Rep. Beverly Chester-Burton

Maddy summaryHB 109 requires landlords in Kentucky to follow specific steps when tenants leave belongings behind in a rental unit. Landlords must store the property, create an inventory within seven days, send certified mail to the tenant’s last address, and post a notice for seven days. If the tenant makes no reasonable effort to reclaim the property within 21 days, the landlord may dispose of it. This bill directly affects landlords managing rental properties and tenants who leave personal belongings behind.

Maddy summaryHB 126 adds June 19 as a state holiday in Kentucky, officially named "Juneteenth National Freedom Day," to commemorate the end of slavery in the U.S. This change directly affects Kentucky state offices and employees, requiring them to close on this date. The bill amends Kentucky Revised Statute 2.110 by inserting June 19 into the list of designated state holidays, alongside existing holidays like Independence Day and Christmas. It does not alter existing holiday observances or create new government obligations beyond the closure requirement.

Amend KRS 164.295 to permit Eastern Kentucky University to offer doctor of osteopathic medicine degrees required for professional practice and licensure in osteopathic medicine.

Propose to amend Section 25 of the Constitution of Kentucky to prohibit slavery and involuntary servitude in all circumstances, including as punishment for a crime; provide ballot language; submit to voters for ratification or rejection.

Create a new section of KRS 17.500 to 17.580, relating to the sex offender registry, to define "costume" and "Halloween-related activity"; prohibit sex offenders who have committed a criminal offense against a victim who is a minor from participating in any Halloween-related activity; establish penalties.

Amend KRS 431.066 to limit the use of money bail to certain high-risk defendants and create a preventive detention process for defendants of select risk levels and charge types; create a new section of KRS Chapter 431 to establish a preventive detention hearing process and define the limited circumstances in which money bail can be imposed; amend various statutes to conform; repeal KRS 431.021, relating to guaranteed arrest bond certificates.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 337 to require any employer doing business in Kentucky that receives governmental incentives or subsidies to pay its employees a living wage.

Maddy summaryHB 52 would change Kentucky's property tax homestead exemption to adjust its value annually based on the U.S. Department of Labor's cost-of-living index, instead of every two years. This affects qualifying homeowners aged 65+ or those classified as totally disabled under federal or state programs who claim the homestead exemption. The bill modifies Section 132.810 to require annual adjustments whenever the cost-of-living index changes by 1%, ensuring the exemption's purchasing power keeps pace with inflation more frequently. Currently, adjustments occur biennially until 2025, then annually starting in 2026; this bill would make the annual adjustment the standard from the outset.

Amend KRS 139.010, relating to the sales and use taxes, to define terms; amend KRS 139.480 to exempt from sales and use tax the sale or purchase of baby bottles, baby wipes, breast pumps, breast pump collection and storage supplies, breast pump kits, diapers, menstrual discharge collection devices, and incontinence products; apply to sales or purchases made on or after July 1, 2025, but before July 1, 2029; require the Department of Revenue to report annually to the Interim Joint Committee on Appropriations and Revenue the total exemptions claimed for the previous fiscal year; amend KRS 131.190 to allow the Department of Revenue to report to the Legislative Research Commission.

Amend KRS 17.545 to prohibit a registrant from residing within 3,000 feet of a high school, middle school, elementary school, preschool, publicly owned or leased playground, or licensed daycare facility; provide that the 3,000 feet restriction applies to any person who becomes a registrant after the effective date of the Act.