New laws go into effect next week
FRANKFORT - New laws approved during the Kentucky General
Assembly's 2010 regular session go into effect on Thursday, July 15.
GPS tracking devices for some accused domestic abusers, a
ban on texting while driving and expanded sunshine laws for statewide groups
that represent local governments are among topics covered by laws set to take
effect next week.
The state constitution specifies that new laws take effect
90 days following the adjournment of the legislature, unless a bill contains
another effective date or is declared an emergency. New drug laws and revised
options for low-performing schools, for example, have been in force since being
signed into law by the governor.
The General Assembly adjourned sine die on April 15,
making the new laws effective "the first moment of July 15, 2010."
Of the 163 bills and eight joint resolutions set to become
law, all or part of 23 had special effective dates, including emergency
legislation.
Among the new laws that will take effect on July 15 are the
following:
Accountability. Senate Bill 88 allows greater public scrutiny of the
Kentucky League of Cities and the Kentucky Association of Counties by making
both groups adhere to the state's open records and open meetings laws. The bill
also requires the groups to place spending reports online and develop policies
on ethics, procurement, hiring and compensation.
Agriculture. House Bill 398 prohibits local governments, with some
exceptions, from having on-farm animal care standards that exceed state
standards. In addition to requiring the creation of a livestock care standards
commission, the legislation calls for the creation of an equine council to
advise the state on equine health matters and strive to establish regional care
centers for unwanted, neglected and abused horses.
Bee habitats. Senate Joint Resolution 177 requires the state apiarist to
work with the Transportation Cabinet and local beekeeping clubs to identify
state-owned rights-of-way that could be made into pollinator habitat sites for
bees. Another piece of legislation, HB 175, encourages the development of bee
habitats on mine reclamation sites to speed up plant growth and improve soil
stability.
Child abuse. HB 285 boosts training for health care officials, day care
workers and others who work with children improve their abilities to spot signs
of child abuse.
Cancer. SB 18 prohibits health insurers from excluding coverage for
routine care while a person takes part in a clinical cancer trial.
Concealed carry. HB 19 allows military personnel to renew their concealed
deadly weapon early and by mail, and allowing a grace period after they return
from deployment to renew their license.
Corrections. SB 17 makes it a felony for workers at prisons, jails or
detention centers to have sex with inmates.
Discharge papers. HB 106 forbids the now-legal practice of allowing people to
inspect their military discharge papers on file with the county clerk, and
instead allows them to receive a copy of the papers to prevent viewing of
others' papers.
Domestic violence. HB 1 allows judges to order those who violate a domestic
violence order (DVO) to wear a global positioning system tracking device to
help ensure that abusers remain the required distance from victims. The bill
allows felony charges to be pressed against DVO violators who attempt to remove
a court-ordered tracking device. The legislation is known as Amanda's Bill in
honor of state worker Amanda Ross, who was shot to death outside her Lexington
home last fall.
Education. HB 160 makes it easier for community and technical college
students to transfer credits to four-year universities.
Historic site. HB 420 designates the Hurricane Creek mine site in Leslie
County, at which 38 miners lost their lives in 1970, as a state historic site.
Inmates. SB 32 requires all inmates in local or regional jails to
exhaust in-house administrative remedies before filing civil suits against
those jails. The new law mirrors that currently in effect for state prisons.
Another bill, SB 47, allows county jails to charge medical co-pays to inmates
who receive treatment.
Literacy. SB 163 directs the Department of Education to provide
assistance in teaching strategies that help teachers improve their students'
reading skills. The bill also encourages development of comprehensive middle
and high school reading plans.
Mental health. HB 231 creates a new level of specialty treatment centers
for children with severe psychiatric disorders who must currently go to other
states to receive the level of care they require.
Military families. SB 30 extends the eligibility of military personnel and
their families eligible for military family assistance trust grants from 90 to
180 days after the end of deployment.
Music. House Joint Resolution 154 designates Kentucky's Sam Bush
as "The Father of Newgrass Music" and Bowling Green as "The
Birthplace of Newgrass Music."
Nurses. SB 127 allows every public university in the state to
offer advanced doctoral programs in nursing upon approval of the Council on
Postsecondary Education.
Organ Donation. SB 4 clarifies the procedures for organ donation,
including who can act when no intentions are stated, and conforms state laws to
match most other state's rules for anatomical gifts. The law also allows
potential donors to explicitly forbid their organs from being donated.
Parks. HB 14 offers up to three free overnight stays at state park
accommodations to totally disabled military veterans, subject to space
availability and other criteria. The Kentucky Department of Parks has already
announced this offer will be available beginning on July 14.
Pharmacies. HB 300 allows pharmacists authority to grant emergency
30-day supplies of medication and temporarily operate a pharmacy outside their
permitted location when the governor declares a state of emergency.
Philanthropy. SB 227 creates the Endow Kentucky Program, aimed at
helping community foundations that can receive charitable contributions.
Reading. SB 163 directs the state Department of Education and the
Collaborative Center for Literacy Development to work on strategies to help
adolescents develop their reading skills.
Road safety. HB 415 prohibits texting while driving. Violators will be
given courtesy warnings until Jan. 1, 2011, after which violators will face
fines and court costs. The legislation also prohibits cell phone use by drivers
under 18.
Stroke centers. SB 1 is aimed at saving lives and improving health care by
attracting stroke patients to the state's best stroke care centers. The
legislation allows the state to bestow a special designation on nationally
certified primary stroke centers in Kentucky.
Suicide prevention. SB 65 requires annual suicide prevention instruction for
school principals, guidance counselors and teachers. HB 51 requires suicide
prevention materials to be distributed to middle and high school students and
requires the state Cabinet for Health and Family Services to post suicide
prevention information on its website.
Teachers. HB 447 allows private schools to require criminal
background checks for their teachers every five years.
Veterans preference. HB 75 requires all state job applicants who receive
military and military family preference points to receive an interview, unless
there are five or more qualifiers, in which case at least five must receive an
interview.
Veterans' services. HB 377 ensures that combat veterans charged with crimes
are provided with contact information for services that offer help for
post-traumatic stress and other combat-related disorders.
