Rep. John Hodgson

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 189 to define terms related to automated license plate readers; establish limitations on use and sale of data captured by automated license plate readers; create a new section of KRS Chapter 183 to define terms and establish limitations on the use of an unmanned aircraft system; create a new section of KRS Chapter 411 to establish a cause of action for the unauthorized use of an unmanned aircraft system; create a new section of KRS Chapter 413 to establish a statute of limitations for an action filed for the unauthorized use of an unmanned aircraft system; create a new section of KRS Chapter 411 to define terms and establish limitations on "deep fakes"; create a new section of KRS Chapter 413 to establish a statute of limitations for an action filed for the unlawful dissemination of a deep fake; create a new section of KRS Chapter 411 to define terms and establish limitations on the introduction of identification devices on or within the human body; create a new section of KRS Chapter 413 to establish a statute of limitations for an action filed for introduction of an identification device; create a new section of KRS Chapter 519 to establish a criminal penalty for illegally disseminating a deep fake; amend KRS 508.152, relating to the unlawful use of tracking devices, to include the installation of a tracking device on the person or property of another without their consent and exempt parental tracking of minors from the prohibition.

Amend KRS 95A.292 to allow rescue squad members to participate in the Alan "Chip" Terry Professional Development and Wellness Program; and create a new section of KRS Chapter 39F to direct the Division of Emergency Management and the Kentucky Fire Commission to enter into an agreement to ensure that rescue squad members have access to the program.

Create new sections of KRS Chapter 160 to establish definitions; establish a petition process for citizens of a qualifying city to place the question of creating a new independent district and local board of education within the boundaries of the city; establish the requirements for the question and the board of education provisional election; establish the initial terms of office for the interim board of education and subsequent terms; establish the transition of authorities from the originating school district board of education to the boards of both the altered originating school district and the new independent school district; require the Kentucky Department of Education to calculate assets and liabilities of the originating school district for division to the altered originating school district and the new independent school district; authorize the altered originating district to maintain control and use of assets until the scheduled transfer to the new independent district and authorize the continued payments of debts; establish a negotiation process between the altered originating district and the new independent district to resolve the division of the originating district's assets and liabilities; establish a deadline for the negotiation to conclude with an agreement; provide a process for resolution of disagreements; establish a penalty to the districts for unresolved disputes that continue past the deadline; establish a deadline for the transfer of all assets and debts; authorize the altered originating district to continue to assess and collect taxes for both districts until the close of the tax year in which the new independent district is fully operational; provide for the distribution of collected taxes during the transition period; require the mayor of the city to call the newly elected interim board of new independent district to meet; establish the agenda for the first meeting of the new interim board; allow the interim board to request assistance from the Kentucky Department of Education and require the commissioner of education to provide assistance; establish the transition process for the new independent district to become fully functional, including budgets and financial transfers during the transition; allow for the new independent district to request a waiver of the transition timeline from the commissioner of education; allow the interim board to submit a waiver request for a statute or administrative regulation to the Kentucky Board of Education, and establish the limits of any waiver; authorize the interim board to enter into service contracts with another school district during the transition; establish a process for the interim board to vote to terminate the establishment of the new independent district due to financial unviability during the transition; establish the transition from an interim board to a fully functional board of the new independent district; require the continued collection of taxes tied to the payment of debt or interest until the debt or interest is retired; waive the requirement for school based decision making for the first year of operations of the new independent district; require the interim board of the new independent district to develop, adopt, and maintain a transition plan and establish the requirements of the plan; create a new section of KRS Chapter 157 to establish a projection model for the first year of full operations of the new independent district and the altered originating district.

Amend KRS 158.175 to require moments of silence or reflection at the start of each school day and establish guidelines.

Create a new section of KRS 381.785 to 381.801 to define "Betsy Ross Flag"; prohibit a planned community association from preventing a home owner from placing a flag pole displaying any version of the American flag, historic versions of the American Flag including the Betsy Ross Flag, or the Kentucky state flag on private property; amend KRS 381.990 to establish a penalty.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 156 to prohibit the Kentucky Department of Education from complying with a provision of any administrative regulation or guidance issued by the United States Department of Education concerning Title IX that equates gender identity to biological sex, require school districts, public schools, and public charter schools to also comply, specify that the withholding of any federal funds shall not negate the requirements of this section; create a new section of KRS Chapter 164 to apply the same restrictions to the Council on Postsecondary Education and any public postsecondary educational institution.

Amend KRS 164.295 to permit Murray State University to offer doctor's degrees required for professional practice and licensure in veterinary medicine.

Amend KRS 216B.040 to require that the Cabinet for Health and Family conduct public hearings on certificate of need applications as requested by applicants for, or holders of, certificates of need and licenses; amend KRS 216B.062 to require that notice be given on the right of only applicants to request a hearing; amend KRS 216B.085 to require that only the applicant may request a public hearing within 15 days of a cabinet decision regarding an application; require that notice of the public hearing be given only to the applicant; require that only the applicant have the right to be represented by counsel at the public hearing; require that the cabinet notify only the applicant of the decision and that the decision is final unless a request for reconsideration is filed by only the applicant; amend KRS 216B.090 to permit only the applicant to request a hearing for purposes of reconsideration of the cabinet; amend KRS 216B.095 to delete notice of a cabinet decision regarding a request for a nonsubstantive review to any affected party; amend KRS 216B.115 to permit an appeal to the Franklin Circuit Court by the applicant of any final decision of the cabinet regarding an application to be made .

Create new sections of KRS Chapter 164 to define terms; establish the Kentucky Aerospace, Aviation, and Defense Investment Fund Advisory Committee; establish the membership of the committee; establish the Kentucky aerospace, aviation, and defense investment fund to be administered by the Council for Postsecondary Education for the purpose of funding public and private partnerships to provide aviation training scholarships and aviation and aerospace equipment grants; require that the portion of the fund expended towards the council's administrative costs shall not exceed 4% of all gross moneys in the fund or $1,500,000 annually, whichever is less; direct the council to promulgate administrative regulations to carry out this Act; require those administrative regulations to be submitted to the Legislative Research Commission for comment prior to filing; require advisory committee members to abstain from voting on a matter involving a conflict of interest; require that the council shall reserve at least 65% of all net moneys in the fund for partnership proposals between aviation programs and aviation industry partners to provide aviation training scholarships to Kentucky residents enrolled in aviation programs; direct the council to prioritize accepting partnerships to proposals targeted to reduce the workforce demand of a specific eligible aviation credential that is determined by the council to be among the highest in demand in the Commonwealth; direct that a partnership shall require a written partnership contract and establish the minimum contract requirements; direct that disbursements of moneys from the fund to support aviation training scholarships shall be made directly to an aviation program pursuant to the terms of the partnership contract; require that an aviation program that enters a partnership contract shall solicit, accept, and review aviation training scholarship applications submitted by students enrolled in the aviation program; direct that an aviation training scholarship issued by an aviation program pursuant to a partnership contract shall be made directly to a recipient pursuant to a written scholarship contract between the recipient and the aviation program; set minimum contract requirements; direct that a grantor may place restrictions upon a contribution to the fund requiring specific criteria for an aviation training scholarship or scholarships funded by the grantor's dedicated funds; direct that the aviation training scholarship contract shall grant the aviation program, the Commonwealth, or the aviation industry partner the authority to initiate recoupment proceedings for the recovery of the total amount of all aviation training scholarships awarded to an individual that fails to complete the terms of a scholarship contract; direct the council to reserve up to 35% of all net moneys in the fund for aviation equipment partnership contracts between public aviation training programs and aviation industry partners to provide aviation and aviation equipment grants; requrie that an aviation equipment partnership shall require a written partnership contract between a public aviation program, aviation industry partner, and the council; establish minimum contract requirements; direct the council to collaborate with the advisory committee to select proposals for partnership contracts; direct that the council may prioritize designated contracts; provide that the council shall require the public aviation program to submit proof that the entire amount of the aviation equipment grant is invested in the maintenance, acquisition, or lease of aviation or aviation training equipment utilized by students enrolled in a public aviation training program; require the council to submit a report to the Legislative Research Commission and establish minimum report requirements; sunset the bill on June 30, 2030; provide that this Act may be cited as the Aerospace Education Reinvestment Opportunity (A.E.R.O.) Act; APPROPRIATION; EMERGENCY.

Create new sections of Subchapter 1 of KRS Chapter 224 to make findings and declarations regarding the dangers of atmospheric polluting activities and the Commonwealth's authority to prohibit geoengineering; define terms; prohibit geoengineering; require the Department for Environmental Protection to issue a notice to any federal agency that has approved geoengineering activities that those activities cannot be lawfully carried out in the Commonwealth; require the department to prohibit foreign states or international bodies that engage in geoengineering from engaging in any atmospheric activities over the Commonwealth; require the department to publish quarterly notices in newspapers of general circulation and on its website to encourage the public to monitor and report geoengineering activities; allow individuals to submit evidence of geoengineering to the department; require any local or state official to report any information regarding suspected geoengineering activity to the department within 24 hours; require the department to investigate reports of excessive electromagnetic radiation or fields caused by humans; amend KRS 224.99-010 to make knowingly engaging in geoengineering a Class D felony and subject to a civil penalty of not less than $500,000.