Key votes in the House through 2/14/25
HB 137 – generally disallows data sourced from the public to be used in EPA Clean Air Act enforcement. I voted “NO.” Passed the house. In practice, this bill would disqualify data collected by “non-approved” methods from being used in air quality enforcement. For instance, if a monitoring center at NKU’s campus detected dangerous air quality using a method not approved by the EPA, regardless of the validity of the science, this data could not be used by Kentucky’s Energy and Environment Cabinet to enforce violations of the Air Quality Act. The passage of this bill could have dangerous implications for the health of Kentuckians and their ability to protect their communities from toxic pollutants. Of particular interest to residents of HD 67, it was in large part due to citizens’ efforts to monitor air quality that brought a resolution to the issues involving River Metals Recycling in Newport.
HJR 15 - returns a ten commandments monument gifted by the Fraternal Order of Eagles to the Capitol grounds. I voted “NO.” Passed the house. I voted “YES” on the bill in committee with the intention of amending the bill to focus around the historical context of the Fraternal Order of Eagles and this particular monument. This monument had the potential to highlight the storied philanthropic history of the FOE in the United States since the era of the New Deal. Instead, it will become an overtly religious display on the capitol grounds.
HB 196 - reduces the required number of Mine Emergency Technicians needed when the total number of miners on site is ten or fewer. I voted “NO.” Passed the house. In the vast majority of cases, strip mines are the only type of mines that employ fewer than ten miners at a time. Strip mines are also the most profitable of mines, meaning they have enough resources to hire the required amount of Mine Emergency Technicians. Rather than save more money for an already profitable venture, the safety of miners should be guaranteed by these companies. Additionally, there have been tragic incidents in the past where the death of a Mine Emergency Technician leaves no backup for an incredibly important role on the jobsite.
HB 566 - this was a long bill related to the Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation, a new entity created by 2024 legislation to regulate all forms of gambling in Kentucky. I agreed with several important provisions in the bill, including a clean-up of how we regulate charitable gaming and support of our horse breeding industry. Although there some aspects I disagree with, including the governance structure of the Corporation, I voted “YES.” Passed the House.
HB2 - exempts “bullion currency” from taxes levied by the general assembly and provides for a method for citizens to seek compensation for previously paid taxes. I voted “NO.” Passed the house. After a line-item veto from Governor Beshear preventing an exemption for gold and silver coins last session, this bill seeks once again to carve out that exemption. Not only that, it also provides a method for taxpayers to file a complaint with the government and seek compensation for taxes that were paid in the past. This establishes a dangerous precedent and is not a policy that should be pursued by the General Assembly.
HB16 - prohibits compulsory water fluoridation in the commonwealth. I voted “NO.” Passed the house. This bill would open the door for local water districts to opt out of the currently required water fluoridation. Proponents argue that this gives more control to local government’s water districts. In reality, this bill threatens the dental health of all Kentuckians. Water has been fluoridated in the Commonwealth for decades. Leaving the door open for local governments to end this practice would jeopardize the wide-ranging dental health benefits provided by fluoride. In communities with less resources, the only access to fluoride is through public water. Removing this access would diminish dental care in areas that already fall below national standards in oral health.
HB 398 - prohibits workplace safety regulations from being any stricter than federal regulations. I voted “NO.” Passed the house. HB 398 was presented as a “simple” pro-business measure intended to bring Kentucky into compliance with federal OSHA standards. In fact, it is a major watering down of Kentucky’s state worker safety standards and would eliminate a number of protections currently in place for handling hazardous materials, exposure to toxic substances, high voltage power lines and Kentucky’s requirement to pay employees during regulatory inspections. I specifically asked the representative from the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce if there were any businesses or industries adversely affected by Kentucky’s current workers safety requirements. She reported that there are no such issues. It is unconscionable to me that we would reduce workplace safety and health standards, even when there is no identifiable impact to the business community. Despite speaking on the house floor for several minutes in opposition to this bill, many of my colleagues failed to heed my warnings. (To watch my full comments, go to 5:38 on the debate archive)
HB 462 - allows for the correction of marriage licenses by county clerks after receipt of an affidavit. I voted “YES.” Passed the house. Sponsored by Rep. Dietz (Kenton). Previously, the only way to edit a marriage license was through court order. This created a major headache for any Kentuckians looking to correct small errors on their licenses. After hearing testimony from Kenton County Clerk Gabrielle Summe in committee, I was proud to support this bill.
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