Sen. Jason Howell

Amend KRS 321.181 to define terms; create new sections of KRS Chapter 321 to establish new allied animal health professional licenses for equine dentistry and animal chiropractic practice; create the allied animal health professional advisory board; amend KRS 321.187 regarding retention of original patient records; amend various sections of KRS Chapter 321 to conform.

Amend KRS 15.382, relating to peace officer professional standards certification, to provide that a person who has previously been employed as a peace officer in another state and who meets certain criteria, shall not be required to pass a physical agility test; make technical corrections.

Amend KRS 15.010 to establish the Department of Child Support Services and the Office of Data Privacy in the Department of Law; amend KRS 15.111 to conform to existing law and recognize that the Office of Administrative Hearings is created under the Department of Law; amend KRS 15.802, 44.030, 156A.060, 186.570, 237.110, 248.664, and 403.135 and various sections of KRS Chapters 405, 406, and 407 to conform with the transfer of child support enforcement programs to the Department of Child Support Services in the Department of Law; amend various sections of KRS Chapters 199, 205, 211, 216, and 216B to conform with the duties assigned to the Office of Administrative Hearings within the Department of Law; EFFECTIVE July 1, 2025.

Amend KRS 237.109 to lower the age requirement for carrying a concealed and deadly weapon from 21 to 18; amend KRS 237.110 to conform; make technical corrections.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 258 to define terms; prohibit retail pet shops from selling dogs or cats unless the animal was obtained from an animal shelter or qualified breeder; prohibit retail pet shops from selling a dog or cat that is less than eight weeks old, or selling a dog or cat to anyone under the age of eighteen; prohibit local governments from passing ordinances that conflict with this Act; amend KRS 258.990 to establish a penalty for a violation.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 48 to define "illegal alien"; prohibit state tax dollars appropriated by the General Assembly from being used to compensate an illegal alien; direct the Kentucky Office of Homeland Security to assist in the implementation and enforcement of the Act.

Maddy summarySB 242 amends Kentucky's agricultural code (KRS 246.285) to replace gendered terms like "his or her" with gender-neutral language in the Commissioner of Agriculture's authority. This change applies specifically to the Commissioner's powers regarding claims, property, and contracts under agricultural laws. The bill does not alter any substantive policies, funding, or responsibilities - it only updates the language to be inclusive. It affects how the Commissioner's role is described in statute, not who is impacted by agricultural programs.

Maddy summarySB 238 amends Kentucky's agricultural assessment law (KRS 247.4477) to replace gendered terms like "his or her" with gender-neutral language. This change directly affects agricultural producers, purchasers of commodities, and the agencies managing assessment collections. The bill updates existing language in the law governing how assessments are deducted from payments and remitted to producer groups, without altering any procedural requirements or financial obligations. It ensures the statute uses inclusive language consistent with current legal standards.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 247 to define terms; prohibit a nonresident alien, foreign business, foreign agent, trustee, or fiduciary associated with the government of any proscribed country referenced in 22 C.F.R. sec. 126.1 from the purchase, lease, or acquisition of agricultural land in Kentucky or participation in programs administered by the Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Development Board, and Kentucky Agricultural Finance Corporation; allow an existing foreign-owned business to purchase adjacent agricultural land to expand the operations of the business; exempt foreign ownership or leasing of up to 350 acres for research purposes; allow a nonresident alien, foreign business, foreign agent, trustee, or fiduciary to own, purchase, hold, or develop agricultural land for nonagricultural use provided that the development is completed within five years of acquiring the land; require that a copy of the report required under the provisions of the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act be filed with the Department of Agriculture; require the Department of Agriculture to report evidence of noncompliance to the Office of the Attorney General; require the Office of the Attorney General to investigate the evidence; allow the Office of the Attorney General to enforce provisions; require that agricultural land found in violation be escheated to the state and be subject to judicial foreclosure; set requirements for disbursement of proceeds of the sale.

Establish Subtitle 13 of KRS Chapter 286, the Kentucky Financial Services Code, and create new sections to regulate earned wage access services; define terms; establish exemptions from the subtitle; establish licensing requirements for certain earned wage access services providers; establish requirements for change of control of a licensee; provide circumstances under which the commissioner of the Department of Financial Institutions is authorized to take adverse action, enter emergency orders, deny a license, or take other regulatory actions; authorize licensees and other persons aggrieved by a final decision of the commissioner to request an administrative hearing; establish trade practice requirements for earned wage access services providers; require licensees to maintain an agent in this state for service of process; require an annual report by licensees; require the commissioner to make and publish an analysis and recapitulation of the annual reports submitted by licensees; establish recordkeeping requirements for licensees; provide that certain information is confidential and not subject to disclosure; authorize the commissioner to promulgate administrative regulations for the proper conduct of business under the subtitle and to conduct examinations and investigations; prohibit a licensee from being subject to liability for an act or omission made in conformity with a notice, opinion, or interpretation issued by the commissioner; establish civil and criminal penalties; provide that a contract made in violation of the subtitle is void; amend KRS 286.4-410, 286.11-007, and 371.150 to conform; authorize certain earned wage access providers to continue to act without a license during initial implementation; provide that Sections 1 to 26 may be cited as the Kentucky Earned Wage Access Services Act.