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Read. Follow. Verify.Kentucky creates public animal abuse offender registry and requires certain professionals to report animal abuse
Last action · February 20, 2026: to Judiciary (H)Sponsor: Rachel Roarx
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What This Bill Proposed
Kentucky HB 637 requires the Department of Kentucky State Police to establish and operate a public animal abuse offender registry by January 1, 2027. Convicted animal abuse offenders must register for two years for a first offense and five years for subsequent offenses, while paying a $100 initial fee and annual renewals. Additionally, the measure mandates that Cabinet for Health and Family Services employees and veterinarians report observed animal abuse to law enforcement or the Office of the State Veterinarian.
Convicted animal abuse offenders face mandatory public registration, annual fees, and criminal penalties for non-compliance, while state social services workers and veterinarians take on a legal duty to report suspected abuse.
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.
Department of Kentucky State Police
The department is required to develop, operate, and maintain the registry website, collect fees, and promulgate administrative regulations.
Animal abuse offenders
Offenders must register with the department upon release, pay registration fees, and face Class A misdemeanor charges for non-compliance or providing false information.
Cabinet for Health and Family Services employees
Employees must make oral or written reports to law enforcement when they reasonably believe an animal observed during job duties is being abused or neglected.
Veterinarians
Veterinarians must report animal abuse cases to the Office of the State Veterinarian for livestock or poultry, or to law enforcement for other animals.
Key Facts
- The Department of Kentucky State Police must develop and operate an online public animal abuse offender registry by January 1, 2027.
- Individuals convicted of, pleading guilty to, or entering an Alford plea for specified animal abuse offenses must register for two years for a first offense and five years for subsequent offenses.
- Registrants must pay a $100 fee to the department upon registration and $100 annually, which is deposited into a restricted animal abuse offender registry fund.
- Courts may waive registration fees for indigent persons, and failure to pay the fee does not prevent registration.
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- The department must update the public registry website at least once every thirty days and provide offender information to each county sheriff.
- Department employees acting in good faith compliance are immune from criminal and civil liability regarding offender information dissemination.
- Knowingly violating registry provisions or providing false information is classified as a Class A misdemeanor.
- Cabinet for Health and Family Services employees who observe animal abuse or neglect while performing job duties must report it to law enforcement.
- Veterinarians who find an animal with a VCPR has been abused must report it to the Office of the State Veterinarian for livestock or poultry, or to law enforcement for any other animal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is required to register on the animal abuse offender registry?
How long must an offender remain on the registry?
What happens if a registrant cannot afford the registration fee?
Who is mandated to report suspected animal abuse under this legislation?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
This bill did not become law - Died at adjournment · in House committee.
Procedural history
2 actions- Feb 20, 2026HouseCommitteeto Judiciary (H)
- Feb 12, 2026HouseIntroducedintroduced 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.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Establishment of Public Animal Registry
The bill creates a centralized public accountability mechanism for animal abuse offenders similar to sex offender registries.
Connected Entities
Sources
apps.legislature.ky.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance20Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 65)
- Controversy30Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz40Current news / social attention level
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