Kentucky Bills

in committee · Kentucky · Senate Feb 18, 2026

SJR 105: A JOINT RESOLUTION designating the Gary Lee Egelston Memorial Highway in Menifee County.

This bill designates a 1.3-mile segment of U.S. Route 460 West in Menifee County (between mile markers 7.1 and 8.4) as the "Gary Lee Egelston Memorial Highway." It directs Kentucky's Transportation Cabinet to install appropriate signage within 30 days of the resolution's effective date. The highway segment is named to honor Gary Lee Egelston, a Vietnam War veteran, former Menifee County Fire Chief, and community member who passed away in 2025. This is a ceremonial designation affecting public highway signage, not a policy change with regulatory or funding impacts.

Topics ✓ Veterans

in committee · Kentucky · House Feb 18, 2026

HJR 68: A JOINT RESOLUTION directing the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to grant all third-party Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefit processors the authority to share data and information with the United States Department of Agriculture.

HJR 68 directs Kentucky's Cabinet for Health and Family Services to grant third-party companies that process Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits the authority to share recipient data with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). This enables federal officials to verify eligibility and ensure benefits are properly administered, aligning with a USDA request to remove data-sharing barriers. The resolution requires state agencies to comply with this directive to avoid potential federal withholding of SNAP benefits. It directly affects SNAP processors and the USDA, streamlining data access for federal oversight.

in committee · Kentucky · House Feb 18, 2026

HB 610: AN ACT relating to teachers.

Amend KRS 158.060 to require teachers to be compensated for noninstructional planning time within their school day during which they are required to supervise or instruct students.

Topics ✓ Education

in committee · Kentucky · House Feb 17, 2026

HB 605: AN ACT relating to revenue.

HB 605 amends Kentucky's income tax filing law (KRS 141.160) to replace gendered terms like "his or her" with gender-neutral language throughout the statute. This change directly affects all Kentucky taxpayers and tax administrators who use this section of law when filing income returns or conducting audits. The bill does not alter tax rates, deadlines, or filing requirements - only updates the language to be inclusive. It is a procedural update to existing tax code, not a substantive policy change.

in committee · Kentucky · House Feb 17, 2026

HB 595: AN ACT relating to childhood sexual assault or abuse.

HB 595 removes the time limit for victims to file civil lawsuits related to childhood sexual assault or abuse in Kentucky. It directly affects victims (defined as those under 18 at the time of the abuse) and entities like schools or organizations that failed in their duty of care, allowing them to sue at any time regardless of when the abuse occurred. Key provisions include: civil lawsuits for injury or illness from such abuse are no longer subject to a statute of limitations, court records must be sealed immediately upon filing, and claims barred before March 2021 may be revived if filed within five years. The bill applies retroactively to revive expired cases.

in committee · Kentucky · House Feb 17, 2026

HB 597: AN ACT relating to retirement income savings plans for private sector employees.

Create new sections of KRS Chapter 41 to establish the Commonwealth Retirement Savings Plan as a voluntary payroll-deduction Roth IRA savings program for employees of private employers with fewer than 50 employees; define terms; create a governing board of trustees and specify responsibilities of the board in plan design and oversight; require the board to contract with a third-party administrator for plan administration; establish that the plan shall be implemented and enrollment of employees shall begin on July 1, 2028, if adequate funds to administer the plan are available; amend KRS 154.12-330 to authorize the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority to lend funds to help implement the plan; require the State Treasurer, on or before July 1, 2027, to provide the Legislative Research Commission with a written update on the plan's implementation status.

in committee · Kentucky · House Feb 17, 2026

HB 599: AN ACT relating to crimes and punishments.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 503 to provide a justification for the use of physical force or deadly physical force by a defendant operating a motor vehicle while fleeing the immediate area of an obstruction of a highway or public passage; amend KRS 525.015 to expand the elements of obstructing an emergency responder; provide enhanced penalties; allow restitution to an agency for the reasonable costs of an emergency response; amend KRS 525.140 to expand the elements of obstructing a highway or other public passage; provide enhanced penalties; allow restitution to an agency for the reasonable costs of an emergency response; create a new section of KRS Chapter 411 to establish a civil cause of action for recovery of damages caused by obstructing an emergency responder or obstruction of a highway or other public passage; amend KRS 413.140 to provide a 1-year statute of limitation for the cause of action for recovery of damages caused by obstructing an emergency responder or obstruction of a highway or other public passage; amend KRS 503.085 to conform.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

in committee · Kentucky · Senate Feb 17, 2026

SJR 97: A JOINT RESOLUTION designating the Glen Stykes Memorial Highway in Pulaski County.

This bill (SJR 97) designates a specific segment of Kentucky Route 3091 in Pulaski County as the "Glen Stykes Memorial Highway." It directs the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet to name the portion from Wilson Road to the Cumberland Expressway bridge and install appropriate signage within 30 days of the resolution's effective date. The bill directly affects the public by renaming this highway segment in honor of Glen Maldon Stykes, who was a longtime resident of Somerset and Pulaski County. As a naming resolution, it has no other policy provisions or financial impact.

in committee · Kentucky · House Feb 17, 2026

HB 608: AN ACT relating to nondisclosure and confidentiality agreements.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 372, relating to contracts against public policy, to define "act of sexual abuse"; declare as void any nondisclosure agreement, confidentiality agreement, or nondisclosure or confidentiality provision of an agreement to the extent the provision prohibits the disclosure of an act of sexual abuse; prohibit enforcement of an applicable agreement or provision entered into before the effective date of the Act unless the person or party obtains a declaratory judgment that the agreement or provision is enforceable; provide that the Act may be cited as Trey's Law; RETROACTIVE.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

in committee · Kentucky · House Feb 17, 2026

HB 609: AN ACT relating to classroom libraries and making an appropriation therefor.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 158 to define terms; establish the Classroom Library Grant Program; provide that the Kentucky Department of Education to implement the grant program through selection of a program administrator; establish the qualifications and duties of the program administrator; appropriate $5,000,000 from the General Fund to implement the Classroom Library Grant Program; APPROPRIATION.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Education

in committee · Kentucky · House Feb 17, 2026

HB 602: AN ACT relating to crimes and punishments.

HB 602 amends Kentucky's criminal code (KRS 501.030) to replace gender-specific language like "he or she" with gender-neutral terms in the definition of criminal liability. This change directly affects all individuals and legal proceedings under Kentucky's criminal statutes by updating how criminal responsibility is described. The key provision modifies the requirement that a person must have engaged in conduct "intentionally, knowingly, wantonly or recklessly" to be liable, ensuring the language applies equally regardless of gender. The bill makes a technical, non-substantive update to existing law without altering criminal penalties or procedures.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

in committee · Kentucky · House Feb 17, 2026

HB 594: AN ACT relating to sex offenders.

Create a new section of KRS 17.500 to 17.580, relating to the sex offender registry, to define "costume" and "Halloween-related activity"; prohibit sex offenders who have committed a criminal offense against a victim who is a minor from participating in any Halloween-related activity; establish penalties.

Topics ✗ Criminal Justice

Bill results