Article 1, Constitution Sections

Section 201 Public utility company not to consolidate with, acquire or operate competing or parallel system -- Common carriers not to share earnings with one not carrying -- Telephone companies excepted under certain conditions. No railroad, telegraph, telephone, bridge or common…

Section 202 (Repealed 2002) Catchline at time of repeal: "Foreign corporations not to be given privileges over domestic." 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Section 203 (Repealed 2002) Catchline at time of repeal: "Liabilities under corporate franchise not released by lease or alienation." 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 …

Section 204 Bank officer liable for receiving deposit for insolvent bank. Any President, Director, Manager, Cashier or other officer of any banking institution or association for the deposit or loan of money, or any individual banker, who shall receive or assent to the receiving …

Section 205 Forfeiture of corporate charters in case of abuse or detrimental use. The General Assembly shall, by general laws, provide for the revocation or forfeiture of the charters of all corporations guilty of abuse or misuse of their corporate powers, privileges or franchise…

Section 206 Warehouses subject to legislative control -- Inspection -- Protection of patrons. All elevators or storehouses, where grain or other property is stored for a compensation, whether the property stored be kept separate or not, are declared to be public warehouses, subje…

Section 207 (Repealed 2002) Catchline at time of repeal: "Cumulative voting for directors of corporations -- Proxies." 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Section 208 (Repealed 2002) Catchline at time of repeal: " 'Corporation' includes joint stock company or association." 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Section 209 (Repealed 2000) Catchline at time of repeal: "Railroad Commission -- Election, term, and qualifications of Commissioners -- Commissioners' districts -- Powers and duties -- Removal -- Vacancies." Repeal Ratified on: November 7, 2000. History: Repealed was proposed by …

Section 210 Common carrier corporation not to be interested in other business. No corporation engaged in the business of common carrier shall, directly or indirectly, own, manage, operate, or engage in any other business than that of a common carrier, or hold, own, lease or acqui…

Section 211 Foreign railroad corporation may not condemn or acquire real estate. No railroad corporation organized under the laws of any other State, or of the United States, and doing business, or proposing to do business, in this State, shall be entitled to the benefit of the r…

Section 212 Rolling stock, earnings, and personal property of railroads subject to execution or attachment. The rolling stock and other movable property belonging to any railroad corporation or company in this State shall be considered personal property, and shall be liable to ex…

Section 213 Railroad companies to handle traffic with connecting carriers without discrimination. All railroad, transfer, belt lines and railway bridge companies organized under the laws of Kentucky, or operating, maintaining or controlling any railroad, transfer, belt lines or b…

Section 214 Railroad not to make exclusive or preferential contract. No railway, transfer, belt line or railway bridge company shall make any exclusive or preferential contract or arrangement with any individual, association or corporation, for the receipt, transfer, delivery, tr…

Section 215 Freight to be handled without discrimination. All railway, transfer, belt lines or railway bridge companies shall receive, load, unload, transport, haul, deliver and handle freight of the same class for all persons, associations or corporations from and to the same po…

Section 216 Railroad must allow tracks of others to cross or unite. All railway, transfer, belt lines and railway bridge companies shall allow the tracks of each other to unite, intersect and cross at any point where such union, intersection and crossing is reasonable or feasible…

Section 217 Penalties for violating Sections 213, 214, 215, or 216 -- Attorney General to enforce. Any person, association or corporation, willfully or knowingly violating any of the provisions of Sections 213, 214, 215, or 216, shall, upon conviction by a court of competent juri…

Section 218 Long and short hauls. It shall be unlawful for any person or corporation, owning or operating a railroad in this State, or any common carrier, to charge or receive any greater compensation in the aggregate for the transportation of passengers, or of property of like k…

Section 219 Militia, what to consist of. The militia of the Commonwealth of Kentucky shall consist of all able-bodied male residents of the State between the ages of eighteen and forty-five years, except such persons as may be exempted by the laws of the State or of the United St…

Section 220 General Assembly to provide for militia -- Exemptions from service. The General Assembly shall provide for maintaining an organized militia, and may exempt from military service persons having conscientious scruples against bearing arms; but such persons shall pay an …

Section 221 Government of militia to conform to Army regulations. The organization, equipment and discipline of the militia shall conform as nearly as practicable to the regulations for the government of the armies of the United States. Text as Ratified on: August 3, 1891, and re…

Section 222 Officers of militia -- Adjutant General. All militia officers whose appointment is not herein otherwise provided for, shall be elected by persons subject to military duty within their respective companies, battalions, regiments or other commands, under such rules and …

Section 223 Safekeeping of public arms, military records, relics, and banners. The General Assembly shall provide for the safekeeping of the public arms, military records, relics and banners of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Text as Ratified on: August 3, 1891, and revised Septemb…

Section 224 Bonds -- What officers to give -- Liability on. The General Assembly shall provide by a general law what officers shall execute bond for the faithful discharge of their duties, and fix the liability therein. Text as Ratified on: August 3, 1891, and revised September 2…

Section 225 Armed men not to be brought into State -- Exception. No armed person or bodies of men shall be brought into this State for the preservation of the peace or the suppression of domestic violence, except upon the application of the General Assembly, or of the Governor wh…

Section 226 State lottery -- Charitable lotteries and charitable gift enterprises -- Other lotteries and gift enterprises forbidden. (1) The General Assembly may establish a Kentucky state lottery and may establish a state lottery to be conducted in cooperation with other states.…

Section 227 Prosecution and removal of local officers for misfeasance, malfeasance, or neglect. Judges of the County Court, Justices of the Peace, Sheriffs, Coroners, Surveyors, Jailers, Assessors, County Attorneys and Constables shall be subject to indictment or prosecution for …

Section 228 Oath of officers and attorneys. Members of the General Assembly and all officers, before they enter upon the execution of the duties of their respective offices, and all members of the bar, before they enter upon the practice of their profession, shall take the follow…

Section 229 "Treason" defined -- Evidence necessary to convict. Treason against the Commonwealth shall consist only in levying war against it, or in adhering to its enemies, giving them aid and comfort. No person shall be convicted of treason except on the testimony of two witnes…

Section 230 Money not to be drawn from Treasury unless appropriated -- Annual publication of accounts -- Certain revenues usable only for highway purposes. No money shall be drawn from the State Treasury, except in pursuance of appropriations made by law; and a regular statement …

Section 231 Suits against the Commonwealth. The General Assembly may, by law, direct in what manner and in what courts suits may be brought against the Commonwealth. Text as Ratified on: August 3, 1891, and revised September 28, 1891. History: Not yet amended.

Section 232 Manner of administering oath. The manner of administering an oath or affirmation shall be such as is most consistent with the conscience of the deponent, and shall be esteemed by the General Assembly the most solemn appeal to God. Text as Ratified on: August 3, 1891, …

Section 233 General laws of Virginia in force in this State until repealed. All laws which, on the first day of June, one thousand seven hundred and ninety- two, were in force in the State of Virginia, and which are of a general nature and not local to that State, and not repugna…

Section 234 Residence and place of office of public officers. All civil officers for the State at large shall reside within the State, and all district, county, city or town officers shall reside within their respective districts, counties, cities or towns, and shall keep their o…

Section 235 Salaries of public officers not to be changed during term -- Deductions for neglect. The salaries of public officers shall not be changed during the terms for which they were elected; but it shall be the duty of the General Assembly to regulate, by a general law, in w…

Section 236 When officers to enter upon duties. The General Assembly shall, by law, prescribe the time when the several officers authorized or directed by this Constitution to be elected or appointed, shall enter upon the duties of their respective offices, except where the time …

Section 237 Federal office incompatible with State office. No member of Congress, or person holding or exercising an office of trust or profit under the United States, or any of them, or under any foreign power, shall be eligible to hold or exercise any office of trust or profit …

Section 238 Discharge of sureties on officers' bonds. The General Assembly shall direct by law how persons who now are, or may hereafter become, sureties for public officers, may be relieved of or discharged from suretyship. Text as Ratified on: August 3, 1891, and revised Septem…

Section 239 Disqualification from office for presenting or accepting challenge to duel -- Further punishment. Any person who shall, after the adoption of this Constitution, either directly or indirectly, give, accept or knowingly carry a challenge to any person or persons to figh…

Section 240 Pardon of person convicted of dueling. The Governor shall have power, after five years from the time of the offense, to pardon any person who shall have participated in a duel as principal, second or otherwise, and to restore him to all the rights, privileges and immu…

Section 241 Recovery for wrongful death. Whenever the death of a person shall result from an injury inflicted by negligence or wrongful act, then, in every such case, damages may be recovered for such death, from the corporations and persons so causing the same. Until otherwise p…

Section 242 Just compensation to be made in condemning private property -- Right of appeal -- Jury trial. Municipal and other corporations, and individuals invested with the privilege of taking private property for public use, shall make just compensation for property taken, inju…

Section 243 Child labor. The General Assembly shall, by law, fix the minimum ages at which children may be employed in places dangerous to life or health, or injurious to morals; and shall provide adequate penalties for violations of such law. Text as Ratified on: August 3, 1891,…

Section 244 Wage-earners in industry or of corporations to be paid in money. All wage-earners in this State employed in factories, mines, workshops, or by corporations, shall be paid for their labor in lawful money. The General Assembly shall prescribe adequate penalties for viol…

Section 245 Revision of statutes to conform to Constitution. Upon the promulgation of this Constitution, the Governor shall appoint three persons, learned in the law, who shall be Commissioners to revise the statute laws of this Commonwealth, and prepare amendments thereto, to th…

Section 246 Maximum limit on compensation of public officers. No public officer or employee except the Governor, shall receive as compensation per annum for official services, exclusive of the compensation of legally authorized deputies and assistants which shall be fixed and pro…

Section 247 Public printing -- Contract for -- Officers not to have interest in -- Governor to approve. The printing and binding of the laws, journals, department reports, and all other public printing and binding, shall be performed under contract, to be given to the lowest resp…

Section 248 Juries -- Number of jurors -- Three-fourths may indict or give verdict. A grand jury shall consist of twelve persons, nine of whom concurring, may find an indictment. In civil and misdemeanor cases, in courts inferior to the Circuit Courts, a jury shall consist of six…

Section 249 Employees of General Assembly -- Number and compensation. The House of Representatives of the General Assembly shall not elect, appoint, employ or pay for, exceeding one Chief Clerk, one Assistant Clerk, one Enrolling Clerk, one Sergeant at Arms, one Doorkeeper, one J…

Section 250 Arbitration, method for to be provided. It shall be the duty of the General Assembly to enact such laws as shall be necessary and proper to decide differences by arbitrators, the arbitrators to be appointed by the parties who may choose that summary mode of adjustment…