AN ACT relating to the protection of elected officials.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Steve Bratcher and 1 co-sponsor

The bill creates a formal threat-response framework to protect statewide-elected officials, enabling immediate investigation and viable-threat mitigation including security and arr

to State Government (H)

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Summary of HB 671 (2026RS) — Kentucky

Purpose and intent

HB 671 aims to enhance protection for statewide-elected officials in Kentucky. It establishes a formal process for responding to credible threats of violence against high-ranking state officials and authorizes specific protective and mitigation actions when such threats are determined viable.

Key provisions

Definitions
The bill creates a new section in Kentucky Revised Statutes Chapter 16 defining “statewide-elected official.” Covered officials include:

The Governor and Lieutenant Governor
The Secretary of State
The Attorney General
The Auditor of Public Accounts
The State Treasurer
The Commissioner of Agriculture
Judicial officers: justices of the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals judges, Circuit Court judges, and District Court judges
Legislative leaders: state senators and state representatives

Threat assessment and response framework
Upon receipt of a credible threat to kill or seriously injure a statewide-elected official, the responsible department or an agency designated by the department must:

Immediately investigate and assess the veracity of the threat.
If the threat is found to be viable, implement mitigation strategies, which may include:
Coordinating with local law enforcement
Conducting arrests
Providing security detail to the threatened official
Employing any other appropriate mitigation tactics

Who is affected

The primary affected individuals are statewide-elected officials listed in the bill (executive branch leaders, including constitutional officers, and high-ranking judges and legislators).

The bill also implicates state agencies designated to handle threat assessment and protection, as well as local law enforcement partners involved in mitigation and protective measures.

Procedural and timeline aspects

Process triggers: The procedures are triggered by the receipt of a credible threat against any statewide-elected official.

Immediate action: The bill mandates an immediate investigation and assessment of such threats.

Determination and response: If a threat is deemed viable, the bill requires active mitigation actions, including security provisions and potential arrests.

Legislative history: Introduced in the House on February 18, 2026, referred to the Committee on Committees, with an action history indicating passage to State Government (H) on February 25, 2026.

Practical considerations

The bill formalizes threat response and protective measures for a broad group of high-ranking state officials, potentially increasing collaboration between state agencies and local law enforcement.

It emphasizes proactive protection and rapid response, but it does not specify funding levels, standards for what qualifies as a “credible” or “viable” threat beyond the immediate investigation, or detailed protocols for security deployment.

If enacted, agencies will need to establish or designate processes and interagency agreements to execute the threat assessment and mitigation requirements.