Kentucky SB249 - Grants Governor Authority Over Workforce Pell Grant Programs
Summary
Kentucky Governor signed SB249 into law, creating a new section of KRS 151B that grants the governor authority to approve all eligible workforce training programs for federal Workforce Pell Grants. The Kentucky Workforce Innovation Board must establish internal procedures to verify programs meet federal requirements without imposing restrictions beyond applicable federal rules. The law includes an emergency clause and passed with unanimous legislative support.
What changed
Kentucky SB249 creates a new section of KRS 151B granting the governor authority to approve workforce training programs eligible for federal Workforce Pell Grants. The legislation also authorizes the governor to coordinate program approvals to prevent duplicative payments. The Kentucky Workforce Innovation Board is tasked with developing internal procedures to verify programs meet federal requirements while ensuring state procedures are not more restrictive than federal rules.
For workforce training providers and educational institutions, this legislation creates a new approval pathway and oversight structure for accessing federal Pell Grant funding. Programs must now navigate approval through state government rather than solely through federal channels. The Board will establish procedures that training providers must follow to receive and maintain Pell Grant eligibility.
What to do next
- Workforce training programs seeking Pell Grant eligibility must obtain approval through the governor's office
- Kentucky Workforce Innovation Board must establish internal procedures for program approval
- Programs must ensure compliance with federal Workforce Pell Grant requirements
Archived snapshot
Apr 14, 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 / SB249 Signed by Governor SB249 Senate Bill Signed by Governor 2026-04-13
AN ACT relating to workforce development and declaring an emergency.
Create a new section of KRS 151B to grant the governor, in consultation with the Kentucky Workforce Innovation Board, the authority to approve all eligible workforce training programs for federal Workforce Pell Grants and coordinate approval of eligible workforce training programs to avoid duplicative payments; require the board to establish an internal procedure to determine that a program meets applicable federal requirements and ensure that the implementation of this procedure does not impose requirements more restrictive than or inconsistent with any applicable federal rules governing the Workforce Pell Grants; EMERGENCY.
Bill Details
State Kentucky
Session 2026 Regular Session
Chamber Senate
Official Source apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/26RS/sb249....
LegiScan View on LegiScan
Sponsors
Phillip Wheeler (Sen - R)
Action History
2026-04-13 H signed by Governor 2026-04-01 H delivered to Governor 2026-04-01 H enrolled, signed by President of the Senate 2026-04-01 H enrolled, signed by Speaker of the House 2026-04-01 H 3rd reading, passed 93-0 2026-04-01 H floor amendments (1) and (2-title) filed 2026-04-01 H placed in the Orders of the Day 2026-04-01 H taken from Rules 2026-03-27 H 2nd reading, to Rules 2026-03-26 H reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar 2026-03-24 H to Economic Development & Workforce Investment (H) 2026-03-17 H to Committee on Committees (H) 2026-03-17 H received in House 2026-03-16 S 3rd reading, passed 35-0 2026-03-13 S posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Monday, March 16 2026 2026-03-13 S 2nd reading, to Rules 2026-03-12 S reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar 2026-03-11 S to Economic Development, Tourism, & Labor (S) 2026-02-25 S to Committee on Committees (S) 2026-02-25 S introduced in Senate
Votes
2026-03-16 Senate: Third Reading RSN# 3935 Yea: 35 Nay: 0 2026-04-01 House: Veto Override RCS# 440 Yea: 93 Nay: 0
Committee Referrals
2026-02-25 S Committee on Committees 2026-03-11 S Economic Development, Tourism, & Labor 2026-03-13 S Rules 2026-03-17 H Committee On Committees 2026-03-24 H Economic Development & Workforce Investment 2026-03-27 H Rules
Amendments
0000-00-00 House Floor Amendment 0000-00-00 House Floor Amendment
Bill Text Versions
0000-00-00 Introduced 0000-00-00 Engrossed
Subjects
Advisory Boards, Commissions, and Committees Education, Higher Governor Workforce Education, Finance Effective Dates, Emergency Federal Laws and Regulations Legislative data powered by LegiScan (CC BY 4.0)
Named provisions
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