summary
Introduced
02/19/2026
02/19/2026
In Committee
02/19/2026
02/19/2026
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
2026 Regular Session
Bill Summary
Amend KRS 160.290 to ensure public school curriculum, textbooks, and instructional materials, including digital learning materials, remain subject to the Open Records Act and that districts protect a resident's fair use rights; amend KRS 160.350 to require a superintendent with total annual compensation greater than the commissioner of education to be subject to confirmation by the Senate; require a majority vote instead of a four-fifths vote of local board of education members to remove a superintendent; delete requirements for approval from the commissioner of education to remove a superintendent; provide an appeal process for the superintendent; amend KRS 160.160 to establish a 1 year term for chair and vice chair of a local board of education; require superintendents to submit reports on closed personnel investigations to the local board of education for the purposes of policy oversight and evaluation of the superintendent's performance; amend KRS 160.180 to make ineligible a candidate for membership on a board of education who engages or serves as an officer or director of an organization that represents district employees in employment or legal matters against the district; require Open Records Act and Open Meetings Act training for local board of education members; make conforming changes; permit the hiring of relatives of a local board of education member; amend KRS 160.380 to prohibit a person convicted of certain specified crimes from being employed by a superintendent; require superintendents to submit reports on previous personnel investigations closed during the superintendent's contract to the local board of education within 30 days of the effective date of this Act.
AI Summary
This bill makes several changes to how Kentucky school districts are managed and governed, including ensuring that school curriculum, textbooks, and digital learning materials are subject to the Open Records Act, which allows the public to access government records, and that residents' rights to "fair use" of these materials are protected. It also modifies the process for appointing and removing school superintendents, requiring those with compensation exceeding the state's education commissioner to be confirmed by the Senate, lowering the vote threshold for removal from four-fifths to a majority of the local board, and removing the need for state commissioner approval for removal while adding an appeal process for the superintendent. Additionally, the bill establishes one-year terms for the chair and vice-chair of local school boards, mandates that superintendents report on closed personnel investigations to the board for oversight, and makes candidates ineligible for school board membership if they represent district employees in disputes against the district. It also requires school board members to undergo training on the Open Records and Open Meetings Acts, allows for the hiring of relatives of board members, and prohibits individuals convicted of certain crimes from being employed by a superintendent, while also requiring superintendents to report on past closed personnel investigations to the board.
Sponsors (3)
Last Action
to Committee on Committees (S) (on 02/19/2026)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location |
|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/26RS/sb215.html |
| BillText | https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/sb215/orig_bill.pdf |
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