E-cigs and vaping, privacy protections, workplace violence, loopholes in food stamp eligibility

E-Cigs and Vaping in Schools/HB 142: The measure would create guidelines for school districts to handle the use of e-cigarettes and vapes in schools. School districts would be required to disseminate evidence-based nicotine prevention and cessation material to all students of the districts prior to the start, and od throughout, the school year. Their policy would also be required to include the confiscation of alternative nicotine products, tobacco products, or vapor products on the first violation. The second violation would be handled according to policies laid out on the district level, and a third and all subsequent violations would be required to result in an in-school or out-of-school suspension. In the case of an in-school suspension a student would be required to complete an evidence-based, age-appropriate nicotine education program

Consumer Privacy Protections/HB 15: The bill would protect the data privacy of online consumers in Kentucky by guaranteeing the right of Kentuckians to access collected data, change what data is collected, demand deletion of collected data, and demand no sale of data. This measure requires companies must answer requests within 45 days and only applies to companies with 100,000 customers or 25,000 customers, if over 50% of the company’s income is derived from the sale of consumer data.

Protecting Healthcare Workers from Workplace Violence/HB 194: This bill would help address the healthcare worker shortage by adding protections for those who dedicate their lives to helping others. HB 194 would expand the language of felony assault to include assault of a healthcare worker, even those who are under contract with the hospital.

Eliminating Loopholes in Food Stamp Eligibility/HB 367: The measure would prohibit CHFS from taking certain actions regarding the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), including increasing the eligibility standards for participation in the program, granting non-cash, in-kind, or other benefits unless those individuals are eligible for those benefits under a different program, exempting individuals from the gross income and financial resources standards for benefits, applying for, seeking accepting, or renewing any waiver of work requirements for able bodied adults without dependents. Additionally, HB 367 would require the cabinet to obtain specific authorization from the General Assembly to seek, apply for, accept, or renew any waiver of work requirements for able bodied adults without dependents. As it stands, Kentucky has a variety of loopholes that allow abled-bodied individuals to take advantage of the benefits provided to the Commonwealth’s most disadvantaged. The two loopholes addressed in this legislation are broad-based categorical eligibility (BBCE) and work requirement waivers for individuals between the ages of 18-52 who do not have dependents in their household.