HomeTop StoriesFive bills Kentucky lawmakers plan to introduce during the 2025 legislative session

Five bills Kentucky lawmakers plan to introduce during the 2025 legislative session

Kentucky lawmakers won’t be able to introduce bills until the next legislative session begins on Jan. 7. But that doesn’t stop them from saying what they plan to submit.

During the 2024 interim term, several lawmakers shared bills they planned to introduce during the 2025 legislative session. Some are bills introduced in previous years, others are new ideas.

The only way to publicly view pre-filed bills is for lawmakers to share their drafts on their own social media accounts, websites, or as part of meeting materials for interim committees. That’s because legislation passed in 2022 abolished the process of posting pre-filed bills on the Legislative Research Commission website.

Here’s a look at some of the bills that lawmakers have shared or are said to be expected to come up during the session.

Demanding bathrooms through ‘biological sex’

In August, Republican Rep. Matt Lockett shared draft language of a bill that would require more than a majority of public school restrooms to be designated for a specific biological gender.

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During a meeting of the Interim Joint Committee on Education, Lockett said the bill is in response to Fayette County Public Schools building gender-neutral restrooms with floor-to-ceiling individual private spaces at Britton Middle School.

His bill would require that at least 90% of restroom facilities in school buildings housing more than 100 students be designated for “a specific gender.”

Lockett said the goal of the bill is to protect children and “provide an educational facility where they do not feel threatened, embarrassed or afraid to use the restroom.”

Banning some sex offenders from Halloween activities

Rep. Chad Aull, D-Lexington, announced in October that he plans to introduce a bill that would ban many people on Kentucky’s sex offender registry from participating in Halloween activities involving minors.

The draft copy of the bill would prohibit registrants who have committed crimes against minors from participating in Halloween-related activities. This includes trick-or-treating, costume parties where children are present or events where candy is handed out to children.

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The bill would apply 14 days before and after October 31 of each year. Violating the restrictions would result in a Class A misdemeanor for the first offense and a Class D misdemeanor for subsequent offenses.

Make fluoridation in water optional

Rep. Mark Hart, R-Falmouth, is renewing the push to make water fluoridation optional for local districts.

The bill, which Hart says he plans to reintroduce next session, would nullify the state’s water fluoridation mandate. Last year’s legislative session marked the first time Hart’s bill was heard in committee, but it did not make it to the finish line.

Hart said the bill would not ban the use of fluoride but would protect the state from liability related to “risks” resulting from fluoride exposure, citing data from a report released by the National Toxicology Program.

Meanwhile, prominent health organizations including the Centers for Disease Control and American Academy of Pediatrics say adding small amounts of fluoride to public drinking water helps strengthen teeth, with research showing that fluoridated water reduces tooth decay by 25% in children and adults.

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Holding parents responsible for gun violence involving minors

Republican Rep. Kim Banta, with Democratic Rep. Tina Bojanowski as co-sponsor, plans to introduce a bill that would hold parents and guardians liable for gun violence committed by a minor in their care.

The Kentucky Lantern reported that Banta’s bill would let individuals who are injured or threatened by a minor using a gun sue the minor’s parents or guardians. In addition to killing a person, this can also include threatening someone with a gun and shooting a neighbor’s dog.

Require licensing for tobacco retailers

Sen. Jimmy Higdon, R-Lebanon, is working on a bill that he says would help keep tobacco products away from minors.

During a midterm committee meeting, Higdon said his bill would require licenses for all sellers of vape or tobacco products, allowing enforcement by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control.

The bill would also implement tougher fines and penalties for retailers who violate the law and allow ABC officials to inspect businesses without a warrant.

Reach reporter Hannah Pinski at @hpinski@courier-journal.com or follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @hannahpinski.

This article originally appeared in the Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky lawmakers set to introduce bills on fluoride and school toilets

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