Kentucky legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Kentucky SB195: AN ACT relating to participants in the legal system.
Status: Chaptered, April 12, 2026
Amend KRS 367.220 to require written notice from a consumer to a prospective defendant 60 days before initiating a civil action; require giving of notice to toll the statute of limitations; make failure to give notice result in dismissal of a filed claim without prejudice; amend KRS 189.125 to declare failure to wear a safety restraint or wear a restraint properly to be admissible as it may relate to fault only upon a showing that the failure was a substantial factor in any injury claimed; amend KRS 304.12-230 to limit the committing of unfair claims settlement practices to insurers; prohibit that a claim from being brought by a third-party claimant; require any assignment of a claim against an insurer to be void; create a new section of Subtitle 40 of KRS Chapter 304 to establish limitations on information and testimony regarding professional liability insurance in a civil action; amend KRS 364.130 to define terms; establish liability protections for a utility that removes timber of a property owner when done with permission or in good faith and establish damages for violations; create new sections of KRS Chapter 411 to define terms; require acceptance of a project by a contracting entity to create a rebuttable presumption of compliance with specifications and not to give rise to a finding of liability except under specified circumstances; establish requirements for the initiating pleading against a contracting entity or contractor and allow failure to comply to result in a dismissal of the action; establish requirements for a claim against a contractor by a noncontractual third party; create a new section of KRS Chapter 411 to establish prelitigation notice of a potential claim for medical malpractice or health care liability claims; establish method of providing required notice and the effect of compliance on the applicable statute of limitations; amend KRS 411.167 to require a written medical opinion before commencement of an action under the statute; establish
What the bill says
An act relating to civil causes of action.
From the committee substitute text:
AN ACT relating to civil causes of action. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky: SECTION 1. A NEW SECTION OF KRS CHAPTER 411 IS CREATED TO READ AS FOLLOWS: As used in Sections 1 to 5 of this Act, unless the context otherwise requires: (1) "Contracting entity" means the Commonwealth, or any city, county, urbancounty government, consolidated local government, unified local government, or charter county government; (2) "Contractor" means any individual, corporation, limited liability company, partnership, or other legal entity, and any subcontractor, director, officer, or employee of the individual or legal entity that contracts with a contracting entity to furnish labor, materials, equipment, and other incidentals necessary for performance of work on a project; (3) "Dangerous condition" means a condition that is not reasonably safe for the intended use of the roadway and is capable of causing an individual physical injury or death under the anticipated use of the roadway; (4) "Latent defect" means a defect or omission resulting from the work performed or materials provided by the contractor under the contract that was not discoverable, visible, or apparent; (5) "Project" means the construction, repair, or maintenance by a contractor of a section of highway, road, bridge, or street together with all appurtenances, as specified in a contract with a contracting entity; and …
Sponsors
- Craig Richardson (R, SD-003) · primary sponsor
- Donald Douglas (R, SD-022)
- Greg Elkins (R, SD-028)
- Rick Girdler (R, SD-015)
- Stephen Meredith (R, SD-005)
- Gex Williams (R, SD-020)
Latest actions
- : became law without Governor's Signature (Acts Ch. 97)
- : filed without Governor's signature with the Secretary of State
- : delivered to Governor
- : enrolled, signed by Speaker of the House
- : enrolled, signed by President of the Senate
- : passed 29-9
- : Senate concurred in Committee Substitute (1), Floor Amendments (3) and (1) and Floor Amendment (2-title)
- : passed over and retained for concurrence in House Committee Substitute (1), Floor Amendments (1) and (3) and Floor Amendment (2-title)
- : posted for passage for concurrence in House Committee Substitute (1), Floor Amendments (1) and (3) and Floor Amendment (2-title)
- : taken from Rules
Votes
- Senate: FINAL PASSAGE OF SB 195 w/ HCS 1, HFA 1, HFA 3, HFA 2 (T) (HCS 1) RSN# 4075 (March 31, 2026): 29 yea, 9 nay, passed
- House: Pass RCS# 330 (March 26, 2026): 66 yea, 25 nay, passed
- Senate: PASS SB 195 w/ SCS 1 (SCS 1) RSN# 3955 (March 19, 2026): 31 yea, 5 nay, passed
Subjects: Property, Highways, Streets, And Bridges, Consumer Protection, Physicians, Insurance, Civil Actions, Civil Procedure, Rules Of Evidence
Common questions
- What is SB195?
- SB195 is a bill in the Kentucky Legislature (2026 Regular Session): AN ACT relating to participants in the legal system.
- What does SB195 do?
- In its own words: An act relating to civil causes of action.
- What is the status of SB195?
- Chaptered as of April 12, 2026. Latest action: became law without Governor's Signature (Acts Ch. 97) (April 12, 2026).
- Who sponsored SB195?
- Craig Richardson (R, SD-003), with 5 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for SB195?
- On the Kentucky Legislature website: https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/26rs/sb195.html
Source: official Kentucky record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.