Kentucky legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Kentucky SB4: AN ACT relating to education and declaring an emergency.
Status: Chaptered, April 14, 2026
Create a new section of KRS Chapter 156 to define "department" and "principal"; establish the principal leadership development practicum; require the Kentucky Department of Education to develop and operate the practicum and outline the required components of the practicum; allow for substitution of practicum hours for hours of instruction required by the effective instructional leadership program; begin the practicum requirements with the 2027-2028 school year; authorize the promulgation of administrative regulations for the operation of the practicum; amend KRS 156.101 to conform; amend KRS 161.207 to remove references to the principal internship program and make conforming changes to initial principal certification process; amend KRS 156.492 to remove an outdated reference; require the Kentucky Department of Education to submit a report to the Legislative Research Commission by November 1, 2026, setting out the implementation plan for the practicum.
What the bill says
An act relating to school leadership.
From the committee substitute text:
AN ACT relating to school leadership. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky: SECTION 1. A NEW SECTION OF KRS CHAPTER 156 IS CREATED TO READ AS FOLLOWS: (1) As used in this and (b) "Principal" means a person who: 1. Is the primary administrator and instructional leader of a public school or program; 2. Supervises students and school employees; and 3. Is selected by the district's superintendent pursuant to KRS 160.345. (2) There is hereby established the principal leadership development practicum to provide all new principals within the first three (3) years of experience in the position with leadership development training. It is the intent of the General Assembly to ensure that a school district or principal incurs no cost for the participation in the practicum and the principal receives a stipend toward the cost of the third year of the practicum. The Kentucky Department of Education shall develop and operate the practicum, subject to the following provisions: (a) The practicum shall operate based on cohorts of new principals and offer three (3) years of leadership development training with specific requirements in each year. The department shall annually establish a calendar for the operation of the practicum; (b) Each year's cohort of new principals shall consist of those people who first became principals by …
Sponsors
- Steve West (R, SD-027) · primary sponsor
- David Givens (R, SD-009)
- Matthew Deneen (R, SD-010)
- Donald Douglas (R, SD-022)
- Robert Mills (R, SD-004)
- Gerald Neal (D, SD-033)
- Lindsey Tichenor (R, SD-006)
- Mike Wilson (R, SD-032)
- Max Wise (R, SD-016)
Latest actions
- : delivered to Secretary of State (Acts Ch. 154)
- : enrolled, signed by Speaker of the House
- : enrolled, signed by President of the Senate
- : passed 78-19
- : posted for consideration of Governor's veto
- : taken from Rules (H)
- : to Rules (H)
- : received in House
- : passed 30-8
- : veto overridden
Votes
- Senate: OVERRIDE VETO FINAL PASSAGE SB 4 RSN# 4146 (April 14, 2026): 30 yea, 8 nay, passed
- House: Veto Override RCS# 476 (April 14, 2026): 78 yea, 19 nay, passed
- Senate: FINAL PASSAGE OF SB 4 RSN# 4131 (April 1, 2026): 28 yea, 7 nay, passed
- House: Final Passage RCS# 430 (April 1, 2026): 72 yea, 21 nay, passed
- House: Pass RCS# 304 (March 20, 2026): 74 yea, 15 nay, passed
- Senate: PASS SB 4 w/ SCS 1 (SCS 1) RSN# 3807 (February 9, 2026): 38 yea, 0 nay, passed
Subjects: State Agencies, Teachers, Education, Elementary And Secondary, Reports Mandated, Administrative Regulations And Proceedings
Common questions
- What is SB4?
- SB4 is a bill in the Kentucky Legislature (2026 Regular Session): AN ACT relating to education and declaring an emergency.
- What does SB4 do?
- In its own words: An act relating to school leadership.
- What is the status of SB4?
- Chaptered as of April 14, 2026. Latest action: delivered to Secretary of State (Acts Ch. 154) (April 14, 2026).
- Who sponsored SB4?
- Steve West (R, SD-027), with 8 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for SB4?
- On the Kentucky Legislature website: https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/26rs/sb4.html
Source: official Kentucky record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.