2022 Bill Tracker

KFTC's Priority Legislation
KFTC Supports Teaching African-American and Native American history House Bill 88 Bill Sponsor(s): Rep. Scott	Summary HB 88 requires teaching about African-American and Native American history in middle and high school history courses in Kentucky	Additional Information Has not been assigned to committee One-page handout here
KFTC Supports Teaching history of racism House Bill 67 Bill Sponsor(s): Rep. Scott	Summary HB 67 requires teaching KY high school curriculum to include teaching of racism.	Additional Information Has not been assigned to committee. One-page handout here on Rep. Scott's pro-education bills, HB 88 and HB 67
KFTC Supports Black Lung Benefits House Bill 166 Bill Sponsor(s): Rep. Ashley Lafferty Tackett	Summary HB 166 repeals restrictions passed by the KY General Assembly several years ago that make it very difficult for miners to get diagnosed with Black Lung Disease.	Additional Information Has not been assigned to committee.
KFTC Supports Abolish the Death Penalty Senate Bill 47 Bill Sponsor(s): Sen. Steven Meredith	Summary SB 47 would abolish the death penalty and replace it with life imprisonment without parole for inmates presently sentenced to death and prohibit life imprisonment without benefit of parole for a juvenile offender convicted of a capital offense	Additional Information This bill has been assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee. The Kentucky Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty released a report that shows the racial bias in the application of Kentucky's death penalty, covered here in the Herald-Leader. From ACLU's Twitter: "Death sentences are arbitrary and fueled by racism. Since 1975 in Kentucky, Black men were 20x more likely to receive a death sentence when the victim was a white female. It's time to end this barbaric practice once and for all." For more information, track the Kentucky Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty.
KFTC Supports Extended Voting Hours House Bill 68 Bill Sponsor(s): Rep. Buddy Wheatley	Summary HB 68 would extend the end of voting hours from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. giving people more time to vote after work.	Additional Information Has not been assigned to committee. Take action! Sign up for the Virtual Lobby Day for a Healthy Democracy here, Tuesday, Jan 25. On Tuesday, January 25, we'll gather online to push for the democracy Kentucky deserves, with convenient, fair, and accessible voting. We'll lobby for voting rights for people with felonies in their past, fair redistricting, longer polling hours, voting by mail, and more. The day will start with a training at 9am ET on Zoom. We’ll break into groups to talk virtually with our legislators about this issue, leave messages on the legislative message line (and encourage our friends to do the same), have a virtual rally, spokesperson training, workshops on social media and letters to the editor, and other events throughout the day.
KFTC Supports Ban Conversion Therapy House Bill 12 Senate Bill 137 Bill Sponsor(s): Rep. Wilner, Sen. Kerr + 20 Reps and 7 Senators	Summary HB 12 and SB 137 would prohibit mental health professionals from engaging in sexual orientation and gender identity change efforts ("conversion therapy"), and p	Additional Information SB 137 has been assigned to the Senate Health and Welfare committee. HB 12 has not been assigned to a committee.
KFTC Supports Fairness Act Bill Sponsor(s): Reps. Minter, Willner and several others	Summary HB 1, HB 11, and SB 171 would prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in employment, public accommodation, insurance, housing and financial transactions. The legislation mirrors ordinances in effect in a number of Kentucky towns and cities, making Fairness statewide.	Additional Information HB 11 and HB 15 have not been filed in committee. SB 171 has been assigned to the Senate Judiciary committee.
KFTC Supports Comprehensive Tax Reform House Bill 201 Bill Sponsor(s): Reps Willner, Scott, Brown, Kulkarni, Raymond	Summary HB 201 proposes a variety of reforms to the state tax code to make the system more fair, close loopholes, make taxes more equitable across all income levels, increase the tax on cigarettes and tobacco products, expand the family size tax credit, put limits on some deductions except charitable ones, reinstate an estate tax and a number of other changes that would have resulted in substantial new revenue and a tax system that's a little more fair. Find our one-pager here for lobby meetings and to learn more.	Additional Information Has not been assigned to committee. This year, we have a real opportunity in Kentucky. We have the dollars we need to make the investments that we deserve in housing, schools, public health, and advancing racial equity across the board. We call on the legislature to use all of these dollars this year, and we support comprehensive tax reform to ensure that we can continue to thrive.
KFTC Supports Ban the Box House Bill 293 Bill Sponsor(s): Rep Brown and 10 other Democratic Reps.	Summary HB 293 would prohibit employers from considering or requiring disclosure of prior criminal history as part of the initial job application; title the Act "Ban the Box - The Criminal Record Employment Discrimination Act.	Additional Information This bill has not been assigned to a committee.
KFTC Supports The CROWN Act House Bill 31 Bill Sponsor(s): Reps Scott, Flood, Raymond, and Wheatley	Summary HB 31 would prohibit discrimination or school discipline based off of hair styles historically associated with race. There is a campaign to have this bill passed in all 50 states. You can learn more about the campaign here.	Additional Information This bill has not yet been assigned to committee.
KFTC Supports Make Juneteenth a state holiday House Bill 133 Senate Bill 22 Bill Sponsor(s): Sen. Neal and Reps Brown, Flood and Gentry	Summary SB 22 and HB 133 would make June 19, also known as "Juneteenth National Freedom Day," a state holiday for state employees.	Additional Information SB 22 bill has been assigned to the Senate State and Local Government committee. HB 133 has passed out of the House and is awaiting committee assignment in the Senate.
KFTC Supports Expanding Hate Crime laws House Bill 236 Bill Sponsor(s): Reps Kulkarni, Scott, and Flood	Summary HB 236 would expand Kentucky's hate crime statutes to include religion, mental and physical disability, gender identity and expression, and sexual orientation. It would also require local police departments to do better tracking and reporting of such crimes, establish anti-hate crime units, and engage in community education about hate crimes.	Additional Information This bill has not been assigned to committee.
KFTC Supports Assessing health impacts of legislation Bill Sponsor(s): Sen. Neal	Summary SB 36 would require the Legislative Research Commission to identify any bill that would create a health disparity for people from different disadvantaged communities or backgrounds and would create a process by which that disparity could be evaluated as part of passing the legislation.	Additional Information This bill has been introduced to the Senate Health and Welfare committee
KFTC Supports Racial discrepancy in perinatal care House Bill 37 Bill Sponsor(s): Reps Scott, Flood, and Raymond	Summary HB 37 would provide pregnant folks with written information regarding the patient's rights and implement an evidence-based implicit bias program for all health providers involved in the perinatal care of patients within those facilities; require the Department for Public Health to track data on maternal death and severe morbidity.	Additional Information This bill has not been assigned to committee.
KFTC Supports Felony Expungement House Bill 218 Bill Sponsor(s): Reps Huff, Nemes, Fleming, Massey, and Miller	Summary HB 218 would reduce the fees and the waiting period for folks who want to expunge their felony records.	Additional Information This bill has not been assigned to committee.
KFTC Supports Student Mental Health House Bill 44 Bill Sponsor(s): Bipartisan group of 17 Representatives	Summary HB 44 would require local school district student attendance policies to provide for 11 excused absences due to student's mental or behavioral health status	Additional Information This bill passed out of the House with a bote of 94-0 and has been sent to the Senate Education committee.
KFTC Supports Authority to raise the minimum wage House Bill 424 Bill Sponsor(s): Rep Raymond	Summary HB 424 would give local governments the authority to raise the minimum wage and set paid leave standards for employers in their jurisdiction. Previously local officials in Lexington and Louisville attempted to raise the minimum wage in their communities and were denied the ability to do so by state courts.	Additional Information This bill has not been assigned to committee.
KFTC Supports Expanded access to voting and same day registration House Bill 407 Senate Bill 159 Bill Sponsor(s): Rep Wheatley and Sen Thomas	Summary HB 407 and SB 159 would make it much easier to vote in Kentucky. It would allow unregistered folks who are eligible to vote to register and vote on election day. It would also expand election day voting hours to 7 p.m. and allow for in-person early voting in 2 weeks and 2 Saturdays leading up to election day.	Additional Information HB 407 has not been assigned to committee. SB 159 has been assigned to the Senate State & Local Government committee.
KFTC Supports Limiting Utility Shutoffs House Bill 478 Bill Sponsor(s): Rep. Willner	Summary HB 478 would establishe rules to limit utility shutoffs in peak winter and peak summer; create a mechanism for people who demonstrate hardship to get fees waived for disconnect and reconnect; require reconnection with a partial payment and a payment plan.	Additional Information This bill has not been assigned to committee.
KFTC Supports Right to a Healthy Environment House Bill 471 Bill Sponsor(s): Reps Raymond, Cantrell, and Scott	Summary HB 471 would create a state constitutional amendment asserting the right of all people to a clean and healthy environment.	Additional Information This bill has not been assigned to committee.
KFTC Supports Education funding for people with felonies in their past Senate Bill 163 Bill Sponsor(s): Sen. Storm	Summary SB 163 repeals language that prevents people with a felony conviction from being eligible for KEES money for higher education in KY.	Additional Information The bill has been assigned to the Senate Education committee.
KFTC Supports Expanding Medicaid eligibility for pregnant people House Bill 535 Bill Sponsor(s): Rep. Kulkani	Summary HB 535 expands Medicaid eligibility to pregnant people, regardless of immigration status. It also expands access to family planning services and support.	Additional Information This bill has not been assigned to committee.
KFTC Supports Waiving expungement fees Senate Bill 182 Bill Sponsor(s): Sen. Yates	Summary SB 182 allows courts to waive expungement fees for folks who can't afford them.	Additional Information This bill has been assigned to the Senate Judiciary committee.
KFTC Supports Restoration of Voting Rights Senate Bill 223 Bill Sponsor(s): Sens. Neal, McGarvey, Harper Angel, Higdon, Hornback, and Thomas	Summary SB 223 would amend the consitution of Kentucky to restore voting rights to nearly all people with felonies in their past immediately after the completion of their imprisonment, probation, or parole. If this bill passes the amendment would have to be ratified by the voters in the November election. This amendment would only exclude people convicted of treason, bribery, or election fraud.	Additional Information This bill is in the Senate State and Local Government committee.
KFTC Supports Right to record police officers Bill Sponsor(s): Reps. Willner and Herron	Summary HB 735 establishes that it is legal in Kentucky to photograph / video an officer in the public performance of their public duties. HB 734 establishes the right to sue for damages if any local or state official interferes with a person photographing / videoing / broadcasting an officer in the public performance of their duties.	Additional Information Neither of these bills have been assigned to committtee.
KFTC Supports Harm Reduction House Bill 776 Bill Sponsor(s): Rep. Herron	Summary HB 776 would establish a program for harm reduction centers; amend possession of controlled substance statutes to reduce penalty; amend KRS 218A.275 to provide for referrals to treatment for persons charged with possession of controlled substances; amend KRS 218A.500 to decriminalize possession of items to test, store, or consume controlled substances; repeal KRS 218A.14151, 218A.1450, 218A.1451, 218A.1452, and 218A.276.	Additional Information This bill has not been assigned to committee.
KFTC Opposes Kentucky House Redistricting Plan House Bill 2 Bill Sponsor(s): Rep. Jerry Miller	Summary HB 2 redraws Kentucky's State House districts for the next ten years in ways that protect incumbents and don't put communities together in a way that allows constituencies of people with similar interests to organize and advance their interests. See the League of Women Voter's statement on this bill and its problems.	Additional Information The House and Senate have overriden Governor Beshear's veto and the bill is law. It faces a legal challenge. Take Action: CALL 1-800-372-7181 before 2:00 p.m. TODAY! LEAVE A MESSAGE FOR ALL LEGISLATORS: DO NOT OVERRIDE VETOES on HB 2 and SB 3 (House and Congressional maps)
KFTC Opposes Kentucky Senate Redistricting Plan Senate Bill 2 Bill Sponsor(s): Sen. Mills and Sen. Stivers	Summary SB 2 redraws Kentucky's State Senate districts for the next ten years in ways that protect incumbents and don't put communities together in a way that allows constituencies of people with similar interests to organize and advance their interests. See the League of Women Voter's statement on this bill and its problems.	Additional Information The House and Senate have overriden Governor Beshear's veto and the bill is law. It is likely to face a legal challenge.
KFTC Opposes Congressional Redistricting Plan Senate Bill 3 Bill Sponsor(s): Sen. Mills and Sen. Stivers	Summary SB 3 redraws Kentucky's Congressional districts for the next ten years in ways that protect incumbents and don't put communities together in a way that allows constituencies of people with similar interests to organize and advance	Additional Information The House and Senate have overriden Governor Beshear's veto and the bill is law. It is likely to face a legal challenge.
KFTC Opposes Punishing teachers for discussing race House Bill 18 Bill Sponsor(s): Rep. Lockett and 19 other GOP Reps	Summary HB 18 would prohibit classroom discussion of race, sex, or religion and discipline teachers for violations.	Additional Information Has not been assigned to committee. One-pager about this bill. One-page handout here about Rep. Scott's pro-education bills, HB 67 and HB 88. Statement from the Kentucky Student Voice Team
KFTC Opposes Punishing schools for letting teachers discuss race House Bill 14 Bill Sponsor(s): Rep Fischer and 10 other GOP Reps	Summary HB 14 would prohibit classroom discussion of race, sex, or religion and establishes a $5,000 / day fine for violations.	Additional Information Has not been assigned to committee. One-pager about this bill here. One-page handout on good bills here Statement from the Kentucky Student Voice Team
KFTC Opposes Amending the Federal Constitution Bill Sponsor(s): Reps Lockett, Petrie, Miller, Tate, Thomas	Summary HJR 4 would apply to Congress under the provisions of Article V of the Constitution of the United States for the calling of a convention of the states limited to proposing amendments to the Constitution of the United States that impose fiscal restraint on the federal government, limit the powers and jurisdiction of the federal government, and limit the terms of office for its officials and members of Congress; direct the Secretary of State to send copies of the joint resolution to certain federal and state officials; state that the application should be continuing until the legislatures of at least two-thirds of the states have made applications on the subject.	Additional Information Has not been assigned to committee.
KFTC Opposes Mandating cops in all schools Bill Sponsor(s): Reps Bratcher, Fleming, Miller, Nemes, Sheldon	Summary HB 63 would require school boards to install armed gunmen in all Kentucky schools by August 2022. HB 461 is similar to HB 63, but sets the timeline to July 2025 and allows them to be armed with tasers or guns.	Additional Information HB 63 passed out of the House with a vote of 78-17. It is now before the Senate Education committee.
KFTC Opposes Policing Immigrants House Bill 231 Bill Sponsor(s): Reps Bechler and Reed	Summary HB 231 would prohibit local governments and colleges from adopting so-called "sanctuary" policies that treat non-citizen immigrants like human beings.	Additional Information Has not been assigned to committee.
KFTC Opposes Legal challenges to redistricting Senate Bill 20 Bill Sponsor(s): Sen. Stivers	Summary SB 20 would require legal challenges to redistricting to be filed in the district court where the plaintiff lives (rather than in Frankfort where the law was passed).	Additional Information This bill has passed both houses of the legislature and has signed by the Governor.
KFTC Opposes Go to jail for not being nice Senate Bill 44 Bill Sponsor(s): Sens. Danny Carroll, Michael Nemes	Summary SB 44 would make a person guilty of a crime if they "accosts, insults, taunts, or challenges a law enforcement officer with offensive or derisive words, or by gestures or other physical contact, that would have a direct tendency to provoke a violent response from the perspective of a reasonable and prudent person." Importantly, SB 44 makes it a crime (a Class B misdemeanor with a penalty of up to 90 days' imprisonment) to insult a police officer at a protest, giving excessive discretion to the officer and the judicial system to decide what is an insult, what is a protest, and who is "a reasonable and prudent person." Anti-camping sections in the original bill could be used to target homeless communities.	Additional Information SB 44 is in the Senate Judiciary committee. Please enjoy this handout from the Kentucky Conservation Committee.
KFTC Opposes Trans Youth Healthcare Ban House Bill 253 Bill Sponsor(s): Reps Maddox, Baker, Prunty, and Sharp	Summary HB 253 and SB 84 would prevent trans youth from receiving gender affiriming health care and prevent health care professionals from providing gender affirming he	Additional Information HB 253 has not yet been assigned to committee. SB 84 has been assigned to the Senate Health and Welfare committee.
KFTC Opposes Anti-Trans Youth in Sports Bill Sponsor(s): Rep Dotson and 21 other GOP Reps for HB 23; Rep Bechler for HB 247; Sen Mills and 5 other GOP Senators for SB 83	Summary HB 23 , HB 247, and SB 83 are bills that would prevent girls who were assigned male at birth from participating on girls sports teams in Kentucky schools.	Additional Information UPDATE: CALL THE LEGISLATIVE MESSAGE LINE AT 1-800-372-7181 (En Español 1-866-840-6574) and leave a message for HOUSE LEADERSHIP AND YOUR REPRESENTATIVE: OPPOSE HB 23. UPDATE: CALL THE LEGISLATIVE MESSAGE LINE AT 1-800-372-7181 (En Español 1-866-840-6574) and leave a message for your SENATOR AND SENATE LEADERSHIP: OPPOSE SB 83. The House Education Committee is scheduled to HEAR HB 23 on Tuesday, Feb 15. CALL THE LEGISLATIVE MESSAGE LINE AT 1-800-372-7181 (En Español 1-866-840-6574) and leave a message for THE HOUSE EDUCATION COMMITTEE AND YOUR REPRESENTATIVE: OPPOSE HB 23. The Senate Education Committee PASSED SB 83 on Thursday, Feb 10. CALL THE LEGISLATIVE MESSAGE LINE AT 1-800-372-7181 (En Español 1-866-840-6574) and leave a message for your SENATOR AND SENATE LEADERSHIP: OPPOSE SB 83. 1-27 Update: SB 83 was removed from today's Senate Education Committee calendar! Thanks for your calls and communications! Keep them coming! SB 83 IS UP IN SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE on THURSDAY JAN 27. CALL NOW. 1-800-372-7181, En Español 1-866-840-657. Message: OPPOSE SB 83. HB 23 and HB 247 have not yet been assigned to committee. SB 83 has been assigned to the Senate Education committee.
KFTC Opposes Making it harder to challenge redistricting House Bill 303 Bill Sponsor(s): Rep Fischer	Summary HB 303 would prevent attorneys fees from being rewarded in an action challenging the constitutionality of any legislative district. This would make it more financially challenging for citizens to fight for fair redistricting in the courts.	Additional Information This bill has not been assigned to a committee.
KFTC Opposes Giving public tax money to private schools House Bill 305 Senate Bill 50 Bill Sponsor(s): Sen Alvorado for SB 50; Reps Calloway, Rabourne, Fister, Lockett, and Thomas for HB 305	Summary HB 305 and SB 50 seek to expand a bill passed in last session (and tied up in court) that gives parents who send their kids to private school a huge tax credit. Basically, it's a way of getting the public to pay private school tuition.	Additional Information HB 305 has not yet been assigned to committee. SB 50 has been assigned to the Senate Appropriations and Revenue committee.
KFTC Opposes House Budget Proposal House Bill 1	Summary HB1 is the House's budget. It doesn't spend enough money, especially on things we deserve and need, and the most important part is that there are over 2.1 billion dollars unappropriated in this budget that they are planning to use for tax cuts to the rich. What we think we know at this point because of what they've said publicly, is that they'll use this money to begin the "march to zero" income taxes. We expect that in addition to this there will be additional tax cuts for rich folks and sales taxes may be added and/or increased as well.	Additional Information This bill has passed out of the House 85-8 and is now before the Senate Approrpiations and Revenue committee
KFTC Opposes Authority over statues, memorials, and plaques at the Capitol House Bill 134 Bill Sponsor(s): Reps Hart, McCool, Reed	Summary HB 134 grants the General Assembly final approval over any removal or placement of a statue, bust, plaque, or any comparable memorial on the first floor of the State Capitol.	Additional Information This bill has not been assigned to committee.
KFTC Opposes Banning Bail Funds House Bill 313 Senate Bill 313 Bill Sponsor(s): Reps Blanton, Nemes, Huff	Summary HB 313 and SB 313 would outlaw the advocacy practices of nonprofits like The Bail Project which include raising money and paying bail for Kentuckians incarcerated prior to trial.	Additional Information SB 313 (an even more punitive attack on charitable bail funds than HB 313) is up for a hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday, March 10 at 10:00 a.m. The attacks on charitable bail funds in SB 313 and HB 313 miss the point. Kentucky's system of wealth-based detention is wrong. No Kentuckian should be behind bars because of their poverty. KEJC and The Bail Project have an Advocacy Letter that you can edit and send to legislators. They'll use this information to identify which elected officials represent you in Frankfort and to keep you informed of future developments and opportunities to work together to end wealth-based detention in Kentucky. An amended version of HB 313 passed out of the House and is now awaiting committee assignment in the Senate. SB 313 (an even more punitive attack on charitable bail funds than HB 313) is up for a hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday, March 10 at 10:00 a.m.
KFTC Opposes Making it easier to raise utility rates House Bill 341 Bill Sponsor(s): Rep Gooch	Summary HB 341 creates a "streamlined" process to make an easier and faster process for utilities to raise rates, make it harder for groups like KFTC to intervene in rate cases, and make it harder for members of the public who are affected by rate increases to make their voices heard.	Additional Information This bill has not been assigned to committee.
KFTC Opposes Allow schools to establish police departments Senate Bill 120 Bill Sponsor(s): Sen. Carroll	Summary SB 120 would allow local boards of education to establish police departments for local school districts.	Additional Information This bill has been introduced to the Senate Education committee.
KFTC Opposes Making it harder to vote Senate Bill 122 Bill Sponsor(s): Sen. Southworth	Summary SB 122 removes student ID and employee ID from list of identification that can be used to vote. Removes a credit card from list of secondary ID that can be used.	Additional Information This bill has been introduced to the Senate Banking and Insurance committee.
KFTC Opposes Taking over Clean Water Act permitting Senate Bill 118 Bill Sponsor(s): Sens. Smith, Wheeler, Carpenter, and Girdler	Summary SB 118 pushes the state to take over the process of granting Clean Water Act 404 permits to coal companies from the EPA; and to "streamline" the process.	Additional Information This bill has been assigned to the Senate Judiciary committee.
KFTC Opposes Limits discussion of teaching race in schools Senate Bill 138 Bill Sponsor(s): Sens. Wise, Mills, and Thayer	Summary SB 138 embeds "traditional" American ideology and limits how race can be discussed in public and charter schools.	Additional Information An amended version of this bill passed out of the Senate and is awaiting committee assignment in the House. KFTC's one-pager here FIND MORE COVERAGE HERE, ON FORWARD KENTUCKY
KFTC Opposes Juvenile Criminalization Bill House Bill 318 Bill Sponsor(s): Reps Bratcher and Massey	Summary HB 318 would require a court referral for truancy cases when there is no improvement within 30 days; require a court-designated worker to make a finding if diversion is failed due to lack of parental cooperation; allow a court to refer cases back to the court-designated worker and order parental cooperation; amend KRS 610.265 to require children charged with serious felony offenses to be detained pending a detention hearing; amend KRS 610.340 to provide that confidentiality does not apply to cases in which a child has admitted to or been adjudicated for a violent felony offense; amend KRS 635.060 to require a juvenile's probationary period to remain open until any violations are resolved, if a violation is pending at the time of completion.	Additional Information This bill has not been assigned to committee.
KFTC Opposes Reducing unemployment benefits House Bill 4 Bill Sponsor(s): Reps R. Webber, Pratt, Hart, King, Lawrence, McPherson, Osborne, Tipton	Summary HB 4 would reduce unemployment benefits and tighten up eligibility under the theory that we have to force people to work by shredding the social safety net.	Additional Information This bill has passed out of both the House and Senate and awaits action by the Governor
KFTC Opposes Anti-abortion bill House Bill 3 Bill Sponsor(s): Reps Tate, King and 18 other GOP Reps	Summary HB 3 is a sweeping anti-abortion bill. It adds numerous extreme regulations and restrictions on preganant people, doctors, pharmacies, and other services. It goes furthest in restricting access to abortions for people under the age of 18 and college students. It also bans receiving abortion medication by mail or shipment and places more restrictions on anyone using medication to end a pregnancy - a practice which accounts for half of all abortions in Kentucky.	Additional Information This bill has passed out of the House and is awaiting committee assignment in the Senate.
KFTC Opposes Advantaging coal power/disadvantaging renewables House Bill 470 Bill Sponsor(s): Rep. Gooch	Summary HB 470 would require the Public Service Commission to develop rules and procedures to ensure that the Commonwealth's electric grid is "reliable and resilient"; establish standards; require intermittent power to provide firming power up to its average output level during periods of peak net load; provide that the minimum reserve margin shall be a primary consideration when retiring or adding electric generation; require the Public Service Commission to coordinate with regional transmission organizations to develop consistent policies. Defines energy sources that are "reliable" vs "intermittant". Coal and nuclear are defined reliable. Prolongs coal plants; disadvantages gas and renewable. Unnecessary and seeks to rig the rules.	Additional Information This bill has not been assigned to committee.
KFTC Opposes Criminalizing the teaching of "critical social justice" House Bill 487 Bill Sponsor(s): HB 487 Rep. Lockett and 13 other Reps., HB 706 Reps Decker, Lockett, and Heath	Summary HB 487 is a sweeping bill criminalizing teaching bigotry, revisionist history, or "critical social justice" in all schools, including universities and colleges, estabilishing fines for violation. HB 706 is similar to above, but would instead allow school employees to sue on the basis of a hostile work environment.	Additional Information Neither bill has been assigned to committee.
KFTC Opposes Can't discriminate against bigots House Bill 495 Bill Sponsor(s): Reps Prunty, Calloway, Hale, Heath, Tate	Summary HB 495 would establish protections from governmental discrimination for people who are opposed to gay marriage.	Additional Information This bill has not been assigned to committee.
KFTC Opposes Prohibit mask requirements at schools House Bill 51 Bill Sponsor(s): Rep Bechler and 23 other Reps.	Summary HB 51 would eliminate the ability for any school or daycare to mandate masking of staff and students.	Additional Information This bill passed out of the House Education committee and is now being discussed and amended on the floor of the House.
KFTC Opposes Tax cuts for private aircraft House Bill 477 Bill Sponsor(s): Reps. Dixon, Fister, Johnson, Lawrence, Massey, Sharp	Summary HB 477 would award the tax break to private jets, airplanes and helicopters that are not used for commercial passenger purposes. Currently, such aircraft owners pay taxes of 1.5 cents each year for every $100 of assessed value.	Additional Information This bill is currently in the House Appropriaitons and Revenue committee.
KFTC Opposes Regressive Tax Rebate Senate Bill 194 Bill Sponsor(s): Sen. McDaniel	Summary SB 194 would give individual tax filers from 2020 a $500 rebate and joint filers would receive a $1,000 rebate — unless those individuals paid less than that amount in state taxes. This is a regressive measure that would have little impact on low-income Kentuckians.	Additional Information This bill has passed out of the Senate and awaits committee assignment in the House.
KFTC Opposes Divesting from companies that boycott fossil fuels Senate Bill 205 Bill Sponsor(s): Sens. Mills, Girdler, Alvarado, Carpenter, Smith, Storm, and Wheeler	Summary SB 205 would direct the state to divest from banks or financial companies that boycott fossil fuel companies.	Additional Information This bill has passed out of the Senate and awaits committee assignment in the House.
KFTC Opposes Tax breaks for corporations House Bill 379 Bill Sponsor(s): Rep. Pratt	Summary HB 379 would establish tax breaks for businesses like Facebook or Google to build data centers in Kentucky. Read an article about this bill here.	Additional Information This bill is currently in the House Appropriations and Revenue committee.
KFTC Opposes Creating new felonies Senate Bill 23 Bill Sponsor(s): Sens. Yates, Harper Angel, McGarvey	Summary SB 23 would make theft of mail and packages a Class D felony.	Additional Information This bill has passed the Senate and awaits committee assignment in the House.
KFTC Opposes Repealing the income tax House Bill 8 Bill Sponsor(s): Rep Petrie and 13 other Reps.	Summary HB 8 begins the process of phasing out Kentucky's income tax and replacing it with a sales tax on a few services. This would devestate our state budget, gutting funding for public education, health care, and other vital state functions. Read an analysis of this bill from our allies at the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy here.	Additional Information This bill has passed out of the House and is now before the Senate Appropriations and Revenue committee.
KFTC Opposes Banning abortion after 15 weeks Senate Bill 321 Bill Sponsor(s): Sens Wise and Mills	Summary SB 321 would prohibit abortion in Kentucky after a 15 weeks of gestation, down from 20 weeks.	Additional Information This bill is in the Senate Judiciary committee.
KFTC Opposes Taking away public benefits House Bill 7 Bill Sponsor(s): Reps Meade and Osborne	Summary HB 7 implements several harsh measures making it harder to get and keep food assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and medical assistance through Medicaid. Together, these changes would lead to tens of thousands of Kentuckians losing vital assistance with groceries, medicine and doctors’ bills — largely by tripping them up with added paperwork requirements. You can find a deeper analysis of this bill by our allies at the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy here.	Additional Information This bill is in the House Health & Family Services committee.
KFTC Opposes Restricting the power of the governor Senate Bill 4 Bill Sponsor(s): Sen. West	Summary SB 4 would severely restrict powers of the governor, especially with respect to Executive Orders.	Additional Information This bill has passed out of the Houst State and Local Government committee and awaits a vote on the floor of the House.
KFTC Opposes Charter Schools House Bill 9 Bill Sponsor(s): Reps. McCoy, Koenig, Moser, and Santoro	Summary HB 9 would establish permanent funding for charter schools in Kentucky. This would allow for-profit schools to come into Kentucky and take funding away from public schools. Here is a Courier Journal article about the bill.	Additional Information This bill is in the House Appropriations and Revenue committee.

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2022 Bill Tracker