Kentucky legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Kentucky HB761: AN ACT relating to riverport authorities and declaring an emergency.
Status: In committee, March 13, 2026
Amend KRS 65.520 to prohibit riverport authorities from delegating policy-making to outside entities; amend KRS 65.530 to change the purpose of riverport authorities and, unless agreed to in writing, mandate compliance with comprehensive plans, land use, and design regulations of planning units; amend KRS 65.540 to allow for a joint riverport authority to be created by a combination of counties; require adoption of a code of ethics, establish membership, and prohibit direct or indirect interest in the business of the authority; EMERGENCY.
What the bill says
An act relating to riverport authorities and declaring an emergency.
From the introduced text:
AN ACT relating to riverport authorities and declaring an emergency. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky: Section 1. KRS 65.520 is amended to read as follows: (1) Any governmental unit by act of its legislative body, or any two (2) or more governmental units acting jointly by acts of their legislative bodies, and with the approval of the Transportation Cabinet, Office of the Secretary, may establish a developmental riverport authority to be composed of six (6) members. (2) The authority shall be a body politic and corporate with the usual corporate attributes, and in its corporate name may sue and be sued, contract and be contracted with and do all things reasonable or necessary to effectively carry out the powers and duties prescribed by KRS 65.510 to 65.650. The authority may exercise all powers granted to governmental agencies by KRS 58.010 to 58.140. The authority may exercise all powers, consistent with its powers and duties stated in this chapter, granted by KRS 273.171 to corporations governed by KRS 273.161 to 273.390. (3) The authority shall not delegate the powers set out in subsection (2) of this section to any other entity. The authority may enter into contracts with vendors to deliver tasks or functions but shall not cede policy-making authority. (4) The responsibility for …
Sponsors
- Matthew Lehman (D, HD-067) · primary sponsor
- T.J. Roberts (R, HD-066)
Latest actions
- : returned to Local Government (H)
- : 1st reading
- : taken from Local Government (H)
- : to Local Government (H)
- : to Committee on Committees (H)
- : introduced in House
Subjects: Effective Dates, Emergency, Environment And Conservation, Amusements And Recreations, Transportation, Local Mandate, Waterways And Dams, Counties, Local Government
Common questions
- What is HB761?
- HB761 is a bill in the Kentucky Legislature (2026 Regular Session): AN ACT relating to riverport authorities and declaring an emergency.
- What does HB761 do?
- In its own words: An act relating to riverport authorities and declaring an emergency.
- What is the status of HB761?
- In committee as of March 13, 2026. Latest action: returned to Local Government (H) (March 13, 2026).
- Who sponsored HB761?
- Matthew Lehman (D, HD-067), with 1 co-sponsor.
- Where is the official record for HB761?
- On the Kentucky Legislature website: https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/26rs/hb761.html
Source: official Kentucky record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.