KentuckySB 772025 Regular SessionSenateWALLET

AN ACT relating to education.

Sponsored By: Matthew Deneen (Republican)

Signed by Governor

Education, Elementary and SecondaryState AgenciesBoards and Commissions

Personalized for You

How does this bill affect your finances?

Personalize government policy and PRIA will tell you what this bill means for your household, plus every other piece of legislation we track. PRIA reads each provision against your financial profile to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.

Free to download

Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

3 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.

Universities must back research status claims

Kentucky comprehensive universities can call themselves research universities or research institutions only with a nationally recognized classification authority’s designation. This rule applies to official publications and marketing materials.

More doctoral options, with university limits

Kentucky’s six comprehensive universities can offer more doctoral degrees, including Ph.D., advanced-practice, and professional-practice or licensure degrees. Each program needs Council on Postsecondary Education approval. To propose programs, universities must meet benchmarks for both first-to-second-year retention and six-year bachelor’s graduation rates. Each rate must reach the 75th percentile nationally or 80th percentile among Southern Regional Education Board states in at least two of the prior three years. Universities also need unrestricted cash and short-term investments covering three months of total operating and nonoperating expenses, based on the prior fiscal year’s audited statement.

University doctoral plans face funding reviews

Doctoral proposals needing extra state General Fund money face Council on Postsecondary Education review of need, demand, resources, and five-year budgets. Proposals are due January 1 of odd-numbered years for the next two-year budget, and universities pay for specialized review resources. The Council recommends program viability and whether to provide extra state money, including a specific amount. Funded proposals still need regular program approval; conditional approval can allow accreditation work, and final approval can depend on accreditation. Approved programs face review at least every five years. Programs certified to need no extra General Fund money follow a Council-designed review without the same specialized review resources. Eligible universities can reuse doctoral studies included in the report under 2024 Ky. Acts ch. 199 for the 2026–2028 budget recommendation, despite the normal deadline. For those proposals, the Council can request more information but cannot require specialized review resources.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

Matthew Deneen
Republican • Senate

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 166 • No: 0

House vote • 3/13/2025

3rd reading, passed

Yes: 92 • No: 0

Senate vote • 3/13/2025

passed

Yes: 38 • No: 0

Senate vote • 2/18/2025