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Bill Summary · SCR 143

Summary — SCR 143 (2025): Legislative Research Commission study of gun violence

Status: Concurrent resolution — adopted in final form (House received/approved; Senate adopted). Introduced: March 7, 2025. Report due: December 1, 2025. Sponsors: multiple (Dela Cruz, Hashimoto, Inouye, Aquino, Chang, Kim, Richards, Elefante, Wakai, Kidani, San Buenaventura).

Purpose

SCR 143 directs the Legislative Research Commission (LRC) staff to conduct a comprehensive study of the causes of gun violence in the Commonwealth (Kentucky) and to identify ways to prevent it. The resolution frames gun violence as a serious public safety and public health problem, cites a 38% increase in Kentucky gun deaths from 2013–2022 (average ~826 gun deaths per year), and references federal action such as the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (2022) and prior Kentucky legislation (House Bill 5 and Senate Bill 20, 2024).

Key provisions / what the study must include

The LRC study must examine, but is not limited to:

  1. Data on fatal and nonfatal gun-related incidents in Kentucky.
  2. The impact of gun violence on the Medicaid budget.
  3. Legislative actions in other states and at the federal level addressing causes and costs of gun violence.
  4. Existing Kentucky laws addressing gun violence and assessments of their effectiveness.
  5. Existing resources available to prevent gun violence.

The required report from LRC staff must contain:
- A description of causes and contributing factors to gun violence in the Commonwealth.
- A detailed analysis of the data listed above.
- A discussion of any data that was not available for analysis.
- A discussion of policy options to reduce gun violence.

Deliverables & timeline

  • LRC staff shall prepare the study and submit the report to the LRC.
  • The report will be referred to the Interim Joint Committee on Judiciary and the Interim Joint Committee on Health Services.
  • Submission deadline: no later than December 1, 2025.
  • The LRC is authorized to alternatively assign the issues to an interim joint committee or subcommittee and may designate a different study completion date.

Who is affected / potential impact

  • Directly affects LRC staff workload and interim committee agendas.
  • Results could inform future legislative or budget actions by identifying data gaps, costs (including Medicaid impacts), and a menu of policy options.
  • Indirectly affects state agencies (public health, Medicaid, law enforcement), community prevention programs, and communities impacted by gun violence.

Procedural notes

  • SCR 143 is a concurrent resolution (non-binding policy directive) that requests a study/report; it does not itself change law or appropriate funds.
  • Legislative action shows committee referrals, amendments (SD1), and final adoption in April 2025.
  • Companion measure: SR 156.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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