Rep. George Brown

Amend KRS 342.315 to eliminate the requirement that physicians contracting with the commissioner of the Department of Workers' Claims to perform evaluations in occupational disease claims be "B" readers who are licensed in Kentucky and are board-certified pulmonary specialists; amend KRS 342.316 to allow the commissioner to select a physician or medical facility for referral in occupational disease claims and eliminate the requirement that such physicians be "B" readers who are licensed in Kentucky and are board-certified pulmonary specialists; amend KRS 342.794 to delete the definition of "board-certified pulmonary specialist" and eliminate the requirement that physicians on the list of qualified "B" readers maintained by the commissioner include only those licensed in Kentucky and board-certified pulmonary specialists.

Amend KRS 160.345 to require a school council to adopt a policy requiring students to be assigned a lunch period of at least 30 minutes in length; amend KRS 158.153 to conform.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 532 to provide an enhanced term of imprisonment for any defendant convicted of certain crimes when the defendant intentionally committed the offense because of a person's actual or perceived race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, mental or physical disability, gender identity or expression, or sexual orientation; amend KRS 15.334 and 17.1523 to conform; create a new section of KRS Chapter 508 to create the offense of using hate symbols to intimidate; repeal KRS 49.320 and 532.031.

Amend KRS 527.010 to define "securely locked container" and make technical corrections; create a new section of KRS Chapter 527 to prohibit unlawful storage of a firearm; establish elements of the crime as recklessly allowing access to an unsecured firearm by a minor; establish the crime as a Class B misdemeanor unless a physical injury or death results, in which case it is a Class A misdemeanor; provide that an affirmative defense exists if a minor obtained the firearm through the minor's unlawful entry; provide that the Act may be cited as the Baby Dre Gun Safety Act.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 337 to require employers to provide earned paid sick leave to employees; provide that employees earn paid sick leave upon the date of hire and can use the leave after being employed for 90 days; set forth allowable uses of accrued earned paid sick leave; designate how notice of need to use earned paid sick leave is provided by employees; amend KRS 337.990 to establish the penalty for employers that fail to follow earned paid sick leave requirements.

Amend KRS 139.010, relating to the sales and use taxes, to define "menstrual discharge collection devices"; amend KRS 139.480 to exempt from sales and use tax the sale or purchase of menstrual discharge collection devices; apply to sales or purchases made on or after July 1, 2025, but before July 1, 2029; 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; amend KRS 131.190 to allow the Department of Revenue to report to the Legislative Research Commission.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 277 to require a crew of at least two persons during operation of a train or light engine; amend KRS 277.990 to include penalties for crews of less than two persons.

Repeal and reenact KRS 157.069 to define terms; require the Office of Career and Technical Education within the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) to identify career and technical education programs or pathways as high cost or general cost; provide for a funding calculation from general fund appropriations for career and technical education based 60% upon weighted full-time equivalents enrollment and 40% upon specified incentives; provide for state-operated area technology center operating costs to be funded by the general fund appropriation to KDE; allow funds to be used for career and technical education programming for students in grades 5-8; disburse 75% of administrative operating funds previously designated to state-operated facility administrative costs that were converted to locally operated facilities to the locally operated facility and 25% to the career and technical education innovation and support fund for innovation and support of career and technical programs; create the career and technical education support fund; require the Office of Career and Technical Education to provide oversight of fund usage by recipients; require promulgation of necessary administrative regulations by Kentucky Board of Education; EFFECTIVE July 1, 2024; APPROPRIATION; EMERGENCY.

Amend KRS 158.162 to require local boards of education to maintain a portable automated external defibrillator in a public, readily accessible, well-marked location in all school buildings, including elementary school buildings, and at school-sanctioned athletic practices and competitions; require annual report on compliance with portable automated external defibrillator requirements to be submitted to the Kentucky Department of Education.

Amend KRS 45A.030 to expand the definition of "contract"; amend KRS 45A.035 to require promulgation of administrative regulations to establish policies regarding timely payments under contracts; create a new section of KRS Chapter 45A to establish timely payment penalty and procedures; EMERGENCY.