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HB 323KENTUCKYSession 2026RSState Billdead

Did Not Advance

Kentucky HB 323 prohibits public agencies and schools from blocking social media comments and bars school political advocacy

Original title: AN ACT relating to government social media accounts.

Last action · January 20, 2026: to State Government (H)Sponsors: Kim Holloway and 10 others

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓

Introduced

Committee

Floor Vote

Passed

Law

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What This Bill Proposed

Kentucky HB 323 prohibits public agencies and officials from deleting comments, blocking users, or hiding posts on official government social media accounts, and classifies the deletion of posts with engagement as public record destruction. It also bans public schools and districts from using official electronic communications to advocate for or against political topics, candidates, or ballot questions.

Why it matters

Residents gain unrestricted rights to comment on government social media accounts and can sue public agencies for violations to recover attorney's fees and litigation costs, while public school districts face strict limits on political messaging in emails and web posts.

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

Kentucky residents

Residents gain the legal right to comment freely on government social media accounts without being blocked or having comments deleted, and can sue agencies for violations.

Directly affected

Public agencies

Agencies are prohibited from censoring social media users or deleting posts with engagement and face potential lawsuits and legal fee liabilities.

Directly affected

Public schools and school districts

Schools are barred from using official emails, websites, or social media accounts to advocate for or against political topics, tax increases, or legislation.

Key Facts

Public agencies and officials are prohibited from deleting comments, blocking users, hiding comments, or disabling comments on official government social media accounts or official representative accounts.
Deleting an entire social media post after it has received reactions, comments, or shares is legally classified as the destruction of a public record.
Agencies may only delete comments or block users if a court of appropriate jurisdiction determines the comment is libelous, slanderous, obscene, constitutes harassment, or poses an imminent threat to public safety.
Citizens may bring a civil cause of action against public agencies or officials for violating social media comment restrictions and may recover injunctive relief, litigation costs, and attorney's fees.

Show all 7 facts

Public schools, school districts, and their agents are prohibited from publishing official electronic communications—including emails, webpages, and social media—to advocate for or against political topics, parties, candidates, or ballot questions.
Prohibited school political advocacy topics include proposed tax rate increases, charter school applications, pending legislative bills, and ballot questions.
If a public school publishes an electronic communication related to a political topic or question, it cannot restrict lawful public commentary unless necessary for student safety and privacy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a government agency still delete my comment on their social media page?

No, unless a court of appropriate jurisdiction determines that your comment is libelous, slanderous, obscene, constitutes , or poses an imminent public safety threat.

What happens if a school district sends an email supporting a local tax increase?

The bill explicitly prohibits public schools, school districts, and their employees from publishing official electronic communications to advocate for or against proposed tax rate increases, bills, or ballot questions.

What remedies are available if a public agency blocks me on social media?

A person or entity may bring a lawsuit against the or official and obtain injunctive or declaratory relief, litigation costs, and attorney's fees.

What else do you want to know?

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Where This Stands

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

Procedural history

2 actions

Jan 20, 2026HouseCommittee
to State Government (H)
Jan 12, 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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