Below are listed SOME of the Bills that have been prefiled for the year 2017 Kentucky Legislative Session. There is a short synopsis of each with links to the Kentucky Legislature online with more in-depth information on each. Please take a moment to review what has been submitted so far to be considered for the upcoming year. A link is provided at the bottom to the main page of the KY Legislature for your convenience!
AN ACT relating to medical cannabis. Create various new sections of KRS Chapter 218A to establish a comprehensive system for medical cannabis, including provisions for medical verification of need; persons allowed to cultivate, use, and possess the drug; organizations allowed to assist in providing the drug; regulation by the state Department of Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Control; interaction on the part of state and local governments, including law enforcement, with persons and entities coming within the purview of the Act; and establishment of required reporting and review procedures; rename the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control the Department of Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Control; amend various KRS sections to conform; provide that the Act may be cited as the Cannabis Compassion Act. Dec 06, 2016 - Prefiled by the sponsor(s).
AN ACT relating to crimes and punishments. Amend KRS 431.005 to permit a peace officer to make an arrest for a violation of KRS 508.030, assault in the 4th degree, when the violation occurs in a hospital and the officer has probable cause; amend KRS 431.015 to conform. Oct 14, 2016 - Prefiled by the sponsor(s).
AN ACT relating to arrest-related deaths. Amend KRS 72.025 to add deaths which occur during arrest to cases which are investigated by the coroner; create a new section of KRS Chapter 72 to require coroners to notify the Medical Examiner's Office of arrest-related deaths and require an annual public report; amend KRS 72.020 to conform. Oct 19, 2016 - Prefiled by the sponsor(s).
AN ACT relating to supplements paid to police officers, professional firefighters, and qualified volunteer fire departments, declaring an emergency, and making an appropriation therefor. Oct 25, 2016 - Prefiled by the sponsor(s).
AN ACT relating to the regulation of firearms and ammunition by local governments. Create a new section of KRS Chapter 65 to allow urban-county governments and consolidated local governments to regulate firearms and ammunition to reduce gun violence, except when state or federal law preemepts local governance; amend KRS 65.870 to conform. Oct 28, 2016 - Prefiled by the sponsor(s).
AN ACT relating to death certificates. Amend KRS 213.076 to require a certificate of death or a provisional certificate of death to include the section and lot number of the grave space if a body is interred in a cemetery; require the cemetery or cemetery company to provide the section and lot number to the funeral director, or person acting as such; designate that the requirements of this Act shall be known as Lil's Law. Oct 28, 2016 - Prefiled by the sponsor(s).
AN ACT relating to crimes and punishments. Amend KRS 532.090 to establish gross misdemeanors as a new category of misdemeanor offense and set penalty range; amend KRS 439.340 to make parole mandatory for Class D offenders who are not violent offenders or sexual offenders and have not committed any violent acts while incarcerated; Jun 15, 2016 - Prefiled by the sponsor(s).
AN ACT relating to the Bowling Green Veterans Center, making an appropriation therefor, and declaring an emergency. Authorize to the Department of Veterans' Affairs federal funds and bond funds in fiscal year 2016-2017 for the construction of the Bowling Green Veterans Center nursing home; Jun 28, 2016 - Prefiled by the sponsor(s).
AN ACT relating to prescriptive authority for physician assistants. Amend KRS 311.856 and 311.858 to permit physician assistants to prescribe and dispense controlled substances. Aug 01, 2016 - Prefiled by the sponsor(s).
AN ACT proposing an amendment to Section 32 of the Constitution of Kentucky relating to terms of members of the General Assembly. Propose to amend Section 32 of the Constitution of Kentucky to prevent Senators from serving more than four consecutive terms of office and Representatives from serving more than eight consecutive terms of office, whether complete or partial terms, and prevent a legislator from serving more than sixteen consecutive years in the General Assembly, regardless of the house in which he or she served, beginning in 2018 for newly elected members only; allow legislators to resume service after two years have elapsed since leaving office; provide ballot language; submit to voters for ratification or rejection. Sep 28, 2016 - Prefiled by the sponsor(s).
Direct the Legislative Research Commission to establish a task force to develop a strategy and funding mechanism to provide care for medically fragile adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and report findings for referral to the appropriate committees. Sep 21, 2016 - Prefiled by the sponsor(s).
AN ACT relating to retirement benefits for legislators. Amend KRS 6.505 to close the Legislators' Retirement Plan to new members effective August 1, 2017; Sep 22, 2016 - Prefiled by the sponsor(s)
AN ACT relating to credit freezes for consumers. Create a new section of KRS 367.363 to 367.365 to define "protected person," "record," "representative," and "sufficient proof of authority"; require a consumer reporting agency to place a security freeze on a protected person's record or report upon proper request by a representative; Jul 13, 2016 - Prefiled by the sponsor(s).
AN ACT relating to family member visitation rights. Repeal and reenact KRS 405.021 to grant visitation to family members if it is in the child's best interest based on listed factors. Jul 19, 2016 - Prefiled by the sponsor(s).
AN ACT relating to a tax credit for volunteer firefighters. Create a new section of KRS Chapter 141 to establish a $1,000 refundable income tax credit for certain volunteer firefighters; Jul 15, 2016 - Prefiled by the sponsor(s).
AN ACT relating to hate crimes. Amend KRS 532.031, relating to an offense committed as a result of a hate crime, to include offenses committed against an individual because of the individual's actual or perceived employment as a city, county, state, or federal peace officer, member of an organized fire department, emergency medical services personnel; provide that "emergency medical services personnel" is defined as in KRS 311A.010; Jul 06, 2016 - Prefiled by the sponsor(s).
AN ACT relating to the Kentucky educational excellence scholarship. Amend KRS 164.7871 to name the Kentucky educational excellence scholarship the "Arch Gleason Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship"; Aug 02, 2016 - Prefiled by the sponsor(s).
AN ACT relating to spas. Amend KRS 241.010 to define the term "spa" within the alcoholic beverage control statutes as a beauty salon employing at least ten cosmetologists, not including contractors or those renting booths or chairs within the beauty salon; Aug 17, 2016 - Prefiled by the sponsor(s).
Declare state sovereignty over powers not given to the federal government by the United States Constitution; demand that the federal government cease mandates beyond constitutionally delegated powers; prohibit federal legislation requiring state passage of laws under threat of penalties or sanctions; distribution of copies of the Resolution to designated officials. Jul 22, 2016 - Prefiled by the sponsor(s).
AN ACT relating to a tax credit for volunteer firefighters. Aug 17, 2016 - Prefiled by the sponsor(s) indicated with a recommendation for passage by the …
AN ACT relating to general principles of justification. Create a new section of KRS Chapter 503 to incorporate the "no duty to retreat" provisions elsewhere in the chapter; amend KRS 503.050, 503.055, 503.070, and 503.080 to require a reasonable belief that defensive force is necessary before it is justified; change the term "great bodily harm" to "serious physical injury" as used throughout the Penal Code; amend KRS 503.060 to require an initial aggressor to retreat before the use of force can be justified; repeal KRS 503.120. Aug 03, 2016 - Prefiled by the sponsor(s).
AN ACT relating to oaths. Amend KRS 6.072 to require witnesses appearing before a committee, subcommittee, or task force of the General Assembly to take an oath prior to giving testimony. Aug 03, 2016 - Prefiled by the sponsor(s).
AN ACT proposing an amendment to Section 170 of the Constitution of Kentucky relating to exemptions from taxation. Propose an amendment to Section 170 of the Constitution of Kentucky to exempt from taxation property of certain veterans' organizations if the entity has qualified for exemption from federal income tax; submit to voters. Sep 08, 2016 - Prefiled by the sponsor(s).
AN ACT relating to operator's license testing. Amend KRS 186.480 to require the Department of Kentucky State Police to make a driver's manual available in printed or electronic format that contains the information needed for an operator's license examination; Aug 30, 2016 - Prefiled by the sponsor(s) indicated with a recommendation for passage by the …
AN ACT relating to expungement. Amend KRS 431.073 to reduce filing fee for felony expungement from $500 to $200. Jul 26, 2016 - Prefiled by the sponsor(s).
AN ACT relating to railroads. Create a new section of KRS Chapter 277 to require two-person crews on trains or light engines used in connection with the movement of freight; establish civil penalties for failure to have a two-person crew. Aug 22, 2016 - Prefiled by the sponsor(s) indicated with a recommendation for passage by the…
AN ACT relating to public procurement. Create new sections of KRS Chapter 45A to set forth findings of the General Assembly and establish policy of the Commonwealth of Kentucky to promote the Kentucky and United States economies by requiring a preference for iron, steel, and manufactured goods produced in Kentucky and the United States; Aug 22, 2016 - Prefiled by the sponsor(s) indicated with a recommendation for passage by the…
AN ACT relating to day reporting programs. Create a new section of KRS Chapter 533 to authorize the use of day reporting programs in criminal sentencing. Aug 08, 2016 - Prefiled by the sponsor(s).
AN ACT relating to superintendent screening committee membership. Amend KRS 160.352 to require the appointment of a school equity council member to the superintendent screening committee, if an equity council exists; allow a board to add a high school student to the superintendent screening committee. Aug 26, 2016 - Prefiled by the sponsor(s).
AN ACT relating to child abuse and neglect. Create a new section of KRS Chapter 199 to establish the central registry for child abuse and neglect; establish definitions; establish requirements for operation of the registry; provide that the Act be known as Sophie's law. Sep 23, 2016 - Prefiled by the sponsor(s).
AN ACT relating to wages. Amend KRS 337.010 to increase the applicable threshold of employees of retail stores and service industries from $95,000 to $500,000 average annual gross volume of sales for the employer; amend KRS 337.275 to raise the state minimum wage to $8.20 per hour on July 1, 2018, $9.15 per hour on July 1, 2019, and $10.10 per hour on July 1, 2020, and to raise the state minimum wage for tipped employees to $3.05 per hour on the effective date of the Act, $3.95 per hour on July 1, 2019, and $4.90 per hour on July 1, 2020; include anti-preemption language permitting local governments to establish minimum wage ordinances in excess of the state minimum wage. Sep 20, 2016 - Prefiled by the sponsor(s).
AN ACT relating to coal severance revenues. Amend various sections in KRS Chapter 42 to distribute 100 percent of coal severance revenues among the coal-producing counties on the basis of the tax collected on coal severed or processed in each respective county; Aug 18, 2016 - Prefiled by the sponsor(s).
AN ACT relating to sales and use tax holidays and declaring an emergency. Create a new section of KRS Chapter 139 to establish a three-day sales and use tax holiday during the first weekend in August in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020 to exempt clothing, school supplies, school art supplies, computers, and school computer supplies; EMERGENCY. Aug 18, 2016 - Prefiled by the sponsor(s).
AN ACT relating to a board of directors of a college within the Kentucky Community and Technical College System. Aug 30, 2016 - Prefiled by the sponsor(s).
AN ACT relating to sex offender registrants. Amend KRS 17.545 to prohibit sex offender registrants from being on the grounds of a publicly owned playground without advance written permission. Sep 14, 2016 - Prefiled by the sponsor(s).
AN ACT relating to foreign law. Create a new section of KRS Chapter 454 to establish legislative intent that the rights of an individual afforded under the Constitutions of the Commonwealth and the United States take precedence over the application of any foreign law in any judicial or quasi-judicial proceeding; Sep 14, 2016 - Prefiled by the sponsor(s).
AN ACT relating to school notification of persons authorized to contact or remove a child. Create a new section of KRS Chapter 620 to require the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, if the cabinet is granted custody of a dependent, neglected, or abused child, to notify the school in which the child is enrolled of persons authorized to contact the child or remove the child from school grounds. Aug 30, 2016 - Prefiled by the sponsor(s).
AN ACT proposing an amendment to Section 42 of the Constitution of Kentucky relating to compensation for members of the General Assembly. Propose to amend Section 42 of the Constitution of Kentucky to prohibit members of the General Assembly from receiving legislative pay for a special session that has been called by the Governor because the General Assembly adjourned without passing a state budget; submit to the voters with ballot question. Aug 30, 2016 - Prefiled by the sponsor(s).
AN ACT relating to pawnbrokers. Amend KRS 226.040 to require pawnbrokers to record daily transaction information and also provide the information on an online service accessible by law enforcement agencies. Aug 12, 2016 - Prefiled by the sponsor(s).
AN ACT relating to a sales and use tax exemption for currency and bullion. Amend KRS 139.480 to exempt from sales and use tax sales or purchases of bullion or currency made on or after July 1, 2017, but before July 1, 2021. Oct 11, 2016 - Prefiled by the sponsor(s).
AN ACT relating to the Bowling Green Veterans Center, making an appropriation therefor, and declaring an emergency. Authorize to the Department of Veterans' Affairs Federal Funds and Bond Funds in fiscal year 2016-2017 for the construction of the Bowling Green Veterans Center nursing home; Aug 26, 2016 - Prefiled by the sponsor(s).
Urge the United States Environmental Protection Agency to prioritize compliance assistance over current enforcement practices. Sep 20, 2016 - Prefiled by the sponsor(s).
AN ACT relating to nuclear power. Amend KRS 278.600 to require that nuclear power facilities have a plan for the storage of nuclear waste rather than a means of permanent disposal and to add definitions of "storage," "low-level nuclear waste," and "mixed nuclear waste"; amend KRS 278.610 to allow certification if the facility and its plans for waste storage are approved by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission; eliminate the requirement that the facility have a plan for disposal of high-level nuclear waste; eliminate the requirement that cost of waste disposal be known; eliminate the requirement that the facility have adequate capacity to contain waste; give the Public Service Commission authority to hire a consultant to perform duties relating to nuclear facility certification; prohibit construction of low-level nuclear waste disposal sites in Kentucky except as provided in KRS 211.852; direct the Energy and Environment Cabinet to review regulations required for permitting nuclear facilities and report to LRC; repeal KRS 278.605, relating to construction of nuclear power facilities. Sep 19, 2016 - Prefiled by the sponsor(s).
AN ACT relating to jailers and declaring an emergency. Amend KRS 441.245 to require fiscal courts to detail the duties and compensation of the jailer for the upcoming year; require a quarterly report by the jailer of the duties performed; EMERGENCY. Oct 06, 2016 - Prefiled by the sponsor(s).
AN ACT relating to the law enforcement and firefighters foundation programs and making an appropriation therefor. Sep 19, 2016 - Prefiled by the sponsor(s).
AN ACT relating to the tracking of drug convictions. Amend KRS 218A.202 to require the Administrative Office of the Courts to forward drug conviction data to the Cabinet for Health and Family Services for inclusion in the KASPER electronic monitoring system. Sep 19, 2016 - Prefiled by the sponsor(s).
AN ACT relating to firearms. Create a new section of KRS Chapter 527 to prohibit the unlawful storage of a firearm. Sep 09, 2016 - Prefiled by the sponsor(s).
AN ACT relating to retirement benefits for legislators. Amend KRS 6.505 to close the Legislators' Retirement Plan to new members effective August 1, 2017; Sep 15, 2016 - Prefiled by the sponsor(s).
AN ACT relating to juries. Amend KRS 29A.040 to add holders of personal identification cards issued within a county to the master list of potential jurors for that county. Sep 23, 2016 - Prefiled by the sponsor(s).
AN ACT relating to juror pay. Amend KRS 29A.170 to increase juror pay and expense allowance; amend KRS 32.011 to conform; repeal KRS 32.070, relating to expense allowances for jurors. Sep 23, 2016 - Prefiled by the sponsor(s).
AN ACT relating to timber theft. Amend KRS 364.130 to specify that a person, regardless of state of mind or whether the person believes to be authorized or not, is liable for three times the stumpage value of the timber and three times the cost of any damages to property when he or she takes the timber of another without legal right or color of title. Oct 04, 2016 - Prefiled by the sponsor(s). BR 201 - R. Meyer
AN ACT relating to controlled substances. Amend 218A.010 to provide definitions for “fentanyl” and “fentanyl derivative”; amend KRS 218A.020 to allow the Office of Drug Control Policy to request that the Cabinet for Health and Family Services schedule fentanyl analogues not approved for human use by the United States Food and Drug Administration; amend KRS 218A.050 to include fentanyl analogues not approved for human use by the Food and Drug Administration as a Schedule I controlled substance; amend KRS 218A.142 to create the offense of aggravated fentanyl trafficking; amend KRS 218A.1412 to increase the penalties for trafficking in fentanyl. Oct 06, 2016 - Prefiled by the sponsor(s).
AN ACT relating to juries. Amend KRS 15.733 to allow the disqualification of a prosecuting attorney from the retrial of a case due to discriminatory jury selection practices; Sep 23, 2016 - Prefiled by the sponsor(s).
AN ACT relating to controlled substances. Amend KRS 218A.1412 to make trafficking in any amount of fentanyl or carfentanil subject to elevated penalties. Sep 23, 2016 - Prefiled by the sponsor(s).
AN ACT relating to expungement. Amend KRS 431.073 to reduce filing fee for felony expungement from $500 to $200; allow the court to waive all or any portion of the fee if an applicant is indigent or financially unable to pay; amend KRS 431.078 to allow the court to waive all or any portion of the filing fee for misdemeanor, violation, or traffic infraction expungement if an applicant is indigent or financially unable to pay. Oct 04, 2016 - Prefiled by the sponsor(s).