SCR 283 is a concurrent resolution that would create the Water Resource Regional Infrastructure Planning Task Force under the Legislative Research Commission. The task force is charged with studying Kentucky’s water and wastewater infrastructure and developing policy recommendations for a more comprehensive regional planning framework. Its focus includes drinking water systems, wastewater treatment and collection, stormwater systems, dams, and the broader challenge of aging infrastructure, deferred maintenance, and limited technical, managerial, and financial capacity.
The resolution directs the task force to evaluate how a utility proposing a new infrastructure project could be required to examine all feasible alternatives before proceeding, including capital and operating options, water purchase arrangements, and regional partnerships. It also asks the task force to assess the roles of the Public Service Commission, the Division of Water, and the Kentucky Infrastructure Authority in coordinating infrastructure planning and asset management, and to review the legal and financial effects of GIS data collection recommendations from the Geographic Information Advisory Council. The task force must also identify statutes that would need to be amended and any legal barriers to implementing its policy options.
The task force would have 14 members drawn from legislative leadership and key stakeholders, including the Kentucky League of Cities, Area Development Districts, the Division of Water, the Public Service Commission, the Kentucky Infrastructure Authority, the Kentucky Association of Counties, the Kentucky Rural Water Association, and the Kentucky Water and Wastewater Operators Association. It would meet monthly during the 2026 Interim and may submit findings or legislative recommendations to the LRC by December 1, 2026, with possible referral to committees ahead of the 2027 Regular Session.
The bill’s impact on state law is indirect because it does not itself change statutes or impose new regulatory requirements; instead, it creates a study body to develop recommendations that could lead to future legislation. If adopted, it could influence how Kentucky evaluates and approves water and wastewater infrastructure projects, especially by encouraging regional solutions, cost comparisons, and coordination among state and local entities. It could also lead to amendments affecting utility planning, oversight, and data-sharing practices.
Overall, the sentiment reflected in the bill text is strongly supportive of regional planning, infrastructure modernization, and cost-effective coordination. No committee transcript or vote record is provided, so there is no recorded opposition or amendment debate in the available materials. The main potential points of contention, based on the bill’s scope, would likely involve the balance between local control and regional oversight, the extent of regulatory authority for state agencies, and whether utilities should be required to consider regional alternatives before pursuing new projects.
SCR 283 does not directly amend Kentucky statutes or create binding regulatory changes; it establishes a legislative task force to study water and wastewater infrastructure planning and to recommend possible statutory and policy changes. Its practical impact would be to convene state agencies, local government representatives, and utility stakeholders to evaluate regionalization, least-cost project planning, and coordination among the Public Service Commission, Division of Water, and Kentucky Infrastructure Authority. Any legal effect on state law would come later, if the task force’s recommendations are adopted in subsequent legislation.
The bill appears to have a generally favorable, problem-solving tone centered on infrastructure reliability, regional coordination, and cost containment. The findings emphasize the importance of safe drinking water and wastewater service and frame the task force as a way to address aging systems and avoid duplication of effort. Because no committee discussion or votes are included, there is no documented opposition in the provided record, and the available context suggests the resolution is intended as a consensus-building study measure.
No specific opposition is documented in the provided materials, but the resolution’s subject matter suggests likely areas of debate. These include whether utilities should be required to evaluate regional partnerships and least-cost alternatives before moving forward with projects, how much authority state agencies should have over local infrastructure planning, and whether data collection and GIS requirements could impose additional burdens. Stakeholders representing cities, counties, rural water systems, and operators may differ on the degree of regional consolidation, regulatory oversight, and cost allocation that should result from the task force’s recommendations.