HB 495 Kentucky House · 2025 Regular Session

AN ACT relating to healthcare services and declaring an emergency.

Summary
Create new sections of KRS Chapter 344 to define terms; prohibit discrimination against mental health care professionals, mental health care institutions, and ordained ministry for providing protected counseling services; prohibit discrimination against individuals for offering information, training, and referrals for protected counseling services; prohibit discrimination against parents and guardians who consent to their child receiving protected counseling services; prohibit reporting of a mental health care professional or mental health care institution to a hiring or licensing authority solely on the basis that it provides protected counseling services; prohibit a hiring or licensing authority from investigating a mental health care professional or mental health care institution solely on the basis that it provides protected counseling services; establish a civil cause of action for a person injured by a violation; provide that the Act may be cited as the Mental Health Counseling Protection Act; EMERGENCY.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2025
Committee Review
Mar 2025
House Passage
Mar 2025
Senate Passage
Mar 2025
Signed into Law
Mar 2025
Introduced Feb 13, 2025 Signed Mar 27, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced Current/Final · 5 edits
MODERATE
The bill was significantly rewritten from a mental health counseling protection law into a healthcare services bill that restricts Medicaid funding for gender-affirming care. The original version protected mental health professionals from discrimination when providing counseling related to sexual orientation or gender identity, while the new version prohibits Medicaid funds from being used for cross-sex hormones and gender reassignment surgery.
Scope change
The bill's scope shifted from protecting mental health counseling services to restricting state-funded healthcare services related to gender identity.
SCOPE

Removed definitions and protections for mental health counseling services related to sexual orientation and gender identity

Changed the bill title and chapter reference from mental health counseling protection to general healthcare services

FISCAL

Added prohibition on Medicaid funding for cross-sex hormones and gender reassignment surgery

TIMELINE

Added sunset provision requiring repealing of Executive Order 2024-632 through January 1, 2028

ENFORCEMENT

Removed civil cause of action provisions for individuals injured by violations of the original counseling protection law

Floor votes · House Mar 5, 2025

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
43
Key actions
13
Committee
10
Amendments
3
Mar 27, 2025
Upper · Passed
enrolled, signed by President of the Senate
upper
Mar 27, 2025
Lower · Passed
enrolled, signed by Speaker of the House
lower
Mar 27, 2025
Lower · Passed
passed 31-6
lower
Mar 27, 2025
Vetoed
posted for passage for consideration of Governor's veto
lower
Mar 27, 2025
Committee
to Rules (S)
upper
Mar 27, 2025
Lower · Passed
passed 78-20
lower
Mar 27, 2025
Vetoed
veto overridden
lower
Mar 27, 2025
Vetoed
posted for consideration of Governor's veto
lower
Mar 27, 2025
Committee
to Rules (H)
lower
Mar 24, 2025
Vetoed
Vetoed
lower
Mar 14, 2025
Upper · Passed
enrolled, signed by President of the Senate
upper
Mar 14, 2025
Lower · Passed
enrolled, signed by Speaker of the House
lower
Mar 14, 2025
Lower · Passed
passed 67-19
lower
Mar 14, 2025
Lower · Passed
House concurred in Senate Committee Substitute (1) and Committee Amendment (1-title)
lower
Mar 14, 2025
Committee
to Rules (H)
lower
Mar 13, 2025
Lower · Passed
passed 28-6 with Committee Substitute (1) and Committee Amendment (1-title)
lower
Mar 12, 2025
Introduced
floor amendment (1) filed to Committee Substitute
lower
Mar 12, 2025
Lower · Passed
reported favorably, 2nd reading, to Rules with Committee Substitute (1) and Committee Amendment (1-title)
lower
Mar 11, 2025
Committee
to Health Services (S)
upper
Mar 6, 2025
Committee
to Committee on Committees (S)
upper
Mar 5, 2025
Lower · Passed
3rd reading, passed 77-18 with Floor Amendment (4) and Floor Amendment (5-title)
lower
Mar 5, 2025
Introduced
floor amendments (4) and (5-title) filed
lower
Mar 4, 2025
Introduced
floor amendments (1), (2-title) and (3) filed
lower
Feb 27, 2025
Lower · Passed
reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar
lower
Feb 21, 2025
Committee
to State Government (H)
lower
Feb 13, 2025
Committee
to Committee on Committees (H)
lower
Feb 13, 2025
Introduced
introduced in House
lower
0 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

No sponsor information available.