# Kentucky HB 188: AN ACT relating to public safety. Kentucky HB 188, AN ACT relating to public safety., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Kevin Jackson (Republican); status signed, last action 2026-04-03 (signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 28)) (as of 2026-11-01). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-HB188-2026RS - As of: 2026-11-01 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Kentucky HB 188 - State: Kentucky - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: AN ACT relating to public safety. - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2026-01-07 - Last action: 2026-04-03, signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 28) - Sponsor: Kevin Jackson (Republican) - Cosponsors: 10 - Subjects: Corrections Impact, Local Mandate, Corrections And Correctional Facilities, State, Counties, Crime Victims, Crimes And Punishments, Health And Medical Services, Jails And Jailers, Local Government, Mental Health, Occupational Safety And Health - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 2 (135 yes, 0 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 3 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Stronger assault protections for healthcare workers: benefit, low. If you are a health care worker employed by or under contract with a clinic, doctor’s office, dental office, long-term care facility, hospital, or a hospital-owned or affiliate outpatient facility, an attack on you in or on a jail, prison, or detention facility is third-degree assault. This applies… - Peer support for correctional staff: benefit, low. If you serve as a jailer, deputy jailer, or correctional officer at a local detention center, local correctional facility, or regional jail, you can take part in your agency’s peer support counseling program. These sessions carry the program’s confidentiality and privilege protections. - Peer support privacy and coverage changes: mixed, low. Peer support counseling stays confidential, but the law sets three exceptions. Agencies can use or share anonymous data for research, statistics, or education. An employee may report what they saw outside a session. A law officer may share information learned outside peer support. The law also upda… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Kevin Jackson (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Daniel Elliott (Republican), House - Cosponsor: David Hale (Republican), House - Cosponsor: John Hodgson (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Kimberly Poore Moser (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Michael Meredith (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Robert Duvall (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Scott Lewis (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Shawn McPherson (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Steve Riley (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Wade Williams (Republican), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-03-25 | Senate | 3rd reading, passed | pass | 38 | 0 | | | 2026-02-05 | House | 3rd reading, passed | pass | 97 | 0 | | ## Actions (20) - 2026-04-03: signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 28) - 2026-03-26: delivered to Governor - 2026-03-26: enrolled, signed by President of the Senate (House) - 2026-03-26: enrolled, signed by Speaker of the House (House) - 2026-03-26: received in House (House) - 2026-03-25: 3rd reading, passed 38-0 (Senate) - 2026-03-24: posted for passage in the Consent Orders of the Day for Wednesday, March 25 2026 (Senate) - 2026-03-20: 2nd reading, to Rules as a consent bill (Senate) - 2026-03-19: reported favorably, 1st reading, to Consent Calendar (Senate) - 2026-03-16: to Judiciary (S) (Senate) - 2026-02-06: to Committee on Committees (S) (Senate) - 2026-02-06: received in Senate (Senate) - 2026-02-05: 3rd reading, passed 97-0 with Floor Amendment (1) (House) - 2026-02-04: posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Thursday, February 05 2026 (House) - 2026-02-03: floor amendment (1) filed (House) - 2026-01-29: 2nd reading, to Rules (House) - 2026-01-28: reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar (House) - 2026-01-14: to Judiciary (H) (House) - 2026-01-07: to Committee on Committees (H) (House) - 2026-01-07: introduced in House (House) ## Bill text - Current, 2026-02-05: [PDF](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/hb188/bill.pdf) - Introduced, 2026-02-05: [PDF](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/hb188/orig_bill.pdf) ## Related bills - SB 197: AN ACT providing funding and establishing conditions for state government agencies and institutions, making an appropriation therefor, and declaring an emergen… (became law) - SB 133: AN ACT relating to the fiscal reporting of local entities. (signed) - HB 869: AN ACT relating to fiscal matters and declaring an emergency. (signed) - SB 324: AN ACT relating to the entertainment industry. (signed) - SB 66: AN ACT relating to the operation of a motor vehicle. (signed) - HB 826: AN ACT relating to education. (signed) ## Sources - [Current (PDF)](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/hb188/bill.pdf) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/hb188/orig_bill.pdf) ## Related - [SB 197: AN ACT providing funding and establishing conditions for state government agenc…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-SB197-2026RS) - [SB 133: AN ACT relating to the fiscal reporting of local entities.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-SB133-2026RS) - [HB 869: AN ACT relating to fiscal matters and declaring an emergency.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-HB869-2026RS) - [SB 324: AN ACT relating to the entertainment industry.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-SB324-2026RS) - [SB 66: AN ACT relating to the operation of a motor vehicle.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-SB66-2026RS) - [HB 826: AN ACT relating to education.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-HB826-2026RS) - [Kentucky bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/kentucky/bills) - [Kentucky state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/kentucky) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-HB188-2026RS (as of 2026-11-01).