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Marisa Anders/Managing Editor
The Middlesboro Daily News
3 years ago | 389 views | 0
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Nelson wants citizens to ‘stay informed’
New laws are taking effect June 15, according to State Representative Rick Nelson.
“Most of the laws passed by the General Assembly this year will take effect over the weekend,” he said. “It’s important to stay informed on what laws we live under — as they say, ignorance of the law is no excuse.”
“At the same time, some new programs are beginning, and you should know what services you will now have available to you,” he added.
Among the important topics covered by legislation taking effect on Sunday are the following:
Animal cruelty. SB 58 will increase penalties for those who torture dogs or cats. Causing physical injury to a dog or cat as a result of torture would be a Class A misdemeanor that carries up to a year in jail, while causing serious physical injury or death would be a Class D felony punishable by 1-5 years in prison. Currently, all torture cases involving a dog or cat are Class A misdemeanors for a first offense.
Booster Seats. SB 120 will require young children who are too big for infant car seats to be placed in booster seats when riding in vehicles. The bill states that children under 7 years old and between 40-50 inches tall must use the boosters.
Bullying. HB 91 will require the state Department of Education to craft discipline guidelines. The bill will also require local school authorities to alert law enforcement when school harassment involves a potential felony. Yearly reports on school harassment will be made to the Department of Education and the Legislature.
Clean waterways. HB 717 will create watershed authorities to restore and improve streams around the Commonwealth. The authorities will select cleanup projects and will help leverage more money for these efforts through various grants and programs.
Colon cancer screenings. HB 415 will create a colon cancer screening program within the state’s Department of Public Health. The program will be aimed at citizens age 50-64 as well as others at high risk of colon cancer due to family history or other medical reasons.
Energy consumption. HB 2 creates incentives for homeowners to use solar and wind energy, and to use other energy-efficient lights, windows, and insulation. The bill also requires state government and local schools to build and lease energy-efficient buildings, and establishes a low-interest loan program to help businesses and public agencies become more energy efficient.
Golf carts. SB 93 will allow local governments to adopt ordinances regarding golf carts on public roads. This is an option for local governments if they choose to adopt it, not a requirement.
Gubernatorial run-off. HB 370 will eliminate the possibility of a gubernatorial primary run-off between the top two candidates if no contender receives 40 percent of the vote. The provision was never used in the four elections it was available for.
Mammograms. HB 316 will require all health insurance plans in the state to cover mammograms, which screen for breast cancer.
Math and science incentives. SB 2 will offer incentives to increase the number of students taking advanced math and science courses in Kentucky. Incentives would be provided from a science and mathematics advancement fund aimed at improving students’ math and science knowledge from elementary school through college.
Military fraud. HB 110 will make it a crime to falsely claim to be a member of the military or to falsely claim honors and awards that were not earned.
Sex offenders. HB 211 will broaden Kentucky’s child sex abuse laws while increasing penalties for abusers and those who fail to report abuse. The bill will include older children under state laws that protect minors from first-degree sexual abuse by raising the age of children covered by the law from 12 to 16, or 16 to 18, if the perpetrator is in a position of trust or authority.
Stolen metals. HB 106 will require junkyards and scrap dealers to maintain information on people bringing in non-ferrous metals. The legislation is meant to deter theft of catalytic converters and other materials that contain precious metals like platinum. As everyone knows, the theft of metal in our area is skyrocketing. Hopefully, by keeping these records on people, thieves will think better of their actions. This bill is similar to last year’s law on copper theft, which has already cut down on theft of copper wire and pipes.
Veterans’ burial. HB 227 will create an Indigent Veterans’ Burial Program to provide for a burial with military honors for veterans who die without the funds to otherwise pay for the service.
Vital records. HB 36 will allow vital records, including birth and death certificates, to be signed in blue ink as well as black ink, clearing up confusion for local authorities. This will allow next of kin to be able to get either a birth of death certificate more quickly.
“I want to make sure all our citizens know how our laws are changing,” said Nelson.
If you have any questions or concerns about these laws, or any others, contact Nelson at (606) 248-8828. You can also find a wealth of information at our legislative web site, http://www.lrc.ky.gov.
“It’s a pleasure to serve [our citizens] in Frankfort, and I want to hear from you,” he said.
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