# Kentucky SB 136: AN ACT relating to transportation and declaring an emergency. Kentucky SB 136, AN ACT relating to transportation and declaring an emergency., is a 2025 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Jimmy Higdon (Republican); status became law, last action 2025-03-27 (became law without Governor's Signature (Acts Ch. 95)); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-17). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-SB136-2025RS - As of: 2026-10-17 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Kentucky SB 136 - State: Kentucky - Session: 2025 Regular Session - Title: AN ACT relating to transportation and declaring an emergency. - Status: became law - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2025-02-12 - Last action: 2025-03-27, became law without Governor's Signature (Acts Ch. 95) - Sponsor: Jimmy Higdon (Republican) - Cosponsors: 2 - Subjects: Fiscal Note, County Clerks, Effective Dates, Delayed, Liens, Motor Vehicles, Boats and Boating, Technology - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 3 (162 yes, 1 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 13 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Boat owners gain another title option: benefit, low. A county clerk can accept an ownership affidavit for a motorboat title application. The boat's registration must show that no title has been issued. The clerk is allowed, but not required, to accept the affidavit. - Electronic filings simplify vehicle lien records: benefit, low. Vehicle liens and lien releases can be sent through Kentucky's electronic title system. Qualifying electronic signatures on title lien statements must be accepted without notarization. The Cabinet can notify the first lienholder electronically about added liens, and certified electronic records are… - Fewer delays for vehicle title applicants: benefit, low. County clerks must process vehicle applications and send them to the Transportation Cabinet within three business days. The electronic system is not fully implemented while clerks must manually enter application data into the state vehicle database. After full implementation, clerks must accept and… - Some counties gain monthly driving tests: benefit, low. Kentucky State Police can run a skills-testing pilot in up to 10 counties from September 1, 2024, through June 30, 2026. Selected counties must lack permanent, full-time State Police driver testing. Selection depends on public demand and available State Police resources. Participating counties must… - Accepted price guides govern damaged-vehicle values: benefit, low. Insurers must use nationally accepted used-car guides or tools when valuing damaged vehicles under these title rules. The insurance commissioner must identify the required tools by July 1, 2025, through emergency and ordinary regulations. Until those selections take effect, insurers must use an acc… - Dealer buyers get 60-day temporary tags: benefit, low. Kentucky-licensed dealers must provide a temporary tag when selling a vehicle for highway use in Kentucky or another state. The tag lasts 60 days from delivery to the buyer. - Vehicle owners face new identification requirements: cost, low. Your first vehicle title or registration application must include a current Kentucky or other-state operator's license. Registration applications require either a Kentucky operator's license number or a Social Security number. Nonresident owners must provide both their Social Security number and ou… - Military surplus owners need title inspections: cost, low. Military surplus vehicle owners must get a certified inspection before submitting a Kentucky title application to the county clerk. The inspection covers the vehicle, application, and supporting documents. The Transportation Cabinet can require changes before inspection, but its regulations can req… - Businesses must use tax identification numbers: cost, low. Businesses licensed by the Kentucky Secretary of State must use their Federal Employer Identification Number for vehicle titles and registrations. This applies to vehicles the business owns. - Vehicle lenders must manage liens electronically: cost, low. Beginning July 1, 2026, regular vehicle-financing businesses must use Kentucky's electronic title system to confirm, release, and manage liens and documents. Lienholders outside that business are not required to participate. The Transportation Cabinet can also exempt lienholders. - New transfer rules for joint vehicle owners: mixed, low. A surviving spouse pays no state-required transfer fees for a jointly owned vehicle. The new-title application must include a death certificate copy. Joint titles must use “AND” or “OR,” not “AND/OR.” Transfers require every owner's signature for “AND” titles, but only one signature for “OR” titles… - Pacific island migrants gain license options: mixed, low. Eligible nonimmigrants admitted under compacts with the Marshall Islands, Palau, or the Federated States of Micronesia gain standard-license and ID options. They can also apply for voluntary travel IDs and must meet federal REAL ID recognition requirements. Beginning July 1, 2025, the standard perm… - Dealers get simpler used four-wheeler transfers: mixed, low. Dealers can hold qualifying used all-terrain vehicles for resale without getting a new certificate of title. The vehicle must have been registered or titled in Kentucky or another state. Dealers must notify the county clerk of the assignment and pay the transferor fee within 15 days after acquisiti… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Jimmy Higdon (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Donald Douglas (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: D. Yates ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-03-14 | Senate | passed | pass | 34 | 1 | | | 2025-03-13 | House | 3rd reading, passed | pass | 90 | 0 | | | 2025-03-04 | Senate | 3rd reading, passed | pass | 38 | 0 | | ## Actions (28) - 2025-03-27: became law without Governor's Signature (Acts Ch. 95) - 2025-03-25: filed without Governor's signature with the Secretary of State - 2025-03-14: delivered to Governor - 2025-03-14: enrolled, signed by Speaker of the House (Senate) - 2025-03-14: enrolled, signed by President of the Senate (Senate) - 2025-03-14: passed 34-1 (Senate) - 2025-03-14: Senate concurred in House Committee Substitute (1) (Senate) - 2025-03-13: passed over and retained in the Orders of the Day (House) - 2025-03-13: posted for passage for concurrence in House Committee Substitute (1) (House) - 2025-03-13: to Rules (S) (Senate) - 2025-03-13: received in Senate (Senate) - 2025-03-13: 3rd reading, passed 90-0 with Committee Substitute (1) (House) - 2025-03-12: posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Thursday, March 13, 2025 (House) - 2025-03-11: reported favorably, 2nd reading, to Rules with Committee Substitute (1) (House) - 2025-03-07: returned to Transportation (H) (House) - 2025-03-07: 1st reading (House) - 2025-03-07: taken from Transportation (H) (House) - 2025-03-05: to Transportation (H) (House) - 2025-03-05: to Committee on Committees (H) (House) - 2025-03-05: received in House (House) - 2025-03-04: 3rd reading, passed 38-0 with Committee Substitute (1), Floor Amendment (1), and Committee Amendment (1-title) (Senate) - 2025-02-28: posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Tuesday, March 04, 2025 (Senate) - 2025-02-27: floor amendment (1) filed to Committee Substitute (Senate) - 2025-02-27: 2nd reading, to Rules (Senate) - 2025-02-26: reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar with Committee Substitute (1) and Committee Amendment (1-title) (Senate) - 2025-02-14: to Transportation (S) (Senate) - 2025-02-12: to Committee on Committees (S) (Senate) - 2025-02-12: introduced in Senate (Senate) ## Bill text - Current, 2025-03-14: [PDF](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/25RS/sb136/bill.pdf) - Introduced, 2025-02-07: [PDF](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/25RS/sb136/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/sb136/bill.pdf) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/25RS/sb136/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-SB136-2025RS (as of 2026-10-17).