Rep. George Brown

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 171 to establish the Kids Love to Read Program; specify the program is for children in kindergarten through grade five; require books to be sent to children's homes; require the Department for Libraries and Archives to promulgate administrative regulations necessary to administer the program; appropriate $500,000 in fiscal year 2025-2026 to support the program; APPROPRIATION.

Maddy summaryHB 558 extends the eligibility period for Kentucky's Educational Excellence Scholarships (KEES) from five to eight years after high school graduation. This change directly affects current KEES recipients, allowing them more time to complete their undergraduate studies at participating Kentucky colleges or universities. The bill amends two sections of Kentucky law (KRS 164.7881 and 164.7884) to update the timeframe, while maintaining existing requirements like maintaining a minimum 2.5 GPA to continue receiving benefits. Students who need to pause studies due to serious illness may also qualify for additional extensions under the new provisions. The policy change focuses on providing greater flexibility for scholarship recipients without altering award amounts or academic standards.

Amend KRS 222.504 and 222.506 to require that recovery residences be inspected at least annually by state or local officials capable of ensuring compliance with all state and local zoning, building code, and fire safety laws, administrative regulations, and ordinances and establish maximum occupancy standards for recovery residences; amend KRS 222.510 to permit local governments to require an individual or entity seeking to establish a recovery residence to provide notice up to six months in advance to all property owners within 1,000 feet of the property on which the recovery residence will be located; EMERGENCY.

Amend KRS 164.507 to remove degree-seeking requirement for nonremarried spouse and children of a deceased veteran when utilizing educational benefits; require students to use federal grant funds toward tuition prior to the use of the waiver; amend KRS 164.515 to expand educational benefit to include service members with a disability rating of 50% or higher; remove degree-seeking requirement; require students to use federal grant funds toward tuition prior to the use of the waiver.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 205 to require the Department for Medicaid Services and any managed care organization with whom the department contracts for the delivery of Medicaid services to provide coverage for doula services; create a new section of KRS Chapter 194A to establish the Doula Advisory Council, council membership, and council duties; require the Cabinet for Health and Family Services or the Department for Medicaid Services to seek federal approval if they determine that such approval is necessary and comply with KRS 205.525.

Create new sections of KRS Chapter 237 to define "safe storage depository" and require an owner or custodian of a firearm to store the firearm in a safe storage depository or render the firearm incapable of being fired using a gun-locking device; require an owner or other person lawfully in possession of a firearm or any person who sells ammunition to report the loss or theft of the firearm or ammunition to a law enforcement agency; amend KRS 237.990 to establish penalties for violations.

Maddy summaryHB 561 designates June 12 of each year as "Women Veterans Appreciation Day" in Kentucky, honoring the service of women veterans. The bill requires the Governor to issue an annual proclamation encouraging Kentuckians to recognize their contributions and sacrifices. It directly affects Kentucky's approximately 27,000 women veterans by establishing a formal day of recognition within state law, though it does not create new benefits or funding. The bill is classified as an emergency to take effect immediately upon enactment.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 610 to define terms; prohibit a child from being interrogated using deceptive methods; create a new rule of evidence to limit the admissibility of statements made in the interrogation of a child in violation of statute.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 12 to establish the Office of Safer Communities within the Office of the Governor; amend KRS 12.020 and KRS 12.023 to conform; appropriate $3,000,000 in fiscal year 2025-2026 to fund the office; APPROPRIATION; EMERGENCY.

Create a new section of Subtitle 17A of KRS Chapter 304 to define terms; require certain health plans to provide coverage for comprehensive supervised substance use disorder treatment; amend KRS 304.17C-125, 18A.225, and 164.2871 to require limited health services benefit plans, the state employee health plan, and self-insured employer group plans provided by the governing board of a state postsecondary education institution to comply with the coverage requirement; provide that Section 1 of the Act may be cited as Braxton's Law; provide that various sections apply to health plans issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2026; EFFECTIVE January 1, 2026.