Kentucky 2026 Regular Session

Kentucky Senate Bill SB244

Introduced
2/25/26  

Caption

AN ACT relating to transportation.

Summary

SB244 makes two targeted changes to Kentucky motor vehicle law. First, it amends the duties of county clerks under KRS 186.230, which governs the administration of vehicle registration and related fees. The bill updates wording throughout the statute, but it also preserves and restates the clerk’s responsibilities to collect applications and fees, remit funds to the Transportation Cabinet, maintain records, account for plates and forms, and handle liens and title-transfer restrictions when checks are dishonored or liens exist on a vehicle. Second, the bill amends KRS 186.120 to clarify refund rules when a vehicle is destroyed by fire or accident and becomes entirely unusable. It distinguishes between non-commercial and commercial vehicles, specifying how the refund is calculated based on the remaining registration period or remaining complete quarters of the paid tax period. It also keeps the existing process for claiming a refund: the owner must apply to the Transportation Cabinet, provide affidavits, return the license plates, and obtain approval before payment is issued from the state road fund.

Impact

The bill would primarily affect county clerks, the Transportation Cabinet, and vehicle owners seeking registration-tax refunds after total vehicle loss. It does not create a new program, but it updates statutory language and preserves the administrative framework for collecting, remitting, and accounting for motor vehicle registration revenues, as well as the procedures for refunding license taxes on destroyed vehicles. The affected statutes are KRS 186.230 and KRS 186.120, both within Kentucky’s motor vehicle registration and licensing laws.

Sentiment

Based on the bill text and the lack of recorded committee testimony or votes in the provided materials, the measure appears largely technical and administrative rather than controversial. Its tone is procedural, focused on clarifying existing duties and refund calculations rather than changing policy direction. The absence of transcripts or vote history suggests no documented public debate in the supplied record.

Contention

No specific points of contention are documented in the provided materials. If any concerns were to arise, they would likely center on administrative burden for county clerks, the handling of vehicle liens and dishonored checks, or the mechanics of refund eligibility and documentation after a vehicle is destroyed. However, the record supplied here does not show any identified opposition or competing viewpoints.

Companion Bills

No companion bills found.

Previously Filed As

KY SB203

AN ACT relating to transportation.

KY HB591

AN ACT relating to transportation.

KY SB168

AN ACT relating to transportation.

KY SB247

AN ACT relating to transportation.

KY HB770

AN ACT relating to transportation.

KY SB136

AN ACT relating to transportation and declaring an emergency.

KY HB390

AN ACT relating to motor vehicle insurance.

KY HB650

AN ACT relating to the Kentucky Tax Tribunal.

KY HB783

AN ACT relating to temporary motor vehicle tags.

KY HB438

AN ACT relating to transportation network company services.

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