Bill Tracker

KFTC's legislative issues during the

2020 Kentucky General Assembly

The 2020 Kentucky General Assembly began on January 7 and will continue for 60 working days, adjourning on April 15. KFTC will monitor legislation related to our platform. If you’d like to express your opinion on any of the bills listed in the tracker, you can contact your legislators at 800-372-7181. Operators will help you find your legislator and it’s very simple to leave a message.

To read a bill or get additional information, click on the bill number in the Summary column.

You can get additional resources for taking action by visiting KFTC's General Assembly page. Here you will find resources for talking with your legislator, reporting back what you learn, information on lobby days, and more.

Finally, please like us on Facebook. That’s where we will provide the quickest, latest updates on important bills that begin to move or need action.

KFTC Supports Restore Voting Rights House Bill 6 Bill Sponsor(s): C. Booker, C. Stevenson	Summary House Bill 6 would amend the Kentucky Constitution to restore voting rights to those who have a felony conviction once their sentence is completed. It would send the amendment to Kentucky voters for ratification.	Additional Information This bill is a clean version of the Voting Rights bill with no exclusions based on the kinds of felonies. Everyone gets their right to vote after they’ve completed their prison time, probation, and/or parole. KFTC is working to restore voting rights for folks who have a felony conviction in their past without exception. To learn more about the movement to restore voting rights in Kentucky as well as KFTC's work on this issue, and to connect with Kentuckians taking action, contact Dave Newton at: dave@kftc.org
KFTC Supports Raise Minimum Wage House Bill 39 Senate Bill 13 Bill Sponsor(s): Reps. K. Hinkle + 13 others, & Sen. R. Thomas	Summary House Bill 39 and Senate Bill 13 would raise the state minimum wage to $8.20 per hour in 2020 with annual increases until it reaches $15 in 2027; also raise the minimum wage for tipped employees to $2.13 and incrementally until it reaches $4.90 in 2023; include language permitting local governments to establish minimum wage ordinances in excess of the state minimum wage.	Additional Information KFTC's platform calls for a living wage for all Kentuckians. House Bill 39 has been assigned to the House Economic Development & Workforce Investment Committee. Senate Bill 13 has been assigned to the Senate Appropriations & Revenue Committee.
KFTC Supports Black Lung Benefits House Bill 125 Bill Sponsor(s): A. Hatton, G. Brown Jr., C. Stevenson	Summary House Bill 125 would repeal language in the 2018 workers' comp law limiting who can perform evaluations in occupational disease claims; this law has been used to make it much harder for miners with black lung disease to qualify for compensation. Learn more about the crisis in black lung in Fixing What's Broke.	Additional Information Ensuring that folks who've worked in the mines have the health care, income and retirements they deserve requires a Just Transition. KFTC members and our allies have been working at the state and federal levels to ensure that the epidemic in black lung disease is properly addressed. You can learn more about the work at the federal level at fixwhatsbroke.org. To learn more about ways you can help at the state level, email Lisa Abbott at: lisa@kftc.org House Bill 125 has been assigned to the House Economic Development & Workforce Investment Committee.
KFTC Supports Limit Death Penalty House Bill 237 Bill Sponsor(s): C. McCoy, K. Banta, R. Rothenburger, N. Tate	Summary House Bill 237 would prohibit application of the death penalty if the accused has a diagnosis of serious mental illness.	Additional Information KFTC's platform supports the abolition of the death penalty. House Bill 237 has been assigned to the House Judiciary Committee.
KFTC Supports Maternal Health Bill House Bill 138 Bill Sponsor(s): A. Scott, C. Booker + 9 others	Summary House Bill 138 would require the Department for Public Health to track data on maternal death and severe morbidity, and other provisions.	Additional Information House Bill 138 has been assigned to the House Health & Family Services Committee.
KFTC Supports Statewide Fairness House Bill 225 Bill Sponsor(s): M. Marzian, P. Minter, M. Cantrell, L. Willner	Summary House Bill 225 would expand anti-discrimination protections to Kentuckians based on sexual orientation and gender identity in housing, employment, public accommodations and financial transactions.	Additional Information House Bill 225 has been assigned to the House Economic Development & Workforce Investment Committee.
KFTC Supports Ban Conversion Therapy House Bill 199 Bill Sponsor(s): L. Willner, P. Minter, + 15 others	Summary House Bill 199 would would ban LGBTQ "conversion therapy" for minors. CT, sometimes called "reparative therapy," is a practice that falsely claims to change folks' sexual orientation and gender identity.	Additional Information House Bill 199 has been assigned to the House Health & Family Services Committee.
KFTC Supports Voter Registration House Bill 81 Bill Sponsor(s): M. Sorolis, T. Bojanowski, G. Brown Jr., C. Stevenson, B. Wheatley	Summary House Bill 81 would make each application for a driver's license a simultaneous application for voter registration, unless the applicant declines.	Additional Information House Bill 81 has been assigned to the House Elections, Const. Amendments & Intergovernmental Affairs Committee.
KFTC Supports Same Day Voter Registration House Bill 80 Bill Sponsor(s): M. Sorolis, T. Bojanowski, G. Brown Jr., N. Kulkarni, C. Stevenson	Summary House Bill 80 would allow Kentuckians to register to vote at their polling location on election day.	Additional Information House Bill 80 has been assigned to the House Elections, Const. Amendments & Intergovernmental Affairs Committee.
KFTC Supports Campaign Finance House Bill 111 Bill Sponsor(s): D. Graham, G. Brown Jr., C. Stevenson	Summary House Bill 111 would require candidates for statewide offices to publically release five years of tax returns.	Additional Information This bill would help with transparency during election season as candidates would identify their financial conflicts of interest. House Bill 111 has been assigned to the House Elections, Const. Amendments & Intergovernmental Affairs Committee.
KFTC Supports Early Voting House Bill 78 Senate Bill 43 Bill Sponsor(s): Reps. M. Sorolis, T. Bojanowski, + 4 others, & Sen. R. Thomas	Summary House Bill 78 and Senate Bill 43 would allow early, in-person voting on three Saturdays prior to any election.	Additional Information House Bill 78 has been assigned to the House Elections, Const. Amendments & Intergovernmental Affairs Committee. Senate Bill 43 has been assigned to the Senate State & Local Government Committee.
KFTC Opposes Family Separation Bill Senate Bill 1 Bill Sponsor(s): D. Carroll, J. Schickel, D. Thayer + other Republicans	Summary Senate Bill 1 requires all state agencies to comply with federal anti-immigration enforcement; bars DACA (Deferred Action For Childhood Arrivals) students and students without documentation from enrollment in higher education; prohibits any sanctuary spaces, and more. SB 1 is assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee, which meets Thursdays at 10 a.m. in Capitol Annex Room 154.	Additional Information KFTC's platform supports the right of residents who are undocumented to be treated with the respect and dignity that all human beings are entitled to. We acknowledge the legality of all peoples' right to seek asylum, and we seek the end of family separation, detentions and criminal prosecutions of immigrants at our borders and elsewhere. We also support open pathways to citizenship for people who are undocumented.
KFTC Opposes Anti-Sanctuary Bill House Bill 51 Bill Sponsor(s): Reps. L. Bechler + 17 others	Summary House Bill 51 would require local law enforcement agencies and KSP to enforce immigration laws; prohibit local governments from adopting sanctuary policies; withhold state funding; prohibit educational institutions from enrolling, employing, or contracting with undocumented folks; require post-secondary educational institutions to keep records of immigration status; withhold state funding.	Additional Information KFTC's platform supports the right of residents who are undocumented to be treated with the respect and dignity that all human beings are entitled to. House Bill 51 is a bad bill that is somewhat different from Senate Bill 1, the Family Separation Bill. Most of the legislative focus concerns SB 1. We oppose and will monitor HB 51 as well.
KFTC Opposes Restrictive Voter ID Senate Bill 2 Bill Sponsor(s): R. Mills, D. Thayer, + 10 others	Summary Senate Bill 2 contains a variety of provisions concerning provisional ballots. It also contains restrictive requirements for voter IDs. This bill requires voters to have a photo ID to cast a ballot.	Additional Information KFTC’s platform supports policies that facilitate full democratic participation. Senate Bill 2 has been assigned to the Senate State & Local Government Committee.
KFTC Opposes Pipeline Protest Bill House Bill 44 Bill Sponsor(s): J. Gooch Jr., A. Bowling	Summary House Bill 44 would make it a felony to participate in certain types of protests against natural gas pipelines.	Additional Information House Bill 44 has been assigned to the House Natural Resources & Energy Committee.

Bills to Watch
On Our Radar Surprise Medical Billing House Bill 179 Bill Sponsor(s): C. Stevenson	Summary House Bill 179 would limit patients' financial liability for uninteneded out-of-network medical care.	Additional Information House Bill 179 has been assigned to the House Banking & Insurance Committee.
On Our Radar Ban The Box House Bill 43 Bill Sponsor(s): G. Brown Jr., C. Booker, D. Graham, N. Kulkarni, R. Meeks, A. Scott	Summary House Bill 43 would make it unlawful to require a job applicant to disclose their prior criminal history as part of the initial job application.	Additional Information KFTC’s platform opposes discrimination based on current or former incarceration status. House Bill 43 has been assigned to the House Economic Development & Workforce Investment Committee.
On Our Radar Repeal Youth Incarceration Bill House Bill 62 Bill Sponsor(s): A. Scott, C. Booker, G. Brown Jr., J. Glenn, D. Graham, R. Meeks	Summary House Bill 62 would repeal portions of the problematic "Youth Incarceration" Bill that became law during the 2018 legislative session.	Additional Information The 2018 Youth Incarceration bill layered on the punishment against young people who are alleged to have ever had a gang association. It promoted racial profiling and focuses on punishment rather than prevention. House Bill 62 has been assigned to the House Judiciary Committee.
On Our Radar Repeal Charter Schools House Bill 25 Bill Sponsor(s): A. Scott, M. Marzian, + 10 others	Summary House Bill 25 would repeal legislation establishing charter schools in Kentucky.	Additional Information KFTC's platform calls for a system of high-quality public education, including pre-school through higher education, that is accessible and affordable for all Kentuckians. Charter schools take resources from public education and do not serve all students. House Bill 25 has been assigned to the House Education Committee.
On Our Radar Officer Shooting Review House Bill 10 Bill Sponsor(s): A. Scott, C. Booker, G. Brown Jr., J. Glenn	Summary House Bill 10 would establish an Officer Shooting Review Board to investigate any shooting of an individual by a law enforcement officer or any deadly incident involving law enforcement.	Additional Information House Bill 10 has been assigned to the House Judiciary Committee.
On Our Radar Repeal Unlicensed Concealed Carry House Bill 31 Bill Sponsor(s): C. Booker	Summary House Bill 31 would repeal laws that allow Kentuckians over 21 to carry concealed deadly weapons without a license.	Additional Information In 2019, the state passed a law which allows concealed weapons to be carried by someone over 21 without a concealed carry license – meaning no required gun safety training, no background checks, no records to aid police in investigations. House Bill 31 has been assigned to the House Judiciary Committee.
On Our Radar Restore Prevailing Wage House Bill 77 Bill Sponsor(s): N. Kulkarni	Summary House Bill 77 would reinstitute prevailing wage requirement for all public projects.	Additional Information KFTC's platform supports the right to a living wage for all Kentuckians. House Bill 77 has been assigned to the House Economic Development & Workforce Investment Committee.
On Our Radar End Tampon Tax House Bill 26 Bill Sponsor(s): A. Scott, C. Booker, G. Brown Jr., J. Glenn, D. Graham, R. Meeks	Summary House Bill 26 would exempt feminine hygiene products from sales tax.	Additional Information House Bill 26 has been assigned to the House Appropriations & Revenue Committee.

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