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HB326 • 2026

AN ACT relating to residential safety.

AN ACT relating to residential safety.

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
J. Watkins
Last action
2026-01-20
Official status
01/20/26: to Licensing, Occupations, & Administrative Regulations (H)
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

AN ACT relating to residential safety.

AN ACT relating to residential safety.

What This Bill Does

  • AN ACT relating to residential safety.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-01-20 Kentucky Legislative Research Commission

    to Licensing, Occupations, & Administrative Regulations (H)

  2. 2026-01-12 Kentucky Legislative Research Commission

    introduced in House to Committee on Committees (H)

Official Summary Text

AN ACT relating to residential safety.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS BR 977
Page 1 of 2
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AN ACT relating to residential safety. 1
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky: 2
SECTION 1. A NEW SECTION OF KRS 227.200 TO 227.400 IS CREATED 3
TO READ AS FOLLOWS: 4
(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, as of December 31, 2026, all existing 5
single-family dwellings and multifamily residential units shall have at least one 6
(1) working smoke detector inside each dwelling or unit that is: 7
(a) Hardwired into the electrical circuit; or 8
(b) Powered by a nonremovable, tamper proof, ten (10) year lithium battery. 9
(2) Any required smoke detector shall be installed in each single -family dwelling or 10
multifamily residential unit prior to the sale, lease, change of ownership, or 11
change in tenancy of the dwelling or unit. 12
(3) It shall be the responsibility of the property ow ner, seller, or lessor to test and 13
provide a working smoke detector in a single -family dwelling or multifamily 14
residential unit. The seller or lessor shall attest to the presence and functioning of 15
the required smoke detector by providing a signed affidavit to the: 16
(a) Purchaser at the real estate closing; or 17
(b) Lessee prior to the tenancy of the property. 18
(4) Failure to provide the affidavit required by subsection (3) of this section shall not 19
invalidate the transfer or lease, but the seller or landlord m ay be subject to a civil 20
penalty not to exceed five hundred dollars ($500) per violation. The state fire 21
marshal or local government authority given jurisdiction by ordinance pursuant 22
to KRS 227.320 shall enforce this section. 23
(5) An individual licensed u nder KRS Chapter 324 shall not be liable for the actions 24
or inactions of a property owner or seller under this section. 25
(6) The department shall promulgate, in accordance with KRS Chapter 13A, a 26
standard transfer affidavit for a property owner, seller, or lessor to use to fulfill 27
UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS BR 977
Page 2 of 2
XXXX 11/26/2025 2:09 PM Jacketed
the requirements of subsection (3) of this section. 1