On March 25, the Senate Standing Committee on Natural Resources and Energy voted to advance House Bill 313, a 2026 KLC initiative designed to reduce administrative burdens and strengthen local decision-making regarding municipal utility franchise agreements.  

Sponsored by Representative Ryan Bivens (R-Hodgenville), who testified along with KLC Director of Government Affairs Gracie Kelly, that HB 313 amends the time period a city must provide for the sale of a new franchise before expiration of the current utility franchise from 18 months to 6 months. This aligns franchise renewal timelines with real-world utility operations and allows cities to negotiate and respond to changing market conditions without being locked into franchise decisions a year in advance.  

HB 313 passed through the House and has now passed through the Senate committee on a unanimous consent vote. Thanks to Senate Natural Resources and Energy Committee Chair Brandon Smith (R-Hazard) advocacy on the bill, HB 313 may be expedited on the consent calendar for passage before being returned to the House of Representatives for concurrence and final passage.