Kentucky bill bans state funding for painful animal testing and requires labs to offer retired cats and dogs for adoption

Original title: AN ACT relating to animal testing.

Last action · January 29, 2026: to Agriculture (H)Sponsors: Vanessa Grossl and 2 others

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Introduced

Committee

Floor Vote

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What This Bill Proposed

Kentucky animal testing facilities are prohibited from using state funds for research that causes pain classified as under federal rules, and they must offer retired laboratory dogs and cats for adoption or shelter transfer. Additionally, facilities receiving state funds must publish an annual public report detailing animal usage, project funding, and adoption numbers starting January 31, 2027.

Why it matters

Research institutions in Kentucky face new restrictions on state spending for certain animal tests, mandatory adoption placement protocols for retired pets, and annual public reporting requirements.

Who It Would Have Affected

Groups the bill's text would have affected, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

Animal testing facilities

Facilities must alter adoption procedures for retired animals, comply with restrictions on state funding for high-pain testing, and publish detailed annual reports online.

Directly affected

Animal shelters

Shelters may receive offers to take ownership and custody of retired laboratory dogs and cats and can enter collaborative agreements with testing facilities.

Directly affected

Retired dogs and cats

Key Facts

Animal testing facilities must offer retired dogs and cats to an animal shelter or directly to a person for permanent adoption, unless euthanasia is required for health or safety reasons.
Transfer offers for retired dogs and cats must remain open for a minimum of thirty days.
Animal testing facilities are granted immunity from civil liability for good-faith acts related to the transfer of a retired dog or cat.
Facilities are prohibited from using state funds for animal research or testing that results in pain and distress classified as Category D or E under USDA federal Animal Welfare Act guidelines.

Show all 7 facts

State funds may still be used for facility construction, general-use equipment, overhead, salaries, veterinary treatments, or research on naturally occurring diseases for the benefit of the animal.
Starting January 31, 2027, each animal testing facility receiving state funds must publish a written report on its website covering animal counts, active projects, funding amounts, adoption programs, and reduction efforts.
The restrictions and reporting requirements do not apply to research or testing on livestock or poultry.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the bill ban all animal testing using state funds?

No. It only bans state funds for research resulting in pain and distress classified as by the USDA. State funds can still be used for facility maintenance, salaries, general equipment, veterinary care, and certain studies on naturally occurring animal diseases.

When do facilities have to start publishing annual transparency reports?

Each facility receiving state funds must publish its first annual report on or before January 31, 2027, and every January 31 thereafter.

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Where This Stands

This bill did not become law - Died at adjournment · in House committee.

Procedural history

2 actions

Jan 29, 2026HouseCommittee
to Agriculture (H)
Jan 21, 2026HouseIntroduced
introduced in House to Committee on Committees (H)

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

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