Rep. Adrielle Camuel

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 336 to allow public employee collective bargaining organizations to represent only dues-paying members; allow nonmember employees to be represented by counsel of their choosing, subject to reasonable employer procedures; grant the labor organization the right to represent a nonmember employee in an action involving the interpretation or enforcement of a collective bargaining agreement; allow nonmember employees to enter into a written agreement with the labor organization for representation for a reasonable fee; apply to agreements entered into or renewed on or after the effective date of the Act.

Maddy summaryThis bill is a House resolution that officially designates May 2026 as Mental Health Month in Kentucky. It calls on citizens, government agencies, businesses, and schools to increase awareness and understanding of mental health during that month. The resolution does not create new laws or funding but serves as a symbolic declaration to promote mental wellness and community support. It directs the House Clerk to send a copy of the resolution to Representative Lisa Willner for record-keeping purposes.

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.

Create a new section of KRS 18A.005 to 18A.200 to define "child," "family medical leave," "fictive kin," "foster care placement," "kinship care placement," and "parent"; provide classified and unclassified employees family medical leave of up to 6 weeks for the birth or adoption of a child, placement of a child in foster care or kinship care, or a serious health condition that would render the employee unable to perform his or her job functions; require the employee to complete 30 days of service before he or she is eligible for family medical leave; require the leave be used within 1 year of the birth, adoption, foster or kinship care placement, or serious health condition; require any leave which involves the birth of more than 1 child during a particular pregnancy or the adoption or placement of more than 1 child with an employee to be taken concurrently and used as 1 adoption or placement; allow the employee to use the leave as a block or intermittently; allow both parents to use the leave concurrently or consecutively under certain conditions; require the employee to use family medical leave before using any other accrued leave; limit use of family medical leave to 2 times during a 60-month period; provide that once an employee leaves the position eligible for family medical leave, any unused balance shall lapse; require an employee who returns to a position in state service that provides family medical leave to complete 30 days of service before becoming eligible for the leave; prohibit an employee from converting any unused balance of family medical leave to any other type of paid leave, benefit, or compensation; require the employee to submit written verification of the birth, placement of a child, or serious health condition; amend KRS 18A.025 to conform; amend KRS 18A.110 to authorize the secretary of the Personnel Cabinet to promulgate administrative regulations pertaining to the family medical leave program.

Repeal and reenact KRS 344.010 to define terms; amend KRS 344.020, relating to the purpose of the Kentucky's civil rights chapter, to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity; amend KRS 344.025, 344.040, 344.050, 344.060, 344.070, and 344.080, relating to prohibited discrimination in various labor and employment practices, to include discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity; amend KRS 210.033, 344.030, 344.100 and 344.110 to conform; amend KRS 344.120 and 342.140, relating to prohibited discrimination in places of public accommodation and advertisements, to include discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity; amend KRS 344.170, 344.180, 344.190, 344.300, and 344.310, relating to the state and local human rights commissions, to include the prohibition of discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity in the scope of their powers and duties; amend KRS 344.360, 344.370, 344.380, and 344.680, relating to prohibited discrimination in certain housing, real estate, and other financial transactions, to include discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity; amend KRS 344.367, relating to prohibited discrimination in certain insurance sales, to include discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity; amend KRS 344.400, relating to prohibited discrimination in certain credit transactions, to include discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity; amend KRS 18A.095 to conform; make technical corrections.

Maddy summaryHB 650 designates Shawn E. Okpebholo's orchestral suite "A Mighty Long Way" as Kentucky's official state musical composition. This procedural bill directly affects Kentucky by adding a new symbolic designation to the state's cultural heritage, following existing designations like the state song and state bluegrass song. The composition, commissioned for Lexington's 250th anniversary, uses four movements to reflect Kentucky's history, equestrian legacy, bourbon culture, racial legacy, and future aspirations. The bill requires no funding or implementation changes, solely establishing this official status through legislative action.

Create a new section of Subtitle 17A of KRS Chapter 304 to define terms; require health plans to provide coverage for an annual mental health wellness examination provided by a mental health professional; require the coverage to be no less extensive than coverage for medical and surgical benefits, comply with the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008, and not be subject to any cost-sharing requirements; amend KRS 304.17C-125, 164.2871, and 18A.225 to require limited health service benefit plans, self-insured employer group health plans provided by the governing board of a state postsecondary education institution, and the state employee health plan to comply with the mental health wellness examination coverage requirement; state purpose of the Act; direct that provisions apply to health plans issued or renewed on or after the effective date of the Act; provide that Section 1 of the Act may be cited as the Kentucky Mental Health Wellness Act; EFFECTIVE, January 1, 2027.

Propose to amend Section 29 of the Constitution of Kentucky to establish the initiative power of the people to propose laws and to enact or reject proposed initiatives at an election; establish procedures for initiatives, effect of adopted initiatives, and parameters for the subject of any initiative; provide ballot language; submit to voters for ratification or rejection.

Amend KRS 336.130 to delete references prohibiting employees becoming a member of a labor or organization as a condition of employment; amend KRS 336.990 to conform; amend KRS 67A.6904, 67C.406, 70.262, 78.470, 78.480, and 345.050 to remove exceptions; amend KRS 336.1341 and 336.135 to conform; repeal KRS 65.016, 336.132, and 336.134.

Amend KRS 157.320 to define "eligible child" and "teaming partner"; amend KRS 157.3175 to require each local school district to provide preschool to 4 year olds who reside in a household with an income at or below 160% of the poverty level until the end of the 2033-2034 school year, and beginning with the 2034-2035 school year require each local school district to provide preschool to each eligible child; provide requirements for program guidelines; require the Kentucky Department of Education to establish and maintain a statewide unified data system; create a new section of KRS Chapter 157 to require local school districts to maintain certification from the Head Start director that Head Start is fully utilized; provide penalties; require local school districts to prepare and submit preschool expansion plans to the deparment; require the department to promulgate administrative regulations regarding preschool expansion; require the department to submit a report the the Legislative Research Commission annually regarding preschool expansion.