Education, Agriculture, and Healthcare
The General Assembly remains hard at work as we draw near the end of the 2024 Regular Session. Almost 200 bills have passed the House, while several remain in the legislative process. With the veto period around the corner, the remaining legislative days are critical to ensuring that important legislation is passed into law. Our top priority this session, the state’s two-year spending plan, is coming closer to being approved. We have also prioritized legislative matters that are important to the people of our districts.
Here are some summaries of legislation that cleared the House this week:
Limiting foreign ownership of Kentucky land: Kentucky is joining many other states in restricting the ownership of land by foreign entities. HB 575 prohibits the purchase of Kentucky’s agricultural land by countries that the federal government has identified as countries with which we do not share friendly relations. This legislation does not hinder previous foreign operations and provides exemptions for research opportunities.
Establishing a teacher induction and mentorship program: Newly certified teachers need the support and mentorship of veterans in the field. HB 828 establishes a statewide mentorship program for young educators and removes the requirement for a teaching internship after new teachers receive their certification. This program will support these young professionals as they grow into strong educators.
Addressing workforce shortages: Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Kentucky’s workforce utilization has been at all-time lows. There have been several measures passed through the last couple regular sessions to remedy this. Recently, the Senate has sent us SJR 176, which would establish the Workforce Attraction and Retention Workforce. This workforce would work through the 2024 legislative interim and would investigate best practices for fortifying our workforce and bringing it back to post-COVID levels.
Preserving our elections: A keystone of a healthy republic is directly related to the well-being and sanctity of their elections. Because of loopholes in our statutes, there is no direct language that prohibits non-citizens from casting their vote on election day. To remedy this, SB 143 was passed by both chambers, and is set to be on the ballot this November. If passed by voters, the constitution would clearly express that non-citizen in the Commonwealth do not have the right to vote.
While we prepare to end this regular session and look towards the interim, I would be remiss if I did not mention the unfortunate news that came from the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute County Health Rankings & Roadmaps program report. As it stands today, Kentucky continues to lead the nation in obesity, overdose, early death, and physical health. This report detailed that Kentucky Kentuckians have a life expectancy of 74, compared to the national life expectancy of 77.6. That number actually decreased from 2023 when Kentuckians had a life expectancy of 75.1, with the national average at 78.5 years old. As we continue to study health outcomes in the Commonwealth, I fully anticipate continued conversations on what we can do to improve our overall metrics and promote a better, healthier tomorrow.
Although HB 204, a measure I sponsored to reform the Certificate of Need(CON) process, failed to pass out of committee this session, I will continue to advocate for CON reforms to ensure that all Kentuckians have access to the medical care they need. I remain committed to addressing the quality, accessibility, and cost of healthcare. Improving our state’s health outcomes begins with increasing access to medical services and creating a democratic and transparent approval process for healthcare providers.