# Kentucky SB 222: AN ACT relating to environmental covenants and declaring an emergency. Kentucky SB 222, AN ACT relating to environmental covenants and declaring an emergency., is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Keturah J. Herron (Democrat); status signed, last action 2026-04-08 (signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 55)) (as of 2026-11-01). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-SB222-2026RS - As of: 2026-11-01 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Kentucky SB 222 - State: Kentucky - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: AN ACT relating to environmental covenants and declaring an emergency. - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2026-02-23 - Last action: 2026-04-08, signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 55) - Sponsor: Keturah J. Herron (Democrat) - Cosponsors: 6 - Subjects: Courts, Circuit, Effective Dates, Emergency, Environment And Conservation, Land Use, Pollution, Property, Retroactive Legislation, State Agencies - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 2 (132 yes, 0 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 3 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Faster removal of land-use limits after cleanup: benefit, medium. If cleanup under a cabinet‑approved plan removes the risk, the cabinet can cut or remove land‑use limits. The cabinet issues a proposed decision and notifies the holder and listed parties. They have 30 days to object with legal or technical reasons. If anyone objects, the cabinet issues a final dec… - Stricter consent to change covenants: cost, low. A covenant can be changed or ended by consent only as part of a cabinet‑approved cleanup plan change. The change must be signed by the cabinet, the current owner, and all original signers or their heirs or assigns. A signed waiver or inability to find a signer with reasonable diligence can replace… - New rules now cover older covenants: mixed, medium. The law applies the new rules to all recorded environmental covenants under KRS 224.80-100 to 224.80-210. That includes covenants recorded before this law. The act takes effect immediately when signed or otherwise becomes law. Owners, holders, and signers must follow the new procedures now. ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Keturah J. Herron (Democrat), Senate - Cosponsor: Greg Elkins (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Gerald A. Neal (Democrat), Senate - Cosponsor: Matthew Deneen (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Robby Mills (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Reginald L. Thomas (Democrat), Senate - Cosponsor: Shelley Funke Frommeyer (Republican), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-03-26 | House | 3rd reading, passed | pass | 94 | 0 | | | 2026-03-13 | Senate | 3rd reading, passed | pass | 38 | 0 | | ## Actions (19) - 2026-04-08: signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 55) - 2026-03-27: delivered to Governor - 2026-03-27: enrolled, signed by Speaker of the House (Senate) - 2026-03-27: enrolled, signed by President of the Senate (Senate) - 2026-03-27: received in Senate (Senate) - 2026-03-26: 3rd reading, passed 94-0 (House) - 2026-03-20: posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Tuesday, March 24 2026 (House) - 2026-03-20: 2nd reading, to Rules (House) - 2026-03-19: reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar (House) - 2026-03-18: to Natural Resources & Energy (H) (House) - 2026-03-17: to Committee on Committees (H) (House) - 2026-03-17: received in House (House) - 2026-03-13: 3rd reading, passed 38-0 (Senate) - 2026-03-12: posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Friday, March 13 2026 (Senate) - 2026-03-12: 2nd reading, to Rules (Senate) - 2026-03-11: reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar (Senate) - 2026-03-09: to Natural Resources & Energy (S) (Senate) - 2026-02-23: to Committee on Committees (S) (Senate) - 2026-02-23: introduced in Senate (Senate) ## Bill text - Current, 2026-03-13: [PDF](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/sb222/bill.pdf) - Introduced, 2026-03-13: [PDF](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/sb222/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) - SB 324: AN ACT relating to the entertainment industry. (signed) - SB 66: AN ACT relating to the operation of a motor vehicle. (signed) - HB 826: AN ACT relating to education. (signed) ## Sources - [Current (PDF)](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/sb222/bill.pdf) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/sb222/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) - [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) - [HB 826: AN ACT relating to education.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-HB826-2026RS) - [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-SB222-2026RS (as of 2026-11-01).