would be $500 on the first offense," Hale said, adding the fine would be $1,000 on the second or subsequent offense.
Under HB 461, stop-arm cameras would only be allowed to be in operation while the stop-arm is in use and would not be a continuous, live feed to law enforcement. Camera footage would be required to be deleted within 31 days and would not be admissible for any other offense. Additionally, the bill would establish an appeals process.
Hale said he is passionate about HB 461 becoming law.
"We are attempting to protect the most vulnerable – children – getting on and off the school bus, and I think it's just really, really important," Hale said.
Rep. Ken Fleming, R-Louisville, said he appreciates Hale's due diligence and the changes he's made to the legislation.
"Some of the changes you've made are very good changes," Fleming said, adding he'd like to see the collected fines go back to the school districts.
Hale said he would be open to the idea.
Rep. John Hodgson, R-Fisherville, also said he appreciates Hale's work on HB 461, but he has concerns about the stop-arm camera footage not being a live feed to law enforcement.
"I think that's great to enforce safety, but handing that duty off to the computer is a grave, grave concern," Hodgson said.
Hodgson said he also has concerns about the civil penalty enforcement provision of the bill that would allow code enforcement instead of district court to handle violations.
Hale said very few counties have a code enforcement board, and the issue would go to the district court for the ones that don't.
Two lawmakers said they have firsthand experience with school bus stop safety.
Rep. Adrielle Camuel, D-Lexington, is a Fayette County Public Schools employee. She said if a student is hit by a car, part of her job is to notify the district's emergency team. Camuel said she thinks HB 461 is important legislation.
"Safety of our children is imperative, and I think that's something we all want," she added.
Rep. Wade Williams, R-Earlington, said as a retired police officer, he knows how difficult it can be to hold stop-arm violators accountable.
"Bus drivers deal with students trying to get kids off and trying to catch a license plate, and they might not know if it's a silver car or gray car," Williams said. "I think this does a good job of capturing that, and hopefully increasing the enforcement of that. I think it's a good bill."
The House Transportation Committee voted 23-1 on HB 461. It now heads to the full House for consideration.
FRANKFORT — The Senate Families and Children Committee unanimously approved an amended bill Tuesday that would allow child support to be retroactively collected from the moment of conception.
The bill's sponsor, Sen. Whitney Westerfield, R-Fruit Hill, told the committee that child support obligations should start when life begins, "and I think we ought to be able to go after that."
Once a child is born, Senate Bill 110 would allow courts to order child support to cover the prior nine months leading up to that birth. The order must be entered within the first year after the child is born.
The original bill would have allowed child support at any time following conception. However, Westerfield said it was revised to work retroactively after discussions with the committee chairman and others.
Westerfield said he has spoken with the Kentucky County Attorneys Association about costs related to the bill. He said child support programs are entirely funded by federal dollars and that reporting requirements for reimbursement are strict.
Federal guidelines only allow child support to be collected once a child is born, and county attorneys could not use those federal resources to enforce orders before then, he explained.
Sen. Danny Carroll, R-Benton, the committee's chair, said it's unchartered waters if retroactivity would prevent them from receiving any funding. But he said he likes the bill from a moral perspective.
"That's where life starts, and that's where that obligation to take care of that child should begin. And I think it's a fundamental fairness issue that we do this," he said.
Sen. Greg Elkins, R-Winchester, told Westerfield he really likes what the bill is designed to do. However, he also cited concerns over resources for county attorneys and asked how much the change would cost.
Westerfield said he didn't know yet, but said it's worth asking prosecutors or the courts for data.
Sen. Cassie Chambers Armstrong, D-Louisville, also voted for the bill, but said she reserves the right to vote against it later.
"I had concerns that the prior version had created an in utero cause of action that could have had some downstream consequences like what we saw in Alabama," she said. "This version addresses my concerns, and that's because the cause of action only arises after there has been a healthy birth of a child and then you can retroactively seek support."
FRANKFORT — Legislation to create a new state agency on nuclear energy advanced unanimously off the Senate floor Monday.
Sponsored by Sen. Danny Carroll, R-Benton, Senate Bill 198 would establish the Kentucky Nuclear Energy Development Authority to support and facilitate the development of a nuclear energy ecosystem across the state.
A 30-member advisory board comprised of government leaders, energy experts and others would oversee the agency. It would be attached to the University of Kentucky Center for Applied Energy Research for administrative purposes.
"This bill does not take steps to bring a nuclear reactor to the commonwealth today, tomorrow, next week, next month," Carroll said. "But what it does is lay a strong foundation and gets the commonwealth prepared to be able to recruit nuclear reactors to the commonwealth and to create an every-bit-as important a nuclear ecosystem within the commonwealth that will bring other business and industry to our state."
The bill reflects work from a nuclear energy work group that brought together academics, utility and nuclear experts, and environmental advocates to study the issue in 2023.
Once created, the authority would study workforce and educational needs to support the nuclear ecosystem in Kentucky. It would also oversee a site suitability study to identify potential locations for nuclear reactors and facilities.
Among many other provisions, the bill also calls for the Cabinet for Economic Development to create and implement a financial assistance program fund for nuclear energy-related projects.
Over the next few decades, nuclear energy will become the primary baseload source of energy in the world, Carroll said.
"I don't want anyone to be misled or to think that this bill is in any way being critical of coal, natural gas, any of the renewables, any other source of energy that we utilize at this point. I believe that Kentucky needs to continue forward with an all-of-the above approach," Carroll said.
Sen. Gary Boswell, R-Owensboro, voted for the measure and said it's time for Kentucky to pursue nuclear energy.
"I'm for moving into this area of nuclear. I think it's absolutely essential that we start moving this direction," he said, adding he's not voting on any specific dollar amount that would be used for its development.
Sen. Robin L. Webb, D-Grayson, said she voted for the measure because Kentucky needs to diversity its energy sources. As a former coal miner, she said she never thought she'd serve on a nuclear energy working group.
"We spent a lot of time, a lot of hours along with the different people, agencies, stakeholders to formulate this bill. And hopefully, we'll continue to formulate an energy policy that I know is important…but also that Kentucky has been woefully inadequate with, as well as the federal government," she said.
Sen. Stephen West, R-Paris, voted for the bill and also said Kentucky needs to diversify.
"Kentucky needs an all-of-the-above energy policy. We need coal. We need gas. We need solar. We need hydro. We need nuclear. And very quickly, there will be coming a time where we don't have enough for our citizenry, and we don't have enough for economic development," he said. "And that may be now. As some economic development projects maybe even went to other states because we cannot guarantee them clean, affordable energy, and that's already happening in my opinion," he said.
FRANKFORT — A bill that would give Kentucky teens more work-hour flexibility cleared a major hurdle Thursday.
The Kentucky House of Representatives approved House Bill 255 by a 60-36 vote. Rep. Phillip Pratt, R-Georgetown, serves as the primary sponsor of the legislation. He said Kentucky's current child labor laws are restrictive, and his legislation would change that.
"Our legislation simply seeks to remove these barriers, aligning state regulations with federal standards, therefore allowing our teenagers the same opportunity as their peers in nearly half the states in our union," Pratt said.
Under HB 255, some restrictions on work hours for 16- and 17-year-olds would be lifted, but the bill would still prohibit them from working certain jobs with a few exceptions.
Federal occupational safety laws already prohibit teens from working many occupations, Pratt said. Those occupations include manufacturing jobs other than clerical work, coal mining, forest firefighting, logging, roofing, work in alcohol distilleries and bottling plants, and most jobs that require operating heavy machinery like a forklift.
Exceptions would be allowed for teens who are enrolled in an apprenticeship or a student-learning program, according to the bill.
The bill would also keep restrictions on work hours for workers under the age of 16, but with some exceptions. Those exceptions include being enrolled in a work-study program, being a high school graduate or having a child to support.
During an hour-long debate on the bill, Pratt said HB 255 has the potential to improve graduation rates and workforce participation rates, among other benefits.
"Studies show that providing youth with meaningful work opportunities can significantly reduce youth crime rates and contribute to a more stable and prosperous society," he said.
Some lawmakers disagreed. Rep. Josie Raymond, D-Louisville, said HB 255 is discriminatory and will lead to child exploitation.
"This bill targets low-income kids, migrants – the ones new to America, the ones who need to help their families cover living expenses and whose parents lack positional power and social capital and white privilege," Raymond said.
Rep. Chad Aull, D-Lexington, said he is also concerned about the impact of HB 255 on Kentucky's teenagers, especially when it comes to their education.
"While the intention of this bill may be to bolster the economic activity and address worker shortages, this legislation will result in a decrease in our student performance and an increase in our student dropout rates," he said. "… We need to focus on keeping kids in school, not pushing them out into the workforce prematurely."
House Speaker Pro Tempore David Meade, R-Stanford, spoke in support of HB 255. He and Pratt said the bill does not force children to get a job and does not take away a parent's right to make decisions for their child. Truancy laws would also still be in effect.
"Parents still have every right to their children how long they can work, how many hours they can work, and they don't have to exit school to go to work … I would encourage the members of the body to vote for the bill," Meade said.
Rep. Matthew Koch, R-Paris, said he also supports HB 255. He's seen from his own child that 16- and 17-year-olds can handle the responsibility of balancing school, extra curriculars and a job.
"Let these 16- and 17-year-olds get out there and do this," Koch said. "They can manage this. We don't give them enough credit for what they're capable of doing, and I encourage everyone to support this."
HB 255 will now go before the Senate for consideration.
FRANKFORT — The Senate Education Committee unanimously advanced a bill Thursday that would create an endowment fund for research consortiums in Kentucky.
Senate Bill 1 would set up five different consortium accounts for cutting-edge research administered by the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE).
The CPE would study possibilities for research and set up an administrative process. At the end of five years, the effort will be reviewed to make sure all metrics are being met, said the bill's sponsor, Senate President Robert Stivers, R-Manchester.
Stivers said his daughter is a master's level biomedical engineer who helped inspire the legislation. The goal, he said, is to create something similar to the Research Triangle Regional Partnership that exists between Duke University, North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
"They created a totally different type of research culture there and were bringing in what would be called investigators and researchers and bringing in a lot of high-dollar investments, which totally changed the region," he said.
Stivers said his daughter and others are working to see if they can get rats with severed spinal columns to walk again – one illustration of the importance of science in Kentucky.
He also mentioned states where science is put at the forefront. He said the University of Pittsburg Medical Center is the largest employer in Pennsylvania, and it's the second largest recipient in the U.S. for National Institutes of Health research funding. That allowed them to become an academic and intellectual incubator in research, he said.
The bill was well received in committee.
Senate Minority Caucus Chair Reginald Thomas, D-Lexington, said the SB 1 is visionary and it has his unconditional support.
"As a lifelong Kentuckian, it's always been my observation that we talk a lot about being champions in the arena of athletics," he said "And while there's nothing wrong about that, I wish we talked more about being champions in the arena of academics. That's really what I want for Kentuckians is to be academic champions, and that's what this bill really does."
Senate President Pro Tempore David P. Givens, R-Greensburg, said he's a huge fan of the possibilities the bill could spur.
"Wonderful vision. You and I have discussed this on and off over the years, and it's a testament to you and your passion for this state as a whole that this has come to fruition," he said to Stivers.
Givens suggested Stivers think about adding language about council preference being given to unique, collaborative arrangements and that the funding would be dispersed to varying schools.
Another supporter, Sen. Stephen Meredith, R-Leitchfield, said the bill offers an "exciting concept."
"In terms of funding streams, this certainly looks like it lends itself to public-private partnerships," he said.
Stivers said such investments are needed to move Kentucky into the future on health care, economics and research. "And it will totally change the educational and economic dynamics of this state," he said.
FRANKFORT —The Senate State and Local Government Committee approved bipartisan legislation Wednesday that would prohibit the use of synthetic media in political communications.
Senate Bill 131 advanced with a 10-1 vote, and Sen. Amanda Mays Bledsoe, R-Lexington, and Senate Minority Caucus Chair Reginald Thomas, D-Lexington, testified in favor of the bill. Both legislators are sponsoring the measure.
SB 131 takes aim at people who try to alter the outcome of an election through deep fakes or synthetic media. A handful of states passed similar legislation last year, and over 30 have introduced bills in 2024, Mays Bledsoe said.
The bill defines synthetic media as an image, audio recording or video recording of an identifiable person that has been digitally manipulated to create a realistic, but false understanding of that person's appearance, action or speech.
Mays Bledsoe said deceptive or manipulative campaigning has been around for decades, but technology has become so fast and easy to use that it allows the truth to be altered. She pointed to a recent robocall in which a synthetic version of President Joe Biden's voice told voters to avoid the polls in New Hampshire.
"When the voter hears my voice on the radio, sees my ad, or receives a robocall, there should be some assurance that it's actually me," she said.
Thomas said it's critical for Kentucky's elections to be honest and free from distortions.
"As I've said throughout the interim session last year, the reason we have this information in elections is because of AI. They're using artificial intelligence to create these kinds of distortions on our society," he said.
Thomas said he readily cosponsors the bill.
"Really, this needs to be done at the federal level. Congress needs to act. But Congress hasn't done so thus far, so we see states acting in this space," he said.
Sen. Gex Williams, R-Verona, voted against the measure, citing concerns that, among other issues, it's limited only to candidates, committees or political parties.
Sen. Denise Harper Angel, D-Louisville, asked if the bill would be improved by having an emergency clause to avoid problems during the May primary. She asked Mays Bledsoe if she would entertain an amendment on the Senate floor, and Mays Bledsoe said she would be open to that conversation.
Senate Majority Floor Leader Damon Thayer, R-Georgetown, said he wishes the federal government would act on the synthetic media issue, but it's left to the states to lead. He said the bill is a good start.
"There are enough obfuscations and manipulations that occur naturally in campaigns, and I think the fact that you're trying to get out ahead of the AI possibilities is notable," he said.
FRANKFORT —The House Judiciary Committee voted in favor of legislation on Wednesday that would expand a person's ability to pursue civil action against the government for infringing on their religious freedoms.
Rep. Steve Rawlings, R-Burlington, said House Bill 47 seeks to update the state's current Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Rawlings is the primary sponsor of the legislation.
"They're commonly called RFRAs and ensure Kentuckians are free to live and work according to their faith without fear of being unjustly punished by their government," Rawlings said.
HB 47 does not create new rights, Rawlings said, adding the legislation would codify existing judicial standards.
"HB 47 ensures that Kentucky courts will use the most accommodating language to ensure that religious Kentuckians have a fair day in court," Rawlings said. "These definitions (in the bill) will ensure that Kentuckians can be heard if any part of the government burdens their religious practices."
One of the legal terms more narrowly defined in HB 47 is "substantially burden." That term would be defined as "any action that directly or indirectly constrains, inhibits, curtails or denies the exercise of religion by any person or compels any action contrary to a person's exercise of religion."
House Majority Whip Jason Nemes, R-Middletown, is a co-sponsor of HB 47. He said the legislation was inspired in part by a Muslim woman in Louisville.
Several years ago, the woman, who was in police custody, was required to take off her hijab in front of male police officers. The officers then took her booking photo, and the photo was made publicly available. The woman sued, claiming religious liberty infringement, but her case was dismissed by the courts.
While Nemes supports HB 47, he said he does have concerns the bill may weaken fairness ordinances that have been passed by some local governments across the state. The worry is someone may use the law to say their religion gives them the right to discriminate.
"We have a lot of people who are worried that it's going to go too far and infringe on their rights, so I don't know where the right equilibrium is where we can satisfy both interests and protect this Muslim woman and people like her and also not go too far and effectively obliterate fairness ordinances," Nemes said.
Rawlings said he is committed to making sure the bill does not target individuals protected by fairness ordinances.
A few lawmakers said they worry HB 47 might be used to justify abusive conduct, like animal cruelty or child abuse. Rep. Kimberly Poore Moser, R-Taylor Mill, asked if HB 47 would undo the female genital mutilation (FGM) ban the general assembly passed in 2020 since FGM is sometimes a religious tradition.
Greg Chafuen, legal counsel for the Alliance Defending Freedom, testified alongside Rawlings. He said there's already legal precedent that says abusive conduct is not a protected religious practice.
In explaining her "no" vote on HB 47, Rep. Stephanie Dietz, R-Edgewood, said she may change her vote later in the process, but she would like to see some changes to the bill first.
"I understand the intent. I believe Representative Rawlings and what his intent is, and I agree with Representative Nemes that we may need to tighten up some definitions," she said.
Rep. Nima Kulkarni, D-Louisville, also voted "no" on HB 47. She said she appreciates Rawlings's commitment to making some changes to the bill, but she still has concerns.
"We live in a society where discrimination exists, and the legislation that we're voting on in committee today is overbroad," Kulkarni said. "It's unnecessary … The freedom to exercise religion does not mean the freedom to discriminate."
Before voting "yes" on HB 47, Committee Chair Daniel Elliott, R-Danville, said he would be supporting the effort to make sure HB 47 does not have negative, unintended consequences.
"I don't think any of us here want to open a floodgate of lawsuits, or, for that matter, to invalidate what local cities have done across Kentucky," Elliott said. "I don't think any of us are here to do that."
HB 47 advanced from the committee by a 14-6 vote. It now heads to the full House for consideration.
FRANKFORT — A bill that would prevent local governments from requiring landlords to accept tenants who use federal housing assistance has cleared a key hurdle and is edging closer to final passage in the Kentucky General Assembly.
The Senate voted 25-11 Tuesday to advance the measure off the chamber floor and send it back the House of Representatives for a final vote.
The legislation – House Bill 18 – underwent changes in a Senate committee last week, which means the House must vote to concur on the latest wording before the bill can move forward. The new version of the bill reflects language from a similar measure, Senate Bill 25.
In addition to the provision about housing assistance, HB 18 would also prevent local governments from requiring landlords to pay fees related to emergency response calls to their property.
Sen. Stephen West, R-Paris, presented the legislation on the Senate floor, explaining that it would expand on the Senate version, which focused on Section 8 housing, to include funding from any federal housing assistance program.
"We've seen the bill before on this floor, Senate Bill 25, a bill dealing with landlord-tenant law, evictions and Section 8. House Bill 18 with committee (substitute) attached is a combination of the two bills," he said.
Rep. Ryan Dotson, R-Winchester, is primary sponsor of HB 18.
Lawmakers have debated both bills throughout the session. Supporters say federal housing programs often come with onerous rules that interfere with property rights and can harm property values.
Critics say the issue should be left to local communities that are struggling to solve the housing crisis and that such measures can harm low-income Kentuckians.
Senate Minority Caucus Chair Reginald Thomas, D-Lexington, said Tuesday that HB 18 is "aimed directly at the people of Lexington, Kentucky and Fayette County."
"Just last week, the urban county council of Fayette County voted by an overwhelming margin of 13-2 to oppose a source of income discrimination ban in that county," he said. "And those duly elected council people did so because they were trying to address a major problem in their community, which is affordable housing."
Thomas, who voted against the bill, said affordable housing in Kentucky has historically been treated as a local issue, and that many of those who use Section 8 vouchers are African Americans. He called the legislation "back door discrimination."
Sen. Cassie Chambers Armstrong, D-Louisville, said the bill is preempting a local ordinance, and the latest version of the legislation is a more harmful bill than Senate Bill 25.
"The bill before us not only prohibits local governments from acting against discrimination against Section 8 tenants, but it also includes anyone using any sort of federal housing assistance. That means that this bill sanctions discrimination against our veterans, who are using vouchers designed to assist them," she said.
Chambers Armstrong said it's not true that participating in federal housing programs would force landlords to accept lower rent payments.
However, Senate Majority Floor Leader Damon Thayer, R-Georgetown, defended the legislation as a move to uphold constitutional rights.
"I'm for local control. Always have been. But, local government, just like state and federal government, sometimes try to violate the Constitution and the Bill of Rights," he said. "And if you want to talk about discrimination, what's happening in Lexington is discrimination against the free market and the men and women who are in the business of being landlords and renting property to the citizens of Fayette County."
West said that people have to remember who owns the property at issue.
"This is not the city of Louisville's property. This is not the city of Lexington's property. This is the landlord's property. This is property that they've bought and they've paid for," he said. "And they are in the best position to know how to use that property. They are in the best position to know what types of federal programs to accept or not accept."
FRANKFORT — Bus drivers and school districts across the commonwealth say poor student behavior on school buses is a serious issue. The House Education Committee approved a bill Tuesday that seeks to change that.
House Bill 446 – sponsored by Rep. Emily Callaway, R-Louisville, and Rep. Kevin D. Bratcher, R-Louisville – would require several things from school districts, students and parents in relation to school bus behavior and safety.
"The purpose of this bill is to make sure that our bus drivers are heard, protected and respected and that our children are transported in a safe environment," Callaway said.
Callaway said she and Bratcher spoke to school bus drivers in their district on the issues drivers face. Those issues were discipline, the responses from administrators to disciplinary issues and parent or guardian behavior at bus stops.
HB 446 would require districts to develop a transportation policy agreement. Students and at least one parent or guardian per student would have to sign the policy agreement within seven days, acknowledging they've read the policy and will abide by it.
"This policy also addresses parent and guardian behavior, emphasizing that they will be liable if they become aggressive or create an unsafe environment for the drivers or the riders," Callaway said.
Using Jefferson County as an example, Callaway said the district had 1,126 reported incidents of a student striking another student on a school bus last semester. She also said one principal in Bullitt County reported viewing two to six offense videos from buses per day compared to one to two videos per week a few years ago.
"We want to empower our drivers and encourage our administrators to listen to the voices of the drivers and to handle things in an expedient fashion," Callaway added.
Rep. Tina Bojanowski, D-Louisville, asked Callaway if she would consider changing the bill so that young students who are not old enough write their name or read, do not have to sign the agreement.
Callaway said she thinks requiring all students to sign the agreement is important so parents have an opportunity to explain what type of behavior is expected on school buses.
Rep. Killian Timoney, R-Nicholasville, said he likes the parent accountability piece of HB 446. He said as the legislature continues to have a conversation about public school transportation, he'd like to discuss bus driver training, cameras on buses and bus monitors.
"We have first time bus drivers with 40 and 50 kids on there with no management background whatsoever," Timoney said, adding that cameras are not a preventative measure, but only a way to help hold students accountable. He said bus monitors – or more adults on buses – deter bad behavior.
Committee Vice-Chair Timmy Truett, R-McKee, said he appreciates that HB 446 forces some school districts to "step up and do their job."
"We have to hold kids accountable, and then the flip side of that is we also have to hold parents accountable, so thank you for the legislation," Truett said. "I'll support it 100%."
The House Education Committee approved HB 446 by a 15-0 vote with three pass votes. It now heads to the full House for consideration.
FRANKFORT — The 2024 legislative session is halfway over, deadlines are looming to file new bills, and lawmakers continue to ramp up the action on the House and Senate floors.
The Kentucky General Assembly hit the midpoint of the 60-day session on Tuesday and remained busy throughout the week as crowds poured into the Capitol Annex and members labored through hours of testimony in committee.
Lawmakers have found plenty to agree on this session so far. Bills on suicide prevention, adoption records, teacher misconduct and income insurance have all won broad, bipartisan support in the House.
The Senate has likewise found bipartisan unity on bills related to death certificates, distilled spirits, foster care and the aerospace industry.
But other measures on education, housing and juvenile justice continue to drive gaps between the majority and minority caucuses.
One of the larger debates this week centered on autonomous vehicles.
House Bill 7 would create a regulatory framework for operating AVs on Kentucky roadways, and it sparked a long exchange over safety and jobs before clearing a House vote Thursday. The legislation now heads to the Senate.
For its part, a divided Senate voted Tuesday to support Senate Bill 6, which would prohibit colleges and universities from discriminating against people who refuse to support certain viewpoints on political or social issues.
On Wednesday, the chamber also deliberated on a juvenile crime bill – Senate Bill 20 – for more than an hour before passing the measure off the floor. Among several provisions, the bill calls for juveniles who use a firearm in the commission of a felony to stand trial as adults if they are at least 15 years old.
Both Senate Bill 6 and Senate Bill 20 now head to the House.
Meanwhile, a House measure related to tenants and landlords has made a breakthrough in the Senate, moving it closer to final passage.
House Bill 18 would prevent local governments from requiring property owners to accept tenants who use federal housing assistance. It cleared the Senate State and Local Government Committee on Wednesday and is posted for passage in the Senate next week.
Many other bills continue to make progress in this year's session. Here's a look at what's moving:
Pseudoephedrine: House Bill 386 would ease limits on the purchase of pseudoephedrine to help people with chronic allergies legally obtain enough of the medication to meet their needs. The bill passed off the House floor Monday.
Non-Citizen Voting: Senate Bill 143 proposes changes to the state constitution that would prevent anyone who is not a U.S. citizen from voting in Kentucky elections. The Senate advanced the measure Monday.
Homestead Exemption: Senate Bill 23 proposes to amend the state constitution regarding the homestead exemption. Under the amendment, resident homeowners who are 65 or older would avoid tax increases that result from rising property valuations. SB 23 cleared the Senate floor Monday.
Vaping: House Bill 142 would ban all tobacco, alternative nicotine and vapor products in Kentucky public schools. It would also require school districts to adopt disciplinary procedures for students who violate the bans. The House Education Committee approved the bill Tuesday.
Pet Shops: Senate Bill 157 would forbid local governments from passing regulations or ordinances that prohibit retail pet shops from operating. The shops would still need to follow certain rules for selling dogs and cats. The bill received a green light in the Senate Agriculture Committee on Tuesday.
School Notifications: Senate Bill 11 seeks to speed up notifications to schools when a student has been charged with a crime. The Senate voted in favor of the bill Tuesday.
Child Abuse: House Bill 278 would increase penalties against offenders who sexually abuse, assault or exploit children. The bill also seeks to prevent people convicted of sex crimes or violent felonies from working in public schools. The House Judiciary Committee approved the bill Wednesday.
Gubernatorial Pardons: Senate Bill 126 proposes to amend the state constitution and limit the governor's powers to issue pardons at the end of a term in office. The measure won approval from the Senate State and Local Government Committee on Wednesday.
Substitute Teachers: House Bill 387 seeks to ease the shortage of substitute teachers in Kentucky by allowing officials to issue emergency substitute teacher certificates. The House advanced the measure Wednesday.
Teacher Pensions: Senate Bill 4 would limit the number of sick days that teachers could use to enhance their pensions – a practice known as "spiking." After June 2024, teachers could only save 10 sick days a year to apply to the formula for calculating their retirement benefits. The Senate voted to advance the bill Wednesday.
Child Labor: House Bill 255 seeks to align Kentucky's child labor laws with federal law and lift some restrictions on work hours for 16 and 17-year-olds. The House Economic Development and Workforce Investment Committee approved the bill Thursday.
Kratom: House Bill 293 aims to regulate kratom, an herbal drug frequently sold online and in convenience stores. The bill would prohibit sales to people under 21 and provide guidelines for labeling and advertising. It cleared the House Health Services Committee on Thursday.
Lawmakers have until Feb. 26 to file new bills in the House and until Feb. 28 to file new bills in the Senate. That means many will be working next week to meet with stakeholders and add some final polish on legislative proposals.
The General Assembly will not gavel in on Monday in observance of Presidents' Day but will return Tuesday for day 34 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. Capitol observers can also track budget bills on the 2024 Budget Bills webpage.
In addition, citizens can share their views on issues with lawmakers by calling the General Assembly's toll-free message line at 1-800-372-7181.
FRANKFORT — Self-driving – or autonomous – vehicles are the future, according to many lawmakers. House Bill 7 would regulate the technology in the commonwealth.
Rep. Josh Bray, R-Mount Vernon, said autonomous vehicles in Kentucky would be required to meet federal safety standards under the legislation.
"House Bill 7 would seek to establish the regulatory framework for the safe development and deployment of autonomous vehicles on Kentucky's roadways," Bray, who is also the bill's primary sponsor, said. "House Bill 7 provides the very prescriptive circumstances on when an AV may be deployed in Kentucky."
Additionally, a person utilizing an autonomous vehicle would be required to submit a law enforcement interaction plan to the Transportation Cabinet and Kentucky State Police. That plan would detail how to communicate with fleet support, how to safely remove the vehicle from the roadway and other key information.
HB 7 would also require autonomous vehicles be properly titled and registered with the state and for the owner to have a minimum $1 million liability insurance policy, Bray said.
There are two major concerns when it comes to autonomous vehicles: safety and job loss. On safety, Bray said the Transportation Cabinet believes autonomous vehicles will help prevent crashes and stimulate economic activity.
On job loss, the trucking industry is already facing a workforce shortage crisis, he said.
"Multiple studies show that the deployment of autonomous vehicles will in fact not eliminate jobs because those jobs are currently vacant," Bray added. "… It is important within Kentucky that we try to be at the forefront of innovation."
During debate, Rep. Chad Aull, D-Lexington, said he is concerned autonomous vehicles are vulnerable to cyber-attacks and argued that a human needs to be in the vehicle for safety.
"I appreciate the sponsor's intention of this legislation and desire to put Kentucky at the forefront of technology, but it hasn't been thoroughly vetted," Aull said. "We're not ready, and I think we must prioritize safety for everyone. And I don't think we've done that yet."
House Minority Whip Rachel Roberts, D-Newport, said she agrees humans might be needed on a trial basis in autonomous vehicles. She called for a floor amendment to be added to the bill.
"What this (amendment) would do is just basically say that for this two-year period any commercial vehicle on the roads operating as a private carriage would be required to have a credentialed human driver," Roberts said. But the amendment failed.
Overall, Roberts said she looks forward to the day she has an autonomous vehicle, but feels like Kentucky is not ready for commercial AVs.
Rep. Steve Riley, R-Glasgow, said he understands why others are wary of autonomous vehicles, but he knows they will be beneficial to people who cannot drive due to certain medical conditions, like epilepsy.
"This gives them a chance to be a human being and to live like the rest of us do – to give them an opportunity to do things the rest of us take for granted every day," he said.
HB 7 advanced off the House floor on Thursday by a 61-31 vote. Rep. Ryan Dotson, R-Winchester, said he voted "yes" on the legislation because he believes it's been properly vetted to ensure safety.
"I stand here to vote 'yes' for Kentucky moving forward," Dotson said. "And I do believe that this could very well be something that really puts Kentucky in a good place."
HB 7 now goes to the Senate for consideration.
FRANKFORT — Kentucky teens looking for more work-hour flexibility would receive it under House Bill 255.
Primary sponsor Rep. Phillip Pratt, R-Georgetown, told the House Economic Development and Workforce Investment Committee on Thursday the legislation would make Kentucky child labor laws align with federal law.
"(This) will expand opportunities for 16 and 17-year-olds to gain valuable experience in the workplace, which will set them up for success in adulthood," Pratt said. "Which is the same approach that exists in federal law."
Pratt said HB 255 would lift some restrictions on work hours for 16 and 17-year-olds, but would still prohibit them from working certain jobs with a few exceptions. That is in alignment with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) law, he said.
The prohibited occupations for teens include manufacturing jobs other than clerical work, coal mining, forest firefighting, logging, roofing, work in alcohol distilleries and bottling plants, and most jobs that require operating heavy machinery like a forklift.
Exceptions would be allowed for teens who are enrolled in an apprenticeship or a student-learning program.
The bill would also keep restrictions on work hours for workers under the age of 16, but with some exceptions. Those exceptions include being enrolled in a work-study program, being a high-school graduate or having a child to support.
Rep. Scott Sharp, R-Ashland, asked Pratt if the bill would impact farmers and their families. Pratt said the bill includes exceptions for agriculture.
Pratt said HB 255 should help the workforce participation rate for 17 to 25-year-olds. He said students can dedicate unlimited time to sports and clubs, so students who want to work should be able to do the same.
"We encourage students to want to experience the workplace and earn some money in the process," Pratt said.
Rep. Adrielle Camuel, D-Lexington, and Rep. Nima Kulkarni, D-Louisville, both explained why they are against HB 255. Camuel said she is concerned the bill would impact academic performance.
"They're not full adults," she said. "I think that puts them at-risk of encouraging them to drop out of school or puts them at risk of losing any type of academic advantage or athletic advantage that they may have if they want to pursue a college career or any furthering of their education at all."
Kulkarni said she worries the bill would open up teenage workers to exploitation.
"That's why the child labor laws exist: to protect these kids," Kulkarni said. "It's not for the kids that have good family support. These are for the kids that are already at-risk … They're vulnerable, and we need to be protecting them."
Rep. Kevin Jackson, R-Bowling Green, asked Pratt to consider amending the bill to keep the hours restrictions during the school year for 16 and 17-year-olds.
"I would just ask that you take a look at that and see if that's something you could live with, if possible," Jackson said. "I would appreciate it."
Rep. Matt Lockett, R-Nicholasville, said he supports HB 255.
"I support this 100%," he said. "I think it's a great bill. I think that when we can get people working, then it's always a good thing."
Rep. Josh Calloway, R-Irvington, also spoke in favor of HB 255. He said teenagers and young adults are entering the workforce later in life. This is leaving people "underdeveloped," he said.
"Anything that we can do as a society that promotes this cultural growing up and taking on responsibility is something I think we definitely need to consider," Calloway said.
HB 255 advanced from the committee by a 14-3 vote with one pass vote. It now heads to the full House for consideration.
FRANKFORT — A much-debated bill calling for older juveniles who use a firearm during certain felonies to stand trial as adults received approval Wednesday from the Senate with a 25-9 vote. One senator cast a pass vote.
The bill's sponsor, Sen. Matthew Deneen, R-Elizabethtown, said the bill would put victims before perpetrators and hold the state's most violent criminals accountable for the crimes they commit through gun violence.
"When you hold a gun to someone's head, whether that gun is fired or not, the trauma of that victim needs to be considered," he said.
Deneen said SB 20 would automatically transfer juvenile offenders to circuit court if they are at least 15 years old and have been charged with committing a gun-related felony, Class C or above.
Additionally, the bill would require offenders to serve at least 50% of their sentence before they are eligible for parole if they are convicted of a Class C felony involving the discharge of a weapon, Deneen said. That's up from the current 20%.
The senator said he worked closely with commonwealth's attorneys, county attorneys and former police chiefs to craft the measure, and that the bill will ensure the time served fits the crime committed.
"It incentivizes community involvement. Right now, our police officers report to me it's hard to get someone to be a witness to testify about a crime – gun crime – in their neighborhood because they are fearful," Deneen said.
Senate Bill 20 would allow cases that are transferred to adult court to receive a reverse waiver after commonwealth's attorneys and county attorneys review facts and find cases don't meet specific standards, he said.
The Senate adopted an amendment to the bill on the chamber floor Wednesday. Deneen said it ensures that county attorneys and commonwealth's attorneys use their discretion to determine whether the case should remain as a transfer case to adult court. It clarifies prosecutorial discretion in advance, he said.
Lawmakers debated the measure for more than an hour.
Sen. Whitney Westerfield, R-Fruit Hill, said SB 20 would undo legislation adopted three years ago that called on courts to consider 10 factors when adjudicating a juvenile offender – factors such as the maturity of the child, the child's prior record and the best interest of the child and the community, among others.
"We're robbing the judges and the prosecutors of the discretion we were allowing them to use every single day," he said.
Senate Minority Caucus Chair Reginald Thomas, D-Lexington, also voted against the measure and said the idea of "lock 'em up and throw away the key" mentality is unsuccessful. He pointed to statistics that illustrate that crime has actually gone down.
"Despite all the progress we've made through learning from our mistakes in the 80s and 90s, we've decided to go back and embrace that," he said. "That just makes no sense to me in light of all the progress and data that's out there from over the last 20 years."
However, Sen. John Schickel, R-Union, said that while it's not a perfect bill, SB 20 doesn't go far enough.
"We talk about root problems, but we all know in our hearts is the real problem is our families in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, and a fatherhood situation. We all know that. But today, we're dealing with an immediate crisis," he said.
FRANKFORT — The Kentucky House of Representatives approved a bill Wednesday that seeks to address the state's substitute teacher shortage.
Primary sponsor Rep. Timmy Truett, R-McKee, said House Bill 387 is a necessity.
"I know most districts may not need this bill, but I know one close to my heart that does," he said.
Truett, who is a principal, said his elementary school needed nine substitute teachers one day a couple of weeks ago, but there were none available.
"Teachers do not want to miss (school)," Truett said. "Sometimes they come in on days they shouldn't be there. Some days I've had teachers roll in with the flu because there's no substitute to take their spot, so this would just ease their minds a little bit."
Currently in Kentucky, substitute teachers must have at least 64 hours of a college credit to become certified. Under HB 387, the Educational Professional Standards Board would be permitted to issue a one-year emergency substitute teaching certificate to individuals who have a high school diploma or an equivalent.
Truett said he thought about lowering the amount of college credit hours to 32 or 20, but ultimately decided on zero.
"What about allowing anybody who a superintendent deems fit to be a substitute teacher be hired to be a substitute teacher in emergency situations?" Truett said of the decision.
HB 387 would also allow the board to issue a five-year substitute teaching certificate to anyone who has a bachelor's degree. Ten-year substitute teaching certificates would be permitted for individuals who are eligible for a Kentucky teaching certificate, previously held one, or were a certified teacher in another state.
The House approved HB 387 by an 88-4 vote.
In explaining his "no" vote, Rep. Daniel Grossberg, D-Louisville, said he would prefer if the bill exempted 18 and 19-year-olds from being substitute teachers to other teenagers.
"If we do our jobs here, we will ultimately not have a long-term substitute teacher shortage, and there's no sunset provision clause in this bill, so I am compelled to vote no," he added.
Rep. Tina Bojanowski, D-Louisville, said she does not normally support lower qualifications, but HB 387 is needed. She also said that the bill would not require schools to hire substitutes with an emergency certification.
"If you have a high school, you may not choose to have someone who is in this age range if it is someone who is newly out of high school," Bojanowski said. "I do know from (Truett's) conversation is that there are people in our communities who could be really good subs who don't meet that qualification, and for that reason I support the bill."
HB 387 now heads to the Senate for consideration.
FRANKFORT — A bill that would strengthen penalties against individuals who sexually abuse, assault or exploit children advanced from the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday.
Rep. Matt Lockett, R-Nicholasville, is the primary sponsor of House Bill 278. He said the main goal of the legislation is to protect children.
"(The intent) is to have zero tolerance for child sexual assault, child sexual abuse, child pornography or human trafficking," Lockett said. "We have got to protect our most vulnerable people in our communities and show others that we absolutely mean business when it comes to protecting our children."
HB 278 does several things, Lockett said. One section of the bill would prohibit anyone convicted of a violent offense or a felony or misdemeanor sex crime from working in a public school. Another provision would eliminate the statute of limitations for child sex abuse cases.
Lockett said that change is important because, under statute, victims must report the crime within 10 years after turning 18. Studies show most adults do not report being sexually abused as a child until they are close to 40-years-old, he said.
"It's important to note that this provision is not retroactive and does not include anyone whose statute has already expired," Lockett added.
Penalties for adult offenders who are in a position of authority or special trust with the victim would be increased under HB 278. Second-degree rape and second-degree sodomy would be upgraded to a Class B felony under that provision.
There would also be increased penalties for certain offenses depending on the age of the victim. Human trafficking would become a Class B felony under HB 278. The charges would be upgraded to a Class A felony if the victim is under the age of 18.
HB 278 would also require individuals convicted of possessing or distributing child pornography to serve at least 85% of their sentence.
During discussion of the legislation, several committee members expressed concern over the language "any persons" used in the child pornography section of the bill.
Rep. Patrick Flannery, R-Olive Hill, said he supports HB 278, but is concerned juveniles who send sexually explicit photos of themselves to others would face the same criminal penalties as adults.
House Majority Whip Jason Nemes, R-Middletown, said he shares the same concerns. He said teens who engage in that behavior should be held accountable but not to the same degree as adults.
Lockett said the "any persons" language in the bill is no different than current statute.
"I think maybe we should clarify that it doesn't apply to that situation," Nemes responded, adding he'd like to see a floor amendment to address the issue.
Lockett said he supports Nemes's idea for a floor amendment.
The House Judiciary Committee approved HB 278 by a 15-0 vote with two pass votes.
In explaining her "pass" vote on HB 278, Rep. Pamela Stevenson, D-Louisville, said she is a "pass" until the language issue is resolved.
"I think what you said was very important – that we must protect children," she added.
Nemes thanked Lockett for the legislation as a whole before voting "yes" on HB 278.
"I think it's a very important issue, and I'm glad we're addressing it," he said.
HB 278 now goes before the full House for consideration.
FRANKFORT — The Senate Agriculture Committee approved legislation Tuesday that would limit the jurisdiction of local governments over retail pet stores.
Senate Bill 157 would prevent counties and municipalities in Kentucky from adopting or enforcing regulations, codes or ordinances that prohibit retail pet shops from operating. However, the shops would still need to follow certain rules outlined in the legislation.
First, pet shops could not sell dogs or cats unless those animals were obtained from a shelter or a qualified breeder. Also, shops could not sell a dog or cat that is younger than eight weeks old or sell a dog or cat to anyone under the age of 18.
Sponsored by Sen. Jason Howell, R-Murray, the legislation passed out of committee with an 8-2 vote and now heads to the Senate for consideration.
One supporter, Elizabeth Kunzelman, vice president of legislative and public affairs for Petland, testified that the business has operated in Kentucky for 36 years. However, a ban in Louisville recently prevented a franchisee from opening a puppy store there, and a similar proposal in Lexington has raised concerns, she said.
"Our store has been there for less than two years," Kunzelman said. "We have financial investment. We have resources. We have employees. We have made a considerable investment there."
Testifying against the measure was Councilwoman Marilyn Parker from the Louisville-Jefferson County Metro Council. She said the bill would circumvent legislation passed by council.
A federal audit from 2021 "determined that they do not have the manpower or the resources to be able to monitor the humane treatment of animals in these types of breeding situations and selling situations," she said.
Sen. Cassie Chambers Armstrong, D-Louisville, voted against the bill and said Louisville voters have already spoken on this issue through their locally elected leaders.
"It makes me nervous when this body starts passing sweeping laws that undo things done by local government, and for that reason, I'm a no today," she said.
However, Sen. Robin L. Webb, D-Grayson, said there are bad actors in every industry, and she voted for the measure.
"The answer to this issue is a well-regulated free market, and certainly, these bans don't work. Four percent of the animals in this country come from retail pet stores. Four percent," she said.
Webb said some people are for doing away with legitimate breeds and the legitimate use of sporting animals and police animals.
"Don't buy in to the propaganda because that's what it is. A ban will not solve anything. Do your research. Don't rely on a story. Just do your research," she said.
FRANKFORT — Vaping among teens is a serious public health concern for many in Kentucky, but House Bill 142 is seeking to combat the trend.
Rep. Mark Hart, R-Falmouth, is the primary sponsor of the bill. The House Education Committee unanimously approved the legislation Tuesday.
HB 142 would ban all tobacco, alternative nicotine and vapor products in Kentucky public schools and require school districts to adopt disciplinary procedures for violators. Hart said the bill also has a data collection component.
"It outlines a mechanism for reporting to the Kentucky Department of Education on a yearly basis so that we can track the progress and see how effective this is in the future," Hart said.
Hart said the goal of HB 142 is to give school districts "some teeth" to enforce anti-vaping policies. The measure would require school districts to confiscate any tobacco, alternative nicotine or vapor products in a student's possession.
On a student's second or subsequent offense, the bill would require students be disciplined either through in-school or out-of-school suspension.
Hart was joined by Master Sgt. Brian Melton – a Naval Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps instructor at Pendleton County High School. Melton testified on the severity of the vaping issue in public schools.
"It is speculated that more than 5.6 million youth will face premature death because of vaping, according to the CDC," he said. "It's something that we obviously need to take a firm stance on here in our great state of Kentucky."
Committee chair Rep. James Tipton, R-Taylorsville, said he appreciates Hart's work on HB 142.
"I hear many comments from teachers and people in the education world on how serious an issue this is," Tipton said on vaping in schools.
Rep. Tina Bojanowski, D-Louisville, said she supports HB 142, but she is concerned that suspension won't deter behavior. She asked Hart if he's considered adding a treatment referral or other type of program option to the bill.
Hart said a floor amendment to the bill is forthcoming to address the question of alternative schools and other program options.
Rep. Jared Bauman, R-Louisville, asked what is being done to punish retailers who sell these products to children.
Hart said another representative is working on a bill to address that issue. Penalties for retailers who sell vaping and other nicotine or tobacco products to minors was originally included in HB 142, but Hart said he felt it was best to keep his bill limited to the school issue.
"We didn't want to create a bill that seemed like we were trying to punish kids when we're trying to deter kids," Hart added.
Rep. Steve Riley, R-Glasgow, said he's talked to educators who have told him vaping is an epidemic. He said he thinks HB 142 is a "good first step" at tackling the problem.
"I think it's something we owe our students," Riley said.
HB 142 now heads to the full House for consideration.
FRANKFORT — A measure that would amend the state constitution to expand the homestead exemption for older Kentuckians received Senate approval on Monday.
Under the proposed amendment, resident homeowners who are older than 65 would continue to pay property taxes, but they would not face tax increases based on rising property valuations.
Sen. Michael J. Nemes, R-Shepherdsville, is sponsoring the legislation, Senate Bill 23. He said, if the amendment passes, property tax assessments would be frozen for qualifying homeowners.
"So, he'll still pay the property taxes when he turns 65 or when he purchases the house, but not additional on the assessment," Nemes said.
The Senate voted 32-2, with one pass vote, to advance the bill to the House. If the measure wins passage in the General Assembly, it would still need approval from Kentucky voters on a statewide ballot before taking effect.
Several lawmakers weighed in on the bill during discussion on the Senate floor, including Sen. Jimmy Higdon, R-Lebanon, who said he voted for the measure after hearing from constituents who were begging for tax relief.
Sen. Stephen West, R-Paris, voted against the measure citing concerns that some millionaire homeowners could get a tax break while young people would still have to pay.
"A lot of these local taxes go to support our schools and libraries, and so for that reason, although I respect the sponsor's intent, I personally vote no today," he said.
However, Sen. Johnnie Turner, R-Harlan, said the bill would benefit all of society, and he doesn't think it's wrong to vote for it.
"Just to clarify something as I understood the bill to say, that you're going to pay the taxes that are owed on that home when you turn 65 years old. So, I don't think anybody will get by without paying any taxes if they own a home whether they're a millionaire or a poor person," he said.
Sen. Denise Harper Angel, D-Louisville, also voted for the bill, but said if it doesn't advance as a constitutional amendment, she filed a resolution that would establish a task force to study how the homestead exemption can be increased.
"I couldn't vote against helping seniors, but there will be ramifications, and it will be felt within our school system, our local and our county governments, our fire districts." she said.
Harper Angel said a task force could possibly come up with something that wouldn't be as drastic, but would be fair and reflect the original intent of the homestead exemption.
FRANKFORT — Two major bills on maternal health and college politics began their journey through the Kentucky General Assembly this week while other measures on voting, teacher misconduct and criminal justice continued to inch forward.
Lawmakers have met for six straight weeks in the 2024 legislative session, and close to 100 bills have passed at least one chamber so far. Another three dozen were heard in committee this week before lawmakers gaveled out on Friday – day 28 of the 60-day session.
Among them was House Bill 10, an omnibus measure aimed at supporting maternal and infant health care and reducing the high mortality rate for mothers in Kentucky.
The legislation would require health plans to cover pregnancy, child birth and postpartum care along with in-home treatment for substance use disorder. It would also require plans to cover labor and delivery costs and all services and supplies related to breastfeeding.
Dubbed the "momnibus" bill, the bipartisan measure cleared the House Health Services Committee on Thursday with a 15-0 vote and two "pass" votes. It now heads to the full chamber for consideration.
Another bill drawing attention this week was Senate Bill 6, which would prohibit colleges and universities from discriminating against people who refuse to support certain viewpoints on political or social issues.
The legislation includes a list of 16 "discriminatory concepts." They range from theories about meritocracy and the United States to beliefs about privilege or guilt based on a person's race or sex.
Campuses could not require faculty, students, or staff to endorse such concepts as a condition of employment or to obtain academic benefits. In addition, campuses could not use discriminatory concepts in training or require students to take courses on such concepts as an academic prerequisite.
SB 6 also calls on colleges and universities to offer resources on free speech and viewpoint diversity during student orientation.
The legislation precipitated a long debate in the Senate Education Committee on Thursday. Supporters said the bill would protect free speech and promote viewpoint diversity while critics said it would harm academic freedom and undo crucial work to improve inclusion on campus.
SB 6 passed out of committee 10-2 and now heads to the full Senate.
Also in the Senate, lawmakers continue to work on the state's two-year budget, which advanced out of the House last week.
Sen. Christian McDaniel, R-Ryland Heights and chair of the Senate Appropriations and Revenue Committee, said Friday that lawmakers in that chamber have given the House proposal a high-level review and will spend the next few weeks digging deeper and crafting a Senate version of the plan.
Here's a look at some other bills moving this week:
Breast Exams: House Bill 115 seeks to eliminate co-pays and cost-sharing requirements for high-risk individuals who need follow-up diagnostic imaging to rule out breast cancer. The measure cleared the House floor Monday.
Divorces and Property: House Bill 155 would allow courts to consider a violent felony conviction of a spouse when it comes to dividing marital property during a divorce. Only convictions that occurred within the prior five years of the divorce filing could be considered. The House passed the bill Monday.
Sex Crimes: House Bill 207 would create felony penalties for possessing, trafficking, importing or promoting the use of a child sex doll. Offenders who digitally alter photos of children to create child pornography would also face felony charges under the bill. HB 207 advanced off the House floor Monday.
Cell Phones in Schools: House Bill 383 calls on school districts to develop a policy that forbids students from using cell phones during instructional time. The bill includes some exceptions for emergencies and learning experiences. The House Education Committee passed the bill Tuesday.
Border Security: Senate Resolution 123 calls on the governor to support efforts underway in Texas to secure the southern border. The Senate adopted the resolution on Tuesday. A similar measure was adopted in the House last week.
Vintage Alcohol Sales: House Bill 439 would create a licensing and regulatory structure for the commercial sale of vintage distilled spirits. It would also allow the state to auction off – rather than destroy – confiscated containers of alcohol. Proceeds would support alcohol wellness and responsibility efforts. HB 439 won approval Wednesday in the House Licensing, Occupations and Administrative Regulations Committee.
Pseudoephedrine: House Bill 386 would ease limits on the purchase of pseudoephedrine to help people with chronic allergies legally obtain an appropriate amount of the medication. The House Committee on Small Business and Information Technology passed the bill Wednesday.
Teacher Sick Leave: Senate Bill 4 would limit the number of sick days that teachers could use to enhance their pensions – a practice known as "spiking." After June 2024, teachers could only save 10 sick days a year to apply to the formula for calculating their retirement benefits. The legislation cleared the Senate State and Local Government Committee on Wednesday.
Non-Citizen Voting: Senate Bill 143 proposes changes to the state constitution that would prevent anyone who is not a U.S. citizen from voting in Kentucky elections. The Senate State and Local Government Committee passed the measure Wednesday. A similar bill has already cleared the House.
Aerospace Industry: Senate Bill 127 seeks to support Kentucky's aerospace and aviation industries by fostering public-private partnerships and enhancing workforce development across the state. The Senate passed the bill on Wednesday.
Autonomous Vehicles: House Bill 7 would create a regulatory framework for operating autonomous vehicles on public highways in Kentucky. The House Economic Development and Workforce Investment Committee advanced the legislation Thursday.
School Notifications: Senate Bill 11 seeks to speed up notifications to schools when a student has been charged with a crime. The bill won support in the Senate Education Committee on Thursday.
Juvenile Offenders: Under Senate Bill 20, juveniles who use a firearm in the commission of a felony would stand trial as adults if they are at least 15 years old. The bill cleared the Senate Committee on Veterans, Military Affairs and Public Protection on Thursday.
Fluoride Water Treatment: House Bill 141 would allow municipal water systems in Kentucky to discontinue the use of fluoride in tap water. The House State Government Committee advanced the measure Thursday.
Foster Care: Senate Bill 151 would allow family members who take temporary custody of a relative's child to become certified as a "child-specific foster home." That would allow them to access more state resources and support. The bill cleared the Senate floor on Thursday.
Teacher Misconduct: House Bill 275 would require school districts to fully investigate teacher misconduct – even if the teacher resigns before the investigation is complete. It would also require teacher applicants to undergo in-depth background checks and disclose recent disciplinary issues when applying for a new job. The House approved the bill Thursday.
Lawmakers are scheduled to gavel back into session on Monday for day 29.
Kentuckians can track the action through the Legislative Record webpage, which allows users to read bills and follow their progression through the chambers. Capitol observers can also track budget bills on the 2024 Budget Bills webpage.
In addition, citizens can share their views on issues with lawmakers by calling the General Assembly's toll-free message line at 1-800-372-7181.
FRANKFORT — The Senate Education Committee advanced legislation Thursday that would prohibit colleges and universities from discriminating against people who refuse to support certain political or social beliefs.
Senate Bill 6 aims to protect students and employees against viewpoint discrimination on campus, according to the bill's sponsor, Senate Majority Whip Mike Wilson, R-Bowling Green. He said lawmakers have a constitutional role in overseeing how taxpayer money is spent in education.
"We need to ensure that those funds are promoting educational excellence and rigor to help our students – all students – succeed in this 21st century with intellectual autonomy and not trendy, divisive, ivory tower theories," he said. "I filed this bill on behalf of students and faculty because First Amendment rights are being violated."
The bill provides a list of what it calls "discriminatory concepts," which includes certain political and social theories and ideas about privilege or guilt based on race or sex, among other beliefs.
It would prohibit colleges and universities from requiring faculty, students or staff to adopt certain positions on such concepts as condition of employment or to obtain academic benefits. Campuses could not use divisive concepts in training and hiring or require students to take courses on such concepts as an academic prerequisite.
Among other provisions, SB 6 also calls for colleges to provide resources on free speech and viewpoint diversity during student orientation. The state attorney general would have certain powers to enforce the bill.
"Currently, in our law, we protect K-12 teachers and school employees from discrimination in hirings and promotions based on political or religious opinions or affiliations," Wilson said. "(The) same protections need to be extended to our public university faculty as well and made more explicit for students."
The committee voted 10-2 to advance the bill to the Senate for consideration. However, the meeting sparked nearly two hours of debate as lawmakers and education professionals clashed over speech, academic freedom and the nature of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs.
Critics of the bill said DEI initiatives are being misrepresented and charged that SB 6 would undermine crucial academic work and support systems that are key to student success. They also said the legislation would create an atmosphere of intimidation on campus and limit critical thinking.
Supporters disagreed, however, including one who recounted how she missed out on a campus job because of her response to an interview question about social justice. Another said a lack of viewpoint diversity on campus is driving down public trust in higher education.
Senate Minority Caucus Chair Reginald Thomas, D-Lexington, was one lawmaker to vote against the measure. He said DEI programs have helped ensure students, teachers and administrators are varied.
"There is a fundamental misunderstanding about DEI programs. Diversity, equity, inclusion programs were adopted and created...to make sure that we got more variety of people – all kinds of people – in schools, to provide learning supports for those students, to provide them graduation opportunities, to ensure that they got good jobs and they became part of the American social fabric in our society," he said.
Another opponent, Senate Democratic Floor Leader Gerald A. Neal, D-Louisville, said the bill isn't necessary and that racism affects people in different ways.
"I'm confused because when I look at the language of this bill, it does not address the issues that you're talking about. There are already mechanisms in place to address actions that are taken within these institutions that someone may disagree with. There are processes that are in place," he said.
But Sen. Shelley Funke Frommeyer, R-Alexandria, voted for the bill and recounted her experience when she attended the University of Kentucky in 1991.
"No one knew how great my need was because I'm white," she said, referencing her large family and the lack of plumbing while growing up on her family farm. "When my niece who's now a student at UK has to determine and declare constantly whether she's Black or white, how is that helping serve her actual needs?"
Sen. Danny Carroll, R-Benton, also voted for the measure. He said everyone seems to want the same thing, but each side accuses the other of being wrong.
"It's amazing how similar the arguments are on both sides of this issue, and to me it seems obvious that we all want the same thing, and maybe it's bad actors at each level that are garnering all this attention and all these accusations," he said. "The argument's the same. The language in this bill protects the exact same thing that the opposition is wanting to protect."
FRANKFORT — Bipartisan legislation geared toward reducing Kentucky's high maternal mortality rate advanced from the House Health Services Committee on Thursday.
House Bill 10 is primarily co-sponsored by Committee Chair Kimberly Poore Moser, R-Taylor Mill, and Rep. Nancy Tate, R-Brandenburg. Nicknamed the "momnibus" bill – a combination of mom and omnibus – the legislation would take several steps to support maternal health, infant health and families.
"According to the CDC, Kentucky has the second highest maternal mortality for rate of death in the first year following childbirth in the nation," Moser said. "The initiatives in this legislation address areas of high concern."
Lack of access to prenatal care, mental health care and treatment for substance use disorder are just three of the main areas of high concern. Moser said substance use disorders are the number one reason Kentucky women die within the first year of childbirth. Tate said 89% of Kentucky's maternal deaths are preventable.
"One of the things we discovered as we were going through this investigation is there's actually a lot of things that we can do (to prevent maternal death)," Tate added.
One way is by making pregnancy a qualifying life event for health insurance purposes, Moser said.
Under HB 10, a health benefit plan would be required to cover in-home treatment for a substance use disorder, maternity care associated with pregnancy, and child birth and postpartum care. Plans would also be required to cover labor and delivery and all breastfeeding services and supplies. Telehealth would also be permitted.
As for mental health care, Moser said HB 10 would establish the Kentucky Lifeline for Moms. The hotline will operate out of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, which has already received a grant to implement the program. HB 10 would codify the program.
"A psychiatrist and a psychologist will be hired to answer calls from an OBGYN or primary care physician, someone who is caring for a pregnant mother who might have a mental health need," Moser said. "This extends through postpartum care as well."
HB 10 would also expand the Health Access Nurturing Development Services (HANDS) program by providing mothers and families counseling and education on breastfeeding, lactation and safe sleep and allowing telehealth for those services.
Tate said HB 10 will improve women's health care.
"I'm really excited about this and to assist women to make sure that they have good quality health care and good outcomes," she said.
Rep. Josh Bray, R-Mount Vernon, asked the sponsors if the Kentucky Department of Insurance flagged the bill for defrayal.
Moser said she has not seen the bill marked as a cost defrayal to the state. However, there are some questions about the insurance provisions and a floor amendment may be in the works to address any issues, she added.
HB 10 was approved by the House Health Services Committee by a 15-0 vote with two pass votes. It now heads to the full House for consideration.
Co-sponsor Rep. Lisa Willner, D-Louisville, said HB 10 is an "excellent bill."
"I'm so eager for this to become law," she said.
FRANKFORT — The Senate State and Local Government Committee approved a measure Wednesday that seeks to prevent anyone who is not a U.S. citizen from voting in Kentucky elections.
The legislation – sponsored by Sen. Jason Howell, R-Murray – proposes to amend two sections of the state constitution related to voting. It cleared the committee on a 9-2 vote and now heads to the Senate.
"Senate Bill 143 is a simple bill to set up a constitutional amendment to add some clarity to our voter election integrity," Howell said.
He explained that local ordinances in other states have allowed non-citizens to vote in some local elections. Those ordinances have survived court challenges because the constitutions in those states do not expressly preclude non-citizens from voting, he said.
In Kentucky, "this would close that window down the line to where only U.S. citizens would be allowed to vote in state and local elections," he said.
One critic of the bill, Sen. Cassie Chambers Armstrong, D-Louisville, said Section 154 of the Kentucky Constitution already states that only a U.S. citizen is allowed to vote in an election. She questioned why courts wouldn't immediately strike down the bill given the existing language.
Howell replied that the current wording in the state constitution affirms the voting rights of U.S. citizens but doesn't preclude noncitizens. That opens the door for different legal arguments in the statutory realm, he said.
Chambers Armstrong voted against the measure, and said she disagrees with Howell's interpretation of the state constitution.
"I believe this is already covered, and I worry that we are passing a lot of legislation this session focused on hypothetical problems that might spring up when we have real problems in our communities right now," she said.
If SB 143 receives final passage in the General Assembly, Kentucky voters would still need to ratify the constitutional amendment before it would take effect.
FRANKFORT — Allowing the state to auction off confiscated alcohol is one of several provisions laid out in House Bill 439.
The bill received unanimous approval from the House Licensing, Occupations and Administrative Regulations Committee on Wednesday. Committee chair and bill sponsor Rep. Matthew Koch, R-Paris, said HB 439 would also establish regulations for sales of vintage distilled spirits in the commonwealth.
He said the bill is a cleanup of previous legislation that created unintended consequences. The regulations are needed due to vintage spirit retailers buying thousands of bottles from sellers without any oversight.
"We're not saying they can't sell it. We are saying how much they can sell," Koch said. "We are preventing the seller from being able to turn this into an entire livelihood because that's not what was intended at all from this."
Under HB 439, vintage distilled spirit licensee holders would not be able to purchase more than 24 packages from any single seller in a 12-month period.
"First thing we did was we created a vintage spirit license, which the retailer can get for $300," Koch said. "That'll allow the ABC, who's a regulatory agency, to identify who is actually doing this so they can now police the work."
Sellers who violate the new vintage distilled spirit regulations proposed in the bill could face a Class A misdemeanor on first offense and a Class D felony on second or subsequent offense.
Another provision of HB 439 would allow the state to auction off unopened, confiscated alcohol contained in its original packaging. Koch said current state law mandates all confiscated alcohol be destroyed.
The proceeds from confiscated alcohol auctions would go to the alcohol wellness and responsibility education fund, which supports underage drinking and binge drinking prevention programs for high school and college students.
Rep. Kim Banta, R-Fort Mitchell, asked if HB 439 would prevent retailers from purchasing additional limited release bourbon bottles from sellers other than the wholesaler. Koch said no.
Rep. Ruth Ann Palumbo, D-Lexington, said she likes the auction provision.
"I thank you for bringing a bill where the bourbon will be auctioned instead of destroyed," she said.
Koch said he thinks "that's something we can all get behind."
HB 439 now heads to the full House for consideration.
FRANKFORT — The Senate Families and Children Committee unanimously approved legislation Tuesday that would provide more long-term flexibility for family members who care for a relative's child.
Senate Majority Caucus Chair Julie Raque Adams, R-Louisville, is sponsoring Senate Bill 151 in this year's legislation session.
Under the measure, relative or fictive kin who are serving as temporary caregivers could apply with the state to become certified as a "child-specific foster home." That would provide much more access to state resources.
Relative caregivers have a biological relationship to the child in custody. Fictive kin caregivers are those who have an emotionally significant relationship with the child or the child's parent.
Adams said the change is needed because the current "policy is very restrictive, and it is putting a financial and resource strain on many of our relative and fictive kin caregivers."
Right now, such caregivers are asked to make a one-time decision on how to care for a child in need.
They can accept temporary custody of a child with minimal support and resources from the state, or they can choose to have the child placed in the traditional foster care system.
Or, they can accept a relative placement option, which comes with additional support such as daily per diem, stipends for clothing, training and respite care.
Adams said caregivers can be faced with making these quick decisions when children are in dangerous or unhealthy situations and they need somewhere else to live.
"Remember that you are making this one-time only decision on the spot with no ability to reassess or fully understand the impact that your decision will have on your personal finances," Adams said.
The bill would also require courts to consider potential relative or fictive kin caregivers from a list that is provided by the child.
Adams said that, according to the bill's fiscal note, there will be no additional impact to the state Cabinet for Health and Family Services, the Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet or the Administrative Office of the Courts.
Norma Hatfield, president of the Kinship Families Coalition of Kentucky and a grandmother who has been raising two grandchildren for the past 9 ½ years, asked the legislators for their support, citing the number of children who are not placed with relatives.
"There are a lot of reasons a lot of families that have issues with the way that this program is implemented right now. If you look at a (Department for Community Based Services) report that they issued in September 2023, more than half of the children are in temporary custody instead of relative foster care," she said.
Sen. Danny Carroll, R-Benton, who chairs the committee, asked about the timeframe for caregivers to become designated as a child-specific foster home because it's an in-depth process for foster parents.
Adams said some of the details are still being worked out.
"I think that some of that will be worked out on the regulatory side, but from what I understand, our ultimate goal is to keep these kids with someone that's in their family," she said. "I believe that it allows them to keep the child in the home and then go through the processes that are required to be qualified as a foster parent."
Sen. Stephen Meredith, R-Leitchfield, said the legislation would elevate the state, and it's a good step forward. He complimented Hatfield for her dedication.
"It's a sad commentary on society when we've got to take these kind of measures, and certainly family members deserve the same kind of support that the foster parents do," he said.
FRANKFORT — Rep. Josh Bray, R-Mount Vernon, was at a middle school basketball game in his district when a teacher approached him and said, "Man, y'all gotta do something about cell phones."
Bray said the teacher told him that cell phone usage in the classroom is hard to manage, and school administrators weren't supportive. The teacher was considering retiring over the issue. That conversation inspired Bray to sponsor House Bill 383. He presented the bill to the House Education Committee on Tuesday.
"It just says each school district has to have a policy that forbids its usage within the classroom during instructional time except during an emergency or if directed by a teacher," Bray said on the legislation.
HB 383 says cell phone usage could be permitted if needed for a learning experience or an individualized education plan.
Rep. Tina Bojanowski, D-Louisville, is an educator. She said she heard from middle school and high school teachers who support the bill, but they had a few questions.
"Why in the world do we have to do a law to this? And how much of a burden would it then put on teachers to enforce that decision?" Bojanowski said, adding earbuds are also a concern. Many students use wireless earbuds to listen to music or videos in class.
Bray said while most school districts have cell phone policies, this bill would provide extra support.
"When I talked with my superintendents, they were overwhelmingly in support," Bray said. "And it may not be this way across the state, but the ones I've spoken with said most of these decisions are made at the site-based level. They felt like it was important to give them the authority to kind of lay out the policy."
Enforcement, Bray said, would likely follow current disciplinary policies at the local level. As for the earbud issue, Bray said, "I would be happy to address that."
Rep. Emily Callaway, R-Louisville, said she is also in support of adding something to the bill to address earbud usage in the classroom. She said HB 383 gives teachers more support to enforce a no-cell phone policy.
"While I don't like removing power from teachers in the classroom, this also does give them an out to say, 'Don't even ask me. This is the way it is, so don't even ask. There's not going to be exceptions. This is the law,'" Callaway said.
Rep. Lisa Willner, D-Louisville, thanked Bray for the bill. She asked if the Kentucky School Board Association has an opinion on the legislation.
Committee Chair Rep. James Tipton, R-Taylorsville, said he hasn't heard any negative concerns or pushback from KSBA on HB 383. Tipton said curbing cell phone usage in the classroom should have a positive impact on learning and the social and emotional well-being of students.
Rep. Josh Calloway, R-Irvington, said he supports HB 383 and agrees there is a mental health aspect to cell phone usage in teenagers.
"The mental health issue is definitely something that's on my mind," Calloway said. "The second leading cause of death for 15- to 24-year-olds is suicide. And there are so many things that happen through technology and devices, so I greatly appreciate this legislation."
The House Education Committee unanimously approved HB 383. It now heads to the full House for consideration.
FRANKFORT — Kentucky lawmakers hit the one-third mark on the 2024 legislative session this week just before passing a $130 billion budget proposal in the House and sending it to the Senate for another round of revision and debate.
House Bill 6, one of the highest priorities this session, would create a blueprint for spending in the state executive branch for the next two fiscal years.
Lawmakers voted 77-19 to advance the bill off the House floor Thursday after clashing for nearly four hours over spending decisions and how best to use the state's historic reserves.
Majority leaders have praised the plan for committing record funds to public schools and for investing in public safety, infrastructure and health services, including substance abuse recovery programs.
But critics say it doesn't go far enough to improve teacher salaries, recondition juvenile justice facilities or address shortages in housing and child care, among other concerns.
HB 6 cleared the chamber along with two other bills that propose budgets for the judicial and legislative branches. A fourth bill that would appropriate one-time funds to key areas like infrastructure and public pensions also won support.
The bills now await action in the Senate, where they are almost certain to undergo significant changes in the coming weeks. But lawmakers have 37 days left in the 60-day session to hash out a compromise between the two chambers before they are scheduled to adjourn for the year.
In addition to the budget debate, lawmakers spent time this week sparring over voting and elections.
Under Senate Bill 80, student IDs would no longer count as a primary source of voter identification at the polls, although voters could still use those IDs as a secondary source. SB 80 would also eliminate credit cards as a secondary source of ID for voting.
The Senate passed the measure Tuesday.
On the same day, the House took up House Bill 341, which proposes amendments to the state constitution to prohibit anyone who is not a U.S. citizen from voting in the commonwealth.
The two bills stirred disagreement among lawmakers along similar lines. Supporters argued for the integrity of elections while opponents said such efforts would unfairly disenfranchise voters. The bills now head to the opposite chambers for consideration.
Amid the debates, lawmakers also found time for unity this week at the 2024 Black History Celebration, which was marking its 20th anniversary this year.
Government and community leaders came together for two hours of speeches, prayer and music that focused on celebrating the civil rights movement. The Kentucky Legislative Black Caucus hosts the event in the state Capitol Rotunda each year.
At other times throughout the week, measures on loss of income insurance, highway cameras and moments of silence all gained ground. Here's a look at what was moving:
Adoption: House Bill 87 would allow certain adult family members to inspect adoption records after both birth parents or the adoptee has passed away. The bill cleared the House floor on Monday.
Loss of Income: House Bill 179 would clear the way for employers to offer their workers an option to purchase paid family leave insurance. Workers who buy the insurance would receive temporary wage replacement when caring for a sick family member or new child. The House passed the measure Monday.
Capitol Traffic: Senate Bill 75 seeks to reopen the road between the Kentucky Capitol and the Capitol Annex in Frankfort. That portion of the Capitol campus was closed to traffic a few years ago. The bill advanced off the Senate floor Monday.
Maternal Health: Senate Bill 74 aims to provide expectant parents with more data on health care facilities and maternal outcomes across the state. It would also make the Kentucky Maternal Mortality Review Committee a permanent entity under the state Department for Public Health. The Senate Families and Children Committee passed the bill Tuesday.
Highway Cameras: House Bill 192 would create a pilot program that uses automated cameras to identify speeding vehicles in certain highway work zones and issue traffic tickets to the drivers. The cameras would focus on vehicles traveling 10 or more miles over the speed limit. The House Transportation Committee advanced the measure Tuesday.
Border Security: House Resolution 57 urges the governor to express support for efforts in Texas to secure the southern border. The resolution was adopted on the House floor on Tuesday.
Veteran Suicide Prevention: House Bill 30 calls for the Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs to create a suicide prevention program for service members, veterans and their families. The program would raise awareness and help connect at-risk individuals with mental health resources. The bill won approval on the House floor Wednesday.
Moments of Silence: House Bill 96 calls for a moment of silence at the start of each day in public schools. It passed on the House floor Wednesday.
Lawmakers will return to Frankfort on Monday for day 24 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. Capitol observers can also track budget bills on the 2024 Budget Bills webpage.
In addition, citizens can share their views on issues with lawmakers by calling the General Assembly's toll-free message line at 1-800-372-7181.
FRANKFORT — Four bills related to Kentucky's spending plan for the next biennium have taken another step toward passage and are headed to the Senate.
House Bill 6 would appropriate billions each fiscal year to the state executive branch. Rep. Jason Petrie, R-Elkton, serves as the committee chair for the House Appropriations and Revenue Committee. He and the chairs for the House Budget Review Subcommittees presented HB 6 on the House floor on Thursday.
Petrie said they tried to "exercise better practices" when it came to drafting HB 6 by not just looking at the next two years, but to the future. One way is by building the budget from the agency budget requests, he said.
"The way this document comes together fundamentally starts with those agency budget requests," Petrie added. "And that sets our pensions, our payroll, and what needs to be increased, decreased, added in new, and all for consideration."
HB 6 would increase funding for SEEK, fully fund transportation for public schools, meet the actuarial requirements for every state pension plan, appropriate millions toward clean drinking water initiatives, invest in public safety and more.
Lawmakers discussed HB 6 for nearly four hours on Thursday. House Minority Floor Leader Derrick Graham, D-Frankfort, said the budget is the "guiding document that educates our kids, keeps us safe, promotes our most vulnerable, paves our roads and does a thousand other things ... that helps this Commonwealth grow."
Graham focused most of his comments on public education funding and state employee pension payments. He said the teacher retention rate in Kentucky is in a "crisis," and the budget should include funding for higher starting salaries and raises.
As for state retirees, Graham said they have not received a cost-of-living increase since 2012. He said he and others are calling for $100 million to provide state retirees a one-time "13th retirement check."
"We know the need, and we have the money," Graham said. "Now, let's just come together and find a way to appropriate this money to help the people who help us each and every day."
Petrie said the budget is not final.
"I don't take anything off the table," Petrie said, adding there is still work to be done with the Senate before the budget will be in its final form.
In response to Graham's request for cost-of-living increases for state retirees, Petrie said it is complicated. The health of the state pensions has been in a precarious place for many years with the Kentucky retirement plan for non-hazardous employees being in the worst spot.
Petrie said in the past there were cost-of-living increases passed by the general assembly that were not properly funded.
"We need to take very, very cautious steps about doing something that we may not be able to fund in the long run and may really affect our ability to put extra money into that system to make it healthy," he said.
In addition to pension issues, Kentucky's juvenile justice system has also been a concern of the general assembly. Rep. Keturah Herron, D-Louisville, said she was happy to see sizable, multi-million-dollar appropriations in the budget toward transportation, mental health and alternative detention options for incarcerated juveniles.
Herron said she would like to see funds dedicated to juvenile justice facilities as well.
"I think that right now it is very practical for us to put money in to figure out what we're going to do with those facilities as it relates to juvenile justice," she said.
HB 6 cleared the House floor by a 77-19 vote.
In explaining his "yes" vote, Rep. Kevin D. Bratcher, R-Louisville, said HB 6 is a "responsible" budget.
"Responsible government means that you have to prepare for the bad days, not just spend it on what feels good today, and who cares about tomorrow," he said.
In addition to HB 6, the House also approved House Bill 1 unanimously. The bill would give-one time budget reserve trust fund monies toward infrastructure improvements, state employee and teacher's pensions, economic development projects and public safety.
"House Bill 1 is a one-time money spending of one-time expenses with one-time money," House Majority Floor Leader Steven Rudy, R-Paducah, said, adding it is "key to ensuring this commonwealth will remain in order."
The state legislative branch and judicial branch budgets – House Bill 263 and House Bill 264 – also advanced off the House floor Thursday. HB 263 was approved by a 90-2 vote, and HB 264 was approved by a 92-0 vote with two abstentions.
HB 6, HB 1, HB 263 and HB 264 will now head to the Senate for its consideration.
FRANKFORT — Members of the Senate Veterans, Military Affairs, and Public Protection Committee unanimously advanced a bill Thursday that would require Kentucky State Police to operate a new alert system that helps find missing people over the age of 17.
Under Senate Bill 45, the program would be called the Kentucky Ashanti Alert System – named after Ashanti Billie, a 19-year-old woman who was abducted in 2017 in Virginia.
Senate Minority Whip David Yates, D-Louisville, is sponsoring the bill. He said the proposed alert system could help locate victims more quickly and would add Kentucky to the list of states where the system already exists.
Billie's case "put the nation on alert of how often this is happening, and that we could have done something different," Yates said. "We knew there was a huge problem that fell outside of the other alert programs.."
The Ashanti Alert Act was adopted on a federal level in 2018 to help establish a national communications network to aid in the search and recovery of missing people over the age of 17. But Kentucky is one of 20 states without an Ashanti Alert System, Yates said.
When implemented, the Kentucky system would quickly disseminate information to law enforcement, the media and then the public about missing people and abductors, Yates said.
It calls for Kentucky State Police to work in cooperation with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, the Division of Emergency Management and media providers to create the system.
Megan Moseley, a domestic violence detective with the Louisville Metro Police Department, told the committee that she supports the alert system because it can save investigators valuable time.
"This first came to me probably two years ago when I was lead investigator on a domestic violence kidnapping. Through that course, my victim was missing about eight hours before I was even notified of it," she said. "And at that time, I got informed that we had no alert system in place that could assist with my search and my department's search and recovery of my victim. Thankfully, my victim was found safe, probably about 24 hours later."
Sen. Gary Boswell, R-Owensboro, asked about possible funding for the system.
"I'm not sure how you can create this without some costs being incurred," he said.
Yates replied that it only requires the use of existing resources within the existing budget.
"The infrastructure, the technology is already in place because of our other alert systems. What's happened is obviously if the individual was under the age of majority, or if it was a Golden Alert of something else, you would be able to use it," he said. "But because of the way that we've defined that, if a young person turns 18, then automatically we cannot use our system for alerts."
Sen. Denise Harper Angel, D-Louisville, spoke in favor of the bill.
"I was proud to, I think back in 2004, pass the Golden Alert," she said. "So this is another really good step to protect our young people, and I appreciate the effort."
The bill now heads to the Senate.
The committee's next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 8 at 9 a.m.
FRANKFORT — Four state budget-related bills were approved by the House Appropriations and Revenue Committee on Wednesday afternoon.
The Kentucky General Assembly is tasked with approving the state's spending plan every two years. House Bill 6 would appropriate billions per fiscal year to the state executive branch, House Appropriations and Revenue Chair Jason Petrie, R-Elkton, said.
The chairs of the House Budget Review Subcommittees testified on the key investments in education, health care, public safety, infrastructure and more proposed in HB 6.
They shared that among the many appropriations, the bill would:
Rep. Josie Raymond, D-Louisville said there is "a lot to like" about HB 6, but she had some questions about some of the appropriations in the bill. On education, Raymond noted there is a debate on whether the general assembly should fund teacher raises outright.
"I know superintendents support your idea to put more money into SEEK and have raises flow from that," she said. "But we've had superintendents here at the Capitol this week. With the small SEEK increases in this budget, they either can't give raises or maybe it'd be 1%."
Petrie said the budget process is ongoing, and he and others are still talking with stakeholders on certain issues, such as SEEK funding.
"This is the House version," Petrie said on HB 6. "There will be a Senate version that I suspect will be different. And then there will be a conference committee that will be entirely different, most likely. We continue to listen for input."
Rep. Myron Dossett, R-Pembroke, said this is the seventh budget he's voted on as a state representative. He reminded his colleagues that Wednesday's committee hearing is the first step in a long process.
"This is where we do our jobs as members of the general assembly, and now we start doing the work to make sure that we take care of our constituents at home in the best way possible," Dossett said.
The committee approved HB 6 by a 17-1 vote with four pass votes.
In addition to HB 6, the committee approved House Bill 264, the proposed judicial branch budget, unanimously. House Bill 263, the proposed legislative branch budget, was approved by a 20-2 vote.
House Bill 1 was approved by a 21-0 vote with one pass vote. The bill would give-one time budget reserve trust fund monies toward infrastructure improvements, state employee and teacher's pensions, economic development projects and public safety.
HB 1, HB 6, HB 263 and HB 264 will now go before the full House for consideration.
FRANKFORT — Voters could no longer use student IDs as a primary source of identification at the polls under a bill that cleared the Kentucky Senate on Tuesday. However, voters could still use those IDs as a secondary source.
Senate Bill 80 would remove non-government issued IDs from the list of primary sources that are accepted as forms of identification during elections. It would also eliminate credit cards as a secondary source of ID.
Sen. Adrienne Southworth, R-Lawrenceburg, is sponsoring the measure, which passed on the Senate floor 27-7. She said Kentucky uses a three-pronged approach to authenticate voter identities at polling locations.
"A credit card only has a name. There is no other information to be able to tell us whether they live here, whether they are even qualified, eligible to vote. I mean there's lots of reasons to not have that published as an automatically approved secondary ID," she said.
Lawmakers debated the effect of the bill before voting Tuesday.
One critic, Sen. Cassie Chambers Armstrong, D-Louisville, said SB 80 would make it harder for young people to vote in Kentucky. She also argued that there's no evidence implicating college IDs in voter fraud.
"Removing college IDs from the list of acceptable identification will certainly create a barrier to our young people participating in democracy. It concerns me even more that we're taking this step when no one has asked us to," she said.
Senate Minority Whip David Yates, D-Louisville, echoed those concerns and predicted that the legislation, if adopted, would face challenges in court.
"Do we have that extra money to throw away taxpayers' money?" he asked.
But proponents argued that SB 80 would help protect the integrity of elections and that voters who do not have a primary source of ID can still vote by signing an affidavit and providing a combination of secondary IDs.
Senate Majority Floor Leader Damon Thayer, R-Georgetown, said opponents were making a mountain out of a molehill. He called the bill a "well thought-out approach" and a simple improvement on a previous voter identification measure that passed in 2020.
Sen. Donald Douglas, R-Nicholasville, called the measure a "bill of responsibility."
"Voting in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and across our great nation, it is a right," he said. "But it is also supported by a privilege, which is a higher level of responsibility, and I think the people in this great country and especially in this commonwealth are looking for more guardrails."
FRANKFORT — A proposed state constitutional amendment on who can vote in Kentucky advanced off the House floor on Tuesday.
House Bill 341 proposes amending sections 145 and 155 of the state constitution to prohibit individuals who are not U.S. citizens from voting in the commonwealth.
The primary sponsor of HB 341, Rep. Michael Meredith, R-Oakland, said the general assembly is seeking to be proactive and ensure election integrity. He said there have been instances in other states where local governments have allowed non-U.S. citizens to vote in local elections. This proposed amendment would close a possible loophole.
"We seek to get ahead of this before this does happen, potentially, in the Commonwealth of Kentucky," Meredith said.
Rep. Mark Hart, R-Falmouth, spoke on the House floor in favor of HB 341. He said the bill ensures state sovereignty.
"The purpose of state sovereignty is to allow the residents of the state to determine their fate and the destiny of their state," Hart said. "This bill, in my opinion, is a necessity to ensure that the destiny of Kentucky is driven by Kentuckians, no one else."
Rep. Chad Aull, D-Lexington, said he does not believe this change in the state constitution is needed. Other voting-related legislation being proposed this year is more important, he added.
"If we really want to improve our local election laws and voting practices in Kentucky, it's essential we prioritize legislation that addresses the current, pressing concerns we have today rather than focusing on issues that do not pose a current threat," Aull said.
Aull suggested the general assembly pass legislation on bills to extend voting hours, eliminate straight-party ticket voting and establish an independent, citizen redistricting commission instead.
Rep. Lindsey Burke, D-Lexington, said the purpose of HB 341 is to limit local control.
"I don't think this is problem that yet needs to be solved," she added.
But Rep. Killian Timoney, R-Nicholasville, said he supports HB 341 for personal reasons. Killian is a first-generation American and said his parents gave up their Irish citizenship to become American citizens in order to participate in elections.
"We've done so much to make sure our elections are true and pure ... This is the next step there," Killian said.
The House approved HB 341 by an 81-15 vote. It will now go to the Senate for consideration.
Amendments to the state constitution in Kentucky are ultimately decided by a ballot measure. For a proposed amendment to be put on the ballot, the legislation must be approved by both chambers of the Kentucky General Assembly.
FRANKFORT — The Senate Families and Children Committee unanimously advanced a measure on Tuesday that's designed to improve access to health facility information for expectant parents and data regarding maternal deaths, among other things.
The bill's sponsor, Sen. Shelley Funke Frommeyer, R-Alexandria, said it's sometimes a struggle for expectant parents to find information about costs for care. The measure also would require a panel to glean maternal death information and make it easily accessible to the public.
"There is a panel currently that will gather and review how a death occurs, but it's not a requirement," she said. "This bill is actually taking it to that very important step – making it a requirement so that we actually do dig in, understand, tackle the issue and improve our health outcomes."
SB 74 would make the Kentucky Maternal Mortality Review Committee a permanent entity under the state Department for Public Health and expand its role in gathering and reporting on child delivery procedures.
The committee has operated for years and produces an annual report, which has been presented to various legislative committees and used to inform policy decisions and priorities.
Robin Elise Weiss, a professor of public health and a birth doula, testified that parents-to-be face many decisions but often lack access to good data when it comes to making those decisions. Weiss said finding safe health care while meeting preferences is critical, and provisions in the bill would help.
"Right now, if someone wants to know a hospital's cesarean birth rate or induction rate, they may actually have to call the hospital. Who knows that information? Certainly not the person who answers the phone. Maybe they make it to the labor and delivery unit. That nurse that answers the phone may not know that information, either," she said.
Sen. Stephen Meredith, R-Leitchfield, shared concerns about that data going unused.
"Who's involved on those local teams and where's this initiated? Is it the local health departments or is it in concert with local hospitals?" he asked.
Funke Frommeyer said the Cabinet for Health and Family Services would manage it in conjunction with local stakeholders.
"I think that's the ultimate goal, to be able to find the information, find the issue, report on what issue may have occurred and then get the results back into a commonly available place," she said.
Sen. Danny Carroll, R-Benton, who is also the committee's chair, said the goal is to put things into a package that's going to be usable.
"That's the structure that I feel like you need to build around the data to make sure that it's not just something that's there, but it's accessible to those who need it in a format, and it's accurate data that is valid throughout the entire state," he said.
FRANKFORT — A bill to improve highway work zone safety is headed to the House floor.
House Transportation Committee Chair John Blanton, R-Salyersville, presented House Bill 192 to the committee Tuesday. The bill would create a pilot program for automated speed enforcement in select highway work zones, he said.
The legislation was inspired by an increase in highway work zone accidents due to speeding – many of which have caused major injuries and death.
For Blanton, the legislation is also personal. HB 192 is known as the Jared Lee Helton Act of 2024. Blanton named the legislation after his 22-year-old neighbor who was hit and killed by a vehicle while working as a highway contractor.
Under HB 192, automated speed enforcement cameras would issue a fine to violators going 10 or more miles over the speed limit.
The pilot program would run for three years, and Kentucky would join 26 other states who successfully use automated speed enforcement cameras in work zones, Blanton said. To him, safety is the main goal of the legislation.
"Let me be clear, I'm not interested in issuing citations," Blanton said. "I'm interested in slowing people down in work zones to protect not just the workers, but, quite frankly, to protect other people traveling through these work zones."
HB 192 would mandate signage be installed to notify drivers of the cameras and the proper speed limit, and the cameras would only be in use while workers are present.
On a first violation, the civil penalty would be $75. On a second or subsequent violation within a three-year period, the penalty would be $125 per violation. Drivers would have an opportunity to appeal a citation.
Bill Bell, executive director of the state Office of Highway Safety, said there have been 49 deaths in work zones in Kentucky in the last five years, with seven of those workers being Transportation Cabinet employees or contract workers.
Bell, along with Deputy State Highway Engineer Jason Siwula and Transportation Secretary Jim Gray testified alongside Blanton in support of HB 192.
"These crashes are happening more frequently," Gray said. "That's why we're urging this action so strongly."
Rep. John Hodgson, R-Fisherville, said he supports the effort to reduce fatalities in work zones, but he has concerns with computers issuing the tickets instead of police officers. He worries that someone who drives through a work zone multiple times a day may accrue thousands in fines before their first citation arrives in the mail.
Bell said drivers cannot get another citation during the 14-day appeal period.
Rep. Adrielle Camuel, D-Lexington, said she supports HB 192.
"I do support this bill regardless of the outcome because I've gotten probably 200 emails from people supporting it as well," she said.
Rep. Samara Heavrin, R-Leitchfield, said highway work zone safety has been important to her since she was elected in 2019.
"I don't want us to forget that we're having this conversation because people are being killed," she said. "This isn't just us trying to be 'big brother,' and driving is a privilege."
The committee approved HB 192 by a 23-2 vote. It now heads to the full House for consideration.
Bills on crime and housing continue to advance amid debate
FRANKFORT — Three high-profile bills on crime and housing sparked more rounds of debate this week, while several others on education, voting and hunting edged closer to passage in the Kentucky General Assembly.
Friday concluded week four of the 60-day legislative session, and throughout the week, lawmakers found common ground when they welcomed the return of a Lexington senator and remembered a departed colleague in the House.
Sen. Amanda Mays Bledsoe was caring for a horse when she was kicked in the face and had to undergo emergency surgery in mid-December. She returned to applause on the Senate floor Thursday.
Meanwhile, House members paused this week to honor and remember Rep. Lamin Swann, also from Lexington, who suddenly passed away last summer at the age of 45.
Legislators in both chambers also coalesced around resolutions to honor International Holocaust Remembrance Day this weekend.
On other issues, however, stark disagreements seemed to characterize much of the week.
House members sparred for more than two and half hours Thursday over an omnibus crime bill that seeks to ramp up the penalties for repeat violent offenders and other crimes.
Under the latest version of House Bill 5 – known as the Safer Kentucky Act – offenders could face a life sentence in prison if convicted of three violent felonies. Individuals could also face a manslaughter charge if they distribute fentanyl that causes a fatal overdose.
The 74-page bill would also create a felony carjacking law and call for violent felony offenders to serve at least 85% of their criminal sentences before release. Other provisions aim to curb shoplifting and street camping.
Supporters say the legislation will strengthen Kentucky's approach to crime and reassert basic principles of safety and civility in response to years of growing disorder.
Critics counter that the bill would apply antiquated policies to complex problems and drive up incarceration costs in a state with an already high rate of imprisonment.
HB 5 cleared the House floor 74-22 and now heads to the Senate.
The other bills spurring debate in the chambers were House Bill 18 and Senate Bill 25, both of which affirm the rights of landlords to decline tenants who use federal housing assistance.
The bills would prevent local governments from enacting any ordinances that require landlords to accept such rental agreements. HB 18 includes all federal housing assistance while SB 25 focuses on the Section 8 housing program.
Proponents say the legislation would protect foundational property rights, but others say the bills would slash housing options for low-income Kentuckians.
HB 18 won approval on the House floor Tuesday, and SB 25 passed off the Senate floor Wednesday.
Other legislation advancing this week ranged from a bill to require moments of silence in schools to a measure on voter identification. Here's a look at some of the bills moving forward:
Hunting and Fishing Licenses: House Bill 217 would change a statute on hunting and fishing licenses for landowners. State law allows Kentuckians to hunt and fish without a license on their own farmland if the property is at least five acres. HB 217 would eliminate the acreage requirement. It won approval on the House floor Monday.
Artificial Intelligence: House Concurrent Resolution 38 calls for the creation of a new task force that would review the use of artificial intelligence in government and recommend possible legislation to protect consumers. The House passed the resolution on Monday.
Moments of Silence: House Bill 96 would require public schools to have a moment of silence at the beginning of each school day. The House Education Committee approved the bill Tuesday.
Teacher Misconduct: : House Bill 275 would require school districts to fully investigate teacher misconduct – even if the teacher resigns before the investigation is complete. It would also require teacher applicants to undergo in-depth background checks and disclose recent disciplinary issues when applying for a new job. The House Education Committee advanced the legislation Tuesday.
Veteran Suicide Prevention: House Bill 30 calls for the Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs to create a suicide prevention program for service members, veterans and their families. The program would raise awareness and help connect at-risk individuals with mental health resources. HB 30 cleared the House Committee on Veterans, Military Affairs and Public Protection on Tuesday.
KEES for Homeschoolers: Senate Bill 7 would expand the Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship program to provide funds for homeschooled students based on certain academic metrics. A score on the Classic Learning Test would be one option for students. The Senate advanced the measure Tuesday.
Voter ID: Senate Bill 80 would disqualify certain forms of identification – such as credit cards and student IDs – as acceptable forms of identification for voting. The bill moved out of the Senate State and Local Government Committee on Wednesday.
Citizen Voting: House Bill 341 proposes an amendment to the state constitution to clarify that only U.S. citizens may vote in Kentucky elections. The House Elections, Constitutional Amendments and Intergovernmental Affairs Committee advanced the measure Thursday.
Lawmakers are scheduled to gavel back in on Monday for day 19 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. Capitol observers can also track budget bills on the 2024 Budget Bills webpage.
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.
FRANKFORT — A comprehensive House bill on public safety is gaining momentum in the Kentucky General Assembly.
The House approved an amended version of House Bill 5, also known as the Safer Kentucky Act, on Thursday. The bill's primary sponsor, Rep. Jared Bauman, R-Louisville, said the legislation was more than nine months in the making.
Bauman said he and other stakeholders worked with attorneys, law enforcement, community leaders, constituents, and crime victims and their families on the 72-page bill.
"House Bill 5 includes provisions to address criminals and crime in our state that, on a daily basis, attacks the Kentucky economy, Kentucky families, education performance, and generally the quality of life in our great commonwealth," Bauman said. "The foundation for civilized society in Kentucky is public safety, security and protection, and our foundation is broken."
The Safer Kentucky Act would bring widespread change to criminal law in the commonwealth by instituting harsher penalties for repeat, violent felony offenders and other crimes.
On Thursday, Bauman introduced House Floor Amendment 27. The amendment makes many changes to the version of the bill that was approved by the House Judiciary Committee last week. The 11-page amendment is the result of continuing conversations with stakeholders, he said. The House adopted the amendment.
Individuals who sell or distribute fentanyl and cause a fatal overdose could be charged with manslaughter under the amended version of HB 5 instead of capital murder.
The amendment also further clarifies Kentucky's Good Samaritan law, Bauman said. This ensures individuals who seek aid for someone experiencing an overdose would not be criminally charged in relation to the overdose.
HB 5 would criminalize unlawful camping in Kentucky, making it a misdemeanor on second offense or subsequent offense. The amended bill, however, would permit houseless individuals to sleep in a vehicle parked lawfully on a public road, street or parking lot for a period of less than 12 hours.
Shopkeeper's privilege would be protected under HB 5. The bill would allow store owners to use reasonable force to stop shoplifters. The amended provision would not exempt shopkeepers from facing civil liability, but would continue to protect them from criminal liability.
HB 5 would also establish a felony carjacking statute. The amendment would make it a violent offense.
Individuals convicted of a violent felony would have to serve 85% of their sentence before being eligible for early release, Bauman said about the amendment. Under HB 5, a person would be sentenced to life in prison without parole upon a third violent felony conviction, unless it is a capital offense. Capital offenders could also face the death penalty.
Lawmakers debated the bill for more than two and a half hours on the House floor.
Rep. Sarah Stalker, D-Louisville, spoke about several concerns she has with the bill, including the financial burden it could place on Kentucky prisons and taxpayers.
"I'm personally interested in investing in Kentuckians, not prisons," Stalker said. "... Let's instead invest in our communities, prioritize rehabilitation over punishment, and strive for a future where opportunity, not incarceration, defines the lives of our most vulnerable citizens."
Bauman said the cost of crime in Kentucky is higher than the potential fiscal impact of HB 5. Rep. Jason Petrie, R-Elkton, said the legislature will ensure prisons are properly funded.
"Public safety is important enough that we will make sure that there is funding and capacity if people make horribly bad choices and continue to break the laws of this commonwealth," Petrie said.
House Minority Caucus Chair Cherlynn Stevenson, D-Lexington, said her heart "bleeds" for the victims, but she struggles with the size of the legislation. Stevenson attempted a parliamentary move to divide the bill into multiple parts, but the motion failed, and she voted against the measure as a whole.
"If this bill had been 10 different bills, I would have voted for a lot of them," Stevenson said, adding she could not vote "yes" because of the unlawful camping provision.
In explaining his "yes" vote the legislation, Rep. Kevin D. Bratcher, R-Louisville, said he supports the three-strikes provision for violent felony offenders.
"When you violate the trust of this free society, you've got to pay a price ... and if you can't participate in a free society, then you need to be removed from that society," he said.
The House approved the Safer Kentucky Act by a 74-22 vote. The measure now moves on to the Senate for consideration.
FRANKFORT — The Senate State and Local Government Committee on Wednesday advanced a measure that would disqualify certain identification cards as acceptable forms of voter ID.
Sponsored by Sen. Adrienne Southworth, R-Lawrenceburg, Senate Bill 80 would omit student or employee identification cards and credit or debit cards from a list of acceptable documents voters can use at polls to verify their identities.
Southworth is the primary sponsor of the bill, which received approval from the committee with a 9-2 vote. In her testimony, she called current election laws convoluted and disorganized.
"Currently, every other document on this particular list is a government-issued document, or it includes at least more than a name, for example a photograph," she said. "And the credit card only has a name."
Southworth said it's vital that voters confirm their addresses so poll workers can ensure they are on the voter rolls.
She said student IDs are not appropriate as a primary source of identification for voting purposes because students often live elsewhere and have a right to absentee voting. However, with government-issued identification cards, holders generally have to swear an oath or adhere to an ethics code, for example, she said.
Sen. Cassie Chambers Armstrong, D-Louisville, said the measure could make it more difficult for some people to vote and that she hasn't seen any evidence that such forms of ID are more likely to result in fraud. She voted against the measure.
"My understanding is that the board of elections is not asking for this. I haven't heard the secretary of state asking for this. I'm a little worried this is a solution in search of a problem," she said.
Southworth said it's the legislature's duty to decide what its members do.
"We decide what we want, and it's their job to do this. It's not their job to tell us how we need to do our job. And I feel like that's a big, important thing that people usually lose," she said.
Senate Majority Floor Leader Damon Thayer, R-Georgetown, voted in favor of the bill. He noted that voter ID cards are available without charge at local county clerks' offices.
"I've always thought that these other forms of ID shouldn't be acceptable at the polls, and I think it's a good bill, very straightforward," he said.
The bill now advances to the Senate for consideration.
FRANKFORT — The Kentucky Senate moved forward Wednesday on a measure that would prohibit local governments from requiring landlords to accept tenants who participate in Section 8 housing.
The bill's sponsor, Sen. Stephen West, R-Paris, said Senate Bill 25 deals with the protection of property rights – rights that have a long history in the United States and around the world.
"The bottom line is that property owners own their property. It's not the city's property. It's not the state's property," he said. "We have a housing crisis, granted. If cities and counties want to help solve that crisis, they are free to do so. But they probably need to do it with some of their money and not other people's money."
In addition to the provisions on Section 8, the bill also states that no local ordinance can be enacted that conflicts with Kentucky law on eviction statutes.
West called the bill a preemptive measure and said such protections allow individuals to gauge risks and procure loans to invest in property. Local laws that abridge those rights could throw the system into a tailspin, he said.
"This is a simple protection of the status quo – rights that landlords currently have under statute, under our current eviction statutes, rights that they currently enjoy under the federal Section 8 housing program," he said.
SB 25 received approval with a 30-6 vote and now heads to the House. However, several critics spoke against the bill before it advanced off the floor.
One of them, Sen. Cassie Chambers Armstrong, D-Louisville, said the bill would invalidate other local laws in the area of housing and that tenants should not face discrimination based on their source of income.
Louisville enacted a law to prevent such discrimination in 2020, and "property owners were and still are committed to implementing it. Renters benefitted from it. It was no longer OK for a landlord to post an ad saying no Section 8 need to apply," she said. "It gave people dignity, and it gave people housing. This bill we are considering today would undo those important protections."
Chambers Armstrong said the Section 8 program doesn't require landlords to set a particular rent or prohibit them from charging a fair market rate, and it doesn't stop them from charging security deposits.
"It is designed to support renters, not to restrict property owners," she said.
But Senate Majority Floor Leader Damon Thayer, R-Georgetown, said if a landlord is forced by the government to take Section 8 payments, it's an insult to the rights enshrined in the constitution.
"When government starts forcing landlords to accept less than what the market value is for their property, that's where we have the problem. It's happening here in Lexington," he said.
Senate Minority Whip David Yates, D-Louisville, said he's a landlord, and agreed that the measure would undermine the local rules adopted in Louisville.
"I set what the value of the property is. If Section 8 can pay that amount, then they can apply. If that amount is set above what Section 8 would pay for, then that person can't use that property. As a landlord, I set that," he said.
Another property owner, Senate Minority Caucus Chair Reginald Thomas, D-Lexington, said the measure would impact "a class of people like myself," and rent control is not the issue. He also opposed the bill.
"In Lexington, 75%, 3 out of 4 Section 8 vouchers, are given to Blacks in Lexington. The overwhelming numbers of Section 8 vouchers in Lexington are Black Americans," he said.
But others, like Sen. Gary Boswell, R-Owensboro, spoke in favor of the legislation.
"This bill is about property rights. Rules and regulations kill new housing developments. Rules and regulations kill the remodeling of existing houses," he said. "Yes, there is a housing crisis, but overburdensome rules hurt housing."
Senate President Robert Stivers, R-Manchester, also voted for SB 25.
"This bill is a solid bill to keep local individuals from creating and exacerbating bad policies, which will negatively impact access to housing," he said.
FRANKFORT — The Senate on Tuesday approved legislation that would allow homeschooled students to receive Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship awards to attend college.
Senate Bill 7, which received approval with a 33-4 vote, would permit homeschooled students to earn the scholarship funds based on their scores stemming from certain academic measures, including a score on the Classic Learning Test.
The bill's primary sponsor, Senate Majority Whip Mike Wilson, R-Bowling Green, said students don't have to take the CLT, but it would be an option.
"This is a bill I think we have passed for the last five years. And it is to allow for KEES money to be given to homeschool students equally as it is to public school students," he said. "Currently, homeschool students only qualify for the ACT award, which can be up to $500."
Senate Minority Whip David Yates, D-Louisville, voted for the measure, but said he's not yet convinced the CLT is academically rigorous.
"I do worry about the apples and apples comparison between the ACT and the SAT and now the CLT, the Classic Learning Test," he said, adding that the CLT doesn't appear to measure up.
Sen. Karen Berg, D-Louisville, said she unequivocally supports expanding KEES money to homeschooled students. However, she doesn't favor a test that possibly has religious bias in it. She voted no on the bill.
"Our goal as a state and our goal as elected leaders of the state is to educate as many of our children to the absolute highest level that is possible," she said. "I do have my own personal problem with the CLT exam in that, on their own website, they acknowledge that 25% of their questions have a religious or philosophical basis to them."
Sen. John Schickel, R-Union, said there are many fans of the CLT test, and it's based on the history of western civilization.
"The Classic Learning Test has been an interesting debate over the years," he said, adding that the ACT and SAT are being deemphasized, and CLT is gaining in popularity. He said the CLT includes Plato, Socrates and Jewish figures.
Another supporter, Sen. Lindsey Tichenor, R-Smithfield, voted in favor of the measure and said expanding testing options is a "wonderful idea."
"I think this is a great bill. It's past time for us to reward our homeschool families and smaller private institutions with the KEES funding," she said.
The Senate will reconvene Wednesday at 2 p.m.
FRANKFORT — The Kentucky House of Representatives voted in favor of legislation to protect the rights of landlords on Tuesday.
House Bill 18 would prohibit local governments from requiring landlords to accept tenants who use federal housing assistance, like Section 8 vouchers.
The bill is sponsored by Rep. Ryan Dotson, R-Winchester. He said HB 18 would "stop the blatant overreach" of local governments who have already adopted ordinances to that effect or are considering it.
"Property ownership is a basic tenet of capitalism, and protecting those rights are vital to every one of us," Dotson said. "I'm all about local control. My voting record reflects that ... This is where we, as a body, should draw a line in the sand, because this is not truly a local control issue. It is a property rights issue."
Another provision of HB 18 would prohibit local governments from requiring property owners to pay fees that result from a first responder being called to a property, regardless of who made the call.
Rep. Rachel Roarx, D-Louisville, said the legislation is a "housing discrimination bill."
"Let's be clear who these vouchers help and who anti-discrimination laws help," she said. "It helps our veterans, our seniors or individuals with disabilities. It helps our immigrants, their families and children, and the housing insecure, (and) our chronically homeless."
Dotson said that local governments who have ordinances prohibiting landlords from declining to accept federal assistance are hurting the rental market and access to housing for everyone.
"I think this is just a basic property rights bill," Dotson said. "It doesn't discriminate against anybody. It protects Black landlords, Hispanic landlords, Pakistani landlords, and even white landlords."
The House approved HB 18 by a 74-20 vote. It now heads to the Senate for consideration.
FRANKFORT — A House bill requiring school districts to fully investigate teacher misconduct advanced from the House Education Committee on Tuesday.
Committee chair Rep. James Tipton, R-Taylorsville, is the primary sponsor of House Bill 275. He sponsored similar legislation in 2023.
Tipton said the legislation is inspired by unfortunate incidents across the state where teachers engaged in abusive misconduct with a student. In many cases, the school was not able to complete an investigation once the teacher resigned. That teacher was then able to get a new job in a new district and repeat the behavior.
"This is a sad reality," Tipton said. "And the intent of House Bill 275 is to try to prevent this from happening."
HB 275 would require teacher applicants to disclose any allegation, investigation or disciplinary action within the past 12 months related to abusive conduct while employed by a school district. It would also require schools to do an in-depth reference check on the applicant.
School districts would also be required to complete an abusive misconduct investigation – even if that teacher resigns – before the investigation is complete. Under HB 275, abusive conduct is defined as misconduct involving a minor or a student, including sexual misconduct and conduct subject to mandatory reporting under current state law.
The legislation would also require the Kentucky Department of Education to provide training to teachers by 2025 on what is appropriate and inappropriate conduct with students and how to spot warning signs of grooming and sexual abuse.
Kentucky student Kotomi Yokokura testified before the committee in support of HB 275 and shared her experience of being sexually abused by a teacher in high school. Yokokura said she was not the only student that teacher engaged with in sexual misconduct.
"I was not the first person to experience educator sexual misconduct in Kentucky, and I'm not the last," Yokokura said. "This bill is important because it can prevent these teachers from being able to continue abusing students."
One provision of HB 275 would prohibit nondisclosure agreements related to misconduct involving a minor or a student. Rep. Steven Doan, R-Erlanger, and Rep. Lisa Willner, D-Louisville, asked Tipton if that provision would impact the privacy of the student.
Tipton said no, and he believes the existing Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) would still apply.
"It is certainly not the intent to allow private information of a minor child to become public," he added.
The House Education Committee approved HB 275 unanimously.
In explaining his "yes" vote, Rep. Steve Riley, R-Glasgow, said teachers who abuse children should be punished, but there are many great teachers as well.
"I do want the public to understand that people that are involved in this in schools need to be severely punished," Riley said. "It is morally wrong as anything can be to abuse young people. But I also want them to realize that the vast majority of teachers are good people who do good things every day."
HB 275 will now go before the full House for consideration.
Lawmakers shrug off the winter weather to move bills on crime and housing
FRANKFORT — The Kentucky General Assembly found it's rhythm in the third week of the 2024 legislative session as lawmakers brushed off the snow and began plowing through bills on crime, housing and other key issues.
The House Majority Caucus kicked off the short, four-day week Tuesday by ending months of anticipation and unveiling a $125 billion budget proposal for the state's next biennium.
House leaders said the spending plan, House Bill 6, places a heavy focus on education, public safety, infrastructure and health services.
The legislation is now awaiting assignment to committee and will likely be one of the most watched and most debated measures before the legislature this year.
Meanwhile, an omnibus crime bill – another priority for the House Majority – began moving through the process this week when it passed out of the House Judiciary Committee on Thursday.
Known as the Safer Kentucky Act, the 72-page bill would ramp up the penalties for repeat violent offenders and for a variety of offenses, including carjacking, killing a first responder, fleeing arrest and for selling fentanyl that causes a fatal overdose.
The measure, House Bill 5, would also regulate charitable bail organizations and crack down on unlawful camping.
Supporters say the changes are needed to improve public safety and hold criminals accountable, but opponents argue that it would increase incarceration costs while failing to address the root causes of crime.
HB 5 is now headed to the full House for consideration.
Throughout the busy week, lawmakers also turned their attention to local housing ordinances that forbid landlords from refusing tenants based on their source of rental income.
On Wednesday, the Senate State and Local Government Committee voted in favor of Senate Bill 25, which would prohibit local governments from requiring landlords to accept renters in the Section 8 housing program.
A similar measure, House Bill 18, would likewise forbid local governments from requiring landlords to accept tenants that participate in federal housing assistance. It won approval from the House State Government Committee on Thursday.
Proponents say such bills help protect the rights of property owners, but critics have raised concerns that they will only exacerbate the housing crisis. Both bills now head their respective chambers.
Thursday ended on a solemn note when both the House and Senate adopted resolutions pledging support for Israel, and lawmakers struggled to hold back emotion on the chamber floors as they condemned the violence of Oct. 7.
The resolutions express hope that "the state of Israel and its neighbors can live in freedom and peace with mutual recognition of each other's dignity and autonomy."
Other bills on the move this week included measures on Medicaid, elections and college scholarships. Here's a look at some of the legislation:
Medicaid Managed Care: Senate Bill 24 aims to streamline administrative procedures related to Medicaid managed care by limiting the number of managed care organizations to no more than three. The bill cleared the Senate floor on Tuesday.
Lottery Winners: House Bill 80 seeks to protect the anonymity of lottery winners by allowing them to withhold their name and likeness from certain public records. The House Committee on Licensing, Occupations and Administrative Regulations advanced the measure Wednesday.
Smoke Alarms: House Bill 23 would require existing residences to have at least one working smoke alarm before the residence is sold, leased or rented to a new tenant. The bill passed out of the House Committee on Licensing, Occupations and Administrative Regulations on Wednesday.
Adoption Records: House Bill 87 would allow certain adult family members to inspect adoption records after a birth parent or adoptee has passed away. The House Judiciary Committee passed the legislation Wednesday.
Wrongful Convictions: House Bill 178 would allow people who are wrongfully convicted of a crime to sue the state for monetary damages based on the length of their incarceration and several other factors. The bill moved out of the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday.
Election Cycles: Senate Bill 10 proposes to amend the state constitution and move elections for constitutional officers – such as the governor and attorney general – from odd-numbered years to even-numbered years. The Senate approved the measure on Wednesday.
Artificial Intelligence: House Concurrent Resolution 38 calls for the creation of a new task force that would review the use of artificial intelligence in government and recommend possible legislation to protect consumers. The measure cleared the House Economic Development and Workforce Investment Committee on Thursday.
Hunting and Fishing: House Bill 217 would change a statute on hunting and fishing licenses for landowners. State law allows Kentuckians to hunt and fish without a license on their own farmland if the property is at least five acres in size. HB 217 would eliminate the acreage requirement. The bill passed out of the House Tourism and Outdoor Recreation Committee on Thursday. A similar measure – Senate Bill 5 – advanced off the Senate floor last week.
KEES Scholarships: Senate Bill 7 would allow homeschooled students to receive Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship funds based on their score on the Classic Learning Test. The Senate Education Committee advanced the bill Thursday.
Lawmakers are scheduled to gavel back in on Monday for day 14 of the 60-day session.
Kentuckians can track the action through the Legislative Record webpage, which allows users to read bills and follow their progression through the chambers. Capitol observers can also track budget bills on the 2024 Budget Bills webpage.
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.
FRANKFORT — Harsher penalties for repeat violent felony offenders and individuals guilty of carjacking or harming a first responder are among the many proposed updates to criminal law in Kentucky.
House Bill 5, also known as the Safer Kentucky Act, advanced from the House Judiciary Committee on Thursday. Rep. Jared Bauman, R-Louisville, is the primary sponsor. He said the bill focuses on holding criminals accountable for their actions.
"With this bill, House Bill 5, we are reasserting some basic and simple truths," Bauman said. "And that is criminals, not society, are accountable for their actions. And society has the right to protect itself from the criminal element. That criminal element an all too normal part of our world today."
Bauman testified on HB 5 alongside cosponsors House Majority Whip Jason Nemes, R-Middletown, and Rep. John Hodgson, R-Fisherville. A few Kentucky families of crime victims and other stakeholders also testified in favor of the legislation.
The families were there to advocate for provisions of the bill that would regulate charitable bail organizations and create harsher penalties for fleeing and eluding arrest and for killing a first responder. Under HB 5, murder of a first responder would be considered a capital offense. Guilty individuals would face the death penalty or life in prison without the possibility of parole.
The 72-page, comprehensive legislation would also create harsher penalties and felony charges for a variety of offenses, including carjacking. Individuals who sell fentanyl and cause a fatal overdose would be charged with capital murder under HB 5.
Misdemeanor penalties for unlawful camping would also be established in the bill.
Rep. John Blanton, R-Salyersville, said he supports HB 5, even though he thinks some of the drug-related death penalties should be harsher.
"We, as a government, have a responsibility to protect the citizens of this commonwealth, and that's what we've done with House Bill 5," Blanton said. "Quite frankly, I don't think you go far enough. I think that if someone traffics drugs of any sort and someone overdoses and dies, they ought to be charged with murder."
Rep. Steven Doan, R-Erlanger, said he has several concerns about the legislation, including the provisions on unlawful camping.
"If we're going to criminalize on-street camping, if we're going to put these people in jail, let's at least make sure that the government is providing a place for people to go," Doan said. "We do it for animals, let's do it for humans too."
Doan also said he has a concern about text messages in relation to violations of orders of protection. Bauman said he would commit to addressing his concerns.
The House Judiciary Committee approved HB 5 by a 13-5 vote with one pass vote.
In explaining her "no" vote, Rep. Nima Kulkarni, D-Louisville, said HB 5 does not address the root causes of crime in Kentucky, and the bill would make the issue worse.
"There is a mountain of evidence over the decades that has been spoken to and testified to here today that greater incarceration, increased penalties do not result in a deterrence of actual crime," she said. "It does not actually result in safer communities. I am hopeful that maybe we can agree on some legislation in the future that would result in safer communities."
In explaining his "yes" vote, Rep. Nick Wilson, R-Williamsburg, said he thinks the bill does a "great job" of addressing the problems discussed during the meeting. Wilson specifically mentioned a newer version of the bill that makes a distinction in the fleeing and eluding arrest provision.
"I think it shows the thoughtfulness in the bill, the hard work you've put in, and that you're not just looking to throw the book at everyone," he said.
HB 5 will now go before the full House for consideration.
FRANKFORT — The Senate Education Committee advanced a measure Thursday that would allow homeschooled students to receive Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship funds for attending college.
Senate Bill 7 would permit homeschooled students to earn KEES scholarships based on their score from taking the Classic Learning Test, which the bill counts as equivalent to the ACT.
Senate Majority Whip Mike Wilson, R-Bowling Green, who is sponsoring the legislation, said members of his family were homeschooled and performed well academically, and he would like to see KEES expanded for others learning at home.
"This levels the playing field," he said. "We have about 60,000 kids that are in homeschool, and about 20,000 of them are in grades 9-12 currently. This would allow them a level playing field to be able to achieve what other students are able to achieve in KEES money."
Committee members approved the measure on a 12-0 vote after some discussion over the Classic Learning Test.
Senate Democratic Floor Leader Gerald A. Neal, D-Louisville, asked if there is evidence or research by a "credible source" concerning the Classic Learning Test for college preparedness.
Sen. John Schickel, R-Union, a cosponsor of SB 7, said the committee heard extensive testimony on the Classic Learning Test during the interim. He said the test has generated discussion in the past and has been removed in past versions of the bill.
"Then we found out people really did support the Classic Learning Test, and the evidence was there that it was a compatible test that was gaining momentum and respectability in the education establishment so we decided to put it back in," he said.
Neal responded that he's seeking definitive information on the test's efficacy.
"It was my understanding that the only place that this has been dealt with broadly is in Florida," he said. "In other words, there are institutions and entities, small ones that are done here and there. I'm sure there's value in it because the classics, I have an affinity for that myself. But I'm just looking for a basis, and maybe there's a specific site."
Schickel said he'll provide additional information to Neal about the test.
Sen. Stephen West, R-Paris, said the ACT might not hold the stature it once had among colleges and universities to determine a potential students' college readiness level. West is chair of the committee.
"In some situations, maybe the ACT's out of vogue. It's not as prestigious or used as much as it once was, so was that a factor in maybe adding the Classic Learning Test to the list? Is that a possible factor?" he said.
Schickel said he thinks the committee received testimony on that issue during the interim, and that the Classic Learning Test was gaining momentum.
Senate Minority Caucus Chair Reginald Thomas, D-Lexington, said he has been supportive of homeschooled students, but he also has concerns about the Classic Learning Test and agrees with Neal.
"And again, his point is, it's not so much the classics that he expressed concern about and I expressed concern about, it's whether the CLT is on the same par as the SAT and ACT," he said. "We all accept those as acceptable standardized tests to determine college readiness,"
Senate President Pro Tempore David P. Givens, R-Greensburg, suggested bill drafters should look at language in the bill to avoid any unintended consequences involving accredited out-of-state high schools and Department of Defense Education Activity schools. He said this could be rectified with a floor amendment.
Sen. Lindsey Tichenor, R-Smithfield, praised the legislation.
"It will be so beneficial to private school and homeschool students and so beneficial to the state of Kentucky to keep them and retain them here with the KEES scholarship money," she said.
FRANKFORT — The Senate State and Local Government Committee voted 8-1 Wednesday to advance a measure that would prohibit local governments from requiring landlords to participate in a Section 8 housing program.
The bill's sponsor, Sen. Stephen West, R-Paris, said Senate Bill 25 also states that no city ordinance will conflict with existing landlord-tenant state laws. He described the bill as being two bills in one.
"We want to protect property owners. We want to protect landlords and make sure... the value of their property is maintained, and they are able to offer housing to their tenants in a reasonable fashion," he said.
West, a real estate attorney, said that if a landlord accepts Section 8 vouchers, they must also accept all of the Section 8 requirements, including the price that can be charged for renting properties. He also said Section 8 requirements could mean extensive costs to landlords.
The bill states "that no city or county government can mandate that a landlord accept Section 8," he said. "There are some moves afoot in different cities to do that, and in my opinion, that's very dangerous for property, for banks, for landlords and really for housing in general."
Sen. Cassie Chambers Armstrong, D-Louisville, voted against the bill, arguing that it would prevent officials in Louisville from enforcing a source of income discrimination law, which was passed there with bipartisan support in 2020.
"I didn't hear any opposition from groups about the law. In fact, a lot of property owners in Louisville were really focused on making sure that landlords understood how to comply," she said.
West said the Louisville ordinance may not conflict with the proposed legislation, but added that a landlord can't be mandated to accept a potential tenant with Section 8. He said SB 25 would help make sure that cities know state law overrides local law when they conflict.
Sen. Michael J. Nemes, R-Shepherdsville, who voted in favor of the bill, said most people don't understand Section 8, and many landlords like it because it is guaranteed income.
"They think Section 8 is a building that accepts tenants that are on Section 8. That is not true," he said. "Section 8 is an assistance to tenants. When a Section 8 person comes to a landlord, they ask if they will accept Section 8. That means the landlord accepts that program, which has certain things that you have to abide by."
Several people spoke against the measure during the meeting's public comment period Wednesday.
Bryanna Carroll, director of public affairs for the Kentucky League of Cities, said the organization's board has voted to oppose the legislation over concerns that it would erode the local decision-making process.
One critic, Lexington Councilmember Shayla D. Lynch, said the legislation would exasperate the housing crisis in Lexington and that some landlords will evict tenants.
West said it's important for the legislature to recognize that the housing crisis is a real challenge. However, he argued that the two main causes are inflation and planning and zoning laws that prevent the building of new apartments and houses.
West added that he would anticipate litigation if cities force property owners to accept Section 8.
"If you force a property owner to accept Section 8, I would say that is unconstitutional," he said. "So yes, some of this is preemptive, but as legislators, we swore an oath to uphold the United States Constitution."
SB 25 now heads to the full Senate for consideration.
FRANKFORT — Kentuckians who were wrongfully convicted of a crime may soon be eligible to receive monetary compensation from the state.
House Bill 178 received unanimous approval from the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday. House Majority Whip Jason Nemes, R-Middletown, is the primary sponsor of the legislation.
Financial compensation under HB 178 would be limited to individuals whose charges were reversed or vacated, who were found not guilty on retrial, or who were issued a full pardon by the governor.
"These people have to prove under this bill actual innocence to get any, any recovery," Nemes said.
HB 178 would grant $65,000 in damages for each year a claimant was falsely imprisoned. If that person was on death row, the damages would increase to $75,000 per year of imprisonment. Damages of $25,000 would also be awarded for each year a claimant spent on parole, in post incarceration supervision or on the sex offender registry, whichever is greater.
Claimants would also be entitled to attorney's fees compensation and restitution reimbursement, among other compensation if it applies, such as housing assistance.
Suzanne Hopf, supervisor of the Kentucky Innocence Project, testified in favor of the legislation alongside a few exonerees.
"Our exonerees face a tremendous amount of problems when they reenter society, and this kind of bill would allow them to get that toehold back," Hopf said. "It wouldn't completely make up for all the years that they've lost, but would at least put them in a situation where they can provide transportation for themselves. They can get an education, and they can also provide housing."
Advocate and exoneree Johnetta Carr was wrongfully convicted in 2008. She spent four years incarcerated and more than eight years on parole. Carr said she supports HB 178.
"Today we have a chance to right the wrongs of history and start a new thing in Kentucky to compensate people that's been wrongfully convicted," Carr said. "No amount of money will make up for the 214 years collectively exonerees in Kentucky spent innocently behind bars, but I do believe it is a step in the right direction."
Committee chair Rep. Daniel Elliott, R-Danville, is a co-sponsor of HB 178.
"I want to say I support this too," he said.
Rep. Lindsey Burke, D-Lexington, said she also supports the bill.
"It's about time that we get around to taking care of the people that we have wrongfully convicted," she said.
Burke asked Nemes if he would support a floor amendment that would require the Administrative Office of the Courts to gather information on exonerees and report the findings to the Legislative Oversight and Investigations Committee.
Nemes said he would.
HB 178 will now go before the full House for consideration.
FRANKFORT — Two bills related to elections – including one that seeks to amend the state constitution – were on the move this week as lawmakers began to pick up steam in the 2024 legislative session.
Friday marked day nine of the 60-day session, and eight measures have received at least one vote in committee so far. Only one, however, has been sent to governor's desk.
House Bill 161 was the first measure to pass out of both chambers after it received a final nod on the Senate floor Thursday. The legislation, passed with bipartisan support, seeks to address concerns over candidate filings for the next election.
Kentucky counties recently redrew the boundaries for their local voting precincts, and HB 161 would ensure that candidates are not disqualified for using outdated precinct names or numbers on their nomination forms if the changes occurred after Nov. 8.
The other election bill, Senate Bill 10, proposes an amendment the Kentucky constitution related to election cycles.
Right now, elections for governor, treasurer, state auditor, attorney general, secretary of state, and agriculture commissioner all occur in odd-numbered years. SB 10 aims to move those elections to even-numbered years starting in 2032.
Lawmakers have debated the change for years with supporters saying that it would save millions in state and local dollars and improve voter participation by aligning state and national elections. Critics, however, say the change would conflate state and national issues at election time.
The legislation advanced out of the Senate State and Local Government Committee on Wednesday and is posted for action on the Senate floor next week. If the bill becomes law, the proposed constitutional amendment would still need approval from Kentucky voters before taking effect.
Another measure making progress this week was House Bill 179, which would clear the way for employers to offer their workers an option to purchase paid family leave insurance. Workers who purchase the insurance would receive temporary wage replacement when caring for a sick family member or new child.
HB 179 won approval from the House Banking and Insurance Committee and now heads to the House floor.
The week closed out with some parting words in the House on Friday as lawmakers said farewell to one of their own – Rep. Brandon Reed, R-Hodgenville – who is resigning to take on a role as policy director for the Kentucky Department of Agriculture.
The chambers will not convene on Monday in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, but will gavel back in on Tuesday for the 10th day 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. Capitol observers can also track budget bills on the 2024 Budget Bills webpage.
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.
FRANKFORT — The Senate State and Local Government Committee on Wednesday advanced a measure that seeks to amend the state constitution and change the election cycle for state officers.
Senate Bill 10 would move elections for the governor, lieutenant governor, treasurer, state auditor, attorney general, secretary of state, and agriculture commissioner to even-numbered years, every four years, starting in 2032. Right now, those elections occur on odd-numbered years.
If the bill becomes law, the proposed constitutional amendment within the bill would still need approval from Kentucky voters before taking effect.
"What this will do is dramatically increase the number of voters who participate in a constitutional election year," said the bill's primary sponsor, Sen. Christian McDaniel, R-Ryland Heights.
The changes would also save the state nearly $2 million and counties more than $15 million, he said.
"At a time of tough budgets and when every level of government continues to look for ways to find funding, this is a significant way to be able to help those counties and also to ensure we have more people participate in our democracy," McDaniel said.
He also noted that voters would appreciate a year free from political ads.
The sole committee member to cast a no vote was Sen. Cassie Chambers Armstrong, D-Louisville. She said she researched the history around Kentucky's election cycles ahead of the meeting.
"The first year that we had our constitutional elections in a nonpresidential year was 1851. And when the framers of the 1851 constitution made that change, they spoke particularly about the need for us to have an election focused on Kentucky issues in Kentucky and about the need to get rid of some of the confusion about allowing national issues to infiltrate our Kentucky election," she said.
Senate Majority Floor Leader Damon Thayer, R-Georgetown, said he takes the opposite approach to elections than Chambers Armstrong, and said he feels confident the measure would pass if put before voters for consideration.
"People are getting less and less interested in our statewide races. Turnout was down over 8% this year in 2023 than it was in 2019," he said. "There was more money spent on the campaign for governor this year than any statewide campaign for constitutional office in Kentucky history. I think the people are voting with their feet by staying home."
Like Thayer, Sen. Phillip Wheeler, R-Pikeville, said he supports the measure.
"I'm confident that the voters of Kentucky will see the efficacy of this amendment to the constitution," he said.
The bill next moves to the full Senate for consideration.
FRANKFORT — Kentucky employers may soon have a new way to offer employees paid family leave.
House Bill 179 would give private and public employers the option to allow employees to purchase paid family leave insurance.
Rep. Samara Heavrin, R-Leitchfield, is the primary sponsor of HB 179. She presented the legislation to the House Banking and Insurance Committee alongside other stakeholders on Wednesday. She said the legislation would not be a mandate, and paid family leave insurance would be considered a type of health insurance.
"This is a market-driven policy proposal that includes no mandates on employers, workers or families," Heavrin said.
Under HB 179, paid family leave insurance would allow for temporary wage replacement for workers who take leave to care for a sick family member or bond with a child after a birth, adoption or foster care placement. It could also be used when caring for a family member who is a first responder or member of the military and who was injured in the line of duty, she added.
Charles Aull, executive director for the Kentucky Chamber Center for Policy and Research, said the legislation would benefit Kentucky employers as well as employees.
"This is something that can be helpful for attracting and retaining talent for employers that are already offering some form of paid family leave insurance primarily through a self-insurance model," Aull said. "This could be an opportunity for them to potentially reduce their total cost. It could also allow them to expand benefits... This is, of course, something that's also really good though for children and families."
Rep. Shawn McPherson, R-Scottsville, asked if HB 179 creates a waiting period for how long a person must be employed before receiving benefits. Aull said the legislation makes that the employer's choice.
Rep. Rachel Roarx, D-Louisville, said HB 179 is a "great first-step."
"I would just say that family planning is increasingly important for folks and particularly retaining our women in the workforce," she said. "So, I think that this is great in providing that opportunity to make us more competitive with our surrounding states, and it makes our businesses able to attract more diverse folks."
Heavrin said Kentucky would join at least six other states in allowing for paid family leave insurance if HB 179 passes.
Rep. Tom Smith, R-Corbin, also spoke in favor of HB 179. He said he appreciates that the legislation is not a mandate and would not place a burden on small employers.
"I support the endeavor, and I think it's great that we're doing these things," Smith said. "But I just like to keep those in mind, the ones who that don't have the checkbooks that the big corporations have to offer these things all the time, so I appreciate it."
The House Banking and Insurance Committee unanimously approved HB 179. It now moves to the full House for consideration.
FRANKFORT —Lawmakers filed more than 200 bills this week on issues ranging from milk safety to the death penalty as the Kentucky General Assembly rolled through the first four days of the 2024 legislative session.
The House and Senate convened the 60-day regular session on Tuesday and maintained a lean schedule throughout the week with a heavy focus on introducing bills in the chambers and assigning them to committees.
The chamber rules, specifically the process for hearing and adopting bills, was the only issue to draw much debate during the four days, and a Senate measure related to hunting and fishing licenses was the first and only bill to receive a hearing in committee.
Under state law, Kentuckians may hunt and fish without a license on their own farmland – if the property is at least five acres in size. Senate Bill 5 would eliminate the language on acreage, which supporters said has caused concern among some landowners.
Senate Majority Floor Leader Damon Thayer, R-Georgetown, said on the Senate floor that SB 5 is on track to receive a floor vote on Tuesday and will likely be the first bill advanced out of the chamber.
One highly-anticipated measure this year is the state's biennial budget. The spending plan will guide state appropriations through the end of fiscal year 2026 and is expected to generate as much or more discussion than any other issue this session.
On Wednesday, House Minority Floor Leader Derrick Graham, D-Frankfort, filed House Bill 114 and 110, two measures that reflect Gov. Andy Beshear's budget proposals for the state executive branch.
House Speaker David W. Osborne, R-Prospect, told reporters at a press conference later that day that he expects the House majority to unveil a budget plan within the next week or two.
"Obviously this is a budget session. That will dominate much of our focus, certainly in the early part of the session," he said, adding that bills on crime and maternal health are also garnering an early focus.
The Senate wrapped up the week on Friday with a solemn resolution and a moment of silence in memory of the late Kentucky governor and legislator Julian Carroll, who passed away in December.
Lawmakers are scheduled to gavel back in on Monday for day five of the session. They have until Feb. 26 to introduce new bills in the House and until Feb. 28 to introduce new bills in the Senate. The chambers are scheduled to adjourn sine die on April 15.
Kentuckians can track the action through the Legislative Record webpage, which allows users to read bills and follow their progression through the chambers. Capitol observers can also track budget bills on the 2024 Budget Bills webpage.
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.
FRANKFORT — A measure on hunting and fishing licenses for landowners – the first bill to receive a hearing in the 2024 legislative session – advanced out of the Senate Natural Resources and Energy Committee on Thursday.
State law allows Kentuckians to hunt and fish without a license on their own farmland if the property is at least five acres in size. However, Senate Bill 5 would eliminate the language on acreage, which supporters said has caused concern among landowners.
The bill's sponsor, Sen. Gex Williams, R-Verona, said SB 5 provides a technical correction to a law that added the wording about acres to statute last year.
"It's just six words – very clear," he said. "There's some discussion we might have later on on some of these areas."
The measure generated some debate in committee over the statutory definition of farmland.
Sen. Robin L. Webb, D-Grayson, sponsored the change in 2023 and said Thursday that there had been a "campaign of misinformation" regarding the requirement.
She noted that state and national definitions of farmland call for at least 10 acres of property and said the earlier legislation was crafted as an accommodation and at the request of the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife.
However, she voted for SB 5 "because if we go back to the original law that's been that way for many, many years."
Williams said the issue may have created a gap between the strict legal understanding and the popular understanding of how the law works. But he said he expects to close that gap as the session proceeds.
Sen. Adrienne Southworth, R-Lawrenceburg, also voted in favor of the measure.
"I am for this language because I voted against last year to change it, so I have no problem reverting back," she said. "I know everybody is talking about this now that everyone's started realizing what it was."
Sen. John Schickel, R-Union, also voted for the measure, and said it's an important issue that's been mired in confusion, but will be addressed through small changes.
"This has been a huge, huge issue up in my district, and I thank Senator Williams ...for addressing it in the first week of the session," he said.
Senate Majority Floor Leader Damon Thayer, R-Georgetown, said on the Senate floor Thursday that the bill is on track to receive a floor vote next week.
"That is likely to be the first bill that we take action on this floor on Monday or Tuesday of next week," he said.
FRANKFORT — The Kentucky General Assembly will begin its 60-day legislative session on Jan. 2, and Kentuckians have many ways to follow along with the action.
Kentuckians can use online resources to:
-- See the General Assembly’s daily schedule
-- Tune in to live coverage of legislative
meetings
-- Find information on their legislators
-- Contact lawmakers and offer feedback
-- Read bills and resolutions
-- Receive a notice when a bill advances
-- See how lawmakers voted on bills and
resolutions
-- View materials on committee topics and
testimony
-- Learn about the legislative process
All that and much more is available on the General Assembly Home Page: https://legislature.ky.gov/pages/index.aspx.
Following the General Assembly’s work often begins with a daily look at the Legislative Calendar: https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/LegislativeCalendar. The calendar shows which committees are meeting and when the Senate and House will convene.
The full 2024 session calendar and the 2024 schedules for standing committees, which are subject to change, are available on the Schedules and Calendars webpage: https://legislature.ky.gov/Schedules-Calendars/Pages/default.aspx
Livestreams of legislative action can be viewed through feeds provided by Kentucky Educational Television (KET) and the Legislative Research Commission (LRC).
KET livestreams all chamber proceedings and many committee meetings. LRC provides full coverage of all committee meetings on YouTube. For links to the livestreams, go to https://legislature.ky.gov/Public%20Services/PIO/Pages/Live-Streams.aspx.
You can find each lawmakers’ contact info, biographical info, committee assignments and sponsored legislation by clicking on the “Legislators” tab near the top of the General Assembly Home Page: https://legislature.ky.gov/Pages/index.aspx. You can also look up who represents your district.
The online Legislative Record ( https://legislature.ky.gov/Legislation/Pages/default.aspx) has information on every piece of legislation introduced in the Senate and House. You can read summaries, the full text of bills, resolutions, amendments and see exactly how far each piece of legislation has advanced in the process. Bills can be looked up according to bill number, sponsor or topic. If a bill has been voted on in a chamber, you can see how each lawmaker voted by clicking “Vote History” on a bill’s summary page.
Bill Watch, a bill tracking service provided through a partnership of Kentucky.gov and LRC, sends users email notifications each time the bills they are interested in take a step forward. To sign up for Bill Watch, go to https://kentucky.gov/services/pages/billwatch.aspx.
Information about legislative committees is available at https://legislature.ky.gov/Committees/Pages/default.aspx. To view materials such as info sheets, handouts and PowerPoint presentations that are compiled for lawmakers to review at committee meetings, click on the “Meeting Materials” tab on the left side of each committee’s page.
To share feedback on an issue with lawmakers, call the General Assembly’s Message Line at 1-800-372-7181. Kentuckians with hearing loss can use Kentucky Relay by dialing 7-1-1.
A Spanish language line for legislative information will be available throughout the General Assembly’s 2023 session by calling 1-866-840-6574.
To directly reach a lawmaker’s office, call 502-564-8100. An operator will transfer the call to the office of the lawmaker you want to reach.
If you have a question about the lawmaking process or legislative resources, the LRC Public Information can be reached by calling 502-564-8100 ext. 59105.