# Kentucky HB 762: AN ACT relating to the criminal justice system. Kentucky HB 762, AN ACT relating to the criminal justice system., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Stephanie Dietz (Republican); status signed, last action 2026-04-13 (signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 136)); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-11-01). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-HB762-2026RS - 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 762 - State: Kentucky - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: AN ACT relating to the criminal justice system. - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2026-02-26 - Last action: 2026-04-13, signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 136) - Sponsor: Stephanie Dietz (Republican) - Cosponsors: 2 - Subjects: Attorneys, Courts, Mental Health, Public Advocate, Reports Mandated, State Agencies - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 3 (214 yes, 0 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 11 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - More legal help for low-income people and minors: benefit, high. Needy people get a lawyer and needed services when detained, charged, or convicted of a serious crime. Courts must waive all costs for that representation. Minors in juvenile custody can get a lawyer for confinement-related claims, and department lawyers can review their court and facility records.… - Higher pay floor for public defenders by 2026: benefit, high. The state creates a new pay class for department attorneys. Entry pay is at least $67,500 a year by September 16, 2026. When moved into the new class, current staff get a 10% raise or at least $67,500, whichever is higher. - New state public defender and disability office: benefit, high. The law creates the Department of Public Advocacy as an independent state agency. It provides lawyers for people accused of serious crimes. It also protects the rights of people with disabilities as defined by federal law. The agency is attached to the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet for administ… - Probation time limits and fewer fees: benefit, medium. Probation or conditional discharge cannot last more than five years for a felony or two years for a misdemeanor, unless more time is needed to finish restitution. The court cannot make non‑incarcerated people pay jail costs or many other costs as a condition of probation, but it can order restituti… - Public defender office can raise and keep funds: benefit, medium. The department can seek public and private grants, donations, and awards. These funds go into a special account that does not lapse. The money supports indigent defense and disability‑rights work. - No outside fees in public defender cases: benefit, medium. Attorneys who take department cases cannot accept other fees for that work. Small, unsolicited gifts after the case ends are allowed. Taking prohibited fees is a Class D felony. These rules protect clients from being charged extra. - Appeal rights and steps are clearer: benefit, low. If you ask your lawyer to appeal, the lawyer must file the notice of appeal. Trial lawyers must send key appeal documents to the Appeals Branch. A lawyer who thinks an appeal is wholly frivolous may ask to withdraw but must file a brief and give you time to respond. A judgment that includes probati… - When the public defender will not represent you: cost, medium. The public defender only represents people in the exact situations listed in this law. For contempt cases, it covers you only if the contempt came from a criminal case or a public or status offense. If your situation is outside those limits, the department does not have to represent you. - What public defender clients may have to pay: cost, medium. At arraignment, the court must decide if you can pay a partial fee and set the amount, as a lump sum or in payments. If you do not pay on time, the order becomes a civil judgment, and the state can collect it like other debts. The public advocate can sue you or your estate to recover costs within f… - Training on addiction for sentencing workers: cost, low. Alternative sentencing workers must complete at least 12 hours of training on substance use disorder. They must also follow KRS 222.429. This takes work time and may add small training costs. - How the public defender office is run: mixed, low. The Governor appoints the public advocate from a commission list; the advocate serves a four‑year term. The deputy and general counsel are appointed by the public advocate and serve at the advocate’s pleasure. Assistant public advocates and office staff are merit‑system employees. The department ma… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Stephanie Dietz (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Beverly Chester-Burton (Democrat), House - Cosponsor: Jason Petrie (Republican), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-04-01 | House | passed | pass | 86 | 0 | | | 2026-03-31 | Senate | 3rd reading, passed | pass | 37 | 0 | | | 2026-03-06 | House | 3rd reading, passed | pass | 91 | 0 | | ## Actions (25) - 2026-04-13: signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 136) - 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 86-0 (House) - 2026-04-01: House concurred in Committee Substitute (1), Floor Amendment (1) and Floor Amendment (2-title) (House) - 2026-03-31: posted for passage for concurrence in Senate Committee Substitute (1), Floor Amendment (1) and Floor Amendment (2-title) (Senate) - 2026-03-31: to Rules (H) (House) - 2026-03-31: received in House (House) - 2026-03-31: 3rd reading, passed 37-0 with Committee Substitute (1), Floor Amendment (1) and Floor Amendment (2-title) (Senate) - 2026-03-31: posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Tuesday, March 31 2026 (Senate) - 2026-03-27: 2nd reading, to Rules (Senate) - 2026-03-26: floor amendment (1) filed to Committee Substitute , floor amendment (2-title) filed to bill (Senate) - 2026-03-26: reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar with Committee Substitute (1) (Senate) - 2026-03-24: to Judiciary (S) (Senate) - 2026-03-09: to Committee on Committees (S) (Senate) - 2026-03-09: received in Senate (Senate) - 2026-03-06: 3rd reading, passed 91-0 with Floor Amendment (1) (House) - 2026-03-05: posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Friday, March 06 2026 (House) - 2026-03-05: 2nd reading, to Rules (House) - 2026-03-04: floor amendment (1) filed (House) - 2026-03-04: reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar (House) - 2026-03-02: to Judiciary (H) (House) - 2026-02-26: to Committee on Committees (H) (House) - 2026-02-26: introduced in House (House) ## Bill text - Current, 2026-04-01: [PDF](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/hb762/bill.pdf) - Introduced, 2026-03-06: [PDF](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/hb762/orig_bill.pdf) ## Related bills - HB 869: AN ACT relating to fiscal matters and declaring an emergency. (signed) - 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 826: AN ACT relating to education. (signed) - HB 727: AN ACT relating to education and declaring an emergency. (signed) - SB 324: AN ACT relating to the entertainment industry. (signed) ## Sources - [Current (PDF)](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/hb762/bill.pdf) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/hb762/orig_bill.pdf) ## Related - [HB 869: AN ACT relating to fiscal matters and declaring an emergency.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-HB869-2026RS) - [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 826: AN ACT relating to education.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-HB826-2026RS) - [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) - [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-HB762-2026RS (as of 2026-11-01).