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I know it’s Friday the 13th, which can bring a bit of extra worry, but I truly hope everything is going well for you today.
Things continue to speed up as we work our way through the session. We are a little over two weeks from the Veto Break and a little over a month from Sine die.
One of the highlights of my week was attending the Governor’s Prayer Breakfast at Kentucky State University, a powerful reminder of the strength found in unity and faith.
If you haven’t seen the news, Governor Beshear issued his second veto of the session. He vetoed HB1, the bill designed to circumvent Kentucky’s ban on charter school funding. You can see his Veto Message here.
Erika
House Bill 541
HB 541 aims to improve standards for peace officer certification. These concerns were brought to my attention by Chief Scott Tracy over the summer, and I have collaborated closely with Representative John Blanton on this bill. I am pleased to report that it passed committee this week and is scheduled for a full House vote next week.
One-Time Money
I have been working closely with colleagues in the House and Senate and am encouraged that we will secure a 13th paycheck for retirees and funding for the Frankfort Independent Schools.
Bills
House Bill 713 seeks to combat workplace violence in health care facilities. Among several provisions, it calls on health facilities to annually verify that they maintain workplace safety plans and assessments and provide violence prevention training to staff.
House Bill 644 would create the Kentucky General Assembly Medal of Distinction and establish criteria and a selection process for the award.
House Bill 9 seeks to streamline the regulatory and taxation framework for intoxicating products, including alcohol, cannabis-infused beverages, hemp-derived cannabinoids and other products like kratom.
House Bill 643 would allow school districts to implement a wearable panic alert system so that teachers and staff can silently notify first responders in the event of a security threat.
House Bill 425 would enhance the penalties for illegal street racing with increased fines and provisions for impounding and forfeiting vehicles used in the races.
