Lawmakers ended a three-day special session by passing a $213 million package for flood recovery and a plan to help schools in eastern Kentucky.

Signed into law by Gov. Beshear on Friday, the law establishes the East Kentucky State Aid Funding for Emergencies (EKSAFE), to assist counties named in the federal declaration.

Legislators emphasized this is the first step and they expect additional legislation next year when lawmakers meet in regular session.

The General Assembly is scheduled to convene for the 2023 regular session on Jan 3.

Gov. Andy Beshear called a special session of the Kentucky General Assembly to begin today, August 24 at noon to establish funding and administration of the Eastern Kentucky State Aid Funding for Emergencies (EKSAFE) and amend the statute relating to the West Kentucky State Aid Funding for Emergencies (WKSAFE) and provide relief to Eastern Kentucky school districts impacted by the flooding emergency.

The 2022 regular session of the Kentucky General Assembly adjourned sine die on April 14.

A campaign finance and an ethics bill passed with a veto override.

House Bill 740 reduces transparency in campaign finance by removing the requirement that candidates report the name and employer of the spouse of the donor for donations over $100 and permitting candidates for legislative office to file annual instead of quarterly campaign finance reports in years they are not running for reelection.

The bill also removes references to paper filing and defines form as an online web page or an electronic document.

House Bill 334 reorganizes the Executive Branch Ethics Commission and requires it to make a finding for each complaint filed, as to whether they are grounded in fact, warranted by law, and filed in good faith.

Both bills are effective July 13.

The first special session of the Kentucky General Assembly adjourned sine die on September 9.

Lawmakers passed five bills in the three days of the special session shifting power away from Gov. Andy Beshear to local governments to address the pandemic.

This does not affect lobbyist reporting.

The 2021 regular session of the Kentucky General Assembly adjourned sine die on March 30.

Among the measures passed is Senate Bill 6, which requires the executive branch ethics commission to establish standards of ethical conduct for all transition team members, and to specifically address the role of transition team members who are or were registered lobbyists.

The bill requires transition team members to disclose positions held outside state government and all sources of compensation for the 12 months prior to transition team service.

This bill is effective June 28, 2021.

The Kentucky General Assembly voted to place a constitutional amendment on the November 2022 ballot authorizing the Legislature to change the legislative session end dates with a three-fifths vote in each chamber.

The proposed amendment also authorizes the Senate president and House speaker to jointly call special sessions lasting up to 12 days annually.

Currently, only the governor can call a special session.

The amendment also removes specific legislative session end dates from the constitution and instead provides legislative sessions in odd-numbered years are limited to 30 legislative days and sessions in even-numbered years are limited to 60 legislative days.

The amendment also changes the date legislation is effective from 90 days after the General Assembly adjourns sine die to July 1 or 90 days after signed into law, whichever is later.

This constitutional amendment will be effective upon voter approval.

The Kentucky General Assembly adjourned the 2017 regular session sine die on March 30, 2017. Working late into the evening, lawmakers approved several bills to send to Gov. Matt Bevin’s desk.

The Republican-controlled legislature passed right-to-work and anti-abortion bills, as well as a repeal of a prevailing wage law.

Stronger controls over prescription pain medication and penalties for trafficking synthetic opioids were also approved.

The next legislative session begins in January, 2018.