Gov. Beshear Signs Several Recently Passed Pieces of Legislation

Bills support education, health care, state employee members of the military

FRANKFORT, Ky. (March 29, 2022) – Today Gov. Andy Beshear signed into law several pieces of legislation recently passed by the General Assembly.

“I am pleased to sign some good pieces of legislation that help us build a better Kentucky by expanding access to health care services and supporting our students’ education and well-being,” Gov. Beshear said. “I am also proud to sign legislation that provides our state employees who are also members of the military the leave time they deserve to recover from physical injuries incurred during their time of service. We thank them and their families for their sacrifices.”

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

Senate Bill 9 provides Kentucky students, their parents and their teachers a system to boost literacy to a proficiency level by the third grade, while also expanding diagnostic assessments and screening, intervention, support and family engagement – including at-home learning strategies.  

Senate Bill 151 authorizes schools that participate in the Federal School Breakfast Program to provide up to 15 minutes of the students’ attendance day for children to eat breakfast during instructional time.

Senate Bill 94 expands eligibility for the Work Ready Kentucky Scholarship Program to include students with intellectual disabilities enrolled in comprehensive transition and postsecondary programs.

House Bill 275 paves the way for more Kentucky students and workers to become certified public accountants. As Kentucky’s economy continues to grow at a record pace, it is important that Kentucky have more trained financial professionals in the job market. This bill sets up the framework for a certified public accounting scholarship program, which will help recruit students and fund their educational pursuits.

House Bill 317 is a cleanup bill from legislation passed last year that allowed charitable organizations to provide premiums and copays for low-income patients. The new legislation closes this loophole and ensures nonprofit and religious organizations that meet specific requirements can still pay insurers directly for health insurance and deductibles to assist low-income Kentuckians. The act also makes sure insurance can be paid for an entire year, rather than just a portion of the year.

House Bill 95 allows licensed audiologists to sell and fit hearing instruments based on one license instead of obtaining multiple licenses. It also establishes specific requirements and consumer protections for anyone selling and fitting hearing instruments and creates a process for consumer complaints.

House Joint Resolution 28 directs the Kentucky Department for Medicaid Services to request federal guidance from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for Medicaid coverage on prescription digital therapeutics in the commonwealth. Digital therapeutics are treatments or therapies that utilize digital and often internet-based health technologies to spur changes in patient behavior.

House Bill 442 amends the statute governing newborn safety devices, which are designed to permit a parent to anonymously place a newborn in the custody of emergency medical services providers. It adds ground ambulance providers to the list of entities allowed to install and operate such devices.

House Bill 370 helps regulate health care trade practices. For example, it outlines the process and requirements for granting third-party access to a provider network and helps ensure affordable and accessible dental care by making it harder for dental benefit plans to deny claims.

House Bill 345 improves leave benefits for state employees who serve in the military. Under the new law, a state employee who is a member of the military and is physically disabled due to their active-duty military service or training can now receive up to six months of authorized leave. This leave provides those serving their country more security as they recover from physical injuries incurred in military service.

House Bill 500 promotes Kentucky’s signature industry by providing clarity in the practice of selecting private barrels of bourbon at distilleries. These events have become a popular attraction for tourists on the bourbon trail.

House Bill 506 declares that professional employer organizations provide a valuable service to commerce and should be properly recognized and regulated. It requires a person providing professional employer services to be registered and to set forth registration requirements, and it requires professional employer organizations to pay a registration fee.

Senate Bill 158 reorganizes entities within the Finance and Administration Cabinet and the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to improve efficiency.

Last week, the Governor signed eight pieces of legislation, click here to read more.