KY HB 185
enactedAN ACT relating to employment and declaring an emergency.
Kentucky · 2026 Regular Session · lower
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Quick answers
Did KY HB 185 pass?
Yes. KY HB 185 has been enacted into law. Latest recorded action (2026-04-10): signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 72)
What is KY HB 185 about?
Create new sections of KRS Chapter 335B.010 to 335B.070 to require hiring or licensing authorities to establish an application process that gives persons convicted of a crime an opportunity to obtain a determination about whether the crime will disqualify the individual from a position of public employment or occupational license before pursuing employment or training; require hiring or licensing authorities to formulate policies and procedures for the application process by promulgating regulations no later than January 1, 2027; provide an annual report to the Legislative Research Commission by November 1, 2027; provide that certain entities are exempted from the requirements of the application process; amend KRS 335B.020 to add criteria for hiring and licensing authorities to consider when determining if a conviction directly relates to the position of public employment or occupational license sought; amend KRS 335B.030 to require hiring or licensing authorities to evaluate information and provide written findings of fact to the applicant upon determination.
Who sponsors KY HB 185?
W. Thomas, T. Roberts, M. Koch and 3 others are the primary sponsors of KY HB 185.
Description
Create new sections of KRS Chapter 335B.010 to 335B.070 to require hiring or licensing authorities to establish an application process that gives persons convicted of a crime an opportunity to obtain a determination about whether the crime will disqualify the individual from a position of public employment or occupational license before pursuing employment or training; require hiring or licensing authorities to formulate policies and procedures for the application process by promulgating regulations no later than January 1, 2027; provide an annual report to the Legislative Research Commission by November 1, 2027; provide that certain entities are exempted from the requirements of the application process; amend KRS 335B.020 to add criteria for hiring and licensing authorities to consider when determining if a conviction directly relates to the position of public employment or occupational license sought; amend KRS 335B.030 to require hiring or licensing authorities to evaluate information and provide written findings of fact to the applicant upon determination.
- Introduced
- 2026-01-07
- Latest action
- 2026-04-10 — signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 72)
- Bill type
- bill
- Last updated
- —
Subjects
Sponsors
- W. Thomasprimary
- T. Robertsprimary
- M. Kochprimary
- R. Duvallprimary
- J. Baumanprimary
- E. Callawayprimary
Committees
Not provided by source.
Action timeline
Newest first
2026-04-10
signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 72)
executive-signature
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 91-0
passage
2026-03-31
House concurred in Committee Substitute (1) and Committee Amendment (1-title)
2026-03-27
posted for passage for concurrence in Senate Committee Substitute (1) and Committee Amendment (1-title)
2026-03-20
to Rules (H)
referral-committee
2026-03-20
received in House
2026-03-20
3rd reading, passed 37-0 with Committee Substitute (1) and Committee Amendment (1-title)
passage,reading-3
2026-03-19
posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Friday, March 20 2026
2026-03-18
2nd reading, to Rules
reading-2
2026-03-17
reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar with Committee Substitute (1) and Committee Amendment (1-title)
committee-passage
2026-03-13
to Licensing & Occupations (S)
referral-committee
2026-02-24
to Committee on Committees (S)
referral-committee
2026-02-24
received in Senate
2026-02-23
3rd reading, passed 95-0
passage,reading-3
2026-02-20
posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Monday, February 23 2026
2026-02-19
2nd reading, to Rules
reading-2
2026-02-18
reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar
committee-passage
2026-01-14
to Licensing, Occupations, & Administrative Regulations (H)
referral-committee
2026-01-07
to Committee on Committees (H)
referral-committee
2026-01-07
introduced in House
introduction
Versions
Documents
Votes
Pass
2026-02-23 · pass · 95-0
Member-level votes (101)
- Aull: yes
- Decker: yes
- Hampton: yes
- Marzian: yes
- Roarx: yes
- Baker: yes
- Dietz: yes
- Hancock: yes
- Massaroni: yes
- Roberts: yes
- Banta: yes
- Doan: yes
- Hart: yes
- McCool: yes
- Rudy: yes
- Bauman: yes
- Donworth: yes
- Heavrin: yes
- McPherson: yes
- Sharp: yes
- Bivens: yes
- Dossett: yes
- Hodgson: yes
- Meade: yes
- Smith: yes
- Blanton: yes
- Dotson: yes
- Holloway: yes
- Meredith: yes
- Stalker: yes
- Bojanowski: yes
- Duvall: yes
- Huff T: yes
- Miles: yes
- Stevenson P: yes
- Bowling: yes
- Elliott: yes
- Imes: yes
- Moore: yes
- Tate: yes
- Branscum: yes
- Fister: yes
- Jackson: yes
- Moser: yes
- Thomas: yes
- Bratcher S.: yes
- Flannery: yes
- Johnson: yes
- Neighbors: yes
- Thompson: yes
- Bray: yes
- Fleming: yes
- King: yes
- Nemes: yes
- Tipton: yes
- Bridges: yes
- Fugate: yes
- Koch: yes
- Osborne: yes
- Upchurch: yes
- Brown: yes
- Gentry: yes
- Kulkarni: yes
- Payne: yes
- Watkins: yes
- Burke: yes
- Gooch: yes
- Lehman: yes
- Petrie: yes
- Wesley: yes
- Callaway: yes
- Gordon: yes
- Lewis C: yes
- Pollock: yes
- Whitaker: yes
- Calloway: yes
- Griffee: yes
- Lewis D: yes
- Proctor: yes
- White: yes
- Camuel: yes
- Grossberg: yes
- Lewis S: yes
- Rabourn: yes
- Williams: yes
- Chester-Burton: yes
- Grossl: yes
- Lockett: yes
- Raymer: yes
- Willner: yes
- Clines: yes
- Hale: yes
- Maddox: yes
- Riley: yes
- Witten: yes
- Freeland: not voting
- Lawrence: not voting
- Tackett Laferty: not voting
- Truett: not voting
- Wilson: not voting
- COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY SENATE: not voting
PASS HB 185 w/ SCS 1, SCA 1 (T)
2026-03-20 · pass · 37-0
Member-level votes (38)
- Berg: yes
- Girdler: yes
- Mills: yes
- Storm: yes
- Boswell: yes
- Givens: yes
- Nemes: yes
- Thomas: yes
- Carpenter: yes
- Herron: yes
- Nunn: yes
- Tichenor: yes
- Carroll: yes
- Higdon: yes
- Raque Adams: yes
- Webb: yes
- ChambersArmstrong: yes
- Howell: yes
- Rawlings: yes
- West: yes
- Clemons: yes
- Madon: yes
- Reed: yes
- Wheeler: yes
- Deneen: yes
- Mays Bledsoe: yes
- Richardson: yes
- Williams: yes
- Douglas: yes
- McDaniel: yes
- Smith: yes
- Wilson: yes
- Elkins: yes
- Meredith: yes
- Stivers: yes
- Wise: yes
- Funke Frommeyer: yes
- Neal: not voting
Final Passage
2026-03-31 · pass · 91-0
Member-level votes (100)
- Aull: yes
- Dietz: yes
- Hampton: yes
- Marzian: yes
- Roberts: yes
- Baker: yes
- Doan: yes
- Hancock: yes
- Massaroni: yes
- Rudy: yes
- Banta: yes
- Donworth: yes
- Hart: yes
- McPherson: yes
- Sharp: yes
- Bauman: yes
- Dossett: yes
- Heavrin: yes
- Meade: yes
- Smith: yes
- Bivens: yes
- Dotson: yes
- Hodgson: yes
- Meredith: yes
- Stalker: yes
- Blanton: yes
- Duvall: yes
- Holloway: yes
- Miles: yes
- Tackett Laferty: yes
- Bojanowski: yes
- Fister: yes
- Huff T: yes
- Moore: yes
- Tate: yes
- Bowling: yes
- Flannery: yes
- Imes: yes
- Moser: yes
- Thomas: yes
- Branscum: yes
- Fleming: yes
- Jackson: yes
- Nemes: yes
- Thompson: yes
- Bratcher S.: yes
- Freeland: yes
- Johnson: yes
- Osborne: yes
- Tipton: yes
- Bray: yes
- Fugate: yes
- King: yes
- Payne: yes
- Upchurch: yes
- Bridges: yes
- Gentry: yes
- Koch: yes
- Petrie: yes
- Wesley: yes
- Brown: yes
- Gooch: yes
- Kulkarni: yes
- Pollock: yes
- Whitaker: yes
- Burke: yes
- Gordon: yes
- Lehman: yes
- Proctor: yes
- White: yes
- Callaway: yes
- Griffee: yes
- Lewis C: yes
- Rabourn: yes
- Williams: yes
- Calloway: yes
- Grossberg: yes
- Lewis D: yes
- Raymer: yes
- Willner: yes
- Camuel: yes
- Grossl: yes
- Lewis S: yes
- Riley: yes
- Wilson: yes
- Chester-Burton: yes
- Hale: yes
- Maddox: yes
- Roarx: yes
- Witten: yes
- Clines: yes
- Decker: not voting
- Lawrence: not voting
- McCool: not voting
- Stevenson P: not voting
- Watkins: not voting
- Elliott: not voting
- Lockett: not voting
- Neighbors: not voting
- Truett: not voting
Related bills
No related bills recorded for this bill.
Official source
Attribution
Data from openstates_bulk_csv, retrieved 2026-07-24T05:22:24.357326Z
Inspect retained evidence for changes recorded after evidence tracking began:
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