# Kentucky SB 46: AN ACT relating to school transportation and declaring an emergency. Kentucky SB 46, AN ACT relating to school transportation and declaring an emergency., is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Matthew Deneen (Republican); status signed, last action 2026-03-27 (signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 7)) (as of 2026-11-01). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-SB46-2026RS - 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 46 - State: Kentucky - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: AN ACT relating to school transportation and declaring an emergency. - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2026-01-07 - Last action: 2026-03-27, signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 7) - Sponsor: Matthew Deneen (Republican) - Cosponsors: 6 - Subjects: Boards And Commissions, Education, Elementary And Secondary, Effective Dates, Emergency, Teachers, Transportation - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 3 (160 yes, 2 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 5 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - New rules for student transport vehicles: mixed, medium. Districts can now use small passenger vehicles with 10 or fewer seats to carry students. All school buses and non-school passenger vehicles must be clearly marked and get safety checks at least every 30 days; if a non-school vehicle is not used daily, it must be checked at least every three months.… - No school jobs for violent/sex offenders: mixed, medium. Districts cannot hire anyone who is a violent offender, has a sex crime conviction (including certain misdemeanors), must register as a sex offender, or has a CHFS finding of child abuse or neglect. Every certified and classified employee must tell the superintendent if CHFS has a substantiated chi… - Stronger background checks for school workers: mixed, medium. New hires, nonfaculty coaches, student teachers, SBDM parent members, and adults with regular school access must pass national and state criminal checks and provide a clear child abuse/neglect (CA/N) check. Some people are excepted, like staff hired before June 27, 2019, certain certified staff who… - Extra screening for student transport drivers: mixed, low. Drivers who carry students in non-school passenger vehicles and do not have a CDL with an S endorsement must pass national and state criminal checks at least every three years, plus state checks in the other years. They must give a biannual driving record with no disqualifying moving violations, pa… - Temporary hires and transfers during charges: mixed, low. If a job is still open after July 31 or opens during the school year, the superintendent may hire someone on probation while background and CA/N checks are pending. Checks must be requested by the start date, and the job ends if results show a sex crime or violent-offender record. If an employee is… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Matthew Deneen (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Aaron Reed (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Brandon Smith (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Greg Elkins (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Matt Nunn (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Rick Girdler (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Scott Madon (Republican), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-03-24 | Senate | passed | pass | 36 | 0 | | | 2026-03-20 | House | 3rd reading, passed | pass | 87 | 2 | | | 2026-01-22 | Senate | 3rd reading, passed | pass | 37 | 0 | | ## Actions (27) - 2026-03-27: signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 7) - 2026-03-24: delivered to Governor - 2026-03-24: enrolled, signed by Speaker of the House (Senate) - 2026-03-24: enrolled, signed by President of the Senate (Senate) - 2026-03-24: passed 36-0 (Senate) - 2026-03-24: Senate concurred in Committee Substitute (1) and Floor Amendment (2) (Senate) - 2026-03-24: posted for passage for concurrence in House Committee Substitute (1) and Floor Amendment (2) (House) - 2026-03-24: taken from Rules (Senate) - 2026-03-24: to Rules (S) (Senate) - 2026-03-24: received in Senate (Senate) - 2026-03-20: 3rd reading, passed 87-2 with Committee Substitute (1) and Floor Amendment (2) (House) - 2026-03-19: posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Friday, March 20 2026 (House) - 2026-03-19: floor amendment (2) filed to Committee Substitute (House) - 2026-03-19: 2nd reading, to Rules (House) - 2026-03-18: floor amendment (1) filed to Committee Substitute (House) - 2026-03-18: reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar with Committee Substitute (1) (House) - 2026-03-09: to Primary and Secondary Education (H) (House) - 2026-01-23: to Committee on Committees (H) (House) - 2026-01-23: received in House (House) - 2026-01-22: 3rd reading, passed 37-0 with Committee Substitute (1) (Senate) - 2026-01-20: posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Thursday, January 22, 2026 (Senate) - 2026-01-20: floor amendment (1) filed to Committee Substitute (Senate) - 2026-01-16: 2nd reading, to Rules (Senate) - 2026-01-15: reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar with Committee Substitute (1) (Senate) - 2026-01-14: to Education (S) (Senate) - 2026-01-07: to Committee on Committees (S) (Senate) - 2026-01-07: introduced in Senate (Senate) ## Bill text - Current, 2026-03-24: [PDF](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/sb46/bill.pdf) - Introduced, 2025-12-29: [PDF](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/sb46/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/sb46/bill.pdf) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/sb46/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-SB46-2026RS (as of 2026-11-01).