Veterans (Veteran Healthcare)

Recognize and honor the First Amendment rights of veterans and the importance of protecting the earned benefits of our veterans from retaliatory and punitive measures.

Propose to create a new section of the Constitution of Kentucky to allow the General Assembly to provide by law a property tax exemption for the permanent residence of an owner who is a veteran with a service-connected disability; require the law to specify the amount of the exemption, the qualifications for claiming the exemption, and whether the exemption transfers to the veteran's surviving spouse; prohibit more than 1 exemption per permanent residence; disallow the exemption to be combined with an exemption under Section 170 of the Constitution of Kentucky; provide ballot language; submit to voters for ratification or rejection.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 40 to define terms; create the Residential Ease of Access for Disabled Veterans Program for funding the construction and installation of accessibility ramps on residences of disabled veterans; establish the Residential Ease of Access for Disabled Veterans Program grant fund to be used for the program and administered by the Kentucky Department of Veterans' Affairs.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 132, relating to state and local property taxes, to establish a homestead exemption in an amount up to $100,000 for veterans with a 50% or greater service-connected disability; establish requirements for the exemption; allow the permanent residence of a veteran's surviving spouse to continue to receive the exemption; require the Department of Revenue to prescribe forms and an application process for the exemption; apply the exemption to state, county, city, and special district taxes; allow mobile homes, manufactured houses, recreational homes, and modular homes to qualify for the exemption; require title transfers on property receiving the exemption to be reported to the property valuation administrator; allow the exemption to apply to the value of the property that is assessable to the owner or proportioned to his or her interest when the property is jointly owned or owned through a stock or membership corporation; allow partial or full refunds if an overpayment occurs upon application of the exemption; apply to property assessed on or after January 1, 2027.

HB 436 amends Kentucky state park fee rules to exempt graduates of the PGA HOPE program (a golf program for veterans and active-duty military) and one guest from paying green fees on state park golf courses. Instead, they only pay standard golf cart rental fees. To qualify, graduates must present a valid PGA HOPE graduate card at the time of rental. This policy change directly affects eligible veterans and military personnel using state park facilities.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 40 to define terms; create the Residential Ease of Access for Disabled Veterans Program for funding the construction and installation of accessibility ramps on residences of disabled veterans; establish the Residential Ease of Access for Disabled Veterans Program grant fund to be used for the program and administered by the Kentucky Department of Veterans' Affairs.

Create a new section of Subchapter 12 of KRS Chapter 154 to create the Veteran Entrepreneur Program to be administered by the Office of Entrepreneurship; establish requirements and program details; amend KRS 154.12-277 and 154.12-278 to include the Veteran Entrepreneur Program; and amend KRS 154.12-330 to give preference to veterans in the issuance of small business loans.

HB 369 adds post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a qualifying condition for veterans to access hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) in Kentucky. It amends state law to allow veterans diagnosed with PTSD - confirmed by a treating health care provider - to receive HBOT, expanding eligibility beyond traumatic brain injury. The bill requires written informed consent from veterans or their legal guardians, detailing treatment options, potential outcomes, and financial responsibility for the therapy. This policy change directly affects Kentucky veterans with PTSD seeking this specific medical treatment option.