Kentucky 2025 Regular Session Status: In Committee

HB 653 — AN ACT relating to education and declaring an emergency.

Last action — to Primary and Secondary Education (H)

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

This bill died with 2025 Regular Session. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there is no live prognosis. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Summary

Amend KRS 158.192 to change the definition of "harmful to minors" and define terms; deem material, performances, events, or programs that are obscene, harmful to minors, or contain obscene imagery representing minors as educationally unsuitable and not age appropriate; require principals to remove student access to materials, programs, or events deemed educationally unsuitable or not age appropriate; modify complaint and appeals timelines; require that principal or local board of education report that a material, program, or event was educationally unsuitable and age appropriate to the educational materials review committee; provide that willful violation be a basis for employee disciplinary action; require local boards of education to adopt policies to prevent educationally unsuitable and not age appropriate material from being introduced into the school library or made accessible on school property; require the Kentucky Department of Education to provide a model policy for excluding matter that is educationally unsuitable and not age appropriate from school libraries; require the Kentucky Board of Education to establish an educational materials review committee to evaluate decisions made locally and provide recommendations to the Kentucky Board of Education on the usage of reported materials, programs, and events; EMERGENCY.

Bill Text

We don't have the full text on file for this bill yet.

Read HB 653 on the official Kentucky source →

Action History

  1. to Primary and Secondary Education (H)

  2. to Committee on Committees (H)

  3. introduced in House

Sponsorship breakdown

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0 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 138 not signed on

Sponsors (0)

None.

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (138)

138 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 138 →

"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

education
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Frequently asked questions

What does HB 653 do?
Amend KRS 158.192 to change the definition of "harmful to minors" and define terms; deem material, performances, events, or programs that are obscene, harmful to minors, or contain obscene imagery representing minors as educationally unsuitable and not age appropriate; require principals to remove student access to materials, programs, or events deemed educationally unsuitable or not age appropriate; modify complaint and appeals timelines; require that principal or local board of education report that a material, program, or event was educationally unsuitable and age appropriate to the educational materials review committee; provide that willful violation be a basis for employee disciplinary action; require local boards of education to adopt policies to prevent educationally unsuitable and not age appropriate material from being introduced into the school library or made accessible on school property; require the Kentucky Department of Education to provide a model policy for excluding matter that is educationally unsuitable and not age appropriate from school libraries; require the Kentucky Board of Education to establish an educational materials review committee to evaluate decisions made locally and provide recommendations to the Kentucky Board of Education on the usage of reported materials, programs, and events; EMERGENCY.
What is the current status of HB 653?
This bill died with 2025 Regular Session. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track HB 653?
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Last checked for changes 3 months ago · updated continuously

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