House Bill 5

Actions | Amendments
Last Action 03/05/26: to Committee on Committees (S)
Title AN ACT relating to prison educational programs.
Bill Documents Current
Introduced
Fiscal Impact Statements Corrections Impact
Additional Fiscal Impact Statements Exist
Bill Request Number 1335
Sponsors J. Decker, D. Osborne, C. Aull, S. Baker, J. Bauman, R. Bivens, J. Blanton, S. Bratcher, R. Bridges, G. Brown Jr., E. Callaway, J. Calloway, M. Dossett, R. Duvall, D. Elliott, D. Fister, P. Flannery, K. Fleming, C. Freeland, C. Fugate, A. Gentry, D. Gordon, P. Griffee, D. Grossberg, V. Grossl, T. Hampton, M. Hart, J. Hodgson, K. Holloway, T. Huff, M. Imes, K. Jackson, K. King, C. Lewis, S. Lewis, M. Lockett, S. Maddox, C. Massaroni, B. McCool, S. McPherson, D. Meade , S. Miles, A. Moore, K. Moser, A. Neighbors, J. Nemes, M. Proctor, R. Roarx, T. Roberts, S. Rudy, S. Sharp, T. Smith, N. Tate, W. Thomas, J. Tipton, T. Truett, B. Wesley, M. Whitaker, R. White, W. Williams, N. Wilson, S. Witten
Summary of Original Version Create new sections of KRS Chapter 197 to establish the Kentucky Community and Technical College System Prison Education Program within the Department of Corrections in partnership with the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) to provide inmates with job training; require KCTCS to construct a facility to house the program at Northpoint Training Center; establish convictions that preclude participation in the program; require the parties to enter into a memorandum of agreement establishing the responsibilities of each party; amend KRS 196.281 to establish entitlement to a certificate of employability upon successful completion of the program and require reporting by the department; amend KRS 335B.020 to establish that a person shall not be disqualified from public employment or obtaining an occupational license solely because of previous criminal conviction and obtaining a certificate of employment from the department shall constitute rebuttable evidence of rehabilitation and fitness for the occupation; amend KRS 355B.030 to remove a conviction of a Class A felony, Class B felony, or any other felony offense other than a conviction that would qualify the individual as a registrant as defined in KRS 17.500 as supportive of a rebuttable presumption of a connection between that conviction and a license issuance request.
Index Headings of Original Version Administrative Regulations And Proceedings - Department of Corrections, KCTCS Prison Education Program, authorization, establishment
Boards And Commissions - Licensing, certificates of employability, Department of Corrections, weight afforded, establishment
Corrections And Correctional Facilities, State - KCTCS Prison Education Program, establishment
Education, Vocational - Department of Corrections, KCTCS Prison Education Program, authorization, establishment
Education, Vocational - KCTCS Prison Education Program, establishment
Labor And Industry - KCTCS Prison Education Program, Department of Corrections, establishment
Licensing - Boards, certificates of employability, Department of Corrections, weight afforded, establishment
Licensing - Disqualifying criminal offenses, rebuttal presumption, removal
Occupations And Professions - KCTCS Prison Education Program, Department of Corrections, establishment
Occupations And Professions - Disqualifying offenses, rebuttable presumption, removal
Reports Mandated - Department of Corrections, certificates of employability, KCTCS Prison Education Program
Reports Mandated - Department of Corrections, KCTCS Prison Education Program, September 1, 2029
State Agencies - Department of Corrections, KCTCS Prison Education Program, establishment
Universities And Colleges - KCTCS Prison Education Program, Department of Corrections, establishment
Workforce - Department of Corrections, KCTCS Prison Education Program, job training, establishment
Workforce - KCTCS Prison Education Program, establishment
Corrections Impact - Department of Corrections, KCTCS Prison Education Program, establishment
Jump to Proposed Amendments House Committee Substitute 1 with Fiscal Impact Statements
House Floor Amendment 1
Votes Vote History

Actions

Top | Amendments
02/12/26
  • introduced in House
  • to Committee on Committees (H)
02/20/26
  • to Judiciary (H)
02/25/26
  • reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar with Committee Substitute (1)
02/26/26
  • 2nd reading, to Rules
  • floor amendment (1) filed to Committee Substitute
03/02/26
  • posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Tuesday, March 03 2026
03/04/26
  • 3rd reading, passed 99-0 with Committee Substitute (1) and Floor Amendment (1)
03/05/26
  • received in Senate
  • to Committee on Committees (S)

Proposed Amendments

Top | Actions
Amendment House Committee Substitute 1
Fiscal Impact Statement Corrections Impact to House Committee Substitute 1
Summary Retain original provisions; establish that the Department of Corrections and KCTCS may amend an agreement of understanding and may include terms to address the needs of the program; establish that the provisions of the Act do not create any private right or benefit for any inmate or limit the discretion of the Department of Corrections regarding operational and security requirements; remove KRS.335B.030.
Index Headings Corrections And Correctional Facilities, State - Inmates, private right or benefit, prohibition
Corrections And Correctional Facilities, State - KCTCS Prison Education Program, Department of Corrections, operational discretion, protection
Corrections And Correctional Facilities, State - KCTCS Prison Education Program, Department of Corrections, security requirements, protection
Corrections And Correctional Facilities, State - KCTCS Prison Education Program, memorandum of agreement, amendment, permitted
State Agencies - Department of Corrections, KCTCS Prison Education Program, agreement amendment, permitted
Universities And Colleges - KCTCS Prison Education Program, memorandum of agreement, amendment, permitted
Corrections Impact - KCTCS Prison Education Program, Department of Corrections, operational discretion, protection

Amendment House Floor Amendment 1
Sponsor N. Kulkarni
Summary Retain original provisions, except add a requirement to report the number of inmates who obtain employment following completion of the program.
Index Headings Corrections And Correctional Facilities, State - KCTCS, prison education program, report, employment, addition
Corrections And Correctional Facilities, State - Prison education program, report, employment, addition
Education, Higher - KCTCS, prison education program, report, employment, addition
Education, Higher - Department of Corrections, prison education program, report, employment, addition
Education, Vocational - KCTCS, prison education program, report, employment, addition
Education, Vocational - Department of Corrections, prison education program, report, employment, addition
Workforce - KCTCS, prison education program, report, employment, addition
Workforce - Department of Corrections, prison education program, report, employment, addition

Last updated: 3/6/2026 4:40 PM (EST)