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SB 50KENTUCKYSession 2026RSState BillSigned into law
Enacted

Kentucky modernizes estate planning, probate procedures, and trust laws under Senate Bill 50

Original title: AN ACT relating to the disposition of property.

Last action · April 13, 2026: signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 134)Sponsors: Brandon Storm and 1 other

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓
Introduced
Committee
Floor Vote
Passed
Law

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What This Bill Does

Kentucky enacts Senate Bill 50 to update laws regarding property disposition, succession, trust administration, electronic wills, and estate planning documents, effective across various dates in 2026 and 2028.

Why it matters

Changes statutory requirements for probate administration, bonds, asset distribution, electronic execution of wills, and county clerk recording fees, directly impacting testators, heirs, fiduciaries, and estate attorneys.

Who It Affects

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

Directly affected

Testators and Settlors

Individuals creating wills, trusts, and estate planning documents gain legal frameworks for electronic execution, trust decanting, and asset protection.

Directly affected

County Clerks

County clerks must update recording, retention, and return procedures for wills and probate documents and adjust fee collections as specified by the Act.

Directly affected

Fiduciaries and Personal Representatives

Executors, administrators, and trustees face updated application, oath, financial disclosure, inventory filing, and accounting requirements.

Directly affected

Heirs and Beneficiaries

Legal rights regarding intestate succession, dower, curtesy, and trust distributions are modified by the updated statutory provisions.

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 is an electronic will under the new legislation?
An electronic will is a will executed electronically in compliance with Section 35 of the Act, serving as a valid will for all purposes of Kentucky law.
What changes are made to a surviving spouse's share of property?
The Act updates provisions regarding succession, dower, curtesy, and , detailing how property descends and how surplus assets and personalty are calculated and credited.
When must county clerks return recorded wills?
For any will recorded on or after January 1, 2027, the county clerk must return the will to the designated person no earlier than two years after it has been recorded.

What else do you want to know?

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Where This Stands

Current status: Signed into law.

Procedural history

15 actions
  1. Apr 13, 2026SenateEnrolled
    signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 134)
  2. Apr 1, 2026HouseEnrolled
    Committee Substitute (1) adopted floor amendment (2) defeated 3rd reading, passed 78-12 with Committee Substitute (1) and Floor Amendments (4) and (3) received in Senate to Rules (S) taken from Rules posted for passage for concurrence in House Committee Substitute (1) and Floor Amendments (3) and (4) Senate concurred in Committee Substitute (1) and Floor Amendments (4) and (3) passed 36-0 enrolled, signed by President of the Senate enrolled, signed by Speaker of the House delivered to Governor
  3. Mar 31, 2026Senate
    floor amendment (4) filed to Committee Substitute posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Wednesday, April 01 2026
  4. Mar 27, 2026Senate
    floor amendment (3) filed to Committee Substitute
  5. Mar 26, 2026SenateFloor
    2nd reading, to Rules floor amendment (2) filed to Committee Substitute
  6. Mar 25, 2026Senate
    reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar with Committee Substitute (1) floor amendment (1) filed to Committee Substitute
Show 9 earlier actions
  1. Mar 24, 2026HouseCommittee
    to Judiciary (H)
  2. Mar 5, 2026HouseIntroduced
    received in House to Committee on Committees (H)
  3. Mar 4, 2026SenateFloor
    3rd reading floor amendment (1) withdrawn passed 36-0 with Floor Amendment (2)
  4. Mar 3, 2026Senate
    floor amendment (2) filed posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Wednesday, March 04 2026
  5. Mar 2, 2026Senate
    floor amendment (1) filed
  6. Feb 23, 2026Senate
    taken from Appropriations & Revenue (S) returned to Rules
  7. Feb 20, 2026SenateFloor
    2nd reading, to Rules recommitted to Appropriations & Revenue (S)
  8. Feb 19, 2026Senate
    reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar
  9. Feb 17, 2026SenateIntroduced
    introduced in Senate to Committee on Committees (S) to Judiciary (S)

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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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.

Sponsors

Brandon StormSenate · District 21RepublicanPrimary sponsor
R. StiversSenateCosponsorNo profile match

Discoveries

1 pattern noticed across the record

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift99% confidence

Comprehensive Modernization of Trust and Estate Law

The enactment incorporates multiple uniform laws including electronic wills, electronic estate planning documents, directed trusts, and trust decanting, significantly modernizing Kentucky fiduciary law.

General Assembly

Connected Entities

State Law Library, Brandon Storm, General Assembly and 4 more
OrganizationState Law Library“Library maintaining Kentucky reports, acts, and statutes”Map →
PersonBrandon Storm“Primary sponsor of Senate Bill 50”Map →
OrganizationGeneral Assembly“Enacting legislative body of the Commonwealth of Kentucky”Map →
OrganizationFinance and Administration Cabinet“Central procurement and contracting agency of the Commonwealth”Map →
OrganizationTransportation Cabinet“Cabinet responsible for vehicle titles and exemptions”Map →
PersonR. Stivers“Co-sponsor of Senate Bill 50”Map →
OrganizationDepartment of Revenue“State agency receiving transmitted copies of applications, financial disclosures”Map →

Sources

Open source document

apps.legislature.ky.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance90
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy15
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment5
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz30
    Current news / social attention level

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