Week five of the 2025 Legislative Session
The highlight of the week in Frankfort was Military Kids Day on Tuesday when more than 160 military children joined us at the Capitol for a day of activities and engagement in the legislative process. The day began with a warm welcome at the Veterans, Military Affairs, and Public Protection Committee meeting, where each child had the chance to introduce themselves, share where they were from, and recognize the branch of the armed forces their parent serves in.
From there, the kids explored the state Capitol, participated in a scavenger hunt, played on a static display provided by the Kentucky National Guard, and tested their skills on flight simulators courtesy of the Kentucky Aviation Museum. After enjoying lunch, they were welcomed into the Senate chamber, where they assisted with the final filing of legislation and experienced floor proceedings firsthand.
I would personally like to thank Bryant Law Firm for contributing and supporting this special day for military kids.
Military Kids Day is always a special occasion that offers these remarkable young people well-deserved recognition for their sacrifices as part of military families. We hope they leave Frankfort knowing their contributions are valued and, perhaps, that some of them may one day return—not as guests but as state lawmakers championing this event for the next generation of military families.
Several bills cleared the Senate in week five.
I’m proud to announce that Senate Bill (SB)169 has officially passed, giving law enforcement stronger tools to combat child exploitation, harassment, and stalking in the digital age.
This bill modernizes investigative tools by allowing administrative subpoenas for records from social networks, mobile payment services, and cloud storage providers—reflecting how predators operate today. At the same time, it preserves due process protections by requiring warrants for sensitive data like emails and account content.
I appreciate the strong support and partnership of Attorney General Russell Coleman, who has been a champion in the fight against online predators. Together, we are ensuring law enforcement has the tools necessary to protect Kentucky’s children while upholding constitutional safeguards.
SB 4 sets AI policies for Kentucky’s government, defining key terms, establishing oversight, and ensuring ethical, transparent use. The bill regulates AI in elections to prevent deceptive content and includes an emergency clause for immediate implementation.
SB 19 requires all public schools to observe a one- to two-minute moment of silence at the start of each school day. Students must remain seated and silent, free to pray, meditate, or reflect without instruction from school staff. The bill also requires parental notification.
SB 22 updates licensing for cosmetologists and estheticians to expand testing, allow U.S. territory licenses, and strengthen enforcement. The bill also removes the requirement that the board’s director be a licensed cosmetologist.
SB 25 modernizes land use laws to expand funding eligibility and limit zoning appeals to directly affected property owners.
SB 27 creates a Parkinson’s Disease Research Registry to support research and patient care. The bill addresses Parkinson’s as the fastest-growing neurological disease in the world.
SB 50 allows counties to form multi-county taxing districts for shared services and infrastructure under existing Kentucky law.
SB 57 defines “super speeders” as drivers exceeding limits by 25+ mph and imposes a $200 fine. The bill directs revenue to trauma care, rural hospitals, EMS education, and school AEDs. It also suspends licenses for unpaid fines.
SB 60 protects religious freedom by prohibiting government burdens without a compelling justification. The bill allows legal challenges, waives immunity, and applies retroactively.
SB 65 nullifies deficient Medicaid regulations and ensures unapproved policies do not take effect. The bill includes an emergency clause.
SB 83 allows homeschool graduates to qualify for KEES scholarships based on ACT scores, ensuring equal access to funding.
SB 100 requires state licenses for tobacco and vape retailers, imposes escalating fines for underage sales, and funds youth vaping education. The bill also bans licensed retailers from selling nitrous oxide.
SB 120 requires consent forms with abuse reporting information for student-athletes. The bill promotes safety in sports.
SB 121 improves stray equine documentation by requiring microchip scans, allowing county contracts for sheltering, and enabling legal dispute resolution.
SB 129 streamlines the acquisition of blighted properties to encourage redevelopment and generate tax revenue.
SB 145 updates retail installment contract laws by adjusting delinquency fees and aligning financing rules.
SB 151 bans state tax dollars from compensating illegal aliens for government services.
SB 174 protects donor privacy by limiting public campaign finance disclosures to city and state.
SB 176 requires various statutory committee membership appointments to be made in January of each odd-numbered year, vacancies to be filled within 30 days, and the president of the Senate and speaker of the House to appoint co-chairs.
SB 178 reorganizes the Education and Labor Cabinet to enhance workforce services, apprenticeships, and vocational rehabilitation.
SB 201 improves the appointment process for administrative law judges in workers’ compensation cases.
SB 245 requires rejected Fish and Wildlife commissioners to vacate their seats immediately after the legislative session adjourns.
Senate Joint Resolution (SJR) 28 directs the Governor to petition the EPA to remove reformulated gasoline requirements in Jefferson, Oldham, and Bullitt counties.
SJR 55 requires public colleges to combat antisemitism with policies aligned with the First Amendment, including recognizing Jewish organizations and reporting incidents.
Senate Concurrent Resolution 61 establishes the Make America Healthy Again Kentucky Task Force to improve public health and combat chronic diseases.
Don’t forget to follow legislative coverage at legislature.ky.gov and find live and archived meeting footage at //KET.org/legislature and the KY LRC Committee Meeting YouTube Channel. Don’t hesitate to reach out to my office at 502-564-8100 or Danny.Carroll@lrc.ky.gov.
