Legislation Summary

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Which Bills Are Most Important?

COVID/Health Freedom

HB 51 (Passed House; Died H&W) – Prohibit penalties for daycares/schools that don’t require masking. Require acceptance of exemption from any gov’t COVID medical mandate: test, mask, vax (by schools)
HB 28 (Passed House; Died H&W) – (was BR106) Prohibit Vax Passports, require “conscientious belief” exemptions, and stop other egregious vax mandates. NOTE: This was substantially watered down.
HB 21 (Died CoC)– Ban Vax passports to access government services or facilities (incl. colleges), and businesses.
HB 52 (Died CoC) – Prevent job discrimination towards unvaccinated persons (* Note: part of Rep leadership prioritizes business rights over liberty & bodily autonomy)
HB 54 (Died CoC) – Make businesses liable for worker’s comp for employee injury from required vaccinations
HB 57 (Died CoC) – Prevent post-secondary schools from requiring C-19 vaccination
HB 84 (Died CoC) – Make businesses open for lawsuits for employee injury from required vaccinations (also see HB 54)
HB 99 (Died CoC) – Exempt churches and religious schools from mask requirements
HB 112 (Died CoC) – Prevent requirement of minor to be vaxxed, except by consent of parents, and no penalties for non-vax, incl masking, being kept from school, etc. (being merged into HB 51?)
HB 352 (Died CoC) – Doctors should be able to prescribe off label for COVID
SB 93 (Died J.) – Require employers to accept “conscientiously held belief” exemptions to mandates vax policies (being merged into HB 51?)

Family & Health

HB 3 (Passed; Veto Override) – Pro-life: prohibit mailing abortifacient drugs, requiring both parent consent…
HB 43 (Church is Essential) (Passed) – Exempt houses of worship from emergency restrictions that any business is exempt from. (Should be any restrictions, period.)
HB 253 (Died CoC)/SB 84 (Died H&W) – Prohibit sex changes for minors (consent for life-altering decisions should be delayed until adulthood)
HB 495 (Freedom to Serve) (Died CoC) – Prohibit discrimination against religious orgs on the basis of belief (eg marriage or gender) in providing gov’t services (eg adoption).

Elections

HB 153 (Died CoC) – Rules for election machines, incl. keeping them off the internet. Ban private money funding election except under contract
HB 564 (Passed)  – Lots on election rule changes. Includes HB 153’s prohibition on internet connection. Tamper-proof seal on voting machines. …  Note: Not everything here is good
SB 62 (Died S&LG) – Detailed rules for ballot tabulation and other voter registration measures
SB 122 (Died B&I) – Stop some less secure forms of ID, esp. college IDs, from being used as Photo IDs for voting

Education

SB 138 (Passed the Senate; added as amendment to SB1) – Vaguely worded, watered down “anti-indoctrination” bill, but does introduce a good “Foundational Documents” curricular requirement.
HB 487 (Died CoC) – Good, legally binding anti-indoctrination bill BUT MUST have 10(f)1&2 removed ($5k – $10K penalty for lawsuits deemed “frivolous”)
HB 14 (Died CoC)/HB18 (Died CoC) – Prohibit divisive concepts and stereotyping based on race, sex or religion in public schools (anti-“CRT indoctrination”)
HB 9 (Veto Override) – Funds Public Charter Schools on 5-7 year cycle
SB 50 (Died A&R) – Expands access to Educational Opportunity Accounts to 200% of poverty line.  NOTE: Perhaps too soon for this expansion. Let it run as is as a pilot program first.
SB 83 (Veto Override) – Only like biological sex can compete in state-regulated athletics. Only applies to grades 6-12, return to original text K-12.
HB 63 (Passed) – Require security officers in schools (school resource officers)
HB 121 (Passed; No sign.) – Require public comment period at school board meetings (NOTE: Needs more specification of minimal requirements here)
HB 130 (Died Ed.) – Require our colleges to protect Free Speech on and off campus, and not viewpoint discriminate
SB 211 (Died J.) – Remove the “Educational” exemption to the existing Legal Prohibition against distribution of obscene materials to minors
SB 34 (Died E.) /HB 257 (Died CoC) – Allow homeschoolers to participate in local public school intra-scholastic competitive activities (should be amended to incl. all extra-curriculars)
Actively Oppose These
HB 67 (Died CoC) – Trojan horse legislation to introduce racist CRT-associated indoctrination to all grades under the guise of “teaching the history of racism”
HB 126 (Died R.) – Requires FAFSA be completed for HS graduation, very invasive financial aid application (and often results in marginal students saddled with tons of higher ed debt)
SB 1 (Veto Override) – Already passed the Senate, the House must stop it! Parents & Voters should have MORE control of children’s education, not LESS. This takes most of our elected school based councils’ (& some school board) power away, and gives it to superintendents or principals (rather than just giving parents majority power on councils)… “Passes the buck” away from elected officials to career administrators (who are often the problem).
(*The real solution is for Legislature to actively exercise its power to regulate education: empower parents to set values of their children’s education, and enact legislation to promote & fund “MONEY FOLLOWS THE CHILD” SCHOOL CHOICE.)

Firearms and Military

HB 122 (Died CoC) – Lower concealed carry age from 21 to 18
HB 123 (Died A&R) – Prevent gov from doing biz with anti-gun banks and other industries (note: why JUST guns?  Economic blacklisting based on anything except legality & business risk is dangerous & wrong)
HB 124 (Died CoC) – Repeal rules that prohibit carry in government buildings (note: perhaps exclude courthouses & jails?)
HB 158 (Died CoC) (also HB 29 (Passed House; Died V.) )– Prohibit enforcement of federal gun legislation that contradicts KY law (2nd Am. Sanctuary)
HB 360 (Died CoC) – Ensure Nat’l Guard volunteers be present in KY when needed for disasters
Actively Oppose These
SB 278 (Died V.) – Newer, tamer version of Red Flag laws.  #2A Shall not be infringed… #5A without due process of law

Overreach/Accountability

HB 161 (Died CoC) – Prohibit public funds being used for lobbying
HB 75 (Withdrawn) – Regulate the collection & use of DNA information (DNA Privacy Act)
HB 337 (Passed; Died S&LG) – Empower legislature to STOP administrative regulations that it finds deficient
SB 88 (Passed?) – Regulations in preparation for Constitutional Amendment referendum to allow the General Assembly to reconvene without the Governor’s approval for a limited time (<=12 days; 3 weeks)
SB 354 (Died J.) – Ban use of facial recognition software as evidence in court
SB 337 (Died J.) – Gov’t must allow non-digital IDs for gov’t services (going all digital inconveniences the old, rural & poor… makes everyone easier to track & data mine)
HB 779 (Died CoC) – Social Credit Score Ban
Actively Oppose These
HB 19 (Died CoC) – Require safe boating certification for boat operators, penalties – more gov not needed
HB 196 (Died A&R) – Major overreach requiring fencing around & draining all pools (pools CAN BE potential hazards, but this should be local ordinance based)
SB 35 (Died NR&E) – More certification and licensing for boaters – more gov not needed
SB 319 (Died A&R) – Minority owned business assistance fund. Gov’t should not be in the racial, sex, or religious discrimination business (NEUTRALITY).

Here’s what to do

EVERY WEEKDAY WHILE GENERAL ASSEMBLY IS IN SESSION:

1. Put the Legislative Hotline number into your speed dial so you can call quickly: 1-800-372-7181. Call as early as possible in the day. The line is open 7am to 9pm M-Th and 7am to 6pm F. During inclement weather they close early.
2. When you call them, they are very nice and are just there to take your message. If you give them your name and address, they will tell you who your Senator and Representative are. The next time you call, they will have you on file.
3. Call the Legislative Hotline and say this [add brief reasons anytime you feel moved to – sample reason included here but you are encouraged to use concisely your own words]: “I would like to leave a message for:

My Senator:

• Support SB 62. We must have fair and honest elections.
• Support SB 122. Our elections must require strong, securely issued Photo IDs .
• Support (pick any other listed SB bill).

My Representative:

• Support HB 130. Our colleges must ENCOURAGE free speech, not silence dissent like Marxists.
• Support HB 23. We must have fairness and integrity in athletics.
• Please co-sponsor HB 28. Discrimination based on personal COVID health choices is wrong (or pick any other listed bill).
• Oppose SB 1 (in the House now). This bill takes power in education AWAY from parents & voters, and gives it to administrators.
• Support (pick any other listed HB bill).

EXTRA CREDIT:

4. Go to Find Your Legislator (or internet search “KY find my legislator” and choose the first option). Enter your address, and click on the pin to Find your Legislator(s) and it will show their phone and email.
5. Call your legislator’s direct phone number and leave the above message and a brief reason. Be polite and succinct.
6. Email your legislator and leave the above message but put the key points in the SUBJECT line for best impact. Keep it brief and friendly. (Ex: Subject: Co-Sponsor HB 28, I value my bodily autonomy.)
7. The best way to influence legislators is face to face. Call them and set up an appointment, or ask for some time if you see them in person. They are busy, you won’t have long (15 min?): at most focus on 1-4 bills, or 1 or 2 issues; be courteous (you want something from them); do your research, know the issues; be able to explain your concerns & reason for their importance to you (& others) in plain English.

Download a Printable PDF of More Detailed Evaluations (with links to Bills)
NOTE: THIS SUMMARY PAGE can be printed as is.
DISCLAIMER: These evaluations are preliminary (1st/2nd draft) with 1 or 2 people from the OCGOP Legislative Committee having read the legislation, and hence with limited collaboration and discussion. The KY Legislative Session will include both Legislative Redistricting and 2-Year Budget decisions.