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By Casey Roberts

casey.roberts@bluegrassnewsmedia.com

 

A new Kentucky law taking effect June 27 will significantly change how school employees and volunteers communicate with students.

Senate Bill 181, signed by Gov. Andy Beshear on April 1, requires all public school districts in the state to designate an official digital communication platform for staff-to-student messaging. The system must be parent-accessible and capable of logging all communication. Any electronic communication conducted outside the approved platform will be prohibited unless a parent or guardian gives written consent.

The law applies to all teachers, school employees, and school-affiliated volunteers. Immediate family members—including parents, grandparents, and siblings—are exempt.

Each district must choose a platform that meets the law’s standards, including tools like message archiving and parental oversight. Popular platforms such as Remind and ParentSquare are expected to qualify, though districts may select other options.

Under the law, school principals must notify parents of the district’s approved system within the first 10 days of each school year. If a staff member or volunteer needs to contact a student outside the platform—via text, email, or another method—the parent must first sign a consent form outlining the specific person and purpose. That consent can be revoked or revised at any time.

Any suspected violations must be reported to the Education Professional Standards Board (EPSB), which is required to investigate complaints within 120 days. The law includes confidentiality protections for both complainants and minors.

Penalties vary depending on the staff member’s certification status. Certified employees may face disciplinary action or license review by the EPSB. Non-certified employees or volunteers could lose their eligibility to work with students.

Senate Bill 181 passed with bipartisan support and is formally known as Acts Chapter 149.

 

Other new laws taking effect June 27

Roughly 140 new laws passed during Kentucky’s 2025 legislative session that went  into effect Friday. Key measures include:

• House Bill 4: Requires public colleges and universities to eliminate all diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) offices, programs, and training by June 30, 2025. Institutions must also annually certify compliance and are barred from using any resources for DEI initiatives.

• Senate Bill 22: Allows licensed mobile barber shops and salons to operate statewide under the Kentucky Board of Barbering. It also permits unlimited retakes of licensing exam sections and expands exam access to Department of Corrections programs.

• Senate Bill 19: Mandates a moment of silence at the start of each school day in all K–12 public schools.

• House Bill 398: Prohibits the state from enacting workforce regulations that exceed federal standards.

• House Bill 399: Makes interfering with a legislative proceeding a Class A misdemeanor on the first offense and a Class D felony for the third or subsequent offense. Protections extend to the Capitol rotunda and surrounding grounds.

• Senate Bill 73: Increases penalties for sextortion involving minors and requires schools to implement prevention and education programs.

• House Bill 191: Expands eligibility for burial in state veterans’ cemeteries to include National Guard and reserve members and their families.

• House Bill 520: Amends the state’s open records law by lowering the threshold for denial; law enforcement may now deny requests if disclosure “could” harm an investigation or agency, replacing the previous standard of “would.”

• House Bill 208: Requires school boards to implement policies restricting or prohibiting cellphone use in classrooms.