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.
This is a commemorative resolution (not a policy bill), adopted by the Kentucky Senate on January 28, 2026. It formally adjourns the Senate in honor of Robert E. "Bob" Purnell, Sr., a Simpsonville, Kentucky businessman and community leader who passed away in October 2025. The resolution recognizes his 75-year career leading Purnell's Sausage Company (founded by his father), his community involvement, and his family. It directs the Senate Clerk to send a copy to his family, expressing the Senate's condolences.
Create a new section of KRS Chapter 117 to define "large public university campus"; require county boards of elections to conduct election day and no-excuse in-person absentee voting on large public university campuses; provide that this Act shall be known as the Right to Vote at College Campuses Act.
Create a new section of KRS 438.305 to 438.350 to require a retailer to verify that a recipient of a shipment or delivery of tobacco products, alternative nicotine products, or vapor products is at least 21 years old; require visual examination or use of age verification technology to verify the recipient's identity at delivery; establish penalties for a retailer or common or private carrier in violation; establish penalties for a consumer who intentionally causes an unlawful delivery; require products to be returned to the retailer if the common or private carrier cannot complete delivery.
This is a ceremonial resolution (SR 22), not a policy bill. It honors Brian Jay Hatt, a Raywick, Kentucky firefighter and U.S. Army veteran who died in a truck accident while responding to a fire call on August 25, 2025. The resolution expresses the Senate's sympathy to his family and directs the Senate to adjourn in his memory. It does not change any laws or affect any policies; it is a symbolic tribute to his service and life.
SB 134 amends Kentucky's retirement law (KRS 61.530) to replace gendered language like "him or her" with gender-neutral terms. This change affects public employees covered by Kentucky's retirement system, specifically clarifying eligibility rules for service credit. The bill updates the statutory language to remove outdated gender references without altering any retirement benefits or requirements. It is a procedural update to ensure the law uses inclusive language.
Propose to create a new section of the Constitution of Kentucky to require candidates for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, Auditor of Public Accounts, Treasurer, Commissioner of Agriculture, member of the General Assembly, any justice or judge of the Kentucky Court of Justice, county officer, or any other statewide, judicial, legislative, or local elected office to be a citizen of the United States, and not a citizen or national of any foreign state or country, at the time of their election or appointment for the duration of their term, and for 18 years immediately preceding election or appointment, in order to hold each respective office; provide ballot language; submit to voters for ratification or rejection.
Amend KRS 158.196 to require the incorporation of instruction on the Civil Rights movement in the social studies academic standards for elementary through high school; specify minimum requirements; APPROPRIATION; EMERGENCY.
Amend KRS 510.060, relating to rape in the third degree, to prohibit a school employee from engaging in sexual intercourse with a student enrolled in an elementary or secondary school with whom he or she comes into contact with as a result of that employment; amend KRS 510.090, relating to sodomy in the third degree, to prohibit a school employee from engaging in deviate sexual intercourse with a student enrolled in an elementary or secondary school with whom he or she comes into contact with as a result of that employment; amend KRS 510.110, relating to sexual abuse in the first degree, to prohibit a school employee from subjecting a student to sexual contact, engaging in masturbation in the student's presence, or engaging in masturbation while using the internet, telephone, or other electronic communication with a student who can see or hear the school employee masturbate; amend KRS 510.010 to define "school employee"; amend various sections of the Kentucky Revised Statutes to conform and make technical corrections.
Amend KRS 217.186 to require each public postsecondary educational institution to provide access to opioid antagonists on campus; permit access to be provided by emergency opioid antagonist cabinets; permit application for funds from the opioid abatement trust fund and other available sources to coordinate, maintain, and supply the opioid antagonists; amend KRS 15.291 to add providing access to opioid antagonists on the campuses of public postsecondary educational institutions to the list of projects that may be provided with funding from the opioid abatement trust fund.
Amend KRS 160.145 to expand existing definitions and define "private electronic communication" and "qualified school volunteer"; limit the scope of unauthorized electronic communication to private electronic communication and exclude designated types of communication from the scope of the requirement to obtain written parental consent prior to communicating outside of the traceable communication system; limit the scope of the school volunteers subject to this section to qualified school volunteers; specify that the requirement to obtain written parental consent only applies to students enrolled within the same school district as the school district employee or qualified school volunteer; permit a local school district more flexibility in disciplinary actions arising from a violation of this section; permit a written parental consent form to designate more than 1 school district employee or qualified school volunteer; provide that the written consent may be revoked by the parent who filed the consent; require notice of the revocation to be sent to the identified school district employee or qualified school volunteer; prohibit a school or school district from refusing to accept parental consent forms; prohibit requiring parental consent forms under this section as a requirement for a student to participate in an academic, athletic, or extracurricular opportunity; provide an emergency exception to permit a school district employee or qualified school volunteer to communicate electronically without prior written parental consent if the individual discloses the communication after the fact; permit a school district to reconsider allowing previously prohibited volunteers; create a new section of KRS Chapter 160 to prohibit a public school district or public charter school from entering into a nondisclosure agreement relating to unauthorized electronic communication or misconduct involving a minor or student; amend KRS 160.380 to define "abusive conduct"; require school district applicants to disclose being the subject of any disciplinary actions in the previous 12 months relating to abusive conduct and consent to a reference check; require school districts to conduct reference checks; require nonpublic schools and public school districts to disclose any disciplinary actions related to abusive conduct of applicants; provide immunity for disclosures made about school employee conduct; require school districts to request all related information from public and nonpublic schools and the Education Professional Standards Board (ESPB); require schools and EPSB to provide the records; require requests for information to be satisfied in 10 working days; require EPSB to create and implement procedures for information requests; require all school district applicants to list all schools of previous and current employment on the application; require a school district to internally report and investigate to completion all allegations of abusive conduct; require all records relating to an allegation of abusive conduct to be retained in an employee's personnel file unless the allegation is proven false; provide that certain requirements apply to public charter schools; amend KRS 156.160 to direct the Kentucky Board of Education to include employment standards in the voluntary certification standards for private schools; make technical corrections; amend KRS 160.151 to define "certified nonpublic school"; require employees of certified nonpublic schools to submit to a national and state criminal background check and a CA/N check; require certified nonpublic school personnel to have a state criminal background check every 5 years; prohibit a certified nonpublic school from hiring a violent or felony sex crime offender; require a certified nonpublic school to conduct reference checks on all applicants; prohibit a certified nonpublic school from entering into a nondisclosure agreement related to misconduct involving a minor or student; make technical corrections; amend KRS 156.095 to require the Kentucky Department of Education to develop a training related to sexual misconduct and inappropriate relationships for employees to undergo every 5 years; make technical corrections; amend KRS 161.151 to conform; require that an allegation of abusive conduct be reported pursuant to KRS 620.030; amend KRS 158.4431, 156.492, and 158.200 to conform; provide that Section 2 may be cited as Erin's Law; EMERGENCY.
This resolution (SR 56) is a ceremonial honor from the Kentucky Senate for Elder Nathan Craig and Sister Amy Craig, recognizing their upcoming three-year service as leaders of the Ghana Accra South Mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It commends their local community and church leadership in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, and extends congratulations on their international missionary assignment. The resolution has no policy impact or financial effect; it solely serves to publicly acknowledge their service through the Senate's formal words of praise.
