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Prichard Committee Priority Bills

Bill Summary Primary Sponsor Current Status Why This Matters Resources
HB 4
AN ACT relating to postsecondary institutions.		 Bars public postsecondary institutions from differentiating or providing benefits based on religion, race, sex, color, or national origin, and from funding or mandating diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) activities. Establishes annual reporting requirements and civil enforcement mechanisms. Requires the Council on Postsecondary Education to avoid approving or continuing programs that include “discriminatory concepts.” J. Decker 03/05/25: passed 81-18 with Committee Substitute (1), Floor Amendment (7) and Committee Amendment (1-title) We oppose HB 4 because it bars targeted supports and restricts how campuses address equity gaps, undermining inclusive environments that help all learners succeed.
HB 8

 

AN ACT relating to education.

 

 

 Transfers responsibility for adopting and updating state academic standards and instructional materials to the state board and renames the State Textbook Commission as the State Instructional Materials Council. Requires school districts to use only approved materials and modifies certain council memberships. Also ends school-based decision-making councils’ ability to waive class size limits for K-1. J. Petrie 03/04/25: returned to Primary and Secondary Education (H) We support HB 8’s effort to streamline access to quality instructional materials, provided districts making progress remain free to select what works best for their students without having to seek a waiver.
HB 169

AN ACT relating to school board elections.

 Makes local school board elections partisan by requiring candidates’ party affiliation on the ballot. Repeals existing statutes that mandated nonpartisan board of education elections. T. Roberts 02/28/25: floor amendments (1) and (2-title) filed Making local school board elections partisan undercuts the inclusive leadership essential for stronger student success; we oppose HB 169 to keep governance focused on shared problem‐solving.
HB 190

AN ACT relating to advanced educational opportunities.

 Defines “advanced coursework” and requires local boards of education to adopt an accelerated learning plan for qualifying students. Automatically enrolls students meeting criteria into advanced classes, barring withdrawal without parental consent. Requires the Kentucky Department of Education to collect and report data on advanced course offerings and enrollment demographics. R. Duvall 02/26/25: posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Thursday, February 27, 2025 Automatically enrolling qualified students in advanced coursework raises expectations and closes gaps, echoing our commitment to expand rigorous opportunities for all learners.
HB 208

AN ACT relating to technology in public schools

 Mandates local boards of education to adopt rules prohibiting student use of personal devices, like cell phones, during the school day, with limited exceptions. Adds social media to the list of prohibited content through school technology. J. Bray 02/28/25: posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Tuesday, March 04, 2025 Limiting personal device use can reduce distractions, but we’re monitoring to see if HB 208 strikes the right balance between maintaining focus and allowing for constructive technology use.
HB 240

AN ACT relating to primary school.

 Requires a universal kindergarten screener in the final 10 days of the school year. Beginning with 2025-2026, students who show inadequate progress must repeat kindergarten unless they turn seven by August 1. Calls for re-evaluating reading improvement plans for any students who repeat. T. Truett 03/04/25: to Education (S) Early screening and prompt interventions can transform a child’s educational trajectory. We support universal screening provided professional judgment is used to determine appropriate interventions.
SB 5

AN ACT relating to public schools.

 Designates “state intervention schools” for those in comprehensive support and improvement (CSI) status that fail to exit on schedule. Empowers the commissioner of education to manage such schools and approve a turnaround plan. Also establishes a waiver process for certain laws and regulations and creates guidelines for “schools of innovation.” S. West 02/28/25: returned to Education (S) Struggling schools must improve and need robust resources to do so, so we’re monitoring SB 5 to ensure accountability measures come with enough support for meaningful change.
SB 6

AN ACT relating to the Support Education Excellence in Kentucky Program.

 Amends how Support Education Excellence in Kentucky (SEEK) funding is reported by including on-behalf and “distributable” costs. Defines those costs and details how they’re determined. Scheduled to take effect July 1, 2026. D. Givens 03/05/25: to Committee on Committees (H) We understand the need to show the full taxpayer investment in our schools and want to keep each SEEK component transparent, so communities can see per‐pupil funding details and pursue better outcomes.

Early Childhood and Primary Education

Resources

Bills to Watch

Bill Summary Primary Sponsor Current Status Resources
HB 221

AN ACT relating to licensed child-care centers.

 Amends the requirement for 35 square feet of indoor space per child to include exclusive areas such as bathrooms and hallways. D. Johnson 02/07/25: to Families & Children (H)
HB 266

AN ACT relating to the Child Care Assistance Program.

 Expands eligibility for childcare subsidy for working families and boost workforce participation. A. Camuel 02/07/25: to Appropriations & Revenue (H)
HB 272

AN ACT relating to reading and writing in schools.

 

 Expands KDE support and requires local districts to address reading and writing difficulties like dyslexia and dysgraphia in K-3. S. Heavrin 02/28/25: to Education (S)

 

 
HB 300

AN ACT relating to preschool and kindergarten education.

 Provides quality early childhood education to income-eligible and special education for three- and four-year-olds. B. Chester-Burton 02/07/25: to Primary and Secondary Education (H)
HB 417

AN ACT relating to the Health Access Nurturing Development Services Program.

 Enhances services for maternal mental health through the HANDS home visiting program. L. Burke 02/14/25: to Health Services (H)
HB 460

AN ACT relating to preschool and kindergarten education.

 Provides quality early childhood education to income-eligible and special education for three- and four-year-olds. A. Donworth 02/14/25: to Primary and Secondary Education (H)
HB 508

AN ACT relating to the Employee Child Care Assistance Partnership Program.

 Allows ECCAP applicants to submit mail-in applications. J. Decker 02/26/25: reassigned to Families & Children (H)

 
HB 528

AN ACT relating to reading and language arts instruction.

 Prohibits the use of the three-cueing system in K-3 instruction and teacher preparation programs. J. Tipton 02/21/25: to Primary and Secondary Education (H)
HB 530

AN ACT relating to full-day kindergarten.

 Codifies full-day kindergarten programming. V. Grossl 02/21/25: to Primary and Secondary Education (H)
HB 557

AN ACT relating to elementary literacy and making an appropriation therefor.

 Establishes the “Kids Love to Read Program,” providing free weekly books to students in kindergarten through grade five and requires funding from General Fund for the fiscal year 2025-2026. P. Stevenson 02/25/25: to State Government (H)
HB 651

AN ACT relating to the Child Care Assistance Program.

 

 Establishes an income eligibility threshold of at or below 85% of the state median income for the Child Care Assistance Program. A. Tackett Laferty 02/26/25: to Families & Children (H)

 
HB 679

AN ACT relating to instructional programs for school-age children.

 

 Exempts instructional programs for school-age children from child-care licensure regulations. W. Williams 02/26/25: to Families & Children (H)

 
HB 749

AN ACT relating to the family child care homes.

 

 Allows certified family child-care home providers to apply for CCAP funding for their own children. V. Grossl 02/27/25: to Families & Children (H)

 

Meaningful Diploma

Resources

Bills to Watch

Bill Summary Primary Sponsor Current Status Resources
HB 54

AN ACT relating to building trade professions.

 

 Allows on-the-job training hours in certain internships and co-op placements to count toward electrician, plumber, and HVAC licensure. K. Banta 02/27/25: to Economic Development, Tourism, & Labor (S)
HB 193

AN ACT relating to dual credit scholarships.

 

 Expands dual credit scholarships to freshmen and sophomores, limits eligible courses, and awards scholarships by application date. J. Payne 02/25/25: to Education (S)
HB 302

AN ACT establishing the Adult Workforce Diploma Pilot Program.

 

 Establishes a temporary Adult Workforce Diploma Pilot Program with milestone payments to participating providers, ending July 1, 2028. S. Bratcher 02/07/25: to Economic Development & Workforce Investment (H)
HB 303

AN ACT relating to military healthcare personnel.

 

 Directs KCTCS to create academic bridge programs and career pathways transitioning military healthcare personnel into licensed civilian roles. S. Bratcher 03/05/25: reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar
HB 342

AN ACT relating to financial literacy.

 

 Requires a one-credit financial literacy course for high school juniors or seniors beginning with the 2026–2027 cohort. M. Meredith 03/05/25: to Committee on Committees (S)

 
HB 427

AN ACT relating to postsecondary education.

 

 Mandates statewide transfer pathways for high-demand bachelor’s programs and ensures transferred credits fulfill general or program requirements. V. Grossl 2/26/25: to Education (S)

 
HB 451

AN ACT relating to postsecondary education.

 

 Creates the prospective educator scholarship program with loan repayment for those who complete specified teaching service. D. Grossberg 02/14/25: to Postsecondary Education (H)
HB 568

AN ACT relating to postsecondary education students.

 

 Requires each public postsecondary institution to appoint a liaison to support homeless or foster-care students. J. Watkins 02/25/25: to Postsecondary Education (H)
HB 590

AN ACT relating to an apprenticeship tax credit.

 

 Establishes a tax credit for employers who maintain apprenticeship programs and hire apprentices. N. Kulkarni 02/21/25: to Appropriations & Revenue (H)
HB 655

AN ACT relating to teachers.

 

 Creates a future Kentucky teacher scholarship program with student loan repayment awards for qualified teaching service. B. Chester-Burton 02/26/25: to Postsecondary Education (H)

 
SB 45

AN ACT relating to Kentucky educational excellence scholarships.

 

 Increases base and supplemental Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship (KEES) awards, including for standardized exam scores, effective July 1, 2025. C. Armstrong 01/09/25: Assigned to Education (S)
SB 68

AN ACT relating to education.

 

 Revises certain public school “learning capacities,” lifts some reporting mandates, and updates financial publishing rules for school boards. S. Rawlings 03/05/25: floor amendment (1) filed to Committee Substitute

 
SB 253

AN ACT relating to scholarships.

 

 Eliminates teacher scholarship repayments, expands dual credit scholarships to underclassmen, and redirects funds after repealing a teacher loan forgiveness pilot. J. Higdon 02/20/25: to Appropriations & Revenue (S)

Other Bills of Interest

Bill Summary Resources
HB 1 Reduces the individual income tax rate from 4% to 3.5% starting January 1, 2026.
HB 36 Bars nondisclosure agreements for misconduct involving minors, expands reference and background checks, and imposes stricter rules on reporting.
HB 48 Extends time between tenured staff evaluations, consolidates required trainings, and removes several state‐mandated improvement plan and reporting requirements.
HB 66 Ends CPE’s power to delay new program approvals over unmet equal opportunity goals in public higher education.
HB 91 Limits the EPSB’s authority to public‐school educators and excludes “learning pods” from certain child‐care regulations.
HB 103 Restricts boards from disqualifying license applicants solely for lacking “good character” and requires consideration of age, context, and rehabilitation.
HB 119 Requires middle and high schools to include African and Native American history within specified world and U.S. history courses.
HB 132 Allows home‐hospital instructional services to begin the day a student is admitted to an inpatient facility.
HB 156 Reestablishes the State Textbook Commission as the State Instructional Materials Commission and mandates detailed guides for approved materials.
HB 162 Lays out a process for creating new independent school districts in qualifying cities, with rules on asset division and board transitions.
HB 170 Lets substitute teaching count toward the required residency/paraprofessional experience in Option 9 alternative teacher certification.
HB 197 Abolishes the Council on Postsecondary Education, transferring its duties and resources to the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority.
HB 205 Removes EPSB’s authority to require passing exam scores for teacher certification and makes related conforming changes.
HB 230 Requires KDE to create a professional development schedule and permits adding a school‐calendar day if that training cannot fit into one day.
HB 241 Allows adding instructional time to existing days to make up closures, permits up to five waiver days if hour requirements can’t be met, and declares an emergency.
HB 248 Directs the Legislative Research Commission to provide a family impact statement for every bill, resolution, or amendment.
HB 249 Defines an equivalent GPA for KEES eligibility for certain private or parochial school graduates based on AP exams, dual‐credit GPAs, or both.
HB 251 Tasks the EPSB, not CPE, with ensuring teacher‐prep programs produce effective educators and requires triennial legislative reports.
HB 259 Grants 20 days of maternity leave for district employees, to be included in existing local policies.
HB 263 Expands Student Teacher Stipend Program eligibility to certain nonpublic school placements and clarifies payment procedures.
HB 271 Allocates funds for local school districts to provide a 5% salary raise to eligible employees in FY 2025–2026.
HB 294 Requires middle and high schools to teach the “Success Sequence” in grades 7 and 10 and directs KDE to set standards and guidelines.
HB 297 Establishes a statutory procedure for merging contiguous school districts and final authority with the Kentucky Board of Education.
HB 298 Eliminates the mandatory turnaround vendor requirement for CSI schools and directs the superintendent to adopt evidence‐based curriculum.
HB 324 Lets local boards set minimum test scores for certain certified positions, ending mandatory exam passage for teacher certification.
HB 435 Requires compensation for teachers who must supervise or instruct students during noninstructional planning time.
HB 448 Mandates payment for professional development held outside the official school calendar or regular work hours.
HB 494 Creates an enhanced English‐learner support program for students with limited formal education, requiring KDE to contract a qualified provider.
HB 529 Restricts Work Ready Kentucky Scholarship eligibility to students whose adjusted gross income is below 250% of the state median household income.
HB 600 Appropriates $26 million from the Budget Reserve Trust Fund to SEEK for FY 2024–25 and includes an emergency clause.
SB 66 Removes certain candidacy restrictions for local school boards, prohibits employees from serving, and requires each board to adopt a local code of ethics.
SB 107 Strips postsecondary institutions’ immunity provision from the 2024–2026 state budget and declares an emergency.
SB 131 Allows a simple majority vote to remove superintendents, adjusts board sizes by enrollment, and mandates investigations disclosure to local boards.
SB 142 Adds a 0.24 factor for English learners in SEEK starting in 2026–27 and revises references to state accountability.
SB 165 Prohibits DEI activities funded by public schools, terminates certain DEI positions, and provides legal remedies for violations.
SB 207 Allows local boards to request waivers for certain education statutes or regulations and repeals some existing “innovation” statutes.
SB 213 Lets 16‐ or 17‐year‐olds with a GED exit compulsory attendance.
SB 258 Requires students to be citizens, nationals, or permanent residents to qualify for in‐state residency in higher education.
SB 268 Bars the KDE from capping virtual‐program enrollment or penalizing funding for districts offering virtual education until June 30, 2026.

SCR 131: A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION directing the Legislative Research Commission to establish the Efficient and Effective Districts Task Force

Direct the Legislative Research Commission to establish the Efficient and Effective Districts Task Force; outline task force duties; require the task force to submit any recommendations and changes the task force may adopt by December 1, 2025; establish membership; require the task force to meet once per month; require the Legislative Research Commission to provide needed staff.

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