---
type: "Bill"
title: "AN ACT relating to school foods."
description: "Amend KRS 158.854 to define “student-based enterprise”; authorize local school boards to permit student-based enterprises within their district to sell competitive foods throughout the school day; authorize local school boards to establish policies regarding the operation of and revenue generated by student-based enterprises; amend KRS 165.160 to exempt student-based enterprises from the penalties."
jurisdiction: "us/states/ky"
legislature: "Kentucky General Assembly"
session: "2026RS"
identifier: "HB 555"
citation: "Kentucky HB 555 (2026RS)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["Administrative Regulations And Proceedings", "Boards And Commissions", "Education", "Elementary And Secondary", "Education", "Finance", "Fees", "Foods And Beverages"]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["B. Chester-Burton", "G. Brown Jr.", "M. Dossett", "M. Pollock", "W. Thomas"]
version_count: 3
action_count: 28
vote_count: 3
first_action: "2026-02-04T05:00:00+00:00"
last_action: "2026-04-10T04:00:00+00:00"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/15050c36-d192-4448-ab6d-7a6db9d507bd"
source_url: "https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/26RS/hb555.html"
source_hash: "1a918e792855a88ab5aa2f4e1a311b41e95acf970a11cac48ec280ecf8e88ea4"
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 555 (2026RS) — AN ACT relating to school foods.

Amend KRS 158.854 to define “student-based enterprise”; authorize local school boards to permit student-based enterprises within their district to sell competitive foods throughout the school day; authorize local school boards to establish policies regarding the operation of and revenue generated by student-based enterprises; amend KRS 165.160 to exempt student-based enterprises from the penalties.

## 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/hb555/orig_bill.pdf)
2. **Acts Chapter 81** (committee substitute) — [source](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/acts/26RS/documents/0081.pdf)
3. **Current/Final** (committee substitute) — [source](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/hb555/bill.pdf)

## Votes

- PASS HB 555 w/ SCS 1 — **35–0** (pass) · lower
- Final Passage — **95–1** (pass) · lower
- Pass — **92–1** (pass) · lower

## Sponsors

- B. Chester-Burton — primary (person)
- G. Brown Jr. — primary (person)
- M. Dossett — primary (person)
- M. Pollock — primary (person)
- W. Thomas — primary (person)

## Timeline

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

- **2026-02-04T05:00:00+00:00** introduced in House `introduction`
- **2026-02-04T05:00:00+00:00** to Committee on Committees (H) `referral-committee`
- **2026-02-11T05:00:00+00:00** to Primary and Secondary Education (H) `referral-committee`
- **2026-02-18T05:00:00+00:00** reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar `committee-passage`
- **2026-02-19T05:00:00+00:00** 2nd reading, to Rules `reading-2`
- **2026-02-19T05:00:00+00:00** posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Friday, February 20 2026
- **2026-02-20T05:00:00+00:00** 3rd reading, passed 92-1 `passage, reading-3`
- **2026-02-23T05:00:00+00:00** received in Senate
- **2026-02-23T05:00:00+00:00** to Committee on Committees (S) `referral-committee`
- **2026-03-11T04:00:00+00:00** to Education (S) `referral-committee`
- **2026-03-12T04:00:00+00:00** reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar with Committee Substitute (1) `committee-passage`
- **2026-03-13T04:00:00+00:00** 2nd reading, to Rules `reading-2`
- **2026-03-16T04:00:00+00:00** floor amendment (1) filed to Committee Substitute `amendment-introduction`
- **2026-03-16T04:00:00+00:00** posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Tuesday, March 17 2026
- **2026-03-17T04:00:00+00:00** passed over and retained in the Orders of the Day `passage`
- **2026-03-18T04:00:00+00:00** passed over and retained in the Orders of the Day `passage`
- **2026-03-19T04:00:00+00:00** 3rd reading `reading-3`
- **2026-03-19T04:00:00+00:00** floor amendment (1) withdrawn
- **2026-03-19T04:00:00+00:00** passed 35-0 with Committee Substitute (1) `passage`
- **2026-03-19T04:00:00+00:00** received in House
- **2026-03-19T04:00:00+00:00** to Rules (H) `referral-committee`
- **2026-03-27T04:00:00+00:00** posted for passage for concurrence in Senate Committee Substitute (1)
- **2026-03-31T04:00:00+00:00** House concurred in Committee Substitute (1)
- **2026-03-31T04:00:00+00:00** passed 95-1 `passage`
- **2026-03-31T04:00:00+00:00** enrolled, signed by Speaker of the House `passage`
- **2026-03-31T04:00:00+00:00** enrolled, signed by President of the Senate `passage`
- **2026-03-31T04:00:00+00:00** delivered to Governor
- **2026-04-10T04:00:00+00:00** signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 81) `executive-signature`

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/15050c36-d192-4448-ab6d-7a6db9d507bd`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Kentucky legislature records).