Gov. Beshear Signs 13 Recently Passed Pieces of Legislation

Bills support many Kentuckians including: agriculture and automotive retailers, individuals with mental illness, firefighters and instructors, high school students graduating early, audiovisual artists, veterans

FRANKFORT, Ky. (March 30, 2022) – Today Gov. Andy Beshear signed into law 13 pieces of legislation recently passed by the General Assembly.

“I am proud to sign legislation that supports so many different people, from business owners and artists to students who are graduating early or Kentuckians suffering from mental illness who need a safe home,” Gov. Beshear said. “We are also enhancing consumer protections and making it easier for some of our heroes – our firefighters and veterans – to get the funding, training or treatment that they need and deserve.”

The bills, which will become law on their effective dates, are:

Senate Bill 27 allows a part-time adjunct instructor for the Kentucky Fire Commission who did not participate in the Kentucky Employees Retirement Systems prior to retirement and is eligible to retire from the County Employees Retirement System to retire and draw benefits without being required to resign from his or her instructor position.

Senate Bill 32 improves the Judicial Form Retirement System funding policy for unfunded liability. It establishes actuarial methods for normal and unfunded actuarially accrued liability that makes the plan more fiscally sound.

Senate Bill 61 supports high school students in the Early Graduation Program by removing two graduation requirements, end-of-course examinations and ACT benchmarks, to increase flexibility depending on student circumstances.

Senate Bill 91 allows vehicle dealers to deliver online vehicle purchases to customers at their place of residence or business.

Senate Bill 121 relieves retailers of the responsibility of maintaining agriculture exemption certificates presented by customers eligible for a sales tax exemption on the purchase of farm supplies. Effective July 1, 2022, retailers will need only to obtain an exemption number from the customer to document the items purchased are exempt from state sales tax.

Senate Bill 189 allows volunteer fire departments that merge after the bill’s effective date to retain all qualified shares of aid that each individual department would have received prior to the merger.

Senate Bill 272 requires a website, online service or owner/operator who disseminates a commercial recording or audiovisual work of a third party to disclose his or her personal information on that website or online service. This will help prevent the dissemination of counterfeit goods and the defrauding of consumers. It also creates civil penalties to prohibit a person from using a false, deceptive or misleading affiliation when advertising or conducting a live musical performance in the commonwealth.

Senate Joint Resolution 72 directs the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to apply for a Medicaid waiver to provide supported housing for individuals with severe mental illness (SMI). Currently 53% of adults under state guardianship are diagnosed with SMI and would potentially benefit from services like staffed residencies, group homes, family cares homes, personal care homes, medical respite care and supported employment.

House Bill 171 will allow the rates and terms offered by Federal Home Loan Bank to Kentucky's insurance company member to be the same as those offered to its bank and financial institution members. Several states have already passed similar bills. This change puts Kentucky more in line with national standards.

House Bill 175 provides greater consumer protections for Kentuckians by making it easier to obtain national criminal background checks on those applying for a massage therapy license.

House Bill 307 amends provisions within the insurance code to define nationally recognized statistical rating organizations and establish permissible investments for liability self-insurance groups and workers’ compensation self-insurance groups, easing financial restrictions and providing additional flexibility on the investments that can be made.

House Bill 380 permits insurers and insurance producers to offer gifts, conduct sweepstakes or drawings and offer products or services for free or less than market value if certain conditions are met that reduce claim costs, enhance health or assist in administering employee benefits. This bill modernizes insurance marketing practices while ensure consumers remain protected.

House Concurrent Resolution 40 urges Kentucky’s Congressional delegation to include Kentucky’s Veterans Affairs Medical Centers in the Center for Compassionate Innovation, a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs pilot program enabling the use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy treatment for veterans with a traumatic brain injury or post-traumatic stress disorder.

Yesterday, the Governor signed 13 pieces of legislation. To learn more, see the full release.

Last week, the Governor signed eight pieces of legislation. To learn more, see the full release.