Beshear signs 53 bills into law, vetoes none

FRANKFORT, Ky. (KT) - Gov. Andy Beshear may have to take the weekend off to keep from getting writer's cramp, as he signed 53 more bills into law since his Thursday afternoon press conference and issued no vetoes, as of Friday afternoon.

Here are some of the higher profile signings:

Senate Bill 1 establishes the endowed research fund to be administered by the Council on Postsecondary Education to fund research consortiums for up to five years between two or more public universities.

SB 45 starts an Ashanti Alert system in Kentucky. It's like the Amber Alert notification system for missing children, but in this case for missing adults who may be endangered.

SB 111 Requires health insurance coverage of the cost of speech therapists as a treatment for those who stutter.

SB 140 Removes the waiver application deadline for unemployment insurance overpayment of thirty days on unemployment insurance claims filed in 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

SB 255 Establishes the requirements and standards for social worker services that are performed via telehealth.

SB 319 Increases the allowable amount of emergency awards from the Crime Victims Compensation Board and allows family members and caregivers of a victim to file claims.

House Bill 3 Increases penalties for those convicted of promoting human trafficking to a Class D Felony (1-5 years in prison) if the victim is an adult, and a Class C Felony (5-10 years), if the victim is under 18. It also allows the Attorney General to establish a working group on the topic.

HB 15 is known as the Consumer Data Protection Act and provides civil penalties of $7,500 for each violation of its provisions.

HB 30 Establishes the Kentucky Service Members, Veterans, and their Families Suicide Prevention Program.

HB 31 Requires the Department for Medicaid Services and any managed care organization contracted for the delivery of Medicaid Services to provide coverage for at-home anticoagulation management.

HB 87 Permits the child, grandchild, or sibling of a deceased birth parent or deceased adoptee, to be given the right to inspect adoption papers and records.

HB 194 Expands assault in the third degree to include causing or attempting to cause physical injury to a person employed by or under contract with a hospital if the event occurs in or on the premises of a hospital or hospital-owned outpatient facility.

HB 258 Provides that torture of a dog or cat is a Class D felony in every instance and that each act may constitute a separate offense.

HB 267 Authorizes the Office of Broadband Development to implement the federal Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program, while Senate Joint Resolution 175 facilitates the deployment of broadband internet service to unserved and underserved areas of the state.

HB 447 Allows school districts to use vans holding nine or less passengers to transport students to and from classes, and for extracurricular activities.

HB 476 Will let a parent to voluntarily terminate his or her parental rights during the pendency of a proceeding relating to dependency, neglect, and abuse actions, by signing a consent form prescribed by the Administrative Office of the Courts and filing the form with the court.

HB 551 Permits law enforcement agencies to hire retired officers to work cold cases.

HB 583 Requires state agencies to notify the chief executive officers of all forms of local government and mayors of a declaration of an environmental emergency in their jurisdiction.

HB 695 Establishes the Adaptive Kindergarten Readiness Pilot Project, to provide preschool children with access to educational technology programs that use family engagement to improve kindergarten readiness.

Lawmakers will return to Frankfort for the final two days of the legislative session on April 12 and 15, where they will have the opportunity to override any vetoes by the Governor.