How Does a Bill Become a Law in Kentucky?

Posted by Carolynn Lee, LCSW ~KSCSW Advocacy Chair

How a Bill Becomes Law in Kentucky

A guide for social workers to the eight essential steps each bill must navigate in Frankfort.

Each January, hundreds of bills are filed in the Kentucky General Assembly, but most do not become law. For social workers, knowing where a bill can stall, who influences its progress, and when advocacy is most effective is essential. As social workers, we are encouraged to “advocate for changes in policy and legislation to improve social conditions.” To do this effectively, we must understand our state's legislative process.

Kentucky's legislative process operates on an interesting schedule. In odd-numbered years such as 2025, the General Assembly holds a short session limited to 30 legislative days and must adjourn “sine die” by March 30. Even-numbered years allow for a longer, 60-day budget session. “Sine die,” in everyday speech, is “the death of a bill.” In Kentucky, adjourning sine die means that any pending or unpassed bills automatically die and must be reintroduced in the next session. This compressed timeline means that delays at any stage can prevent a bill from moving forward.

STEP 1  A Bill Is Introduced

Each bill is filed in either the Kentucky House or Senate and assigned a bill number (such as HB 100 or SB 34) that remains throughout the process. Legislators may also prefile bills before the session begins, allowing the public to review and organize support or opposition in advance.

STEP 2  Referral to Committee

The bill is referred to the appropriate standing committee that handles its subject matter; a bill on Medicaid reimbursement, for instance, would likely go to the House or Senate Health Services Committee. This is often where a bill's fate is decided. A committee chair can schedule a hearing and a vote, or simply decline to schedule it at all, a tactic known as “stalling.” Bills that never get a hearing end up in what advocates comically refer to as a “bill graveyard.” A majority of the chamber can vote to “discharge” a bill from committee and bring it to the floor; yet this is uncommon. Bills may also be amended in committee before reaching a floor vote. If approved, the bill proceeds to the floor.

STEP 3  The Floor Vote

If a bill passes committee, it returns to the full chamber for debate and a vote. Passage typically requires a simple majority of members present: 51 votes in the House or 20 in the Senate. During floor debate, opponents may propose amendments to weaken the bill, while supporters can offer amendments to strengthen it. This stage is critical for advocacy, as votes and amendments can still alter the bill's outcome. After the vote, the bill moves to the other chamber.

STEP 4  On to the Other Chamber

A bill that passes one chamber moves to the other, where it undergoes the same committee and floor process. This second review is often more challenging, especially if the chambers differ politically. Bills may be held “hostage” at this stage and set aside until the other chamber acts on a separate priority. If both chambers pass different versions, the bill proceeds to a conference committee.

STEP 5  Reconciling Two Versions

If the House and Senate pass different versions, each chamber appoints members to a conference committee to negotiate a single version. If the committee cannot reach a compromise, the bill fails at this stage, regardless of prior support. If an agreement is reached, the compromise version proceeds to a final vote.

STEP 6  The Final Vote

The compromise version returns to both the House and Senate for a final vote. Either chamber may still reject it. If both approve, the bill advances to the Governor's desk, where the Governor has 10 days to act.

STEP 7  The Governor's Desk

Once a bill reaches the Governor, Kentucky law gives the Governor 10 days to act. During that window, the Governor can sign the bill, veto it, or simply let it become law without a signature. If the bill is not vetoed, it becomes law; if it is vetoed, the process returns to the chambers.

STEP 8  Becoming Law

A bill becomes Kentucky law if the Governor signs it, allows it to become law without signing, or if a veto is overridden by a constitutional majority in each chamber (51 votes in the House and 20 in the Senate). Most new laws take effect 90 days after the General Assembly adjourns, unless an emergency clause makes them effective immediately upon the Governor's action.

Why This Matters for Social Workers

Each of these eight steps presents an opportunity for advocacy. Calling the Legislative Message Line (1-800-372-7181) can encourage a committee chair to act on a bill. Building relationships with committee staff can determine whether you miss a hearing or have the chance to testify. Since most bills fail in committee rather than on the floor, early engagement is crucial for influencing outcomes.

You can track any bill's progress in real time using Bill Watch at legislature.ky.gov, identify your Representative and Senator through the “Who's My Legislator” tool, and watch committee hearings live on the Legislative Research Commission's YouTube channel. Kentucky Social Work Advocacy Day, held annually in Kentucky, focuses on civic engagement and provides social workers and students with firsthand experience and opportunities to speak directly with policymakers.

Source: Adapted from “How Bills Become Law in Kentucky,” Courier-Journal research by Steve Reed, as reprinted in the 2025 Kentucky Social Work Lobby Day Toolkit.