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Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Governor Beshear signs 20 new bills into law in Kentucky
HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT) — Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear has been busy. The governor has recently signed 20 bills into law, vetoed 12 and returned 4 without a signature. The governor's goal is that these bills will help Kentuckians and improve communities across the state. 'We've been laser focused on addressing the everyday needs of our Kentucky families and communities, and the 20 bills I signed do just that,' says Beshear. Below are the 20 bills Governor Beshear has signed into law: House Bill 15 lowers the age at which Kentucky drivers can obtain instructional permits from 16 to 15 years old. House Bill 45 strengthens campaign finance regulations. House Bill 315 prohibits hostile foreign governments from indirectly owning, leasing or otherwise acquiring an interest in agricultural land in the commonwealth. House Bill 321 addresses issues related to zoning map amendments. House Bill 342 requires a financial literacy course in high school. House Bill 422 makes procedural changes for how emergency regulations are administered through the Commonwealth Office of Technology. House Bill 443 makes Kentucky Highway 80 in Perry, Knot and Floyd counties part of the Hal Rogers Parkway. House Bill 537 provides clarity regarding the Opioid Abatement Fund. House Bill 682 includes cable operators and broadband providers in the definitions of 'utility' for reimbursement of costs associated with relocation of their facilities. House Bill 701 safeguards the rights of Kentuckians to use and mine cryptocurrencies. Senate Bill 27 requires the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to create and maintain a Kentucky Parkinson's Disease Research Registry. Senate Bill 68 makes several changes aligning with Kentucky Academic Standards. Additionally, it will reduce staff time costs at the Kentucky Department of Education. Senate Bill 69 creates certification through the Kentucky Board of Veterinary Examiners to license qualified candidates to work in animal chiropractic and equine dentistry. Senate Bill 129 allows governmental, quasi-governmental and nonprofit entities to purchase properties that have been placed in a tax delinquency diversion program. Senate Bill 145 changes the period of time for which delinquency charges can be collected on vehicle payment installments. Senate Bill 162 strengthens protections against unemployment fraud. Senate Bill 179 appropriates $10 million to create the Nuclear Energy Development Grant Program. The measure aligns with the state's energy strategy and new U.S. Department of Energy priorities. Senate Bill 202 creates a licensing and regulatory framework for 'intoxicating THC infused beverages' within the 3-tier system regulated by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. Senate Bill 237 requires certain out-of-state peace officers, who were previously employed in another state for 10 years, to have passed a physical agility test in the state where they were certified. Senate Bill 244 establishes the Department of Child Support Services and its offices within the Office of Attorney General's Department of Law. Below are the bills Governor Beshear vetoed: House Bill 2: Beshear says this bill would prioritize tax breaks for purchasers of gold. He says this is 'out of touch with reality for most people in Kentucky. House Bill 90 restricts access to medical care, places barriers on doctors and undermines their clinical judgement, and threatens the life of pregnant women in Kentucky. House Bill 136 would force the executive branch to breach a contract with a vendor opening the government up to costly litigation funded by taxpayers. House Bill 399 criminalizes interference with a legislative proceeding which is already subject to existing laws and is therefore unnecessary. House Bill 424 would limit employment protections for educators at Kentucky's colleges and universities. House Bill 546 makes changes to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet's Road Plan, and Beshear says this would include 'unnecessary tolling' on the I-69 Ohio River Crossing project. House Bill 566 received line-item vetoes because it prevents the Governor from being able to fulfill his duty under the Kentucky Constitution that the laws are faithfully executed by the president of the Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation. House Bill 684 limits the forms of valid identification that may be used to allow a voter to cast a ballot, making it harder for Kentuckians to participate in the voting process. House Bill 694 breaks the promise made to Kentucky teachers in 2010 to fully fund health insurance for retirees by requiring teachers to pay a higher rate much longer than the law calls for. House Joint Resolution 30 seeks to appropriate funds through a resolution instead of through legislation. Senate Bill 28 violates the Kentucky Constitution and will lead to the disclosure of confidential information on economic development projects. Senate Bill 89 eliminates protections currently in place to prevent pollution of groundwater and flooding of creeks, streams and rivers. Below are the bills that were returned without Governor Beshear's signature: House Joint Resolution 15: Beshear aims to show respect to the 79 faith leaders who oppose the resolution. House Bill 241: Beshear says this contradicts the General Assembly's own actions and attitudes toward in-person and all-virtual learning. Senate Bill 136: Beshear says this is due to the General Assembly not providing any funding to support the bill, which would reportedly cost taxpayers $500,000. Senate Bill 201: Beshear says this is due to the requirement that administrative law judges be confirmed by the General Assembly before they can begin service. He says there is concern with not having enough administrative law judges and that members of the Senate may practice before these judges. One more veto day remains before the General Assembly reconvenes for the last two days of the 2025 regular session. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Kentucky bill targets use of 'deceptive' AI images, videos in elections
Two Kentucky lawmakers want to establish regulations around artificial intelligence in the public sector. Sen. Amanda Mays Bledsoe, R-Lexington, filed Senate Bill 4, which addresses AI use in state agencies and concerns around AI-generated misinformation in elections. The bill creates guidelines for state government that require departments to disclose the use of AI systems, conduct risk assessments and obtain approval from the Commonwealth Office of Technology before implementation, according to a press release. The bill also requires the office to establish an AI oversight committee to develop AI use standards, among other provisions. In the release, Bledsoe said SB 4 ensures "AI is used transparently, responsibly and with human accountability at every level." Bledsoe co-chaired the 2024 Artificial Intelligence Task Force alongside Rep. Josh Bray, R-Mount Vernon, who filed similar legislation in the House. Outside state agencies, her bill requires disclosure for AI-generated content in political messaging and institutes legal remedies for candidates targeted by "deceptive" media, including digitally-altered images, audio and video. According to the bill's language, a candidate may "bring an action for damages against the sponsor of the electioneering communication," which includes any communication spread by "cable, internet, television, radio or printed in a newspaper." Electioneering communication does not include news articles, editorial endorsements, opinions or letters to the editor printed in a newspaper or magazine "not owned or controlled by a candidate, committee or political party," among other exceptions. Senate President Robert Stivers previously told reporters legislation regarding AI would likely be brought up during this year's session. "Having appropriate notifications and disclosures (of uses of) AI, I think that's the realm (the legislation will) be in," Stivers said in early February. "But I want to say this, it is so fast changing, it's hard to keep up." Other state legislatures have also introduced restrictions and disclosures around AI. Utah, for example, passed a bill last year requiring specific entities to disclose when generative AI is used, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. In a statement, Bledsoe said her legislation is aimed at protecting Kentuckians in the future. "As artificial intelligence becomes more integrated into government operations, we need to establish clear guidelines now to protect Kentuckians into the future, because it's going to be a challenge to keep up with this technology as it is," she said. Reach reporter Hannah Pinski at hpinski@ or follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @hannahpinski. This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky bills tackle use of AI in elections, state agencies
