Technology

Create new sections of KRS Chapter 194A to establish the Kentucky statewide health data utility; define terms; establish purposes and a restricted fund for the utility; require the executive director of the Office of Data Analytics to be responsible for the development, implementation, operation, and maintenance of the utility, contract with a consortium of public health colleges to operate and govern the utility, and promulgate administrative regulations to carry out those duties; establish functions and content of utility; create a consortium of public health colleges; establish duties of consortium in operating and governing the utility; establish administration and operation requirements for the consortium; establish the Kentucky Health Information Technology Board; require the board to establish policies and procedures for the sharing and submission of health information, approve data control, governance, and privacy practices, and advise the executive director and the consortium; require the utility's participants to comply with health information sharing and submission requirements within certain timeframes; require the secretary of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to enforce the mandatory reporting requirements for the utility's participants; establish enforcement powers of secretary including civil penalty assessment; require the consortium and the executive director to make annual reports relating to the utility; amend KRS 194A.030, 194A.101, 194A.103, 194A.095, 205.640, 205.6489, 211.474, 214.375, and 311A.190 to conform; repeal KRS 216.2920, 216.2921, 216.2923, 216.2925, 216.2927, and 216.2929, relating to health data collection; establish timeframe for making initial appointments, and provide for staggered appointments to the board; require the Cabinet for Health and Family Services or the Department for Medicaid Services to seek federal approval if it is determined that such approval is necessary; provide authorization from the General Assembly to make changes in the Medicaid program as required under KRS 205.5372(1); EFFECTIVE, in part, July 1, 2028.

Amend KRS 367.3611, relating to the Kentucky Consumer Data Protection Act, to define "automatic content recognition" and "smart monitor" and to include automatic content recognition data in the definition of "sensitive data"; EFFECTIVE July 1, 2027.

Establish Subtitle 13 of KRS Chapter 286 and create new sections thereof to regulate virtual currency kiosks; establish definitions; provide for enforcement by the commissioner of the Department of Financial Institutions; establish license requirements for virtual currency kiosks; require regulatory filings to be submitted to a nationwide licensing system registry; establish initial and renewal application processes and requirements, reporting, surety bond and tangible net worth, and change of control requirements for virtual currency kiosk operators; require the commissioner to promulgate administrative regulations to establish format, document submission, fee, and trade practice requirements for virtual currency kiosk operators; establish record retention requirements for persons required to be licensed as virtual currency kiosk operators; establish trade practice requirements relating to protection of resident assets, virtual currency kiosk transactions, prohibited practices, and fraud and information security compliance procedures; authorize the commissioner to conduct investigations and examinations; provide for the confidentiality of certain documents provided to the commissioner; authorize the commissioner to share, disclose, and report information and take other actions to assist in the commissioner's duties; require the commissioner to submit an annual licensing report to the Legislative Research Commission; establish due process requirements for adverse actions taken by the commissioner against licensees and other persons; establish requirements for the denial, suspension, or revocation of a license; authorize the commissioner to enter cease and desist orders and emergency orders; authorize the commissioner to order civil penalties against persons that violate the subtitle; require the commissioner of the Department of Financial Institutions to promulgate any required emergency and ordinary administrative regulations on or before January 1, 2027; EFFECTIVE, in part, March 31, 2027.

Create new sections of KRS Chapter 367 to establish requirements to protect minors from AI companion platforms and social media platforms using addictive features and predatory data collection; define terms; require AI companion platforms and social media platforms to refine their age verification for users; prohibit AI companion platforms or social media platforms from maintaining accounts for children without verifiable parental consent; create a private right of action for violations by AI companion platforms or social media platforms; authorize the Attorney General to enforce violations.

Amend various sections and create new sections of Subtitle 11 of KRS Chapter 286 to expand the scope of the subtitle to include virtual currency kiosk business; define terms; require licensure for virtual currency kiosk business in this state; require each virtual currency kiosk business location to be approved by the commissioner of the Department of Financial Institutions; require each application for a license to engage in virtual currency kiosk business to be accompanied by a surety bond or other similar security; establish requirements for approval to engage in virtual currency kiosk business at a location in this state; apply examination, investigation, recordkeeping, registered agent, and trade practice requirements to virtual currency kiosk operators; establish reporting, transaction, trade practice, notice, disclosure, fraud detection, and refund requirements for virtual currency kiosk operators; apply license and civil penalties to virtual currency kiosk operators; authorize the commissioner to order any virtual currency kiosk operator to provide refunds and to direct any peace officer to seize, impound, or render inoperable a virtual currency kiosk; establish the purpose of the Act; amend KRS 286.2-015 to authorize political subdivisions of this Commonwealth to enact and enforce ordinances, regulations, and resolutions pertaining to virtual currency kiosk business; create a new section of KRS Chapter 367 to provide that a violation of Subtitle 11 of KRS Chapter 286 by a virtual currency kiosk operator shall be deemed a violation of, and subject to the remedies and penalties of, KRS 367.170; repeal KRS 286.11-065, relating to licenses issued under former KRS Chapter 366; require the commissioner to promulgate emergency and ordinary administrative regulations to implement the Act within 30 days after the effective date of the Act; provide that persons shall not be required to comply with licensing and other provisions of the Act until certain contingencies are satisfied.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 158 to define terms; establish the robotics competition fund; establish the Robotics Funding Selection Committee to award grants from the fund to eligible robotics teams competition sponsors; establish committee membership, duties, and set terms; require the Kentucky Department of Education to promulgate administrative regulations to establish procedures for grant applications and distribution of awards by April 1, 2027; set requirements for grant applications; require annual report by August 1 to Legislative Research Commission; provide for initial staggering of appointments; require the committee to hold its first meeting by October 15, 2026; provide that the Act may be cited as the Advanced Manufacturing Through Robotics Education Act.