Rep. Timmy Truett

Amend KRS 278.670 to define "environmental control" and "underpreciated extra-state generation utility plant balances," amend various definitions, and make technical changes; amend KRS 278.672 to remove the deadline date for calculating the value of the regulatory asset associated with the undepreciated extra-state generation utility plant balances, deferred storm costs, and other regulatory assets approved by the Public Service Commission (PSC) remove the dollar amount thresholds for qualifying for a financing order; remove the submittals associated with securitization of deferred costs for retried electric generation greater than 50%; add additional submittals for an application for a financing order; add requirement for a utility to acquire in-state dispatchable generation and agree to a freeze on base rates for a period of 2 years; define "dispatchable"; amend KRS 278.674 to prohibit the PSC from requiring securitized bonds to be marketed as a specific type of security or that an assignee be formed as a specific type of entity; provide a price cap for costs associated with retaining counsel, advisors, or other consultants; remove PSC authority to address how the securities are marketed; add a template issuance advice letter to be included in the financing order; direct that the PSC must approve sales or transfer of assets including extra-state generation facilities even if the balances are securitized; amend KRS 278.678 to make technical changes; amend KRS 278.682 to remove the requirement that the securitized surcharge be listed as a separate item on the customer bill; EMERGENCY.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 158 to define terms; permit local school districts to develop and implement a local accountability system; require data publication on the local accountability system; require the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) to provide technical assistance in the development of local accountability; permit KDE to incentivize local accountability; set the time frame for requiring local accountability in all local school districts; authorize the Kentucky Board of Education to promulgate necessary administrative regulations; amend KRS 158.6453 to update terminology regarding academic standards; remove specific writing and editing and mechanics as required summative assessments; require KDE to incorporate a writing program into academic standards and professional development; require school-based decision making councils to adopt a writing program policy and publish it on the school's website; remove requirement for KDE to establish recommendations on using preliminary assessment data to identify students for advanced coursework; amend KRS 158.6455 to add individual student growth metric and student engagement as state indicators in the accountability system, remove quality of school climate and safety as state indicator, remove "status" and "change" metrics from state accountability system; amend KRS 158.6459, 164.7874, and 157.069 to conform.

Create new sections of KRS Chapter 197 to establish the Kentucky Community and Technical College System Prison Education Program within the Department of Corrections in partnership with the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) to provide inmates with job training; require KCTCS to construct a facility to house the program at Northpoint Training Center; establish convictions that preclude participation in the program; require the parties to enter into a memorandum of agreement establishing the responsibilities of each party; amend KRS 196.281 to establish entitlement to a certificate of employability upon successful completion of the program and require reporting by the department; amend KRS 335B.020 to establish that a person shall not be disqualified from public employment or obtaining an occupational license solely because of previous criminal conviction and obtaining a certificate of employment from the department shall constitute rebuttable evidence of rehabilitation and fitness for the occupation; amend KRS 355B.030 to remove a conviction of a Class A felony, Class B felony, or any other felony offense other than a conviction that would qualify the individual as a registrant as defined in KRS 17.500 as supportive of a rebuttable presumption of a connection between that conviction and a license issuance request.

Amend KRS 156.160 to require the Kentucky Board of Education to promulgate administrative regulations for an alternate high school diploma and a modified high school diploma; specify requirements for alternate and modified high school diplomas; create a new section of KRS Chapter 158 to require the Department of Workforce Development to identify, compile, and publish a list of employers willing to employ individuals possessing an alternate high school diploma; amend KRS 158.140, 164.787, and 164.7882 to conform.

Amend KRS 439.3401 to provide that a violent offender who has received a life sentence and has not been sentenced to 35 years without probation or parole or imprisonment for life without the benefit of probation or parole shall not be released on probation or parole until he or she has served at least 30 years; amend KRS 439.3406 to prohibit a person who has been convicted of a Class B felony or a person who is a violent offender who has been unanimously denied discretionary parole from qualifying for mandatory reentry supervisions; provide that the Department of Corrections shall provide an annual report on the results of the mandatory reentry supervision program to the Legislative Research Commission by February 1 of each year; amend KRS 504.150 to require a treating professional for a defendant who has received a sentence of guilty but mentally ill to file a petition for involuntary hospitalization under KRS Chapter 202A or 202B; amend KRS 532.025 to provide that if a defendant has been found guilty of intentional murder, the jury or court does not have to find any aggravating circumstance to sentence a defendant to imprisonment for life without benefit of probation or parole or imprisonment for life without benefit of probation or parole for 35 years; amend KRS 532.030 to enhance the sentence of imprisonment for life without benefit of probation or parole for 25 years to 35 years; amend KRS 532.110 to provide that sentences of a defendant convicted of 2 or more capital offenses, Class A felonies, Class B felonies, or a combination of those offenses or 2 or more violent offenses involving 2 or more victims shall run consecutively; amend various KRS sections to conform; repeal KRS 504.020 and 504.030; provide that the Act may be cited as Logan's Law.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 158 to allow school districts to implement a wearable panic alert system; establish system criteria; require the Department of Education to provide a list of approved wearable panic alert systems; require the Center for School Safety to establish the Wearable Panic Alert Grant Program; amend KRS 158.446 to allow the Center for School Safety to distribute wearable panic alert grants using funds appropriated in the biennial budget to support school safety; provide that the Act may be cited as Alyssa's Law.

Maddy summaryHB 685 requires Kentucky's Education Professional Standards Board to issue 5-year teaching certificates to new teachers who pass required assessments. This directly affects new educators and those seeking additional certification in Kentucky public schools, as it mandates successful completion of field-specific tests before receiving a professional certificate. Key provisions include: (1) a 5-year professional certificate after passing assessments, (2) conditional certificates for one year if assessments are failed (with mentoring support), and (3) temporary certificates for out-of-state teachers with less than two years' experience. The bill standardizes certification timelines and assessment requirements without altering existing fee structures or minority recruitment data collection.

Amend KRS 157.220 to require the Kentucky Department of Education to promulgate administrative regulations in accordance with the maximum class sizes and caseloads specified for exceptional children and youth; make technical corrections; amend KRS 157.200 to define "caseload" and "special classes"; amend KRS 157.230, 157.3175, and 159.990 to conform.

Amend KRS 158.307 to define "dysgraphia"; require the department to annually update the dyslexia toolkit; require the toolkit to include guidance on dysgraphia and strategies and other resources to be used for students displaying dyslexia and dysgraphia; require universal screeners and diagnostic tools be approved by the department; require each district to use evidence-based instructional strategies to provide intervention services; require school districts to report data to the department; amend KRS 164.304 to require postsecondary institutions offering teacher preparation programs include instruction on the application and implementation of a multitiered system of supports by the 2027-2028 school year.

Amend KRS 160.210 to require a county school district having reached an end-of-year enrollment of 25,000 or more students to add 2 board members appointed by the Auditor of Public Accounts; require the appointed members to reside in the district, hold bachelor's degrees, and have at least 5 years of finance experience; specify that appointed members shall not serve more than 2 consecutive terms; amend KRS 156.132 to authorize the commissioner of education to remove an appointed local board member for malfeasance, misfeasance, incompetence, or gross neglect of duty; amend KRS 160.160, 160.170, 160.180, and 160.190 to conform; EFFECTIVE, in part, January 1, 2027