SENATOR MATT NUNN’S LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
First month of 2025 Interim in the books
The first month of the 2025 Interim Session is behind us, and there’s a lot of important work happening.
Senate Bill 181
Let’s go ahead and address the elephant in the room—Senate Bill (SB) 181. This law was designed with one goal in mind: protecting students from the rare but serious threat of sexual grooming via unmonitored electronic communication. Predators who gain access to students through private channels are the exception, not the rule but even one case is one too many.
The bill passed unanimously, 137-0, and was signed by the Governor. That broad support came because no one—not education groups, not school administrator associations, not a single legislator, or stakeholder foresaw the unintended consequences we’re now seeing play out in school districts.
Schools and superintendents in the 17th Senate District were among the first to raise these concerns, and I’ve been in frequent contact with them and my colleagues as these issues have surfaced. I appreciate their leadership in identifying areas that may need clarification.
To clarify, SB 181 does not prohibit communication between teachers, coaches, or volunteers and students. It simply requires that communication occur through district-approved, traceable platforms, unless a parent signs a waiver to allow an alternative method, such as texting or direct messaging via social media.
If your child’s situation requires direct communication, please collaborate with your local school district to obtain the necessary waiver. In the meantime, I’d recommend communicating directly with a parent or guardian whenever possible, or sticking to the approved apps provided by your district.
Nobody is trying to make life harder on our educators and volunteers; we’re just trying to close the loopholes that bad actors have used in rare but tragic cases. If the law needs tweaking, we’ll take care of that first thing when we return in January.
Serving those who served us
As a member of the Veterans, Military Affairs, and Public Protection Committee, I joined a tough but needed conversation about the state of Kentucky’s veterans’ homes. We’ve got too many beds sitting empty, not enough staff to go around, and a lot of veterans on waitlists. Groups like USA Cares are stepping up, but we’ve got to do more on our end to fix the core problems.
On the Legislative Oversight and Investigations Committee, we followed up on those same issues. I asked about how pay and retirement benefits are working and whether newer workers are getting the short end of the stick. We also took a deep dive into the child welfare system. There’s too much lag in court responses and not enough coordination between agencies. If we want better outcomes, we’ve got to stay focused on clear communication and honest accountability.
Conservative policies driving continued growth; lawmakers monitoring economic development projects
On the Appropriations and Revenue Committee, we got updates on two of Kentucky’s most significant economic development projects BlueOval SK and Ascend Elements.
BlueOval SK already employs over 1,000 Kentuckians, with one plant operational. The second is on pause, but the company is still meeting its job targets, and the compliance review is set for late 2026. Ascend is shifting gears to focus on high-demand battery materials, staying committed to 300 jobs in Hopkinsville and not requesting additional state dollars. Lawmakers raised thoughtful questions about timelines, contractor pay, and national security, especially when it comes to relying on foreign sources for critical minerals.
I’m also proud to serve on the 2026–2028 Budget Preparation and Submission Statutory Committee. It’s our job to monitor big developments like these and help guide the next two-year state budget. That’s serious work, and I’ll keep making sure it’s done with transparency and accountability.
Tackling policy challenges through task forces
We also have several task forces working on long-range planning.
On the Housing Task Force, we reviewed projections showing we’re short about 287,000 housing units by 2029. We discussed zoning reform, state housing credits, and updating the funding of affordable housing.
The Disaster Resiliency Task Force looked at how we can stop being reactive and start getting ahead of storms, floods, and other emergencies. We need better monitoring tools, faster recovery, and maybe even a Chief Resilience Officer to keep us focused on long-term planning.
The Artificial Intelligence Task Force is making sure we’re not rushing into a mess of state rules that hurt innovation. We’ve got to get cybersecurity right, protect broadband funding, and prepare students for a world where AI’s gonna be part of the job.
The Medicaid Oversight and Advisory Board (MOAB) held its first meeting. With 1.4 million Kentuckians enrolled, we must ensure the program is solid, both fiscally and operationally, for the best interest of those it was originally intended to help.
Stay engaged
As the interim session continues, Kentuckians are encouraged to follow committee meetings and participate in the legislative process. You can find past meeting materials and the full 2025 Interim calendar at legislature.ky.gov. Most meetings are livestreamed on the KY LRC Committee meeting YouTube Channel and on KET. Archived footage of meetings is available via both. You can share your input with elected members of the Kentucky General Assembly by calling the Legislative Message Line at 1-800-372-7181 or by contacting their offices directly at 502-564-8100.
For the latest updates, follow the Senate Majority Caucus on social media (@KYSenateGOP on X and @kysenate.gop on Instagram) and visit KYSenateRepublicans.com to subscribe to news alerts and learn more about legislative priorities.
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Sen. Matt Nunn represents the 17th Senate District, including Grant and Scott Counties, southern Kenton County, and northwestern Fayette County. He serves as co-chair of the Budget Review Subcommittee on Economic Development, Tourism, and Environmental Protection. He also serves on the Interim Joint Committees on Agriculture; Appropriations and Revenue; Economic Development and Workforce Investment; Licensing, Occupations, and Administrative Regulations; Veterans, Military Affairs, and Public Protection; and Tourism, Small Business, and Information Technology. Additionally, he is a member of the Legislative Oversight and Investigations Committee and the 2026–2028 Budget Preparation and Submission Statutory Committee.