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HB 209KENTUCKYSession 2026RSState Billdead
Did Not Advance

Kentucky HB 209 requires government-subsidized businesses to pay a certified living wage

Original title: AN ACT relating to certified living wage.

Last action · January 14, 2026: to Economic Development & Workforce Investment (H)Sponsors: Nima Kulkarni and 1 other

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

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What This Bill Proposed

Official description

AN ACT relating to certified living wage.

Why it matters

Local businesses receiving public financial assistance or contracts must adjust wage scales to meet state- thresholds or face daily financial penalties.

Background
  • The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky is the state legislature responsible for enacting statutory changes. context
  • HB 209 was introduced in the Kentucky House of Representatives during the 2026 Regular Session. 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

New employers receiving public subsidies

Businesses starting operations on or after the effective date that receive government incentives, contracts, or property leases must pay all employees a certified living wage or face civil penalties.

Directly affected

Employees of subsidized businesses

Workers at newly established businesses receiving public support are guaranteed a wage rate aligned with state-certified occupational and geographic averages.

Directly affected

Office of the Kentucky Center for Statistics

The office must establish and annually update certified living wage rates starting by July 1, 2027.

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

Which businesses are required to pay the certified living wage under HB 209?
The requirement applies to any employer that begins doing business in Kentucky on or after the effective date of the Act if they receive government subsidies, tax incentives, grants, government contracts, or lease government property.
Who calculates the certified living wage amount?
The Office of the Kentucky Center for Statistics determines the based on occupation type and geographic area using data from the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
What penalties do employers face for failing to pay the certified living wage?
Employers violating this requirement are assessed a civil penalty of $100 to $1,000 per employee for each offense, where each day the violation continues constitutes a separate offense.

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
  1. Jan 14, 2026HouseCommittee
    to Economic Development & Workforce Investment (H)
  2. Jan 7, 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.

Sponsors

Nima KulkarniHouse · District 40DemocraticPrimary sponsor
Al GentryHouse · District 46DemocraticCosponsor

Discoveries

1 pattern noticed across the record

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

policy shift95% confidence

Conditional Wage Mandate for Public Subsidies

The bill links the receipt of any public economic incentive, contract, or property lease directly to compliance with a state-calculated living wage standard for newly established businesses.

Office of the Kentucky Center for StatisticsEducation and Labor Cabinet

Connected Entities

United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, Council on Postsecondary Education, Office of the Kentucky Center for Statistics and 3 more
OrganizationUnited States Bureau of Labor Statistics“Source of Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program data”Map →
OrganizationCouncil on Postsecondary Education“Posts graduate employment and earnings information on its website”Map →
OrganizationOffice of the Kentucky Center for Statistics“Tasked with determining the certified living wage and maintaining data systems”Map →
OrganizationGeneral Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky“Enacting body of the legislation”Map →
OrganizationDepartment of Education“Cooperates on disseminating employment and earnings information”Map →
OrganizationEducation and Labor Cabinet“Imposes civil penalties for wage violations”Map →

Sources

Open source document

apps.legislature.ky.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance20
    Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 75)
  • Controversy65
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment10
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz40
    Current news / social attention level

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