Passing meaningful legislation to leave a lasting impact on our future
We are approaching the end of this year’s session and have only two days remaining on the legislative calendar. When we adjourned on Thursday, we adjourned for a 15-day veto period. The two-week period gives the governor the opportunity to sign, veto, or let bills become law without his signature. The final two days are always reserved to give us time to consider any vetoes that a Governor might issue on bills we have passed.
Here are a few examples of legislation that we sent to the Governor for his consideration:
HB 1 provides $2.7 billion over the next two years to fund projects within state government and in communities throughout the Commonwealth. Included in HB 1 is $260 million for water and wastewater infrastructure projects in the first year, with another $84.7 million in the second year; $230 million over the biennium towards public pension liabilities; $35 million in each fiscal year for capital improvements; $35 million in each fiscal year towards economic development efforts through the Kentucky Product Development Initiative; $100 million in each fiscal year for the GRANT program; $50 million in each year to support approved mega-development projects; $10 million in each year to the Kentuckiana Works program to support workforce training; and $18 million in each year for maintenance and upgrades at the Kentucky Horse Park.
HB 5, commonly known as the Safer Kentucky Act, includes more than 20 provisions aimed at a variety of crime issues. The bill would require life without probation or parole for those convicted of their third violent felony. These are individuals who commit the most heinous of crimes, including murder, rape, multiple times. They have proven not once, not twice, but at least three times that they are too dangerous for society. HB 5 also increases the felony class for smuggling contraband substances within a jail, prison, or other type of detention center to a class C felony. The measure also increases the penalty for fleeing or evading the police to a class C felony.
HB 15 protects 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. We are living in a digital age. Whether buying from an online retailer, connecting with friends and family on your favorite social media platform, or even checking your phone to catch up on the news or sports, the internet is heavily ingrained in our daily lives. People deserve to know what data is being collected on them and how that data is being used.
HB 30 works to reduce the stigma among veterans concerning mental healthcare and prevent suicide. The measure would train workers at the Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs (KDVA) to help connect veterans directly with tailored services and nonprofits, rather than create a new system. HB 30 works to maximize the services that already exist in the Commonwealth and help our veterans to access them. The KDVA would be required to submit reports on the nonprofits and services that veterans are using to learn how we can help them more in the future.
In addition to these robust measures, we were also able to pass HB 6, the state’s operating budget, ahead of the veto recess. Through this budget, the legislature was able to maintain our commitment to funding our pensions, education, and the wellbeing of our state employees. Decades of neglect have left the state’s personnel system uncompetitive with other public sector employers and made it difficult to attract talented individuals to serve Kentuckians through state agencies and programs. While efforts to improve the situation continue, my colleagues and I approved raises for the second consecutive budget. HB 6 includes funding for a 3% raise in each year. We also allocated more than $20 billion to shoring up our public pensions. We have made major reforms to ensure they are viable and have worked to ensure that those who make decisions have the right priorities in mind. Now more than ever, it is imperative that we keep a mindful eye on how our retirement dollars are managed.