Legislature returns for second half of session

After a long weekend observing Presidents' Day, the Kentucky General Assembly returned to Frankfort on Feb. 20, energized and ready to tackle the second half of the 2024 regular session with renewed enthusiasm and a few extra cups of coffee.

The deadline for Senate bill filings was Feb. 28, and the Senate then begins hearing House bills in earnest.

In the Senate Education Committee, we heard testimony from Murray State University's proposal to open a school of veterinary medicine. This is an exciting proposal considering the shortage of both small and large animal veterinarians across the state. Being the horse capital of the world, a veterinary school in Kentucky would be a perfect fit. We also heard testimony of a proposal to open a school of osteopathy at Eastern Kentucky University, which would broaden the state's ability to fill much-needed physician shortages to serve the needs of Kentuckians.

This week, I filed three bills. SB 246 is an adjustment to SB 5 from the 2023 session in regards to harmful material available to minors within our public schools. It adds to the appeals process the ability for parents and guardians the opportunity to recite passages from the material subject to appeal to the school board and require immediate removal if the board denies a parent or guardian the opportunity to recite the passages.

SB 247 would create a new section of KRS Chapter 205 to establish diagnosis criteria for sepsis. The seriousness of sepsis contributes to one of the No. 1 causes of deaths across Kentucky. However, early detection can increase the likelihood of survival significantly. This bill would lower the current standards of early detection currently recognized by the Deptartment for Medicaid Services.

And finally, there's SB 249, which would define social media platform and require sex offenders who have committed a criminal offense against a minor to display their full legal name on social media platforms. This would strengthen requirements from previous offenders who are registered on the sex offender registry.

The momentum picked up this week, and we passed the following bills, which will now be taken up by the House for further consideration. If approved, they will be delivered to the Governor's desk to be signed, vetoed or left to become law without a signature.

Senate Bill 74 (SB 74) would establish a state maternal fatality review team to enhance the monitoring of child and maternal fatalities. It would define the team's jurisdiction and require cooperation with an external child fatality review panel. It would also direct the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to publish an annual report on hospital delivery procedures starting Dec. 1, 2024.

SB 89 would mandate the Department for Medicaid Services and any managed care organization contracted for Medicaid services to offer coverage provided by licensed certified professional midwives. The aim would be to ensure that certified professional midwifery services are included in the scope of Medicaid coverage and allow for the pursuit of federal approval when required. The Cabinet for Health and Family Services or the Department for Medicaid Services must seek federal approval if they determine it necessary to implement this coverage.

SB 45, if enacted, would establish the Kentucky Ashanti Alert System to promptly alert the public when a "missing adult" is believed to be in immediate danger of abduction or kidnapping. Developed by the Kentucky State Police (KSP), it would use existing resources like electronic highway signs and the Amber Alert System. The system would encourage law enforcement cooperation, operate within existing budgets, and activate based on KSP's assessment for public safety and secure recovery.

SB 48 would increase the time in which two separate offenses of theft by unlawful taking must occur for the offenses to be combined and the value of the property aggregated to determine the appropriate charge.

SB 65 would nullify administrative regulations found deficient by the Administrative Regulations Review Committee in 2023. It would prevent any administrative body from creating similar regulations until 2025.

SB 71 would create a public safety measure that would provide transportation services for individuals who wish to leave a chemical dependency treatment program voluntarily. The bill would put safety provisions in place, such as requiring family, court, county attorney and local law enforcement notification that a resident has left the treatment facility and ensure the individual is only transported to their home residence, a public transportation location or a ride-sharing service.

SB 91 … I was proud to co-sponsor this bill in hopes that we can return to the previous licensing protocol at the county level. Our regional offices, though operating efficiently, have contributed to a great deal of missed work, travel and overall inconvenience to our citizens. This legislation filed by Sen. Higdon, would streamline Kentucky driver's licensing services, establishing at least one regional office in each senatorial district by July 1, 2025. The bill would allow county clerks to choose to provide operator's licenses or personal identification cards. It would also permit third-party entities to issue licenses, with associated costs and a potential convenience fee. Additionally, the bill would initiate a KSP pilot project for skills testing, reducing travel for high-school students in five counties without a regional office. The pilot program would operate from Sept. 1, 2024, to June 30, 2026.

SB 107 would address various transportation issues, including restricting semi-trucks from the left lane except in certain conditions, streamlining commercial vehicle registration, enforcing towing regulations, adding organ donation information to driver education, and allowing for adjustments to certain fees.

SB 126 would propose amending the Constitution of Kentucky to limit a governor's ability to issue pardons or sentence commutations before an election. The aim would be to enhance accountability and prevent potential misuse of executive power during sensitive political periods. If passed by the House with the approved three-fifths majority, it would be included in a future general election ballot.

SB 131 addresses the tricky business of manipulated content through the rapid rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI). This includes altered videos or audio in political messages during elections. The measure aims to ensure more honest and fair elections. It would allow for a candidate whose appearance, action, or speech is altered through the use of altered media in an electioneering communication to seek legal action and damages, developers and owners of the software, and the individual or entity responsible for creating the content. The bill defines "electioneering communication" as any communication broadcast, mail piece, or telephone call that refers to any candidate for any state, county, city, or district office or to any ballot measure. It also defines "synthetic media" as an image, audio recording, or video recording of an individual's appearance, action, or speech that has been intentionally altered with AI software and bars its use in electioneering without disclosure.

SB 140, addressing COVID-19-related unemployment insurance benefit overpayments (from Jan. 27, 2020 until Dec. 31, 2020), would require the Secretary of Education and Labor Cabinet to send new notices by July 1, 2024, giving recipients an additional chance to request a waiver. Recipients would have one year from the notice to request a waiver, ensuring a hearing. The bill would allow reimbursement if recipients prove entitlement to the waiver based on specified statute standards.

SB 162 would facilitate access to vehicle history and accident reports for consumers considering purchasing a vehicle. The bill would allow law enforcement agencies to retain and provide these reports to interested parties, enhancing transparency and consumer confidence in the used car market. Additionally, the bill enables local law enforcement agencies to retain copies of police reports related to vehicles, fostering collaboration with third-party vendors like Carfax to provide essential vehicle history data. By doing so, local law enforcement agencies will have access to cutting-edge investigatory tools currently utilized by thousands of agencies nationwide. These resources have aided investigators in finding vehicles, either stolen or used in a crime, and aided law enforcement in identifying and locating vehicles used in kidnapping cases by leveraging partial license plate readers.

SB 191 would make minor adjustments to Kentucky's public post-secondary education system's performance-based funding model. The bill would redefine "nontraditional age students" as individuals aged 25 to 64. The aim would be to narrow achievement gaps by enhancing credential and degree attainment in this demographic. Proposed changes include revised funding percentages for public universities, introducing a weighted premium for credentials aligned with the state's economic needs in the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) funding formula, and incorporating non-traditional-age students into outcomes credit. The Council on Postsecondary Education would be directed to implement these changes by April 1, 2024, with an emergency declaration for immediate enactment upon filing with the Kentucky Secretary of State's Office.

A few of the bills that I feel are notable and would like to bring to your attention to are SB 210, 266 and 267. I am also watching HB 149, 155, 683 and 652.

You can find the status of legislation and others by calling 866-840-2835 or receive legislative meeting information at 800-633-9650. You can also watch and follow legislative activity at KET.org.legislature and Legislature.ky.gov.

Thank you for your continued interest and engagement in the 2024 Regular Session, and it is a privilege to represent you in Frankfort.