Kentucky Senate Bill 263

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Completed Legislative Action
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 2)
Status: Passed on April 14 2026 - 100% progression
Action: 2026-04-14 - delivered to Secretary of State (Acts Ch. 180)
Text: Latest bill text (Chaptered) [PDF]

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 156 to make findings and declarations about locally driven innovation and the intent of the General Assembly to permit flexibility for school districts to improve practices; amend KRS 156.161 to modify the waiver process and the waiver authority of the Kentucky Board of Education; require the Kentucky Department of Education to assist local boards of education in the development of waiver requests; specify the analysis the department shall provide to the state board in reviewing a local board's waiver request; establish a process for a local board to submit a request for a school or program to be identified as a school of innovation with a set of waivers that operate collectively; provide protections for school districts that rely on waiver assistance from the department; create a new section of KRS Chapter 156 to require the state board to establish a list of expedited waivers; establish the expedited waiver process and authority; require the state board to annually review all waivers granted to determine necessary changes to administrative regulations or statutes or identify new best practices; amend KRS 157.360 to conform; create a new section of KRS Chapter 160 to establish the school of innovation pilot project; establish the school of innovation pilot project fund; provide procedures for the operation of the pilot project; conclude the pilot project on June 30, 2028; require the department to annually report information and findings from the pilot project to the Legislative Research Commission.

AN ACT relating to education.

Sen. Steve West [R]

Sen. Lindsey Tichenor [R]

2026-04-14 - House - House: Veto Override RCS# 485 (Y: 75 N: 15 NV: 0 Abs: 10) [PASS]
2026-04-14 - Senate - Senate: Veto Override RSN# 4153 (Y: 32 N: 6 NV: 0 Abs: 0) [PASS]
2026-04-01 - Senate - Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4116 (Y: 32 N: 6 NV: 0 Abs: 0) [PASS]
2026-04-01 - House - House: Veto Override RCS# 411 (Y: 75 N: 18 NV: 1 Abs: 6) [PASS]
2026-04-01 - House - House: Veto Override RCS# 410 (Y: 18 N: 25 NV: 0 Abs: 57) [FAIL]
2026-03-17 - Senate - Senate: Third Reading RSN# 3945 (Y: 30 N: 6 NV: 0 Abs: 2) [PASS]

Date	Chamber	Action
2026-04-14	House	delivered to Secretary of State (Acts Ch. 180)
2026-04-14	House	enrolled, signed by Speaker of the House
2026-04-14	House	enrolled, signed by President of the Senate
2026-04-14	House	received in Senate
2026-04-14	Senate	passed 75-15
2026-04-14	Senate	veto overridden
2026-04-14	Senate	posted for consideration of Governor's veto
2026-04-14	Senate	taken from Rules (H)
2026-04-14	Senate	to Rules (H)
2026-04-14	Senate	received in House
2026-04-14	House	passed 32-6
2026-04-14	House	veto overridden
2026-04-14	House	posted for passage for consideration of Governor's veto
2026-04-14	House	to Rules (S)
2026-04-14	House	received in Senate
2026-04-13	Senate	Vetoed
2026-04-01	Senate	delivered to Governor
2026-04-01	Senate	enrolled, signed by Speaker of the House
2026-04-01	Senate	enrolled, signed by President of the Senate
2026-04-01	Senate	passed 32-6
2026-04-01	Senate	Senate concurred in Committee Substitute (1)
2026-04-01	Senate	posted for passage for concurrence in House Committee Substitute (1)
2026-04-01	Senate	to Rules (S)
2026-04-01	Senate	received in Senate
2026-04-01	House	3rd reading, passed 75-18 with Committee Substitute (1)
2026-04-01	House	floor amendment (1) filed to Committee Substitute
2026-04-01	House	placed in the Orders of the Day
2026-04-01	House	taken from Rules
2026-04-01	House	reported favorably, to Rules with Committee Substitute (1)
2026-03-31	House	to Appropriations & Revenue (H)
2026-03-31	House	returned to Committee on Committees (H)
2026-03-31	House	2nd reading
2026-03-31	House	taken from Committee on Committees (H)
2026-03-27	House	returned to Committee on Committees (H)
2026-03-27	House	1st reading
2026-03-27	House	taken from Committee on Committees (H)
2026-03-18	House	to Committee on Committees (H)
2026-03-18	House	received in House
2026-03-17	Senate	3rd reading, passed 30-6 with Committee Substitute (1)
2026-03-16	Senate	passed over and retained in the Orders of the Day
2026-03-13	Senate	posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Monday, March 16 2026
2026-03-13	Senate	2nd reading, to Rules
2026-03-12	Senate	reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar with Committee Substitute (1)
2026-03-04	Senate	to Education (S)
2026-02-26	Senate	to Committee on Committees (S)
2026-02-26	Senate	introduced in Senate

Type	Source
Summary	https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/26RS/sb263.html
Text	https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/sb263/orig_bill.pdf
Text	https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/sb263/bill.pdf
Text	https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/acts/26RS/documents/0180.pdf
Amendment	https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/SB263/SCS1.pdf
Amendment	https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/SB263/HCS1.pdf
Amendment	https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/SB263/HFA1.pdf
Roll Call	https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/26RS/sb263/vote_history.pdf