Senate
Adjourned Sine Die
2026 Regular Session

SB120

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AN ACT relating to the Kentucky Board of Education and declaring an emergency.

Amend KRS 156.029 to make members on the Kentucky Board of Education who represent each of the Supreme Court districts be elected in partisan elections instead of appointed; provide that the term of office will be 4 years from the first Monday in January following the election; provide that the initial term of a member elected to represent an even-numbered Supreme Court District will be 2 years and the initial term of a member elected to represent an odd-numbered Supreme Court District will be 4 years; remove language regarding the requirement to balance the demographic composition of the board; require the members elected to represent a Supreme Court district to reside in the district for at least 12 months prior to the election and for the duration of their terms; provide that general election laws apply and that removal is in accordance with KRS 415.050 and KRS 415.060; permit the board to appoint the student member of the board in April of the student's sophomore year, rotate nonvoting member appointments by Supreme Court district instead of congressional district; povide that a vacancy shall be filled in accordance with Section 152 of the Constitution of Kentucky; amend KRS 156.040, 118.105, 118.165, 118.305, 118.315, 118.325, 118.356, 118.365, and 160.220 to conform; repeal KRS 156.031, 156.147, and 156.1475; provide that the terms of members appointed between the effective date of this Act and January 3, 2028, expire on that date; EMERGENCY.

Introduced: January 23, 2026

Last action: January 23, 2026

To Committee On Committees (S)
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This bill would change how members of the Kentucky Board of Education are chosen, replacing the current appointment process with partisan elections held across the state's Supreme Court districts. Members would serve four-year terms, with staggered initial terms depending on whether they represent an even- or odd-numbered district. The bill also removes existing requirements to balance the board's demographic makeup and sets new residency rules for candidates. Who it may affect: Kentucky voters, current and future Kentucky Board of Education members, and families with children in Kentucky public schools.

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Legislative History

Jan 23, 2026 ·
Introduced
Jan 23, 2026 ·
To Committee On Committees (S)

Primary Sponsor

Portrait of Gex Williams
Gex Williams

Senator · Senate District 20

Primary sponsor
gex.williams@kylegislature.gov
BallotpediaOfficial profile

Co-sponsors (1)

Portrait of Lindsey Tichenor
Lindsey Tichenor

Senator · Senate District 06

Co-sponsor
lindsey.tichenor@kylegislature.gov