Rep. Nancy Tate

Maddy summaryHB 620 amends Kentucky's criminal code (KRS 501.060) to replace gendered terms like "his or her" with gender-neutral language in definitions related to criminal causation. The bill specifically updates legal phrases in sections about intentional, wanton, or reckless conduct that causes a result, ensuring the statute applies equally regardless of gender. This is a procedural update to modernize the language of existing law without changing the substance of criminal liability rules. The change directly affects how courts interpret criminal statutes involving causation in Kentucky.

Amend KRS 164.295 to remove the doctoral program prohibitions for comprehensive universities and expressly permit comprehensive universities to offer research doctoral programs.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 139 to exempt religious institutions from sales and use tax; amend KRS 139.200 and 139.495 to conform; EFFECTIVE July 1, 2025.

Create new sections of KRS Chapter 15A, relating to juvenile detention facilities, to direct that all incarcerated youth are subject to search at any time and to require separate bathrooms and sleeping quarters for males and females; create new sections of KRS Chapter 197, relating to penitentiaries, to direct that all prisoners are subject to search at any time, require separate bathrooms and sleeping quarters for males and females, and to prohibit the Department of Corrections from providing cosmetic procedures or initiating cross-sex hormones for a prisoner; create new sections of KRS Chapter 441, relating to jails, to direct that all jail inmates are subject to search at any time and to require separate bathrooms and sleeping quarters for males and females.

Amend KRS 304.17A-164 to establish cost-sharing requirements for prescription drugs; require rebates to be passed through; establish confidentiality requirements for the rebate information; create a new section of KRS 365.880 to 365.900 to provide that the actual amount of rebates received is a trade secret; provide that compliance with prescription drug cost-sharing and rebate requirements shall not be in violation of the Uniform Trade Secrets Act; amend KRS 304.17C-125, 304.38A-115, 18A.225, and 164.2871 to apply the cost-sharing and rebate requirements for prescription drugs to limited health service benefit plans, limited health service organizations, the state employee health plan, and self-insured employer group health plans provided by the governing board of a state postsecondary education institution; apply provisions to health plans issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2026; EFFECTIVE January 1, 2026.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 277 to require that every railroad company destroy or remove obstructive vegetation at intersections with public roads or highways; direct the Transportation Cabinet or local government to remove obstructive vegetation if the railroad company fails to do so and establish procedures for reimbursement by the railroad company for the vegetation removal.

Amend KRS 158.1415 to require a school district to adopt health curricula that includes human growth and development instruction that meets specific criteria; set restrictions for the instruction that grants parents an opportunity to review materials and opt their child out of instruction; provide that the Act may be cited as the Baby Olivia Act.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 227 to require owner, seller, or lessor to have functional smoke, carbon monoxide, and gas detectors where applicable in all existing residential structures; require seller or lessor to verify in affidavit prior to transfer or tenancy of property; exempt KRS Chapter 324 licensees from liability.

Amend KRS 156.160 to require any course meeting the health requirement for high school graduation to include information on the organ donation program.

Amend KRS 95A.292 to allow rescue squad members to participate in the Alan "Chip" Terry Professional Development and Wellness Program; create a new section of KRS Chapter 39F to direct the Division of Emergency Management and the Kentucky Fire Commission to enter into an agreement to ensure that rescue squad members have access to the program.