KY Legislature advances bills on crime, housing and other key issues

Legislative Research Commission

The Capitol campus remained under repair and under a blanket of snow Friday as lawmakers wrapped up the third week of the 2024 session.Photo byLRC PIO

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Jan. 19, 2024) — The Kentucky General Assembly found it’s rhythm in the third week of the 2024 legislative session as lawmakers brushed off the snow and began plowing through bills on crime, housing and other key issues.

The House Majority Caucus kicked off the short, four-day week Tuesday by ending months of anticipation and unveiling a $125 billion budget proposal for the state’s next biennium.

House leaders said the spending plan, House Bill 6, places a heavy focus on education, public safety, infrastructure and health services.

The legislation is now awaiting assignment to committee and will likely be one of the most watched and debated measures before the legislature this year.

Meanwhile, an omnibus crime bill – another priority for the House Majority – began moving through the process this week when it passed out of the House Judiciary Committee on Thursday.

Known as the Safer Kentucky Act, the 72-page bill would ramp up the penalties for repeat violent offenders and for a variety of offenses, including carjacking, killing a first responder, fleeing arrest and for selling fentanyl that causes a fatal overdose.

The measure, House Bill 5, would also regulate charitable bail organizations and crack down on unlawful camping.

Supporters say the changes are needed to improve public safety and hold criminals accountable, but opponents argue that it would increase incarceration costs while failing to address the root causes of crime.

HB 5 is now headed to the full House for consideration.

Throughout the busy week, lawmakers also turned their attention to local housing ordinances that forbid landlords from refusing tenants based on their source of rental income.

The Senate State and Local Government Committee voted Wednesday in favor of Senate Bill 25, which would prohibit local governments from requiring landlords to accept renters in the Section 8 housing program.

A similar measure, House Bill 18, would likewise forbid local governments from requiring landlords to accept tenants that participate in federal housing assistance. It won approval from the House State Government Committee on Thursday.

Proponents say such bills help protect the rights of property owners, but critics have raised concerns that they will only exasperate the housing crisis. Both bills now head their respective chambers.

Thursday ended on a solemn note when both the House and Senate adopted resolutions pledging support for Israel, and lawmakers struggled to hold back emotion on the chamber floors as they condemned the violence of Oct. 7.

The resolutions express hope that “the state of Israel and its neighbors can live in freedom and peace with mutual recognition of each other’s dignity and autonomy.”

Other bills on the move this week included measures on Medicaid, elections and college scholarships. Here’s a look at some of the legislation:

Medicaid Managed Care: Senate Bill 24 aims to streamline administrative procedures related to Medicaid managed care by limiting the number of managed care organizations to no more than three. The bill cleared the Senate floor on Tuesday.

Lottery Winners: House Bill 80 seeks to protect the anonymity of lottery winners by allowing them to withhold their name and likeness from certain public records. The House Committee on Licensing, Occupations and Administrative Regulations advanced the measure Wednesday.

Smoke Alarms: House Bill 23 would require existing residences to have at least one working smoke alarm before the residence is sold, leased or rented to a new tenant. The bill passed out of the House Committee on Licensing, Occupations and Administrative Regulations on Wednesday.

Adoption Records: House Bill 87 would allow certain adult family members to inspect adoption records after a birth parent or adoptee has passed away. The House Judiciary Committee passed the legislation Wednesday.

Wrongful Convictions: House Bill 178 would allow people who are wrongfully convicted of a crime to sue the state for monetary damages based on the length of their incarceration and several other factors. The bill moved out of the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday.

Election Cycles: Senate Bill 10 proposes to amend the state constitution and move elections for constitutional officers – such as the governor and attorney general – from odd-numbered years to even-numbered years. The Senate approved the measure on Wednesday.

Artificial Intelligence: House Concurrent Resolution 38 calls for the creation of a new task force that would review the use of artificial intelligence in government and recommend possible legislation to protect consumers. The measure cleared the House Economic Development and Workforce Investment Committee on Thursday.

Hunting and Fishing: House Bill 217 would change a statute on hunting and fishing licenses for landowners. State law allows Kentuckians to hunt and fish without a license on their own farmland if the property is at least five acres in size. HB 217 would eliminate the acreage requirement. The bill passed out of the House Tourism and Outdoor Recreation Committee on Thursday. A similar measure – Senate Bill 5 – advanced off the Senate floor last week.

KEES Scholarships: Senate Bill 7 would allow homeschooled students to receive Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship funds based on their score on the Classic Learning Test. The Senate Education Committee advanced the bill Thursday.

Lawmakers are scheduled to gavel back in on Monday for day 14 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.