KY SB 245

enacted

AN ACT relating to tobacco, nicotine, or vapor product licensure and declaring an emergency.

Kentucky · 2026 Regular Session · upper

Description

Create a new section of KRS 438.305 to 438.350 to establish application form requirements for a tobacco, nicotine, or vapor product license; prohibit the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control from establishing any additional licensure requirements beyond those prescribed in statute; require the department to publish and maintain on its website the components required for a tobacco, nicotine, or vapor product license; amend various sections of KRS 438.305 to 438.350 to require the Secretary of State to notify retailers that a tobacco, nicotine, or vapor product license is required to sell authorized nicotine vapor products; establish application requirements for a tobacco, nicotine, or vapor product license; require the department to publish the application form on its website within 30 days of the effective date of this Act; require the licensing fee to be refunded to the applicant if a license is not issued; require a licensure renewal form and a licensing fee to be remitted to the department upon the renewal of a tobacco, nicotine, or vapor product license; define "batch license"; allow a retailer with a license issued by the department under KRS Chapter 243 to renew a tobacco, nicotine, or vapor product license on the date of its next renewal; allow an applicant or licensee to batch license using a singular application or renewal form; allow a licensee to batch license on the date of its next alcohol licensure renewal or 1 year from the date of issuance of its tobacco, nicotine, or vapor product license; require an applicant or licensee who chooses to batch license to multiply the licensure fee by the number of locations to be licensed or premises to be renewed; require the department to establish a singular application and renewal form for a batch license; allow the department to require a supplemental form for batch licensing if an alcohol license requires further information; grant a grace period to applicants for any error identified in an application by the department; establish requirements for a change of ownership; establish grounds for denial of an application; require the department to promulgate administrative regulations relating to tobacco, nicotine, and vapor licensing within 30 days of the effective date of this Act; repeal KRS 438.3065, which establishes transitional licensing; prohibit this Act from delaying enforcement; require any retailer selling tobacco, nicotine, or vapor products in Kentucky that does not currently hold a license to remit the initial application form and licensing fee within 60 days of the effective date of this Act; credit a licensee's 2025 licensing fee to the licensee's upcoming licensing fee payment for 2026; RETROACTIVE, in part, to January 1, 2026; EMERGENCY.

Introduced: 2026-02-25
Status date: —
Latest action: 2026-04-10 — signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 70)
Bill type: bill
Last updated: —

Subjects

Committees

Not provided by source.

Action timeline

2026-02-25
introduced in Senate
introduction
2026-02-25
to Committee on Committees (S)
referral-committee
2026-02-27
to Licensing & Occupations (S)
referral-committee
2026-03-03
reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar
committee-passage
2026-03-04
2nd reading, to Rules
reading-2
2026-03-04
posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Thursday, March 05 2026
2026-03-05
passed over and retained in the Orders of the Day
passage
2026-03-05
floor amendment (1) filed
amendment-introduction
2026-03-06
3rd reading
reading-3
2026-03-06
floor amendment (1) withdrawn
2026-03-06
passed 36-0
passage
2026-03-10
received in House
2026-03-10
to Committee on Committees (H)
referral-committee
2026-03-11
to Licensing, Occupations, & Administrative Regulations (H)
referral-committee
2026-03-16
taken from Licensing, Occupations, & Administrative Regulations (H)
2026-03-16
1st reading
reading-1
2026-03-16
returned to Licensing, Occupations, & Administrative Regulations (H)
2026-03-17
taken from Licensing, Occupations, & Administrative Regulations (H)
2026-03-17
2nd reading
reading-2
2026-03-17
returned to Licensing, Occupations, & Administrative Regulations (H)
2026-03-18
reported favorably, to Rules with Committee Substitute (1)
committee-passage
2026-03-18
floor amendment (1) filed to Committee Substitute
amendment-introduction
2026-03-19
posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Friday, March 20 2026
2026-03-20
3rd reading, passed 85-0 with Floor Amendment (1) and Committee Substitute (1)
passage,reading-3
2026-03-24
received in Senate
2026-03-24
to Rules (S)
referral-committee
2026-03-24
taken from Rules
2026-03-24
posted for passage for concurrence in House Committee Substitute (1) and Floor Amendment (1)
2026-03-24
passed over and retained for concurrence in House Committee Substitute (1) and Floor Amendment (1)
passage
2026-03-25
passed over and retained for concurrence in House Committee Substitute (1) and House Floor Amendment (1)
passage
2026-03-26
Senate refused to concur in House Committee Substitute (1) and Floor Amendment (1)
2026-03-26
received in House
2026-03-26
to Rules (H)
referral-committee
2026-03-26
taken from Rules
2026-03-26
posted for passage for receding from House Committee Substitute (1) and Floor Amendment (1)
2026-03-26
House refused to recede from Committee Substitute (1) and Floor Amendment (1)
2026-03-26
Conference and Free Conference Committees appointed in House and Senate
2026-03-27
Conference Committee report filed in House and Senate
2026-03-27
Conference Committee report adopted in House
2026-03-27
Free Conference Committee report filed in House
2026-03-27
posted for passage for consideration Free Conference Committee Report in House
2026-03-27
Free Conference Committee report adopted in House
2026-03-27
passed 78-0
passage
2026-03-27
received in Senate
2026-03-27
to Rules (S)
referral-committee
2026-03-27
taken from Rules
2026-03-27
posted for passage for consideration of Free Conference Committee Report
2026-03-27
Free Conference Committee report adopted in Senate
2026-03-27
passed 35-1
passage
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
delivered to Governor
2026-04-10
signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 70)
executive-signature

Versions

IntroducedCompare
Current/FinalCompare
Acts Chapter 70Compare
(document, no version)Compare

Documents

Votes

PASS SB 245
2026-03-06 · pass · 36-0
Member-level votes (38)
- Berg: yes
- Girdler: yes
- Neal: yes
- Storm: yes
- Boswell: yes
- Givens: yes
- Nemes: yes
- Thomas: yes
- Carpenter: yes
- Herron: yes
- Nunn: yes
- Tichenor: yes
- Carroll: yes
- Howell: yes
- Raque Adams: yes
- Webb: yes
- ChambersArmstrong: yes
- Madon: yes
- Rawlings: yes
- West: yes
- Clemons: yes
- Mays Bledsoe: yes
- Reed: yes
- Wheeler: yes
- Deneen: yes
- McDaniel: yes
- Richardson: yes
- Williams: yes
- Douglas: yes
- Meredith: yes
- Smith: yes
- Wilson: yes
- Elkins: yes
- Mills: yes
- Stivers: yes
- Wise: yes
- Funke Frommeyer: not voting
- Higdon: not voting
Pass
2026-03-20 · pass · 85-0
Member-level votes (101)
- Aull: yes
- Dietz: yes
- Hale: yes
- McCool: yes
- Smith: yes
- Baker: yes
- Donworth: yes
- Hancock: yes
- Meade: yes
- Stalker: yes
- Bauman: yes
- Dossett: yes
- Hart: yes
- Meredith: yes
- Tackett Laferty: yes
- Bivens: yes
- Dotson: yes
- Heavrin: yes
- Miles: yes
- Tate: yes
- Bojanowski: yes
- Duvall: yes
- Hodgson: yes
- Moore: yes
- Thomas: yes
- Bowling: yes
- Elliott: yes
- Imes: yes
- Moser: yes
- Thompson: yes
- Branscum: yes
- Fister: yes
- Jackson: yes
- Neighbors: yes
- Tipton: yes
- Bratcher S.: yes
- Flannery: yes
- Johnson: yes
- Nemes: yes
- Truett: yes
- Bray: yes
- Fleming: yes
- King: yes
- Osborne: yes
- Upchurch: yes
- Bridges: yes
- Freeland: yes
- Koch: yes
- Payne: yes
- Watkins: yes
- Brown: yes
- Fugate: yes
- Kulkarni: yes
- Petrie: yes
- Wesley: yes
- Burke: yes
- Gentry: yes
- Lehman: yes
- Pollock: yes
- Whitaker: yes
- Callaway: yes
- Gooch: yes
- Lewis C: yes
- Proctor: yes
- White: yes
- Camuel: yes
- Gordon: yes
- Lewis D: yes
- Raymer: yes
- Williams: yes
- Chester-Burton: yes
- Griffee: yes
- Lewis S: yes
- Riley: yes
- Willner: yes
- Clines: yes
- Grossberg: yes
- Lockett: yes
- Roarx: yes
- Wilson: yes
- Decker: yes
- Grossl: yes
- Marzian: yes
- Sharp: yes
- Witten: yes
- Banta: not voting
- Doan: not voting
- Huff T: not voting
- Massaroni: not voting
- Roberts: not voting
- Blanton: not voting
- Hampton: not voting
- Lawrence: not voting
- McPherson: not voting
- Rudy: not voting
- Calloway: not voting
- Holloway: not voting
- Maddox: not voting
- Rabourn: not voting
- Stevenson P: not voting
- Commonwealth of Kentucky: not voting
Final Passage
2026-03-27 · pass · 78-0
Member-level votes (101)
- Aull: yes
- Donworth: yes
- Hancock: yes
- Meade: yes
- Stalker: yes
- Baker: yes
- Dossett: yes
- Hart: yes
- Meredith: yes
- Tackett Laferty: yes
- Banta: yes
- Dotson: yes
- Heavrin: yes
- Miles: yes
- Tate: yes
- Bauman: yes
- Duvall: yes
- Hodgson: yes
- Moore: yes
- Thomas: yes
- Bivens: yes
- Elliott: yes
- Huff T: yes
- Moser: yes
- Thompson: yes
- Blanton: yes
- Fister: yes
- Imes: yes
- Neighbors: yes
- Tipton: yes
- Bojanowski: yes
- Flannery: yes
- Jackson: yes
- Nemes: yes
- Truett: yes
- Bowling: yes
- Fleming: yes
- Johnson: yes
- Payne: yes
- Upchurch: yes
- Branscum: yes
- Freeland: yes
- King: yes
- Petrie: yes
- Watkins: yes
- Bray: yes
- Fugate: yes
- Koch: yes
- Pollock: yes
- Wesley: yes
- Bridges: yes
- Gentry: yes
- Kulkarni: yes
- Raymer: yes
- Whitaker: yes
- Brown: yes
- Gooch: yes
- Lehman: yes
- Riley: yes
- Williams: yes
- Burke: yes
- Gordon: yes
- Lewis C: yes
- Roarx: yes
- Willner: yes
- Chester-Burton: yes
- Griffee: yes
- Lewis S: yes
- Sharp: yes
- Wilson: yes
- Clines: yes
- Grossberg: yes
- McCool: yes
- Smith: yes
- Witten: yes
- Dietz: yes
- Hale: yes
- McPherson: yes
- Bratcher S.: not voting
- Doan: not voting
- Lewis D: not voting
- Massaroni: not voting
- Roberts: not voting
- Callaway: not voting
- Grossl: not voting
- Lockett: not voting
- Osborne: not voting
- Rudy: not voting
- Calloway: not voting
- Hampton: not voting
- Maddox: not voting
- Proctor: not voting
- Stevenson P: not voting
- Camuel: not voting
- Holloway: not voting
- Marzian: not voting
- Rabourn: not voting
- White: not voting
- Decker: not voting
- Lawrence: not voting
- COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY SENATE: not voting
FINAL PASSAGE OF SB 245
2026-03-27 · pass · 35-1
Member-level votes (38)
- Berg: yes
- Givens: yes
- Nemes: yes
- Thomas: yes
- Carpenter: yes
- Herron: yes
- Nunn: yes
- Tichenor: yes
- Carroll: yes
- Higdon: yes
- Raque Adams: yes
- Webb: yes
- Clemons: yes
- Howell: yes
- Rawlings: yes
- West: yes
- Deneen: yes
- Madon: yes
- Reed: yes
- Wheeler: yes
- Douglas: yes
- Mays Bledsoe: yes
- Richardson: yes
- Williams: yes
- Elkins: yes
- Meredith: yes
- Smith: yes
- Wilson: yes
- Funke Frommeyer: yes
- Mills: yes
- Stivers: yes
- Wise: yes
- Girdler: yes
- Neal: yes
- Storm: yes
- Boswell: no
- ChambersArmstrong: not voting
- McDaniel: not voting

Related bills

No related bills recorded for this bill.

Official source

https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/26RS/sb245.html

Attribution

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

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