State Legislative Issues 2023
The KAS Education and Advocacy Committee is actively monitoring bills introduced during the Kentucky General Assembly's 2023 session and identifying those that are of interest or concern to the science community. Summaries of bills we think are worth watching are listed below. You can click on a bill number to see complete legislative info, including sponsors, amendments, vote history, and the full text of the legislation.Please help us give science a voice at the State Capitol! Share your feedback on bills under consideration by emailing your lawmakers or calling the General Assembly's toll-free message line at 1-800-372-7181.
(Updated 03/03/23)
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Education Environment and Energy Health State Symbols
Education
SB 54 (Carpenter) - Would allow use of KEES funds for enrollment in a qualified proprietary school program and would allow a student who attends an out-of-state high school or Department of Defense school due to a parent's military transfer to earn a KEES award if the student earned a base amount in a previous year at a Kentucky high school.
Latest action: 03/22/23: signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 67)
| Introduced | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in first chamber | Delivered to second chamber | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in second chamber | Passed both chambers | Law |
SB 66 (Meredith) - Would require public universities to provide data provided by or paid for by the state to a state agency or eligible non-state entity upon request.
Latest action: 03/03/23: recommitted to Education (S)
| Introduced | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in first chamber | Delivered to second chamber | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in second chamber | Passed both chambers | Law |
SJR 98 (Stivers) - Would require the Council on Postsecondary Education to study the placement and services provided by Kentucky's public postsecondary schools as well as the possibility of placing a new regional, residential, four-year university in southeastern Kentucky.
Latest action: 03/22/23: signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 49)
| Introduced | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in first chamber | Delivered to second chamber | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in second chamber | Passed both chambers | Law |
KAS Education and Advocacy Committee Statement on SJR 98: SJR 98 calls upon the Council on Postsecondary Education to study Kentucky’s postsecondary system and the possibility of a residential, four-year university in southeastern Kentucky. Because of ongoing concerns about education funding, we encourage adding postsecondary education funding to the issues that will be studied. We are thankful that the current budget boosted education funding, but also realize such steps must be maintained long-term to make up for years of inadequate funding. Consideration of a new university should be made in tandem with a serious look at whether we’re already funding existing schools properly and could continue to do so with a new university in the state system.
SB 107 (Wilson) - Would establish the Board of Education Nomination Committee, set requirements for appointees, and term limitations and would require the commissioner of education to be subject to Senate confirmation
Latest action: 03/16/23: delivered to Governor
| Introduced | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in first chamber | Delivered to second chamber | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in second chamber | Passed both chambers | Law |
KAS Education and Advocacy Committee Statement on SB 107: Requiring Senate confirmation of a Commissioner of Education -- who already would be been nominated by Senate-confirmed members of the Board of Education -- invites more partisan politics into a decision that should be made with an independent focus on what's best for students and Kentucky's system of education.
SB 156 (West) - Would establish a statewide reading research center. The center would be selected through a competitive proposal process.
Latest action: 03/22/23: signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 55)
| Introduced | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in first chamber | Delivered to second chamber | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in second chamber | Passed both chambers | Law |
HB 26 (Rabourn) - Would prohibit a public agency or any other entity created by an act of the General Assembly from using federal, state, and local tax dollars for lobbying purposes.
Latest action: 02/23/23: to Appropriations & Revenue (H)
| Introduced | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in first chamber | Delivered to second chamber | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in second chamber | Passed both chambers | Law |
HB 31 (McPherson) - Would prohibit regulations of the Kentucky Board of Education from requiring students to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in order to attend school.
Latest action: 01/03/23: to Committee on Committees (H)
| Introduced | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in first chamber | Delivered to second chamber | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in second chamber | Passed both chambers | Law |
HB 33 (Tipton) – Would establish the Innovative Teacher Education Grant Program for school years 2024 through 2026 The program would offer grants to Kentucky public colleges and universities to incentivize innovative and affordable teacher preparation programs.
Latest action: 02/23/23: to Appropriations & Revenue (H)
| Introduced | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in first chamber | Delivered to second chamber | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in second chamber | Passed both chambers | Law |
HB 35 (Raymond) - Would require school districts provide a full-day preschool program for eligible three and four year olds.
Latest action: 02/24/23: floor amendment (1) filed
| Introduced | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in first chamber | Delivered to second chamber | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in second chamber | Passed both chambers | Law |
HB 90 (Graham) - Would set out General Fund transfers to the State Salary and Compensation Fund, the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority, and the General Operations budget unit within the Personnel Cabinet; appropriate General Fund moneys to the Kentucky Public Pensions Authority and the Kentucky Teachers' Retirement System; appropriate Restricted Funds to the General Operations budget unit within the Personnel Cabinet.
Latest action: 02/23/23: to Appropriations & Revenue (H)
| Introduced | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in first chamber | Delivered to second chamber | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in second chamber | Passed both chambers | Law |
HB 99 (Nemes) - Would require the Kentucky Department of Education to create a professional development training schedule for certified personnel; require each local district to implement the schedule; require an additional day to be added to the school calendar if required training cannot be completed in a single calendar day; require the General Assembly to appropriate funds for an additional calendar day if determined to be necessary.
Latest action: 02/23/23: to Appropriations & Revenue (H)
| Introduced | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in first chamber | Delivered to second chamber | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in second chamber | Passed both chambers | Law |
HB 133 (Bratcher) - Would allow Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarships to be used for a workforce solutions training program offered by the Kentucky Community and Technical College System and approved by the authority.
Latest action: 02/22/23: recommitted to Appropriations & Revenue (H)
| Introduced | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in first chamber | Delivered to second chamber | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in second chamber | Passed both chambers | Law |
HB 136 (Lawrence) - Would: amend statute to prohibit the Council on Postsecondary Education from raising tuition for a postsecondary education institution more than 5% a year for resident students and 7% a year for nonresident students; provide a 4-year tuition freeze for an enrolled resident students; require any increase to tuition or fees to be approved before March 1 of the proceeding school year. It would also increase student and faculty representation on boards of trustees and boards of regents.
Latest action: 01/06/23: to Committee on Committees (H)
| Introduced | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in first chamber | Delivered to second chamber | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in second chamber | Passed both chambers | Law |
KAS Education and Advocacy Committee statement on HB 136: Making sure Kentuckians have access to pursue a higher education is central to our efforts to promote innovation and a higher quality of life for Kentuckians. KAS believes tuition should remain affordable, there should also be a path to student loan forgiveness.
HB 171 (Riley) - Require completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid form as a high school graduation requirement; provide waiver options for meeting the requirement; require local boards of education to develop policies and procedures to assist students in completing the requirement; require high schools to report potential graduate information to the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority; require the authority to provide each high school FAFSA submission and completion data for the potential graduates; require local schools districts to report student completion and waiver data to the Kentucky Department of Education.
Latest action: 02/07/23: to Committee on Committees (H)
| Introduced | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in first chamber | Delivered to second chamber | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in second chamber | Passed both chambers | Law |
HB 174 (Calloway) - Proposes to create a new section of the Constitution of Kentucky to authorize the General Assembly to provide for the educational costs of elementary and secondary school students outside of the public school system; provide ballot language for submission to voters for ratification or rejection.
Latest action: 03/16/23: recommitted to Appropriations & Revenue (H)
| Introduced | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in first chamber | Delivered to second chamber | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in second chamber | Passed both chambers | Law |
HB 200 (Fleming) - Would establish the Kentucky healthcare workforce investment fund to enable the CPE, healthcare programs, and healthcare providers and facilities to match public and private dollars for the purpose of awarding scholarships to eligible students and healthcare incentives to eligible healthcare programs.
Latest action: 03/22/23: signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 65)
| Introduced | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in first chamber | Delivered to second chamber | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in second chamber | Passed both chambers | Law |
HB 319 (Tipton) - Would seek to address teacher shortages in several ways. It would streamline the process for military spouses certified in other states to teach in Kentucky and would allow someone with a bachelor's degree to teach classes in their field on a temp basis under the supervision of a certified teacher. It would also direct the Council on Postsecondary Education to develop a marketing program to promote the teaching profession and it would create a statewide online job posting system for school job openings.
Latest action: 03/30/23: delivered to Governor
| Introduced | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in first chamber | Delivered to second chamber | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in second chamber | Passed both chambers | Law |
HB 327 (Herron) - Would require African history instruction in certain middle and high school world history and civilization courses and would require Native American history instruction in certain middle and high school United States history courses.
Latest action: 02/15/23: to Committee on Committees (H)
| Introduced | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in first chamber | Delivered to second chamber | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in second chamber | Passed both chambers | Law |
HB 542 (Maddox) - Would prohibit colleges and universities from regulating the possession of firearms on campuses.
Latest action: 03/16/23: recommitted to Appropriations & Revenue (H)
| Introduced | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in first chamber | Delivered to second chamber | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in second chamber | Passed both chambers | Law |
KAS Education and Advocacy Committee statement on HB 542: We urge state lawmakers to listen to college and university presidents and police chiefs on matters of campus safety. A recent signed by the President of the Council on Postsecondary Education and all public university and college presidents states: "Our public college and university chiefs of police are unanimous in their professional judgment that any law or policy that increases the prevalence of deadly weapons on campus makes those places where our friends and families go to work, attend school, and enjoy community with each other much less safe." Data backs up the assertion that that access to firearms is related to increased risks of firearm-related injuries and deaths. A 2016 report from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health states: "Risks for violence, suicide attempts, alcohol abuse, and risky behavior are greatly elevated among college-age youth and in the campus environment. The presence of firearms greatly increases the risk of lethal and near-lethal outcomes from these behaviors..."
Environment and Energy
SB 4 (Mills) Would prohibit the Public Service Commission from approving a request by a utility to retire a coal-fired electric generator unless the utility demonstrates that the retirement will not have a negative impact on the reliability or the resilience of the electric grid or the affordability of the customer's electric utility rate; require the Public Service Commission to submit an annual report on retirements of electric generating units by December 1 to the Legislative Research Commission.
Latest action: 03/29/23: became law without Governor's Signature
| Introduced | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in first chamber | Delivered to second chamber | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in second chamber | Passed both chambers | Law |
SJR 79 (Carroll) - Would establish the Nuclear Energy Development Working Group to identify barriers to the deployment of nuclear power generation and to consult with stakeholders to develop recommendations for the role of a permanent nuclear energy commission to the established.
Latest action: 03/17/23: signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 18)
| Introduced | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in first chamber | Delivered to second chamber | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in second chamber | Passed both chambers | Law |
KAS Education and Advocacy Committee statement on SJR 79: In order to lower carbon emissions in a way that can fight against climate change, all low-carbon power sources deserve to be studied for their effectiveness, impact on the planet, and effect on human health. We are particularly interested in studying modern approaches to nuclear power that carry fewer risks than older nuclear facilities.
HJR 37 (Bauman) - Would direct the Energy and Environment Cabinet to adopt revisions to the state air quality implementation plan to remove the reformulated gas requirement for Jefferson County and applicable parts of Oldham and Bullitt Counties. It also would call on the Cabinet to develop air pollution control strategies to achieve equal or greater emission reductions than can be achieved through reformulated gas requirements.
Latest action: 03/24/23: signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 98)
| Introduced | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in first chamber | Delivered to second chamber | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in second chamber | Passed both chambers | Law |
HB 94 (Kulkarni) Would establish a Healthy Soils Program and a Healthy Soils Program fund in the Department for Natural Resources to provide technical advice and assistance and to assist with soil health assessments and soil health plans.
Latest action: 01/04/23: to Committee on Committees (H)
| Introduced | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in first chamber | Delivered to second chamber | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in second chamber | Passed both chambers | Law |
HB 140 (Raymond) – Proposes to create a new section of the Constitution of Kentucky relating to the environment. The proposed amendment would establish a right of the people to have a healthy environment, including a right to clean air, pure water, and ecologically healthy habitats; declare the Commonwealth's natural resources, among them its air, water, flora, fauna, climate, and public lands, are the common property of all people, including generations yet to come; establish that as trustee of the environment and its natural resources, the Commonwealth shall conserve and maintain them for the benefit of all people
Latest action: 01/06/23: to Committee on Committees (H)
| Introduced | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in first chamber | Delivered to second chamber | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in second chamber | Passed both chambers | Law |
HB 160 (Freeland) - Would provide that any Kentucky Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (KPDES) permittee seeking to rely on a mixing zone for a bioaccumulative chemical concern assigned before September 8, 2004, include information identifying the mixing zone in its application for a modification or approval of a KPDES permit; require that any change or extinguishment in a mixing zone requirement for a bioaccumulative chemical of concern only be accomplished through a formal KPDES permitting action by the Energy and Environment Cabinet conducted pursuant to administrative regulations promulgated under KRS Chapter 13A; amend KRS 224.16-090 to provide that if a KPDES permit applicant requests in their application for a modification or renewal of a permit that the Energy and Environment Cabinet take into account rapid and complete mixing at a wastewater outfall, the Energy and Environment Cabinet shall apply rapid and complete mixing in establishing water quality-based effluent limitations and conditions under the KPDES permit if the discharge occurs through a submerged high-rate multi-port outfall structure.
Latest action: 03/21/23: signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 37)
| Introduced | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in first chamber | Delivered to second chamber | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in second chamber | Passed both chambers | Law |
HB 187 (King) - Would require that a greenhouse gas emissions reduction agreement be properly recorded pursuant to the requirements of KRS 382.110 for it to be binding on subsequent purchasers or creditors.
Latest action: 01/07/23: to Committee on Committees (H)
| Introduced | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in first chamber | Delivered to second chamber | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in second chamber | Passed both chambers | Law |
HB 197 (Kulkarni) - Would require the Energy and Environment Cabinet on or before January 1, 2024, to promulgate administrative regulations establishing maximum PFAS chemical limits and monitoring requirements for drinking water provided by public and semi-public water systems and maximum PFAS chemical limits and monitoring requirements for discharges into the waters of the Commonwealth; require that maximum PFAS chemical limits be designed to protect public health and be updated; provide that nothing in the section interferes with the Energy and Environment Cabinet's responsibilities under the federal Water Pollution Control Act or the Safe Drinking Water Act.
Latest action: 01/07/23: to Committee on Committees (H)
| Introduced | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in first chamber | Delivered to second chamber | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in second chamber | Passed both chambers | Law |
KAS Education and Advocacy Committee statement on HB 197: PFAS (Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances) are man-made chemicals found in a number of everyday products including nonstick cookware, fast food wrappers, cosmetics, and many other items.Known as "forever chemicals" PFAS chemicals resist breaking down even many years after the items that contain the chemicals have been discarded. Because of this, PFAS chemicals continually accumulate in soil and water, in the food we eat, and even in our own bloodstream. They have been associated with health threats, including an increased risk for some cancers. There’s growing hope that the attention PFAS are receiving will help promote policies that better protect the public from these “forever chemicals. While the most significant steps on PFAS need to take place at the federal level, state and local governments must also be involved. We support efforts to better regulate PFAS discharges in Kentucky, but also realize any agency tasked with taking on PFAS regulation duties needs to have a corresponding funding increase to do the job.
HB 236 (Sharp) - Would provide that fiduciaries shall consider the sole interest of the members and beneficiaries of the retirement systems using only pecuniary factors and prohibit the consideration of or actions on nonpecuniary interests including environmental, social, political, and ideological interests.
Latest action: 03/24/23: signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 94)
| Introduced | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in first chamber | Delivered to second chamber | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in second chamber | Passed both chambers | Law |
HB 552 (Gooch) - Would prohibit state or local government from engaging in solar geoengineering (an attempt to reflect sunlight into space or increase the amount of solar radiation that escapes into space in order to lower global temperatures) or weather modification.
Latest action: 02/22/23: to Committee on Committees (H)
| Introduced | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in first chamber | Delivered to second chamber | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in second chamber | Passed both chambers | Law |
HB 590 (Moser) - Would require the Kentucky Center for Cannabis to establish criteria for determining when sufficient data exists to support the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes. If the center determines such evidence exists, it may produce and dispense cannabis products -- as long as they aren't consumed by smoking -- and establish and operate cannabis dispensing centers throughout the state.
Latest action: 02/22/23: to Committee on Committees (H)
| Introduced | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in first chamber | Delivered to second chamber | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in second chamber | Passed both chambers | Law |
Health
KAS Education and Advocacy Committee statement on medicinal cannabis: The Kentucky Academy of Science supports the scientific evaluation of Cannabis for its therapeutic benefits as well as the potential risks or side effects. We urge all Kentuckians to learn about the complex interactions of botanical medicine and to support policies and laws based on reliable research, pharmaceutical developments, clinical studies, and clinical trials to set performance standards for a healthy lifestyle and sustainable economic outcomes for the Commonwealth.
KAS Education and Advocacy Committee statement on COVID-19 issues: Kentuckians can continue to protect themselves against COVID-19 by remaining vigilant in following proven health strategies. The three key ways, proven effective, to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and its variants are vaccination, facemasks and social distancing. We have concerns about any proposals that lower the state's guard and expose Kentuckians to health threats, especially at a time when a more deadly COVID-19 variant could emerge. Legislation that would prohibit health facilities from even considering a comprehensive vaccination policy to protect vulnerable people would impede the state's ability to defend against COVID-19. Immunization using vaccines is a medically-proven method to reduce risk of disease.
SB 47 (West) - Would establish a medicinal cannabis program. Medicinal marijuana would be allowed in non-smokable forms for people with certain health conditions including cancer, chronic pain, epilepsy, , multiple sclerosis, chronic nausea, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Latest action: 03/30/23: signed by Governor
| Introduced | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in first chamber | Delivered to second chamber | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in second chamber | Passed both chambers | Law |
SB 114 (Tichenor) -- Would require that any individual who administers an unapproved drug that has been approved for emergency use by the commissioner of the United States Food and Drug Administration provides information; prohibit any person from being required to have an unapproved drug administered; EMERGENCY.
Latest action: 02/14/23: to Health Services (S)
| Introduced | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in first chamber | Delivered to second chamber | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in second chamber | Passed both chambers | Law |
SB 127 (West) - (Similar to HB 74) Would make water fluoridation programs optional; allow the governing bodies of water systems subject to regulation by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to decide whether they participate in water fluoridation programs; provide that a water fluoridation program in place on the effective date of the Act continues until action is taken by its governing body to end its participation; provide that any decision regarding participation in a water fluoridation program made by the governing body of a water system shall be binding on all water systems it supplies.
Latest action: 02/16/23: to Health Services (S)
| Introduced | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in first chamber | Delivered to second chamber | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in second chamber | Passed both chambers | Law |
KAS Education and Advocacy Committee Statement on SB 127: Adding fluoride to a community water supply has been proven as a safe and effective way to promote oral health. This is a particularly important issue in Kentucky due to our state’s history of health disparities and poor oral health.
SB 139 (West) - Would require employers that mandate employee immunization to allow exceptions based on religious belief or conscientious objection to immunizations.
Latest action: 02/17/23: to Health Services (S)
| Introduced | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in first chamber | Delivered to second chamber | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in second chamber | Passed both chambers | Law |
SB 150 (Wise) - Would limit medical professionals from providing gender-affirming health care services for minors, including a prohibition on gender-affirming hormone treatment and puberty blockers. Under the bill, at the start of each school year, districts would notify parents of services related to human sexuality, contraception or family planning and parents would have a right to decline those services for their children. The Dept. of Education would be prohibited from recommending pronoun use in schools that differs from the biological sex on a child's original birth certificate. Transgender students would be prohibited using the school restrooms for their gender. No student, regardless of grade level, would receive any instruction studying or exploring gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation.
Latest action: 03/29/23: delivered to Secretary of State
| Introduced | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in first chamber | Delivered to second chamber | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in second chamber | Passed both chambers | Law |
Comment from KAS Education and Advocacy Committee on SB 150: Kentucky is best served by preserving access to health care, protecting the provider-patient relationship, and allowing health care professionals to follow best practices and medical science. Complex issues like gender dysphoria require careful case-by-case evaluation, sometimes by a multi-disciplinary team of experts. Benefits of gender-affirming care have been recognized by medical experts. For these reasons, we oppose SB 150.
Read KAS' Statement on SB150 from March 22, 2023, after both chambers of the legislature passed this bill
SB 237 (Southworth) - Would provide that an independent institution or postsecondary education institution that requires a student to receive an immunization for disease must allow exemptions. An employer, including health facilities, that requires an employee to receive an immunization for disease would also be required to allow exemptions. The bill would also allow vaccine requirement exemptions at long-term care facilities.
Latest action: 02/23/23: to Health Services (S)
| Introduced | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in first chamber | Delivered to second chamber | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in second chamber | Passed both chambers | Law |
HB 74 (Hart) – (Similar to SB 127) Would amend statute to make water fluoridation programs optional; allow the governing bodies of water systems subject to regulation by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to decide whether they participate in water fluoridation programs; provide that a water fluoridation program in place on the effective date of the Act continues until action is taken by its governing body to end its participation; provide that any decision regarding participation in a water fluoridation program made by the governing body of a water system shall be binding on all water systems it supplies.
Latest action: 02/21/23: to State Government (H)
| Introduced | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in first chamber | Delivered to second chamber | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in second chamber | Passed both chambers | Law |
KAS Education and Advocacy Committee Statement on HB 74: Adding fluoride to a community water supply has been proven as a safe and effective way to promote oral health. This is a particularly important issue in Kentucky due to our state’s history of health disparities and poor oral health.
HB 92 (Calloway) - Would require that a parent or guardian be permitted to opt a student of any public school requirement for medical devices and procedures, and treatments. The bill would also amend statutes to provide that postsecondary education institutions may not require individuals to use medical devices or submit to medical procedures and treatments in response to the COVID-19 pandemic on property not used for the delivery of medical services.
Latest action: 01/04/23: to Committee on Committees (H)
| Introduced | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in first chamber | Delivered to second chamber | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in second chamber | Passed both chambers | Law |
HB 101 (Decker) - Would prohibit any person, business, organization, or government agency from forcing a child to receive a COVID-19 vaccination.
Latest action: 03/16/23: to Families & Children (S)
| Introduced | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in first chamber | Delivered to second chamber | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in second chamber | Passed both chambers | Law |
HB 107 (Graham) - Would establish a medicinal cannabis program. Under the bill, the sale of medical cannabis would be exempt from the state sales tax and the excise tax on controlled substances; The bill would appropriate $1,500,000 in fiscal year 2022-2023 for the creation of the Division of Medicinal Cannabis and the Division of Alcohol and Cannabis Enforcement.
Latest action: 02/23/23: to Appropriations & Revenue (H)
| Introduced | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in first chamber | Delivered to second chamber | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in second chamber | Passed both chambers | Law |
HB 110 (Baker) - Would amend statute to add conscientiously held beliefs to the list of exceptions to immunization requirements.
Latest action: 01/05/23: to Committee on Committees (H)
| Introduced | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in first chamber | Delivered to second chamber | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in second chamber | Passed both chambers | Law |
HB 120 (Maddox) - Would prohibit the provision of or referral for gender transition procedures to any child under the age of 18 years; define a violation as unprofessional conduct and acting recklessly for purposes of tort claims; permit an action on a violation to be taken by the parent or guardian of the child before the child attains the age of 18 years and by the child within 30 years of the child attaining the age of 18 years, with exceptions under which the time may be longer; require conditions for actions and damages; prohibit public funds to be used for the provision of or referral for gender transition procedures to a child under the age of 18 years; prohibit health care services provided under state, local, or county government to include gender transition procedures to a child under the age of 18 years; prohibit tax exemption for gender transition procedures; prohibit a person or entity from aiding or abetting the performance or inducement of gender transition procedures to a child under the age of 18 years, but exempt speech protected by the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States and exempt a parent of such child; permit the Attorney General to bring action to enforce provisions; permit members of the General Assembly to intervene as a matter of right if these provisions are challenged; create a new section of KRS Chapter 205 to prohibit Medicaid coverage of gender transition procedures for a child under the age of 18 years; create a new section of Subtitle 17A of KRS Chapter 304 to prohibit health benefit plan coverage, including federal government health plans, for gender transition procedures for a child under the age of 18 years and any requirement for coverage of gender transition procedures; amend KRS 141.019 and 141.039 to prohibit tax exemption for gender transition procedures; establish a short title of Kentucky's Children Deserve Help Not Harm Act; EFFECTIVE January 1, 2024.
Latest action: 01/05/23: to Committee on Committees (H)
| Introduced | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in first chamber | Delivered to second chamber | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in second chamber | Passed both chambers | Law |
HB 137 (Maddox) - Would: allow a student, staff, or faculty member to opt out of a postsecondary school's immunization policy for specific reasons; prohibit a public entity from creating standardized documentation with the purpose of certifying vaccination status; prohibit public and private primary and secondary schools and preschool programs from promulgating a new immunization policy and mandating compliance during a school year that has already commenced; and allow objection to immunization on the basis of conscientiously held beliefs.
Latest action: 01/06/23: to Committee on Committees (H)
| Introduced | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in first chamber | Delivered to second chamber | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in second chamber | Passed both chambers | Law |
HB 141 (Bentley) - Would establish the Urgent-Need Insulin Program and the Continuing Access to Insulin Program and would establish the process by which insulin is dispensed to eligible individuals; establish the responsibilities of insulin manufacturers.
Latest action: 01/06/23: to Committee on Committees (H)
| Introduced | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in first chamber | Delivered to second chamber | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in second chamber | Passed both chambers | Law |
HB 162 (Willner) - Would prohibit mental health professionals from engaging in sexual orientation and gender identity change efforts with a person under 18 years of age and would prohibit public funds from being used for sexual orientation and gender identity.
Latest action: 02/23/23: to Appropriations & Revenue (H)
| Introduced | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in first chamber | Delivered to second chamber | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in second chamber | Passed both chambers | Law |
HB 180 (Moser) - Would establish biomarker testing coverage requirements for health benefit plans. According to the National Cancer Institute, biomarker testing is a way to look for genes, proteins, and other substances that can provide information about a person's cancer.
Latest action: 03/23/23: signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 77)
| Introduced | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in first chamber | Delivered to second chamber | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in second chamber | Passed both chambers | Law |
HB 196 (Fleming) - Would establish SafeKY, a mental health safety center at UofL, to create and maintain a crisis intervention mental health app.
Latest action: 03/15/23: reported favorably, to Rules
| Introduced | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in first chamber | Delivered to second chamber | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in second chamber | Passed both chambers | Law |
HB 331 (Palumbo) - Would require middle and high schools to maintain a portable automated external defibrillator in every school building and at school-sponsored events.
Latest action: 03/30/23: delivered to Governor
| Introduced | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in first chamber | Delivered to second chamber | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in second chamber | Passed both chambers | Law |
HB 470 (Decker) - Would limit gender-affirming health care to minors by a health care provider or mental health care provider. It also threatens to take away the license and hold liable those who provide gender transition services to a person under the age of 18.
Latest action: 03/15/23: laid on clerk's desk
| Introduced | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in first chamber | Delivered to second chamber | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in second chamber | Passed both chambers | Law |
Comment from KAS Education and Advocacy Committee on HB 470: Kentucky is best served by preserving access to health care, protecting the provider-patient relationship, and allowing health care professionals to follow best practices and medical science. Complex issues like gender dysphoria require careful case-by-case evaluation, sometimes by a multi-disciplinary team of experts. Benefits of gender-affirming care have been recognized by medical experts. For these reasons, we oppose HB 470.
State Symbols
The state mineral is a rock and the state rock is a mineral. This is an unfortunate error that the science community has recognized since the legislation was enacted in 2000. HB 367 would correct this error. Under this legislation, coal (currently designated the state mineral) would become the official rock of Kentucky and Kentucky [chalcedony] agate (currently the state rock) would become the official mineral of Kentucky. KAS strongly supports this legislation.
HB 367 (Gentry) - Would allow a couple state symbols to swap places for the sake of accuracy. Coal (currently designated the state mineral) would become the official rock of Kentucky and Kentucky agate (currently the state rock) would become the official mineral of Kentucky.
Latest action: 02/17/23: to Committee on Committees (H)
| Introduced | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in first chamber | Delivered to second chamber | Referred to committee | Awaiting vote in second chamber | Passed both chambers | Law |