Rep. Kim Banta

Amend KRS 189.540 to authorize the Kentucky Board of Education to promulgate administrative regulations to require regular instruction of pupils in school bus safety; allow a school district to obtain an exemption from any school bus safety instruction requirement if the district transports 48 or fewer pupils in the district's gross average daily attendance of transported pupils; require exempted districts to develop and implement a school bus safety instruction policy.

Maddy summaryHR 65 is a symbolic resolution recognizing April 18, 2025, as National Lineman Appreciation Day in Kentucky. It expresses the House of Representatives' appreciation for utility linemen working for Duke Energy, Kentucky electric cooperatives, Kentucky Power Company, and Louisville Gas and Electric/Kentucky Utilities Company. The resolution highlights linemen's dangerous, 24/7 work maintaining power infrastructure and responding to emergencies. It has no binding policy effect - it solely serves as a ceremonial acknowledgment with no new requirements or funding. The resolution was adopted by voice vote on March 28, 2025.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 216B to define "freestanding birthing center"; require the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to promulgate administrative regulations to establish licensure standards for freestanding birthing centers; establish criteria for a medical director; establish requirements for obtaining written informed consent; require a written patient transfer agreement with a hospital that provides obstetric services; require a written patient transfer agreement with an emergency medical transportation service; exempt a center with no more than four beds from certificate-of-need requirements for establishing and licensing a freestanding birthing center; state intent not to limit or expand liability of a center or health care provider or facility; require medical malpractice insurance for freestanding birthing centers; prohibit abortions in freestanding birthing centers; amend KRS 216B.015 to include freestanding birthing centers in the definition of "health facility"; amend KRS 216B.020, 196.173, 211.122, 211.647, 211.660, 213.046, 214.155, 214.565, 214.567, 214.569, 216.2920, 216.2921, 216.2923, 216.2925, 216.2927, and 216.2970 to conform; require the cabinet to promulgate updated administrative regulations by December 1, 2025; provide that the Act may be cited as the Mary Carol Akers Birth Centers Act.

Amend KRS 13A.010 to redefine "major economic impact"; create a new section of KRS Chapter 13A to establish limitations on the authority of an administrative body to promulgate administrative regulations; amend various sections of KRS Chapter 13A to conform; EMERGENCY; EFFECTIVE March 31, 2025.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 383 to allow a property owner or his or her authorized agent to request a law enforcement officer immediately remove a person unlawfully occupying real property under certain circumstances; provide criminal and civil immunity to law enforcement officers and property owners acting in good faith; create a civil cause of action for wrongful removal; require the Department of Kentucky State Police to create a form for the petition to remove unlawful occupants; amend KRS 512.010 to define "squatter"; amend KRS 512.020 and 512.030 to specifically include damage to real property caused by squatters in the offense of criminal mischief.

Amend KRS 121.015, relating to campaign finance, to define terms; create new sections of KRS Chapter 121 to establish reporting and record retention requirements for political issues committees and persons making independent expenditures; prohibit political issues committees from knowingly and willfully soliciting or accepting contributions from prohibited sources; establish certification requirements for treasurers of political issues committees and donors making contributions and independent expenditures; define activity that creates a presumption of a violation; prohibit foreign nationals from making a donation, contribution, or expenditure, soliciting another person to make a donation, contribution, or expenditure, or participating in another person's decision to influence a ballot measure; establish a cause of action for accepting or soliciting contributions from prohibited sources and failing to certify, report, or retain records; establish a right of privacy in donations to tax-exempt organizations; establish a penalty for a state or local governmental entity, court, or officer of the court that violates the right of privacy; amend KRS 121.190 to require a "paid for by" disclosure for advertisements advocating or opposing a ballot measure.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 198B to allow on-the-job training equivalencies of internship and cooperative placement hours to count toward those hours needed to obtain licensure; require that the Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction recognize and honor the agreements toward licensure in the professions regulated by the department, including electricians, plumbers, and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning.

Amend KRS 164.773, relating to the Student Teacher Stipend Program, to specify that an eligible student is a Kentucky resident as determined by the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority (authority) and is student teaching at a Kentucky public school or certified nonpublic school; specify that the authority shall disburse stipend funds to eligible students directly or through the participating institution; allow the authority to establish criteria for an eligible student who is student teaching outside of Kentucky but is otherwise eligible.

Amend KRS 500.130 to define terms; provide that the use of an unmanned aircraft system is not prohibited in the case of recreational or professional use if there is not intent to conduct surveillance on private property and there is no unauthorized use or publication of images of individuals or areas of private property, or in the case of an insurance company for purposes of underwriting a risk or investigating damage; create a new section of KRS Chapter 411 to establish a civil action; create a new section of KRS Chapter 413 to establish a statute of limitations for the civil action.

Amend KRS 189.993 to establish enhanced penalties for a violation of KRS 189.505, including increased fines, vehicle impoudment for up to six months for the first offense, and vehicle forfeiture for the second or subsequent offense.