FRANKFORT, Ky. — Just six legislative days remain on the calendar for the 2024 general assembly session and the 10-day VETO period is just six calendar days away. As Sine die quickly approaches, lawmakers made moves on several bills this past week.

What You Need To Know

  • Senate Bill 198 an act relating to nuclear energy development recieved full passage Friday 

  • Senate Bill 319 an act pertaining to victims of crime passed a House committee Wednesday 16-0 

  • House Bill 275 would prohibit schools from entering into NDAs with staff members accussed of abusive conduct against minors 

  • House Bill 535 would expand civics education in Kentucky high schools

A Senate bill which would establish a regulatory body on nuclear energy now heads to the governor’s desk for signature. Senate Bill 198 was passed unanimously by the House Friday morning. The bill creates The Kentucky Nuclear Energy Development Authority; a group of 30 members tasked with facilitating the development of nuclear energy across Kentucky.

State Senator Danny Carroll, R-Benton, said Kentucky needs to be at the forefront of nuclear energy in the country.

“What it will allow in the Commonwealth is for us to supplement our coal fire plants, gas fire plants and renewables that we have in place to make sure that we have enough energy as our demands continue to grow,” Carroll said.

Carroll said Kentucky’s current energy supply is struggling to meet the demand. He said Kentucky is getting national attention for the steps it’s taking to develop nuclear energy. McCracken County which Carroll represents has waste from a former uranium processing plant. Carroll said this is fuel.

“McCracken County is trying to attract a business there called Global Laser Enrichment and what this company does; they would be able to enrich this waste that’s in Paducah and turn that into nuclear fuel to be used in reactors throughout the United States and the world,” Carroll said.

Senate Bill 319 is one step closer to ending up on the governor’s desk. It passed a House committee 16-0 on Wednesday. 

The bill sponsored by State Senator Denise Harper Angel, D-Louisville, does several things including, increasing the overall compensation amount that the Crime Victim Compensation Board can grant from $30,000 to $50,000 and removes the five-year-time from for filing a claim.

Also this week, House Bill 275 passing the Senate education unanimously. The bill prohibits schools from entering into a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) relating to a teacher accused of abusive conduct with a student. Schools would also have to fully investigate accusations even if the accused staff member resigns.

“99.9% of our teachers and school employees across the Commonwealth; we’re not talking about them. But unfortunately, we have some bad actors who are in society and are in our school system,” said State Representative James Tipton, R-Taylorsville.

The Senate education committee also unanimously passing House Bill 535. It’s a bill aimed at improving civics literacy among high schoolers.If passed, high schoolers would have to take a half-credit civics course or score at least a 70% of a civics exam prior to graduation.

There are four legislative days this coming week. Friday is the first day of a 10 day VETO period.

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