SENATOR PHILLIP WHEELER’S LEGISLATIVE UPDATE: Week 4 of the 2024 Regular Session

SENATOR PHILLIP WHEELER’S LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

Week 4 of the 2024 Regular Session

The 2024 Legislative Session in Frankfort is nearing the one-third mark of the 60-day budget session, as Friday marked the 18th day. The committee process is picking up steam and with that, more bill proposals are proceeding through the legislative process.

Please check out the KYSenateRepublicans.com website to find press releases from the Senate Majority Caucus. Information on our members—your elected officials—can be found there along with other useful resources.

The Senate, led by our budget chair Senator Chris McDaniel, has begun poring through the two budget proposals submitted by the House, HB 1 and HB 6. While they are likely to change as they go through the legislative process, the current versions of the two-year state budget can be found at legislature.ky.gov. As your state senator, my commitment is to the disciplined use of your hard-earned tax dollars. Rest assured, however, that I will be fighting to make sure that the 31^st Senate District’s priorities will be included in both the State Budget and the 6-year State Road Plan.  A strong objective of the Kentucky General Assembly will be to limit new recurring expenses that put taxpayers on the hook each new budget session. We will be especially mindful of this in reviewing our revenue projections.

Senate Bill (SB) 7 provides a means for students enrolled in non-certified Kentucky schools (homeschool) to have more access to the Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship (KEES).  The scholarships will include the base amount for grade point average (GPA) by using an equivalent GPA based on the student’s American College Test (ACT) score. Currently, eligible non-certified school graduates can only access the “supplemental” KEES award as earned on a student’s ACT score. This bill changes their annual total KEES award, up to $2,500, to align with other public, private, and parochial school students. Their award will be based on their equivalent GPA and the supplemental awards. For example, a 2.7 GPA would equal an 18 ACT score, and a 4.0 would be equivalent to a 28+ ACT score. We believe these students work just as hard academically and should be awarded accordingly.  Plus, we’d like these students to pursue higher education here in Kentucky and enter our workforce, making our state even stronger.

SB 25 respects the rights of Kentucky property owners by prohibiting local governments from adopting or enforcing an ordinance mandating a landlord participate in a housing program under Section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937. Recently there have been measure in Kentucky’s largest cities to force property owners to take this federal program and reduced rents that completely undermine the traditional principles of private property rights.  The bill prohibits local governments from adopting or enforcing an ordinance relating to landlord and tenant laws that conflict with any state law. The measure would prevent these business owners from being forced to accept a voluntary program, making them take less than market value for their properties.

SB 125 is a bill that I have sponsored to continue the pilot project initiated by the General Assembly three years ago for the use of segments of certain state roads to develop ATV/OHV tourism in Kentucky.  The bill passed unanimously out of the Senate Transportation Committee this past Wednesday and now heads to the Senate Floor.  The pilot project was set to expire in July 2024 and passage of SB 125 will extend the project for another three years.  I firmly believe that ATV/OHV tourism provides great opportunities for further development of the tourism industry and investment in Kentucky, and especially Eastern Kentucky.  SB 125 will likely be voted on next week in the Senate and will then head to the House.

SB 28 broadens the scope of practice for podiatric residents and assistants, enabling them to engage in additional professional activities. Podiatry is a branch of medicine devoted to the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disorders of the foot and ankle. The measure introduces new qualifications for acquiring a podiatry license to ensure practitioners meet specific standards.

Thank you for your continued engagement in the 2024 Regular Session. It is a privilege to represent you in Frankfort.

I’m excited for this session and take my responsibilities representing you seriously, and will continue to ensure that legislation is passed with eastern Kentucky’s best interest in mind. Please do not hesitate to contact my office if I or my staff can assist you by emailing me at Phillip.Wheeler@lrc.ky.gov or call toll-free at 1-800-372-7181.

###

Senator Phillip Wheeler, R-Pikeville, represents Kentucky’s 31^st Senate District, including Elliott, Johnson, Lawrence, Martin, and Pike Counties. Wheeler is vice chair of the Senate Economic Development, Tourism, and Labor, and the Senate Judiciary committees. He is also Capital Planning Advisory Board co-chair. Additionally, Wheeler serves as a member of the Senate Transportation, Natural Resources and Energy, State and Local Government, and Transportation committees.