Nonpartisan · Data from OpenStates / Plural Policy · Kentucky
Votes with Republicans
90%
on 89 party-line votes · Senate Republicans median 98%
Cast a vote
95%
Yea or Nay on 416 of 436 roll calls · Senate median 98%
Their bills that became law
7 of 18
as a primary sponsor, this session · Republicans median 7
Roll calls on record
436
2026 Regular Session
Votes and bills updated Oct 10, 2026 from LegiScan (CC BY 4.0), which republishes the legislature’s own records. Profile details from OpenStates / Plural Policy. Figures cover 2026 Regular Session.
How Brandon Smith votes
A party-line vote is a roll call where most voting Democrats and most voting Republicans took opposite sides. Absences and not-voting are never counted. Same method as our Congress pages.
Where Brandon Smith sits in the Senate
Each dot is one member of the Senate, placed by how often they voted on the Democratic side of party-line votes. Brandon Smith is circled.
Always on the Republican sideAlways on the Democratic side
Times they broke with their party
9 of 89 party-line votes.
SB1 · AN ACT relating to education.
In plain English Establishes legislative findings about Jefferson County Public Schools and revises duties of superintendents and local school boards.
Senate: Veto Override RSN# 4145 · 2026-04-14 · Passed 31–7 · most Republicans voted the other way
SB4 · AN ACT relating to education and declaring an emergency.
In plain English Creates a principal leadership development practicum program starting in 2027-2028 and requires the Kentucky Department of Education to develop and operate it.
Senate: Veto Override RSN# 4146 · 2026-04-14 · Passed 30–8 · most Republicans voted the other way
SB4 · AN ACT relating to education and declaring an emergency.
In plain English Creates a principal leadership development practicum program starting in 2027-2028 and requires the Kentucky Department of Education to develop and operate it.
Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4131 · 2026-04-01 · Passed 28–7 · most Republicans voted the other way
HB2 · AN ACT relating to Medicaid, making an appropriation therefor, and declaring an emergency.
In plain English Requires Medicaid eligibility to be conditioned on community engagement, imposes cost-sharing requirements by January 2027, and requires eligibility redeterminations every six months, among other changes.
Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4114 · 2026-04-01 · Passed 32–5 · most Republicans voted the other way
SB1 · AN ACT relating to education.
In plain English Establishes legislative findings about Jefferson County Public Schools and revises duties of superintendents and local school boards.
Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4120 · 2026-04-01 · Passed 29–8 · most Republicans voted the other way
HB490 · AN ACT relating to employment at public postsecondary education institutions and declaring an emergency.
In plain English Allows removal of faculty members at public colleges for financial reasons and requires boards to establish removal procedures with specified parameters.
Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4031 · 2026-03-27 · Passed 30–7 · most Republicans voted the other way
SB59 · AN ACT relating to prohibited uses of tax dollars and resources.
In plain English Prohibits public officials and school districts from using tax dollars or resources to advocate for or against ballot measures or recalls, with criminal penalties and civil liability including a 10-year ban from public office.
Senate: Third Reading RSN# 3883 · 2026-03-05 · Passed 28–9 · most Republicans voted the other way
SB127 · AN ACT relating to actuarial costs of annual leave payments in the Teachers' Retirement System.
In plain English Requires the state to pay actuarial costs for teachers' annual leave accrued before August 1, 2026, and employers to pay for leave accrued after that date.
Senate: Third Reading RSN# 3845 · 2026-02-20 · Passed 29–8 · most Republicans voted the other way
SB152 · AN ACT relating to education.
Senate: Third Reading RSN# 3838 · 2026-02-19 · Passed 27–11 · most Republicans voted the other way
Closest votes they cast
Roll calls decided by the fewest votes, one per bill.
SB199 · AN ACT relating to pesticide labeling.
Senate: Third Reading RSN# 3886 · 2026-03-05 · Passed 23–13
HB904 · AN ACT relating to gaming.
In plain English Requires the Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation to regulate fantasy contest operators through licensing, geolocation technology, fraud prevention, and audit requirements, among other changes.
Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4138 · 2026-04-01 · Passed 24–13
SB223 · AN ACT relating to the regulation of cannabis-infused beverages.
Senate: Third Reading RSN# 3965 · 2026-03-20 · Passed 25–11
SB45 · AN ACT relating to agritourism.
Senate: Third Reading RSN# 3821 · 2026-02-12 · Passed 26–12
HB627 · AN ACT relating to insurance.
In plain English Modifies personal injury protection insurance benefits, increases work loss reimbursement limits, establishes medical expense payment requirements, and requires annual insurance fraud reporting.
Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4034 · 2026-03-27 · Passed 24–8
Democrats they vote with most
Share of contested roll calls (the losing side got at least 10%) where both voted and landed on the same side. Unanimous votes are left out, because on those everyone agrees.
Gary ClemonsDemocrat · District 37 · 92 shared contested votes
17%
Keturah HerronDemocrat · District 35 · 93 shared contested votes
17%
Gerald NealDemocrat · District 33 · 89 shared contested votes
15%
Their session, month by month
Dark bars are roll calls they were recorded on each month; the red part is the ones without a Yea or Nay (20 in all). Gaps are months the chamber wasn’t voting.
← Kentucky Delegation
YeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYea
Their bills, from filing to law
Bills Brandon Smith was a primary sponsor of this session. Most bills from either party never leave committee; in Illinois many never get past the Assignments or Rules committee.
Introduced18
Out of committee8
Passed one chamber7
Passed both chambers7
Became law7
Never left committee10
For comparison, the median Republican member of the Senate has 7 bills that became law this session.
What their bills are about
Memorials 7State Agencies 4Minerals and Mining 4Administrative Regulations and Proceedings 3Effective Dates, Emergency 3Coal 3
AN ACT relating to public utilities and declaring an emergency.
In plain English Establishes Public Service Commission membership, appointment procedures, commissioner qualifications and term limits, and makes the commission an independent state department.
Official synopsis: Create new sections of KRS Chapter 278 to establish the membership of the Public Service Commission; provide for the appointment, confirmation, and replacement of commissioners; establish the qualifications of the commissioners; provide for the election of the chair and the delegation of his or her…
Became lawbecame law without Governor's Signature (Acts Ch. 185) · 2026-04-15
A RESOLUTION adjourning the Senate in honor and loving memory of Paige "Nikki" Nicole Feltner.
Adjourn in honor and loving memory of Paige "Nikki" Nicole Feltner.
Became lawadopted by voice vote · 2026-04-15
A RESOLUTION adjourning the Senate in honor and loving memory of Karen Sue Spencer Graham.
Adjourn in honor and loving memory of Karen Sue Spencer Graham.
Became lawadopted by voice vote · 2026-04-14
A RESOLUTION adjourning the Senate in honor and loving memory of Michele Renee Franks Baker.
Adjourn in honor and loving memory of Michele Renee Franks Baker.
Became lawadopted by voice vote · 2026-04-01
A RESOLUTION adjourning the Senate in honor and loving memory of Jack Conley Morgan.
Adjourn in honor and loving memory of Jack Conley Morgan.
Became lawadopted by voice vote · 2026-03-27
A RESOLUTION adjourning the Senate in honor and loving memory of Henry Nicholas "Nick" Baker.
Adjourn the Senate in honor and loving memory of Henry Nicholas "Nick" Baker.
Became lawadopted by voice vote · 2026-03-26
AN ACT relating to the protection of children.
Create a new section of KRS Chapter 507 to establish the offense of child abuse homicide as a capital offense; amend KRS 199.896 to require licensed child-care centers to maintain video surveillance of all public areas within the facility and retain video footage for 90…
Out of committee2nd reading, to Rules · 2026-03-13
AN ACT relating to affordable housing, making an appropriation therefor, and declaring an emergency.
Create new sections of KRS Chapter 198A to define terms; establish the abandoned home pool fund to be administered by the Kentucky Housing Corporation; specify eligible recipients, activities, and uses of fund; amend KRS 64.012 to increase county clerk recording fees and add a $2…
Not out of committeeto State & Local Government (S) · 2026-03-10
A RESOLUTION honoring the Blueprint for Kentucky's Children and recognizing Children's Advocacy Week 2026.
Honor the Blueprint for Kentucky's Children and recognize Children's Advocacy Week 2026.
Became lawadopted by voice vote · 2026-03-03
A JOINT RESOLUTION designating the Private Hargis Salyer, Jr. Memorial Highway in Magoffin County.
Direct the Transportation Cabinet to designate a portion of Kentucky Route 1635 in Magoffin County as the Private Hargis Salyer, Jr. Memorial Highway.
Not out of committeeto Transportation (S) · 2026-03-02
AN ACT relating to natural resources.
Amend KRS 350.600 to clarify that the cabinet promulgates administrative regulations in accordance with KRS Chapter 13A and make grammatical and technical corrections.
Not out of committeeto Committee on Committees (S) · 2026-02-27
AN ACT relating to natural resources.
Amend KRS 350.475, relating to surface mining and natural resources, make technical corrections.
Not out of committeeto Committee on Committees (S) · 2026-02-27
AN ACT relating to the Public Service Commission.
Amend KRS 278.050 to remove the requirement that an appointment to the Public Service Commission made more than 90 days prior to a regular session of the General Assembly be confirmed by an interim joint committee.
Not out of committeeto Committee on Committees (S) · 2026-02-27
AN ACT relating to natural resources.
Amend KRS 350.240, relating to natural resources and mining, to make a technical correction.
Not out of committeeto Committee on Committees (S) · 2026-02-26
AN ACT relating to mental health coverage and declaring an emergency.
Amend KRS 304.17A-660 to define "health professional"; amend KRS 304.17A-661 to require that annual mental health parity reports be submitted to the Legislative Research Commission on or before June 1 of each year for referral to certain committees and be published by the insurance commissioner…
Not out of committeeto Committee on Committees (S) · 2026-02-19
“In plain English” lines are written by ThePolitibase with AI (Claude), from the official synopsis only; the synopsis is the authoritative text. Descriptions are the legislature’s own synopsis. Bill data from LegiScan, CC BY 4.0.
Loading committees…
SR244 · 2026-04-15
A RESOLUTION confirming the reappointment of Marilyn Mason to the Kentucky Housing Corporation Board of Directors. (Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4223)
SR243 · 2026-04-15
A RESOLUTION confirming the reappointment of Chad Mills to the Kentucky Housing Corporation Board of Directors. (Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4222)
SB197 · 2026-04-15
AN ACT providing funding and establishing conditions for state government agencies and institutions, making an appropriation therefor, and declaring an emergency. (Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4263)
SB98 · 2026-04-15
AN ACT relating to welding safety. (Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4259)
SB133 · 2026-04-15
AN ACT relating to the fiscal reporting of local entities. (Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4257)
HB869 · 2026-04-15
AN ACT relating to fiscal matters and declaring an emergency. (Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4264)
SB324 · 2026-04-15
AN ACT relating to the entertainment industry. (Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4261)
HB220 · 2026-04-15
AN ACT relating to pension spiking in the systems administered by the Kentucky Public Pensions Authority. (Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4189)
HB826 · 2026-04-15
AN ACT relating to education. (Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4256)
SB66 · 2026-04-15
AN ACT relating to the operation of a motor vehicle. (Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4260)
SR268 · 2026-04-15
A RESOLUTION confirming the reappointment of as Joseph Koester to Board of Directors of the Kentucky Employers' Mutual Insurance Authority. (Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4246)
SR237 · 2026-04-15
A RESOLUTION confirming the reappointment of Edward Hatchett to the Kentucky State University Board of Regents. (Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4216)
SR231 · 2026-04-15
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Andrew Wood to the Public Service Commission. (Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4210)
SR258 · 2026-04-15
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Kenton W. Bottoms II to the Fish and Wildlife Resources Commission. (Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4237)
SR271 · 2026-04-15
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Dr. Kenny Burdine to the Kentucky Agricultural Finance Corporation. (Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4249)
SR257 · 2026-04-15
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Debra Wulfeck to the Northern Kentucky University Board of Regents. (Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4236)
SR269 · 2026-04-15
A RESOLUTION confirming the reappointment of William Jones to the Board of Directors of the Kentucky Employers' Mutual Insurance Authority. (Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4247)
SR253 · 2026-04-15
A RESOLUTION confirming the reappointment of Mark Kleiner to the Kentucky Lottery Corporation Board of Directors. (Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4232)
SR245 · 2026-04-15
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Amy Miller to the Board of Tax Appeals. (Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4224)
SR227 · 2026-04-15
A RESOLUTION confirming the reappointment of Anne Veno to the Board of Nursing. (Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4206)
SR273 · 2026-04-15
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Steven Olt to the Kentucky Agricultural Finance Corporation. (Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4251)
SR228 · 2026-04-15
A RESOLUTION confirming the reappointment of Hope Jones to the Board of Nursing. (Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4207)
SR251 · 2026-04-15
A RESOLUTION confirming the reappointment of Kathryn Thomas to the Board of Claims. (Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4230)
SR264 · 2026-04-15
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Fritz Giesecke to the Kentucky Agricultural Development Board. (Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4242)
SR266 · 2026-04-15
A RESOLUTION confirming the reappointment of Sean Garber to the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education. (Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4244)
SR216 · 2026-04-15
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Nicholas Pace to the Education Professional Standards Board. (Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4195)
SR265 · 2026-04-15
A RESOLUTION confirming the reappointment of Madison Silvert to the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education. (Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4243)
SR248 · 2026-04-15
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of James P. Gray II to the University of Kentucky Board of Trustees. (Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4227)
SR218 · 2026-04-15
A RESOLUTION confirming the reappointment of Michael R. Eaves to the Eastern Kentucky University Board of Regents. (Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4197)
SR252 · 2026-04-15
A RESOLUTION confirming the reappointment of John Stovall to the Kentucky Lottery Corporation Board of Directors. (Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4231)
SR247 · 2026-04-15
A RESOLUTION confirming the reappointment of Paul Todd Case to the University of Kentucky Board of Trustees. (Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4226)
SR230 · 2026-04-15
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Arthur Ryan to the Board of Nursing. (Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4209)
SR241 · 2026-04-15
A RESOLUTION confirming the reappointment of Justin Kyle Mitchell to the Education Professional Standards Board. (Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4220)
SR272 · 2026-04-15
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Frank Penn to the Kentucky Agricultural Finance Corporation. (Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4250)
SR233 · 2026-04-15
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Ken Hunt to the Kentucky Community and Technical College System Board of Regents. (Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4212)
SR213 · 2026-04-15
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Jai Y. Bokey to the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education. (Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4192)
SR263 · 2026-04-15
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Heather Graham to the Kentucky Agricultural Development Board. (Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4241)
SR242 · 2026-04-15
A RESOLUTION confirming the reappointment of Elijah Edwards to the Education Professional Standards Board. (Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4221)
SR246 · 2026-04-15
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Leon Clark Williams to the University of Kentucky Board of Trustees. (Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4225)
SR238 · 2026-04-15
A RESOLUTION confirming the reappointment of Merideth Murphy Pittman to the Education Professional Standards Board. (Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4217)
SR229 · 2026-04-15
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Monica Kennison to the Board of Nursing. (Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4208)
SR232 · 2026-04-15
A RESOLUTION confirming the reappointment of Angela Hatton to the Public Service Commission. (Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4211)
SR239 · 2026-04-15
A RESOLUTION confirming the reappointment of Lisa Marie Rudzinski to the Education Professional Standards Board. (Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4218)
SR250 · 2026-04-15
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Hilary Sykes to the Crime Victims Compensation Board. (Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4229)
SR249 · 2026-04-15
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Elaine Wilson to the University of Kentucky Board of Trustees. (Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4228)
SR260 · 2026-04-15
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Andrew Marshall Coyle to the Kentucky State Fair Board. (Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4238)
SR215 · 2026-04-15
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Elizabeth G. Dinkins to the Education Professional Standards Board. (Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4194)
SR267 · 2026-04-15
A RESOLUTION confirming the reappointment of F. Bruce Williams to the Board of Directors of the Kentucky Employers' Mutual Insurance Authority. (Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4245)
SR234 · 2026-04-15
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Tara Horn to the Kentucky Community and Technical College System Board of Regents. (Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4213)
SR221 · 2026-04-15
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Misdee Wrigley Miller to the Kentucky Film Leadership Council. (Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4200)
SR254 · 2026-04-15
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Victoria Grooms to the Northern Kentucky University Board of Regents. (Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4233)
SR223 · 2026-04-15
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Steve Zahn to the Kentucky Film Leadership Council. (Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4202)
SR224 · 2026-04-15
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Soozie Eastman as a member of the Kentucky Film Leadership Council. (Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4203)
SR262 · 2026-04-15
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Darrin Benton to the Kentucky State Fair Board. (Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4240)
SR217 · 2026-04-15
A RESOLUTION confirming the reappointment of Wilton Currie Milliken to the Western Kentucky University Board of Regents. (Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4196)
SR219 · 2026-04-15
A RESOLUTION confirming the reappointment of William Crawford to the Board of Trustees of the Teachers' Retirement System. (Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4198)
SR226 · 2026-04-15
A RESOLUTION confirming the reappointment of Michael James to the Parole Board. (Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4205)
SR276 · 2026-04-15
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Jonathan Rabinowitz to the Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation. (Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4254)
SR270 · 2026-04-15
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Michael McGhee to the Board of Directors of the Kentucky Employers' Mutual Insurance Authority. (Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4248)
SR222 · 2026-04-15
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Jeremy Winton as a member of the Kentucky Film Leadership Council. (Senate: Third Reading RSN# 4201)
Complete voting record from LegiScan (showing the 60 most recent of 436 total roll-call votes this session).
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