New laws go into effect July 12

New laws approved during the Kentucky General Assembly’s 2012 regular session will take effect on July 12. The Chamber recommends Kentucky companies stay in compliance by reviewing those laws that may have an impact on the business community by referencing our Results for Business – a full breakdown of what passed, what didn’t and what it means to your business.

The Kentucky Constitution states that legislation approved by the General Assembly goes into effect as state law 90 days after a legislative session ends, unless a bill specifies a different effective date or contains an emergency clause that makes it effective as soon as it is signed by the governor.

Among those laws, is SB 3, Kentucky’s new effort to curb abuse of the drug pseudoephedrine, a key ingredient used in making methamphetamine. Unlike the prescription mandate opposed by the Chamber, SB 3 further limits the over-the-counter purchase of cold and allergy medication containing pseudoephedrine to 7.2 grams monthly and 24 grams annually. This legislation is a reasonable compromise to the effort over the past two years to mandate a prescription, which would have unnecessarily increased employer health care costs and employee absenteeism.

Also of interest to Kentucky businesses will be the new requirements to address prescription drug abuse, which has proven to be a serious problem for employers in the Commonwealth who need a reliable and drug-free workforce. HB 1 (Extraordinary Session) addresses the prescription drug epidemic by strengthening the state’s KASPER system and cracking down on pain clinics. Prescription drug abuse is not only a social issue; it is a business issue. From a loss of productivity to creating serious workplace safety concerns to increasing Kentucky’s workers’ compensation premiums, prescription drug abuse is having a negative impact on jobs.

To view a complete list of business issues that passed this session, click here.