House
Enacted
2026 Regular Session

HB506

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AN ACT relating to the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources.

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.

Administrative Regulations and ProceedingsBoats and BoatingCommunicationsCrimes and PunishmentsFeesFish and WildlifeHunting and FishingPeace Officers and Law EnforcementPublic Officers and EmployeesState AgenciesState EmployeesWaterways and Dams

Introduced: January 28, 2026

Last action: April 14, 2026

Became Law Without Governor's Signature (Acts Ch. 148)
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Legislative History

Jan 28, 2026 · House
Introduced In House
Jan 28, 2026 · House
To Committee On Committees (H)
Feb 4, 2026 · House
To Tourism & Outdoor Recreation (H)
Feb 26, 2026 · House
Reported Favorably, 1st Reading, To Calendar With Committee Substitute (1)
Feb 27, 2026 · House
2nd Reading, To Rules (clerical)
Mar 4, 2026 · House
Recommitted To Tourism & Outdoor Recreation (H) (clerical)
Mar 12, 2026 · House
Reported Favorably, To Rules With Committee Substitute (2)
Mar 12, 2026 · House
Taken From Rules (clerical)

Primary Sponsor

Portrait of David Hale
David Hale

Representative · House District 074

Primary sponsor
David.Hale@kylegislature.gov
BallotpediaOfficial profile

Co-sponsors (7)

Portrait of John Blanton
John Blanton

Representative · House District 092

Co-sponsor
John.Blanton@kylegislature.gov
Portrait of Daniel Fister
Daniel Fister

Representative · House District 056

Co-sponsor
Daniel.Fister@kylegislature.gov
Portrait of Chris Fugate
Chris Fugate

Representative · House District 084

Co-sponsor
Chris.Fugate@kylegislature.gov
Portrait of Mark Hart
Mark Hart

Representative · House District 078

Co-sponsor
Mark.Hart@kylegislature.gov
Portrait of Kevin Jackson
Kevin Jackson

Representative · House District 020

Co-sponsor
kevin.jackson@kylegislature.gov
Portrait of William Lawrence
William Lawrence

Representative · House District 070

Co-sponsor
William.Lawrence@kylegislature.gov
Portrait of Billy Wesley
Billy Wesley

Representative · House District 091

Co-sponsor
Bill.Wesley@kylegislature.gov

Roll calls

March 12, 2026

House: 3rd reading, passed 93-0 with Committee Substitute (2)

Yea: 93
Nay: 0
LegiScan roll call
March 31, 2026

Senate: 3rd reading, passed 38-0

Yea: 38
Nay: 0