Criminal Justice (Civil Rights)

in committee · Kentucky · House Mar 10, 2026

HB 861: AN ACT proposing an amendment to Section 145 of the Constitution of Kentucky relating to restoration of rights.

Propose to amend Section 145 of the Constitution of Kentucky to automatically restore the voting rights and civil rights of persons convicted of certain felonies upon completion of their imprisonment, probation, and parole; provide ballot language; submit to voters for ratification or rejection.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill restores voting and civil rights to felons after sentence completion, directly supporting criminal justice reform and protecting civil rights.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Civil Rights Probation & Parole

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in committee · Kentucky · House Feb 19, 2026

HB 623: AN ACT relating to leave from employment.

Amend KRS 337.415, relating to court-ordered appearances by employees, to define terms; prohibit employers from discharging or retaliating against an employee who is a crime victim when the employee takes leave to attend proceedings associated with the prosecution of the crime; require an employee to give an employer reasonable notice to take leave when practicable; provide guidelines for use of paid leave; require the employer to maintain confidentiality of records and communication with employee crime victim; create a civil cause of action for improper discharge, discrimination, retaliation, and failing to maintain confidentiality; amend KRS 337.990 to establish a civil penalty for employer violations.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill protects crime victims' employment rights during court proceedings, aligning with civil rights and victim access to justice under criminal justice reform.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProhibits retaliation against employees taking leave for crime victim court appearances, strengthening employment protections under Labor & Employment.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Civil Rights Courts Victims' Rights Labor Standards Paid Leave

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in committee · Kentucky · House Mar 3, 2026

HB 714: AN ACT relating to unborn children.

Create new sections of KRS Chapter 507, relating to criminal homicide, to allow a prosecution where the victim is an unborn child; provide exceptions for spontaneous miscarriages and life-saving medical procedures; amend KRS 507.010 to define terms; create new sections of KRS Chapter 508, relating to assault, to define terms; allow a prosecution where the victim is an unborn child; provide exceptions for spontaneous miscarriages and life-saving medical procedures; create a new section of KRS Chapter 15 to give the Attorney General concurrent jurisdiction with Commonwealth's and county attorneys when the victim is an unborn child; repeal KRS 507A.010, 507A.020, 507A.030, 507A.040, 507A.050, and 507A.060, relating to fetal homicide; amend KRS 439.265 to conform; provide that the Act may be cited as the Prenatal Equal Protection Act.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeExpands criminalization by adding unborn children as victims in homicide/assault cases, increasing scope of criminal law per Crimes And Punishments subject.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Civil Rights Violent Crime

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in committee · Kentucky · House Feb 4, 2026

HB 511: AN ACT relating to hate crimes.

Amend KRS 532.031, relating to hate crimes, to include offenses committed against an individual because of political creed; amend KRS 15.334 and 17.1523 to conform.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeAmends hate crime laws to include political creed, expanding protections for victims and advancing civil rights within criminal justice framework.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Civil Rights

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passed · Kentucky · Senate Mar 13, 2026

SB 80: AN ACT proposing an amendment to Section 145 of the Constitution of Kentucky relating to restoration of rights.

Propose to amend Section 145 of the Constitution of Kentucky to restore the voting rights of persons convicted of certain felonies after completion of imprisonment, probation, or parole; provide ballot language; submit to voters for ratification or rejection.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRestores voting rights for felons post-sentence, promoting reintegration and civil rights - core criminal justice reform aligned with reducing recidivism and protecting rights.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Civil Rights Probation & Parole

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in committee · Kentucky · House Jan 13, 2026

HB 29: AN ACT relating to leave from employment.

Amend KRS 337.415 to define "crime," "immediate family," and "victim"; prohibit employers from discharging or retaliating against an employee who is a crime victim when the employee takes leave to attend proceedings associated with the prosecution of the crime; require an employee to give an employer reasonable notice to take leave when practicable; provide guidelines for use of paid leave; require the employer to maintain confidentiality of records and communication with employee crime victim; create a private right of action for improper discharge, discrimination, retaliation, or failure to maintain confidentiality; amend KRS 337.990 to establish penalties for violations by an employer.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeProtects crime victims' employment rights during legal proceedings, directly supporting victim access to justice within criminal justice reform framework.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProhibits employer retaliation for crime victim leave, protects workers' rights under employment law, and mandates confidentiality per bill text.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Civil Rights Victims' Rights Paid Leave

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in committee · Kentucky · House Jan 14, 2026

HB 123: AN ACT relating to criminal histories of job applicants.

Create a new section of KRS 344.030 to 344.110 to prohibit employers from considering or requiring disclosure of prior criminal history as part of the initial job application; provide that the Act may be cited as the Ban the Box - The Criminal Record Employment Discrimination Act.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeProhibits employment discrimination based on criminal history, aligning with criminal justice reform to reduce recidivism and promote reintegration of formerly incarcerated individuals.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProhibits employers from considering criminal history in hiring, reducing employment discrimination and protecting workers' rights under Labor & Employment policies.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Civil Rights Employment Discrimination

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in committee · Kentucky · House Jan 30, 2026

HB 478: AN ACT relating to hate crimes.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 532 to provide an enhanced term of imprisonment for any defendant convicted of certain crimes if the defendant intentionally committed the offense because of a person's actual or perceived race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, mental or physical disability, gender identity or expression, or sexual orientation; amend KRS 15.334 and 17.1523 to conform; create a new section of KRS Chapter 508 to create the offense of using hate symbols to intimidate; repeal KRS 49.320 and 532.03, relating to hate crimes.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeEnhances sentencing for hate crimes based on protected characteristics, strengthening civil rights protections within criminal justice system.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Civil Rights

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in committee · Kentucky · House Jan 30, 2026

HB 479: AN ACT relating to hate crimes.

Repeal and reenact KRS 532.031 to define "gender identity or expression"; list the actions that qualify as hate crimes; list the actual or perceived characteristics a person must have in order to qualify as a victim of a hate crime; outline penalties for a person guilty of a hate crime; set forth criteria for seeking an enhanced sentence; amend KRS 15.334 and to add characteristics of a victim to be considered when determining the cause of a crime; add a requirement that officers receive training on hate crimes; create a new section of KRS Chapter 411 to permit a civil action where the victim of a hate crime suffers damages regardless of the outcome of any criminal proceeding; establish recovery for the victim; amend KRS 17.1523 to add characteristics of a victim to be considered when determining the cause of a crime; amend KRS 15.440 to require that a unit of government shall possess a written policy and procedures manual related to hate crimes in order to receive funds from the Law Enforcement Foundation Program fund; repeal KRS 49.320, relating to victim of hate crime deemed victim of criminally injurious conduct.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeDefines hate crimes with expanded victim protections (including gender identity), enhances penalties, and mandates officer training - aligns with criminal justice reform to protect civil rights and strengthen victim protections.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Civil Rights Law Enforcement

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in committee · Kentucky · House Jan 14, 2026

HB 211: AN ACT relating to peace officers.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 15 to define terms; impose a duty on peace officers to intervene to prevent or stop another officer from using physical force that will cause unlawful serious physical injury, death, or deprivation of civil rights; impose a duty to provide or obtain emergency medical assistance; require reporting of intervention; provide administrative and legal protections; amend KRS 15.330 to require the Kentucky Law Enforcement Council to prescribe minimum standards for use of force by officer, an officer's duty to intervene, and reporting of police officer misconduct; amend KRS 413.115 to require that an action for retaliatory personnel actions to be commenced within 3 years.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRequires peace officers to intervene in excessive force incidents, enhancing accountability and protecting civil rights per bill's duty provisions.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Civil Rights Law Enforcement Policing

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