Create a new section of KRS Chapter 512 to define terms; make criminal atmospheric pollution a Class D felony; require that a person found guilty of criminal atmospheric pollution pay a civil penalty of not less than $500,000 in addition to all other penalties authorized by law; provide that each day that a person engages in criminal atmospheric pollution constitutes a separate offense; empower all peace officers of the Commonwealth to enforce the prohibition on criminal atmospheric pollution; require an arresting officer to issue a notice to any federal agency that approved the action that those activities cannot be lawfully carried out in the Commonwealth.
Create a new section of KRS Chapter 40 to define terms; require any person seeking compensation for assisting with veterans' benefits to be accredited by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs; provide that the Act may be cited as the Veterans' Benefits Accreditation Act.
Create new sections of KRS Chapter 158 to define terms; prohibit a school district, public school, or cooperative board from providing differential treatment or benefits on the basis of an individual's religion, race, sex, color, or national origin; prohibit the Kentucky Department of Education, a school district, a public school, or a cooperative board from expending any resources on diversity, equity, and inclusion; prohibit the department, a school district, a public school, or a cooperative board from soliciting statements on an applicant's experience with or views on religion, race, sex, color, or national origin, from providing differential treatment or benefits to an individual based on the individual's participation in diversity, equity, and inclusion training, and from disseminating or profiting from any research, work product, or material that promotes or justifies discriminatory concepts of diversity, equity, and inclusion; establish exclusions; authorize the Attorney General to bring an action for a writ of mandamus to compel the department, a school district, a public school or a cooperative board to comply; create a cause of action to permit a qualified individual to file a civil action against a the department, a school district, a cooperative board, or a public school for injunctive relief arising from a violation of this Act; permit recovery of monetary damages for a willful and intentional violation; waive sovereign, governmental, and qualified immunity; prohibit retaliation; require each public school district and cooperative board to provide the State Treasurer the name, job title, duty station, and compensation information of each employee of the school district or cooperative board each month for publication; amend KRS 161.030 to require certain certification applicants to complete an approved professional development program on Kentucky education law; amend KRS 158.4416 and 158.4414 to conform; amend KRS 160.380 to remove language requiting targeted minority recruitment; amend various KRS sections to conform; repeal KRS 156.500 and 161.165; require school districts and cooperative boards to follow designated procedures when implementing this Act including termination or transfer of certain employees; require the Kentucky Department of Education to eliminate the Division of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging and follow designated procedures when implementing this Act including termination or transfer of certain employees; EFFECTIVE, in part, February 1, 2027; EMERGENCY.
Create new sections of KRS Chapter 309 to define terms; establish a licensing board for professional music therapists; require 3 members of the board to have engaged in the practice or teaching of music therapy for at least 3 years; prohibit any persons not licensed by the board from holding himself or herself out as a licensed professional music therapist; authorize the board to promulgate administrative regulations; authorize the board to issue a license to practice music therapy; establish the process for license renewal, suspension, and revocation; establish fees for licensure; establish fee limitations; authorize the board to implement disciplinary actions; require a licensed professional music therapist to collaborate with a client's physician or other professional involved in the treatment of the client; require a licensed professional music therapist to collaborate with a client's mental health or substance use disorder professional involved in the treatment of the client; prohibit a licensed professional music therapist from replacing services provided by an audiologist or a speech-language pathologist; create the Kentucky Board of Licensure for Professional Music Therapists fund; establish a fine for violations; provide for initial board appointments.
Amend KRS 337.010 to increase the applicable threshold of employees of retail stores and service industries from $95,000 to $500,000 average annual gross volume of sales for the employer; amend KRS 337.275 to incrementally raise minimum wage for employers to $15.00 an hour; include anti-preemption language permitting local governments to establish minimum wage ordinances in excess of the state minimum wage.
This resolution (SR 217) confirms the reappointment of Kenneth Christopher LeMonds to Kentucky's Standards and Assessments Process Review Committee, as originally named by Governor Beshear under Executive Order 2024-674. The Senate's action completes the required confirmation process for LeMonds, who represents school principals on the committee per state law (KRS 158.6453). The resolution formally approves his term, which expires May 27, 2028. This is a procedural confirmation with no new policy changes, solely completing the appointment process for an existing committee position.
This resolution formally approves Governor Beshear's reappointment of Amanda Perkins as an administrative law judge in Kentucky's Department of Workers' Claims for a term ending July 14, 2028. It confirms an existing executive appointment under state law (KRS 342.230) and has no new policy provisions. The Senate unanimously adopted this procedural resolution on March 27, 2025, to complete the confirmation process for Perkins' continued service.
This resolution (SR 133) formally confirms Governor Andy Beshear's appointment of Sean M. Garber to serve on the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education, replacing Eric Farris. It directly affects Sean Garber, who will now hold this position until December 31, 2025. The resolution is purely procedural, as it does not change any laws or policies but merely approves an existing gubernatorial appointment requiring Senate confirmation under Kentucky law. The Senate unanimously adopted this resolution on March 27, 2025.
This resolution confirms Governor Andy Beshear's appointment of Samuel Tarter to the Kentucky Housing Corporation Board of Directors, replacing Gale Lively. It formally approves Tarter's service for a term ending December 11, 2028, as required by state law. The bill directly affects Tarter (a Russell Springs resident) and the Kentucky Housing Corporation, which oversees housing programs. As a routine confirmation resolution, it has no new policy provisions and was unanimously adopted by the Senate.
This resolution confirms Ben D. Allison's reappointment to the Board of Trustees for Kentucky's Judicial Form Retirement System, a board that oversees retirement benefits for judges. The Senate formally approves Governor Beshear's existing reappointment (made under Executive Order 2024-701), extending Allison's term until June 30, 2028. The bill does not create new policies or affect public programs - it is a procedural step to finalize an appointment already made by the Governor. It directly affects only Ben D. Allison's official role on the board.
This resolution confirms Governor Andy Beshear's appointment of Laura Beasley as an administrative law judge in Kentucky's Department of Workers' Claims, replacing Kimberly O'Bryan. It formally approves her appointment for a term ending December 31, 2027, as required by Kentucky law (KRS 342.230). The Senate passed the resolution unanimously on March 27, 2025, to finalize her role in reviewing workers' compensation cases.
This resolution confirms Christopher Dischinger's appointment to the University of Louisville Board of Trustees, replacing Mary Nixon. It formally approves the Governor's appointment as required by law, with Dischinger's term set to expire January 13, 2030. The Senate unanimously adopted the resolution (38-0) on March 27, 2025, completing the confirmation process. This is a procedural action confirming an existing appointment, not a policy change affecting students or university operations.
