FRANKFORT – Life-saving, landmark legislation was achieved by the Kentucky General Assembly during the final hours of the 2015 short session.
Senate Bill 192, a comprehensive approach to stymie the scourge of heroin addiction in Kentucky reached final passage after countless hours of bipartisan work throughout the session.
In fact, this is the third year that the Senate has led the charge on an anti-heroin bill. SB 192 was signed into law Wednesday morning by Gov. Beshear, and is now in effect due to an emergency clause. The heroin legislation will provide new tools to curb its deadly impact in our state.
Penalties for dealing and trafficking increase to keep these criminals off the streets. Additionally, addicts will have more resources for treatment and diversion with an infusion of $10 million to go toward rehabilitation options. I pray this legislation will lessen access to heroin, and most importantly, save more lives.
Working well past midnight on the final day of the session, other critical measures were resolved through intense negotiations between the Senate and the House. We were able to reach agreement on stabilizing the road fund important to Kentucky’s infrastructure, and add a layer of protection to victims of dating violence.
To keep the road fund sound, the Senate and House agreed on House Bill 299 which sets a new minimum rate for the tax at 26 cents per gallon.
That’s less than the current rate of 27.6 cents per gallon, but more than a rate of 22.5 cents which was scheduled to take effect on April 1.
Senators answered a call to provide civil protection from dating violence, sexual abuse or stalking in the form of a protective order by giving final passage to House Bill 8. The bill also streamlines the process to obtain protective orders for other victims, and allows an order to be expunged from someone’s record if a judge dismisses the order.
Currently, victims of dating violence in Kentucky must file criminal charges against their partner in the hope of preventing ongoing abuse. Only victims who are married to, have a child with, or live with their abuser can seek civil protection from dating violence or abuse, physical violence, or stalking as specified under law.
Combating heroin, resolving falling road fund revenues and protecting victims of domestic violence were the major bills that the Senate and House acted on in the final days of the session. However, other beneficial measures also were successful in the session’s final days: Child booster seats.
House Bill 315 requires booster seats to be used in motor vehicles by children who are less than eight years old and are between 40 inches and 57 inches in height. Ignition interlock. Senate Bill 133 expands the use of ignition interlocks for people caught driving under the influence of alcohol. It supplements hardship licenses – special licenses allowing people with suspended licenses to drive to work, school and doctor’s appointments – with ignition interlocks.
That’s a device about the size of a mobile phone that is wired into the ignition system of a vehicle. A motorist must blow into the device in order to start their vehicle. Tax check-offs.
Senate Bill 82 creates state income tax refund check-offs to support pediatric cancer research and Kentucky’s rape crisis centers. SB 82 originally focused solely on creating a tax check-off to support pediatric cancer research but was amended to include a check-off for rape crisis centers.
My colleagues and I will go back to our districts now, and, beginning in the summer continue to meet and work on issues during the interim period and through joint committee meetings. A complete list of new laws is available on the Legislative Research Commission’s website, www.lrc.ky.gov.
You are invited to contact me at my office in Frankfort by dialing 1-800-372-7181 of 502-564-8100.