Rep. Killian Timoney

Establish the Educator Retention and Recruitment Task Force of the Legislative Research Commission; set forth the duties and membership of the task force; require the task force to meet at least 3 rimes during the 2022 Interim and submit findings or recommendations to the Legislative Research Commission by December 1, 2022.

Create new sections of KRS 278.010 to 278.450 to establish definitions; require electric utilities regulated by the Public Service Commission to have a vegetation management plan approved by the commission; require vegetation maintenance to be performed in conformance with ANSI standards endorsed by the International Society of Arboriculture; make exception for standards under declared emergency or in situation of cleanup from storm damage; require different notice requirements to the public and property owners; impose penalty for failure of a utility to comply with vegetation maintenance plan requirements; require public hearings; establish homeowner rights with respect to vegetation maintenance; require the utility develop a brochure for homeowner rights and have the information available on its Web site; allow for civil action for unauthorized tree pruning or removal; allow for damages for unauthorized tree removal or pruning; require written consent to remove more than 25 percent of tree canopy; allow for a temporary cessation of work if property owner objects to vegetation maintenance; and prescribe time frames for notice and response.

Recognize and commemorate the celebration of Saint Patrick's Day.

Honor the Kentucky Historical Society.

Amend KRS 141.019 to allow a tax exclusion of amounts contributed to a qualified educational expense program as defined in 26 U.S.C. sec. 529, effective for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2022; amend KRS 131.190 to allow reporting of credits; add a new section to KRS Chapter 141 to provide employers a tax credit for contributions to an employee's Kentucky Educational Savings Plan Trust; amend KRS 141.0205 to specify ordering of credits; create a new section of KRS 164A.300 to 164A.380 relating to the Kentucky Educational Savings Plan Trust, to require reporting to the Department of Revenue of refunds and amounts paid for purposes other than higher education costs.

Amend KRS 158.070 to permit the administrator of a school that participates in the Federal School Breakfast Program to authorize up to 15 minutes of the student attendance day to provide the opportunity for children to eat breakfast during instructional time.

Amend KRS 139.480 to exempt currency and bullion from sales and use tax; EFFECTIVE August 1, 2022.

Amend KRS 164.348 to define "institution," "public," and "staff"; require an institution to adopt a policy to not restrict off-campus speech; extend free speech protections to staff and the public; provide that student religious and political organizations shall be afforded equal access to facilities; provide that authority vested with a student organization to distribute student organization funding shall be contingent on viewpoint-neutral distribution of those funds; provide that there shall be no buffer zones to outdoor areas used as traditional public forums; reduce institution's authority to establish permit requirements; specify how an institution defines student-on-student harassment; waive immunity for claims brought under the Act; permit disciplinary action against a faculty member or administrator that knowingly and intentionally restricts the protected speech of another; suspend the distribution authority of a student organization that does not distribute student organization funding in accordance with the Act; prohibit retaliation against campus community members; require Council on Postsecondary Education to develop free speech instructional materials and model trainings for institutions; require institutions to present free speech instructional materials and trainings to designated individuals; require institutions to publish semiannual student organization funding reports; designate the required contents of the semiannual student organization funding report.

Amend KRS 525.135, relating to torture of a dog or cat, to add specific acts to definition of torture; make all violations a Class D felony; make each act of torture prosecutable as a separate offense; make the exemptions applicable only where there is no intent to cause, increase, or prolong the pain and suffering of the dog or cat.

Urging Congress to take appropriate steps in mitigating cyberattacks and ransomware attacks.