---
type: "Bill"
title: "AN ACT relating to water pollution control."
description: "Amend KRS 224.16-080 to provide that any Kentucky Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (KPDES) permittee seeking to rely on a mixing zone for a bioaccumulative chemical concern assigned before September 8, 2004, include information identifying the mixing zone in its application for a modification or approval of a KPDES permit; require that any change or extinguishment in a mixing zone requirement for a bioaccumulative chemical of concern only be accomplished through a formal KPDES permitting action by the Energy and Environment Cabinet conducted pursuant to administrative regulations promulgated under KRS Chapter 13A; amend KRS 224.16-090 to provide that if a KPDES permit applicant requests in their application for a modification or renewal of a permit that the Energy and Environment Cabinet take into account rapid and complete mixing at a wastewater outfall, the Energy and Environment Cabinet shall apply rapid and complete mixing in establishing water quality-based effluent limitations and conditions under the KPDES permit if the discharge occurs through a submerged high-rate multi-port outfall structure."
jurisdiction: "us/states/ky"
legislature: "Kentucky General Assembly"
session: "2023RS"
identifier: "HB 160"
citation: "Kentucky HB 160 (2023RS)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["Administrative Regulations and Proceedings", "Environment and Conservation", "Federal Laws and Regulations", "Hazardous Materials", "Pollution", "Waterways and Dams"]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: []
version_count: 3
action_count: 24
vote_count: 2
first_action: "2023-02-07T05:00:00+00:00"
last_action: "2023-03-21T04:00:00+00:00"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/9eebbe77-9b7e-4d67-aa99-0061cb896190"
source_url: "https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/23RS/hb160.html"
source_hash: "aa7f46a244bcd776c705c7d59604efa94dcd601fd45a560fe584d32038522435"
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 HB 160 (2023RS) — AN ACT relating to water pollution control.

Amend KRS 224.16-080 to provide that any Kentucky Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (KPDES) permittee seeking to rely on a mixing zone for a bioaccumulative chemical concern assigned before September 8, 2004, include information identifying the mixing zone in its application for a modification or approval of a KPDES permit; require that any change or extinguishment in a mixing zone requirement for a bioaccumulative chemical of concern only be accomplished through a formal KPDES permitting action by the Energy and Environment Cabinet conducted pursuant to administrative regulations promulgated under KRS Chapter 13A; amend KRS 224.16-090 to provide that if a KPDES permit applicant requests in their application for a modification or renewal of a permit that the Energy and Environment Cabinet take into account rapid and complete mixing at a wastewater outfall, the Energy and Environment Cabinet shall apply rapid and complete mixing in establishing water quality-based effluent limitations and conditions under the KPDES permit if the discharge occurs through a submerged high-rate multi-port outfall structure.

## 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/23RS/hb160/orig_bill.pdf)
2. **Acts Chapter 37** (committee substitute) — [source](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/acts/23RS/documents/0037.pdf)
3. **Current/Final** (committee substitute) — [source](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/23RS/hb160/bill.pdf)

## Votes

- Pass — **pass** (pass) · lower
- FINAL PASSAGE HB 160 — **pass** (pass) · lower

## Timeline

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

- **2023-02-07T05:00:00+00:00** introduced in House `introduction`
- **2023-02-07T05:00:00+00:00** to Committee on Committees (H) `referral-committee`
- **2023-02-14T05:00:00+00:00** to Natural Resources & Energy (H) `referral-committee`
- **2023-02-16T05:00:00+00:00** reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar `committee-passage`
- **2023-02-17T05:00:00+00:00** 2nd reading, to Rules `reading-2`
- **2023-02-17T05:00:00+00:00** posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Tuesday, February 21, 2023
- **2023-02-22T05:00:00+00:00** 3rd reading, passed 95-0 `passage, reading-3`
- **2023-02-23T05:00:00+00:00** received in Senate
- **2023-02-23T05:00:00+00:00** to Committee on Committees (S) `referral-committee`
- **2023-03-10T05:00:00+00:00** taken from Committee on Committees (S)
- **2023-03-10T05:00:00+00:00** 1st reading `reading-1`
- **2023-03-10T05:00:00+00:00** returned to Committee on Committees (S)
- **2023-03-10T05:00:00+00:00** to Natural Resources & Energy (S) `referral-committee`
- **2023-03-13T04:00:00+00:00** taken from Natural Resources & Energy (S)
- **2023-03-13T04:00:00+00:00** 2nd reading `reading-2`
- **2023-03-13T04:00:00+00:00** returned to Natural Resources & Energy (S)
- **2023-03-15T04:00:00+00:00** reported favorably, to Rules as a consent bill `committee-passage`
- **2023-03-15T04:00:00+00:00** posted for passage in the Consent Orders of the Day for Wednesday, March 15, 2023
- **2023-03-15T04:00:00+00:00** 3rd reading, passed 36 -0 `passage, reading-3`
- **2023-03-15T04:00:00+00:00** received in House
- **2023-03-16T04:00:00+00:00** enrolled, signed by Speaker of the House `passage`
- **2023-03-16T04:00:00+00:00** enrolled, signed by President of the Senate `passage`
- **2023-03-16T04:00:00+00:00** delivered to Governor
- **2023-03-21T04:00:00+00:00** signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 37) `executive-signature`

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/9eebbe77-9b7e-4d67-aa99-0061cb896190`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Kentucky legislature records).