HB 506 KY

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Became Law

Amend KRS 15.460 to allow Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources game wardens to receive annual supplements from the Kentucky Law Enforcement Foundation Program fund; remove the requirement that a game warden's annual training stipend be paid from the game and fish fund; amend KRS 150.010 to remove the definitions for "administrative regulation," "navigable waters," and "public roadway"; add definitions for "exotic wildlife," "native wildlife," and "roadway" and amend the definition for "livestock"; amend KRS 150.021 to remove the requirement that the department pay a fee equal to 5% of the debt service for the 2-way radio system utilized by the Kentucky State Police; amend KRS 150.025 to allow the department or the commissioner, with the approval of the commission, to promulgate administrative regulations to carry out the purposes of KRS Chapter 150; amend KRS 150.027 to require the department to file a statement of consideration at the same time as it files an administrative regulation that affects property that is adjacent to department-owned or controlled lakes; amend KRS 150.061 to require the commissioner of the department to establish a salary structure for the department's Division of Law Enforcement that is adequate to meet the department's recruitment and retention goals; amend KRS 150.090 to provide that waters bordering the Commonwealth are included in the jurisdiction of game wardens; amend KRS 150.120 to provide that native and exotic wildlife that are taken, possessed, or transported in violation of the provisions of KRS Chapter 150 or the administrative regulations promulgated thereunder shall be seized; require that upon seizure, native wildlife or any hybrid thereof shall be declared contraband and disposed of as determined by the commissioner; amend KRS 150.150 to conform and to provide that the $25,000 set aside annually for hunger relief is not required to be taken from the game and fish fund; amend KRS 150.170 to change the reference from "disposal" tag to "carcass tag" for the taking of depredating wildlife; amend KRS 150.172 to allow a person to use a firearm at any time to take a mortally wounded animal instead of an injured animal; amend KRS 150.360 to allow the taking of wildlife at night instead of only coyotes and to conform; amend KRS 150.660 to allow the department to revoke a pay lake operator's license at all of his or her licensed locations for failure to comply with the laws or regulations governing pay lakes; amend KRS 150.690 to change the references from "buffalo" to "American bison"; amend KRS 150.990 double all fines for violations of KRS Chapter 150 and to establish replacement costs for certain wildlife; amend KRS 150.995 to provide that any restitution amount to be paid to the department for the illegal taking of wildlife that would exceed $10,000 shall be panel scored by 2 official scorers; allow the commissioner or a designee to seek an order from the court for payment of restitution costs in any action in which a person is found guilty for a violation of KRS Chapter 150 and for which restitution costs are owed; amend KRS 235.250 to increase the property damage threshold for the mandatory reporting requirement for boating accidents.

• D. Hale Republican · primary
• J. Blanton Republican · primary
• D. Fister Republican · primary
• C. Fugate Republican · primary
• M. Hart Republican · primary
• K. Jackson Republican · primary
• W. Lawrence Republican · primary
• B. Wesley Republican · primary

1. Jan 28, 2026 introduced in House · lower
2. Jan 28, 2026 to Committee on Committees (H) · lower
3. Feb 4, 2026 to Tourism & Outdoor Recreation (H) · lower
4. Feb 26, 2026 reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar with Committee Substitute (1) · lower
5. Feb 27, 2026 2nd reading, to Rules · lower
6. Mar 4, 2026 recommitted to Tourism & Outdoor Recreation (H) · lower
7. Mar 12, 2026 reported favorably, to Rules with Committee Substitute (2) · lower
8. Mar 12, 2026 taken from Rules · lower
9. Mar 12, 2026 placed in the Orders of the Day · lower
10. Mar 12, 2026 3rd reading, passed 93-0 with Committee Substitute (2) · lower
11. Mar 13, 2026 received in Senate · upper
12. Mar 13, 2026 to Committee on Committees (S) · upper
13. Mar 18, 2026 to Natural Resources & Energy (S) · upper
14. Mar 25, 2026 reported favorably, 1st reading, to Consent Calendar · lower
15. Mar 26, 2026 2nd reading, to Rules as a consent bill · lower
16. Mar 31, 2026 posted for passage in the Consent Orders of the Day for Tuesday, March 31 2026 · lower
17. Mar 31, 2026 3rd reading, passed 38-0 · lower
18. Mar 31, 2026 received in House · lower
19. Apr 1, 2026 enrolled, signed by Speaker of the House · lower
20. Apr 1, 2026 enrolled, signed by President of the Senate · upper
21. Apr 1, 2026 delivered to Governor · lower
22. Apr 13, 2026 filed without Governor's signature with the Secretary of State · lower
23. Apr 14, 2026 became law without Governor's Signature (Acts Ch. 148) · lower