Legislative Update

February 24, 2020



Activity has begun to pick up with the House and Senate both taking up some high profile and controversial legislation. The House passed medical cannabis legislation (HB 136) and legislation that overhauls public assistance (HB 1). The Senate passed legislation that will replace the governor's ability to hire the transportation secretary with an independent board (SB 4).
 
Current thinking is that the House version of the budget will be rolled out the first week in March and received in the Senate the second week of March.
 
SB 8, which clarifies certain provisions of the School Safety Act was signed by the governor this past week. The requirement that school resource officers be armed remains in the legislation.
 
HB 325, which expands the historic preservation tax credits has been sent to the House Appropriations and Revenue Committee. AIA Kentucky supports this legislation. We don't anticipate the legislation moving until after the budget is out, but members are encouraged to call their representatives and express support for HB 325.
 
We are reviewing HB 397, which is a union-backed employer misclassification bill. AGC and several contractor interests are opposed to this legislation.
 
HB 467, which allows local review of construction documents was filed this past Thursday. We are still reviewing this legislation.
 
Below is the full list of bills that AIA Kentucky is currently tracking.
Thank you,

    
Greg Brotzge 
AIA Kentucky Lobbyist 
 
Bill Activity Report

Click below for the current status of bills AIA Kentucky is tracking.
(Report created on February  24, 2020)   
 

Week In Review 
   (For the Week Ending February 22, 2020)  

Although the Kentucky General Assembly's 2020 session reached its halfway point this week, much more than half of the workload of this session likely lies ahead.
Northern Kentucky Tribune
A bill under consideration in the General Assembly would give more homeless youth in Kentucky access to mental health services.
WFPL
Veterans in Kentucky who were dishonorably discharged from the military due to their sexual orientation or gender identity would be able to have their state benefits restored under a House bill filed this week.
Louisville Courier-Journal
A politically divisive proposal to revamp Kentucky's public assistance programs and tighten enforcement to prevent suspected fraud won passage in the Republican-run House on Friday.
Associated Press
Many houseboat owners in Kentucky don't pay property taxes on their vessels, but local and state officials are taking another run at making them comply in order to collect money that would help local schools and other services.
Lexington Herald-Leader
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear signed into law Friday a school safety bill that requires all police officers in Kentucky schools to carry a gun.
Lexington Herald-Leader
In a rushed vote on Thursday, Republicans on a House legislative committee hastily approved a bill that seeks to rescind Kentuckians' constitutional right to an abortion, advancing the decades-old proposal further than it's ever gone before.
Lexington Herald-Leader
Kentucky lawmakers have been advancing legislation that would require voters to show a government-issued photo ID in order to cast a ballot, but a civil liberties group says it's likely to mount a court challenge if the bill becomes law.
Associated Press
The Kentucky House of Representatives passed a bill Thursday that would allow doctors to prescribe medical marijuana in limited ways. This is the furthest an effort to legalize any form of marijuana has ever gone.
WFPL
After a decade of failed attempts, the state House on Thursday passed a bill to legalize medical marijuana in Kentucky.
Louisville Courier-Journal
A bill to add language to the state constitution stating that it provides no right to abortion shot through a House committee Thursday in 10 minutes after Rep. Kevin Bratcher, the chairman, cut off discussion, saying the panel was out of time.
Louisville Courier-Journal
A second bill that would require high school and collegiate athletes to participate in sports based on their sexes assigned at birth rather than their gender identities has been filed in Kentucky's General Assembly.
WDRB
The bill is another constitutional amendment to require victims of crime to be notified throughout the judicial process.
Associated Press
Legislation to return voting rights to certain convicted felons who have served their time is now before the Kentucky Senate. It's a constitutional amendment measure that gives the legislature the final say on how the restoration of voting rights would occur.
WEKU
On Wednesday afternoon, the Kentucky House unanimously passed a bill that would restrict the price of insulin in the state.
WDRB
A Senate committee gave initial approval Wednesday to four constitutional amendments, including one that would codify Gov. Andy Beshear's executive order restoring voting rights to most non-violent felons and one that would restrict the governor's ability to grant pardons and commutations.
Lexington Herald-Leader
The House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday approved a bill that would make it easier to transfer state inmates serving felony time in dangerously overcrowded jails to other jails that have open beds.
Lexington Herald-Leader
A bill that would penalize law enforcement agencies that fail to report how much cash and property they seize through asset forfeiture is moving through the state legislature.
WFPL
Lawmakers filed nearly a dozen "unfriendly" floor amendments last week to the bill seeking to legalize and tax sports betting in Kentucky.
Louisville Courier-Journal
Two bills that were presented as part of a "three-phase approach" to create a sustainable solution to local health departments' pension crisis passed the state House Feb. 13. The third part of the plan involves the state budget.
Northern Kentucky Tribune
Questions or comments may be directed to Legislative Chair Eric Steva, AIA, Lobbyist Greg Brotzge or Executive Director, Kelly Ives.
 
Kelly E. Ives, AIA
Executive Director
AIA Kentucky
(859) 223-8201
In This Issue
 

 

 

 

 

AIA Kentucky Government Affairs Committee
The AIA Kentucky Government Affairs Committee reviews, provides feedback, and recommends positions on pending legislation. 

Eric Steva, AIA is the AIA Kentucky Government Affairs Committee chair. If you are interested in serving on this committee, please contact AIA Kentucky Executive Director Kelly Ives, AIA at 859-221-0154. Any AIA Kentucky member in good standing is eligible to serve.
 

KSA Political Action Committee

The importance of our participation in the political process becomes more and more evident each time we must take action to cope with legislative proposals that have the potential to negatively impact our profession. 

You can join many of your fellow members who have already contributed by making a donation of any amount that you are comfortable with. Visit our KSAPAC website to donate online and find out more about how you can lend your support!

HIGHLIGHTS 
2020 Legislative
Day at the Capitol




HIGHLIGHTS 
2019 Legislative 
Shadow Day