Kentucky legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Kentucky HB314: AN ACT relating to the Kentucky Communications Network Authority and declaring an emergency.
Status: Chaptered, March 10, 2026
Amend KRS 154.15-010 to remove the definition of "executive director" of the Kentucky Communications Network Authority (KCNA); amend KRS 154.15-020 to administratively attach the KCNA to the Finance and Administration Cabinet; remove references to the executive director and the advisory group of the KCNA; abolish the KCNA advisory group; remove references to KCNA staff and require the executive director of the Commonwealth Office of Technology (COT) to assign COT personnel to carry out the functions and responsibilities of the KCNA; require the secretary of the Finance and Administration Cabinet, the Treasurer, and the executive director of the Commonwealth Office of Technology serve as ex officio members on the board of directors for any nonprofit organization incorporated to carry out activities associated with the responsibilities of the KCNA or its board; amend KRS 154.15-030 to remove all current members of the KCNA board except for the representative designated by the Center for Rural Development and replace them with the chief information officer of the Department of Education, who shall serve as chair, the Attorney General, the Governor, the Commissioner of Agriculture, the Secretary of State, and the Treasurer, or their designees; amend KRS 42.726 to add carrying out the functions and responsibilities of the KCNA to the roles and duties of the COT; amend KRS 42.732 to remove the executive director of the KCNA from the Kentucky Information Technology Advisory Council; amend KRS 12.020, 12.023, and 42.014 to conform; require that on the effective date of the Act, all functions and responsibilities previously undertaken by KCNA personnel shall be transferred to existing COT personnel; require all records, files, or documents previously maintained by KCNA personnel to be transferred to the COT; require that the position of executive director of the KCNA shall be terminated on the effective date of the Act; allow the executive director of COT to determine on o
What the bill says
An act relating to the Kentucky Communications Network Authority and declaring an emergency.
From the engrossed text:
AN ACT relating to the Kentucky Communications Network Authority and declaring an emergency. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky: Section 1. KRS 154.15-010 is amended to read as follows: As used in this (2) "Board" means the Board of the Kentucky Communications Network Authority; (3)[ "Executive director" means the executive director of the Kentucky Communications Network Authority; (4)] "Network" or "KentuckyWired" means the Commonwealth's open-access broadband network; and (4)[(5)] "Partnership" means the public-private partnership entered into between the Commonwealth and a private entity or entities for the purpose of creating, running, and maintaining the network. Section 2. KRS 154.15-020 is amended to read as follows: (1) The Kentucky Communications Network Authority is established and shall be attached to the Finance and Administration Cabinet for administrative purposes[Office of the Governor. The authority shall be headed by an executive director who shall be hired by the board and approved by the Governor]. (2) [Notwithstanding KRS 42.726, ]The duties of the authority shall be to: (a) Oversee and maintain KentuckyWired, the Commonwealth's open-access broadband network; (b) Manage the master agreement establishing the public-private partnership between the Commonwealth and its private industry partner or partners. The purpose of the agreement is to design, engineer, build, operate, maintain, and upgrade the network; (c) Provide network connectivity to public agencies; …
Sponsors
- Matt Lockett (R, HD-039) · primary sponsor
- Steve Bratcher (R, HD-025)
- David Hale (R, HD-074)
- John Hodgson (R, HD-036)
- T.J. Roberts (R, HD-066)
- Nancy Tate (R, HD-027)
- James Tipton (R, HD-053)
Latest actions
- : delivered to Secretary of State (Acts Ch. 2)
- : enrolled, signed by President of the Senate
- : enrolled, signed by Speaker of the House
- : received in House
- : passed 32-6
- : veto overridden
- : placed in the Orders of the Day
- : taken from Rules
- : to Rules (S)
- : received in Senate
Votes
- Senate: OVERRIDE VETO FINAL PASSAGE HB 314 RSN# 3900 (March 10, 2026): 32 yea, 6 nay, passed
- House: Veto Override RCS# 214 (March 9, 2026): 78 yea, 19 nay, passed
- Senate: PASS HB 314 RSN# 3859 (February 26, 2026): 32 yea, 6 nay, passed
- House: Pass RCS# 45 (February 2, 2026): 80 yea, 13 nay, passed
Subjects: State Agencies, Technology, Internet, Access And Infrastructure, Education, Elementary And Secondary, Effective Dates, Emergency, Secretary Of State, Information Technology, Budget And Financial Administration
Common questions
- What is HB314?
- HB314 is a bill in the Kentucky Legislature (2026 Regular Session): AN ACT relating to the Kentucky Communications Network Authority and declaring an emergency.
- What does HB314 do?
- In its own words: An act relating to the Kentucky Communications Network Authority and declaring an emergency.
- What is the status of HB314?
- Chaptered as of March 10, 2026. Latest action: delivered to Secretary of State (Acts Ch. 2) (March 10, 2026).
- Who sponsored HB314?
- Matt Lockett (R, HD-039), with 6 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for HB314?
- On the Kentucky Legislature website: https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/26rs/hb314.html
Source: official Kentucky record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.