Bill Tracker

KFTC's legislative issues during the

2019 Kentucky General Assembly

The session began January 8 and new bills may be introduced until mid-February. KFTC will monitor bills related to our platform. If you’d like to take action 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 Black Lung Benefits House Bill 75 Bill Sponsor(s): Reps. Angie Hatton, Robert Goforth & Travis Brenda	Summary House Bill 75 would repeal language in the 2018 worker 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.	Additional Information HB 75 is assigned to the House Economic Development & Workforce Investment Committee. Learn more about the crisis in black lung in Fixing What's Broke.
KFTC Supports Clean Energy Opportunity Act House Bill 213 Bill Sponsor(s): Rep. Mary Lou Marzian + 3 cosponsors	Summary House Bill 213 would require utilities to use increasing amounts of renewable energy, take energy-efficiency measures and implement energy-efficiency programs. House Bill 213 handout	Additional Information KFTC's platform supports the development of a clean energy economy in Kentucky. HB 213 would be an important step toward implementing the Empower Kentucky Plan. HB 213 is assigned the House Economic Development & Workforce Investment Committee.
KFTC Supports Statewide Fairness House Bill 164 Senate Bill 166 Bill Sponsor(s): Rep. Mary Lou Marzian + 18 others; Sen. McGarvey + others	Summary House Bill 164 and Senate Bill 166 would expand anti-discrimination protections to Kentuckians based on sexual orientation and gender identity in housing, employment, public accommodations and financial transactions.	Additional Information KFTC’s platform opposes and condemns discrimination. HB 164 is assigned to the House Judiciary Committee. SB 166 is assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee.
KFTC Supports Death Penalty Abolition House Bill 115 Bill Sponsor(s): Rep. Chad McCoy + 15 others	Summary House Bill 115 would abolish the death penalty and create a sentence of life imprisonment without parole. Here's more information from the Kentucky Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty.	Additional Information KFTC's platform supports the abolition of the death penalty. HB 115 is assigned to the House Judiciary Committee.
KFTC Supports Public Utilities House Bill 16 Bill Sponsor(s): Reps. Angie Hatton & Chris Harris	Summary House Bill 16 would establish pro-consumer provisions to limit fixed costs charged by utilities; these fixed costs hurt low-income ratepayers and disincentivize energy efficiency, reduced energy usage, and rooftop solar. The bill would also require the PSC to take into account if proposed rate changes are "affordable" to Kentuckians when deciding on utility rate cases, and would mandate a periodic management audit of all monopoly utilities, excluding rural electric cooperatives.	Additional Information When dealing with utilities, the Public Service Commission (PSC) is required to determine that the utility's rates are "fair and reasonable," and the PSC does that by looking at all of the utility's expenses and then setting a rate that guarantees utilities a 12% profit. There is no provision in the law for the PSC to take into account whether customers in the service territory can afford that rate. This law would add setting "rates that include affordability and balancing of interests of various parties affected by the rate" to their mandate. This bill sets a method for determining what the fixed rate should be. HB 16 is assigned to the House Natural Resources and Energy Committee.
KFTC Supports Minimum wage House Bill 182 Senate Bill 51 Bill Sponsor(s): Sens. Reginald Thomas & Gerald Neal; Rep. Mary Lou Marzian	Summary Senate Bill 51 and House Bill 182 both would increase the minimum wage to $15/hour though some of the particulars and other provisions in the bills differ. SB 51 would increase the the minimum wage incrementally until it reaches $15 by 2026; and the wage for tipped workers to $4.90/hour by 2022; and would allow local governments to pass a higher minimum wage. HB 182 would achieve the $15 rate by 2023 and also has provisions to prevent wage discrimination based on sex, race or national origin. Here's information about a minimum wage increase from the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy.	Additional Information SB 51 is assigned to the Senate Appropriations & Revenue Committee. HB 182 is assigned to the House Economic Development & Workforce Investment Committee. Similar bills in recent legislative sessions have not received a hearing in this committee. KFTC's platform calls for a living wage for all Kentuckians.
KFTC Supports Ban the Box House Bill 90 Bill Sponsor(s): Rep. George Brown	Summary House Bill 90 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. HB 90 is assigned to the House Economic Development & Workforce Investment Committee.
KFTC Supports Ban Conversion Therapy House Bill 211 Bill Sponsor(s): Rep. Lisa Willner + 17 other Democrats	Summary House Bill 211 would would ban "conversion therapy" for minors. CT is a practice that falsely claims to change folks' sexual orientation and gender identity.	Additional Information HB 211 is assigned to the House Health & Family Services Committee.
KFTC Supports Repeal Charter Schools House Bill 17 Bill Sponsor(s): Rep. Attica Scott + 22 other Democrats	Summary House Bill 17 (and the similar House Bill 14) 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. Both bills have been assigned to the House Education Committee.
KFTC Supports Landfill monitoring House Bill 222 Bill Sponsor(s): Reps. Maddox, Pratt and Hart	Summary House Bill 222 directs state agencies to make quarterly reports to local solid waste coordinators and fiscal courts on complaints, investigations and actions against solid waste facilities.	Additional Information HB 222 is assigned to the House Natural Resources & Energy Committee.
KFTC Supports Criminalize Animal Torture House Bill 25 Bill Sponsor(s): Rep. W. Thomas	Summary House Bill 25 would make torture of a dog or cat a Class D felony and also increase penalties for people who harm animals as a part of domestic violence against a person.	Additional Information HB 25 has been assigned to the House Judiciary Committee.
KFTC Supports "Klaire's Law" House Bill 98 Bill Sponsor(s): Rep. Diane St. Onge	Summary House Bill 98, otherwise known as 'Klaire's Law,' would strengthen penalties for cruelty against horses.	Additional Information HB 98 has been assigned to the House Judiciary Committee.
KFTC Supports Criminalize Sexual Violence Against Animals Senate Bill 67 Bill Sponsor(s): Sens. J. Adams & D. Thayer	Summary Senate Bill 67 would criminalize sexual violence committeed against animals.	Additional Information Kentucky is one of five states where sexual assault of an animal is legal. SB 67 has been assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee.
KFTC Supports Hot Car Bill House Bill 36 Senate Bill 12 Bill Sponsor(s): Rep. Bratcher, Sen. Carroll + 3 others	Summary House Bill 36 and Senate Bill 12, otherwise known as "Hot Car Bills," would protect animals by granting civil immunity people who break into a car to save pets' and animals' lives. If people make a good-faith effort to save animals, they would not be reqired to pay for damages to vehicles.	Additional Information SB 12 has been assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee. HB 36 has been assigned to the House Judiciary Committee.
KFTC Supports End Diaper Tax House Bill 24 Bill Sponsor(s): Reps. Attica Scott + 20 others	Summary House Bill 24 would exempt child and adult diapers, breast pumps, baby wipes, and other baby products from sales tax.	Additional Information HB 24 has been assigned to the Appropriations & Revenue Committee.
KFTC Supports End Tampon Tax House Bill 23 Bill Sponsor(s): Reps. Attica Scott + 21 others	Summary House Bill 23 would exempt feminine hygiene products from sales tax.	Additional Information HB 23 has been assigned to the Appropriations & Revenue Committee.

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