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HB 144 Kentucky House · 2026 Regular Session

AN ACT relating to motor vehicle titles.

Summary
Amend KRS 186A.295 to exclude the cost of parts and labor to make cosmetic repairs to a motor vehicle from the cost of repair calculation for the required surrender of the certificate of title for a motor vehicle or trailer that has been destroyed; require a motor vehicle that is exempt from title surrender to be issued a salvage title; amend KRS 186A.190 and 186A.520 to conform.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Mar 2026
House Passage
Apr 2026
Senate Passage
Apr 2026
Signed into Law
Apr 2026
Introduced Jan 7, 2026 Signed Apr 13, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced → Current/Final · 3 edits
MINOR
The bill clarifies that the cost of repair for determining a 'total loss' vehicle must only include labor and parts for actual damage to safety-critical components (like the frame or engine), explicitly excluding cosmetic repairs. It also refines the definition of a salvage vehicle to ensure these cosmetic exclusions do not alter an insurance company's existing obligation to pay for repairs under their current policies.
Scope change
The scope of the 'total loss' calculation was narrowed to focus strictly on structural and mechanical integrity rather than appearance, while maintaining consistency with existing insurance policy obligations.
DEFINITION

The calculation for determining if a vehicle is a 'total loss' was updated to exclude cosmetic repairs from the cost of repair, limiting the calculation to damage affecting safety, structural integrity, or drivability.

ELIGIBILITY

A new provision was added to ensure that the exclusion of cosmetic repairs from the 'total loss' calculation does not change an insurer's existing obligation to pay for those cosmetic repairs under their current policy terms.

REQUIREMENT

The definition of a salvage vehicle was clarified to specify that the 75% threshold applies only to the cost of rebuilding or reconstructing the vehicle for legal operation, not cosmetic fixes.

Floor votes · House Jan 30, 2026

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
23
Key actions
10
Committee
9
Apr 13, 2026
Signed into law
signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 100)
lower
Apr 1, 2026
Upper · Passed
enrolled, signed by President of the Senate
upper
Apr 1, 2026
Lower · Passed
enrolled, signed by Speaker of the House
lower
Mar 31, 2026
Lower · Passed
passed 91-0
lower
Mar 31, 2026
Lower · Passed
House concurred in Committee Substitute (1)
lower
Mar 31, 2026
Lower · Passed
posted for passage for concurrence in Senate Committee Substitute (1)
lower
Mar 31, 2026
Committee
to Rules (H)
lower
Mar 31, 2026
Lower · Passed
3rd reading, passed 38-0 with Committee Substitute (1)
lower
Mar 24, 2026
Lower · Passed
reported favorably, 1st reading, to Consent Calendar with Committee Substitute (1)
lower
Mar 16, 2026
Committee
to Banking & Insurance (S)
upper
Feb 2, 2026
Committee
to Committee on Committees (S)
upper
Jan 30, 2026
Lower · Passed
3rd reading, passed 94-0 with Committee Substitute (1)
lower
Jan 28, 2026
Lower · Passed
reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar with Committee Substitute (1)
lower
Jan 14, 2026
Committee
to Transportation (H)
lower
Jan 7, 2026
Committee
to Committee on Committees (H)
lower
Jan 7, 2026
Introduced
introduced in House
lower
0 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

No sponsor information available.