Numerous bills headed to the governor’s desk late Friday night as the House and Senate adjourned, entering the veto period. Governor Andy Beshear has 10 days (excluding Sundays) to act on more than bills delivered to his desk. He may sign them, allow them to become law without his signature, or issue a veto. Any bill delivered by Friday is eligible for a veto override during the final two days of session.
Since taking office, Beshear has had more than 100 vetoes overridden—a record that will likely grow.
I’m pleased to report Senate Bill (SB) 3, which I sponsored, was signed into law Thursday with strong bipartisan support. This legislation updates Kentucky’s name, image, and likeness law for college athletes. A pending federal case could allow universities to compensate student-athletes directly.
Other bills signed include measures to increase penalties for sexual extortion (SB 73), protect parents’ rights (SB 26), strengthen legislative oversight of regulations (SB 23), and support regional airports (SB 87).
Several notable Senate bills were delivered.
SB 84 – Chevron Deference: Prohibits courts from deferring to a state agency’s interpretation of ambiguous statutes, regulations, or orders.
SB 4 – Artificial Intelligence: Establishes oversight, standards, and guidelines for using AI in state government and elections to prevent misinformation.
SB 1 – Film Industry: Creates the Kentucky Film Office to administer incentives, market the state, and develop workforce training.
SB 19 – Moments of Silence: Requires public schools to hold a moment of silence at the start of each day. It also allows students one hour per week for moral instruction.
SB 68 – Education Standards: Emphasizes critical thinking, reduces administrative burdens, clarifies school boards’ tax roles, and mandates district budget transparency.
SB 202 – Cannabis-Infused Beverages: Regulates intoxicating cannabis-based drinks, sets limits on cannabinoids, and bans sales to those under 21.
SB 100 – Youth Nicotine and Vaping Prevention: Requires vape retailers to obtain state licenses, allows compliance inspections, increases penalties for underage sales, and bans nitrous oxide sales to minors.
SB 120 – Child Abuse Reporting: Requires school coaches to be trained in reporting child abuse and adds reporting rights to sports participation forms.
SB 103 – Vocational Rehabilitation Reform: Improves oversight and prioritizes in-state service providers to support individuals with disabilities.
SB 179 – Nuclear Energy Grants: Establishes a grant program with $8 million in funding.
SB 89 – Water Protections: Updates legal definitions to align with federal standards, protects wellhead areas, and strengthens bonding requirements for coal mine water treatment.
SB 130 – Gift Card Scams: Makes tampering with gift cards to steal funds a class D felony.
SB 24 – Insurance Fraud: Expands definitions to crack down on fraudulent contractor fees.
SB 136 – Vehicle Registration and IDs: Improves Kentucky’s vehicle registration system, expands REAL ID access, and requires electronic titling by 2026.
The Senate gave final passage to several House bills (HB).
HB 15 – Driving Permits: Lowers the minimum age for a learner’s permit from 16 to 15.
HB 4 – DEI Ban in Higher Education: Prohibits public universities from funding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and requires DEI offices to close by June 30. It exempts programs for veterans, Pell Grant recipients, and disabled students.
HB 2 – Illegal Tax Collection Lawsuits: Allows taxpayers to sue the Kentucky Department of Revenue over illegally collected taxes on gold and silver.
HB 48 – Red Tape Reduction for Teachers: Extends teacher evaluations from three to five years, limits new state reporting requirements, and streamlines training mandates.
HB 193 – Dual Credit and Work-Ready Scholarships: Consolidates scholarship programs, increases available credits, and removes penalties for unsuccessful course completion.
HB 6 – Regulatory Reform: Bars state agencies from imposing regulations with costs exceeding $500,000 over two years, with some exceptions.
HB 241 – School Calendars: Allows districts with severe weather closures to meet instructional hours instead of days and permits the commissioner to waive up to five days.
HB 208 – Cell Phones in Schools: Requires districts to adopt policies limiting phone use during class.
HB 424 – College Faculty Reviews: Mandates performance reviews of university faculty and presidents every four years.
HB 19 – Drone Surveillance: Allows individuals to sue for unauthorized drone surveillance, with exceptions for mapping and insurance investigations.
HB 240 – Early Literacy: Requires reading assessments for kindergarten and first-grade students and mandates retention for first-graders who fail to meet benchmarks.
HB 342 – Financial Literacy: High school students must earn one credit in financial literacy before graduation.
HB 38 – Protective Orders: Imposes felony charges for third-time violations of protective orders involving violence or threats.
HB 10 – Squatting Law: Establishes a clearer process for removing squatters and sets criminal penalties for property damage.
House Joint Resolution 15 – Ten Commandments Monument: Returns a granite Ten Commandments monument to the Capitol grounds.
HB 398 – Workplace Safety: Aligns Kentucky’s workplace safety regulations with federal standards.
Lawmakers reconvene on March 27 and 28. Kentuckians can track legislation at legislature.ky.gov.
Thank you for allowing me to serve you. Please contact my office at 502-564-2450 or Max.Wise@kylegislature.gov with any questions, concerns, or ideas.
(Dustin R. Isaacs – Office of Senate Majority Floor Leader Max Wise)