Signed by Governor Andy Beshear

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to adopt a conference report that establishes an emergency response to the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak.

Highlights:

• Authorizes businesses ordered to close by the Governor to waive or suspend the collection of licensing, renewal, and application fees required to engage in a business (Sec 1). 

• Authorizes individuals to be eligible for unemployment benefits without the 7-day waiting period (Sec 1). 

• Authorizes individuals that have not received a pay deduction but have received a reduction in work hours of more than 10 percent and less than 60 percent to receive unemployment benefits (Sec 1). 

• Authorizes unemployment benefits to be expanded to the self-insured, self-employed, and others who have lost their job due to COVID-19 (Sec 1). 

• Authorizes extensions to file a return or to pay any tax without penalty apply to state taxes (Sec 1). 

• Authorizes health care providers to remotely provide services to a patient (Sec 1). 

• Requires insurers to cover health care services provided remotely (Sec 1). 

• Authorizes food service establishments to be exempt from the regulations for selling groceries (Sec 1). 

• Authorizes establishments licensed to sell alcoholic beverages to continue to sell alcoholic beverages as long as they are accompanied by a meal on a delivery, or to-go basis (Sec 1). 

• Authorizes public agencies to conduct any meeting by live audio or video teleconference (Sec 1). 

• Authorizes court-ordered counseling or education classes to be conducted by live audio or video teleconferencing during the state of emergency (Sec 1). 

• Authorizes tax districts to suspend or extend deadlines for filing net profit or gross receipt returns (Sec 1). 

• Authorizes individuals to be considered to be in the presence of one another when communicating via video teleconference for the purpose of complying with the law related to the following (Sec 1):

• Receipt of testimony;

• Signatures from a party or witness; or 

• Notarization of any document for legal purposes. 

• Authorizes employees to operate vehicles requiring a Class B or C commercial driver’s license under the following circumstance (Sec 1): 

• The individual has a current medical certificate or has passed the vision test for commercial drivers;

• The individual is operating the vehicle 150 miles within their place of employment; and  

• The individual is not transporting hazardous materials. 

• Authorizes medical students to diagnose and treat patients under the supervision of licensed healthcare providers (Sec 1). 

• Authorizes the following organizations to waive or modify regulations relating to licensure or certification requirements (Sec 1):

• State Board of Medical Licensure;

• Kentucky Board of Emergency Medical Services; and 

• The Board of Nursing. 

• Requires the Governor to declare a state of emergency on March 6, 2020 (Sec 3). 

Full Bill Text