Criminal Justice (Policing)

Amend KRS 17.500 to expand the definition of "registrant information"; amend KRS 17.510 to allow a sex offender registration form to be submitted electronically; require a registrant to update any registrant information within 3 days; amend KRS 17.520 to expand those offenses eligible for lifetime registration; increase the 20 year registration for all other offenses to 25 years; amend KRS 17.580 to require the Department of Kentucky State Police to display additional information on the sex offender registry website beginning on or before July 1, 2027; amend KRS 17.165, 160.130, 160.151, and 161.185 to conform; make technical corrections.

HB 630 creates a new Class A misdemeanor offense for individuals who witness a serious crime (like one causing serious injury or death) but fail to immediately report it to police under specific conditions. It directly affects ordinary citizens who observe such crimes, requiring them to report if a reasonable person would believe the crime hasn’t been reported and reporting wouldn’t endanger them. The law specifies that failure to report is only punishable if the person could have reported without risk and reasonably believed the crime hadn’t already been reported. This bill changes the legal consequences for non-reporting in these circumstances, making it a punishable offense.

SB 104 creates a new crime in Kentucky law for approaching or remaining within 25 feet of a first responder (including police, probation officers, campus police, and airport officers) after being verbally warned not to, when the person intends to impede duties, threaten harm, or harass the responder. It defines "harass" as causing substantial emotional distress through intentional conduct with no legitimate purpose. Violations are classified as a misdemeanor for first offenses, escalating to a felony for repeated offenses. The bill directly affects individuals who confront first responders during their duties, establishing specific penalties based on the number of prior offenses.

Amend KRS 527.010 to define "assault weapon," "bump stock," and "machine gun"; create a new section of KRS Chapter 527 to establish the offense of possession of an assault weapon as a Class D felony; provide exceptions; create a new section of KRS Chapter 527 to establish the offense of possession of a machine gun; provide exceptions; create a new section of KRS Chapter 237 to allow a person who lawfully owns an assault weapon before the effective date of the Act to apply to the commissioner of the Department of Kentucky State Police for a certificate of possession; amend KRS 237.104 to conform.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 15 to define terms; impose a duty on peace officers to intervene to prevent or stop another officer from using physical force that will cause unlawful serious physical injury, death, or deprivation of civil rights; impose a duty to provide or obtain emergency medical assistance; require reporting of intervention; provide administrative and legal protections; amend KRS 15.330 to require the Kentucky Law Enforcement Council to prescribe minimum standards for use of force by officer, an officer's duty to intervene, and reporting of police officer misconduct; amend KRS 413.115 to require that an action for retaliatory personnel actions to be commenced within 3 years.