Rep. George Brown

Create new sections of KRS Chapter 5 to establish the Advisory Redistricting Commission, which shall be composed of members appointed by the General Assembly and members of the public at large; define terms; establish commissioner pay, conditions, powers, and duties; provide that commissioners' terms correlate with obligations of each census cycle; establish the conditions, powers, and duties of the commission; require the commission to draft redistricting plans for legislative and congressional districts, with parameters prescribed; establish standards to be followed by the commission for commissioners who develop plans; require the commission to submit its redistricting plans to the Legislative Research Commission for referral to the Interim Joint Committee on State Government; require the General Assembly to consider the commission's plans as approved by the Interim Joint Committee on State Government; allow the General Assembly to enact or reject the plans of the commission by a date certain or to return to the commission for adjustment; provide that if the General Assembly does not enact the plans, the plans shall be returned to the commission, which may incorporate changes requested by the General Assembly, but shall not be required to incorporate changes; require the commission to submit to the General Assembly new redistricting plans for enactment at a date certain; allow General Assembly to enact its own redistricting plans after a date certain; establish a $20,000 fine upon conviction of persons attempting to influence, or commissioners accepting influence, relating to the duties of the commission; amend KRS 5.005 to remove the Secretary of State as being named as a defendant in any action challenging the constitutionality of any legislative district and replace with the Advisory Redistricting Commission; provide that the Act may be cited as the Fair Maps Act.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 158 to define "feminine hygiene product"; require each public school and public charter school that includes any of grades 4 through 12 to provide free feminine hygiene products to female students; require each local board of education and public charter school board of directors to adopt policies relating to the distribution of free feminine hygiene products.

Amend KRS 164.7879 to require the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority to annually adjust the Kentucky education excellence scholarship (KEES) based on the Consumer Price Index; permit the authority to annually adjust KEES supplemental awards based on the Consumer Price Index; require that KEES award adjustments be paid at the most recent calculation for the academic term in which a student utilizes their award; prohibit decrease in KEES awards; amend various statutes to conform.

Maddy summaryHB 154 removes the statute of limitations for civil lawsuits by victims of childhood sexual assault or abuse in Kentucky. This means victims can file lawsuits at any time, regardless of when the abuse occurred, and it applies to both individuals who committed the abuse and entities (like schools or organizations) that failed in their duty of care. The bill also retroactively revives claims barred before March 2021 due to expired time limits, allowing victims to file within five years of the deadline. It defines "childhood sexual assault or abuse" broadly to include multiple offenses involving minors under Kentucky law.

Repeal, reenact, and amend KRS 216B.250 as a new section of KRS Chapter 367 to define terms; require health facilities and other health care providers to provide itemized health care statements in certain circumstances; specify the contents of the health care statements; require that health care statements contain information about price classifications and claims made with third-party payors; prohibit health facilities and providers from charging for the health care statements; establish means by which patients may request a health care statement to be furnished; require health facilities and providers to make public postings and have appropriate staff available to respond to questions and resolve disputes; make conforming amendments; prohibit health facilities and other providers from requesting or accepting a total payment for health care services that exceeds an agreed-upon price or the amount the facility or provider is entitled to receive under state or federal law; authorize the Attorney General to enforce certain state and federal laws regulating health care prices; allow a violation to be cured for good-faith errors; establish causes of action and penalties for violation of health care billing requirements; authorize the Attorney General to enforce health care billing requirements; specify that remedies and penalties are cumulative; authorize the Attorney General to promulgate administrative regulations to effectuate or aid in the effectuation of health care billing requirements; amend KRS 304.14-410, 304.32-1551, 214.556, 216B.990, and 216B.300 to conform; EFFECTIVE January 1, 2027.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 160 to define "lobbying" and "public school or school district"; prohibit a public school or school district from expending any moneys to compensate an external individual or entity to lobby; permit employees of public schools or school districts to engage in lobbying services; permit schools to compensate external individuals or entities to represent their interest before the executive or legislative branch of the federal government; create a new section of KRS Chapter 164 to prohibit a public postsecondary education institution from expending moneys to compensate an external individual or entity to engage in lobbying services; permit employees of public postsecondary education institutions to engage in lobbying services; permit public postsecondary education institutions to compensate external individuals or entities to represent their interest before the executive or legislative branch of the federal government.

Amend KRS 61.7991 to add current members of the General Assembly and their immediate family members to the definition of "covered person"; authorize standing for a civil action for injunctive or declaratory relief for unauthorized disclosure; provide that the removal of information does not apply to required disclosures under KRS Chapter 6 or 61.

Amend KRS 141.020 to establish a graduated tax rate for net income of $300,000 or less; establish a flat tax rate of 6% for net incomes in excess of $300,000; and remove provisions relating to tax rate reduction procedures.

Amend KRS 205.520 to establish that it is the policy of the Commonwealth to provide Medicaid eligibility for all residents of the Commonwealth who may be eligible under federal law; amend KRS 205.6312 to require the establishment of cost-sharing requirements in the Medicaid program to the extent required under federal law; require the Governor to commission an independent third-party analysis of the current Medicaid expansion; require the Cabinet for Health and Family Services or the Department for Medicaid Services to seek federal approval if it is determined that such approval is necessary; provide authorization from the General Assembly to make changes the Medicaid program as required under KRS 205.5372(1).

Create a new section of Subtitle 17A of KRS Chapter 304 to require health benefit plans to provide coverage for in vitro fertilization, intrauterine insemination, and any other assisted reproductive technology; establish minimum requirements for the coverage; suspend the coverage requirement's application to qualified health plans if the state would be required to make cost defrayal payments; amend KRS 304.17A-099 to conform; amend KRS 164.2871 and 18A.225 to require self-insured employer plans provided by the governing board of a state postsecondary education institution and the state employee health plan to comply with the assisted reproductive technology coverage requirement; direct that certain provisions apply to health benefit plans issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2027; EFFECTIVE January 1, 2027.