Sen. Gerald Neal

Establish the Foster Care and Adoption Efficiency Task Force to examine the foster care system, evaluate timeframes and guidelines once a child comes into state custody, review barriers to foster care homes, and review funding to foster care placements; establish task force membership; require the task force to submit any findings and recommendations to the Legislative Research Commission by December 1, 2024.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 311 to state that there shall be no criminal liability against a provider engaged in assisted reproduction who meets the professional standard of care.

Recognize August 2024 as Railroad Crossings Safety Awareness Month in Kentucky.

Adjourn in honor and loving memory of Judy Taylor.

Amend KRS 117.085 to provide convenience of the voter as a basis for absentee voting; amend KRS 117.076 to permit any qualified voter the ability to vote in-person absentee during normal business hours on any of the 12 working days and two Saturdays before an election; amend KRS 117.066 to require that each county board of elections petition for and use a vote center on election day.

Repeal and reenact KRS 532.031 to define "gender identity or expression"; list the actions that qualify as hate crimes; list the actual or perceived characteristics a person must have in order to qualify as a victim of a hate crime; outline penalties for a person guilty of a hate crime; set forth criteria for seeking an enhanced sentence; amend KRS 15.334 and to add characteristics of a victim to be considered when determining the cause of a crime; add requirement that officers receive training on hate crimes; create a new section of KRS Chapter 411 to permit a civil action where the victim of a hate crime suffers damages regardless of the outcome of any criminal proceeding; establish recovery for the victim; amend KRS 17.1523 to add characteristics of a victim to be considered when determining the cause of a crime; amend KRS 15.440 to require that a unit of government shall possess a written policy and procedures manual related to hate crimes in order to receive funds from the Law Enforcement Foundation Program fund; repeal KRS 49.320 relating to victim of hate crime deemed victim of criminally injurious conduct.

Create new sections of KRS Chapter 158 to prohibit censorship of history curriculum; permit a school or school district to adopt, implement, and offer equity, diversity, and inclusion curricula, programing, initiatives, and instruction without penalty; create a new section of KRS Chapter 164 to provide that public postsecondary education institutions may adopt, implement, and offer diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, initiatives, and instruction without penalty.

Amend KRS 344.010 to provide definitions of "protective hairstyle" and "race" that include traits historically associated with race; amend KRS 344.020 to provide that nothing in the chapter shall be construed to prohibit reasonable workplace policies; amend KRS 158.148 to provide that school disciplinary codes shall prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, but shall not be interpreted to restrict the adoption of reasonable school safety policies; make technical corrections; provide that the Act may be cited as the C.R.O.W.N. Act.

Propose to amend Section 145 of the Constitution of Kentucky to automatically restore the voting rights of persons convicted of certain felonies upon completion of their imprisonment, probation, or parole and automatically restore their civil rights three years after completion of their imprisonment, probation, or parole; provide ballot language; submit to voters for ratification or rejection.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 158 to state legislative findings; establish definitions; provide additional free speech protections for student journalists; place limitations on additional protections; provide protection for student media advisors; require each district to adopt a written policy for time, place, and manner restrictions and for an appeals procedure; provide that student speech not be considered school speech; provide that a student journalist or student media advisor may seek injunctive relief; provide that the Act may be cited as the New Voices Act.