Kentucky 2026 Regular Session Status: In Committee Bipartisan · 2 D · 2 R cosponsors

SB 290 — AN ACT relating to criminal history.

Last action — 2nd reading, to Rules

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Senate
  4. 4
    Passed House
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill is in committee in the Senate. Introduced February 27, 2026. It must pass committee before a floor vote.

Next likely step: a committee vote, then a floor vote in the Senate.

Odds of enactment

Low chance

Based on the sponsor, cosponsors, and committee posture, this bill has a low chance of becoming law.

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A statistical estimate from our own model of past outcomes — an insight, not a guarantee. Policymaking is volatile.

Prognosis

Advancing 38% · moderate confidence

  • In Committee

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 4 sponsors

    4 primary, 0 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Bipartisan support

    Sponsored across 2 parties (2 D · 2 R) — cross-party backing.

Based on stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes, and cross-state momentum — a description of the observable signals, not a prediction.

Summary

Create a new sections of KRS Chapter 431 to establish an automatic expungement process for specific eligible misdemeanor and felony convictions; allow the Commonwealth's and county attorney to object and halt the automatic expungement of certain offenses; require the Administrative Office of the Courts and the Department of Kentucky State Police to submit a report twice a year to the Legislative Research Commission on the implementation of the automatic expungement process; amend KRS 431.073 to waive fees for an applicant whose conviction qualifies as an eligible conviction; amend KRS 431.074 to require the Administrative Office of the Courts to establish a searchable portal to allow a person to determine if his or her conviction has been expunged; amend KRS 431.078 to waive fees for a petitioner whose conviction qualifies as an eligible conviction; amend KRS 431.079 to provide court clerks and deputy court clerks with immunity from civil liability for acts done in good faith under this act; amend KRS 17.151 to require the Department for Kentucky State Police to provide the Administrative Office of the Courts with data to comply with automatic expungement process; amend KRS 196.093 to require the Department of Corrections to provide the Administrative Office of the Courts with data to comply with automatic expungement process; amend KRS 367.310 to provide that no conviction that has been overruled, vacated, set aside, or expunged shall not be included on any background check or consumer report; establish the Automatic Expungement Task Force; establish duties and membership; require the task force to submit a report with recommendations to the Legislative Research Commission by November 1, 2026; provide that the Act may be cited as the Automatic Expungement Act.

Bill Text

How this bill changes current law

3 changes Share ↗

Compared against the Kentucky Revised Statutes as published AI-generated reading aid — verify against the official bill.

The bill establishes a new process for expunging certain felony and misdemeanor convictions and creates additional guidelines for the identification of eligible convictions.

  • KRS 431.073

    Beginning August 2, 2032, and on the first business day of each month thereafter, the clerk of the court shall: [various subsections regarding expungement process]

    A new process for automatic expungement of certain felony and misdemeanor convictions will be established, starting in 2032.

  • A NEW SECTION OF KRS CHAPTER 431 IS CREATED TO READ AS FOLLOWS: ...

    Defines terms related to criminal history providers and establishes criteria for expungable convictions.

  • This section shall not preclude any person from filing an application for expungement pursuant to KRS 431.073 or a petition for expungement pursuant to KRS 431.078.

    Clarifies that the new expungement process does not replace existing methods for obtaining expungement.

Action History

  1. 2nd reading, to Rules

  2. reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar

  3. to Judiciary (S)

  4. to Committee on Committees (S)

  5. introduced in Senate

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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4 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 134 not signed on

Sponsors (4)

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (134)

134 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 134 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

public-safety civil-rights
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

What does SB 290 do?
Create a new sections of KRS Chapter 431 to establish an automatic expungement process for specific eligible misdemeanor and felony convictions; allow the Commonwealth's and county attorney to object and halt the automatic expungement of certain offenses; require the Administrative Office of the Courts and the Department of Kentucky State Police to submit a report twice a year to the Legislative Research Commission on the implementation of the automatic expungement process; amend KRS 431.073 to waive fees for an applicant whose conviction qualifies as an eligible conviction; amend KRS 431.074 to require the Administrative Office of the Courts to establish a searchable portal to allow a person to determine if his or her conviction has been expunged; amend KRS 431.078 to waive fees for a petitioner whose conviction qualifies as an eligible conviction; amend KRS 431.079 to provide court clerks and deputy court clerks with immunity from civil liability for acts done in good faith under this act; amend KRS 17.151 to require the Department for Kentucky State Police to provide the Administrative Office of the Courts with data to comply with automatic expungement process; amend KRS 196.093 to require the Department of Corrections to provide the Administrative Office of the Courts with data to comply with automatic expungement process; amend KRS 367.310 to provide that no conviction that has been overruled, vacated, set aside, or expunged shall not be included on any background check or consumer report; establish the Automatic Expungement Task Force; establish duties and membership; require the task force to submit a report with recommendations to the Legislative Research Commission by November 1, 2026; provide that the Act may be cited as the Automatic Expungement Act.
Who sponsors SB 290?
SB 290 is sponsored by Reginald L. Thomas (Democrat), Craig Richardson (Republican), Gerald A. Neal (Democrat), and Brandon J. Storm (Republican).
What is the current status of SB 290?
This bill is in committee in the Senate. Introduced February 27, 2026. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Where can I track SB 290?
Track SB 290 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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