Gov. Beshear put his signature on a number of new bills passed by the GOP-led General Assembly.
One – Senate Bill 30 – is meant to protect consumers from predatory practices when it comes to automatic renewals after trial periods. It requires companies to provide more information up front about charges and when renewals might kick in. It also mandates clearer cancellation policies and updates on when terms and conditions change.
Former Lexington Rep. Susan Westrom, a supporter of the bill, applauded the new stricter language.
"It's wonderful to see that Kentucky is protecting our consumers, who have unwittingly been charged for renewed subscriptions that they did not renew," the Democrat said. "This is a hard time for every family in our state and to think that any industry would take advantage of people and never even be noticed... they're noticed."
Other bills signed into the books include an expansion of unemployment insurance, increasing the coverage period from 12 to 16 weeks – that’s after the General Assembly slashed coverage from 26 weeks down to 12 last year in an effort to urge more workers to get back in the job market; a provision requiring at least 50% of the state vehicle fleet to be hybrid or alternative fuel vehicles; and a new regulatory framework for Delta-8, a hemp derivative containing small amounts of THC.
While Beshear did not yet issue a veto for the highly-controversial Senate Bill 150, dubbed an "omnibus anti-trans" bill by critics, but he reiterated that he cannot support a bill he believes will lead to increased youth suicides.
