# Kentucky HB 501: AN ACT relating to appropriations providing financing and conditions for the operations, maintenance, support, and functioning of the Transportation Cabinet of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Kentucky HB 501, AN ACT relating to appropriations providing financing and conditions for the operations, maintenance, support, and functioning of the Transportation Cabinet of the Commonwealth of Kentucky., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Jason Petrie (Republican); status became law, last action 2026-04-14 (delivered to Secretary of State (Acts Ch. 167)) (as of 2026-11-01). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-HB501-2026RS - 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 501 - State: Kentucky - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: AN ACT relating to appropriations providing financing and conditions for the operations, maintenance, support, and functioning of the Transportation Cabinet of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. - Status: became law - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2026-01-27 - Last action: 2026-04-14, delivered to Secretary of State (Acts Ch. 167) - Sponsor: Jason Petrie (Republican) - Cosponsors: 3 - Subjects: Appropriations, Budget And Financial Administration, Capital Construction, Governor, Highways, Streets, And Bridges, State Agencies, Transportation - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 5 (321 yes, 43 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 19 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Long-serving county executives get expense allowance: benefit, high. Eligible county judges/executive receive a $3,000 yearly expense allowance. They must have served in that role before November 2022. Officials first elected in November 2022 or later do not qualify. Officials serving in counties with consolidated local governments also do not qualify. - Funding for Kentucky highway construction: benefit, high. The law funds state highway projects and state matches with $416.6121 million in 2026–27 and $503.2889 million in 2027–28. Federal construction gets about $1.176 billion and $1.243 billion in those years, respectively. Each year, highway planning gets $835,500 from the Road Fund and $6.2195 million… - More licensing offices and free vision tests: benefit, medium. The law funds three additional driver licensing offices in Barren, Bullitt, and Oldham Counties. Support totals $5.0356 million in 2025–26, $16.0797 million in 2026–27, and $15.6639 million in 2027–28. Participating public libraries can provide driver’s license renewal vision tests at no cost to th… - Funding for city roads and local bridges: benefit, medium. Municipal Road Aid gets $54.2792 million from the Road Fund in 2026–27 and $57.3515 million in 2027–28. It also gets $13 million from the General Fund in 2027–28, with aid distributed under state law. The Local Assistance Road Program gets $70.1894 million and $20 million in those years, respective… - Funding for county and rural roads: benefit, medium. County Road Aid gets $129.0013 million from the Road Fund in 2026–27 and $136.303 million in 2027–28. It also gets $13 million from the General Fund in 2027–28. Rural Secondary roads get $156.4934 million and $165.3512 million in those years, respectively. Both programs follow their state-law distr… - Funding for road upkeep and snow removal: benefit, medium. Highway maintenance gets $459.0129 million in 2026–27 and $474.0129 million in 2027–28. Those totals include $23.6054 million and $38.6054 million, respectively, for added maintenance and snow and ice removal. Road Maintenance Parks also get $1.5 million from the Road Fund each year. The funding ru… - Cabinet drivers get medical exam reimbursement: benefit, low. Cabinet employees can get required physical exam costs reimbursed when their jobs require a valid commercial driver’s license. Reimbursement covers the contractually agreed cost; the law does not state a dollar amount. Employees can choose their medical provider. They must submit itemized receipts… - Maintenance contracts support probation and parole jobs: benefit, low. The law provides $1 million yearly in 2026–27 and 2027–28 for highway maintenance contracts employing people on probation or parole. Contractors must be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit or another entity employing that group. Crews perform work such as litter cleanup, graffiti removal, and vegetation control.… - Cabinets can accept highway litter donations: benefit, low. The Transportation Cabinet and Energy and Environment Cabinet can seek and accept help for Adopt-a-Highway or other statewide litter programs. Contributions can include money, property, labor, and other support. They are restricted funds for a public purpose and exempt from the cited state executiv… - Highway emergency funding with designated set-asides: benefit, low. The Highway Construction Contingency Account gets $11.89 million in each year, 2026–27 and 2027–28. The Secretary's project spending is limited to emergencies or work that fixes hazardous conditions. The account also contains amounts set aside for named purposes, including $5 million yearly for the… - Transportation funding for nonpublic school families: benefit, low. Nonpublic school transportation gets $4.8 million in 2026–27 and $4.65 million in 2027–28. The money supports transportation services for students attending nonpublic schools through June 30, 2028. The law does not set a payment amount for individual families. - Funding for riverports and truck parking: benefit, low. The Riverport Financial Assistance Trust Fund gets $500,000 in each year, 2026–27 and 2027–28. The law also provides $5 million in federal funds in 2026–27 to increase highway truck parking capacity. These funds support riverport assistance and parking for truck drivers and freight operators, not h… - Highway builders get more project options: benefit, low. The Cabinet can use design-build contracting, which combines design and construction, for any project in the Biennial Highway Construction Plan. It must report project status and costs annually, by November 1. The Cabinet cannot restrict recycled asphalt mixtures that meet established performance s… - Highway funds carry forward with priorities: benefit, low. Specified unspent General Fund and Road Fund money carries forward for highway construction, maintenance, and research. Federal and restricted money also carries forward for those programs and equipment services. Those balances are limited by ending cash, unissued highway and GARVEE bonds including… - Cabinet employees face remote work limits: cost, low. Transportation Cabinet employees cannot telecommute unless the Secretary specifically grants them an exemption. Beginning August 1, 2026, the Cabinet must report exemptions to the Legislative Research Commission every three months. - Brent Spence financing includes debt payments: mixed, medium. The law reauthorizes $150 million in GARVEE bond funds for the Brent Spence Bridge Project. Annual debt payments use $15.4264 million in federal funds and $3.856 million from the Road Fund. Those payments are funded in both 2026–27 and 2027–28. - River crossing financing includes debt payments: mixed, medium. The law reauthorizes $150 million in GARVEE bond funds for the I-69 Ohio River Crossing. Debt payments use $7.7132 million in federal funds and $1.9283 million from the Road Fund in 2026–27. In 2027–28, payments use $15.4264 million in federal funds and $3.8566 million from the Road Fund. The proje… - Local road grants require matching money: mixed, low. A $24 million pool in 2026–27 funds city or county road improvements, new routes, sidewalks, multimodal projects, and resurfacing. Applications must identify the project and estimated cost; grants generally cap county and eligible county-seat city awards at $100,000 each. Counties with consolidated… - Rail grants require outside matching money: mixed, low. Railroad safety and service improvements get $1.6 million in each year, 2026–27 and 2027–28. Each project must obtain nonstate money covering at least 20% of its total cost. Up to $350,000 of each year's appropriation can establish and run the Kentucky Rail Office within the Transportation Cabinet.… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Jason Petrie (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Adam Bowling (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Josh Bray (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Ken Upchurch (Republican), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-04-14 | House | passed | pass | 81 | 17 | | | 2026-04-14 | Senate | passed | pass | 32 | 6 | | | 2026-04-01 | House | passed | pass | 80 | 11 | | | 2026-04-01 | Senate | 3rd reading, passed | pass | 38 | 0 | | | 2026-03-10 | House | 3rd reading, passed | pass | 90 | 9 | | ## Actions (49) - 2026-04-14: delivered to Secretary of State (Acts Ch. 167) - 2026-04-14: enrolled, signed by President of the Senate (House) - 2026-04-14: enrolled, signed by Speaker of the House (House) - 2026-04-14: received in House (House) - 2026-04-14: passed 32-6 (Senate) - 2026-04-14: vetoes overridden (Senate) - 2026-04-14: posted for consideration of Governor's line vetoes - 2026-04-14: to Rules (S) (Senate) - 2026-04-14: received in Senate (Senate) - 2026-04-14: passed 81-17 (House) - 2026-04-14: vetoes overridden (House) - 2026-04-14: posted for consideration of Governor's line vetoes - 2026-04-14: taken from Rules (House) - 2026-04-14: received in House (House) - 2026-04-14: to Rules (H) (House) - 2026-04-13: line items vetoed - 2026-04-01: delivered to Governor - 2026-04-01: enrolled, signed by President of the Senate (House) - 2026-04-01: enrolled, signed by Speaker of the House (House) - 2026-04-01: passed 80-11 (House) - 2026-04-01: House concurred in Committee Substitute (1) (House) - 2026-04-01: posted for passage for concurrence in Senate Committee Substitute (1) (Senate) - 2026-04-01: to Rules (H) (House) - 2026-04-01: received in House (House) - 2026-04-01: 3rd reading, passed 38-0 with Committee Substitute (1) (Senate) - 2026-04-01: posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Wednesday, April 01 2026 (Senate) - 2026-04-01: reported favorably, to Rules with Committee Substitute (1) (Senate) - 2026-03-24: returned to Transportation (S) (Senate) - 2026-03-24: 2nd reading (Senate) - 2026-03-24: taken from Transportation (S) (Senate) - 2026-03-20: returned to Transportation (S) (Senate) - 2026-03-20: 1st reading (Senate) - 2026-03-20: taken from Transportation (S) (Senate) - 2026-03-13: to Transportation (S) (Senate) - 2026-03-11: to Committee on Committees (S) (Senate) - 2026-03-11: received in Senate (Senate) - 2026-03-10: 3rd reading, passed 90-9 with Committee Substitute (1) (House) - 2026-03-10: placed in the Orders of the Day (House) - 2026-03-10: taken from Rules (House) - 2026-03-10: reported favorably, to Rules with Committee Substitute (1) (House) - 2026-02-25: returned to Appropriations & Revenue (H) (House) - 2026-02-25: 2nd reading (House) - 2026-02-25: taken from Appropriations & Revenue (H) (House) - 2026-02-24: returned to Appropriations & Revenue (H) (House) - 2026-02-24: 1st reading (House) - 2026-02-24: taken from Appropriations & Revenue (H) (House) - 2026-02-03: to Appropriations & Revenue (H) (House) - 2026-01-27: to Committee on Committees (H) (House) - 2026-01-27: introduced in House (House) ## Bill text - Current, 2026-04-14: [PDF](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/hb501/bill.pdf) - Introduced, 2026-01-21: [PDF](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/hb501/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/hb501/bill.pdf) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/hb501/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-HB501-2026RS (as of 2026-11-01).