Kentucky legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Kentucky SR154: A RESOLUTION honoring University of Kentucky Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart upon his retirement.
Status: Passed both chambers, April 1, 2026
Honor University of Kentucky Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart upon his retirement.
What the bill says
A resolution honoring University of Kentucky Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart upon his retirement.
From the introduced text:
A RESOLUTION honoring University of Kentucky Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart upon his retirement. WHEREAS, Mitch Barnhart, a native of Kansas City, Kansas, earned a bachelor's degree from Ottawa University in Kansas and a master's degree in sports administration from Ohio University; and WHEREAS, after serving as athletic director at Oregon State University from 1998 to 2002, Mitch Barnhart was named the tenth athletic director for the University of Kentucky (UK) in 2002; and WHEREAS, known for his motto of "putting championship rings on fingers and diplomas in hands," Mitch Barnhart has had much success in both areas; and WHEREAS, Mitch Barnhart's legacy at UK includes success in a wide array of sports. All counted, UK has won six NCAA championship rings under Mitch Barnhart, including the men's basketball team in 2012, volleyball in 2020, and rifle in 2011, 2018, 2021, and 2022; and WHEREAS, under Mitch Barnhart's leadership, UK has also totaled 63 regular season and tournament conference championships including first-time titles in baseball, women's tennis, men's golf, and women's swimming and diving; and WHEREAS, Mitch Barnhart announced his intention to retire in June of this year after leading UK athletics for 24 years; and WHEREAS, having the longest term of service among current athletic directors at schools in the Power 4 college athletic conferences, Mitch Barnhart's legacy reaches not …
Sponsors
- Reginald Thomas (D, SD-013) · primary sponsor
- Amanda Mays Bledsoe (R, SD-012)
Latest actions
- : adopted by voice vote
- : to Senate Floor
- : to Committee on Committees (S)
- : introduced in Senate
Subjects: Commendations And Recognitions
Common questions
- What is SR154?
- SR154 is a bill in the Kentucky Legislature (2026 Regular Session): A RESOLUTION honoring University of Kentucky Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart upon his retirement.
- What does SR154 do?
- In its own words: A resolution honoring University of Kentucky Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart upon his retirement.
- What is the status of SR154?
- Passed both chambers as of April 1, 2026. Latest action: adopted by voice vote (April 1, 2026).
- Who sponsored SR154?
- Reginald Thomas (D, SD-013), with 1 co-sponsor.
- Where is the official record for SR154?
- On the Kentucky Legislature website: https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/26rs/sr154.html
Source: official Kentucky record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.