Rep. William Lawrence

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 141 to establish the community restoration credit for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2024, but before January 1, 2028, for financial institutions making loans to a community development financial institution; establish the annual credit cap at $20 million; require the Department of Revenue to report tax credit data to the Interim Joint Committee on Appropriations and Revenue; amend KRS 141.0205 to order the credit; amend KRS 131.190 to allow the Legislative Research Commission to receive confidential data about the new tax credit from the Department of Revenue.

Amend KRS 508.025 to include an employee, independent contractor, volunteer, affiliated physician, or other medical professional of a licensed hospital to persons protected by enhanced penalties if assaulted while performing duties.

Amend KRS 164.7884 to define "proprietary school" and "qualified proprietary school program" and allow use of KEES funds for enrollment in a qualified proprietary school program; amend KRS 165.7879 to allow a student who attends an out-of-state high school or Department of Defense school due to a parent's military transfer to earn a KEES award if the student earned a base amount in a previous year at a Kentucky high school.

Amend KRS 211.190 to make water fluoridation programs optional; allow the governing bodies of water systems subject to regulation by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to decide whether they participate in water fluoridation programs; provide that a water fluoridation program in place on the effective date of the Act continues until action is taken by its governing body to end its participation; provide that any decision regarding participation in a water fluoridation program made by the governing body of a water system shall be binding on all water systems it supplies.

Amend KRS 189.990 to establish a separate overweight fine schedule for violating a posted bridge weight limit on any state-maintained bridge that is more than 75 years old; require signage be in place informing drivers of the fine and giving adequate notice for drivers to exit the highway; provide that if such signs are not in place, violation will be penalized as ordinary overweight violations.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 186A to define nonmotorized vehicle and require registration for all nonmotorized vehicles operated on public highways; require display of a registration plate on the rear of all nonmotorized vehicles; set forth procedures for issuing registration for nonmotorized vehicles and direct the cabinet to administer regulations and establish forms and procedures; EFFECTIVE January 1, 2024.

Amend KRS 141.020 to reduce the individual income tax to 4.5% for taxable years beginning January 1, 2023, and to 4% for taxable years beginning January 1, 2024.

Amend KRS 438.310 to increase penalties for violations related to the sale of tobacco products, alternative nicotine products, or vapor products; amend KRS 438.313 to increase penalties for violations related to the distribution of cigarettes, tobacco products, alternative nicotine products, or vapor products; amend KRS 138.195 to conform; APPROPRIATION.

Recognize January 27, 2023, as International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Amend KRS 164.020 to prohibit the Council on Postsecondary Education from raising tuition for a postsecondary education institution more than 5% a year for resident students and 7% a year for nonresident students; provide a 4-year tuition freeze for an enrolled resident students; require an institution to notify a student before expiration of a tuition freeze; require any increase to tuition or fees to be approved before March 1 of the proceeding school year; amend KRS 164.131 to add 2 additional full-time student members to the University of Kentucky Board of Trustees, including 1 graduate student; remove language regarding initial appointments; amend KRS 164.821 to add a second faculty member to the University of Louisville Board of Trustees; add 2 additional full-time student members to the University of Louisville Board of Trustees, including 1 graduate student; remove language regarding initial appointments; amend KRS 164.321 to add a second faculty member to the boards of regents of comprehensive universities; add 2 additional full-time student members to the boards of regents, including 1 full-time graduate student; remove language regarding initial appointments; amend KRS 164.7874 to require a private postsecondary institution to have a voting student member on its governing board to be a participating institution for purposes of KEES eligibility; provide that the bill may be cited as the Kentucky Student Tuition Protection and Accountability Act; EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2025.