Kentucky Revised Statutes

Ky. Rev. Stat. § 118.415 (2026)

Constitutional amendments

✓ current as of May 2026

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(1) The General Assembly may state the substance of the amendment proposed to the Constitution of Kentucky in the form of a question in a manner calculated to inform the electorate of the substance of the amendment. When an amendment to the Constitution has been proposed by the General Assembly, the Secretary of State shall cause the question calculated to inform the electorate of the substance of the amendment which is prepared by the General Assembly to be published at least one (1) time in a newspaper of general circulation published in this state, and shall also cause to be published at the same time and in the same manner the fact that the amendment will be submitted to the voters for their acceptance or rejection at the next regular election at which members of the General Assembly are to be voted for. The publication shall be made not later than the first Tuesday in August preceding the election at which the amendment is to be voted on. (2) The General Assembly shall state the entirety of an amendment to the Constitution of Kentucky which has been proposed by the General Assembly in the form of a question and, not later than April 15 preceding the next regular election at which members of the General Assembly are to be chosen, shall certify the question to the Secretary of State to be placed on the ballots. (3) The Secretary of State, not later than the second Monday after the second Tuesday in August preceding the next regular election at which members of the General Assembly are to be chosen in a year in which there is not an election for President and Vice President of the United States, or not later than the Thursday after the first Tuesday in September preceding a regular election in a year in which there is an election for President and Vice President of the United States, shall certify the substance of the amendment, as stated and certified by the General Assembly, to the county clerk of each county, and the county clerk shall have the substance of the amendment, as so certified, indicated on the ballots. (4) The votes cast for and against the amendment shall be counted, canvassed, and certified to the Secretary of State in the same manner as the votes cast for any officer elective by the votes of the whole state. If a majority of the votes cast on the question are for the amendment, it shall become a part of the Constitution. (5) The expenses of the publications provided for in this section shall be paid as are the expenses of other publications that the Secretary of State is required to make in connection with elections. Effective: April 27, 2024 History: Amended 2024 Ky. Acts ch. 224, sec. 19, effective April 27, 2024. -- Amended 2021 Ky. Acts ch. 197, sec. 56, effective June 29, 2021. -- Amended 1998 Ky. Acts ch. 2, sec. 8, effective July 15, 1998. -- Amended 1996 Ky. Acts ch. 195, sec. 18, effective July 15, 1996. -- Amended 1994 Ky. Acts ch. 461, sec. 1, effective July 15, 1994. -- Amended 1992 Ky. Acts ch. 296, sec. 13, effective July 14, 1992. -- Amended 1984 Ky. Acts ch. 185, sec. 23, effective July 13, 1984. -- Amended 1982 Ky. Acts ch. 394, sec. 29, effective July 15, 1982. -- Amended 1978 Ky. Acts ch. 318, sec. 8, effective June 17, 1978. -- Created 1974 Ky. Acts ch. 130, sec. 127, effective June 21, 1974.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 4 cases, 1998–2019 · leading case: Fox v. Grayson, 317 S.W.3d 1 (Ky. 2010).

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Fox v. Grayson, 317 S.W.3d 1 (Ky. 2010). · cites it 2× “" KRS 118.415(1) & (2). The General Assembly did not grant to itself the power to create this ballot question for proposed constitutional amendments until 1994, however.”

Hoogestraat v. Barnett, 1998 SD 104 (S.D. 1998). · cites it 2× “5/16-6; Ky.Rev. Stat. Ann. § 118.415; Me.Rev.Stat.”

Chandler v. City of Winchester, 973 S.W.2d 78 (Ky. Ct. App. 1998). · cites it 5× “2d 474 (1951), the court stated as follows: Since it [a predecessor to KRS 118.415] is but a statute implementing the machinery of the Constitution in this respect, it should be given a liberal construction in its application.”

Whitney Westerfield in His Off. Capacity as Senator v. David M. Ward (Ky. 2019). · cites it 8× “3 KRS 118.415. 4 SECTION 1. IT IS PROPOSED THAT A NEW SECTION BE ADDED TO THE CONSTITUTION OF KENTUCKY TO READ AS FOLLOWS: To secure for victims of criminal acts or public offenses justice and due process and to ensure crime victims a meaningful role throughout the criminal and…”

— Ky. Rev. Stat. § 118.415(1) — 2 cases

Fox v. Grayson, 317 S.W.3d 1 (Ky. 2010). “" KRS 118.415(1) & (2). The General Assembly did not grant to itself the power to create this ballot question for proposed constitutional amendments until 1994, however.”

Whitney Westerfield in His Off. Capacity as Senator v. David M. Ward (Ky. 2019). “3 KRS 118.415. 4 SECTION 1. IT IS PROPOSED THAT A NEW SECTION BE ADDED TO THE CONSTITUTION OF KENTUCKY TO READ AS FOLLOWS: To secure for victims of criminal acts or public offenses justice and due process and to ensure crime victims a meaningful role throughout the criminal and…”

— Ky. Rev. Stat. § 118.415(2) — 1 case

Chandler v. City of Winchester, 973 S.W.2d 78 (Ky. Ct. App. 1998). “2d 474 (1951), the court stated as follows: Since it [a predecessor to KRS 118.415] is but a statute implementing the machinery of the Constitution in this respect, it should be given a liberal construction in its application.”

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