Throughout last week, the Kentucky House of Representatives considered several pieces of crucial legislation that I believe set the Commonwealth on a path to a stronger future. With time running out for the 2024 regular session, our committees continue to review legislation and send approved proposals to the full House for consideration. Let us use this week’s update to review some of the work our committees are doing:
Mitigating the Human Trafficking Crisis: The welfare of the Commonwealth’s children and other vulnerable populations has been and always will be a top priority in our legislative agenda. HB 3 is no exception. This measure takes steps to create a working group whose sole purpose will be to investigate ongoing human trafficking concerns in Kentucky, as well as establish parameters for human trafficking reporting in publicly frequented places such as hotels and highway posts. While this measure doesn’t directly solve the human trafficking crisis taking place in our state and across the nation, it will grant us the ability to investigate and report in ways that aren’t otherwise available to us.
Addressing Failing Wastewater Infrastructure: It is no secret that there are communities throughout the Commonwealth that have endured their fair share of adversity with their utilities systems, namely water and wastewater systems. Because of this, we saw HB 563 pass through the House Appropriations and Revenue Committee. This measure provides a loan program for communities that do not otherwise qualify for federal or state government assistance for the purpose of updating or upgrading their wastewater facilities and infrastructure. HB 563 will be a stepping stone in bringing Kentucky communities up-to-date with their water infrastructure.
Ensuring E-Cig Products are Safe for Adults, Out of Children’s Hands: Legislation aimed at keeping e-cigarettes, vapes, and other tobacco products that have not been granted authorization by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) out of the Kentucky stores and out of the hands of Kentucky children. The measure, HB 11, also proposes fines for those who sell authorized products to those 21 years of age and younger. We would not be the first state to take this step, so we have an idea of how it would impact consumers and retailers. For example, in Alabama there are still more than 1,600 products available to adults. E-cigarettes, commonly known as vapes, are devices that simulate smoking with the inhalation of evaporated liquids. E-cigarettes can contain harmful and potentially harmful ingredients, including nicotine, chemicals, and heavy metals like nickel, lead, and tin.
Providing End of Life Care for Newborns with Life-Ending Conditions: HB 467 emphasizes palliative perinatal care by mandating any and all healthcare facilities that offer obstetric services to either provide palliative perinatal care or make a referral to somewhere that does.
Improving School Bus Safety: To improve the safety of transporting children on school busses, HB 461 allows school districts to install camera equipment on the arms of school busses to record vehicles that may try to pass a bus that has stopped to deliver a child to their destination. Under provisions of this legislation, the cameras will be able to serve as a recording device for any infraction and used to press charge.
Emphasizing Civics Education: It is vital that we teach our children not only the importance of civics, but how and why our government works. HB 535 would allow schools to implement a half credit civics education course for 9th grade students to meet the graduation requirement instead of the current civics test requirement.
In addition, the following bills cleared the House and are now in the Senate for consideration:
Eliminating Unnecessary Barriers to becoming an Electrician: With a workforce that is struggling, it is only fitting that we do all that we can to improve the process to become an industry professional. HB 444 reorganizes the licensure process for master electricians, changing the experience hours needed to 16,000. With this measure, the time needed can be substituted with a certified training course, an associate’s degree program, or two years of teaching electrical technology at an accredited college or university. This measure also reduces the time requirements to obtain a normal electrical journeyman license to 8,000 practical hours and also allows 4,000 of those hours to be substituted with education and experience as well.
Giving back to Kentucky National Guard Members: As a state, we should both celebrate and give back to those who have put their life on the line for their country. HB 715 expands the Military Family Assistance Trust Fund (MFAST) to include former members of the Kentucky National Guard, while also removing the deployment requirement included in current statute. Additionally, this legislation expands MFAST adoption support for former members of the Kentucky National Guard. This legislation aims to increase support for National Guard servicemembers seeking to adopt a child post-service.
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 e-mail at amy.neighbors@lrc.ky.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)