Kentucky
General Assembly

02/13/26	introduced in Senate to Committee on Committees (S)
03/04/26	to Judiciary (S)
03/05/26	reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar
03/06/26	2nd reading, to Rules posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Wednesday, March 11 2026
03/11/26	3rd reading, passed 32-0
03/12/26	received in House to Committee on Committees (H)
03/16/26	to Judiciary (H)
03/18/26	reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar
03/19/26	2nd reading, to Rules
03/24/26	posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Wednesday, March 25 2026
03/25/26	floor amendments (1) and (2-title) filed
03/27/26	taken from the Orders of the Day recommitted to Veterans, Military Affairs, & Public Protection (H)
03/31/26	reported favorably, to Rules with Committee Substitute (1) and Committee Amendment (1-title) taken from Rules placed in the Orders of the Day 3rd reading, passed 67-19 with Committee Substitute (1) and Committee Amendment (1-title) received in Senate to Rules (S)

Amendment	House Committee Substitute 1
Summary	Retain original provisions, except amend KRS 367.990 to establish what constitutes a separate violation of KRS 367.170; amend KRS 26A.020 to establish that any person may submit an affidavit to the Attorney General asserting that an assigned judge cannot impartially preside in a pending action; authorize the Attorney General to determine if the impartiality of the judge may reasonably be questioned; authorize the Attorney General to submit the affidavit to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court who shall determine whether to appoint a special judge; create a new section of KRS Chapter 40 to limit the compensation for advising or assisting with veterans' benefits; prohibit persons seeking compensation for advising, assisting, or consulting on a veterans' benefits matter from utilizing international call or data centers, directly or aggressively soliciting business, gaining access to personal medical, financial, or benefits log-in or password information, charging interest, and utilizing a doctor with whom they have an employment or business relationship; limit the fee for representation; require any person receiving compensation for assisting on a veterans' benefits matter to report to the Kentucky Department of Veterans' Affairs (KDVA) annually; allow KDVA to promulgate form for the report and display it on their website; establish that violators constitute a violation of the Consumer Protection Act; provide that attorneys and law firms seeking to receive compensation for advising, assisting, or consulting any individual with any veterans' benefits matter shall be governed federal regulations; EMERGENCY.
Index Headings	Administrative Regulations And Proceedings - Kentucky Department of Veterans' Affairs, veterans benefits, advising, report Advertising - Veterans' benefits, notice, requirement Attorney General - Impartiality of tribunal, appointment request for special judge, procedure, authorization Attorneys - Veterans' benefits, compensation for advising, limitation Civil Procedure - Impartiality of tribunal, request for appointment of special judge, procedure, establishment Consumer Protection - Attorney General, commencement of actions, limitations Consumer Protection - Veterans' benefits, compensation for advising, procurement, penalties Court, Supreme - Impartiality of tribunal, request for appointment of special judge, procedure, establishment Courts, Circuit - Impartiality of judge, request for appointment of special judge, procedure, establishment Courts, District - Impartiality of judge, request for appointment of special judge, procedure, establishment Effective Dates, Emergency - Consumer protection, SB 198 Effective Dates, Emergency - Judicial recusal, SB 198 Fees - Veterans' benefits, compensation for advising or assisting in procurement, limitations Judges And Court Commissioners - Impartiality of tribunal, request for appointment of special judge, procedure, establishment Notices - Disclaimer, contracts and advertisements for procuring veterans' benefits, requirement Public Assistance - Veterans' benefits, compensation for advising or assisting in procurement, prohibition Public Protection - Veterans' benefits, compensation for advising or assisting in procurement, prohibition Reports Mandated - Veterans' benefits, compensation for advising, Kentucky Department of Veterans' Affairs, reporting Retirement And Pensions - Veterans' benefits, compensation for advising or assisting in procurement, prohibition Retirement And Pensions - Veterans' benefits, compensation for advising, attorney or law firm, limitation Trade Practices And Retailing - Attorney General, commencement of actions, limitations Veterans - Benefits, compensation for advising or assisting in procurement, prohibition Veterans - Benefits, compensation for advising, attorney or law firm, limitation

Amendment	House Committee Amendment 1
Sponsor	B. McCool
Summary	Make title amendment.
Index Headings	Title Amendments - SB 198/GA

Amendment	House Floor Amendment 1
Sponsor	S. Dietz
Summary	Retain original provisions, except amend KRS 26A.020 to establish that any person may submit an affidavit to the Attorney General asserting that an assigned judge cannot impartially preside in a pending action; authorize the Attorney General to determine if the impartiality of the judge may reasonably be questioned; authorize the Attorney General to submit the affidavit to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court who shall determine whether to appoint a special judge; EMERGENCY.
Index Headings	Effective Dates, Emergency - Operations of the Attorney General Attorney General - Impartiality of tribunal, appointment request for special judge, procedure, authorization Attorney General - Impartiality of tribunal, appointment request for special judge, procedure, establishment Civil Actions - Impartiality of tribunal, request for appointment of special judge, procedure, establishment Civil Procedure - Impartiality of tribunal, request for appointment of special judge, procedure, establishment Court, Supreme - Impartiality of tribunal, request for appointment of special judge, procedure, establishment Courts, Circuit - Impartiality of judge, request for appointment of special judge, procedure, establishment Courts, District - Impartiality of judge, request for appointment of special judge, procedure, establishment Judges And Court Commissioners - Impartiality of tribunal, request for appointment of special judge, procedure, establishment

Amendment	House Floor Amendment 2
Sponsor	S. Dietz
Summary	Make title amendment.
Index Headings	Title Amendments - SB 198/GA