News

The 2024 legislative session is just past the halfway mark, and I’d like to share with you a few bills of note that we are closely monitoring.

House Bill 6 (HB6), the Executive Branch Biennial Budget

The two-year Executive Branch Budget sets forth the funding for operations for Kentucky’s state government. HB6 includes additional funding to WKU’s base appropriation to offset inflationary increases in expenses. HB6 also includes $160 million in state bonds to construct a new Academic Complex and $28.6 million for asset preservation. Funding for the Gatton Academy and the Kentucky Mesonet remain unchanged from the previous biennial budget. HB6 passed the House of Representatives on February 1, 2024, it was received in the Senate on February 2, 2024, and has been referred to the Senate Appropriations and Revenue Committee. You can view HB6 here.

House Bill 630 (HB630), an Act relating to research doctoral programs at Western Kentucky University

House Bill 630 contains permissive language to allow WKU to offer up to five PhD programs in areas that directly affect the workforce and economy of Kentucky. HB630 has been referred to the House Education Committee. You can view HB630 here.

Senate Bill 6 (SB6), an Act relating to postsecondary education institutions

Senate Bill 6 with Senate Committee Substitute 1 was heard in the Senate Education Committee on February 8, 2024. The committee substitute retained the original provisions of the bill; however, it changed the term divisive concepts to discriminatory concepts. It also prohibits a

public university from providing preferential or prejudicial consideration or treatment to an individual based on the individual's actual or perceived political or social ideology and prohibits a public university from requiring a course that presents one or more discriminatory concepts as fact or otherwise advocates for any individual to assent to or support a discriminatory concept as a prerequisite, program requirement, or general education course. The committee substitute also requires universities to provide informational sessions on free speech at new student orientation programs and requires at least 50% of diversity initiative employees' duties to be allocated to mentoring and providing academic coaching and related learning support activities necessary for the academic success of students who are eligible to receive a federal Pell grant. The committee substitute removed the private cause of action and authorized the Attorney General to bring a civil action for enforcement of the Act. And finally, it requires public universities to publish designated course information to the institution's website. SB6 with Committee Substitute 1 passed the Senate on February 13, 2024, and has been received in the House. You can view SB6 Committee Substitute 1 here.

Senate Bill 201 (SB201), an Act relating to comprehensive universities

Senate Bill 201 permits a comprehensive university, once specific requirements promulgated by CPE have been met, to offer limited PhD programs based on the workforce and economic needs of Kentucky. SB201 was heard for discussion only in the Senate Education Committee on February 22, 2024. You can view SB201 here.

Senate Joint Resolution 170 (SJR170), a Joint Resolution directing the Council on Postsecondary Education to conduct a feasibility study on expanding postbaccalaureate program offerings at comprehensive universities

Senate Joint Resolution 170 directs the Council on Postsecondary Education to conduct a study on expanding postbaccalaureate program offerings at comprehensive universities, including consulting with each president of a comprehensive university to consider a regional economic development or workforce development need that may be met by a postbaccalaureate program. SJR 170 was introduced on February 22, 2024. You can view SJR170 here.

To view all legislation WKU, is tracking please click here or visit www.wku.edu/govrelations for other helpful resources.