Kentucky Congressional Bills

in committee · Kentucky · House Mar 15, 2024

HR 7698: Building Civic Bridges Act

HR 7698 establishes a new Office of Civic Bridgebuilding within the Corporation for National and Community Service to support programs reducing polarization and improving social cohesion. It authorizes $25 million annually (2025-2027) for competitive grants to nonprofits, community groups, and educational institutions to fund projects addressing local needs like healthcare gaps or environmental concerns through research-backed methods. Grantees must demonstrate how projects engage diverse communities, ensure participant safety (especially for marginalized groups), and use standardized metrics to track effectiveness. The Office will oversee grants, support training, and maintain a public research base on civic bridgebuilding best practices.

Derek Kilmer (D) · 21 co-sponsors

in committee · Kentucky · House Mar 15, 2024

HR 7647: Housing ACCESS Act

The Housing ACCESS Act requires the federal government to issue guidance within one year to help states connect Medicaid beneficiaries with housing services. It directs states to align eligibility processes, streamline service coordination between health and housing agencies, and track outcomes like housing stability - disaggregated by race. The bill also mandates a national study to set fair reimbursement rates for housing services, aiming to ensure living wages for providers and a 1:15 case manager-to-client ratio. States must report on progress within two years, with the guidance intended to simplify how health and housing providers access each other's systems.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Housing

in committee · Kentucky · Senate Mar 14, 2024

SJRES 65: A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Environmental Protection Agency relating to "Reconsideration of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Particulate Matter".

This joint resolution (SJRES 65) seeks to disapprove an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule that would have revised national air quality standards for tiny air particles (particulate matter), which are pollutants linked to health issues like asthma and heart disease. The EPA rule, published on March 6, 2024, proposed updating these standards to tighten pollution limits. By invoking the Congressional Review Act, the resolution would block the rule from taking effect, maintaining the current standards without changes. This directly affects the EPA’s ability to implement the proposed revisions to air quality regulations, impacting public health protections and industry compliance requirements.

Topics ✗ Environment ✗ Healthcare

Mitch McConnell (R) · 49 co-sponsors

in committee · Kentucky · Senate Mar 12, 2024

S 3933: Laken Riley Act

S 3933, the Laken Riley Act, amends immigration law to require mandatory detention for non-citizens charged with certain crimes like theft or burglary, rather than allowing release. It directly affects individuals facing these charges and gives state attorneys general the legal standing to sue federal agencies (like DHS or the State Department) if they claim immigration policies caused the state or residents financial harm exceeding $100. Key provisions include requiring Homeland Security to take custody of such individuals and establishing new court procedures for states to seek injunctions against federal immigration enforcement actions. The bill does not change border policies but focuses on detention requirements and state legal challenges to federal immigration enforcement.

Topics ✗ Criminal Justice ✗ Immigration

Katie Boyd Britt (R) · 47 co-sponsors

in committee · Kentucky · House Mar 12, 2024

HR 7629: Protect Our Letter Carriers Act of 2024

HR 7629, the Protect Our Letter Carriers Act of 2024, allocates $1.4 billion annually (2025-2029) to the U.S. Postal Service for high-security collection boxes and replacing physical universal mailbox keys with electronic versions, directly affecting USPS operations and letter carriers. It requires the Attorney General to appoint specialized prosecutors in each district to coordinate investigations and prosecutions of postal-related crimes, such as assaults on carriers or mail theft. The bill also mandates the U.S. Sentencing Commission to adjust guidelines so that assaults or robberies against postal employees are treated with the same severity as assaults against law enforcement officers. These provisions aim to enhance safety through infrastructure upgrades, improved prosecution, and stricter sentencing for crimes targeting postal workers.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Labor & Employment

in committee · Kentucky · Senate Mar 11, 2024

S 3900: Justice for Breonna Taylor Act

The Justice for Breonna Taylor Act requires law enforcement officers to inform residents of their identity and purpose before entering a home, banning no-knock warrants for federal officers immediately and for state/local agencies receiving Department of Justice funds starting one year after enactment. Federal officers must provide this notice before entry, while state/local agencies using federal funding must implement the requirement in the first fiscal year following the bill’s passage. This law directly affects all federal law enforcement and state/local agencies that receive DOJ funding, changing how search warrants are executed. The key provision mandates notice before forced entry, ending the use of no-knock warrants for covered agencies.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

in committee · Kentucky · House Mar 11, 2024

HR 7617: Justice for Breonna Taylor Act

This bill prohibits federal law enforcement officers and state/local agencies receiving Department of Justice funding from executing no-knock warrants. Specifically, it requires officers to announce their authority and purpose before forcibly entering a residence. The law applies to all warrant executions by federal officers (as defined in 18 U.S.C. §115) and to state/local agencies receiving DOJ funds starting in the first fiscal year after enactment. It directly affects law enforcement agencies at all levels that use federal funding, changing how they execute search warrants. The core policy change is mandating audible notice before entry, replacing the previous no-knock practice.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

in committee · Kentucky · House Mar 9, 2024

HR 7600: American High-Speed Rail Act

The American High-Speed Rail Act authorizes $35 billion annually for high-speed rail corridor development (with $3 billion for corridor planning), requiring at least 20% of project costs to come from non-Federal sources. It defines "high-speed rail" as services reaching 186+ mph and "higher-speed rail" as 110-186 mph, with no more than 20% of funds allocated to higher-speed rail projects. Key provisions include allowing advance acquisition of rail corridors before environmental reviews, creating tax exclusions for rail carriers selling property to high-speed rail projects, and requiring consideration of equity, sustainability, and economic development impacts in planning. The bill affects federal agencies, state and local governments, rail carriers, and communities along proposed rail corridors.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Environment ✓ Transportation

Seth Moulton (D) · 47 co-sponsors

in committee · Kentucky · House Mar 8, 2024

HR 7536: PACE Act

The PACE Act creates a federal grant program to fund state, tribal, and local efforts preventing adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and promoting positive childhood experiences for children under 18. It requires grant recipients to use data-driven strategies, coordinate multi-sector partnerships, and prioritize populations with high ACE burdens, including communities disproportionately affected by historical trauma. The bill also mandates CDC research on ACEs and positive experiences, including longitudinal studies and analysis of factors like trauma exposure and community conditions. Annual reports to Congress will track program performance, with priority given to tribal organizations and entities with prior ACE prevention experience.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

in committee · Kentucky · Senate Mar 7, 2024

SRES 580: A resolution expressing opposition to congressional spending on earmarks.

SRES 580 is a non-binding Senate resolution expressing opposition to congressional earmarks - funds directed by lawmakers for specific projects. It condemns the practice as wasteful and urges Congress to permanently restore the previous ban on earmarks. The resolution does not change spending laws or affect any projects directly, as it serves only as a symbolic statement. It references historical context and recent earmark requests to justify its position but has no legal effect on federal funding.

in committee · Kentucky · Senate Mar 6, 2024

SJRES 63: A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Labor relating to "Employee or Independent Contractor Classification Under the Fair Labor Standards Act".

This joint resolution (SJRES 63) seeks to block a specific rule issued by the Department of Labor (DOL) concerning worker classification under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The DOL rule (published January 10, 2024) aimed to clarify how businesses must classify workers as employees or independent contractors for purposes of minimum wage and overtime pay. If passed, this resolution would formally disapprove the rule under a statutory process (Chapter 8 of Title 5, U.S. Code), preventing it from taking effect. The rule directly affects employers across industries who use independent contractors and their workers, as it would change how worker status is determined under federal labor law.

Topics ✗ Labor & Employment

Bill Cassidy (R) · 37 co-sponsors

in committee · Kentucky · House Mar 6, 2024

HR 7575: Supporting America’s Young Entrepreneurs Act of 2024

HR 7575, the Supporting America’s Young Entrepreneurs Act of 2024, provides student loan relief to borrowers who start or work for qualifying small businesses in economically distressed areas. Founders of certified "distressed area businesses" (operating 5+ years in designated low-income/unemployment zones) can have up to $20,000 of their Federal Direct Loans canceled after 24 months of payments while employed by their business. Employees of new "small business start-ups" (operating ≤3 years) may qualify for up to $3,000 annually (max $15,000 total) after 12 months of full-time employment. The Young Entrepreneurs Business Center, established under the Small Business Act, certifies businesses, identifies distressed areas, and approves loan cancellations, with canceled debt excluded from taxable income.

Kentucky Congressional Bills

Bill results