Sen. Gary Boswell, R-Owensboro, has introduced two bills in the Kentucky General Assembly. Senate Bill 71 would give county judges-executive and fiscal courts full authority over library board appointments, eliminating the current process that requires recommendations from the state librarian. Senate Bill 72 would remove the hunter education requirement for adults over 18, making it easier for Kentuckians to obtain hunting licenses.
Library board reform
Under the current system for appointing library board members, the state librarian picks two candidates from which a county judge-executive can recommend for appointment. That process repeats if the first set of candidates are not selected. If the second set is also rejected, a judge-executive can then pick a person of their choosing to recommend, but the individual must still be approved by the full Fiscal Court.
SB 71 would bring library board appointments in line with other local boards. Boswell said the change will reduce bureaucratic hurdles and ensure that locally elected officials, rather than state agencies, oversee appointments. Boswell also said the bill ensures that those responsible for approving library tax rates — the Fiscal Court — control board appointments.
“(A judge-executive) can certainly consult with the Kentucky Library Association,” Boswell said. “They might come down, meet with him, and recommend a name. He can also consult library board members who can suggest candidates. Ultimately, though, it’s his choice.”
Boswell also said he hopes the bill will get rid of some of the animosity around appointments.
“This bill simplifies the appointment process by eliminating unnecessary disunity in our communities,” Boswell said, pointing to contention in recent appointments to the Daviess County Public Libary board. “People call each other names … the things they were saying about (one person) were awful, and it’s not necessary.”
He added that if voters disagree with appointees, they can hold officials accountable at the ballot box.
Changes to hunter education
SB 72 seeks to modernize Kentucky’s hunter education laws by eliminating the orange card requirement for adults over 18. Currently, anyone born after 1975 must complete a hunter safety course to legally hunt in the state.
“This legislation supports responsible hunting while removing unnecessary barriers for Kentuckians who have reached maturity age,” Boswell said.
Boswell has previously attempted to repeal the orange card requirement entirely but said this compromise is more likely to pass. SB72 bill would still require minors to complete hunter education courses to obtain an orange card, but anyone over age 18 would not be required to take those courses to legally obtain a hunting license.
Boswell said the current system discourages new hunters, particularly those who take up the sport later in life. He pointed out that the state allows concealed carry without training but requires an orange card for hunting, which he called an inconsistency in the law.
“There’s no reason why someone who has handled firearms responsibly their whole life should be required to take a class just to go hunting,” he said, noting many people grow up hunting on family land.
More information on SB 71, SB 72, and other 2025 measures is available at Legislature.ky.gov.
