New Kentucky laws focused on public safety, education go into effect Monday

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- New laws will go into effect in Kentucky on Monday, spanning from public safety to education.

The Kentucky legislative session filed more than 1,200 bills, and more than 200 of those bills were successfully enacted into laws focusing on child welfare, juvenile justice, and maternal health.

One of the biggest topics for the 2024 legislative session centered around safety. A criminal justice billed called the Safer Kentucky Act takes effect on Monday.

House Bill 5 takes a sweeping approach to criminal justice in the state. It adds carjacking and other crimes to Kentucky's list of violent offenses, beefs up penalties for killing first responders and enacts new penalties for fentanyl trafficking and other related drug charges.

It also sets spending limits for charitable bail organizations and removes parole options for people with three convictions for violent crimes— and, in some cases, includes the death penalty.

Perhaps most controversially, the measure dubbed the “Safer Kentucky Act” creates criminal penalties for street camping and makes repeat camping in public areas, such as beneath overpasses, a misdemeanor punishable by up to 90 days in jail.

"We are trying to do everything we can and to create a better dynamic for the populace of the state of the Commonwealth," Kentucky Senate President Robert Stivers, R-Manchester, said.

Another new law addresses youth gun violence as teens 15 to 18 years old can be tried as an adult if a gun was used in the crime, like a shooting.

Sex offenders convicted of abusing a minor will face higher penalties if they're in a position of power or special trust. People convicted of distributing child pornography will be required to serve at least 85% of their sentence and Kentucky now includes Artificial Intelligence generated child pornography as a crime.

Senate Bill 249 requires sex offenders convicted of abusing minors to use their legal names on social media platforms.

In Kentucky, adults wishing to enter pornography websites will have to use a form of identification to verify they're at least 18 years old to access the explicit website.

Also starting Monday, abuse of a cat or dog becomes a felony instead of a misdemeanor.

"There are a lot of laws that change, and we believe they are changing for the better or they would not have been changed," Stivers said.

In education, school districts will now have to have trauma informed teams to better deal with mental health emergencies.

House Bill 446 requires districts to adapt new state guidelines into its transportation policies.

The new law requires Kentucky school districts to lay out bus policies that include a district's own policies, and statewide guidelines, which include: bus driver referrals must be responded to within one week, and drivers have the right to refuse that student a ride as the referral is looked into.

It also must state punishments parents face, including possible felonies and misdemeanors, if interfering with a bus driver's duties.

To support pregnancy and new mothers, Senate Bill 74 incentivizes Kentuckians to get prenatal care by adding pregnancy to the list of qualifying life event for health insurance coverage. It also requires Medicaid to cover lactation consultations and breastfeeding equipment.

There will also be a new hotline to get in-person or telehealth help for mothers dealing with postpartum depression and maternal mental health. It's called Kentucky Lifeline for Moms.

"I think it's really important to just be compassionate, and to keep trying, to never give up," said Dr. Kendal Stephens with Norton Children's Hospital about maternal mental health.

To read more about each of these bills, visit the Kentucky Legislative Research Commission website. Click here.

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