LEGISLATIVE UPDATE Week In Review: House advances several key pieces of legislation during the 2025 Regular Session

The legislature is more than halfway through the 2025 Regular Session, and members have been busy attending committee meetings and passing important legislation. As February came to a close, the House passed several key bills related to healthcare, education, criminal justice, and more.

The following bills were passed and will now move to the Senate for consideration including:

Reporting of corrections data: HB 136 would require the Department of Corrections report to include certain information about persons released from a correctional institution and on persons released from a correctional institution on parole. This measure would require reporting for the number of persons released, average sentence, average time served in years, average percentage of the sentence served, percentage of persons released on parole, and number of persons released who were serving a life sentence or a life sentence without benefit of probation or parole until he or she has served a minimum of 25 years. Additionally, the measure would require the report to include data on the persons being released, such as gender, race, age group at the time of release, parental status, gang affiliation, education level, parole violations, and crime of conviction.

Increasing DUI penalties: HB 220 would require that a third or subsequent offense of driving under the influence (DUI) within a 10-year period be a Class D felony. Additionally, HB 220 would require a person convicted of a third or subsequent offense of driving under the influence to serve a minimum of 120 days of imprisonment.
Expanding access to dental care: HB 223 would allow a dental hygienist licensed by the Kentucky Board of Dentistry to practice as a public health hygienist and provide dental hygiene services if the program for which the hygienist works is operated through a federally qualified health center. This measure would help improve access to dental healthcare across Kentucky.

Promoting rehabilitation for parents in the criminal justice system: HB 291 would preserve family stability and promote rehabilitation for parents involved in the criminal justice system. HB 291 would allow courts to issue alternative sentences that support the parent-child relationship, ensuring that nonviolent primary caretakers have access to programs and services designed to maintain family ties while serving out their sentence. If the court determines the defendant is a primary caretaker, it must consider available alternative sentencing options. However, if the defendant fails to comply with the conditions of the alternative sentence, the court retains the authority to modify or revoke alternative sentences.

Establishing an accessible online insurance verification system: HB 390 would require the Department of Vehicle Regulation to establish an accessible online insurance verification system to ensure that all vehicles registered in Kentucky have the required insurance coverage. Insurers would be required to cooperate with the department in the implementation, operation, and maintenance of the accessible online insurance verification system and submit insurance information relating to personal motor vehicles. Small insurers, with 1,000 or fewer policies or contracts, may establish an alternative reporting method. Starting January 1, 2027, the department would be required to notify the motor vehicle owner if the vehicle identification number (VIN) of the owner's personal motor vehicle, or commercial motor vehicle if the commercial motor vehicle is covered by an insurer that has opted to report to the system, does not appear in the accessible insurance verification system for seven consecutive days. The measure also creates a technical advisory committee that is responsible for reviewing the establishment, implementation, operation, and maintenance of the accessible online insurance verification system. The committee is also responsible for making recommendations to the department to ensure the system is efficient and operational upon implementation and consistent with objectives and requirements of this provision.

Ensuring access to outside medical care for mental health patients: HB 392 ensures that patients in state-run mental health facilities can get necessary medical care if the facility can't provide it. House Bill 392 addresses an ongoing problem the Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities (BHDID) faces when seeking outside medical care for individuals within its facilities' care. This bill ensures that patients who are in state mental health facilities who need non-elective medical care, can receive it in a community-based setting. HB 392 simply streamlines the payment system and creates efficiency in the cabinet. This measure would centralize these expenses through the cabinet's discretionary funds.

Relief for school districts and their calendars: HB 241 would allow districts to add additional minutes to their days in order to make up for missed school days. It would also eliminate the 170 day requirement for schools to be in session. If districts experience additional severe weather, the Commissioner of Education could grant an additional 5 disaster relief days. Lastly if a district added minutes and did everything possible, then the Commissioner of Education could grant an additional 5 calamity days if still in session on June 4th.

Streamlining healthcare licensing and enhancing healthcare safety: House Bill 688 specifies that the state nursing board may issue credentials and accept out-of-state licensure credentials, rather than being required to do so. Additionally, changes to existing statute are made to clarify that doctors authorizing advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) to prescribe or dispense drugs, including controlled substances, must hold an active and unrestricted license in the state. This also applies to nurses with less than four years of experience who wish to continue prescribing controlled substances. State licensing boards will now be able to query the cabinet to check if an individual under their jurisdiction has a substantiated finding of adult abuse, neglect, or exploitation. Additionally, changes are made to statute to require students to be allowed to have emergency medication administered to them by trained school personnel. Examples include: rescue inhalers, nebulizers, glucagon, and solu-cortef. These personnel would be covered by a good Samaritan protection for the good-faith administration of prescribed emergency medications. 

As we enter the final stretch of the 2025 Regular Session, I encourage you to watch committee meetings and floor proceedings live on KET.org and follow @KYHouseGOP on social media to keep track of things happening in Frankfort. 

As always, I can be reached anytime through the toll-free message line in Frankfort at 1-800-372-7181. You can also contact me via email at Timmy.Truett@kylegislature.gov and keep track through the Kentucky legislature's website at legislature.ky.gov.