# Kentucky HB 398: AN ACT relating to occupational safety and health. Kentucky HB 398, AN ACT relating to occupational safety and health., is a 2025 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Walker Thomas (Republican); status became law, last action 2025-03-27 (delivered to Secretary of State (Acts Ch. 105)) (as of 2026-10-19). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-HB398-2025RS - As of: 2026-10-19 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Kentucky HB 398 - State: Kentucky - Session: 2025 Regular Session - Title: AN ACT relating to occupational safety and health. - Status: became law - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2025-02-06 - Last action: 2025-03-27, delivered to Secretary of State (Acts Ch. 105) - Sponsor: Walker Thomas (Republican) - Cosponsors: 3 - Subjects: Federal Laws and Regulations, Labor and Industry, Occupational Safety and Health, Personnel and Employment, Safety, Administrative Regulations and Proceedings, Workforce - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 4 (197 yes, 73 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 5 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Workers can request and join safety inspections: benefit, medium. Workers or their representatives can request inspections for violations threatening physical harm or for imminent danger. Requests must be written and signed, explain the grounds, and include the alleged violation date. Employers receive a copy by inspection time; workers can ask in writing to leav… - Workers face tight safety retaliation deadlines: mixed, medium. Workers alleging firing or discrimination for exercising workplace safety rights must complain to the commissioner within 30 days. If the commissioner finds a violation, a citation must be issued within six months of the violation. The review commission can order rehiring or reinstatement with back… - Kentucky limits state workplace safety rules: mixed, medium. Kentucky cannot adopt or enforce workplace safety rules without a federal counterpart or rules stricter than corresponding federal standards. This limits state-only requirements for employers and the state's power to require stronger worker protections. The state cabinet keeps its power to set and… - Employers get limits on safety citations: mixed, low. Safety citations must explain the alleged violation, identify the rule, set a reasonable correction date, and state any proposed fine. Citations and notices of minor violations must be issued promptly after inspection, within six months of the alleged violation. A citation cannot count as repeated… - Safety appeals pause orders, allow legal reimbursement: mixed, low. Starting court review automatically pauses the safety review commission's order while the case is pending. Review started by an employer, worker, or worker representative also pauses the time allowed to correct a cited violation. Appeals to Franklin Circuit Court must start within 30 days and use t… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Walker Thomas (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Josh Calloway (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Jason Nemes (Republican), House - Cosponsor: William Lawrence (Republican), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-03-27 | House | passed | pass | 78 | 22 | | | 2025-03-27 | Senate | passed | pass | 29 | 9 | | | 2025-03-13 | Senate | 3rd reading, passed | pass | 28 | 9 | | | 2025-02-26 | House | passed | pass | 62 | 33 | | ## Actions (47) - 2025-03-27: delivered to Secretary of State (Acts Ch. 105) - 2025-03-27: enrolled, signed by President of the Senate (House) - 2025-03-27: enrolled, signed by Speaker of the House (House) - 2025-03-27: received in House (House) - 2025-03-27: passed 29-9 (Senate) - 2025-03-27: veto overridden (Senate) - 2025-03-27: posted for passage for consideration of Governor's veto - 2025-03-27: to Rules (S) (Senate) - 2025-03-27: received in Senate (Senate) - 2025-03-27: passed 78-22 (House) - 2025-03-27: veto overridden (House) - 2025-03-27: posted for consideration of Governor's veto - 2025-03-27: taken from Rules (House) - 2025-03-27: to Rules (H) (House) - 2025-03-27: received in House (House) - 2025-03-24: Vetoed - 2025-03-13: delivered to Governor - 2025-03-13: enrolled, signed by President of the Senate (Senate) - 2025-03-13: enrolled, signed by Speaker of the House (Senate) - 2025-03-13: passed 70-20 (Senate) - 2025-03-13: House concurred in Senate Committee Substitute (1) (Senate) - 2025-03-13: posted for passage for concurrence in Senate Committee Substitute (1) (Senate) - 2025-03-13: to Rules (H) (House) - 2025-03-13: received in House (House) - 2025-03-13: 3rd reading, passed 28-9 with Committee Substitute (1) (Senate) - 2025-03-13: posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Thursday, March 13, 2025 (Senate) - 2025-03-13: reported favorably, to Rules with Committee Substitute (1) (Senate) - 2025-03-11: returned to Licensing & Occupations (S) (Senate) - 2025-03-11: 2nd reading (Senate) - 2025-03-11: taken from Licensing & Occupations (S) (Senate) - 2025-03-07: returned to Licensing & Occupations (S) (Senate) - 2025-03-07: 1st reading (Senate) - 2025-03-07: taken from Licensing & Occupations (S) (Senate) - 2025-03-04: to Licensing & Occupations (S) (Senate) - 2025-02-27: to Committee on Committees (S) (Senate) - 2025-02-27: received in Senate (Senate) - 2025-02-26: passed 62-33 with Committee Substitute (1) and Floor Amendment (1) (House) - 2025-02-26: floor amendment defeated Floor Amendments (2) and (3) (House) - 2025-02-26: 3rd reading (House) - 2025-02-25: floor amendments (2), (3) and (4) filed to Committee Substitute , floor amendment (5) filed to bill (House) - 2025-02-21: posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Tuesday, February 25, 2025 (House) - 2025-02-21: floor amendment (1) filed to Committee Substitute (House) - 2025-02-21: 2nd reading, to Rules (House) - 2025-02-20: reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar with Committee Substitute (1) (House) - 2025-02-12: to Economic Development & Workforce Investment (H) (House) - 2025-02-06: to Committee on Committees (H) (House) - 2025-02-06: introduced in House (House) ## Bill text - Current, 2025-03-27: [PDF](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/25RS/hb398/bill.pdf) - Introduced, 2025-02-05: [PDF](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/25RS/hb398/orig_bill.pdf) ## Related bills - HB 501: AN ACT relating to pharmaceutical drugs. (became law) - HB 664: AN ACT relating to the operation of a motor vehicle and declaring an emergency. (signed) - HB 606: AN ACT relating to economic development. (signed) - HB 421: AN ACT relating to colorectal cancer screenings. (signed) - HB 555: AN ACT relating to local government financial practices. (signed) - HB 493: AN ACT relating to the towing and storage of motor vehicles. (signed) ## Sources - [Current (PDF)](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/25RS/hb398/bill.pdf) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/25RS/hb398/orig_bill.pdf) ## Related - [HB 501: AN ACT relating to pharmaceutical drugs.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-HB501-2025RS) - [HB 664: AN ACT relating to the operation of a motor vehicle and declaring an emergency.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-HB664-2025RS) - [HB 606: AN ACT relating to economic development.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-HB606-2025RS) - [HB 421: AN ACT relating to colorectal cancer screenings.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-HB421-2025RS) - [HB 555: AN ACT relating to local government financial practices.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-HB555-2025RS) - [HB 493: AN ACT relating to the towing and storage of motor vehicles.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-HB493-2025RS) - [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-HB398-2025RS (as of 2026-10-19).