Kentucky HB470 Behavioral Health Emergency Signed
Summary
Kentucky HB470 was signed by Governor on April 10, 2026, declaring an emergency and amending state law to require behavioral health multi-specialty groups and entities billing for peer support services to employ only specifically qualified alcohol and drug peer support specialists. The bill removes references to temporary peer support specialists, repeals KRS 309.0836, and establishes a Peer Support Professionals Work Group to recommend creating a board to develop statewide licensing requirements.
What changed
Kentucky HB470 amends KRS 222.233, KRS 309.0805, and KRS 309.0813 to require behavioral health organizations to employ only qualified alcohol and drug peer support specialists, eliminating references to temporary specialists. The bill repeals KRS 309.0836 and establishes a Peer Support Professionals Work Group to recommend creating a board to develop statewide requirements for licensed peer support professionals.\n\nAffected behavioral health multi-specialty groups, alcohol and drug treatment entities, and behavioral health service organizations must comply with qualified peer support specialist requirements by January 1, 2028. The emergency declaration indicates immediate legislative priority, and organizations should prepare for potential new statewide licensing standards from the upcoming work group recommendations.
What to do next
- Ensure only specifically qualified alcohol and drug peer support specialists are employed by January 1, 2028
- Monitor for Peer Support Professionals Work Group recommendations on statewide licensing requirements
- Update hiring practices to remove references to temporary peer support specialists
Archived snapshot
Apr 10, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
ChangeBridge / Kentucky / HB470 Signed by Governor HB470 House Bill Signed by Governor 2026-04-10
AN ACT relating to behavioral health services and declaring an emergency.
Amend KRS 222.233 to require behavioral health multi-specialty groups or any entity that bills for peer support services to only employ specifically qualified alcohol and drug peer support specialists until January 1, 2028; extend the time period in which other alcohol and other drug treatment entities and behavioral health service organizations may only employ specifically qualified alcohol and drug peer support specialists to January 1, 2028; remove references to temporary alcohol and drug peer support specialists; amend KRS 309.0805 and 309.0813 to remove references to temporary alcohol and drug peer support specialists; repeal KRS 309.0836, relating to temporary alcohol and drug peer support specialists; establish the Peer Support Professionals Work Group to submit recommendations to the Interim Joint Committee on Health Services regarding the creation of a board of peer support professionals to develop statewide requirements for licensed peer support professionals; EMERGENCY.
Bill Details
State Kentucky
Session 2026 Regular Session
Chamber House
Official Source apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/26RS/hb470....
LegiScan View on LegiScan
Sponsors
Kimberly Moser (Rep - R)
Action History
2026-04-10 H signed by Governor 2026-03-31 H delivered to Governor 2026-03-31 H enrolled, signed by President of the Senate 2026-03-31 H enrolled, signed by Speaker of the House 2026-03-31 H passed 91-0 2026-03-31 H House concurred in Committee Substitute (1) and Committee Amendment (1-title) 2026-03-27 H posted for passage for concurrence in Senate Committee Substitute (1) and Committee Amendment (1-title) 2026-03-19 H to Rules (H) 2026-03-19 H received in House 2026-03-19 S 3rd reading, passed 35-0 with Committee Substitute (1) and Committee Amendment (1-title) 2026-03-18 S posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Thursday, March 19 2026 2026-03-11 S 2nd reading, to Rules 2026-03-10 S reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar with Committee Substitute (1) and Committee Amendment (1-title) 2026-02-20 S to Licensing & Occupations (S) 2026-02-11 S to Committee on Committees (S) 2026-02-11 S received in Senate 2026-02-10 H 3rd reading, passed 97-0 with Committee Substitute (1), Floor Amendment (1) and Committee Amendment (1-title) 2026-02-09 H floor amendment (1) filed to Committee Substitute 2026-02-06 H posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Monday, February 09 2026 2026-02-06 H 2nd reading, to Rules 2026-02-05 H reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar with Committee Substitute (1) and Committee Amendment (1-title) 2026-01-30 H to Health Services (H) 2026-01-22 H to Committee on Committees (H) 2026-01-22 H introduced in House
Votes
2026-02-10 House: Veto Override RCS# 74 Yea: 97 Nay: 0 2026-03-19 Senate: Third Reading RSN# 3958 Yea: 35 Nay: 0 2026-03-31 House: Veto Override RCS# 377 Yea: 91 Nay: 0
Committee Referrals
2026-01-22 H Committee On Committees 2026-01-30 H Health Services 2026-02-06 H Rules 2026-02-11 S Committee on Committees 2026-02-20 S Licensing and Occupations 2026-03-11 S Rules 2026-03-19 H Rules
Amendments
0000-00-00 House Committee Substitute 0000-00-00 House Committee Amendment 0000-00-00 House Floor Amendment 0000-00-00 Senate Committee Substitute 0000-00-00 Senate Committee Amendment
Bill Text Versions
0000-00-00 Introduced 0000-00-00 Engrossed 0000-00-00 Enrolled
Subjects
Substance Use Effective Dates, Emergency Licensing Mental Health Occupations and Professions Public Health Legislative data powered by LegiScan (CC BY 4.0)
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