As we continue to review legislation passed in the 2025 Regular Session, this week provides an opportunity to review some of the new laws passed to make state government more efficient and reflective of your priorities. Members of the House State Government Committee deal directly with the policies and administration of state government, including the legislative, executive, and judicial branches. This includes all constitutional officers, the state retirement systems, and Commonwealth’s attorneys and circuit clerks. Here are several of the bills that made their way all the way through the process.
Safeguarding Public Pensions, Rep. John Blanton – HB 30 conforms statute with a Court of Appeals opinion by amending it to exempt certain pay increases from pension spiking provisions for members of the Kentucky Employees Retirement System, County Employees Retirement System, or State Police Retirement System. Specifically, the measure applies to any pay increase approved or funded by the employer’s legislative or administrative body, or required by an approved collective bargaining agreement.
Streamlining WeLeadCS’s Participation in TRS, Rep. DJ Johnson – HB 73 adds WeLeadCS, a virtual computer science career academy for high school students, to the Teachers’ Retirement System.
Honoring Kentucky History, Rep. Kim King – HB 313 designates June as Kentucky History Month, honoring the Commonwealth’s rich history and drawing attention to the Kentucky Historical Society and other organizations that preserve and celebrate it.
Addressing the Teacher Shortage, Rep. James Tipton – HB 441 provides greater flexibility in filling teaching positions with retired educators by streamlining hiring procedures and raising the cap on the percentage of retired TRS members that a school district can rehire full-time.
Ensuring Marriage Documents are Correct, Supporting Domestic Violence Victims, Rep. Stephanie Dietz – HB 462 streamlines the process for correcting errors on marriage applications and licenses and requires that funds collected from amending marriage licenses would be remitted to the domestic violence shelter fund.
Ensuring the Proper Role of Government, Rep. David Hale – HB 495 ensures that Kentuckians have access to the mental health care and protects mental health care professionals, institutions, and ordained ministries from discrimination when providing protected counseling services. The measure also prevents taxpayer dollars from being used to pay for gender reassignment surgeries and hormone replacement therapy used as part of gender reassignment.
Protecting Ongoing Criminal Investigations, Rep. Chris Fugate – HB 520 exempts from open records requests and inspection any information that could pose a risk to a law enforcement agency or its investigation by revealing the identity of informants or witnesses otherwise not known.
Improving the Payment Process for Contractors, Rep. Jason Petrie – HB 622 establishes policies for timely payments of contractors or individuals under government contracts.
Restoring the Ten Commandments Monument, Rep. Shane Baker – HJR 15 returns to Monument Park on the State Capitol grounds the Ten Commandments monument given to the Commonwealth in 1971 by the Fraternal Order of Eagles.
Addressing Increasing Costs in the Teacher Retirement System, Sen. Jimmy Higdon – SB 9 standardizes benefits across the state; improves transparency in how sick leave impacts pensions by limiting what is counted toward pension calculations to 10 sick days and three personal days a year; preserves previously accrued benefits, and requires school districts to provide up to 30 days of paid maternity leave annually by 2030.
Addressing Student Mental Health and Wellness, Sen. Rick Girdler – SB 19 allows Kentucky students to quietly reflect, pray, or meditate at the start of each school day by requiring districts to provide dedicated time. It also outlines a framework for local school boards to approve off-campus moral instruction, with transparency and safety requirements.
Expanding State Employee Participation in Deferred Compensation Plans, Sen. Scott Madon- SB 104 authorizes the Kentucky Deferred Compensation Authority to offer Self-Directed Brokerage Accounts.
Addressing the Housing Shortage, Sen. Julie Raque Adams – SB 129 allows nonprofit organizations to purchase tax-delinquent properties for redevelopment purposes by mandating certificates of delinquency for properties remaining in a tax delinquency diversion program beyond the five-year period be made available for purchase by third-party purchasers and permitting diverted tax delinquency purchasers to acquire certificates of delinquency for properties included in such programs during the five-year period.
Addressing Statutory Committee Appointments and Information Technology Oversight, Sen. Matt Nunn – SB 176 updates guidelines for appointments to statutory legislative committees; renames the Investments in Information Technology Improvement and Modernization Projects Oversight Board to the Information Technology Oversight Committee, and requires state agencies to report on information technology systems.
Reorganizing the Education and Labor Cabinet, Sen. Michael Nemes – SB 178 provides for executive branch reorganizations made within the Education and Labor Cabinet.
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.
(HD21 – News From the Office of Rep. Neighbors)