Kentucky 2026 Regular Session Status: In Committee 1 R cosponsors

SB 305 — AN ACT relating to natural resources and energy.

Last action — to Committee on Committees (S)

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  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.

Prognosis

Stalled 16% · moderate confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

Low

How often bills like it became law.

  • In Committee

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 1 sponsor

    1 primary, 0 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (1 R).

Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.

In plain language

The bill amends a section regulating utilities in Kentucky.

This bill makes a technical correction to KRS 278.040, which governs the regulation of utilities in Kentucky. It maintains the Public Service Commission's authority over utilities while reaffirming local jurisdiction.

Summary

Amend KRS 278.040 to make a technical correction.

Bill Text

How this bill changes current law

5 changes Share ↗

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

The bill simplifies the language of KRS 278.040 by consolidating provisions related to the Public Service Commission's regulation of utilities.

  • KRS 278.040(1)

    (1) (a) The Public Service Commission shall constitute an independent department of state government within the meaning of KRS Chapter 12 and shall be administratively attached to the Energy and Environment Cabinet only for those limited functions and purposes expressly requested by the commission to be performed by the Energy and Environment Cabinet. → The Public Service Commission shall regulate utilities and enforce the provisions of this chapter.

    This change combines the definition of the commission's status with its regulatory role.

  • KRS 278.040(1)

    The commission shall have sole discretion as to which functions shall be deemed necessary for its efficient operation.

    This removes the discretion clause regarding the commission's functions, potentially streamlining operations.

  • KRS 278.040(3)

    (3) (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this subsection, in any matter to be decided by the commission, the chair of the commission shall assign three (3) commissioners to hear and decide the matter. No more than two (2) of the assigned commissioners shall be of the same political party. (b) In his or her sole discretion, the chair may assign all five (5) commissioners to hear and decide a matter before the commission.

    This eliminates specific assignment rules for commissioners, allowing for greater flexibility in decision-making.

  • KRS 278.040(4)

    (4) (a) Notwithstanding KRS 64.640 or any provision of KRS Chapter 18A to the contrary, the commission may, in its sole discretion, identify and determine the compensation for categories of its professional employees at the amounts it deems necessary to recruit and retain employees who have the experience, expertise, and education required to perform their job responsibilities with the commission. (b) Noncontractual employees of the commission shall otherwise be subject to the requirements and benefits of KRS Chapter 18A.

    This removes specific compensation mandate language, which could allow for different compensation structures.

  • KRS 278.040(7)

    The commission shall regulate utilities, enforce the provisions of this chapter and the rules and administrative regulations promulgated hereunder, and exercise all powers necessary and incidental thereto. → The commission shall be a body corporate, with power to sue and be sued in its corporate name.

    This restructures the mandate of the commission to clarify its corporate status.

Action History

  1. to Committee on Committees (S)

  2. introduced in Senate

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 137 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (137)

137 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 137 →

"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

energy
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 305 do?
Amend KRS 278.040 to make a technical correction.
Who sponsors SB 305?
SB 305 is sponsored by Phillip Wheeler (Republican).
What is the current status of SB 305?
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 305?
Track SB 305 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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Last checked for changes about 2 months ago · updated continuously

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