Sen. Jimmy Higdon

Maddy summarySB 232 amends Kentucky Revised Statutes 186.230 and 186.120 to replace gendered pronouns (like "he," "his," and "him") with gender-neutral language. The bill updates administrative procedures for county clerks and the Transportation Cabinet related to vehicle registration, fees, and refund processes without changing any fees, timelines, or substantive requirements. This linguistic change affects how these sections are written but does not alter existing transportation policies or obligations.

Maddy summaryThis resolution (SR 30) is a ceremonial Senate action honoring John William "Willie" Ellery, a Springfield, Kentucky resident who died in November 2025. It directs the Senate to adjourn for the day in his memory, expressing sympathy for his passing and acknowledging his 52-year service as Housing Authority Maintenance Director, 26 years on the Springfield City Council, and other community contributions. The resolution has no policy impact and affects only the Senate's procedural schedule. It was introduced on January 8, 2026, and referred to the Senate Floor.

Create new sections of KRS Chapter 61 to define "boy," "equal," "female," "girl," "male," "man," "sex," and "woman"; prohibit any state or local law, regulation, ordinance, or policy from treating males or females unfairly from similiarly situated members of the opposite sex, but permit separation of the sexes if in the interest of maintaining safety, privacy, and fairness; provide a non-exhaustive list of examples of areas in which public entities may distinguish between the sexes; require any public school, public school district, state agency, department, local government, special district or any political subdivision of those entities that collects vital statistics to identify each person as either male or female; provide that the Act may be cited as the Kentucky Women's Bill of Rights.

Propose to create a new section of the Constitution of Kentucky to exempt disabled United States Armed Forces veterans and unremarried surviving spouses of United States Armed Forces service members killed in action while performing active military duty from property taxation of property owned and maintained as a primary residence and a primary motor vehicle owned and maintained as their primary vehicle after calendar year 2027; provide ballot language; submit to voters for ratification or rejection.

Amend KRS 156.557 to permit a superintendent to initiate summative evaluations; require that summative evaluations be provided to the local board of education.

Urge the United States Congress to pass the Major Richard Star Act to ensure veterans with disabilities receive their full United States Department of Defense retirement pay and United States Department of Veterans Affairs disability compensation without offset.

Amend KRS 162.060 to require a school district to notify the Transportation Cabinet before construction on a new public school building may begin; require the Transportation Cabinet to provide the chief state school officer with a design and cost estimate for any new routes to access the school site and to identify any cost estimates and improvements to existing routes serving the school site.

Maddy summaryThis 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.

Maddy summaryThis is a ceremonial Senate resolution (SR 21) honoring Dixie P. Hibbs, a former Bardstown mayor and community historian who passed away in October 2025. The resolution directs the Senate to adjourn in her memory and expresses condolences to her family. It does not create new laws or affect any policies; it is a formal tribute recognizing her 19-year service on Bardstown City Council, her work preserving historical sites, and her authorship of 17+ books on local history. The Senate adopted it by voice vote on January 27, 2026.

Maddy summarySB 119 allows landowners to repurchase property condemned by a government agency for highway projects if the project isn't developed within eight years. If the agency fails to start construction or design within that timeframe, the original landowner can buy back the property at the price the agency originally paid. This applies specifically to highway projects under Kentucky law (KRS Chapter 177) and excludes industrial development projects. The bill ensures unused condemned land reverts to the original owner unless sold at auction after proper notice.