The work of the General Assembly receives a great deal of attention in the spring, when the laws are made, but people tend to forget about the laws passed by the time they actually go into effect. For most of the bills we passed, those laws hit the books on July 15 – next Thursday. They affect everything from texting while driving to domestic abuse to people struggling their way out of debt. Of the 832 bills filed in the House and Senate this year, only 164 became law. Some were “emergency bills” that took effect as soon as the governor signed them, while others have delayed effective dates. Most of them, however, take effect on July 15.

You should know what laws are changing next week, and here is a brief rundown on the most important new statutes:

Cancer. HB 72 creates the Kentucky Colon Cancer Screening Program and directs funding for free and reduced-cost screenings for Kentuckians between the ages of 50-64.

Car dealerships. HB 217 forbids new car dealerships within a 10-mile radius of an old dealership that had its agreement ended by the manufacturer. The law mandates that the old dealership first be allowed to get its old franchise agreement renewed first.

Debts. HB 166 puts stricter requirements on debt adjusters and others who others who help Kentuckians tackle their debt issues. The law will protect consumers seeking to pay back what they owe without excessive fees or fraud.

Domestic violence. HB 1 allows judges to order those who violate a domestic violence order (DVO) to wear a global positioning system tracking device to help ensure that abusers remain the required distance from victims. The bill allows felony charges to be pressed against DVO violators who attempt to remove a court-ordered tracking device. The legislation is known as Amanda’s Bill in honor of state worker Amanda Ross, who was shot to death outside her Lexington home last fall.

Drugs. HB 265 strengthens the prosecution of drivers found to be under the influence of illegal drugs or certain prescription drugs. The legislation also criminalizes two street drugs: synthetic marijuana and piperazines.

Education. HB 160 makes it easier for community and technical college students to transfer credits to four-year universities.

Public retirees. HB 146 requires two of the three governor’s appointees to the Kentucky Retirement Systems’ board to have investment experiences and takes other steps to ensure that the state pension system is managed to protect retirees’ benefits and save taxpayer money down the road.

Road safety. HB 415 prohibits texting while driving. Violators will be given courtesy warnings until Jan. 1, 2011, after which violators will face fines and court costs. The legislation also prohibits cell phone use by drivers under 18.

Suicide prevention. HB 51 requires suicide prevention materials to be distributed to middle and high school students and requires the state Cabinet for Health and Family Services to post suicide prevention information on its website.

Teachers’ retirement. HB 540 protects the future of retired teachers’ health insurance instituting a small increase in active teachers’ contribution to the plan, as well as that of retirees under age 65. This plan was brought to the General Assembly by the following groups: the Kentucky Teachers Retirement System, Kentucky Superintendents Association, Kentucky School Administrators Association, Kentucky School Boards Association, Kentucky Education Association, and the Kentucky Retired Teachers Association.

Underground tanks. HB 124 extends the registration deadline for underground fuel tanks by three years, to July 1, 2013.

Unemployment. HB 349 did not pass during the regular session, but a similar bill passed during the special session. The law slightly increases employers’ contributions and slightly shrinks out-of-work employees’ benefits in an effort to balance Kentucky’s $800 million debt to the federal government to cover unemployment claims.

Veterans preference. HB 75 requires all state job applicants who receive military and military family preference points to receive an interview, unless there are five or more qualifiers, in which case at least five must receive an interview.

Veterans’ services. HB 377 ensures that combat veterans charged with crimes are provided with contact information for services that offer help for post-traumatic stress and other combat-related disorders.

Workers’ compensation. HB 395 extends the payoff date for the state’s Workers’ Compensation Special Fund by 11 years, to December 31, 2029.

There were also several bills this year that passed the House, but won’t become law because they died in the Senate. Among the top House priorities that we’ll take another crack at in 2011:

Illegal immigrants. HB 321 would have required any contractor or subcontractor for state work to guarantee that all of their workers were in this country legally, helping cut off illegal immigration at the source.

License plates. HB 100 would have created an “In God We Trust” license plate.

Sexting. HB 143 would have made it a Class misdemeanor (up to 90 days in jail) for a minor to send a nude picture of someone – even themselves – through a text message, e-mail, or other electronic means.

Representative Nelson serves the people of the 87th House District, which includes Bell and Harlan counties. He welcomes your concerns or comments toll-free at 1-800-372-7181 or Rick.Nelson@lrc.ky.gov.