Beshear signs student mental health, health worker bills

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear signed into law Wednesday a bill allowing students to receive excused absences from school for mental health reasons.

Another measure signed by the Democratic governor aims to attract more health care workers, especially in underserved areas. He also signed a proposal preventing anyone convicted of various sex crimes from being certified as a peace officer.

They were among 14 measures recently passed by lawmakers that Beshear signed into law. The governor said the bills are “helping us build a better Kentucky.”

One of the measures, House Bill 44, allows school district attendance policies to include provisions for excused absences for mental or behavioral health reasons. Supporters said the legislation signals the importance of mental health with the goal of removing the stigma of discussing the matter.

Among the other bills signed:

—House Bill 206: Prevents anyone convicted of various sex crimes from being certified as a peace officer in Kentucky, and the conviction of an existing peace office for any of these crimes will lead to automatic decertification.

—House Bill 222: Seeks to dissuade individuals from filing frivolous lawsuits or threatening court action for the purpose of stifling public debate.

—House Bill 573: Establishes a recruitment and retention tool for addressing the health care worker shortage, especially in rural and underserved areas. The bill provides financial incentives to attract and retain health care providers. The program will supplement federal funding, which requires a state match for scholarships and loan forgiveness, and will expand the list of health care workers eligible to participate and require recipients to work in underserved areas of Kentucky.