KYGA23: Week Two

The Senate kicked off the second week of the 2023 legislative session by voting to pass a bill that would lower Kentucky’s personal income tax rate from 4.5% to 4% beginning on January 1, 2024. The bill, which has already been approved by the House, is now awaiting Gov. Andy Beshear’s signature or veto.

A constitutional amendment was proposed that would open the door to state funding for school choice initiatives. This change would direct education dollars to follow the student instead of institutions. The bill was in response to a recent Kentucky Supreme Court ruling that essentially declared school choice unconstitutional. If passed, the amendment will be placed on the 2024 ballot, giving voters the final say on whether to update the state's Constitution.

Additionally, a bill has been filed with the goal of increasing returns for public pensions. House Bill 236 aims to ensure that fiduciaries, those responsible for investing pension dollars, only consider the sole interest of members and beneficiaries in order to get the highest return. This would eliminate the current practice of injecting political and social ideologies into investment decisions.

Two bills were filed - one in the House and one in the Senate - to protect parental rights by prohibiting schools from keeping student information confidential from parents. The Senate version would allow parents to opt their children out of human sexuality classes, while the House version would require written consent from parents before children receive instruction on human sexuality.

Several other education bills have been filed, including multiple bills to prevent school districts from mandating COVID-19 vaccinations for students. A bill has also been filed in the Senate to provide alternative ways for homeschool students to receive KEES money, which are academic scholarships awarded by the state for outstanding student performance. 

Those are some of the highlights. Below is a list of bills we are following this session. This list will be updated as the session continues.