Kentucky 2026 Regular Session Status: Passed Senate Bipartisan · 4 R · 1 D cosponsors

SB 156 — AN ACT relating to child marriage.

Last action — recommitted to Appropriations & Revenue (H)

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

This bill has passed the Senate. Introduced February 03, 2026. It now moves to the second chamber.

Next likely step: consideration and a floor vote in the House.

Prognosis

Likely to advance 72% · high confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

Moderate

How often bills like it became law.

  • Passed Senate

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 5 sponsors

    5 primary, 0 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Bipartisan support

    Sponsored across 2 parties (4 R · 1 D) — cross-party backing.

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 1 recorded vote so far.

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.

Summary

Amend KRS 402.020 to prohibit marriage with a person under 18 years of age; exclude from being prohibited and void, marriages entered into in the Commonwealth before the effective date of this Act and marriages entered into in another state or country; amend KRS 402.080 and 402.210 to prohibit the issuance of marriage licenses to persons under 18 years of age; amend KRS 402.030 to conform; repeal KRS 402.205, relating to petitions to courts filed by minors aged 17 years seeking permission to marry.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

6 added · 6 removed

6 line(s) added, 6 removed.

→
Previous
Latest
UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS BR 1889 AN ACT relating to child marriage.
UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS SB 156/GA AN ACT relating to child marriage.
Page 1 of 3 BR188900.100 - 1889 - XXXX 3/3/2026 2:39 PM Jacketed UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS BR 1889 Section 3.
Page 1 of 3 SB015610.100 - 1889 - XXXX 3/3/2026 2:41 PM GA UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS SB 156/GA Section 3.
Page 2 of 3 BR188900.100 - 1889 - XXXX 3/3/2026 2:39 PM Jacketed UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS BR 1889 (a) The party who is seventeen (17) years of age presents to the clerk a certified copy of a court order by a family court or District Court judge that grants the party permission to marry and removes the party's disability of minority, as provided in KRS 402.205;
Page 2 of 3 SB015610.100 - 1889 - XXXX 3/3/2026 2:41 PM GA UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS SB 156/GA (a) The party who is seventeen (17) years of age presents to the clerk a certified copy of a court order by a family court or District Court judge that grants the party permission to marry and removes the party's disability of minority, as provided in KRS 402.205;
Page 3 of 3 BR188900.100 - 1889 - XXXX 3/3/2026 2:39 PM Jacketed
Page 3 of 3 SB015610.100 - 1889 - XXXX 3/3/2026 2:41 PM GA
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How this bill changes current law

8 changes Share ↗

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

The bill revises the provisions related to marriage age requirements and repeals the ability for minors to seek court permission to marry.

  • KRS 402.020

    disabled → incompetent

    The term 'disabled' is replaced with 'incompetent' for clarity regarding mental capacity.

  • KRS 402.020

    there is a husband or wife living, from whom → from a living spouse

    The phrasing is simplified to clarify that divorce must occur from a living spouse.

  • KRS 402.020

    Except as provided in KRS 402.210,

    The reference to KRS 402.210 is removed, changing the context of age restrictions for marriage.

  • KRS 402.030

    provided that → if

    The language is simplified to clarify the conditions under which marriages can be declared void.

  • KRS 402.030

    At the instance of → Upon petition

    The phrase is made clearer regarding how petitions can be brought to declare a marriage void.

  • KRS 402.210

    If either of the parties is seventeen (17) years of age, a marriage license shall not be issued unless: → If either of the parties is under eighteen (18) years of age, no license shall be issued.

    The minimum age for obtaining a marriage license is raised to eighteen.

  • KRS 402.210

    the party who is seventeen (17) years of age presents to the clerk a certified copy of a court order by a family court or District Court judge that grants the party permission to marry and removes the party's disability of minority, as provided in KRS 402.205; and

    The requirement for minors to obtain court permission to marry is eliminated.

  • The following KRS section is repealed: 402.205 Petition to court by seventeen year old for permission to marry -- Evidentiary hearing -- Reasons for denying petition -- Effect of pregnancy -- Emancipation of minor -- Other court-imposed condition -- Fee.

    The statute allowing minors to petition for permission to marry is completely repealed.

Action History

  1. recommitted to Appropriations & Revenue (H)

  2. floor amendments (3) and (4-title) filed

  3. Floor Amendment (2) withdrawn

  4. 2nd reading, to Rules

  5. floor amendment (2) filed

  6. reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar

  7. floor amendment (1) filed

  8. to Families & Children (H)

  9. to Committee on Committees (H)

  10. received in House

  11. 3rd reading, passed 36-0

  12. posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Tuesday, March 03 2026

  13. 2nd reading, to Rules

  14. reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar

  15. to Veterans, Military Affairs, & Public Protection (S)

  16. to Committee on Committees (S)

  17. introduced in Senate

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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5 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 133 not signed on

Sponsors (5)

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (133)

133 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 133 →

"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

Votes

PASS SB 156

Passed 36 Yea · 0 Nay · 2 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democrat 5000
Republican 31002
Total 36002
% of votes cast 95%0%0%5%
How each member voted (38)
Member Party Vote
Cassie Chambers Armstrong Democrat Yea
Gary Clemons Democrat Yea
Gerald A. Neal Democrat Yea
Karen Berg Democrat Yea
Keturah J. Herron Democrat Yea
Aaron Reed Republican Yea
Amanda Mays Bledsoe Republican Yea
Brandon J. Storm Republican Yea
Christian McDaniel Republican Yea
Craig Richardson Republican Yea
Danny Carroll Republican Yea
David P. Givens Republican Yea
Donald Douglas Republican Yea
Gary Boswell Republican Yea
Greg Elkins Republican Yea
Jared Carpenter Republican Yea
Jason Howell Republican Yea
Jason Nemes Republican Yea
Jimmy Higdon Republican Not Voting
Julie Raque Adams Republican Yea
Lindsey Tichenor Republican Not Voting
Matt Nunn Republican Yea
Matthew Deneen Republican Yea
Max Wise Republican Yea
Michael Meredith Republican Yea
Nick Wilson Republican Yea
Phillip Wheeler Republican Yea
Rick Girdler Republican Yea
Robby Mills Republican Yea
Robert Stivers Republican Yea
Robin L. Webb Republican Yea
Scott Madon Republican Yea
Shelley Funke Frommeyer Republican Yea
Stephen West Republican Yea
Steve Rawlings Republican Yea
Tom Smith Republican Yea
Wade Williams Republican Yea
Walker Thomas Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Subjects

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 156 do?
Amend KRS 402.020 to prohibit marriage with a person under 18 years of age; exclude from being prohibited and void, marriages entered into in the Commonwealth before the effective date of this Act and marriages entered into in another state or country; amend KRS 402.080 and 402.210 to prohibit the issuance of marriage licenses to persons under 18 years of age; amend KRS 402.030 to conform; repeal KRS 402.205, relating to petitions to courts filed by minors aged 17 years seeking permission to marry.
Who sponsors SB 156?
SB 156 is sponsored by Lindsey Tichenor (Republican), Shelley Funke Frommeyer (Republican), Matthew Deneen (Republican), Cassie Chambers Armstrong (Democrat), and Julie Raque Adams (Republican).
What is the current status of SB 156?
This bill has passed the Senate. Introduced February 03, 2026. It now moves to the second chamber.
Where can I track SB 156?
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