KY HB 657
enactedAN ACT relating to professional licensing background checks.
Kentucky · 2026 Regular Session · lower
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Quick answers
Did KY HB 657 pass?
Yes. KY HB 657 has been enacted into law. Latest recorded action (2026-03-27): signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 6)
What is KY HB 657 about?
Create new sections of KRS Chapter 319, 319A, 334A, 335.010 to 335.160, and 335.500 to 335.599, relating to psychologists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists and audiologists, social workers, and professional counselors, to require a national and state background check for applicants seeking an initial license, reinstatement of a license, or authorization to practice in another state in accordance with a compact; provide that the results of a national and state criminal background check shall not be distributed by the board except to any applicant upon request or as evidence in a legal proceeding; provide that the fee charged by the Department of Kentucky State Police shall be an amount no greater than the actual cost of processing the request and conducting the background check; require the boards to review criminal background checks for every Kentucky licensee seeking to practice in another state before the board makes a determination on whether the person is eligible to apply for compact privileges; provide that boards shall not require a criminal background check solely for the purpose of renewing a license; and require boards to promulgate administrative regulations to implement this Act.
Who sponsors KY HB 657?
S. Dietz is the primary sponsor of KY HB 657.
Description
Create new sections of KRS Chapter 319, 319A, 334A, 335.010 to 335.160, and 335.500 to 335.599, relating to psychologists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists and audiologists, social workers, and professional counselors, to require a national and state background check for applicants seeking an initial license, reinstatement of a license, or authorization to practice in another state in accordance with a compact; provide that the results of a national and state criminal background check shall not be distributed by the board except to any applicant upon request or as evidence in a legal proceeding; provide that the fee charged by the Department of Kentucky State Police shall be an amount no greater than the actual cost of processing the request and conducting the background check; require the boards to review criminal background checks for every Kentucky licensee seeking to practice in another state before the board makes a determination on whether the person is eligible to apply for compact privileges; provide that boards shall not require a criminal background check solely for the purpose of renewing a license; and require boards to promulgate administrative regulations to implement this Act.
- Introduced
- 2026-02-18
- Latest action
- 2026-03-27 — signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 6)
- Bill type
- bill
- Last updated
- —
Subjects
Sponsors
- S. Dietzprimary
Committees
Not provided by source.
Action timeline
Newest first
2026-03-27
signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 6)
executive-signature
2026-03-24
delivered to Governor
2026-03-24
enrolled, signed by President of the Senate
passage
2026-03-24
enrolled, signed by Speaker of the House
passage
2026-03-24
received in House
2026-03-24
3rd reading, passed 36-1
passage,reading-3
2026-03-20
posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Tuesday, March 24 2026
2026-03-18
2nd reading, to Rules
reading-2
2026-03-17
reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar
committee-passage
2026-03-13
to Licensing & Occupations (S)
referral-committee
2026-03-09
to Committee on Committees (S)
referral-committee
2026-03-09
received in Senate
2026-03-06
3rd reading, passed 91-0
passage,reading-3
2026-03-05
posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Friday, March 06 2026
2026-03-05
2nd reading, to Rules
reading-2
2026-03-04
reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar
committee-passage
2026-02-25
to Licensing, Occupations, & Administrative Regulations (H)
referral-committee
2026-02-18
to Committee on Committees (H)
referral-committee
2026-02-18
introduced in House
introduction
Versions
Documents
Votes
Pass
2026-03-06 · pass · 91-0
Member-level votes (101)
- Aull: yes
- Dietz: yes
- Hampton: yes
- McCool: yes
- Rudy: yes
- Baker: yes
- Doan: yes
- Hancock: yes
- McPherson: yes
- Sharp: yes
- Banta: yes
- Donworth: yes
- Hart: yes
- Meade: yes
- Stalker: yes
- Bauman: yes
- Dossett: yes
- Heavrin: yes
- Meredith: yes
- Stevenson P: yes
- Bivens: yes
- Dotson: yes
- Hodgson: yes
- Miles: yes
- Tackett Laferty: yes
- Bojanowski: yes
- Duvall: yes
- Holloway: yes
- Moore: yes
- Tate: yes
- Bowling: yes
- Elliott: yes
- Huff T: yes
- Moser: yes
- Thomas: yes
- Branscum: yes
- Fister: yes
- Imes: yes
- Neighbors: yes
- Thompson: yes
- Bratcher S.: yes
- Flannery: yes
- Jackson: yes
- Nemes: yes
- Tipton: yes
- Bray: yes
- Fleming: yes
- Johnson: yes
- Osborne: yes
- Truett: yes
- Bridges: yes
- Freeland: yes
- King: yes
- Payne: yes
- Watkins: yes
- Brown: yes
- Fugate: yes
- Koch: yes
- Petrie: yes
- Wesley: yes
- Burke: yes
- Gentry: yes
- Kulkarni: yes
- Pollock: yes
- Whitaker: yes
- Callaway: yes
- Gordon: yes
- Lehman: yes
- Proctor: yes
- White: yes
- Calloway: yes
- Griffee: yes
- Lewis C: yes
- Raymer: yes
- Williams: yes
- Camuel: yes
- Grossberg: yes
- Lewis S: yes
- Riley: yes
- Willner: yes
- Chester-Burton: yes
- Grossl: yes
- Maddox: yes
- Roarx: yes
- Wilson: yes
- Clines: yes
- Hale: yes
- Marzian: yes
- Roberts: yes
- Witten: yes
- Decker: yes
- Blanton: not voting
- Lawrence: not voting
- Lockett: not voting
- Rabourn: not voting
- Upchurch: not voting
- Gooch: not voting
- Lewis D: not voting
- Massaroni: not voting
- Smith: not voting
- COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY SENATE: not voting
PASS HB 657
2026-03-24 · pass · 36-1
Member-level votes (38)
- Berg: yes
- Funke Frommeyer: yes
- Meredith: yes
- Stivers: yes
- Boswell: yes
- Girdler: yes
- Mills: yes
- Storm: yes
- Carpenter: yes
- Givens: yes
- Neal: yes
- Thomas: yes
- Carroll: yes
- Herron: yes
- Nunn: yes
- Tichenor: yes
- ChambersArmstrong: yes
- Higdon: yes
- Raque Adams: yes
- West: yes
- Clemons: yes
- Howell: yes
- Rawlings: yes
- Wheeler: yes
- Deneen: yes
- Madon: yes
- Reed: yes
- Williams: yes
- Douglas: yes
- Mays Bledsoe: yes
- Richardson: yes
- Wilson: yes
- Elkins: yes
- McDaniel: yes
- Smith: yes
- Wise: yes
- Nemes: no
- Webb: not voting
Related bills
No related bills recorded for this bill.
Official source
Attribution
Data from openstates_api_sync, retrieved 2026-08-21T21:05:44.493618Z
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