AN ACT relating to the Parole Board and declaring an emergency.

Amend KRS 439.320 to establish a term of 4 years for members of the Parole Board; allow the Governor to extend a term not more than 1 year if the expiration of the term causes more than 2 terms to expire in the same calendar year; allow the board to utilize panels of 2 or more members for parole and final parole revocation hearings; amend KRS 439.340 to change the time for parole review eligibility to 180 or more days to serve.

Boards and Commissions Governor Probation and Parole

Introduced: January 30, 2026

Last action: April 7, 2026

(Acts Ch. 46)

In effect since April 7, 2026

This act carries an emergency clause, so it took effect as soon as it became law instead of waiting the usual 90 days after the session adjourned (Ky. Constitution § 55).

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This bill changes how the Kentucky Parole Board operates by setting four-year terms for its members and allowing the Governor to extend a term by up to one year to avoid too many seats turning over at once. It also lets the board use smaller panels of two or more members to conduct parole and revocation hearings, and adjusts the threshold for when an incarcerated person becomes eligible for a parole review to 180 or more days remaining on their sentence. Who it may affect: people currently incarcerated in Kentucky, their families, and Parole Board members.

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