Kentucky legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Kentucky SB18: AN ACT relating to health services.
Status: Signed into law, April 10, 2026
Amend KRS 311.380 to define "physician assistant," âpodiatric assistant,â âpodiatric residency,â âpodiatric resident,â podiatric supervision," and "supervising podiatrist"; amend KRS 311.400 to add the scope of practice for podiatric residents and podiatric assistants; amend KRS 311.410 to conform; amend KRS 311.420 to add qualifications to acquire a license to practice podiatry; permit the board to promulgate administrative regulations for licensure of podiatric assistants and podiatric residents, podiatric residency licenses, and the approval and regulation of podiatric supervision of physician assistants; amend KRS 311.480 to include podiatric resident and podiatric assistant licenses to the licenses the Board of Podiatry can deny, refuse to renew, suspend, place on probation, or revoke; amend KRS 311.840 to define "podiatric supervision" and "supervising podiatrist"; create a new section of KRS 311.840 to 311.862 to establish requirements for podiatrists to supervise physician assistants; amend KRS 218B.010 to add podiatrist to the definition of "medicinal cannabis practitioner"; add the State Board of Podiatry to the definition of "state licensing board"; amend KRS 218B.050 to add podiatrist to those required to apply to the same state licensing board that issued his or her license for authorization to provide written certifications for the use of medicinal cannabis; amend KRS 218B.145 to add the State Board of Podiatry to those to be notified of qualifying medical conditions; amend KRS 311.450, 311.460, 311.470, and 311.475 to make technical changes; amend KRS 311.390, 311.490, 311.495, and 311.990 to conform.
What the bill says
An act relating to the practice of podiatry.
From the committee substitute text:
AN ACT relating to the practice of podiatry. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky: Section 1. KRS 311.380 is amended to read as follows: As used in KRS 311.380 to 311.500[311.390 to 311.510, unless the context otherwise requires]: (1) "Board" means the State Board of Podiatry; (2) "Physician assistant" has the same meaning as in Section 10 of this Act;["Podiatry" is that profession of the health sciences which deals with the examination, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases, conditions, and malfunctions affecting the human foot and its related or governing structures, by employment of medical, surgical, or other means;] (3) "Podiatric assistant" means a person licensed by the board to assist licensed podiatrists with specific duties and tasks related to the practice of podiatry as permitted by administrative regulations promulgated by the board; (4) "Podiatric residency" means a program of supervised postgraduate clinical training approved by the board for a licensed podiatric resident; (5) "Podiatric resident" means a person licensed by the board and participating in a podiatric residency; (6) "Podiatric supervision" has the same meaning as in Section 10 of this Act; (7)[(3)] "Podiatrist" is a physician and surgeon who has graduated from a college of podiatric medicine accredited by the Council on Podiatric Medical[Podiatry] Education of the American Podiatric Medical[Podiatry] Association or …
Sponsors
- Craig Richardson (R, SD-003) · primary sponsor
- Stephen Meredith (R, SD-005)
Latest actions
- : signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 85)
- : delivered to Governor
- : enrolled, signed by Speaker of the House
- : enrolled, signed by President of the Senate
- : passed 37-0
- : Senate concurred in Floor Amendment (1) and Floor Amendment (2-title)
- : passed over and retained for concurrence in House Floor Amendment (1) and Floor Amendment (2-title)
- : posted for passage for concurrence in House Floor Amendment (1) and Floor Amendment (2-title)
- : taken from Rules
- : to Rules (S)
Votes
- Senate: FINAL PASSAGE OF SB 18 w/ HFA 1, HFA 2 (T) (HFA 1) RSN# 4070 (March 31, 2026): 37 yea, 0 nay, passed
- House: Pass RCS# 334 (March 26, 2026): 91 yea, 1 nay, passed
- Senate: PASS SB 18 w/ SCS 1 (SCS 1) RSN# 3804 (February 6, 2026): 32 yea, 0 nay, passed
Subjects: Occupations And Professions, Health Care Professionals, Cannabis, Hospitals And Health Facilities, Physicians, Drugs And Medicines, Licensing, Boards And Commissions
Common questions
- What is SB18?
- SB18 is a bill in the Kentucky Legislature (2026 Regular Session): AN ACT relating to health services.
- What does SB18 do?
- In its own words: An act relating to the practice of podiatry.
- What is the status of SB18?
- Signed into law as of April 10, 2026. Latest action: signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 85) (April 10, 2026).
- Who sponsored SB18?
- Craig Richardson (R, SD-003), with 1 co-sponsor.
- Where is the official record for SB18?
- On the Kentucky Legislature website: https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/26rs/sb18.html
Source: official Kentucky record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.