Gov. Beshear Signs Legislation to Support Public Education and Safety

Tuesday, March 31, 2026 at 8:46 AM

By Travis Thayer @eagle993

Four bills have become law.

(Frankfort, Ky.) - Gov. Andy Beshear has signed Senate Bills 2, 5 and 46, and House Bill 657 to enhance and support public education and safety in the commonwealth.

“Providing high-quality public education and making sure all our people feel safe have always been top priorities in my administration,” said Gov. Beshear. “These pieces of legislation will ensure school districts provide our dedicated classroom teachers equal pay increases with administrators, while also helping public schools better care for Kentucky students by boosting nutrition and safety.”

Senate Bill 2 requires school districts to not increase administrator pay greater than the percentage pay increase provided to classroom teachers.

Senate Bill 5 encourages school districts to purchase locally grown and produced products, supporting both Kentucky farmers and students through nutritional meals.

Senate Bill 46 makes changes to laws governing student transportation, including permitting schools to use non-school bus passenger vehicles designed for 10 or fewer passengers, up from nine or fewer. It also allows local districts to adopt policies on use of such vehicles to ensure the safety of our children.

House Bill 657 protects consumers by requiring national and state background checks for psychologists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists and audiologists, social workers and professional counselors.

Other 2026 Bill Signings
In February, Gov. Beshear signed Senate Bill 172, which helped lower the cost of utilities for Kentucky families.

Earlier this month, the Governor signed Senate Bill 145 related to regulations for the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. He also signed Senate Bill 11, into law, establishing a residential safe room rebate program and fund to protect eligible Kentuckians from severe weather.

The Governor also stood with Kentucky public schools in March and vetoed House Bill 1. Click here for the full veto message.