Kentucky Senate Bill SJR62

Kentucky 2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/27/26
• Refer: 1/27/26
• Refer: 2/25/26
• Report Pass: 3/4/26
• Engrossed: 3/13/26
• Refer: 3/13/26
• Refer: 3/19/26
• Report Pass: 3/24/26

Caption

A JOINT RESOLUTION directing the Division of Water to provide recommendations and clear guidance on how local governments can more easily access jurisdictional streams and waterways for cleanup after a flood.

Summary

SJR62 is a joint resolution directing Kentucky’s Energy and Environment Cabinet, through the Division of Water, to study and report on how local governments can more easily access streams and waterways for debris cleanup after flooding. The resolution is focused on post-disaster cleanup in jurisdictional waters and asks the Division to explain the current process for obtaining access and the permits required to use equipment and machinery in waterways. The required report must also identify prohibited activities, disposal or deposition requirements for removed debris, and any special rules for handling hazardous materials. In addition to describing current law and procedure, the Division must recommend ways to streamline the process for state and local governments, including possible creation of a one-stop permit portal and dedicated staff to help administer and expedite cleanup-related requests after natural disasters. The report is due to the Legislative Research Commission by December 15, 2026.

Impact

The resolution does not itself change existing water, environmental, or permitting laws. Instead, it requires the Division of Water to compile guidance on current federal and state requirements and to propose legislative or administrative changes that could make flood-related stream cleanup easier for local governments. Its practical impact is to create a formal review of permitting, debris disposal, and hazardous-material handling rules affecting work in waterways, with the potential to inform future legislation or agency process changes.

Sentiment

The available vote history suggests strong support for the resolution, as the Senate adopted it unanimously 37-0. The bill’s findings emphasize Kentucky’s repeated flooding problems and the need for communities to respond quickly and safely after disasters, which indicates a broadly shared policy interest in improving cleanup coordination. No committee transcript is available, but the unanimous vote and the resolution’s disaster-response focus point to a generally favorable reception.

Contention

There is little visible opposition in the available record, but the main policy tension is between faster local cleanup access and the regulatory protections that govern waterways, debris disposal, and hazardous materials. The resolution acknowledges that permit processes can be complicated, while also recognizing that activities in streams may be restricted for environmental and safety reasons. Any future legislation prompted by the report could raise questions about how to streamline approvals without weakening water-quality, habitat, or public-safety safeguards.