Legislative Update - Week 5
During the General Assembly’s fifth week of the 30-day legislative session, March came in like a lion, with over 30 bills clearing the Senate chamber. However, the legislative forecast is not calling for March to go out like a lamb, as plenty of work remains in Frankfort before the final day of session on March 30.
This week’s Senate Appropriations and Revenue Committee was dedicated to the crisis and failure of leadership within the Department for Juvenile Justice (DJJ). I was proud to chair the meeting as my colleagues, Senators Danny Carroll and David Givens, presented their bills on this issue, Senate Bill 162 and 158 respectively.
Senate Bill 162 includes an investment of over $55 million over the next two years to help stabilize staffing issues within DJJ, provide for professional development opportunities and much more. The bill returns the state to a regional model and includes multiple other important provisions, such as reorganizing DJJ, establishing an effective tracking system, implementing a program to bring retired workers back into facilities and providing mental health care to troubled youth.
Senate Bill 158 provides for a full independent audit of DJJ facilities.
I was happy to preside over the meeting in which these measures progressed through the legislative process. I look forward to their consideration on the Senate floor in the coming week.
The following bills gained the Senate’s approval and can now be considered by the state House of Representatives:
Senate Bill 30 is a consumer protection measure providing more information on and easing the process of canceling automatic renewals of service or product subscriptions. The bill would require businesses to be more transparent in subscription details and provide consumers with a simplified means of canceling them.
Senate Bill 79 — Kentucky has one of the nation's highest rates of domestic violence. The state's Address Confidentiality Program, which currently serves fewer than 50 people and is operated by the Kentucky Secretary of State's Office, only allows victims of domestic violence to hide their addresses from voter rolls, which are available to the public. This bill strengthens the existing program by allowing protections without a court protective order and hiding their addresses from publicly available government records beyond voter rolls.
Senate Bill 119 strengthens domestic violence and sexual assault laws throughout Kentucky for all ages. The bill will help to protect sexual assault victims by clarifying regulations as related to protective orders by universally defining sexual assault and sexual contact. The measure will also broaden options for judges to assign protective orders to those struggling following traumatic events. Senate Bill 119 will also address issues related to sexual assault of children and adults.
Senate Bill 229 would strengthen communication between agencies regarding suspected child abuse cases. It requires an agency that is the reporting source also to notify local law enforcement, the Kentucky State Police, the commonwealth's attorney, or the county attorney when receiving suspected abuse or neglect of a child within their agency. Supervisors must cooperate with investigations of reports. The bill would also allow the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services to determine whether an announced or unannounced visit is necessary after receiving an allegation of child abuse or neglect. Finally, it establishes a class A misdemeanor for anyone who knowingly causes intimidation, retaliation, or obstruction of an investigation of child abuse and neglect.
Senate Joint Resolution 79 would establish a nuclear energy development working group, set membership, and task the working group to:
Identify barriers to deploying nuclear power generation resources and other related technologies in the commonwealth, including regulatory, statutory, financial, social, environmental, workforce and educational barriers.
Develop recommendations for how a permanent nuclear energy commission could address the barriers to deploying nuclear power generation resources and other related technologies in the commonwealth.
Consult with any federal, state, or local agencies, nonprofit organizations, private industry, or other impacted stakeholders on what the role of the permanent nuclear energy commission should be.
Develop recommendations for a required report on the group's efforts.
Find these bills and many others passing in week five at legislature.ky.gov.
You can follow bill statuses at legislature.ky.gov and watch live legislative activity at KET.org/legislature. You can also track the status of other legislation by calling 866-840-2835, legislative meeting information at 800-633-9650, or leaving a message for lawmakers at 800-372-7181.