# Kentucky SB 263: AN ACT relating to education. Kentucky SB 263, AN ACT relating to education., 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. 180)); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-11-01). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-SB263-2026RS - 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 263 - State: Kentucky - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: AN ACT relating to education. - Status: became law - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2026-02-26 - Last action: 2026-04-14, delivered to Secretary of State (Acts Ch. 180) - Sponsor: Stephen West (Republican) - Cosponsors: 1 - Subjects: Reports Mandated, Sunset Legislation, Funds, Education, Finance, Education, Vocational, Public Buildings And Grounds, Administrative Regulations And Proceedings, Boards And Commissions, Education, Elementary And Secondary - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 5 (244 yes, 51 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 9 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Districts get waiver help and penalty protection: benefit, low. Districts can ask the Kentucky Department of Education for help and provide a list of planned innovative practices. The department must promptly identify state education laws and rules that need waivers. State education officials cannot penalize a district for an action described in that request wh… - Schools can extend days after emergencies: benefit, low. Districts can make up time lost when emergencies shorten school days by lengthening other days in the school calendar. They can use this option without losing funds under Kentucky's education funding program. - Covington schools get dedicated innovation support: benefit, low. Covington Independent School District must establish a school of innovation for 2026–2027. It must submit its requested waivers by August 1, 2026. Qualifying waivers must be approved within 30 days after submission. Pilot funding goes to Educate NKY Inc. under an agreement with the district support… - School councils can request larger special-education classes: mixed, low. School councils, as well as superintendents, can request exemptions from special education class-size limits through the existing process. The request does not automatically allow a larger class. Approval is barred when a larger class would hinder a student's individualized education plan in the le… - Faster school waivers with oversight limits: mixed, low. The law requires a list of school waivers eligible for faster review, including agreements with education service providers. These providers can help manage or operate schools and programs. The education commissioner must decide requests within 10 business days. Approval is required unless the waiv… - Schools can hire some uncertified teachers: mixed, low. A waiver lets up to 25% of a school's teaching staff work without standard teacher certification. Each teacher must hold a bachelor's or graduate degree in the subject taught, or a recognized credential in the technical field. The exception is not limited to core academic subjects. Other teacher-ce… - Schools gain flexibility with firm safeguards: mixed, low. Local school boards can request waivers of state education laws and rules, after approving requests by majority vote. The Kentucky Board of Education must consult the Education Professional Standards Board before waiving requirements that board oversees. The state board must review each requested w… - Matching funds for school innovation pilots: mixed, low. The school innovation pilot runs from August 1, 2026, through June 30, 2028, starting with Covington in 2026–2027. The education department selects two additional schools for 2027–2028, subject to available funds. Applicants need prior or concurrent innovation approval and cannot operate a virtual… - New property formula for school funding: mixed, low. The law changes how Kentucky calculates the state's share of district education funding. It uses the program's base funding amount and subtracts the required local contribution. For real estate, it uses the lesser of the current assessment or last year's assessment increased by 4%, plus new propert… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Stephen West (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Lindsey Tichenor (Republican), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-04-14 | Senate | passed | pass | 32 | 6 | | | 2026-04-14 | House | passed | pass | 75 | 15 | | | 2026-04-01 | House | 3rd reading, passed | pass | 75 | 18 | | | 2026-04-01 | Senate | passed | pass | 32 | 6 | | | 2026-03-17 | Senate | 3rd reading, passed | pass | 30 | 6 | | ## Actions (46) - 2026-04-14: delivered to Secretary of State (Acts Ch. 180) - 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 75-15 (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 32-6 (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 (Senate) - 2026-04-01: enrolled, signed by President of the Senate (Senate) - 2026-04-01: passed 32-6 (Senate) - 2026-04-01: Senate concurred in Committee Substitute (1) (Senate) - 2026-04-01: posted for passage for concurrence in House Committee Substitute (1) (House) - 2026-04-01: to Rules (S) (Senate) - 2026-04-01: received in Senate (Senate) - 2026-04-01: 3rd reading, passed 75-18 with Committee Substitute (1) (House) - 2026-04-01: floor amendment (1) filed to Committee Substitute (House) - 2026-04-01: placed in the Orders of the Day (House) - 2026-04-01: taken from Rules (House) - 2026-04-01: reported favorably, to Rules with Committee Substitute (1) (House) - 2026-03-31: to Appropriations & Revenue (H) (House) - 2026-03-31: returned to Committee on Committees (H) (House) - 2026-03-31: 2nd reading (House) - 2026-03-31: taken from Committee on Committees (H) (House) - 2026-03-27: returned to Committee on Committees (H) (House) - 2026-03-27: 1st reading (House) - 2026-03-27: taken from Committee on Committees (H) (House) - 2026-03-18: to Committee on Committees (H) (House) - 2026-03-18: received in House (House) - 2026-03-17: 3rd reading, passed 30-6 with Committee Substitute (1) (Senate) - 2026-03-16: passed over and retained in the Orders of the Day (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 with Committee Substitute (1) (Senate) - 2026-03-04: to Education (S) (Senate) - 2026-02-26: to Committee on Committees (S) (Senate) - 2026-02-26: introduced in Senate (Senate) ## Bill text - Current, 2026-04-14: [PDF](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/sb263/bill.pdf) - Introduced, 2026-02-26: [PDF](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/sb263/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/sb263/bill.pdf) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/sb263/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-SB263-2026RS (as of 2026-11-01).