As week nine of the Kentucky General Assembly session came to a close Friday, the Legislative Research Committee (LRC) reports legislators have filed 898 bills and resolutions in the House this year and 555 in the Senate. Lawmakers can still change bills as they move through committees and onto the chamber floors, but the deadline to file any new bills ended this week. Eleven bills have already become law, and a few more are getting close.
According to an LRC release, that includes House Bill 6 that seeks to provide relief on vehicle taxes in the face of soaring valuations. It cleared the Senate on Wednesday and now heads to the governor’s desk.
The widely supported measure calls on property value administrators to use the average trade-in value for vehicles when assessing taxes rather than the higher – or “clean” – trade-in value. It would also freeze valuations at the levels from January 2021 for assessing taxes on vehicles in 2022 and 2023.
Another measure that has now passed both chambers is House Bill 4 which would change the length of unemployment benefits and job search requirements for recipients.
The legislation, which passed off the Senate floor on Thursday, effectively changes the maximum duration of benefits from a flat 26 weeks to between 12 and 29 weeks based on economic conditions and a claimant’s personal decision to seek job training.
It would also require claimants to engage in at least five work search activities each week in order to remain eligible.
If the House agrees with changes to the bill in the Senate, HB 4 will next head to the governor.
Lawmakers continued to advance dozens of other measures this week, including legislation related to:
Tax rebates: Senate Bill 194 would give a one-time tax rebate of up to $500 to single taxpayers and up to $1,000 to joint filers, not to exceed the amount of taxes they paid last year. It was approved by the full Senate on Monday.
Juneteenth: House Bill 133 would add Juneteenth to the list of federal holidays recognized by the state. It commemorates the emancipation of the last group of enslaved Black Americans and won approval on the House floor Monday.
Constables: House Bill 239 would require newly elected constables to undergo the same training as police officers and sheriff’s deputies before performing certain duties. The House advanced the measure on Monday.
Charitable bail: House Bill 313 would prevent charitable bail organizations from posting more than $5,000 in bail for anyone charged with a crime. It would also limit the types of offenders who can receive bail support from such organizations. HB 313 cleared the House floor on Tuesday.
Nurse shortages: Senate Bill 10 seeks to boost the number of critically needed nurses in Kentucky by improving the process for out-of-state nurses to practice here. It also seeks to improve student access to nursing programs. The measure received approval Tuesday on the Senate floor.
Animal shelters: Senate Bill 125 would require animal hoarders to pay shelters for the care of any seized animals, helping to eliminate sudden and extreme costs to shelters. It received approval Tuesday from the Senate Agriculture Committee.
Gubernatorial pardons: Senate Bill 149 proposes changes to two sections of the state constitution, which would prohibit the governor’s ability to grant pardons or reduce sentences around election time. The legislation received approval on the Senate floor Thursday.
Abortion: House Bill 3 requires physicians to seek permission from a minor’s parent or legal guardian before a chemical or surgical abortion. The bill would also ban the online sale of chemical abortion drugs and require more recordkeeping. It passed on the House floor Thursday.
Election security: Senate Bill 216 seeks to strengthen the security of elections in Kentucky through about a half dozen changes to state law. That includes backing up voting machines with ballots and preventing them from being connected to the internet. The Senate State and Local Government Committee approved the bill on Thursday.
Tax reform: House Bill 8 seeks to expand the state tax base and incrementally lower the state’s 5% income tax over a number of years until it is eliminated. Most of the reductions can only take effect if the state meets revenue targets from expanding the base. It passed off the House floor on Friday.
The General Assembly will gavel back in on Monday for the 42nd day of the 60-day session.
