Kentucky legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Kentucky HB654: AN ACT relating to school district reporting and declaring an emergency.
Status: In committee, March 12, 2026
Amend KRS 160.345 to remove the Kentucky Department of Education's reporting requirement on school physical activity, prohibit the department or the Kentucky Board of Education from requiring a school to complete any component of a comprehensive school improvement plan that is not expressly required from that specific school by federal law or state statute; amend KRS 156.101 to remove superintendents' reporting requirement on instructional leaders who fail to complete required training; amend KRS 160.380 to remove superintendents' annual reporting requirement on a district's minority teacher recruitment process; amend KRS 158.1413 to remove superintendents' reporting requirement on school districts' essential workplace ethics programs; repeal KRS 158.867, relating to minimum requirements for summer learning camps; authorize the Kentucky Department of Education and Kentucky Board of Education to continue to collect designated existing reports; prohibit the Kentucky Department of Education and Kentucky Board of Education from requiring designated reports; EFFECTIVE July 1, 2026.
What the bill says
An act relating to school district reporting and declaring an emergency.
From the engrossed text:
AN ACT relating to school district reporting and declaring an emergency. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky: Section 1. KRS 160.345 is amended to read as follows: (1) As used in[For the purpose of] this Alaskan native; African-American; Hispanic, including persons of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, and Central or South American origin; Pacific islander; or other ethnic group underrepresented in the school; (b) "School" means an elementary or secondary educational institution that is under the administrative control of a principal and is not a program or part of another school. The term "school" does not include district-operated schools that are: 1. Exclusively vocational-technical, special education, or preschool programs; 2. Instructional programs operated in institutions or schools outside of the district; or 3. Alternative schools designed to provide services to at-risk populations with unique needs; (c) "Teacher" means any person for whom certification is required as a basis of employment in the public schools of the state, with the exception of principals and assistant principals; and (d) "Parent" or 2. A person who has legal custody of a student pursuant to a court order and with whom the student resides. (2) Each local board of education shall adopt a policy for implementing school-based decision making in the district which shall include but not be limited …
Sponsors
- Shane Baker (R, HD-085) · primary sponsor
Latest actions
- : to Committee on Committees (S)
- : received in Senate
- : 3rd reading, passed 94-0 with Committee Substitute (1) and Floor Amendment (1)
- : posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Tuesday, March 10 2026
- : 2nd reading, to Rules
- : floor amendment (1) filed to Committee Substitute
- : reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar with Committee Substitute (1)
- : to Primary and Secondary Education (H)
- : to Committee on Committees (H)
- : introduced in House
Votes
- House: Pass RCS# 237 (March 11, 2026): 94 yea, 0 nay, passed
Subjects: State Agencies, Education, Elementary And Secondary, Effective Dates, Emergency, Boards And Commissions
Common questions
- What is HB654?
- HB654 is a bill in the Kentucky Legislature (2026 Regular Session): AN ACT relating to school district reporting and declaring an emergency.
- What does HB654 do?
- In its own words: An act relating to school district reporting and declaring an emergency.
- What is the status of HB654?
- In committee as of March 12, 2026. Latest action: to Committee on Committees (S) (March 12, 2026).
- Who sponsored HB654?
- Shane Baker (R, HD-085).
- Where is the official record for HB654?
- On the Kentucky Legislature website: https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/26rs/hb654.html
Source: official Kentucky record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.