KY HB 139

enacted

AN ACT relating to elections and declaring an emergency.

Kentucky · 2026 Regular Session · lower

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Quick answers

Did KY HB 139 pass?

Yes. KY HB 139 has been enacted into law. Latest recorded action (2026-04-14): delivered to Secretary of State (Acts Ch. 175)

What is KY HB 139 about?

Amend KRS 116.112 to allow the State Board of Elections to enter into intergovernmental agreements with other governmental agencies to exchange data to assist in investigating violations of election offenses; amend KRS 117.125 to require voting systems and equipment meet or exceed a standard approved by the Election Assistance Commission; amend KRS 117.145 to require that county clerks provide voting equipment with the necessary supplies for write-in votes on the day before any in-person voting occurs; amend KRS 117.265 to change the date a person running for President or Vice President must file a declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate to the same deadline as the certification of candidates; amend KRS 117.355 to require county boards of elections to deliver signature rosters and precinct results to the State Board of Elections within 10 days after any primary or general election; amend KRS 117.379 to require voting systems meet a previously established Election Assistance Commission standard; amend KRS 117.389 to require county clerks to test automatic tabulating equipment after any petitions for local option elections have been filed; amend KRS 118.015 to change the definition of "political party"; amend KRS 118.125 to require that the notification and declaration be in the form prescribed by the Secretary of State; amend KRS 118.129 to allow a contraction as an acceptable form of a candidate's name; amend KRS 118.165 to require that candidates for Commonwealth's Attorney file nomination papers with the Secretary of State; amend KRS 118.315 to require that the form of petition be prescribed by the Secretary of State; amend KRS 118.367 to specify that candidates for a special election or election for an unexpired term shall not be required to file a statement-of-candidacy form; require that the statement-of-candidacy form be prescribed by the Secretary of State; amend KRS 118A.060 to require that the petition for nomination be in the form prescribed by the Secretary of State; amend KRS 119.015 to remove the term "falsely"; amend KRS 119.165, relating to the penalty of a Class B misdemeanor regarding voters who vote at a regular or special election before being a citizen; make technical corrections; amend KRS 132.017 to require that questions as to whether the property tax rate shall be levied shall be submitted to voters in a common school election not less than 50 days nor more than 60 days from the date the signatures are validated; require the school district holding the election to post bond with the Circuit Court to cover the costs of the election within 5 days after the petition is found to be sufficient; amend KRS 160.210 to prohibit changes in the boundary of any division after June 1 in the year in which a school board member is to be elected; amend various statutes to conform; repeal KRS 118.551, relating to the definition of political party; EMERGENCY.

Who sponsors KY HB 139?

T. Roberts, DJ Johnson, J. Hodgson and 4 others are the primary sponsors of KY HB 139.

Description

Introduced: 2026-01-07
Latest action: 2026-04-14 — delivered to Secretary of State (Acts Ch. 175)
Bill type: bill
Last updated: —

Subjects

Committees

Not provided by source.

Action timeline

Newest first

2026-04-14
delivered to Secretary of State (Acts Ch. 175)
became-law
2026-04-14
enrolled, signed by President of the Senate
passage
2026-04-14
enrolled, signed by Speaker of the House
passage
2026-04-14
received in House
2026-04-14
passed 32-6
passage
2026-04-14
veto overridden
veto-override-passage
2026-04-14
posted for passage for consideration of Governor's veto
2026-04-14
to Rules (S)
referral-committee
2026-04-14
received in Senate
2026-04-14
passed 80-20
passage
2026-04-14
veto overridden
veto-override-passage
2026-04-14
posted for consideration of Governor's veto
2026-04-14
taken from Rules
2026-04-14
to Rules (H)
referral-committee
2026-04-14
received in House
2026-04-10
Vetoed
executive-veto
2026-03-31
delivered to Governor
2026-03-31
enrolled, signed by President of the Senate
passage
2026-03-31
enrolled, signed by Speaker of the House
passage
2026-03-31
passed 76-17
passage
2026-03-31
House concurred in Committee Substitute (1)
2026-03-31
posted for passage for concurrence in Senate Committee Substitute (1)
2026-03-27
to Rules (H)
referral-committee
2026-03-27
received in House
2026-03-26
3rd reading, passed 31-6 with Committee Substitute (1)
passage,reading-3
2026-03-25
posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Thursday, March 26 2026
2026-03-25
reported favorably, 2nd reading, to Rules with Committee Substitute (1)
committee-passage
2026-03-24
returned to State & Local Government (S)
2026-03-24
1st reading
reading-1
2026-03-24
taken from State & Local Government (S)
2026-03-16
to State & Local Government (S)
referral-committee
2026-02-20
to Committee on Committees (S)
referral-committee
2026-02-20
received in Senate
2026-02-19
3rd reading, passed 92-1 with Committee Substitute (1) and Floor Amendment (1)
passage,reading-3
2026-02-18
floor amendment (1) filed to Committee Substitute
amendment-introduction
2026-02-09
posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Tuesday, February 10 2026
2026-01-30
2nd reading, to Rules
reading-2
2026-01-29
reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar with Committee Substitute (1)
committee-passage
2026-01-14
to Elections, Const. Amendments & Intergovernmental Affairs (H)
referral-committee
2026-01-07
to Committee on Committees (H)
referral-committee
2026-01-07
introduced in House
introduction

Versions

IntroducedCompare
Current/FinalCompare
Acts Chapter 175Compare
(document, no version)Compare

Documents

Votes

Pass
2026-02-19 · pass · 92-1
Member-level votes (100)
- Aull: yes
- Dietz: yes
- Hancock: yes
- McCool: yes
- Roberts: yes
- Baker: yes
- Doan: yes
- Hart: yes
- McPherson: yes
- Rudy: yes
- Banta: yes
- Donworth: yes
- Heavrin: yes
- Meade: yes
- Sharp: yes
- Bauman: yes
- Dossett: yes
- Hodgson: yes
- Meredith: yes
- Smith: yes
- Bivens: yes
- Dotson: yes
- Holloway: yes
- Miles: yes
- Stalker: yes
- Bojanowski: yes
- Duvall: yes
- Huff T: yes
- Moore: yes
- Tate: yes
- Bowling: yes
- Elliott: yes
- Imes: yes
- Moser: yes
- Thomas: yes
- Branscum: yes
- Fister: yes
- Jackson: yes
- Neighbors: yes
- Thompson: yes
- Bratcher S.: yes
- Flannery: yes
- Johnson: yes
- Nemes: yes
- Tipton: yes
- Bray: yes
- Fleming: yes
- King: yes
- Osborne: yes
- Truett: yes
- Bridges: yes
- Freeland: yes
- Kulkarni: yes
- Payne: yes
- Upchurch: yes
- Brown: yes
- Fugate: yes
- Lawrence: yes
- Petrie: yes
- Watkins: yes
- Burke: yes
- Gentry: yes
- Lewis C: yes
- Pollock: yes
- Whitaker: yes
- Callaway: yes
- Gooch: yes
- Lewis D: yes
- Proctor: yes
- White: yes
- Calloway: yes
- Gordon: yes
- Lewis S: yes
- Rabourn: yes
- Williams: yes
- Camuel: yes
- Grossberg: yes
- Lockett: yes
- Raymer: yes
- Willner: yes
- Chester-Burton: yes
- Grossl: yes
- Maddox: yes
- Riley: yes
- Wilson: yes
- Clines: yes
- Hale: yes
- Massaroni: yes
- Roarx: yes
- Witten: yes
- Decker: yes
- Hampton: yes
- Marzian: no
- Blanton: not voting
- Koch: not voting
- Stevenson P: not voting
- Tackett Laferty: not voting
- Wesley: not voting
- Griffee: not voting
- Lehman: not voting
PASS HB 139 w/ SCS 1
2026-03-26 · pass · 31-6
Member-level votes (38)
- Boswell: yes
- Givens: yes
- Nemes: yes
- Storm: yes
- Carpenter: yes
- Higdon: yes
- Nunn: yes
- Tichenor: yes
- Carroll: yes
- Howell: yes
- Raque Adams: yes
- West: yes
- Deneen: yes
- Madon: yes
- Rawlings: yes
- Wheeler: yes
- Douglas: yes
- Mays Bledsoe: yes
- Reed: yes
- Williams: yes
- Elkins: yes
- McDaniel: yes
- Richardson: yes
- Wilson: yes
- Funke Frommeyer: yes
- Meredith: yes
- Smith: yes
- Wise: yes
- Girdler: yes
- Mills: yes
- Stivers: yes
- Berg: no
- Clemons: no
- Neal: no
- Thomas: no
- ChambersArmstrong: no
- Herron: no
- Webb: not voting
Final Passage
2026-03-31 · pass · 76-17
Member-level votes (100)
- Baker: yes
- Doan: yes
- Heavrin: yes
- McPherson: yes
- Roberts: yes
- Banta: yes
- Dossett: yes
- Hodgson: yes
- Meade: yes
- Rudy: yes
- Bauman: yes
- Dotson: yes
- Holloway: yes
- Meredith: yes
- Sharp: yes
- Bivens: yes
- Duvall: yes
- Huff T: yes
- Miles: yes
- Smith: yes
- Blanton: yes
- Fister: yes
- Imes: yes
- Moser: yes
- Tate: yes
- Bowling: yes
- Flannery: yes
- Jackson: yes
- Neighbors: yes
- Thomas: yes
- Branscum: yes
- Fleming: yes
- Johnson: yes
- Nemes: yes
- Thompson: yes
- Bratcher S.: yes
- Freeland: yes
- King: yes
- Osborne: yes
- Tipton: yes
- Bray: yes
- Fugate: yes
- Koch: yes
- Payne: yes
- Upchurch: yes
- Bridges: yes
- Gooch: yes
- Lewis C: yes
- Petrie: yes
- Wesley: yes
- Callaway: yes
- Gordon: yes
- Lewis D: yes
- Pollock: yes
- Whitaker: yes
- Calloway: yes
- Griffee: yes
- Lewis S: yes
- Proctor: yes
- White: yes
- Chester-Burton: yes
- Hale: yes
- Lockett: yes
- Rabourn: yes
- Williams: yes
- Clines: yes
- Hampton: yes
- Maddox: yes
- Raymer: yes
- Wilson: yes
- Decker: yes
- Hart: yes
- Massaroni: yes
- Riley: yes
- Witten: yes
- Dietz: yes
- Aull: no
- Camuel: no
- Hancock: no
- Marzian: no
- Stalker: no
- Bojanowski: no
- Donworth: no
- Kulkarni: no
- Moore: no
- Tackett Laferty: no
- Brown: no
- Gentry: no
- Lehman: no
- Roarx: no
- Willner: no
- Burke: no
- Grossberg: no
- Elliott: not voting
- Lawrence: not voting
- Stevenson P: not voting
- Truett: not voting
- Watkins: not voting
- Grossl: not voting
- McCool: not voting
Veto Override
2026-04-14 · pass · 80-20
Member-level votes (100)
- Baker: yes
- Dossett: yes
- Heavrin: yes
- McCool: yes
- Roberts: yes
- Banta: yes
- Dotson: yes
- Hodgson: yes
- McPherson: yes
- Rudy: yes
- Bauman: yes
- Duvall: yes
- Holloway: yes
- Meade: yes
- Sharp: yes
- Bivens: yes
- Elliott: yes
- Huff T: yes
- Meredith: yes
- Smith: yes
- Blanton: yes
- Fister: yes
- Imes: yes
- Miles: yes
- Tate: yes
- Bowling: yes
- Flannery: yes
- Jackson: yes
- Moser: yes
- Thomas: yes
- Branscum: yes
- Fleming: yes
- Johnson: yes
- Neighbors: yes
- Thompson: yes
- Bratcher S.: yes
- Freeland: yes
- King: yes
- Nemes: yes
- Tipton: yes
- Bray: yes
- Fugate: yes
- Koch: yes
- Osborne: yes
- Truett: yes
- Bridges: yes
- Gooch: yes
- Lawrence: yes
- Payne: yes
- Upchurch: yes
- Callaway: yes
- Gordon: yes
- Lewis C: yes
- Petrie: yes
- Wesley: yes
- Calloway: yes
- Griffee: yes
- Lewis D: yes
- Pollock: yes
- Whitaker: yes
- Clines: yes
- Grossl: yes
- Lewis S: yes
- Proctor: yes
- White: yes
- Decker: yes
- Hale: yes
- Lockett: yes
- Rabourn: yes
- Williams: yes
- Dietz: yes
- Hampton: yes
- Maddox: yes
- Raymer: yes
- Wilson: yes
- Doan: yes
- Hart: yes
- Massaroni: yes
- Riley: yes
- Witten: yes
- Aull: no
- Camuel: no
- Grossberg: no
- Marzian: no
- Stevenson P: no
- Bojanowski: no
- Chester-Burton: no
- Hancock: no
- Moore: no
- Tackett Laferty: no
- Brown: no
- Donworth: no
- Kulkarni: no
- Roarx: no
- Watkins: no
- Burke: no
- Gentry: no
- Lehman: no
- Stalker: no
- Willner: no
OVERRIDE VETO FINAL PASSAGE HB 139
2026-04-14 · pass · 32-6
Member-level votes (38)
- Boswell: yes
- Givens: yes
- Nemes: yes
- Storm: yes
- Carpenter: yes
- Higdon: yes
- Nunn: yes
- Tichenor: yes
- Carroll: yes
- Howell: yes
- Raque Adams: yes
- Webb: yes
- Deneen: yes
- Madon: yes
- Rawlings: yes
- West: yes
- Douglas: yes
- Mays Bledsoe: yes
- Reed: yes
- Wheeler: yes
- Elkins: yes
- McDaniel: yes
- Richardson: yes
- Williams: yes
- Funke Frommeyer: yes
- Meredith: yes
- Smith: yes
- Wilson: yes
- Girdler: yes
- Mills: yes
- Stivers: yes
- Wise: yes
- Berg: no
- Clemons: no
- Neal: no
- Thomas: no
- ChambersArmstrong: no
- Herron: no

Related bills

No related bills recorded for this bill.

Official source

https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/26RS/hb139.html

Attribution

Data from openstates_bulk_csv, retrieved 2026-07-24T05:22:24.357326Z

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