Kentucky Bills

in committee · Kentucky · House Jan 30, 2026

HB 472: AN ACT relating to public contracts.

Create new sections of KRS Chapters 45A, 56, and 65 to require that state and local contracts contain a provision that any iron, steel, or aluminum used in all state and local projects be manufactured in the United States unless a waiver is granted; amend KRS 45A.343, 45A.352, 65.027, 162.070, 164A.575, 176.070, 176.080, and 424.260 to conform; provide that Section 1 to 3 of the Act may be cited as the Kentucky Buy American Act.

Rachel Roarx (D) Aaron Thompson (R) Richard White (R) Scott Sharp (R) Emily Callaway (R)

passed · Kentucky · House Jan 30, 2026

HB 416: AN ACT relating to educators.

Amend KRS 161.028 to preclude the Education Professional Standards Board from requiring a minimum score on any assessment; require applicants to submit proof of completion of a formative basic skills assessment at the time of application; require applicants to submit results of a formative basic skills assessment prior to their first day of attendance; require the postsecondary institution provide supports for candidates aligned with their formative assessment performance; amend KRS 161.030 to require the Education Professional Standards Board to narrowly tailor content assessments to the area in which an applicant is seeking certification.

Topics ✓ Education

in committee · Kentucky · House Jan 30, 2026

HB 473: AN ACT relating to the foster care system.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 199 to prohibit housing a child in foster care in vehicles, state offices, hotels, motels, or short-term rentals except in emergency situations not exceeding 24 hours; require a child in foster care to be placed in kinship care placements, fictive kin placements, licensed foster family homes, or licensed child-caring facilities; prohibit moving a child in foster care more than 2 times per year unless extenuating circumstances necessitate the change; require a cabinet employee to provide a written explanation for any foster child placement change beyond the initial placement; require the Department for Community Based Services to promulgate administrative regulations to prioritize housing stability and minimize placement disruptions for foster care youth; amend KRS 620.320 to require the State Citizen Foster Care Review Board to report on the number of children moved more than 2 times within a 12-month period.

in committee · Kentucky · Senate Jan 30, 2026

SB 143: AN ACT relating to legislative ethics.

Create a new section of KRS 6.601 to 6.849 to define "sexual harassment" prohibit sexual harassment by any legislator or legislative agent to a legislator, legislative agent, or legislative branch employee.

passed · Kentucky · Senate Jan 30, 2026

SR 65: A RESOLUTION honoring John and Debbie Rogers, of Somerset, Kentucky, on the occasion of their 50th wedding anniversary.

This resolution (SR 65) formally honors John and Debbie Rogers of Somerset, Kentucky, for celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary on December 12, 2025. It expresses the Kentucky Senate's congratulations on their milestone marriage and wishes them continued happiness. As a ceremonial resolution with no policy changes, it does not affect any laws or individuals beyond this symbolic recognition. The Senate adopted it by voice vote on January 30, 2026.

in committee · Kentucky · House Jan 30, 2026

HB 478: AN ACT relating to hate crimes.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 532 to provide an enhanced term of imprisonment for any defendant convicted of certain crimes if the defendant intentionally committed the offense because of a person's actual or perceived race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, mental or physical disability, gender identity or expression, or sexual orientation; amend KRS 15.334 and 17.1523 to conform; create a new section of KRS Chapter 508 to create the offense of using hate symbols to intimidate; repeal KRS 49.320 and 532.03, relating to hate crimes.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

in committee · Kentucky · House Jan 30, 2026

HB 474: AN ACT relating to residential safety.

Create a new section of KRS 227.200 to 227.400 to require an owner, seller, or lessor to have functional smoke detectors in all existing single-family and multifamily residential units; require a seller or lessor to verify compliance in an affidavit prior to transfer or tenancy of property; exempt KRS Chapter 324 licensees from liability; direct the state fire marshal to recommend use of carbon monoxide and fuel and gas leak detectors and provide an annual incident report on fire and carbon monoxide-related injuries and deaths to the State Fire Commission.

in committee · Kentucky · House Jan 30, 2026

HB 475: AN ACT relating to gender.

HB 475 would amend Kentucky law to state that "a person only has one (1) gender, male or female," creating a new section in KRS Chapter 2. This policy would apply to all state government actions and records, establishing a strict binary definition of gender. The bill’s key mechanism is adding this explicit statement to state law, overriding any existing policies that might recognize non-binary gender identities. The measure is currently pending in the House Health Services committee after being introduced on January 22, 2026.

passed · Kentucky · House Jan 30, 2026

HB 214: AN ACT relating to disabled veterans.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 40 to define terms; create the Residential Ease of Access for Disabled Veterans Program for funding the construction and installation of accessibility ramps on residences of disabled veterans; establish the Residential Ease of Access for Disabled Veterans Program grant fund to be used for the program and administered by the Kentucky Department of Veterans' Affairs.

Topics ✓ Housing ✓ Veterans

in committee · Kentucky · House Jan 29, 2026

HB 447: AN ACT relating to coverage for emergency ground ambulance services.

Create a new section of Subtitle 17A of KRS Chapter 304 to require coverage for emergency ground ambulance services; establish minimum allowable reimbursement for out-of-network emergency ground ambulance services; establish requirements for reimbursement of out-of-network ground ambulance providers; prohibit balance billing by out-of-network ground ambulance providers; establish construction clause in the event of conflicts; amend KRS 18A.225 to require the state employee health plan to comply with emergency ground ambulance coverage and payment requirements; provide that Act applies to health benefit plans issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2027; EFFECTIVE January 1, 2027.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

in committee · Kentucky · House Jan 29, 2026

HB 465: AN ACT relating to animal testing.

Create new sections of KRS Chapter 258 to define terms; establish a process for dogs and cats that have been retired from use for research and testing in an animal testing facility to be made available for adoption; prohibit the use of state funds that directly support painful experiments as defined by federal law and administered by the United States Department of Agriculture; require animal testing facilities that receive state funds to publicly publish an annual report on their website including the total animals and dogs and cats being tested yearly, active research, all testing projects that use animals, the total amount and source of funding for the project, and efforts used to reduce animal testing.

in committee · Kentucky · House Jan 29, 2026

HB 446: AN ACT relating to the home installation credit.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 141 establishing the refundable home installation credit, not to exceed $7,500 annually, for qualifying home installations to increase the habitability or efficiency of the residence for individuals that are age 65 or older or have a physical or mental impairment; effective for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2027, but before January 1, 2031; amend KRS 141.0205 to establish ordering of the credit; amend KRS 131.190 to allow information to be provided to the Legislative Research Commission.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

Bill results