# Kentucky SB 39: AN ACT relating to fish and wildlife and declaring an emergency. Kentucky SB 39, AN ACT relating to fish and wildlife and declaring an emergency., is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Gary Boswell (Republican); status signed, last action 2026-04-10 (signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 93)); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-11-01). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-SB39-2026RS - 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 39 - State: Kentucky - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: AN ACT relating to fish and wildlife and declaring an emergency. - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2026-01-07 - Last action: 2026-04-10, signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 93) - Sponsor: Gary Boswell (Republican) - Cosponsors: 16 - Subjects: Agriculture, Environment And Conservation, Fish And Wildlife, Hunting And Fishing, Land Use, Property - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 3 (157 yes, 8 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 11 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - License and training breaks for kids and military: benefit, low. If you are under 16, you can fish without a sport fishing license. If you are under 12, you do not need a sport hunting or sport trapping license. Residents and nonresidents may attend or take part in department‑approved field trials or trainings without a hunting or guide license when no game is t… - Wakeboat use stays open on allowed waters: benefit, low. The Department cannot ban or limit wakeboats or wakesports on waters where they were allowed on December 1, 2025. The Department also cannot set special wakeboat zones or require fixed distances from shorelines, docks, or harbors. This keeps current access in place for wakeboat users. - Up to $10,000 fine for illegal bass: cost, high. Stocking or intentionally releasing F1 largemouth bass or Florida bass into public waters is illegal. If you do this, you can be fined up to $10,000 for each offense, on top of other penalties. - Permits to stock public waters: cost, low. You must get a permit from the commissioner before stocking any fish into public lakes, rivers, or streams. Stocking or releasing F1 largemouth or Florida bass into public waters is banned. The Department can allow these fish only in lakes it owns under its rules. - Farm owners get hunting rights and duties: mixed, low. A resident bona fide farm owner, the owner’s spouse or dependent children, and tenants who live on the farm may hunt (not trap) and fish there during open seasons without sport licenses. Landowners, their households, tenants, or a commissioner‑approved designee may kill or trap wildlife that is dam… - Hunting gear and night rules updated: mixed, low. The law lists allowed ways to take wildlife, including trapping, snaring, gig, crossbow, bow, hook‑and‑line, nets, gun, dogs, and falconry. Shotguns must be 10‑gauge or smaller, fired from the shoulder, and limited to three shells at once unless rules allow more for certain hunts. Shooting wildlife… - More freedom for private pond owners: mixed, low. The law defines a private lake or pond as not connected to public waters, not reachable by fish from public waters, and not in the 100‑year floodplain. If your pond meets this test, state creel, size, possession, and method rules do not apply there. You may stock your pond without state stocking pe… - Clearer rules for Commission seats and logos: mixed, low. At district nomination meetings, each sportsman or sportswoman may vote for one person, and the top five names go to the Governor. The Governor must appoint a successor by January 20 of the year after a term ends. For mid‑term vacancies, the Governor must pick from the remaining district list, and… - Fish and Wildlife leadership and hiring changes: mixed, low. The commission has nine members, one per district, with no more than five from the same party. The Governor appoints members with Senate confirmation to terms ending December 31 of the fourth year; members can serve no more than two full terms and cannot serve with a felony record. When a term will… - New rules for Fish and Wildlife Commissioner: mixed, low. The Commission now appoints the Fish and Wildlife Commissioner. The Commissioner must have 10 years of active hunting or fishing and 10 straight years holding a hunting or fishing license, and not have served in the Department or General Assembly in the prior two years. The Commissioner serves on a… - Wake boat and wakesports terms defined: mixed, low. The law defines key terms for wake activities. A hydrofoil is a board with a mast and wings or strut. A wakeboat is a motorboat with ballast systems or designs that make a bigger wake. Wakesports means riding a board or similar device on a wake. ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Gary Boswell (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Craig Richardson (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Donald Douglas (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Greg Elkins (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Jared Carpenter (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Jimmy Higdon (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Jason Howell (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Lindsey Tichenor (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Matthew Deneen (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Matt Nunn (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Mike Wilson (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Phillip Wheeler (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Rick Girdler (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Robby Mills (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Stephen Meredith (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Steve Rawlings (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Stephen West (Republican), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-03-31 | Senate | passed | pass | 38 | 0 | | | 2026-03-27 | House | 3rd reading, passed | pass | 90 | 0 | | | 2026-02-20 | Senate | passed | pass | 29 | 8 | | ## Actions (34) - 2026-04-10: signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 93) - 2026-03-31: delivered to Governor - 2026-03-31: enrolled, signed by Speaker of the House (Senate) - 2026-03-31: enrolled, signed by President of the Senate (Senate) - 2026-03-31: passed 38-0 (Senate) - 2026-03-31: Senate concurred in Committee Substitute (1), Floor Amendments (4), (2) and (1) and Committee Amendment (1-title) (Senate) - 2026-03-31: posted for passage for concurrence in House Floor Amendments (1), (2) and (4), Committee Substitute (1) and Committee Amendment (1-title) (House) - 2026-03-27: to Rules (S) (Senate) - 2026-03-27: received in Senate (Senate) - 2026-03-27: 3rd reading, passed 90-0 with Committee Substitute (1), Floor Amendments (1), (2) and (4) and Committee Amendment (1-title) (House) - 2026-03-27: placed in the Orders of the Day (House) - 2026-03-27: taken from Rules (House) - 2026-03-26: floor amendments (1), (2), (3) and (4) filed to Committee Substitute (House) - 2026-03-26: reported favorably, 2nd reading, to Rules with Committee Substitute (1) and Committee Amendment (1-title) (House) - 2026-03-25: returned to Natural Resources & Energy (H) (House) - 2026-03-25: 1st reading (House) - 2026-03-25: taken from Natural Resources & Energy (H) (House) - 2026-03-05: to Natural Resources & Energy (H) (House) - 2026-02-23: to Committee on Committees (H) (House) - 2026-02-23: received in House (House) - 2026-02-20: passed 29-8 with Floor Amendment (6) (Senate) - 2026-02-20: Floor Amendments (1), (2), (3), (4) and (5) withdrawn (Senate) - 2026-02-20: 3rd reading (Senate) - 2026-02-20: placed in the Orders of the Day (Senate) - 2026-02-20: taken from Rules (Senate) - 2026-02-11: floor amendment (6) filed (Senate) - 2026-02-09: floor amendment (5) filed (Senate) - 2026-01-30: floor amendment (4) filed (Senate) - 2026-01-27: Floor Amendments (1), (2) and (3) filed (Senate) - 2026-01-23: 2nd reading, to Rules (Senate) - 2026-01-22: reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar (Senate) - 2026-01-20: to Economic Development, Tourism, & Labor (S) (Senate) - 2026-01-07: to Committee on Committees (S) (Senate) - 2026-01-07: introduced in Senate (Senate) ## Bill text - Current, 2026-03-31: [PDF](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/sb39/bill.pdf) - Introduced, 2026-02-20: [PDF](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/sb39/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 66: AN ACT relating to the operation of a motor vehicle. (signed) - HB 826: AN ACT relating to education. (signed) - HB 727: AN ACT relating to education and declaring an emergency. (signed) ## Sources - [Current (PDF)](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/sb39/bill.pdf) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/sb39/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 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) - [HB 727: AN ACT relating to education and declaring an emergency.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-HB727-2026RS) - [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-SB39-2026RS (as of 2026-11-01).