The General Assembly will reconvene for the second part of the 2025 Regular Session on Tuesday, February 4. Since this is an odd-numbered year, the session is shorter and divided into two parts, with the first part taking place during the second week of January. The General Assembly will meet for 26 more legislative days, before adjourning at the end of March.
Since convening in January, lawmakers have been busy filing legislation and attending committee meetings. This week, a statutory committee met to discuss Kentucky’s public pension and retirement systems, during which lawmakers presented several proposals.
Statutory committees are created by law to perform specific tasks related to oversight of the executive branch of state government. Committee meetings are open to the public and are livestreamed on the Legislative Research Commission’s (LRC’s) YouTube channel, @KYLRCCommitteeMeetings.
Public Pension Oversight Board: Members heard testimony regarding a variety of proposed measures that would make changes to the County Employee Retirement System, Teachers Retirement System, and the designation of state benefits for individuals with special needs. First, members heard testimony on a proposal for retired county employees to see an increase in their monthly health subsidies based on the length of their employment. Then, members heard about a proposal to increase uniformity of the payout for accrued sick days by the state. Finally, members discussed a proposal to allow state retirees to create a special needs trust in order to ensure that their benefits continue to care for a designated dependent with special needs.
In addition, here are summaries of some of the legislation that may be considered when lawmakers reconvene for the second part of the legislative session.
House Bill 87: HB 87 would remove barriers to employment opportunities and occupational licenses for citizens of the Commonwealth who have prior convictions, ensuring those individuals who have fulfilled the consequences of their actions are not defined by a past crime. Individuals who have taken steps toward rehabilitation and are prepared for participation in the workforce are a historically untapped pool of workers, allowing employers to increase their hiring prospects.
House Bill 90: HB 90 aims to remove barriers for establishing freestanding birthing centers in Kentucky. Under this bill, a certificate of need would not be required to establish and license a freestanding birthing center with no more than four beds. The Cabinet for Health and Family Services would be responsible for establishing licensure standards for these centers. This measure also outlines the framework for the operating procedures of freestanding birthing centers. Additionally, it would require such centers to have malpractice insurance and prohibit the performance of abortions within them.
House Bill 96: HB 96 would amend existing statute to include coercive control and stalking within the scope of domestic violence and abuse in relationships, allowing victims to seek orders of protection against such actions. Coercive control is defined as a pattern of behavior that causes another to suffer physical or psychological harm, and interferes with a person’s free will and personal liberty. This includes behaviors such as isolation, destroying property, monitoring communications, using technology to harass or threaten, exerting control over one’s finances and daily behaviors, and more. Stalking is defined as a pattern of behavior that alarms, intimidates, or harasses that person and causes a reasonable fear of serious physical injury, sexual contact, or death.
House Bill 112: HB 112 would allow for people and other private entities to enter into financial sponsorship agreements with the Kentucky Department of Transportation for highway rest stops and welcome centers. The measure stipulates that all contributions may only be used for the upkeep and maintenance of the sponsored location, and all signs acknowledging the sponsorship must be funded by the sponsor.
House Bill 189: HB 189 would provide employers a tax credit for contributions to an employee’s Kentucky Education Savings Plan Trust Account or STABLE account. The Kentucky Educational Savings Plan Trust enables residents to save for rising higher education costs, helping them prepare for potential financial challenges during their educational journey. Meanwhile, STABLE Kentucky accounts are designed for individuals with disabilities, allowing for tax-free savings to cover disability-related expenses.
House Bill 190: HB 190 would require school districts to establish an advanced coursework path for high school students with exceptional academic standards. School district policies would automatically enroll high-achieving students in advanced courses. Schools would be unable to withdraw, remove, or exclude students from advanced coursework without written permission from a student’s parent or guardian.
House Bill 208: HB 208 would require each local school district to adopt a policy that at minimum prohibits the usage of cell phones by students during instructional time with the exception of emergency situations, and under the instructional direction of a teacher. Since 2023, eight states have enacted their own laws regarding cell phones in schools.
Since this is a non-budget year, lawmakers have an opportunity to focus on addressing some of Kentucky’s most pressing issues. These bills reflect the commitment of the General Assembly to support Kentucky students, increase access to healthcare, and address workforce shortages.
As the second part of the 2025 Regular Session begins, I encourage you to tune in to committee meetings and floor proceedings live on KET.org and follow @KYHouseGOP on social media to keep track of things happening in Frankfort.
As always, I can be reached anytime through the toll-free message line in Frankfort at 1-800-372-7181. You can also contact me via email at amy.neighbors@kylegislature.gov and keep track through the Kentucky legislature’s website at legislature.ky.gov.
(Laura Leigh Goins, Deputy Chief of Staff for Media Relations – House Majority Leadership)