Kentucky legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Kentucky SB163: AN ACT relating to unemployment insurance.
Status: In committee, March 17, 2026
Amend KRS 341.350, relating to unemployment insurance, to lengthen the verified definite return-to-work or recall-to-work period from 16 weeks to 12 months and add protections for employees whose place of employment can reasonably be expected to resume operations within 12 months following a natural disaster.
What the bill says
An act relating to unemployment insurance.
From the introduced text:
AN ACT relating to unemployment insurance. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky: Section 1. KRS 341.350 is amended to read as follows: An unemployed worker shall, except as provided in KRS 341.360 and 341.370, be eligible for benefits with respect to any week of unemployment only (2) For an initial claim made on or after January 1, 2012, he or she has served a waiting period of one (1) week, during which he or she has not received benefits. The waiting week period shall be the first compensable week of an initial claim for benefits for which he or she is eligible and qualified to receive benefits under this chapter. A waiting week period shall be required for each benefit year, whether or not consecutive. No more than one (1) waiting week period shall be required in any benefit year. The waiting week shall become compensable once the remaining balance on the claim is equal to or less than the compensable amount for the waiting week; (3) (a) He or she has registered for work with respect to such week in accordance with administrative regulations promulgated by the secretary; (b) He or she participates in reemployment services, such as job search assistance services, if pursuant to a profiling system established by the secretary, he …
Sponsors
- Phillip Wheeler (R, SD-031) · primary sponsor
- Gary Clemons (D, SD-037)
- Keturah Herron (D, SD-035)
- Mike Nemes (R, SD-038)
- Robin Webb (R, SD-018)
Latest actions
- : returned to Committee on Committees (S)
- : 1st reading
- : taken from Committee on Committees (S)
- : to Committee on Committees (S)
- : introduced in Senate
Subjects: State Agencies, Unemployment Compensation, Personnel And Employment, Insurance, Disasters And Recovery Efforts, Labor And Industry, Workforce
Common questions
- What is SB163?
- SB163 is a bill in the Kentucky Legislature (2026 Regular Session): AN ACT relating to unemployment insurance.
- What does SB163 do?
- In its own words: An act relating to unemployment insurance.
- What is the status of SB163?
- In committee as of March 17, 2026. Latest action: returned to Committee on Committees (S) (March 17, 2026).
- Who sponsored SB163?
- Phillip Wheeler (R, SD-031), with 4 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for SB163?
- On the Kentucky Legislature website: https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/26rs/sb163.html
Source: official Kentucky record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.