republic-os/legislation/us/states/ky/2024rs/sb-20.md

---
type: "Bill"
title: "AN ACT relating to crimes and punishments."
description: "Amend KRS 439.3401 to include in the definition of \"violent offender\" a person who has been convicted of burglary in the first degree as described in KRS 511.020(1)(a), assault in the second degree as described in KRS 508.020(1)(b) or (c), and wanton endangerment in the first degree as described in KRS 508.060 involving the discharge of a firearm; remove the requirement that the victim of a Class B felony involving criminal attempt to commit murder shall be a clearly identifiable peace officer, firefighter, or emergency medical services provider acting in the line of duty; provide that a violent offender who is convicted of a Class C felony violation of wanton endangerment in the first degree and assault in the second degree as described in KRS 508.020(1)(b) or (c) shall not be released on probation, shock probation, parole, conditional discharge, or other form of early release until he or she has served at least 65 percent of the sentence imposed; amend KRS 508.060 to enhance wanton endangerment in the first degree if the person discharges a firearm in the commission of the offense; amend KRS 635.020 to provide that if a child is 15 years of age or older and is charged with a felony involving the use of a firearm then he or she shall be transferred to Circuit Court to be tried as an adult; provide that a child who has been convicted of a felony involving the use of a firearm shall not be eligible for probation or conditional discharge in a proceeding consistent with KRS 640.030."
jurisdiction: "us/states/ky"
legislature: "Kentucky General Assembly"
session: "2024RS"
identifier: "SB 20"
citation: "Kentucky SB 20 (2024RS)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["Children and Minors", "Corrections Impact", "Crimes and Punishments", "Criminal Procedure", "Firearms and Weapons", "Local Mandate"]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["A. Mays Bledsoe", "C. McDaniel", "D. Douglas", "D. Thayer", "G. Boswell", "G. Elkins", "G. Williams", "L. Tichenor", "M. Deneen", "M. Nemes", "M. Wise", "P. Wheeler", "R. Girdler", "R. Mills", "S. Funke Frommeyer", "S. Meredith", "S. West"]
version_count: 3
action_count: 32
vote_count: 4
first_action: "2024-01-02T05:00:00+00:00"
last_action: "2024-04-10T04:00:00+00:00"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/b3d70ed7-2a80-4329-b8c1-8a25d4a613ab"
source_url: "https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/24RS/sb20.html"
source_hash: "56128349fbad8a521a21211c8cd6bdc8a52f6a59afa5fb0c3364735ed09660c3"
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 20 (2024RS) — AN ACT relating to crimes and punishments.

Amend KRS 439.3401 to include in the definition of "violent offender" a person who has been convicted of burglary in the first degree as described in KRS 511.020(1)(a), assault in the second degree as described in KRS 508.020(1)(b) or (c), and wanton endangerment in the first degree as described in KRS 508.060 involving the discharge of a firearm; remove the requirement that the victim of a Class B felony involving criminal attempt to commit murder shall be a clearly identifiable peace officer, firefighter, or emergency medical services provider acting in the line of duty; provide that a violent offender who is convicted of a Class C felony violation of wanton endangerment in the first degree and assault in the second degree as described in KRS 508.020(1)(b) or (c) shall not be released on probation, shock probation, parole, conditional discharge, or other form of early release until he or she has served at least 65 percent of the sentence imposed; amend KRS 508.060 to enhance wanton endangerment in the first degree if the person discharges a firearm in the commission of the offense; amend KRS 635.020 to provide that if a child is 15 years of age or older and is charged with a felony involving the use of a firearm then he or she shall be transferred to Circuit Court to be tried as an adult; provide that a child who has been convicted of a felony involving the use of a firearm shall not be eligible for probation or conditional discharge in a proceeding consistent with KRS 640.030.

## 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/24RS/sb20/orig_bill.pdf)
2. **Acts Chapter 160** (committee substitute) — [source](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/acts/24RS/documents/0160.pdf)
3. **Current/Final** (committee substitute) — [source](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/24RS/sb20/bill.pdf)

## Votes

- PASS SB 20 W/ scs1 sfa6 — **pass** (pass) · upper
- Pass — **pass** (pass) · upper
- FINAL PASS SB 20 W/ hcs1 — **pass** (pass) · upper
- Adopt — **fail** (fail) · upper

## Sponsors

- A. Mays Bledsoe — primary (person)
- C. McDaniel — primary (person)
- D. Douglas — primary (person)
- D. Thayer — primary (person)
- G. Boswell — primary (person)
- G. Elkins — primary (person)
- G. Williams — primary (person)
- L. Tichenor — primary (person)
- M. Deneen — primary (person)
- M. Nemes — primary (person)
- M. Wise — primary (person)
- P. Wheeler — primary (person)
- R. Girdler — primary (person)
- R. Mills — primary (person)
- S. Funke Frommeyer — primary (person)
- S. Meredith — primary (person)
- S. West — primary (person)

## Timeline

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

- **2024-01-02T05:00:00+00:00** introduced in Senate `introduction`
- **2024-01-02T05:00:00+00:00** to Committee on Committees (S) `referral-committee`
- **2024-01-05T05:00:00+00:00** to Veterans, Military Affairs, & Public Protection (S) `referral-committee`
- **2024-02-08T05:00:00+00:00** reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar with Committee Substitute (1) `committee-passage`
- **2024-02-08T05:00:00+00:00** Floor Amendments (1), (2), (3), (4) and (5) filed to Committee Substitute
- **2024-02-09T05:00:00+00:00** 2nd reading, to Rules `reading-2`
- **2024-02-12T05:00:00+00:00** floor amendment (6) filed to Committee Substitute `amendment-introduction`
- **2024-02-12T05:00:00+00:00** posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Wednesday, February 14, 2024
- **2024-02-14T05:00:00+00:00** 3rd reading `reading-3`
- **2024-02-14T05:00:00+00:00** floor amendment withdrawn Floor Amendments (1), (2) and (3)
- **2024-02-14T05:00:00+00:00** floor amendment withdrawn Floor Amendments (4) and (5)
- **2024-02-14T05:00:00+00:00** passed 25-9-1 with Committee Substitute (1) and Floor Amendment (6) `passage`
- **2024-02-15T05:00:00+00:00** received in House
- **2024-02-15T05:00:00+00:00** to Committee on Committees (H) `referral-committee`
- **2024-03-15T04:00:00+00:00** to Judiciary (H) `referral-committee`
- **2024-03-21T04:00:00+00:00** reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar with Committee Substitute (1) `committee-passage`
- **2024-03-21T04:00:00+00:00** floor amendment (1) filed to Committee Substitute `amendment-introduction`
- **2024-03-22T04:00:00+00:00** 2nd reading, to Rules `reading-2`
- **2024-03-22T04:00:00+00:00** posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Monday, March 25, 2024
- **2024-03-26T04:00:00+00:00** 3rd reading `reading-3`
- **2024-03-26T04:00:00+00:00** Floor Amendment (1) defeated
- **2024-03-26T04:00:00+00:00** passed 68-19 with Committee Substitute (1) `passage`
- **2024-03-26T04:00:00+00:00** received in Senate
- **2024-03-26T04:00:00+00:00** to Rules (S) `referral-committee`
- **2024-03-27T04:00:00+00:00** posted for passage for concurrence in House Committee Substitute (1)
- **2024-03-27T04:00:00+00:00** Senate concurred in House Committee Substitute (1)
- **2024-03-27T04:00:00+00:00** passed 24-10 with Committee Substitute (1) `passage`
- **2024-03-27T04:00:00+00:00** enrolled, signed by President of the Senate `passage`
- **2024-03-28T04:00:00+00:00** enrolled, signed by Speaker of the House `passage`
- **2024-03-28T04:00:00+00:00** delivered to Governor
- **2024-04-09T04:00:00+00:00** filed without Governor's signature with the Secretary of State
- **2024-04-10T04:00:00+00:00** became law without Governor's Signature (Acts Ch. 160) `became-law`

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/b3d70ed7-2a80-4329-b8c1-8a25d4a613ab`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Kentucky legislature records).