My 2023 Legislative Priorities
Every legislator focuses on different areas, and my area of emphasis is in protecting our Constitutional Rights. You will find me advocating for things that limit the power of government over our lives, and in creating a level playing field for all citizens under the law. I am not a fan of government picking winners and losers via legislation. Sometimes stopping a bad bill is as important as passing a good one (we did some of that in Committee).
My top 3 priority bills were:
1) Ban on warrant-less government surveillance on private land HB144 - Passed!
2) Election integrity bill enhancement bill focusing on post election audits and cleanup of the voter rolls HB 214 - working in Elections Committee this summer along with HB 230 - passed the House and passed Senate Committee, no final vote
3) HB 3 – Juvenile Justice center for Jefferson County to combat crime – Passed!
2023 Legislative Session Recap
- Here is a sampling of the most significant bills.
The vast majority of bills get passed by wide, bi-partisan majorities of over 80%, because there is general consensus in the legislature that they are common-sense improvements - but the Media does not cover those.
These are the bills that had the most debate: we modified them in Committee and with Floor Amendments, and I voted "yes" on the version that ultimately passed, although I was not fully satisfied with the language on some bills. We will fix some of those next year.
Bill full history and text can be searched here:
HB1: Lowers the State income tax from 4.5% to 4.0% starting in 2024, with plans to ELIMINATE KY income tax in 6-8 years.
SB150 Parental Rights and Student Protection (with large portions of HB470, HB30, some of HB173 & HB177 substituted into it):
Bans so-called “gender affirming care” in KY, including sex change operations (ie genital and breast mutilation) and puberty blocking drugs (ie chemical castration) for people below the age of legal consent (18), and gives victims the right to sue later in life.
Requires school bathrooms, locker rooms, shower rooms be designated for only one biological sex, and sets limits classroom instruction on gender identity and sexuality topics K-12. Despite the controversy, and a group of very loud and very angry protesters exercising their Constitutional rights to speak out against the bill, it passed by 75%, same for veto override. Legal challenges are anticipated, but the surrounding states passed similar bills.
SB3: Teachers: State will pay for teacher liability insurance, eliminating one of the costs of being a teacher. Virtually universal support
SB5: School Libraries: Establishes an official process for parents to complain about obscene material in their child’s school library, with a process for removal involving Principal and School Board.
HB538: Student discipline bill. Requires suspension of students who pose a threat to the safety of teachers and others students, and those who commit assault
HB 547 : Protection of private religious expression at school
SB4: Utilities: Requires a study establishing that there will be no increase in brown/black-outs whenever closing a coal-fired power plant for federally subsidized “green energy".
SB7: Eliminates taxpayer funded automatic deduction of dues for politically active unions from government employee paychecks. Passed 80-18
HB5 Bourbon Barrel Tax Repeal Bill: Gradually phases out the special tax on warehoused bourbon that has existed for decades only in KY. (Companion Bill HB447 helped offset loss of local taxes in some rural counties where bourbon is stored). This bill was very controversial and uneasily passed 60-39, after significant debate and alteration.
HJR37 Asks EPA to allow the cessation of expensive reformulated gas requirements in Jefferson and surrounding counties
HB153: Second Amendment Sanctuary Bill. Bars local and state employees (incl. police) from assisting the Federal Gov’t in the enforcement of new federal firearms and ammo bans (this has
been long established by SCOTUS to be constitutional for states under the 10th Amendment).
HB236: Bans ESG guided investing with public pension funds (only pecuniary interests considered).
HB594: Ban of “gray machines”, slot-like game machines seen in the backs of gas stations & corner stores which were of questionable legal status and readily accessible to minors.
HB551: Sports Gaming - Legalizes sports gambling in the state of Kentucky, but only at racing facilities and online, excludes minors, provides tax revenue. A very contentious 63-34 vote on the final day.
SB47: Medical Marijuana (NOT recreational), starting in 2025.
Passed 66-33 on the last day. I voted yes for the benefit of those with terminal and chronic illness, but with the commitment from the sponsor that some bill provisions would be tightened up next session to prevent un-intended consequences and unauthorized access by minors.
HB207 Police Wellness Programs: Allows police officers to get therapy or wellness treatment without it being subjected to open records requests.
HB 115 – Police detection dog protection
SB20 - Bans TikTok on State servers (due to espionage)
HB180 - Regulates biomarker testing
SB62 - Shields privacy of non-profit donor identities
HB135 - Autonomous Vehicle regulation, limiting data use on license plate readers
HB 302 - Improves access to Polls on election day
Good ideas that did not get to a final vote, will try again in 2024:
HB 18 – Dual Credit Scholarships – never called to Committee
HB 26 – Ban on taxpayer funds used for lobbying – never called to Committee
HB 27 – Protection of “learning pods” - never called to Committee
HB 50 – Revealing party affiliation of School Board candidates on the ballot - never called to Committee
HB 57 – Right to refuse medical treatment - never called to Committee
HB 58 – Medical practitioner conscience exemption - never called to Committee
HB 60 – Moment of silence at school - never called to Committee
HB 74 – Water fluoridation optional - never called to Committee
HB 77 – Year – round daylight savings time - never called to Committee
HB 92 – Opt out of medical treatments for school children - never called to Committee
HB 101 - No Covid Vax mandate for school attendance – never called in Sentate
HB 103 – No torture of cats and dogs – no floor vote
HB 116 – Soil and Water Supervisor candidates must be 18 – passed house
HB 129 – Birthing centers - never voted in committee
HB 139 – Campus Free Speech - never called to Committee
HB 173 – protection of school children - features incorporated into SB150 and Passed!
HB 174 – Constitutional Amendment for School Choice – Passed education committee - will be a top priority in 2024
HB 204 – Religious Liberty - never called to Committee
HB 213 - No sales tax on gold and silver bullion – Did not clear Revenue committee
HB 225 – Bar Association dues cannot be used for political purposes – passed House
HB 286 – Added pregnancy as an insurance plan change condition – passed committee
HB 371 – Make Fentanyl transport a class B felony - never called to Committee
HB 400 – Increase DUI penalties - never called to Committee
HB 483 – biometric privacy – never called to committee
HB 500 – prevent hostile foreign nations from buying US farmland – no Senate vote
