Article 1, Constitution Sections

Section 151 Person guilty of fraud, intimidation, bribery, or corrupt practice to be deprived of office by suitable statutory means. The General Assembly shall provide suitable means for depriving of office any person who, to procure his nomination or election, has, in his canvas…

Section 152 Vacancies -- When filled by appointment, when by election-- Who to fill. Except as otherwise provided in this Constitution, vacancies in all elective offices shall be filled by election or appointment, as follows: If the unexpired term will end at the next succeeding …

Section 153 Power of General Assembly as to elections. Except as otherwise herein expressly provided, the General Assembly shall have power to provide by general law for the manner of voting, for ascertaining the result of elections and making due returns thereof, for issuing cer…

Section 154 Laws as to sale or gift of liquor on election days. The General Assembly shall prescribe such laws as may be necessary for the restriction or prohibition of the sale or gift of spirituous, vinous or malt liquors on election days. Text as Ratified on: August 3, 1891, a…

Section 155 School elections not governed by Constitution. The provisions of Sections 145 to 154, inclusive, shall not apply to the election of school trustees and other common school district elections. Said elections shall be regulated by the General Assembly, except as otherwi…

Section 156 (Repealed 1994) Catchline at time of repeal: "Cities divided into six classes -- General laws to be made for each class -- Population limits for classes -- Assignment to classes -- Organization of cities." Repeal Ratified on: November 8, 1994. History: Repeal was prop…

Section 157 Maximum tax rate for cities, counties, and taxing districts. The tax rate of cities, counties, and taxing districts, for other than school purposes, shall not, at any time, exceed the following rates upon the value of the taxable property therein: For all cities havin…

Section 158 Maximum indebtedness of cities, counties, and taxing districts -- General Assembly authorized to set additional limits and conditions. Cities, towns, counties, and taxing districts shall not incur indebtedness to an amount exceeding the following maximum percentages o…

Section 159 Tax to pay indebtedness in not more than forty years must be levied. Whenever any city, town, county, taxing district or other municipality is authorized to contract an indebtedness, it shall be required, at the same time, to provide for the collection of an annual ta…

Section 160 Municipal officers -- Election and term of office -- Officers ineligible -- Fiscal officers. The Mayor or Chief Executive, Police Judges, members of legislative boards or councils of towns and cities shall be elected by the qualified voters thereof: Provided, The Mayo…

Section 161 Compensation of city, county, or municipal officer not to be changed after election or appointment or during term, nor term extended. The compensation of any city, county, town or municipal officer shall not be changed after his election or appointment, or during his …

Section 162 Unauthorized contracts of cities, counties, and municipalities are void. No county, city, town or other municipality shall ever be authorized or permitted to pay any claim created against it, under any agreement or contract made without express authority of law, and a…

Section 163 Public utilities must obtain franchise to use streets. No street railway, gas, water, steam heating, telephone, or electric light company, within a city or town, shall be permitted or authorized to construct its tracks, lay its pipes or mains, or erect its poles, post…

Section 164 Term of franchises limited -- Advertisement and bids. No county, city, town, taxing district or other municipality shall be authorized or permitted to grant any franchise or privilege, or make any contract in reference thereto, for a term exceeding twenty years. Befor…

Section 165 Incompatible offices and employments. No person shall, at the same time, be a State officer or a deputy officer or member of the General Assembly, and an officer of any county, city, town, or other municipality, or an employee thereof; and no person shall, at the same…

Section 166 Expiration of city charters granted prior to Constitution. All acts of incorporation of cities and towns heretofore granted, and all amendments thereto, except as provided in Section 167, shall continue in force under this Constitution, and all City and Police Courts …

Section 167 Time of election of city, urban-county, and town officers. All officers required to be elected in cities, urban-counties, and towns by this Constitution, or by general laws enacted in conformity to its provisions, shall be elected at the general elections in November …

Section 168 Ordinance not to fix less penalty than statute for same offense -- Prosecution under one a bar. No municipal ordinance shall fix a penalty for a violation thereof at less than that imposed by statute for the same offense. A conviction or acquittal under either shall c…

Section 169 Fiscal year. The fiscal year shall commence on the first day of July in each year, unless otherwise provided by law. Text as Ratified on: August 3, 1891, and revised September 28, 1891. History: Not yet amended.

Section 170 Property exempt from taxation -- Cities may exempt factories for five years. There shall be exempt from taxation public property used for public purposes; places of burial not held for private or corporate profit; real property owned and occupied by, and personal prop…

Section 171 State tax to be levied -- Taxes to be levied and collected for public purposes only and by general laws, and to be uniform within classes -- Classification of property for taxation -- Bonds exempt -- Referendum on act classifying property. The General Assembly shall p…

Section 172 Property to be assessed at fair cash value -- Punishment of assessor for willful error. All property, not exempted from taxation by this Constitution, shall be assessed for taxation at its fair cash value, estimated at the price it would bring at a fair voluntary sale…

Section 173 Officer receiving profit on public funds guilty of felony. The receiving, directly or indirectly, by any officer of the Commonwealth, or of any county, city or town, or member or officer of the General Assembly, of any interest, profit or perquisites arising from the …

Section 174 Property to be taxed according to value, whether corporate or individual -- Income, license, and franchise taxes. All property, whether owned by natural persons or corporations, shall be taxed in proportion to its value, unless exempted by this Constitution; and all c…

Section 175 Power to tax property not to be surrendered. The power to tax property shall not be surrendered or suspended by any contract or grant to which the Commonwealth shall be a party. Text as Ratified on: August 3, 1891, and revised September 28, 1891. History: Not yet amen…

Section 176 Commonwealth not to assume debt of county or city -- Exception. The Commonwealth shall not assume the debt of any county, municipal corporation or political subdivision of the State, unless such debt shall have been contracted to defend itself in time of war, to repel…

Section 177 Commonwealth not to lend credit, nor become stockholder in corporation, nor build railroad or highway. The credit of the Commonwealth shall not be given, pledged or loaned to any individual, company, corporation or association, municipality, or political subdivision o…

Section 178 Law for borrowing money to specify purpose, for which alone money may be used. All laws authorizing the borrowing of money by and on behalf of the Commonwealth, county or other political subdivision of the State, shall specify the purpose for which the money is to be …

Section 179 Political subdivision not to become stockholder in corporation, or appropriate money or lend credit to any person, except for roads or State Capitol. The General Assembly shall not authorize any county or subdivision thereof, city, town or incorporated district, to be…

Section 180 Act or ordinance levying any tax must specify purpose, for which alone money may be used. Every act enacted by the General Assembly, and every ordinance and resolution passed by any county, city, town or municipal board or local legislative body, levying a tax, shall …

Section 181 General Assembly may not levy tax for political subdivision, but may confer power -- License and excise taxes -- City taxes in lieu of ad valorem taxes. The General Assembly shall not impose taxes for the purposes of any county, city, town or other municipal corporati…

Section 182 Railroad taxes -- How assessed and collected. Nothing in this Constitution shall be construed to prevent the General Assembly from providing by law how railroads and railroad property shall be assessed and how taxes thereon shall be collected. And until otherwise prov…

Section 183 General Assembly to provide for school system. The General Assembly shall, by appropriate legislation, provide for an efficient system of common schools throughout the State. Text as Ratified on: August 3, 1891, and revised September 28, 1891. History: Not yet amended…

Section 184 Common school fund -- What constitutes -- Use -- Vote on tax for education other than in common schools. The bond of the Commonwealth issued in favor of the Board of Education for the sum of one million three hundred and twenty-seven thousand dollars shall constitute …

Section 185 Interest on school fund -- Investment. The General Assembly shall make provision, by law, for the payment of the interest of said school fund, and may provide for the sale of the stock in the Bank of Kentucky; and in case of a sale of all or any part of said stock, th…

Section 186 Distribution and use of school fund. All funds accruing to the school fund shall be used for the maintenance of the public schools of the Commonwealth, and for no other purpose, and the General Assembly shall by general law prescribe the manner of the distribution of …

Section 187 Race or color not to affect distribution of school fund. In distributing the school fund no distinction shall be made on account of race or color. Text as Ratified on: November 5, 1996. History: 1996 amendment was proposed by 1996 Ky. Acts ch. 98, sec. 2; original ver…

Section 188 Refund of Federal direct tax part of school fund -- Irredeemable bond. So much of any moneys as may be received by the Commonwealth from the United States under the recent act of Congress refunding the direct tax shall become a part of the school fund, and be held as …

Section 189 School money not to be used for church, sectarian, or denominational school. No portion of any fund or tax now existing, or that may hereafter be raised or levied for educational purposes, shall be appropriated to, or used by, or in aid of, any church, sectarian or de…

Section 190 Regulation of corporations by General Assembly. Except as otherwise provided by the Constitution of Kentucky, the General Assembly shall, by general laws only, provide for the formation, organization, and regulation of corporations. Except as otherwise provided by the…

Section 191 (Repealed 2002) Catchline at time of repeal: "Unexercised charters granted prior to Constitution revoked." Repeal Ratified on: November 5, 2002 History: Repeal was proposed by 2002 Ky. Acts ch. 341, sec. 2; original version ratified August 3, 1891, and revised Septemb…

Section 192 (Repealed 2002) Catchline at time of repeal: "Corporations restricted to charter authority -- Holding of real estate limited." Repeal Ratified on: November 5, 2002 History: Repeal was proposed by 2002 Ky. Acts ch. 341, sec. 2; original version ratified August 3, 1891,…

Section 193 (Repealed 2002) Catchline at time of repeal: "Stock or bonds to be issued only for money or for property or labor at market value -- Watered stock void." Repeal Ratified on: November 5, 2002 History: Repeal was proposed by 2002 Ky. Acts ch. 341, sec. 2; original versi…

Section 194 (Repealed 2002) Catchline at time of repeal: "Corporations to have place of business and process agent in State." Repeal Ratified on: November 5, 2002 History: Repeal was proposed by 2002 Ky. Acts ch. 341, sec. 2; original version ratified August 3, 1891, and revised …

Section 195 Corporation property subject to eminent domain; corporations not to infringe upon individuals. The Commonwealth, in the exercise of the right of eminent domain, shall have and retain the same powers to take the property and franchises of incorporated companies for pub…

Section 196 Regulation of common carriers -- No relief from common-law liability. Transportation of freight and passengers by railroad, steamboat or other common carrier, shall be so regulated, by general law, as to prevent unjust discrimination. No common carrier shall be permit…

Section 197 Free passes or reduced rates to officers forbidden. No railroad, steamboat or other common carrier, under heavy penalty to be fixed by the General Assembly, shall give a free pass or passes, or shall, at reduced rates not common to the public, sell tickets for transpo…

Section 198 (Repealed 2002) Catchline at time of repeal: "Trusts and combinations in restraint of trade to be prevented." Repeal Ratified on: November 5, 2002 History: Repeal was proposed by 2002 Ky. Acts ch. 341, sec. 2; original version ratified August 3, 1891, and revised Sept…

Section 199 Telegraph and telephone companies -- Right to construct lines -- Exchange of messages. Any association or corporation, or the lessees or managers thereof, organized for the purpose, or any individual, shall have the right to construct and maintain lines of telegraph w…

Section 200 (Repealed 2002) Catchline at time of repeal: "Domestic corporation consolidating with foreign does not become foreign." Repeal Ratified on: November 5, 2002 History: Repeal was proposed by 2002 Ky. Acts ch. 341, sec. 2; original version ratified August 3, 1891, and re…