# Kentucky HB 281: AN ACT relating to the donation of food. Kentucky HB 281, AN ACT relating to the donation of food., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Robert Duvall (Republican); status signed, last action 2026-04-03 (signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 30)) (as of 2026-11-01). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-HB281-2026RS - 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 281 - State: Kentucky - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: AN ACT relating to the donation of food. - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2026-01-08 - Last action: 2026-04-03, signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 30) - Sponsor: Robert Duvall (Republican) - Cosponsors: 29 - Subjects: Agriculture, Civil Actions, Claims, Licensing, Public Health, Religion, State Agencies - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 2 (133 yes, 0 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 2 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Easier rules and legal shields for food charities: benefit, low. The law eases donating for food charities. Nonprofit 501(c)(3) groups and qualifying home-based cooks do not need a state food license or certain plumbing rules when they give safe and apparently wholesome food for free to shelters or people displaced by a declared disaster. They are protected from… - Retail donors: no reinspection, still licensed: mixed, low. When a retail food business donates safe and apparently wholesome food that already passed a state inspection, no further inspection is required. But retail businesses and home-based microprocessors do not get the charity licensing or plumbing-code exemption for food made for or donated to shelters… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Robert Duvall (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Aaron Thompson (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Beverly Chester-Burton (Democrat), House - Cosponsor: Chad Aull (Democrat), House - Cosponsor: Chris Freeland (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Deanna Gordon (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Daniel Grossberg (Democrat), House - Cosponsor: David Hale (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Derek Lewis (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Emily Callaway (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Josh Bray (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Josh Calloway (Republican), House - Cosponsor: J.T. Payne (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Kim Banta (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Ken Fleming (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Kim Holloway (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Kevin Jackson (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Kim King (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Kimberly Poore Moser (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Mark Hart (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Nancy Tate (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Patrick Flannery (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Richard White (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Steve Bratcher (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Shawn McPherson (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Scott Sharp (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Sarah Stalker (Democrat), House - Cosponsor: T.J. Roberts (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Vanessa Grossl (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 | | | 2026-01-29 | House | 3rd reading, passed | pass | 95 | 0 | | ## Actions (20) - 2026-04-03: signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 30) - 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: passed over and retained in the Consent Orders of the Day (Senate) - 2026-03-20: posted for passage in the Consent Orders of the Day for Tuesday, March 24 2026 (Senate) - 2026-03-11: 2nd reading, to Rules as a consent bill (Senate) - 2026-03-10: reported favorably, 1st reading, to Consent Calendar (Senate) - 2026-03-06: to Agriculture (S) (Senate) - 2026-01-30: to Committee on Committees (S) (Senate) - 2026-01-30: received in Senate (Senate) - 2026-01-29: 3rd reading, passed 95-0 (House) - 2026-01-27: posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Wednesday, January 28, 2026 (House) - 2026-01-22: 2nd reading, to Rules (House) - 2026-01-21: reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar (House) - 2026-01-15: to Agriculture (H) (House) - 2026-01-08: to Committee on Committees (H) (House) - 2026-01-08: introduced in House (House) ## Bill text - Current, 2026-01-29: [PDF](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/hb281/bill.pdf) - Introduced, 2026-01-29: [PDF](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/hb281/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) - HB 727: AN ACT relating to education 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) ## Sources - [Current (PDF)](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/hb281/bill.pdf) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/hb281/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) - [HB 727: AN ACT relating to education and declaring an emergency.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-HB727-2026RS) - [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) - [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-HB281-2026RS (as of 2026-11-01).