Mary Beth Imes, District 5 representative for Calloway and part of Trigg County, is among the many who had a busy last week in the Kentucky General Assembly.
The House, she said, opened up with recommendations for the forming of a special committee, in order to review three separate citizen-filed impeachment requests.
Imes mentioned that at least eight bills passed out of the House during this stretch, including HB 34, HB 96, HB 176 and HB 178.
HB 34, she said, would add “blood cancers” to those eligible for death benefits paid to public safety and service personnel under existing statute.
HB 96 would improve the workgroup that oversees performance-based higher-education funding.
HB 176 would require health insurance providers to establish “clear consistent framework” to exempt certain healthcare providers from prior authorization requirements.
HB 178, she added, would make it easier for Kentuckians to access timely mental health care by supporting a collaborative care model — bringing primary care providers, care managers and consulting psychologists together as “a team.”
HB 184, she noted, “ensures” that health insurance plans in Kentucky can remain eligible for health savings accounts — preserving tax benefits for individuals and families.
HB 265 would create a process for solvent workers compensation.
HB 280 would grant the Kentucky Board of Nursing an authority to investigate their licensing of nurses holding licenses for other states.
Finally, HB 312 might get the most attention — revising gun laws for 18-to-20 year-olds in the Commonwealth.
All of this now heads to the Senate for consideration.
Representing parts of Christian County, Ninth District’s Myron Dossett also had a busy third week in the Kentucky General Assembly.
Last Wednesday, he said he had a chance to speak with the County Agricultural Investment Program group, which operates out of the Office of Agricultural Police and oversees tobacco settlement funds and the diversifying of tobacco farming to other practices.
He said some projects recently funded in Christian County through CAIP cash do include some greenhouses, as well as continued rail access to Hopkinsville Elevator, and in the meantime, he has filed legislation addressing age verification for vape products across the Commonwealth, particularly for Delta 8 and Delta 9.
As for HB 312, Dossett said he initially paused at the legislation — aimed at revised gun law for 18-to-20 year-olds — before changing his mind.
Eminent domain and its reach, he said, also continues to be a hot topic.
Dossett said he expects to file a house bill regarding this issue later this week.
