Beech Tree News Network

Lawmakers shifted up a gear in the ninth week of the 2024 legislative session, introducing more than 200 new bills in the chambers and advancing a wave of legislation on education and school safety.It was one of busiest weeks yet for this year’s general assembly, and it brought a more complete view of the issues that lawmakers plan to tackle in 2024. That’s because Monday was the last day to file new bills in the House, and Wednesday was the last day in the Senate. The count now totals more than 1,200 bills in the two chambers combined, including two that lawmakers sent to the governor this week – one on hunting and fishing licenses and another on local housing ordinances.

 More than any other issue, education seemed to take center stage as lawmakers deliberated over math standards, cursive handwriting, truancy and school bus cameras, among many other topics this week.

On Wednesday, the Senate State and Local Government Committee passed Senate Bill 8, which would change the process for selecting members for the Kentucky Board of Education. Right now, the governor appoints members to the board. But SB 8 calls for members to be elected from seven districts throughout the state.

The bill is headed to the Senate floor along with another key measure on school safety, which won approval in the Senate Education Committee on Thursday.

Senate Bill 2 seeks to enhance campus security by allowing some veterans and former police officers to serve as school “guardians.” It also calls on school districts to assemble trauma-informed teams to improve mental health interventions.

Also on Thursday, the House Health Services Committee took up legislation on teaching human development.

House Bill 346 would require school districts to adopt a curriculum on the subject beginning in the sixth grade. That includes showing students a high-definition ultrasound video that explains the growth of vital organs during the early fetal stages.

During testimony, lawmakers watched a video – called “Meet Baby Olivia” – that would meet the requirements of the bill. But they disagreed on whether the information in the video is medically accurate. The legislation passed 14-4 and now heads to the House.

A fourth bill generating headlines this week was Senate Bill 147, an act related to adult-oriented businesses.

The legislation would prevent adult-oriented businesses from operating near areas where minors might congregate, such as schools, churches, child care facilities and parks. In addition, such businesses would be required to ensure that minors are not exposed to explicit performances.

The Senate Committee on Veterans, Military Affairs and Public Protection passed the legislation 9-2 after debate over child protection and freedom of expression. It now heads to the Senate floor.

Other measures progressing through the legislature this week include bills on digital privacy, social media, sex crimes, firearms, energy and a host of other issues. Here’s a look at some of the bills that were moving:

Hunting and Fishing Licenses: Senate Bill 5 changes a statute on hunting and fishing licenses for landowners. Prior state law allowed Kentuckians to hunt and fish without a license on their own farmland if the property is at least five acres. However, SB 5 eliminates the acreage requirement. The bill cleared the House floor on Monday and has been signed by the governor.

Child Abuse: House Bill 278 would ramp up the criminal penalties for offenders who sexually abuse, assault or exploit children. The bill also seeks to prevent people convicted of sex crimes or violent felonies from working in public schools. The House passed the bill Monday.

Nuclear Energy: Senate Bill 198 would establish the Kentucky Nuclear Energy Development Authority to support and facilitate the development of a nuclear energy ecosystem across the state. The Senate advanced the measure Monday.

School Bus Cameras: House Bill 461 would allow school districts to install cameras on the side of school buses to catch motorists who fail to stop when the stop-arm is deployed. Offenders would face a $500 fine for the first offense and a $1,000 fine for a subsequent offense. The bill received a nod from the House Transportation Committee on Tuesday.

Truancy: House Bill 611 calls on school officials to file a complaint with the county attorney when a parent allows an elementary student to miss 15 days of school without an excuse. The bill won support from the House Education Committee on Tuesday.

Child Support: Once a child is born, Senate Bill 110 would allow courts to order child support to cover the prior nine months leading up to that birth. The order must be entered within the first year after the child is born. The Senate Committee on Families and Children passed the bill Tuesday.

Local Housing Ordinances: House Bill 18 would prevent local governments from requiring property owners to accept tenants who use federal housing assistance. The bill won final passage in the House on Tuesday and has been sent to the governor.

Firearms: House Bill 357 would forbid government agencies from creating a list of privately owned firearms – or their owners – unless the information relates to a criminal investigation. The bill also aims to prevent credit card companies from creating unique merchant codes for gun stores. The House passed the legislation Tuesday.

Social Media: House Bill 463 would require social media platforms to implement multiple safeguards designed to protect minors. That includes regulating algorithms, creating parental controls and shielding minors from pornographic material, among other requirements. It passed out of the House Small Business and Information Technology Committee on Wednesday.

Math Education: House Bill 162 seeks to improve numeracy in Kentucky. It would reform early education math standards and provide more professional development for teachers. The bill would also create multitiered support systems for struggling students. The House passed the legislation Wednesday.

Privacy: House Bill 45 would establish privacy protections from electronic surveillance, including new rules for using drones, micro-tracking and automated license plate readers. It would also regulate the use of artificial intelligence to create “deepfakes.” The House passed the measure Wednesday.

Research Consortiums: Senate Bill 1 would create an endowment fund to support collaborative research consortiums in Kentucky. The legislation cleared the Senate on Wednesday.

Sex Offenders and Social Media: Senate Bill 249 would require sex offenders who have been convicted of abusing a minor to use their legal name on social media platforms. The Senate Judiciary Committee advanced the measure Thursday.

Sex Crimes: House Bill 207 would create felony penalties for possessing, trafficking, importing or promoting the use of a child sex doll. Offenders who digitally alter photos of children to create child pornography would also face felony charges under the bill. HB 207 cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday.

Cursive Handwriting: Senate Bill 167 calls for elementary schools to teach cursive handwriting and ensure that students are proficient in cursive by the end of the fifth grade. The Senate Education Committee advanced the bill Thursday.

Consumer Data Privacy: House Bill 15 would establish new privacy protections for digital consumers. It would allow consumers to review and correct any data that companies collect on them. Consumers could also refuse to have their data sold, and they could demand that their data is deleted. It cleared the Senate Committee on Economic Development, Tourism and Labor on Thursday.

School Bus Behavior: House Bill 446 seeks to address disciplinary issues on school buses. Under the bill, every bus rider – and at least one of their parents or guardians – would need to sign a transportation agreement with the district. The agreement would outline expectations for students and parents and explain the consequences for misbehavior. The House passed the bill Friday.

Lawmakers are scheduled to return to Frankfort on Monday for day 43 of the 60-day session. 

Kentuckians can track the action through the Legislative Record webpage, which allows users to read bills and follow their progression through the chambers. Capitol observers can also track budget bills on the 2024 Budget Bills webpage. 

 Citizens can also share their views on issues with lawmakers by calling the General Assembly’s toll-free message line at 1-800-372-7181.