# Kentucky HB 506: AN ACT relating to the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. Kentucky HB 506, AN ACT relating to the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by David Hale (Republican); status became law, last action 2026-04-14 (became law without Governor's Signature (Acts Ch. 148)); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-11-01). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-HB506-2026RS - 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 506 - State: Kentucky - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: AN ACT relating to the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. - Status: became law - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2026-01-28 - Last action: 2026-04-14, became law without Governor's Signature (Acts Ch. 148) - Sponsor: David Hale (Republican) - Cosponsors: 7 - Subjects: Administrative Regulations And Proceedings, Boats And Boating, Communications, Crimes And Punishments, Fees, Fish And Wildlife, Hunting And Fishing, Peace Officers And Law Enforcement, Public Officers And Employees, State Agencies, State Employees, Waterways And Dams - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 2 (131 yes, 0 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 4 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Better pay and protections for officers: benefit, medium. Game wardens named in state law receive the same annual training stipend as police under KRS 15.420. The commissioner must set pay for sworn officers that is competitive with other Kentucky law enforcement and supports hiring and retention. The Personnel Cabinet must carry out these changes and ens… - Minimum $25,000 for hunger relief: benefit, low. Each fiscal year, the department sets aside at least $25,000 from the game and fish fund for hunger relief tied to wildlife management. The set-aside is completed by August 1 each year. By October 1, the department reports how it spent the money to the Governor and the Legislative Research Commissi… - Optional $2 add-on at license purchase: mixed, low. When you buy a license under state fish and wildlife law, you can choose to add $2. The $2 is added at checkout and goes to a special account for the Becoming an Outdoors-Woman program and other hunter and angler recruitment and retention programs. - Tighter limits on Game and Fish Fund: mixed, low. The game and fish fund can only pay for wildlife protection and the chapter’s purposes. It cannot be used for other things, including the prior allowance to pay the annual supplement in KRS 15.460(1)(e). This tightens how the department spends these dollars. ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: David Hale (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Bill Wesley (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Chris Fugate (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Daniel Fister (Republican), House - Cosponsor: John Blanton (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Kevin Jackson (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Mark Hart (Republican), House - Cosponsor: William Lawrence (Republican), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-03-31 | Senate | 3rd reading, passed | pass | 38 | 0 | | | 2026-03-12 | House | 3rd reading, passed | pass | 93 | 0 | | ## Actions (23) - 2026-04-14: became law without Governor's Signature (Acts Ch. 148) - 2026-04-13: filed without Governor's signature with the Secretary of State - 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) - 2026-03-31: received in House (House) - 2026-03-31: 3rd reading, passed 38-0 (Senate) - 2026-03-31: posted for passage in the Consent Orders of the Day for Tuesday, March 31 2026 (Senate) - 2026-03-26: 2nd reading, to Rules as a consent bill (Senate) - 2026-03-25: reported favorably, 1st reading, to Consent Calendar (Senate) - 2026-03-18: to Natural Resources & Energy (S) (Senate) - 2026-03-13: to Committee on Committees (S) (Senate) - 2026-03-13: received in Senate (Senate) - 2026-03-12: 3rd reading, passed 93-0 with Committee Substitute (2) (House) - 2026-03-12: placed in the Orders of the Day (House) - 2026-03-12: taken from Rules (House) - 2026-03-12: reported favorably, to Rules with Committee Substitute (2) (House) - 2026-03-04: recommitted to Tourism & Outdoor Recreation (H) (House) - 2026-02-27: 2nd reading, to Rules (House) - 2026-02-26: reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar with Committee Substitute (1) (House) - 2026-02-04: to Tourism & Outdoor Recreation (H) (House) - 2026-01-28: to Committee on Committees (H) (House) - 2026-01-28: introduced in House (House) ## Bill text - Current, 2026-03-12: [PDF](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/hb506/bill.pdf) - Introduced, 2026-01-29: [PDF](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/hb506/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/hb506/bill.pdf) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/hb506/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-HB506-2026RS (as of 2026-11-01).