Shown verbatim: the complete text as captured from the official PDF posted by the Kentucky General Assembly, fetched 2026-09-25. Page and line markers are part of the official record; nothing is edited or removed. This is the current version. The official bill page.
UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS HB 571/GA
1 AN ACT relating to light pollution and declaring an emergency.
2 Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky:
3 SECTION 1. A NEW SECTION OF KRS CHAPTER 176 IS CREATED TO
4 READ AS FOLLOWS:
5 (1) As used in this section:
6 (a) "Agricultural land" means:
7 1. Any tract of land, including all income-producing improvements, of at
8 least ten (10) contiguous acres in area used for the production of
9 livestock, livestock products, poultry, poultry products or the growing
10 of tobacco or other crops including timber; or
11 2. Any tract of land devoted to and meeting the requirements and
12 qualifications for payments pursuant to agriculture programs under
13 an agreement with the state or federal government;
14 (b) "Fully shielded" means an outdoor light fixture that is shaded so that light
15 rays emitted by the fixture, either directly from the lamp or indirectly from
16 the fixture, are no longer encroaching on agricultural land; and
17 (c) "Outdoor light fixture" means any light fixture owned or maintained by the
18 cabinet.
19 (2) The cabinet shall not allow light emitted from an outdoor light fixture to
20 encroach on any agricultural land, whether public or private.
21 (3) Any new outdoor light fixture installed after the effective date of this Act which
22 emits light that encroaches on agricultural land shall be fully shielded at the time
23 of installation.
24 (4) If light emitted from an outdoor light fixture encroaches on agricultural land, the
25 owner of that land may submit a complaint in writing to the cabinet, and the
26 cabinet shall ensure that the outdoor light fixture is fully shielded within thirty
27 (30) days of the date of the submission of the written complaint.
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HB057110.100 - 993 - XXXX 3/10/2026 3:34 PM GA
UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS HB 571/GA
1 (5) This section shall not apply to outdoor light fixtures used by the cabinet or its
2 contractors incidental to a highway construction or maintenance project,
3 provided the encroachment lasts for no longer than one hundred eighty (180)
4 days and that the lights are turned off when not in active use for construction or
5 safety purposes.
6 Section 2. Whereas it is critical to protect agricultural land from damage caused
7 by light pollution and to protect farmers of the Commonwealth from any losses in crop
8 yields resulting from light pollution as soon as possible, an emergency is declared to
9 exist, and this Act takes effect upon its passage and approval by the Governor or upon its
10 otherwise becoming a law.
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HB057110.100 - 993 - XXXX 3/10/2026 3:34 PM GAEvery fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.