Kentucky
General Assembly

01/07/26	introduced in Senate to Committee on Committees (S)
01/20/26	to Economic Development, Tourism, & Labor (S)
01/22/26	reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar
01/23/26	2nd reading, to Rules
01/27/26	Floor Amendments (1), (2) and (3) filed
01/30/26	floor amendment (4) filed
02/09/26	floor amendment (5) filed
02/11/26	floor amendment (6) filed
02/20/26	taken from Rules placed in the Orders of the Day 3rd reading Floor Amendments (1), (2), (3), (4) and (5) withdrawn passed 29-8 with Floor Amendment (6)
02/23/26	received in House to Committee on Committees (H)
03/05/26	to Natural Resources & Energy (H)
03/25/26	taken from Natural Resources & Energy (H) 1st reading returned to Natural Resources & Energy (H)
03/26/26	reported favorably, 2nd reading, to Rules with Committee Substitute (1) and Committee Amendment (1-title) floor amendments (1), (2), (3) and (4) filed to Committee Substitute
03/27/26	taken from Rules placed in the Orders of the Day 3rd reading, passed 90-0 with Committee Substitute (1), Floor Amendments (1), (2) and (4) and Committee Amendment (1-title) received in Senate to Rules (S)
03/31/26	posted for passage for concurrence in House Floor Amendments (1), (2) and (4), Committee Substitute (1) and Committee Amendment (1-title) Senate concurred in Committee Substitute (1), Floor Amendments (4), (2) and (1) and Committee Amendment (1-title) passed 38-0 enrolled, signed by President of the Senate enrolled, signed by Speaker of the House delivered to Governor

Amendment	Senate Floor Amendment 1
Sponsor	R. Webb
Summary	Delete original provisions; provide that resident owners of farmland, their spouses, and dependent children shall not be subject to fishing restrictions imposed in KRS Chapter 150 or the administrative regulations promulgated thereunder relating to creel, possession, or method of take for fish taken on the farmland owner's private lake or pond; allow the same privileges to be extended to tenants and their dependent children; prohibit the same privileges to be extended to business organizations unless they are owned by immediate family members who farm the land; allow the stocking of noninvasive fish and certain largemouth bass in private lakes and ponds without restriction; allow the United States Fish and Wildlife Service or federal law to deem species of largemouth bass invasive; prohibit the transportation of fish taken using the privileges conferred by the section without documentation authenticating that the fish were taken legally; define "private lake or pond."
Index Headings	Agriculture - Resident farmland owners, private lakes or ponds, fishing and stocking restrictions, exemption Environment And Conservation - Resident farmland owners, private lakes or ponds, fishing and stocking restrictions, exemption Fish And Wildlife - Resident farmland owners, private lakes or ponds, fishing and stocking restrictions, exemption Hunting And Fishing - Resident farmland owners, private lakes or ponds, fishing and stocking restrictions, exemption Land Use - Resident farmland owners, private lakes or ponds, fishing and stocking restrictions, exemption Property - Resident farmland owners, private lakes or ponds, fishing and stocking restrictions, exemption

Amendment	Senate Floor Amendment 2
Sponsor	G. Boswell
Summary	Prohibit using rights or privileges conferred by a private landowner for fishing on private lands as a defense for being found in violation of administrative regulations for creel, size, possession or method of take when on public lakes, rivers, or streams.
Index Headings	Fish And Wildlife - Violations when on public waters, prohibit use of private land right defense Hunting And Fishing - Violations when on public waters, prohibit use of private land right defense

Amendment	Senate Floor Amendment 3
Sponsor	G. Boswell
Summary	Disallow property owner from extending the right to fish without a fishing license to anyone not already authorized by statute as exempt.
Index Headings	Fish And Wildlife - Prohibition, property owner, conferring right to fish without license Hunting And Fishing - Prohibition, property owner, conferring right to fish without license

Amendment	Senate Floor Amendment 4
Sponsor	R. Webb
Summary	Delete original provisions; provide that residents of the Commonwealth who are owners of farmland, their spouses, and dependent children shall not be subject to fishing restrictions imposed in KRS Chapter 150 or the administrative regulations promulgated thereunder relating to creel, possession, or lawful method of take for fish taken on the farmland owner's private lake or pond; allow the same privileges to be extended to tenants and their dependent children; prohibit the same privileges to be extended to business organizations unless they are owned by immediate family members who farm the land; allow the stocking of noninvasive fish and certain largemouth bass in private lakes and ponds without restriction; allow the United States Fish and Wildlife Service or state or federal law to deem species of largemouth bass invasive; prohibit the transportation of fish taken using the privileges conferred by the section without documentation authenticating that the fish were taken legally; define "private lake or pond" and "farmlands."
Index Headings	Agriculture - Resident farmland owners, private lakes or ponds, fishing and stocking restrictions, exemption Environment And Conservation - Resident farmland owners, private lakes or ponds, fishing and stocking restrictions, exemption Fish And Wildlife - Resident farmland owners, private lakes or ponds, fishing and stocking restrictions, exemption Hunting And Fishing - Resident farmland owners, private lakes or ponds, fishing and stocking restrictions, exemption Land Use - Resident farmland owners, private lakes or ponds, fishing and stocking restrictions, exemption Property - Resident farmland owners, private lakes or ponds, fishing and stocking restrictions, exemption

Amendment	Senate Floor Amendment 5
Sponsor	R. Webb
Summary	Delete original provisions; provide that residents of the Commonwealth who are owners of farmland, their spouses, and dependent children shall not be subject to fishing restrictions imposed in KRS Chapter 150 or the administrative regulations promulgated thereunder relating to creel, possession, or lawful method of take for fish taken on the farmland owner's private lake or pond; allow the same privileges to be extended to tenants and their dependent children; prohibit the same privileges to be extended to business organizations unless they are owned by immediate family members who farm the land; allow the stocking of noninvasive fish and certain largemouth bass in private lakes and ponds without restriction; allow the United States Fish and Wildlife Service or state or federal law to deem species of largemouth bass invasive; prohibit the transportation of fish taken using the privileges conferred by the section without documentation authenticating that the fish were taken legally; define "private lake or pond."
Index Headings	Agriculture - Resident farmland owners, private lakes or ponds, fishing and stocking restrictions, exemption Environment And Conservation - Resident farmland owners, private lakes or ponds, fishing and stocking restrictions, exemption Fish And Wildlife - Resident farmland owners, private lakes or ponds, fishing and stocking restrictions, exemption Hunting And Fishing - Resident farmland owners, private lakes or ponds, fishing and stocking restrictions, exemption Land Use - Resident farmland owners, private lakes or ponds, fishing and stocking restrictions, exemption Property - Resident farmland owners, private lakes or ponds, fishing and stocking restrictions, exemption

Amendment	Senate Floor Amendment 6
Sponsor	G. Boswell
Summary	Identify landowner's lakes and ponds and private; state any person found in violation of creel, possession, size or method of take when on public waters cannot claim privilege or right to fish on a private lake or pond; make exemptions on restrictions for fishing applicable to both residents and nonresidents of the Commonwealth; and define 'private lake or pond'.
Index Headings	Fish And Wildlife - Private lakes or ponds, defense for violation, resident and nonresident Waterways And Dams - Private lakes or ponds, defense for violation, resident and nonresident

Amendment	House Committee Substitute 1
Fiscal Impact Statement	Corrections Impact to House Committee Substitute 1
Summary	Retain original provisions, except amend KRS 150.170 to exempt bona fide landowners from the creel, possession, size, and method of take; require the landowner to have a fishing license unless previously exempted and allow the landowner to extend privileges to others in written or electronic form; clarify that owners of farmlands must be residents of the Commonwealth to be able to hunt or fish without a license; prohibit the intentional release of first filial largemouth and Florida bass; amend KRS 150.360 to add beavers to wildlife that can be taken at night and require the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources to promulgate administrative regulations for nocturnal beaver hunting; allow the hunting of bobcat at night with any means to make the animal visible including night vision, infrared, and thermal technologies; amend KRS 150.990 to add a penalty for violation of intentional release of Florida bass into public waterways up to $10,000 per offense; require annual executive branch ethics training for each member of the commission; define "sportswoman"; establish additional qualifications to serve on the commission; prohibit members of the commission from having official logos, decals, or emblems used by the department or that bear the state seal from being used on personal vehicles; require that each appointee file an affidavit with the Secretary of State setting forth how the appointee meets the qualifications and requirements to serve on the commission; amend KRS 150.061 to provide additional qualifications for the commissioner of the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources; require for the commission to conduct national searches to fill vacancies for commissioner after the effective date of the Act; allow current commission members to serve out the remainder of their terms; EMERGENCY.
Index Headings	Boards And Commissions - Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources Commission members, qualifications, requirements Effective Dates, Emergency - Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, commissioner, qualifications, requirements Fish And Wildlife - Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, hunting and fishing requirements Hunting And Fishing - Creel, method of take, night hunting, penalties Public Ethics - Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources Commission members, annual ethics training, requirement Public Officers And Employees - Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, commissioner, qualifications Secretary Of State - Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources Commission appointees, qualifications, affirming affidavit State Agencies - Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, commissioner, qualifications, requirements Corrections Impact - Creel, method of take, night hunting, penalties

Amendment	House Committee Amendment 1
Sponsor	J. Gooch Jr.
Summary	Make title amendment.
Index Headings	Title Amendments - SB 39/GA

Amendment	House Floor Amendment 1
Sponsor	D. Meade
Summary	Clarify the stocking of fish is only done on private lakes or ponds of a bona fide landowner.
Index Headings	Fish And Wildlife - Stocking of private lakes and ponds, F1 and Florida bass Waterways And Dams - Stocking of private lakes and ponds, F1 and Florida bass

Amendment	House Floor Amendment 2
Sponsor	D. Osborne
Summary	Amend KRS 235.280 to prohibit the Department of Fish and Wildlife from promulgating administrative regulations prohibiting, limiting, or restricting wakeboats or wakesports on bodies of water where it was allowed as of December 1, 2025; hydrofoil, wakeboat, and wakesports.
Index Headings	Environment And Conservation - Wakeboats, wakesports, administrative regulations Fish And Wildlife - Wakeboats, wakesports, administrative regulations Waterways And Dams - Wakeboats, wakesports, administrative regulations Administrative Regulations And Proceedings - Department of Fish and Wildlife, wakeboats, wakesports, administrative regulations Boats And Boating - Wakeboats, wakesports, administrative regulations

Amendment	House Floor Amendment 3
Sponsor	J. Blanton
Summary	Prohibit any person to be appointed the commissioner of the Department of Fish and Wildlife if that person had been employed by the Department of Fish and Wildlife 2 years prior to the appointment.
Index Headings	Fish And Wildlife - Commissioner of Fish and Wildlife, eligibility, appointment

Amendment	House Floor Amendment 4
Sponsor	D. Meade
Summary	Prohibit the unregulated or unrestricted stocking of private lakes and ponds located in the 100 year floodplain.
Index Headings	Fish And Wildlife - 100 year floodplain, private lakes and ponds, stocking restrictions Flood Control And Flooding - 100 year floodplain, private lakes and ponds, stocking restrictions Waterways And Dams - 100 year floodplain, private lakes and ponds, stocking restrictions Environment And Conservation - 100 year floodplain, private lakes and ponds, stocking restrictions