SB 71 — AN ACT relating to training requirements for local boards of education.

UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS BRSB 166971/GA AN ACT relating to financial training requirements for local boards of education.

This shall not apply to a board member holding office on July 13, 1990, whose relative was not initially hired by the Page 1 of 37 SB007110.100 - 1669 - XXXX 1/9/20262/9/2026 11:454:48 AMPM JacketedGA UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS BRSB 166971/GA district during the tenure of the board member.

(5) (a) The annual in-service training requirements for all members of boards of education in office as of December 31, 2014, shall be as follows:

(a)1.[(a)] Twelve (12) hours for members with zero to three (3) years of experience;

(b)2.[(b)] Eight (8) hours for members with four (4) to seven (7) years of Page 2 of 7 SB007110.100 - 1669 - XXXX 2/9/2026 4:48 PM GA UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS SB 71/GA experience;

and Page3.[(c)] 2 of 3 XXXX 1/9/2026 11:45 AM Jacketed UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS BR 1669 (c) Four (4) hours for members with eight (8) or more years of experience.

(b) The Kentuckyin-service Boardtraining requirements of Educationthis subsection shall identifyinclude thea criteriaminimum forof: fulfilling this requirement.

(6) (a) For all members of boards of education who begin their initial service on or after January 1, 2015, the in-service training requirements shall be:

TwelveOne (12)(1) hourshour for members with zero to eight (8) years of experienceethics eachtraining year,every whichyear; shall include a minimum of:

a.2.

One (1) hour of ethicsopen meetings and open records training eachevery year;four (4) years;

and b.3.

OneTwo (1)(2) hourhours of openfinance meetingstraining andevery opentwo records(2) trainingyears.[ withinThe Kentucky Board of Education shall identify the firstcriteria twelvefor (12)fulfilling monthsthis requirement.] (6) [(a) ]For all members of boards of education who begin their initial service andon ator leastafter onceJanuary every1, four2015, (4)the yearsin-service thereafter;training requirements shall be:

and(a)[1.] 2.Twelve (12) hours for members with zero to eight (8) years of experience each year, which shall include a minimum of:

Eight1.[a.]One (8)(1) hourshour forof membersethics withtraining moreeach thanyear;[ eightand] (8)2.[b.]One years(1) hour of experienceopen eachmeetings year,and whichopen shallrecords includetraining awithin minimumthe of:first twelve (12) months of initial service and at least once every four (4) years thereafter;[ and ] 3.

a.Three (3) hours of finance training within the first two (2) years of initial service and two (2) hours of finance training at least once every two (2) years thereafter;

Oneand (1)4. hour of ethics training each year;

andOne b.(1) hour of superintendent evaluation within the first two (2) years of service;

Oneand (1)(b)[2.] hourEight of(8) openhours meetingsfor andmembers openwith recordsmore trainingthan ateight least(8) onceyears everyof fourexperience (4)each years.year, which shall include a minimum of:

(b)1.[a.]One Training(1) topicshour forof membersethics undertraining thiseach subsectionyear;[ withand] lessPage than3 twoof (2)7 yearsSB007110.100 of- consecutive1669 service- shallXXXX include[2/9/2026 three4:48 (3)PM hoursGA ofUNOFFICIAL financeCOPY and]26 oneRS SB 71/GA 2.[b.]One (1) hour of superintendentopen evaluationmeetings withinand theopen firstrecords twotraining (2)at yearsleast ofonce service.every four (4) years;

Theand Kentucky3. Board of Education shall identify criteria for fulfilling this requirement.

(7)Two For(2) allhours members of boardsfinance of education, the in-service training requirementsat shallleast includeonce six (6) hours of finance every two (2) yearsyears. of service.

Page(7) 3The Kentucky Board of 3Education XXXXshall 1/9/2026identify 11:45the AMcriteria Jacketedfor fulfilling the requirements of subsections (5) and (6) of this section.[ (b) Training topics for members under this subsection with less than two (2) years of consecutive service shall include three (3) hours of finance and one (1) hour of superintendent evaluation within the first two (2) years of service.

The Kentucky Board of Education shall identify criteria for fulfilling this requirement.] Section 2.

KRS 160.160 is amended to read as follows:

(1) Each school district shall be under the management and control of a board of education consisting of five (5) members, except in counties containing a city of the first class wherein a merger pursuant to KRS 160.041 shall have been accomplished which shall have seven (7) members elected from the divisions and in the manner prescribed by KRS 160.210(5), to be known as the "Board of Education of ...., Kentucky." Each board of education shall be a body politic and corporate with perpetual succession.

It may sue and be sued;

make contracts;

expend funds necessary for liability insurance premiums and for the defense of any civil action brought against an individual board member in his official or individual capacity, or both, on account of an act made in the scope and course of his performance of legal duties as a board member;

purchase, receive, hold, and sell property;

issue its bonds to build and construct improvements;

and do all things necessary to accomplish the purposes for which it is created.

Each board of education shall elect a chair[chairman] and vice chair[chairman] from its membership in a manner and for a term prescribed by the board not to exceed two (2) years.

Upon the election of a chair and vice chair, each board of education shall review, with the Page 4 of 7 SB007110.100 - 1669 - XXXX 2/9/2026 4:48 PM GA UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS SB 71/GA superintendent and the school finance officer, the specific procedures and responsibilities of the board and district employees relating to the district budget.

The review shall not count toward the annual in-service training requirements established in Section 1 of this Act.

(2) No board of education shall participate in any financing of school buildings, school improvements, appurtenances thereto, or furnishing and equipment, including education technology equipment without:

(a) First establishing the cost of the project in advance of financing, based on the receipt of advertised, public, and competitive bids for such project, in accordance with KRS Chapter 424;

and (b) Establishing the cost of financing in advance of the sale of any bonds, certificates of participation in any leases, or other evidences of financial commitments issued by or on behalf of such board.

Any bonds, leases, participations, or other financial arrangements shall not involve a final commitment of the board until the purchaser or lender involved shall have been determined by public advertising in accordance with KRS Chapter 424.

(3) No board of education shall make a mortgage, lien, or other encumbrance upon any school building owned by the board, or transfer title to any such school building as part of any financing arrangement, without the specific approval of the Department of Education, and without the transaction being entered into pursuant to a detailed plan or procedure specifically authorized by Kentucky statute.