# Kentucky SB 251: AN ACT relating to the Department of Corrections. Kentucky SB 251, AN ACT relating to the Department of Corrections., is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Stephen West (Republican); status became law, last action 2026-04-14 (delivered to Secretary of State (Acts Ch. 181)) (as of 2026-11-01). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-SB251-2026RS - 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 251 - State: Kentucky - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: AN ACT relating to the Department of Corrections. - Status: became law - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2026-02-25 - Last action: 2026-04-14, delivered to Secretary of State (Acts Ch. 181) - Sponsor: Stephen West (Republican) - Cosponsors: 1 - Subjects: Corrections Impact, Administrative Regulations And Proceedings, Corrections And Correctional Facilities, State, Crimes And Punishments, Criminal Procedure, Deaths, State Agencies, Technical Corrections - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 5 (223 yes, 66 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 1 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Kentucky changes how execution rules are set: mixed, low. Kentucky's Department of Corrections can set and carry out death penalty procedures through internal policies, memoranda, or other actions. It does not have to use the formal rule-making process for these procedures. The department must make these policies and actions publicly available on its webs… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Stephen West (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Matt Nunn (Republican), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-04-14 | Senate | passed | pass | 30 | 7 | | | 2026-04-14 | House | passed | pass | 74 | 16 | | | 2026-04-01 | Senate | passed | pass | 27 | 9 | | | 2026-03-31 | House | 3rd reading, passed | pass | 68 | 23 | | | 2026-03-16 | Senate | 3rd reading, passed | pass | 24 | 11 | | ## Actions (42) - 2026-04-14: delivered to Secretary of State (Acts Ch. 181) - 2026-04-14: enrolled, signed by Speaker of the House (Senate) - 2026-04-14: enrolled, signed by President of the Senate (Senate) - 2026-04-14: received in Senate (Senate) - 2026-04-14: passed 74-16 (House) - 2026-04-14: veto overridden (House) - 2026-04-14: posted for consideration of Governor's veto - 2026-04-14: taken from Rules (H) (House) - 2026-04-14: to Rules (H) (House) - 2026-04-14: received in House (House) - 2026-04-14: passed 30-7 (Senate) - 2026-04-14: veto overridden (Senate) - 2026-04-14: posted for passage for consideration of Governor's veto - 2026-04-14: to Rules (S) (Senate) - 2026-04-14: received in Senate (Senate) - 2026-04-13: Vetoed - 2026-04-01: delivered to Governor - 2026-04-01: enrolled, signed by Speaker of the House (House) - 2026-04-01: enrolled, signed by President of the Senate (House) - 2026-04-01: posted for passage for concurrence in House Floor Amendment (2) (House) - 2026-04-01: passed 27-9 (Senate) - 2026-04-01: Senate concurred in Floor Amendment (2) (Senate) - 2026-04-01: to Rules (S) (Senate) - 2026-04-01: received in Senate (Senate) - 2026-03-31: 3rd reading, passed 68-23 with Floor Amendment (2) (House) - 2026-03-31: placed in the Orders of the Day (House) - 2026-03-31: taken from Rules (House) - 2026-03-27: floor amendment (2) filed (House) - 2026-03-27: 2nd reading, to Rules (House) - 2026-03-26: floor amendment (1) filed (House) - 2026-03-26: reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar (House) - 2026-03-24: to State Government (H) (House) - 2026-03-17: to Committee on Committees (H) (House) - 2026-03-17: received in House (House) - 2026-03-16: 3rd reading, passed 24-11 (Senate) - 2026-03-16: floor amendment (1) filed (Senate) - 2026-03-13: posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Monday, March 16 2026 (Senate) - 2026-03-13: 2nd reading, to Rules (Senate) - 2026-03-12: reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar (Senate) - 2026-03-09: to Judiciary (S) (Senate) - 2026-02-25: to Committee on Committees (S) (Senate) - 2026-02-25: introduced in Senate (Senate) ## Bill text - Current, 2026-04-14: [PDF](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/sb251/bill.pdf) - Introduced, 2026-03-16: [PDF](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/sb251/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/sb251/bill.pdf) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/sb251/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-SB251-2026RS (as of 2026-11-01).