# Kentucky HB 619: AN ACT relating to public postsecondary education. Kentucky HB 619, AN ACT relating to public postsecondary education., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Josh Bray (Republican); status became law, last action 2026-04-14 (delivered to Secretary of State (Acts Ch. 164)) (as of 2026-11-01). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-HB619-2026RS - 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 619 - State: Kentucky - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: AN ACT relating to public postsecondary education. - Status: became law - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2026-02-11 - Last action: 2026-04-14, delivered to Secretary of State (Acts Ch. 164) - Sponsor: Josh Bray (Republican) - Cosponsors: 1 - Subjects: Boards And Commissions, Education, Higher, General Assembly, Reports Mandated - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 5 (326 yes, 22 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 12 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - More training paths for college students: benefit, low. Community college students can pursue certificates and diplomas that do not lead to an associate degree. The system must develop each program, and its board must review it. By August 1, 2026, the system president must name a workforce liaison. The liaison works with employers and state economic and… - Public pilot schools gain funding eligibility: benefit, low. Certified public college pilot schools qualify as aviation programs under Kentucky's aerospace, aviation, and defense investment fund rules. Schools must be regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration under 14 C.F.R. part 61. This expands eligible programs but does not guarantee an award or se… - Stronger financial checks for community colleges: benefit, low. The community college system president must hire a chief financial officer by August 1, 2026. The officer oversees system operating and building budgets and reports to the president and board at least quarterly. Reports cover revenue, spending, fund balances, cash-flow forecasts, and major financia… - Students lose statutory college insurance program: cost, medium. The law repeals the student medical and accident insurance program established by state law. Students who relied on that program lose access to it under the repealed section. The law does not identify replacement coverage, premiums, or how many students are affected. - College workers lose statutory workplace processes: cost, low. Community college employees covered by the former statutory personnel dispute system lose access to that process. The law does not describe a replacement. The system also no longer must deduct authorized employee membership-group dues or send those groups quarterly employee lists. The repealed dedu… - Some students lose statutory credit routes: cost, low. The law removes a requirement to award full or partial degree credit to graduates of qualifying community college programs. That rule covered programs that became accredited degree programs within the preceding three years, using institution criteria approved by the board. The law also repeals the… - Community college decisions move to system leaders: cost, low. The law replaces local community college boards with chancellors who manage daily operations, prepare budget requests, and carry out approved budgets. College plans must match the state's higher education agenda and receive the system president's approval. The president manages system operations an… - New board rules for community colleges: cost, low. Beginning October 1, 2026, Kentucky's community and technical college system has a separate 17-member board. The Governor appoints 14 members, subject to Senate confirmation; faculty, nonteaching staff, and students elect one member each. Six appointees come from specified organizations' three-name… - Pike County loses college service designation: cost, low. The law removes the rule naming Pike County as part of Prestonsburg Community College's service area. It does not state what boundaries or access arrangements replace that designation. The repeal does not itself establish a change in individual student eligibility. - University boards lose racial representation rule: cost, low. The law removes the rule requiring listed university boards to reflect at least Kentucky's minority racial population share. It also limits each board to two appointed members from the same county. These changes affect board appointments, not student admission or financial aid eligibility. - State-funded college growth needs more approvals: cost, low. New accredited community college programs needing dedicated state General Fund money beyond regular funding require system board review and approval. Proposals must show mission fit, student and employer demand, use of existing resources, and a five-year budget forecast. Approved proposals go to th… - College board safeguards and eligibility limits: mixed, low. Beginning October 1, 2026, appointed community college board members face new residency, conflict-of-interest, and attendance rules. No county can have more than one appointee; each Kentucky Supreme Court district must have one to three. District residency is measured at appointment; a move that br… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Josh Bray (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Jason Petrie (Republican), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-04-14 | House | passed | pass | 80 | 15 | | | 2026-04-14 | Senate | passed | pass | 32 | 6 | | | 2026-04-01 | House | passed | pass | 83 | 0 | | | 2026-04-01 | Senate | passed | pass | 38 | 0 | | | 2026-03-11 | House | 3rd reading, passed | pass | 93 | 1 | | ## Actions (68) - 2026-04-14: delivered to Secretary of State (Acts Ch. 164) - 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: veto overridden (Senate) - 2026-04-14: posted for consideration of Governor's veto - 2026-04-14: to Rules (S) (Senate) - 2026-04-14: received in Senate (Senate) - 2026-04-14: passed 80-15 (House) - 2026-04-14: veto overridden (House) - 2026-04-14: posted for consideration of Governor's veto - 2026-04-14: taken from Rules (House) - 2026-04-14: to Rules (H) (House) - 2026-04-14: received in House (House) - 2026-04-13: 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 83-0 (House) - 2026-04-01: Free Conference Committee report adopted in House (House) - 2026-04-01: posted for passage for consideration of Free Conference Committee Report (House) - 2026-04-01: taken from Rules (House) - 2026-04-01: to Rules (H) (House) - 2026-04-01: received in House (House) - 2026-04-01: passed 37-0 (Senate) - 2026-04-01: Free Conference Committee report adopted in Senate (Senate) - 2026-04-01: posted for passage for consideration of Free Conference Committee Report (House) - 2026-04-01: Free Conference Committee report filed in House and Senate (House) - 2026-04-01: Free Conference Committee appointed in House and Senate (House) - 2026-04-01: Conference Committee report adopted in House and Senate (House) - 2026-04-01: Conference Committee report (1) filed in House and Senate (House) - 2026-04-01: Conference Committee appointed in House and Senate (House) - 2026-04-01: Senate refused to recede from Committee Substitute (1) (Senate) - 2026-04-01: posted for passage for receding from Senate Committee Substitute (1) (Senate) - 2026-04-01: taken from Rules (Senate) - 2026-04-01: to Rules (S) (Senate) - 2026-04-01: received in Senate (Senate) - 2026-04-01: House refused to concur in Senate Committee Substitute (1) (Senate) - 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: passed 38-0 with Committee Substitute (1) (Senate) - 2026-04-01: Floor Amendment (1) withdrawn (Senate) - 2026-04-01: 3rd reading (Senate) - 2026-03-31: floor amendment (1) filed to Committee Substitute (Senate) - 2026-03-31: passed over and retained in the Orders of the Day (Senate) - 2026-03-31: posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Tuesday, March 31 2026 (Senate) - 2026-03-27: posted for passage in the Consent Orders of the Day for Tuesday, March 31 2026 (Senate) - 2026-03-27: 2nd reading, to Rules as a consent bill (Senate) - 2026-03-26: reported favorably, 1st reading, to Consent Calendar with Committee Substitute (1) (Senate) - 2026-03-24: to Education (S) (Senate) - 2026-03-12: to Committee on Committees (S) (Senate) - 2026-03-12: received in Senate (Senate) - 2026-03-11: 3rd reading, passed 93-1 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) - 2026-03-02: returned to Appropriations & Revenue (H) (House) - 2026-03-02: 2nd reading (House) - 2026-03-02: taken from Appropriations & Revenue (H) (House) - 2026-02-27: returned to Appropriations & Revenue (H) (House) - 2026-02-27: 1st reading (House) - 2026-02-27: taken from Appropriations & Revenue (H) (House) - 2026-02-23: reassigned to Appropriations & Revenue (H) (House) - 2026-02-19: to Postsecondary Education (H) (House) - 2026-02-11: to Committee on Committees (H) (House) - 2026-02-11: introduced in House (House) ## Bill text - Current, 2026-04-14: [PDF](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/hb619/bill.pdf) - Introduced, 2026-02-09: [PDF](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/hb619/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/hb619/bill.pdf) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/hb619/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-HB619-2026RS (as of 2026-11-01).