Legislative Update: Child care, public safety, education top House Orders

State Representative Timmy Truett

In the Kentucky legislature, the term “Orders of the Day” refers to the official agenda of business that either the House or Senate will consider on a given day. It lists the bills, resolutions, and motions scheduled for debate, amendment, or vote on the chamber floor.

Before a bill reaches the Orders, it must follow a structured process. First, it is filed by a legislator and assigned to a standing committee based on subject matter. The committee reviews the bill, holds hearings where testimony from the public, stakeholders, and experts can be presented. Bills must receive at least one hearing before being reported out of committee, though some legislation may have multiple hearings. Once a committee approves a bill, it is either placed on the Orders of the Day or reassigned to another committee for further consideration. This happens a great deal with bills that would cost the state money or impact multiple agencies or programs. Once it clears the committee process, legislation is placed on the Orders of the Day and ready for full House (or Senate) consideration. However, just because legislation is on the Orders does not mean it will pass the House, simply that it is ready to be considered.

The Orders are basically an agenda, ensuring an organized flow of legislative business and providing members and the public notice of what will be considered each day.

Here are a handful of the bills that were on the Orders and cleared the House this week:
HB 6 expands safe, affordable child care for working parents, removes barriers for children with disabilities, and promotes community-based innovation. It strengthens the Child Care Assistance Program, enhances quality ratings, improves transparency, and permanently establishes the CCAP income exclusion - creating a more accessible, high-quality system that supports families and children statewide.

HB 10 would strengthen accountability, transparency, and continuity of government during gubernatorial transitions in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

HB 139 would strengthen Kentucky’s election system by ensuring only eligible voters are on the rolls, standardizing candidate filing forms, and requiring timely delivery of election materials and faster results reporting. It sets school district boundaries before school board filing deadlines, adjusts common school tax rate elections, requires districts to post election bonds, mandates pre-election testing of tabulating equipment for all elections, updates write-in procedures, allows withdrawals to trigger party nominations, and bars officials from certifying votes for deceased, withdrawn, or disqualified candidates.

HB 213 would provide city and county governments and universities the ability to reemploy retired police officers without incurring employer retirement contributions.

HB 257 would shift Kentucky’s education accountability to a growth-focused model by modifying the state system in four ways: reducing state testing, tracking individual student growth, allowing districts to adopt local quality indicators to boost community engagement, and prioritizing attendance. Kentucky would join 36 states using chronic absenteeism as an accountability measure.

HB 414 would help law enforcement solve and prevent crime, as well as exonerate the innocent by authorizing local law enforcement to collect DNA samples from individuals charged with a felony at the time of arrest, booking, or initial appearance at a local jail.

HB 455 would restrict the use of artificial intelligence by licensed professionals in therapy and psychotherapy services, such as licensed psychologists and licensed clinical social workers. The measure would not apply to religious counseling, peer support, or self-help materials and educational resources that are available to the public and do not purport to offer therapy or psychotherapy services.

HB 485 would modernize Kentucky’s mental health statutes to ensure those suffering from mental illness get proper care and treatment and improve public safety by ensuring appropriate treatment and legal processes.

HB 529 would update statutes relating to the appointment, service, and operation of the Kentucky Parole Board, ensuring consistency, transparency, and functionality in parole decision-making while maintaining a strong focus on public safety and victims’ rights.

HB 562 would expand educational and workforce opportunities for students with disabilities by creating an additional high school diploma option for eligible students who currently receive only a certificate of completion.

HB 577 would strengthen and expand the Kentucky Innovation Act to better support entrepreneur-led economic growth and attract talent, investment, and emerging companies to the Commonwealth.

HJR 50 would direct the state auditor to study the applicable statutes, administrative regulations, and agency policies that impact the opening and operating of licensed and certified child care centers and report findings and recommendations to the legislature.

As always, I can be reached anytime through the toll-free message line in Frankfort at 1-800-372-7181. You can also contact me via email at Timmy.Truett@kylegislature.gov and keep track through the Kentucky legislature’s website at legislature.ky.gov.