Status: Passed Kentucky House 98-0 (March 9, 2026); Referred to Senate Committee on Committees; Kentucky 2026 Regular Session concluded sine die April 15, 2026 — Senate floor action not confirmed before adjournment.
Bill Number: KY HB 713 / BR 373 (2026 Regular Session)
Jurisdiction: Kentucky
Category: Healthcare Workplace Violence Prevention
Industries: Healthcare
Enacted Date: N/A
Effective Date: TBD
Summary: Kentucky House Bill 713, introduced February 24, 2026 by Rep. Jason Nemes (R-Middletown), builds on and refines the healthcare workplace violence prevention framework established under Kentucky HB 176. The bill requires health facilities to annually attest to the Cabinet for Health and Family Services that they maintain a workplace safety assessment and plan meeting their accrediting organization's standards, provide violence prevention training to healthcare workers, maintain an internal reporting system for workplace violence incidents, prohibit retaliation against workers who report incidents in good faith, and periodically review incidents to update safety policies.
HB 713 passed the Kentucky House unanimously 98-0 on March 9, 2026 and was transmitted to the Senate, where it was referred to the Committee on Committees. Kentucky's 2026 regular session adjourned sine die on April 15, 2026; if the bill did not receive Senate floor action before adjournment, it carries significant momentum into the next cycle given the unanimous House vote and bipartisan interest.
Key Requirements (as passed by House):
- Annual Attestation: Health facilities must annually attest to the Cabinet for Health and Family Services that they maintain a workplace safety assessment and plan meeting accrediting-organization standards.
- Training: Violence prevention training for healthcare workers.
- Internal Reporting Systems: Covered employers must maintain an internal system for employees to report workplace violence incidents.
- Anti-Retaliation Protections: Workers reporting incidents in good faith are shielded from retaliation.
- Periodic Review: Employers must periodically review incidents and update safety policies accordingly.
- Builds on HB 176 Framework: Requirements layer on top of Kentucky HB 176's existing mandate for risk assessments, written safety plans, and employee training.
Compliance Deadline: N/A – Bill has not been signed into law.
Affected Entities: Healthcare facilities currently covered by Kentucky HB 176, including hospitals, psychiatric facilities, long-term care facilities, emergency departments, and other licensed healthcare settings.
IntelliSee Relevance: High – IntelliSee's AI-powered monitoring, timestamped incident documentation, and automated alerting support the annual attestation, internal reporting, and periodic-review obligations proposed in HB 713 and already in force under HB 176.
Related Legislation
- Kentucky Healthcare Workplace Safety (HB 176) – The foundational Kentucky healthcare safety law
- California Healthcare Workplace Violence Prevention (SB 553)
- Ohio Healthcare Workplace Violence Prevention (HB 452)
- Washington Healthcare Workplace Violence Prevention (HB 1162)
- Missouri Hospital Workplace Violence Prevention (HB 3401)