Labor & Employment

in committee · Kentucky · Senate Mar 2, 2026

SB 353: AN ACT relating to labor.

This bill amends Kentucky law to ensure gender-neutral language in provisions about final wage payments to employees. It directly affects employers and employees by clarifying that all earned wages must be paid in full within the next normal pay period or within 14 days of an employee leaving or being discharged. The amendment updates the existing statute to use inclusive language while maintaining the same payment requirements and deadlines for final compensation. The bill does not change the timing or conditions for wage payment, only the wording to apply equally to all genders.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill clarifies wage payment requirements and uses inclusive language, protecting workers' rights to timely final compensation.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Employment Discrimination Labor Standards

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passed · Kentucky · House Apr 1, 2026

HR 126: A RESOLUTION urging the federal government to provide states with increased flexibility to design and test innovative approaches that reduce barriers to employment and promote economic self-sufficiency among individuals and families receiving public assistance.

Urge the Congress of the United States and the relevant federal agencies to expand opportunities for states to seek flexibility, waivers, or demonstration authority under federal public assistance programs for the purpose of reducing barriers to work and supporting earned income advancement.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill aims to reduce barriers to employment and promote economic self-sufficiency for public assistance recipients, aligning with labor and employment goals by encouraging state flexibility to improve work access.75% confidence

Sub-Topics Minimum Wage

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in committee · Kentucky · House Mar 11, 2026

HB 927: AN ACT relating to disability retirement benefits in the County Employees Retirement System.

Amend KRS 78.5522 to allow for the 5 year service requirement for disability retirement to be waived for a person who works in a nonhazardous position that could be certified as a hazardous position who is injured in line of duty resulting in an incapacity to continue as an employee in the position that could be certified as hazardous; allow certain persons whose last day of paid employment was on or after January 1, 2022, but prior to the effective date of this Act to apply for disability benefits; RETROACTIVE.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill expands disability retirement benefits for injured workers, strengthening worker protections and benefits in hazardous positions.85% confidence

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in committee · Kentucky · House Mar 11, 2026

HB 938: AN ACT relating to occupational health and safety.

Amend KRS 338.991 to increase the civil penalties for employers who have violated any provision of KRS Chapter 338, received a citation for a violation of the requirements of KRS Chapter 338, or failed to correct a violation for which a citation has been issued; require the secretary for the Education and Labor Cabinet to annually adjust the maximum civil penalties beginning in 2026 by the percentage increase, if any, in the Consumer Price Index for all Urban Customers (CPI-U); direct the secretary to begin a 3 year phase-in for penalty adjustments beginning August 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill increases civil penalties for workplace safety violations and adjusts them annually with CPI, strengthening worker protections and occupational safety standards.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Workplace Safety

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in committee · Kentucky · House Mar 13, 2026

HB 935: AN ACT relating to workers' compensation.

Amend KRS 342.260 to include a written notice of rejection or withdrawal of that rejection within the Insurance Coverage Look-up database; amend KRS 342.395 to require the commissioner of the Department of Workers' Claims to provide an online portal through which as employee's rejection or withdrawal may be electronically submitted to the department.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill improves workers' compensation system by adding online portal for rejection/withdrawal notices, enhancing transparency and accessibility for employees.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Workers' Compensation

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in committee · Kentucky · Senate Mar 2, 2026

SB 322: AN ACT relating to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Employment and Training state plan.

Amend KRS 205.2003 to require the cabinet to develop and implement a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as SNAP, Employment and Training state plan amendment to promote specified improved employment outcomes and workforce participation related to healthy workforce habits through public-private partnerships.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill promotes employment outcomes and workforce participation through SNAP Employment and Training program, directly supporting labor and employment goals.85% confidence

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in committee · Kentucky · House Mar 11, 2026

HB 898: AN ACT relating to collective bargaining agreements.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 160 to define terms; require local boards of education and local associations to bargain collectively; provide that a party who violates the duty to bargain collectively is required to pay to the aggrieved party no more than $500.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill establishes collective bargaining framework for education, protecting teachers' rights and strengthening educator representation through formal negotiation processes.85% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill mandates collective bargaining for education boards and associations, protecting workers' rights and strengthening labor relations through defined terms and enforcement mechanisms.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Collective Bargaining

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signed · Kentucky · House Apr 27, 2026

HB 869: AN ACT relating to fiscal matters and declaring an emergency.

Create a new section of Subchapter 20 of KRS Chapter 154 to establish the rural building and job creation revolving fund; specify uses of the fund to assist with compliance risk mitigation for the New Markets Tax Credits Program, or to issue low-interest loans to assist with construction of new buildings or renovations of existing buildings for lease to target wage economic development projects; require the Cabinet for Economic Development to report on the fund; create a new section of Subchapter 12 of KRS Chapter 154 to require the cabinet to work with the workforce liaison appointed by the president of the Kentucky Career and Technical College System to promote jobs created in the Commonwealth as a result of incentive programs; require the cabinet to conduct a feasibility and impact study on interstate reciprocity between state economic development programming; amend the general fund appropriation authorized in 2022 Ky. Acts ch. 199, Part I, B, 1.,(12) to not lapse and carry forward; APPROPRIATION; EMERGENCY.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill creates revolving fund for economic development and job creation, making appropriations to fund construction loans and compliance risk mitigation for tax credit programs, advancing fiscal management and economic growth.85% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill creates revolving fund to assist with construction of new buildings and renovations for lease, supporting housing development and economic development.75% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill creates revolving fund for job creation and wage economic development projects, indicating support for employment and workforce development.65% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations State Budget Tax Incentives Property Development Tags Economic Development

in committee · Kentucky · Senate Mar 2, 2026

SB 310: AN ACT relating to lump-sum line of duty death payments.

Amend KRS 61.315 to define "public safety officer," "public safety officer in training," "retired public safety officer" and "post-service act in the line of duty"; provide a lump-sum payment of $80,000 to the families of public safety officers in training who die in the line of duty and retired public safety officers who die as a result of an attack related to their prior service as a public safety officer; make technical and clerical changes; provide that the benefit is effective for deaths occurring on or after the effective date of the Act, except that provisions impacting retired public safety officers shall be retroactive to deaths occuring on or after August 1, 2012, and provisions impacting public safety officers in training shall be retroactive to deaths occuring on or after November 1, 2024; RETROACTIVE.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill provides lump-sum death benefits to families of public safety officers, expanding worker benefits and protecting those who serve in dangerous occupations.95% confidence

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in committee · Kentucky · House Mar 9, 2026

HB 813: AN ACT relating to contracts.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 336 to define "covenant not to compete" and "covered employee"; prohibit an employer from requiring a covered employee to enter into a covenant not to compete; set forth civil remedy, damages that can be recovered, and limitations to bring claim; require that provisions to be posted by the employer; prohibit an employer from retaliating against an employee for bringing a civil action; establish application of provisions; amend KRS 336.990 to provide civil penalties.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill prohibits non-compete agreements for covered employees, protecting worker mobility and rights while establishing civil remedies and anti-retaliation provisions.95% confidence

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