---
type: "Bill"
title: "AN ACT relating to welding safety."
description: "Create a new section of KRS Chapter 198B to establish requirements for projects using structural steel welding, such as hiring a certified welder and meeting national welding standards; define terms; exempt welding projects performed or requested on the premises of a homeowner or farmer; EFFECTIVE January 1, 2027."
jurisdiction: "us/states/ky"
legislature: "Kentucky General Assembly"
session: "2026RS"
identifier: "SB 98"
citation: "Kentucky SB 98 (2026RS)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["Effective Dates", "Delayed", "Housing", "Building", "And Construction", "Labor And Industry", "Local Mandate", "Occupations And Professions", "Workforce"]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["G. Clemons", "G. Neal", "G. Williams", "P. Wheeler", "S. Madon"]
version_count: 3
action_count: 27
vote_count: 3
first_action: "2026-01-15T05:00:00+00:00"
last_action: "2026-04-27T04:00:00+00:00"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/3030bfb6-7856-4bd9-82f7-2370fc371395"
source_url: "https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/26RS/sb98.html"
source_hash: "61000187464f1bf790a1a9206f5ea3cd11352b173f69747a39575cba403d2fbc"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-ky"]
---

# Kentucky SB 98 (2026RS) — AN ACT relating to welding safety.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 198B to establish requirements for projects using structural steel welding, such as hiring a certified welder and meeting national welding standards; define terms; exempt welding projects performed or requested on the premises of a homeowner or farmer; EFFECTIVE January 1, 2027.

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **Introduced** (filed) — [source](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/sb98/orig_bill.pdf)
2. **Acts Chapter 201** (committee substitute) — [source](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/acts/26RS/documents/0201.pdf)
3. **Current/Final** (committee substitute) — [source](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/sb98/bill.pdf)

## Votes

- PASS SB 98 — **33–4** (pass) · upper
- FINAL PASSAGE OF SB 98 w/ HFA 4 — **37–0** (pass) · upper
- Pass — **89–5** (pass) · upper

## Sponsors

- G. Clemons — primary (person)
- G. Neal — primary (person)
- G. Williams — primary (person)
- P. Wheeler — primary (person)
- S. Madon — primary (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2026-01-15T05:00:00+00:00** introduced in Senate `introduction`
- **2026-01-15T05:00:00+00:00** to Committee on Committees (S) `referral-committee`
- **2026-02-06T05:00:00+00:00** to Licensing & Occupations (S) `referral-committee`
- **2026-02-10T05:00:00+00:00** reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar `committee-passage`
- **2026-02-11T05:00:00+00:00** 2nd reading, to Rules `reading-2`
- **2026-02-23T05:00:00+00:00** posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Wednesday, February 25 2026
- **2026-02-25T05:00:00+00:00** 3rd reading, passed 33-4 `passage, reading-3`
- **2026-02-26T05:00:00+00:00** received in House
- **2026-02-26T05:00:00+00:00** to Committee on Committees (H) `referral-committee`
- **2026-03-05T05:00:00+00:00** to Licensing, Occupations, & Administrative Regulations (H) `referral-committee`
- **2026-03-17T04:00:00+00:00** reassigned to Veterans, Military Affairs, & Public Protection (H)
- **2026-03-24T04:00:00+00:00** reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar `committee-passage`
- **2026-03-25T04:00:00+00:00** 2nd reading, to Rules `reading-2`
- **2026-03-25T04:00:00+00:00** floor amendments (1) and (2) filed `amendment-introduction`
- **2026-04-01T04:00:00+00:00** floor amendment (3) filed `amendment-introduction`
- **2026-04-14T04:00:00+00:00** floor amendment (4) filed `amendment-introduction`
- **2026-04-15T04:00:00+00:00** taken from Rules
- **2026-04-15T04:00:00+00:00** placed in the Orders of the Day
- **2026-04-15T04:00:00+00:00** 3rd reading, passed 89-5 with Floor Amendment (4) `passage, reading-3`
- **2026-04-15T04:00:00+00:00** received in Senate
- **2026-04-15T04:00:00+00:00** to Rules (S) `referral-committee`
- **2026-04-15T04:00:00+00:00** Senate concurred in Floor Amendment (4)
- **2026-04-15T04:00:00+00:00** passed 37-0 `passage`
- **2026-04-15T04:00:00+00:00** enrolled, signed by President of the Senate `passage`
- **2026-04-15T04:00:00+00:00** enrolled, signed by Speaker of the House `passage`
- **2026-04-15T04:00:00+00:00** delivered to Governor
- **2026-04-27T04:00:00+00:00** signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 201) `executive-signature`

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/3030bfb6-7856-4bd9-82f7-2370fc371395`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Kentucky legislature records).