Legislation Summary

These Current Bills have been reviewed and are up for Legislative Action. A Simple Summary of higher priority bills & a guide for Influencing Legislators below. A link to a more Detailed Review of all of these bills is at the bottom, and in the legislation menu up top.
The most important bills have Bolded descriptions.

SUMMARY: Which Bills Are Most Important?

 

Highest Priority Bills to Support as of 20240320

KY Legislative Action Committee (KYLAC) Bill Review

 

For detailed evaluations of roughly 80% of all of the bills filed this session: https://KYLibertyCaucus.com

Also, check your SPAM folder for KYLAC as LRC email accounts mark most emails with attachments as SPAM.

 

Note: High Priority doesn’t mean that all of these bills in their current form are where they need to be, but that they deal with important topics that should probably to be addressed this session, and these bills should be refined in caucus/committee to hopefully get a floor vote. Notice how few have passed a chamber so far!

Business Regs
HB15 (Branscum; Concurrence)-Various measures to strengthen consumer rights wrt the data collected about them from businesses: Right to access, to correct, to understand those procedures, etc.
HB24 (Pratt)-Estab consumer rights in regard to collection, storage, and sharing of data.
HB34 (Doan)-Allows recog of occupational licenses and gov’t certificates from other states, incl. using work experience as a basis. Excl interstate licensure compacts.
HB204 (Proctor)-Moves right to have a CON hearing to more favorable terms for the applicant.
HB402 (Tate)-Estab min state reqs for adult-oriented businesses; eg min distance from places where families gather.
HB450 (Wilson)-Prohibits social media companies from allowing minors to create accounts without parental consent.
HB452 (Sharp)-Prohibits financial institutions from discriminating against an individual based on a social credit score.
HB463 (Dietz; Passed House)-Reqs digital service providers to register the age of the user, create parental monitoring tools and prevent minors from being exposed to obscenity.
HB474 (Sharp)-Reqs financial advisors /investors to disclose ESG commitments to, and obtain written consent from, customers.
SB15 (Westerfield)-Def numerous consumer rights, and reqs for large companies that collect and sell consumer data (incl legal penalties). 
SB147 (Tichenor; Passed Senate)-Estab min state reqs for adult-oriented businesses; eg min distance from places where families gather.
SB164 (Funke Frommeyer; Passed Senate)-Allows schools to arrange transfer (articulation) agreements from trade school and technical training institutions to regular proprietary scholastic institutions.
SB176 (Wheeler)-Creates civil penalties for contractors who misclassify employees as independent contractors when bidding on public work projects.
SB182 (West)-Reqs any employer that mandates immunization for employment accept medical and religious exemptions. Permits cause of action if employers violate this and someone gets injured by a vaccine.
SB285 (Wise)-Name, Image and Likeness Bill.
SB306 (Southworth)-Requires any person, business or agency to accept cash as payment in face-to-face transactions.
SB364 (Wheeler)-Reqs retail electric suppliers have a plan to provide adequate reliable electricity at the lowest possible cost. States that suppliers have a privilege, rather than a right, to provide service.
Courts & Crimes
HB3 (Miles; Passed House)-Allows AG to estab a human trafficking working group of experts. Reqs posting of signs with info on contacting the Nat’l Human Trafficking Resource center in hotels, airports, bus stations, etc.
HB5 (Bauman; Concurrence)-Incr punishments for, and protections against, a wide range of violent criminal offenses, and regs homelessness encampments.
HB700 (Nemes)-Insurers must provide coverage for pregnant women & maternity care. Victim of sexual assault insurance coverage provided by the state. Child care services and college tuition paid for child born of sexual assault. A parent of a child born by sexual assault does not have custody rights if the perpetrator. An adopter of a child born of sexual assault shall have non-recurring adoption expenses paid by the state.
SB126 (McDaniel; Passed Senate)-Limits the Gov’s ability to grant pardons or commute sentences for 30 days prior to elections and for a period after elections.
SB206 (Southworth)-Adds add’l criteria a court may consider in determining the best interest of a child. Prohibits court from considering the socioeconomic status of the parent or caretaker.
SB207 (Southworth)-Reqs Commonwealth to bear the burden of proof by clear and convincing evidence in a temporary removal hearing. Removes admissibility of hearsay as evidence.
SB276 (Tichenor)-Allows for a civil action against a website that provides pornographic content without age verification.
SB354 (Southworth)-Reqs open hearings in all juvenile cases. Remove immunity of persons reporting child dependency, neglect and abuse and participation in a judicial hearing…
Education
HB2 (Miles; Passed Both)-Alters KY Constitution to allow the Legislature to fund non-public schooling (devil is in the details).
HB9 (Decker)-Comprehensive ban on DEI admins, related mandatory statements, trainings & discriminatory hiring or enrollment practices from public higher ed.
HB46 (Rawlings)-Open up KEES scholarships for non certified private and homeschool students with strong test scores.
HB96 (Fister; Passed House)-Reqs K-12 schools to have a 1 to 2 minute moment of silence at schools.
HB119 (Dotson)-Allows homeschoolers to participate in public school extracurricular activities (eg band, sports).
HB208 (Calloway)-Allows state to fund education outside common schools without a referendum.
HB224 (Maddox)-Def free speech on campus and prohibits institutions from infringing upon this right & Estab penalties.
HB304 (Baker)-Declares parental rights in their children’s education.
HB346 (Tate)-Reqs public school health instruction to incl human growth and development (fetal) instruction.
HB383 (Bray)-Reqs school boards to set a policy forbidding student use of personal telecommunications devices (eg cell phones) during instructional periods.
HB446 (Callaway)-Req KY Dep of Ed to create a transportation policy for disruptive students on busses and for local boards of ed to implement it.
HB553 (Koch; Passed House)-Estab a student loan repayment program for veterinarians who serve at least 5 years in an underserved rural KY area with at least 50% of their practice in livestock.
HB612 (Tipton; Passed House)-Prohibits use of the three cueing system of reading education in public schools. Prohibits postsecondary education training programs from instructing on the three cueing system.
HB652 (Calloway)-Prohibits public schools and postsecondary institutions in the state from complying with any Title IX mandate from the U.S. Department of Education that equates gender identity with biological sex.
HB683 (Massaroni)-Prohibits the instruction of social and emotional learning in public schools.
HB719 (Bratcher)-Allows physically demanding interscholastic athletics to satisfy the P.E. requirement for graduation.
HB767 (Moser)-Reqs school districts to implement social media safety mechanisms in internet access policies. Reqs social media safety policies to be given to all students grades 6-12.
HB828 (Timoney)-Certify teachers for 5 years who complete a prep program and pass the req’d assessment. Removes internship req. Creates a teacher induction and mentor program.
SB2 (Wise; Passed Senate)-Allows the employment of retired law enforcement or honorably discharged veterans to serves as school “guardians”. Adds reqs, including plans, for trauma-informed teams at each school.
SB6 (Wilson; Passed Both)-Bans any req that a collection of discriminatory CRT/DEI concepts be affirmed for employment, admission, or promotion in KY public higher ed.
SB7 (Wilson; Passed Senate)-Allows students in non-certified schools to receive KEES money.
SB93 (Meredith)-Removes DEI and trauma informed counseling approach from our K-12 public school system.
SB166 (Tichenor)-Prohibits China affiliated nonprofits from contracting with KY schools (K-12 and Post-sec) to provide educational services.
SB168 (Tichenor)-Rem minority member req for school councils (SBDMs), changes election protocols, and incr parent membership from two to three.
SB212 (Southworth)-Prohibits school district from entering agreements with providers of digital instruction that collect, share, or use data not directly related to the function of the service. Limits screen time per day for students.
SB358 (Williams)-Allows GA to fund education outside of the common (public) schools.
Elections
HB44 (Hodgson; Passed House)-Reqs a public listing of the number of voters by address.
HB53 (Hodgson; Passed House)-Details a planned, mandatory hand-to-eye audit of an election-day result for a randomly selected race in each county in order to validate results.
HB622 (Rudy; Passed House)-Reqs Governor to sign a proclamation for an election to fill a vacancy in the office of United States Senator. Repeal statute requiring governor to fill vacancy.
HB688 (Calloway)-Elim the 2 notarized Signatures from party members in a candidate’s district req to run in partisan races in the state. Retroactive to Nov, 2023.
SB39 (Southworth)-Bars lobbyists from making campaign contributions through various current loopholes: permanent committees, caucus campaign committees.
SB80 (Southworth; Passed Senate)-Disallow student or employee ID or debit/credit cards to be used as proof of ID for voting purposes. High Fidelity, Gov’t Issued Photo Voter ID only.
SB108 (Southworth)-Enhances privacy for voters and returns the responsibility for updating voter rolls to the counties.
SB172 (Southworth)-Reqs employees have ‘reasonable’ time off work to vote.
Firearms, Military & 1st Resp
HB259 (Maddox)-Lower the concealed carry age from 21 to 18.
HB288 (Maddox)-Allows concealed carry in public schools (not by students). Removes ban on concealed carry at postsecondary institutions.
HB329 (Freeland)-Allows police officers leave time to attend mental health treatment.
HB357 (Lewis)-Prohibits financial institutions from targeting or discriminating against firearm retailers or customers.
Govt Regs
HB45 (Hodgson; Passed House)-Omnibus privacy bill, 5 categories of restrictions. Prohibits installation of a tracking device on person or property of another without their consent; exempts parental tracking of minors from the prohibition…
HB106 (Maddox)-Remove req to have more than 5 acres to hunt on one’s own land and need for a fishing license to fish in private pond.
HB214 (Hart; Passed House)-Def terms with regard to the rights of an individual with intellectual or developmental disabilities. Gives the AG the ability to protect against the violation of those rights.
HB309 (Rabourn)-Bans appropriation of public funds (state, or local) for lobbying purposes or employing a lobbyist.
HB326 (Blanton)-Reqs state and local contracts contain a provision that any iron, steel aluminum or manufactured goods be made in the USA.
HB358 (Wesley)-Reqs that a designation of only male or female be entered onto a birth certificate.
HB384 (Decker)-Prohibits closing of the drive around the Capitol except in emergency situations.
HB390 (Hale)-Estab legal def of what a male is and what a female is.
HB492 (Lockett; Passed House)-Req each employee of a local gov’t who has access to federal tax information submit to a criminal background check.
HB513 (Hale; Passed House)-Creates a process for submission of plans for installation or removal of statues and artwork in the State Capitol Rotunda and reqs approval of the General Assembly.
HB522 (Calloway)-Locates 5G cell tower 1,640+ feet away from the general public
HB819 (Stevenson)-Reqs legislators be allowed to pre-file bills and that they be posted on the LRC website for the upcoming session.
HB831 (Baker)-Bans public schools from using funds to advocate for or against any ballot initiative, directly or indirectly.
SB5 (Williams; Signed by Gov)-Removes req to have more than 5 acres to hunt or fish on your own land w/o license.
SB65 (West; Passed Senate)-Remove 3 deficient regs related to medicaid coverage of dental, vision, and hearing being used to circumvent the legislature.
SB75 (Schickel; Passed Senate)-Vehicular flow between the State Capitol Building and the Capitol Annex on Capitol Avenue cannot be restricted by the Finance and Administration Cabinet.
SB120 (Williams)-Bans the appropriation of public funds (state, or local) for lobbying purposes or employing a lobbyist.
SB130 (Southworth; Passed Senate)-Prohibits state agency from discriminating based on one’s access to electronic means to obtain benefits or gain access to public buildings.
SB233 (West)-Limits solar farms to less than one percent of a county’s acreage. Land can’t be acquired through eminent domain.
SB245 (Southworth)-Prohibits a public agency from employing or contacting with a lobbyist. Prohibits a public servant from using influence in a matter under the purview of the GA.
SB317 (Westerfield; Passed Senate)-Estab property rights for individual’s name, voice and likeness.
SB336 (Tichenor)-Estab legal def of what a male is and what a female is.
Health
HB10 (Moser; Passed House)-Estab KY Lifeline for Moms program; expands and specs post-natal services that must be covered by insurance (incl KCHIP and medicaid); allows pregnant women to enter health care exchanges at any time.
HB48 (Rawlings)-Estab right to refuse medical treatment.
HB49 (Rawlings)-Protects professional who don’t want to perform types of medical procedures they are opposed to performing.
HB177 (Raymer)-Prohibits the state or state affiliates from requiring COVID-19 vaccine for minors.
HB316 (Petrie; Passed House)-Estab KY Medicaid Oversight and Advisory Board of the KY GA to oversee the KY Medicaid Program
SB137 (Williams)-If a CON is orphaned an application for a new entity shall be granted a nonsubstantive review. The orphaning entity is not permitted to have opposition.
SB145 (Adams; Passed Senate)-Health care facility may submit a current or prospective employee to a check of the child abuse or neglect or the adult abuse registries.
SB188 (Wise)-Estab regs on Pharmacy Benefit managers.
SB239 (Douglas)-Prevent reprisal for a medical professional refusing to provide a service because of a violation of their conscience.
SB267 (Southworth) – Allows a person in KY to refuse to take meds that have only been approved for emergency use.
SB324 (Southworth) – Prohibits a health service provider from requiring an employee to enter a covenant not to compete.
Other
HB47 (Rawlings) – Allows for persons to seek damages if their religious liberty is infringed. Expands present RIFRA.
HB241 (Baker) – Reqs strict age verification guidelines for pornographic sites. Civil penalties for failure to comply.
Taxes & Spending
HB1 (Petrie) – BUDGET – One-time appropriations totaling $178M in FY2023-4, $1.59B in FY2024-5, and $75M in FY2025-6 from Budget Reserve Trust Fund Account (ie Rainy Day Fund).
HB58 (Fleming) – Creates the Tax Expenditure and Economic Development Incentive Review Board.
HB112 (Huff) – Freezes assessed value of a property when the owner claims the homestead exemption.
HB147 (Fleming) – Reqs question on ballot to ask the voter if they are FOR any tax increase rather than an ambiguous or confusing question. Estab the timing of the vote to be “next regular election”.
HB262 (Petrie) – BUDGET – Puts a definite cap on spending for $50M for natural disasters, and $1M for prison cost overruns, without a special session.
HB263 (Petrie) – BUDGET – Standard Budget Boilerplate for Leg. Branch. Interesting that Senators each get almost twice the stationery allowance.
HB264 (Petrie) – BUDGET – Allocates funds for Judicial Branch, incl construction projects and prisons.
HB265 (Petrie) – Transportation/Roads Appropriations Bill.
HB442 (Tipton) – Exempts nonprofits from sales and use tax.
HB479 (Massaroni) – Allows fire protection district to assess a fee against a premises for cost of maintaining necessary protection measures. Estab the distilled spirits environmental fund to reimburse property owners for cleaning expenses related to whiskey fungus. Adds a $0.25 environmental fee to each barrel stored annually.
SB21 (Deneen) – Only req disabled persons to file for the Homestead Exemption once, unless their disability status changes.
Transportation
HB266 (Petrie) – This seems to be the Master Highway Project Plan from the Transportation Cabinet.
SB91 (Higdon) – Estab permanent full-time drivers license center in each state senatorial district.
SB380 (Southworth) – Estab who is allowed to use automated license plate readers, parameters for privacy protection. Allows State Police to establish an annual review process.

 

OPPOSE SHELL BILLS:  SHELL BILLS. These bills are sometimes used to slip in changes to the law through late amendments or subs with little scrutiny. Bad for gov’t transparent.

 

** The name of the primary sponsor is listed for convenience when communicating with your legislator only. Just because a bill is listed as opposed (or support) does NOT mean that the sponsoring legislator is bad (or good). Several bills by very good legislators are in the oppose category currently (and some bills by bad legislators are reviewed positively). Most legislation does NOT get passed, and sometimes the reason to oppose it now is just that some important bugs need to be worked out through amendments, another good bill conflicts with it, or even that the timing for a good bill just isn’t right yet.

Here’s what to do to influence legislators:

EVERY WEEKDAY WHILE GENERAL ASSEMBLY IS IN SESSION (the GA reconvenes February 7th):

  1. Put the Legislative Hotline number into your speed dial so you can call and leave a message 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. They may close early due to inclement weather.
  2. 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 [EXAMPLE reasons can be in this summary, but you are encouraged to use concisely your own words] and say this : “I would like to leave a message for:

My Senator:

  • Support SB 102. Get the nonsense out of our public schools!
  • Support SB 9. Hazing is dangerous and risks the lives of young people. It must be stopped.
  • OPPOSE SB 61.  Ranked Choice Voting is just going to confuse voters.
  • Support (pick any other listed SB bill).

My Representative:

  • Support HB 173. The public schools must Protect our Children!
  • Support HB 119. Homeschoolers should have access to public school activities, their parents’ pay taxes.
  • Support HB 137. Enough with all of the COVID Mandates!!
  • Please co-sponsor HB 92. Discrimination by schools based on personal COVID health choices is wrong.
  • Support (pick any other listed HB bill).

EXTRA CREDIT:

  1. Internet search “KY find my legislator” and choose the first option or to Find Your Legislator. Enter your address, and click on the pin to Find your Legislator(s) and it will show their phone and email.
  2. Call your legislator’s direct phone number (which can be found on the right hand side of their LRC House or Senate website) and leave the above message and a brief reason. Be polite and succinct.
  3. Email your legislator (right hand side of their LRC House or Senate website) and leave the above message. Only email a single legislator at a time (don’t CC: or BCC: lists). Put the key point in the SUBJECT line.  Keep it brief and friendly. (Ex: Subject: Co-Sponsor and Vote for HB58)
  4. 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 1-3 bills, or 1 or 2 issues; be courteous (you want something from them, don’t articulate them as DEMANDS); do your research, and know the issue; be able to explain your concerns & the reasons for their importance to you (& his/her constituents) in plain English.

A MORE DETAILED EVALUATION OF ALL OF THESE BILLS AND MORE CAN BE FOUND HERE:
https://ky22.hereisliberty.com/2024-Detail