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HB 239KENTUCKYSession 2026RSState Billdead

Did Not Advance

Kentucky HB 239 establishes new storage, inventory, and notice rules for tenant property left in abandoned dwellings

Original title: AN ACT relating to abandoned property.

Last action · January 15, 2026: to Judiciary (H)Sponsor: Nima Kulkarni

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓

Introduced

Committee

Floor Vote

Passed

Law

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What This Bill Proposed

Kentucky HB 239 requires landlords to store personal property left behind by a tenant when taking possession of a dwelling unit. The landlord must prepare an inventory, notify the tenant by certified mail, and post a notice on the property within seven days. If the tenant makes no reasonable effort to recover the property within twenty-one days, the landlord may dispose of it.

Why it matters

Establishes a strict timeline and specific procedural duties for landlords handling abandoned tenant property, and sets the timeframe after which landlords gain the legal right to dispose of unclaimed items.

Background

House Bill 239 was introduced in the 2026 Regular Session of the Kentucky General Assembly and assigned to the House Judiciary Committee. context

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

landlords

Landlords are required to follow specific storage, inventory, and notification procedures before disposing of abandoned tenant property.

Directly affected

tenants

Tenants receive mandatory notifications and a defined twenty-one-day window to recover personal property left in a dwelling unit.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

What must a landlord do with property left behind by a tenant?

The landlord must store the property, prepare an inventory within seven days, notify the tenant by certified mail, and post a notice on the property for seven days.

How long does a tenant have to recover their property before the landlord can dispose of it?

The tenant has twenty-one days from the date the landlord takes possession of the dwelling unit to make a reasonable effort to recover the property.

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

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Where This Stands

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

Procedural history

2 actions

Jan 15, 2026HouseCommittee
to Judiciary (H)
Jan 8, 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.

View official text →

Lobbying Activity

No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.

Full breakdown

Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.

Connected Entities

KRS 383.020, General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky

otherKRS 383.020“The statute being amended by the bill.”Map →

OrganizationGeneral Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky“The legislative body enacting the bill.”Map →

Sources

Open source document

apps.legislature.ky.gov

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance20
Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 40)
Controversy15
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment5
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz10
Current news / social attention level

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