Representative Amy Neighbors
As of midnight on March 30, the 2023 Regular Session of the General Assembly has adjourned. This concluded a remarkably busy yet productive session for the commonwealth, as well as an even busier week.
When we convened last week, our main mission was to override the 15 vetoes the Governor had imposed on legislation integral to the well-being of our families, our children, and our economy. Once we completed this objective, we were able to act on several other pieces of legislation that we believe will be an excellent addition to the law in our state.
This week, I would like to walk you through some of these bills.
HB 21: This bill allows children who are homeless and aged 16 and 17 to obtain a state-issued photo identification card, not a driver’s license, so they can get a head start on applying to colleges, obtaining important documents, and applying for jobs. HB 21 also sets the price for these individuals to obtain an ID at only $5. HB 21 will also permit those without a fixed home address to renew their driver’s license to drive only from their current residence to and from work.
HB 331: To ensure school personnel has access to life saving equipment, this bill expands access to automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in a readily accessible area of every high school and middle school building, as well as increased training in response to sudden cardiac arrest and other cardiac events.
HB 353: This measure changes the current definition of what qualifies as drug paraphernalia to exclude testing equipment used to determine the presence of a synthetic opioid or its analogues in controlled substances.
SB 47: This bill lays the groundwork for the first legalization of marijuana for medical purposes. It establishes the medical cannabis program in the commonwealth and would grant the authority of regulation and implementation to the Cabinet of Health and Family Services. This measure does not take effect until January of 2025 to allow the cabinet to have time to establish regulatory structure for the program and legislators an opportunity to make adjustments to ensure the program is carried out appropriately.
SB 263: A measure to promote the regionalization of water and wastewater resources, this bill clarifies definitions and goals regarding the security and safety of water systems, requires the Energy and Environment cabinet to provide technical support to the Kentucky Infrastructure Authority, and requires the authority to develop asset management plans. This will be instrumental in modernizing our water and wastewater infrastructure, as a large portion of both rural and urban areas of the state suffer from failing and aging water systems.
SB 282: SB 282 expands the authority of the Crime Victims Compensation Board to allow claims for hit-and-run accidents. The measure raises the award limit for loss of earnings or financial support from $150 for each week of lost earnings/support to $300 for each such week. The funeral and burial expense limit is raised from $5,000 to $7,500. The total compensation limit for any award increased from $25,000 to $30,000.
SB 286: This bill addresses situations in which, in the event an intoxicated driver kills a parent or guardian, a judge will have the ability to order restitution to support surviving children/dependents. This acts as an additional layer of accountability to criminals who choose to operate a vehicle under the influence which results in the loss of life.
While our work for this session has been completed, now begins our efforts for the 2024 session. Within just a few months, fellow House and Senate members will return to Frankfort to attend interim committee meetings to consider issues and ideas to carry forward for the next session.
In the meantime, please anticipate regular updates from me as the dust settles from this legislative session. Feel free to reach out here at home anytime, or through the toll-free message line in Frankfort at 1-800-372-7181. If you would like to receive regular email updates on what is going on in Frankfort, feel free to send me a request via my legislative email at Amy.Neighbors@lrc.ky.gov. For more information, please visit the legislature’s website at www.legislature.ky.gov.
