Kentucky legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Kentucky HB490: AN ACT relating to employment at public postsecondary education institutions and declaring an emergency.
Status: Chaptered, April 14, 2026
Amend KRS 164.360, 164.230, and 164.830 to allow for the removal of faculty members at public postsecondary education institutions for bona fide financial reasons; require the boards of regents and trustees of the institutions to establish the process for removal based on financial reasons with specified parameters; EMERGENCY.
What the bill says
An act relating to employment at public postsecondary education institutions and declaring an emergency.
From the engrossed text:
AN ACT relating to employment at public postsecondary education institutions and declaring an emergency. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky: Section 1. KRS 164.360 is amended to read as follows: (1) (a) Each board of regents for the universities shall appoint a president, appoint all faculty members and employees, and fix their compensation and tenure of service, subject to the provisions of subsections (2) to (6)[(5)] of this section. Faculty member and employee appointment and removal decisions may be delegated to the president in accordance with policy adopted by each board of regents. (b) The board of regents for the Kentucky Community and Technical College System shall appoint a president, appoint all faculty members and employees, and fix their compensation and tenure of service, subject to the provisions of subsections (2) to (6)[(5)] of this section. Faculty member and employee appointment and removal decisions may be delegated to the president in accordance with policy adopted by the board of regents. (2) A[No] person shall not be employed at an institution where his or her relative serves on the board of regents for that institution. (3) Each board may remove the president of the university or Kentucky Community and Technical College System, and the president may remove any faculty member or employee. (4) A[No] president …
Sponsors
- Aaron Thompson (R, HD-098) · primary sponsor
- James Tipton (R, HD-053)
Latest actions
- : delivered to Secretary of State (Acts Ch. 169)
- : enrolled, signed by President of the Senate
- : enrolled, signed by Speaker of the House
- : passed 32-6
- : to Rules (S)
- : received in Senate
- : passed 80-19
- : veto overridden
- : posted for consideration of Governor's veto
- : taken from Rules
Votes
- Senate: OVERRIDE VETO FINAL PASSAGE HB 490 RSN# 4171 (April 14, 2026): 32 yea, 6 nay, passed
- House: Veto Override RCS# 465 (April 14, 2026): 80 yea, 19 nay, passed
- House: Final Passage RCS# 443 (April 1, 2026): 75 yea, 18 nay, passed
- Senate: PASS HB 490 w/ SCS 1 (SCS 1) RSN# 4031 (March 27, 2026): 30 yea, 7 nay, passed
- House: Pass RCS# 103 (February 17, 2026): 72 yea, 21 nay, passed
Subjects: Education, Higher, Effective Dates, Emergency, Universities And Colleges, Boards And Commissions
Common questions
- What is HB490?
- HB490 is a bill in the Kentucky Legislature (2026 Regular Session): AN ACT relating to employment at public postsecondary education institutions and declaring an emergency.
- What does HB490 do?
- In its own words: An act relating to employment at public postsecondary education institutions and declaring an emergency.
- What is the status of HB490?
- Chaptered as of April 14, 2026. Latest action: delivered to Secretary of State (Acts Ch. 169) (April 14, 2026).
- Who sponsored HB490?
- Aaron Thompson (R, HD-098), with 1 co-sponsor.
- Where is the official record for HB490?
- On the Kentucky Legislature website: https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/26rs/hb490.html
Source: official Kentucky record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.