Rep. Adrielle Camuel

Amend KRS 403.725 and 456.030 to require the court of justice to create protocols to allow law enforcement officers to assist victims in filing a petition for an order of protection; amend KRS 403.720 to expand the definition of "domestic violence and abuse"; amend KRS 456.010 to expand the definition of dating violence and abuse; amend KRS 403.270, 403.280, 403.315, 403.220, and 403.340 to remove the presumption in favor of joint custody and equal parenting time; create new sections of KRS Chapter 454 to provide definitions and establish procedures for courts to dismiss civil actions that are determined to be harassing and malicious; allow court costs and attorney fees to be awarded to the prevailing party; allow courts to impose filing restrictions upon any plaintiff found to be an abusive civil action plaintiff; establish procedures to allow abusive civil action plaintiffs to file suit; allow for an immediate appeal as a matter of right.

Create new sections of KRS Chapter 454 to provide definitions and establish procedures for courts to dismiss civil actions that are determined to be harassing and malicious; allow for court costs and attorney fees to be awarded to the prevailing party; allow courts to impose filing restrictions upon any plaintiff found to be an abusive civil action plaintiff; establish procedures to allow abusive civil action plaintiffs to file suit; allow for an immediate appeal as a matter of right.

Amend KRS 403.720 to supplement the definition of domestic violence and abuse; amend KRS 456.010 to supplement the definition of dating violence and abuse.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 336 to prohibit an employer from conditioning employment or employment benefits on an employee signing specified types of releases and agreements related to unlawful acts in the workplace; create a new section of KRS Chapter 372 to prohibit specified provisions related to harassment in settlement agreements in civil and administrative actions with exceptions.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 337 to require employers with 50 or more employees to provide 12 weeks of paid parental leave for an employee who has been employed for at least one year; allow an employee to waive the paid parental leave; provide for the promulgation of administrative regulations.

Amend KRS 403.725 and 456.030 to require the court of justice to create protocols to allow law enforcement officers to assist victims in filing a petition for an order of protection.

Amend KRS 337.010 to remove specified individuals from the definition of "employee" and to define "worker with a disability"; amend KRS 337.275 to require all employers to pay all employees, including workers with a disability, a minimum wage and increase the state minimum wage over the next three years to no less than 100 percent of the municipality, county, or state minimum wage or the prevailing wage as defined in 29 C.F.R. sec. 1.2; amend KRS 337.295 to remove learners, apprentices, workers with a disability, sheltered workshop employees, and students from regulations issued by the commissioner for the Department of Workplace Standards; amend KRS 205.5605 to exclude referrals to sheltered workshop employment from the definition of "covered services and supports" as of July 1, 2028; amend KRS 154.22-040 to conform; provide that the Act may be cited as the Employees with Disabilities Equal Pay Act.

Amend KRS 403.270, 403.280, 403.315, and 403.340 to remove the presumption in favor of joint custody and equal parenting time; amend KRS 403.320 to conform.

Maddy summaryHB 593 would establish a new minimum wage rate specifically for "essential employees" in Kentucky. It defines essential employees as hourly workers in sectors like healthcare, emergency services, critical food supply chains, public works, transportation, and government operations - those declared essential by executive order. The bill amends existing law to set this separate minimum wage for these workers, distinct from the general minimum wage. This change directly affects hourly workers in these designated industries who would now receive the new rate instead of the standard minimum wage.

Amend KRS 18A.225, 78.510, 156.095, 157.063 158.038, 158.189, 158.196, 158.305, 158.4416, 158.4433, 158.8402, 158.843, 160.152, 160.153, 161.164, 161.220, and 218B.045 to remove references to public charter schools; repeal KRS 160.1590, 160.1591, 160.15911, 160.1592, 160.1593, 160.1594, 160.1595, 160.1596, 160.1597, 160.1598, 160.1599, and 161.141 relating to public charter schools.