Kentucky
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Senate Bill 59

Actions | Amendments
Last Action 03/06/26: to Committee on Committees (H)
Title AN ACT relating to prohibited uses of tax dollars and resources.
Bill Documents Current
Introduced
Fiscal Impact Statements Corrections Impact
Local Mandate
Additional Fiscal Impact Statements Exist
Bill Request Number 25
Sponsors S. Rawlings, G. Elkins, M. Deneen, D. Douglas, A. Reed, L. Tichenor
Summary of Original Version Amend KRS 65.013 to define terms; expand the prohibition on using tax dollars to advocate for or against a public question on the ballot to prohibit using any resources, and to explicitly apply prohibition to school districts, regional educational cooperatives, and recalls on a ballot; establish a criminal penalty and a prohibition against holding a position of public trust or profit for 10 years for a person found guilty of violating the prohibition; create a cause of action for a citizen aggrieved by a violation of the prohibition; establish a statute of limitations to commence suit and the appropriate venue; provide when the suit accrues; specify damages recoverable per violation; allow for class action; include a prohibition against holding a position of public trust or profit for 10 years for a person held civilly liable; amend KRS 48.025 and 132.017 to conform.
Index Headings of Original Version Fiscal Note - Public question, advocacy violation penalties, establishment
Cities - Public question, advocacy restrictions, penalties, cause of action
Civil Actions - Cause of action, violation of public question advocacy, establishment
Claims - Cause of action, violation of public question advocacy, establishment
Claims - Cause of action, violation of public question advocacy, immunity, waiver
Counties - Public question, advocacy restrictions, penalties, cause of action
Crimes And Punishments - Public question, advocacy violations, criminal penalty
Education, Elementary And Secondary - Public question, advocacy restrictions, penalties, cause of action
Elections And Voting - Public question, advocacy violation remedies, establishment
Local Government - Public question, advocacy restrictions, penalties, cause of action
Public Officers And Employees - Public question, advocacy violations, liability and culpability, establishment
Special Districts - Public question, advocacy restrictions, penalties, cause of action
Special Purpose Governmental Entities - Public question, advocacy restrictions, penalties, cause of action
State Agencies - Public question, advocacy violation penalties, establishment
Corrections Impact - Public question, advocacy violations, criminal penalty
Local Mandate - Public question, advocacy restrictions, penalties, cause of action
Jump to Proposed Amendments Senate Committee Substitute 1 with Fiscal Impact Statements
Votes Vote History

Actions

Top | Amendments
01/09/26
  • introduced in Senate
  • to Committee on Committees (S)
02/20/26
  • to Appropriations & Revenue (S)
02/25/26
  • reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar with Committee Substitute (1)
02/26/26
  • 2nd reading, to Rules
03/04/26
  • posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Thursday, March 05 2026
03/05/26
  • 3rd reading, passed 28-9 with Committee Substitute (1)
03/06/26
  • received in House
  • to Committee on Committees (H)

Proposed Amendments

Top | Actions
Amendment Senate Committee Substitute 1
Fiscal Impact Statements Corrections Impact to Senate Committee Substitute 1
Fiscal Note to Senate Committee Substitute 1
Local Mandate to Senate Committee Substitute 1
Summary Retain original provisions, except remove original criminal penalties and establish new fines and classify a third or subsequent violation as a Class A misdemeanor; exclude volunteers as resources; remove provisions creating a private cause of action and the related waiver of immunity; remove provisions related to recall petitions; include provision exempting educational television; include exemption for advocating on public employees' own time and with their own resources.
Index Headings Cities - Public question, advocacy restrictions, penalties
Counties - Public question, advocacy restrictions, penalties
Crimes And Punishments - Public question, advocacy violations, fines, Class A misdemeanor
Education, Elementary And Secondary - Public question, advocacy restrictions, penalties
Local Government - Public question, advocacy restrictions, penalties
Public Officers And Employees - Public question, advocacy violations, culpability, establishment
Special Districts - Public question, advocacy restrictions, penalties
Special Purpose Governmental Entities - Public question, advocacy restrictions, penalties
State Agencies - Public question, advocacy violation penalties, establishment

Last updated: 3/9/2026 7:15 PM (EDT)