Kentucky legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Kentucky HB511: AN ACT relating to hate crimes.
Status: In committee, February 4, 2026
Amend KRS 532.031, relating to hate crimes, to include offenses committed against an individual because of political creed; amend KRS 15.334 and 17.1523 to conform.
What the bill says
An act relating to hate crimes.
From the introduced text:
AN ACT relating to hate crimes. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky: Section 1. KRS 532.031 is amended to read as follows: (1) A person may be found by the sentencing judge to have committed an offense specified below as a result of a hate crime if the person intentionally because of race, color, religion, political creed, sexual orientation, or national origin of another individual or group of individuals or because of a person's actual or perceived employment as a state, city, county, or federal peace officer, member of an organized fire department, or emergency medical services personnel, violates a provision of any one (1) of the (b) KRS 508.050 or 508.060; (c) KRS 508.100 or 508.110; (d) KRS 509.020; (e) KRS 510.040, 510.050, 510.060, 510.070, 510.080, 510.090, 510.100, or 510.110; (f) KRS 512.020, 512.050, or 512.060; (g) KRS 513.020, 513.030, or 513.040; or (h) KRS 525.020, 525.050, 525.060, 525.070, or 525.080. (2) At sentencing, the sentencing judge shall determine if, by a preponderance of the evidence presented at the trial, a hate crime was a primary factor in the commission of the crime by the defendant. If so, the judge shall make a written finding of fact and enter that in the court record and in the judgment rendered against the defendant. (3) …
Sponsors
- T.J. Roberts (R, HD-066) · primary sponsor
- Daniel Grossberg (D, HD-030)
- Chad Aull (D, HD-079)
- Kimberly Banta (R, HD-063)
- Ryan Bivens (R, HD-024)
- Josh Calloway (R, HD-010)
- Jim Gooch (R, HD-012)
- Vanessa Grossl (R, HD-088)
- Mark Hart (R, HD-078)
- John Hodgson (R, HD-036)
- Kimberly Holloway (R, HD-002)
- Derek Lewis (R, HD-090)
Latest actions
- : to Judiciary (H)
- : to Committee on Committees (H)
- : introduced in House
Subjects: Criminal Procedure, Crimes And Punishments, Crime Victims, Local Mandate, Corrections Impact, Civil Rights, Probation And Parole
Common questions
- What is HB511?
- HB511 is a bill in the Kentucky Legislature (2026 Regular Session): AN ACT relating to hate crimes.
- What does HB511 do?
- In its own words: An act relating to hate crimes.
- What is the status of HB511?
- In committee as of February 4, 2026. Latest action: to Judiciary (H) (February 4, 2026).
- Who sponsored HB511?
- T.J. Roberts (R, HD-066), with 11 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for HB511?
- On the Kentucky Legislature website: https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/26rs/hb511.html
Source: official Kentucky record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.