Rep. Rachel Roberts

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 39A to create the Kentucky Urban Search and Rescue Program under the Division of Emergency Management and specify its administration, requirements for crafting policies and procedures and issuing Kentucky administrative regulations, and funding; APPROPRIATION.

Amend KRS 15.243 to require the Attorney General to select six counties at random and six counties with the highest rate of irregularities for his or her independent inquiry; require the Attorney General to promulgate administrative regulations to establish a uniform procedure for independent inquiries; amend KRS 117.066 to require that petitions for the consolidation of precincts include parking accommodations for the proposed voting location; amend KRS 117.235 to prohibit electioneering during any of the days that in-person absentee voting is conducted or during training for election officers; amend KRS 117.265 to prohibit any candidate who was defeated in a primary from running for the same office during the regular election; amend KRS 117.995 to prescribe criminal penalties for people who have previously been convicted of a felony who then attempt to register to vote; amend KRS 118.105 to remove withdrawal, disqualification, or severe disabling condition as reasons to fill a vacancy in nomination of candidacy; amend KRS 118.125 to conform; EMERGENCY.

Honor the 75th anniversary of the independence of the State of Israel.

Amend KRS 95A.220 to define "stress injury" to include post-traumatic stress disorder; define scope of coverage; allow lifetime cap on benefits.

Amend KRS 139.010 to define "firearm safe," "firearm safety course," and "firearm safety device"; amend KRS 139.480 to exempt firearm safes, firearm safety courses, and firearm safety devices; provide that the exemptions apply to sales or purchases made on or after July 1, 2023, but before July 1, 2027; require the Department of Revenue to report to the Interim Joint Committee on Appropriations and Revenue the amount of exemptions claimed.

Commend Taiwan for its relations with the United States and the Commonwealth of Kentucky; encourage the establishment of a trade office in Taiwan; express support for the U.S.-Taiwan Initiative on 21st-Century Trade.

Establish KRS Chapter 245, relating to cannabis, to administer its cultivation, processing, transportation, sale, use, taxation, and licensing; define terms; establish the Cannabis Control Board and its membership, procedures, powers, and duties; direct the board to promulgate administrative regulations for the administration and enforcement of the chapter; set up advisory committees appointed by the board; create the Department of Cannabis Control within the Public Protection Cabinet for the oversight of cannabis operations and to provide administrative support for the board; establish various one-year business licenses under the chapter; grant administrative hearings under KRS Chapter 13B to appeal a license denial or revocation; forbid an employer from discriminating against applicants or employees who use cannabis outside of working hours as long as the use does not affect job performance; prohibit a person under the age of 21 from purchasing, possessing, consuming, or using cannabis; establish a revolving account called the "cannabis fund" to collect cannabis licensing fees, fines, excise taxes, and any other funds; form the Social Impact Council as a public agency authorized to distribute moneys from the cannabis fund; set council membership, procedures, powers, and duties; create new sections of KRS Chapter 138 to define terms; impose an excise tax at a rate set by the Cannabis Control Board on the first sale or transfer of harvested cannabis; establish excise tax reporting, collection, and liability; amend KRS 139.472 to exempt medical cannabis and accessories from sales and use taxes; create a new section of KRS Chapter 65 to authorize local governments to levy up to a 5% license fee on the gross receipts of a retailer or microbusiness; allow overlapping local governments to agree to levy a combined license fee, with set fee amounts absent an agreement; amend KRS 2.015 to require a person to be 21 years of age or older to purchase cannabis and its products and accessories; create new sections of KRS 218A and amend KRS 218A.1421, 218A.1422, 218A.1423, and 218A.500 to exempt licensed cannabis activities from criminal marijuana offenses; create a new section of KRS Chapter 431 to allow a person to petition the court to expunge the person's misdemeanor marijuana offenses; amend KRS 431.079 to exclude the expungement petition from the certification of eligibility requirement; amend KRS 131.1815 to notify the Cannabis Control Board if a cannabis licensee is a delinquent taxpayer; amend KRS 600.020 to include cannabis offenses in the list of juvenile status offenses; amend KRS 12.020 to add the governmental entities created in KRS Chapter 245 to the list of executive branch government bodies; set initial terms for members of the Cannabis Control Board and Social Impact Council; apply the excise tax beginning on July 1, 2024, and allow cannabis sales beginning on July 1, 2025; Section 31 of Act RETROACTIVE; APPROPRIATION.

Appropriate General Fund moneys for a salary supplement for all full-time school district employees; appropriate General Fund moneys to provide for universal preschool for all four-year-olds; appropriate General Fund moneys to provide funding for professional development for educators; appropriate General Fund moneys for textbooks and instructional resources; appropriate General Fund moneys to address social emotional learning and mental health for students and school staff; appropriate Restricted Funds to provide a student loan forgiveness program for teachers certified by the Kentucky Education Professional Standards Board and employed by Kentucky public schools; APPROPRIATION; EMERGENCY.

Set out General Fund transfers to the State Salary and Compensation Fund, the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority, and the General Operations budget unit within the Personnel Cabinet; appropriate General Fund moneys to the Kentucky Public Pensions Authority and the Kentucky Teachers' Retirement System; appropriate Restricted Funds to the General Operations budget unit within the Personnel Cabinet; APPROPRIATION; EMERGENCY.

Amend KRS 139.010 to define "breast pump," "breast pump collection and storage supplies," "breast pump kit," "clothing," "diaper," and "feminine hygiene products"; 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, and feminine hygiene products; apply to sales or purchases made on or after July 1, 2023, but before July 1, 2027; 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 on September 1; amend KRS 131.190 to allow the Department of Revenue to report to the Legislative Research Commission; EFFECTIVE July 1, 2023.