Environment
No direct effect
Neutral — no direct effect identified.
Benefits
- No material direct effect identified.
Risks
- No material direct effect identified.
StateKentuckyEnacted
SB 98: AN ACT relating to welding safety.
Unknown Sponsor
SB 98 status: Enacted — signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 201) (updated Apr 27, 2026).
Source
OpenStates
Confidence
Low
Analysis basis
OpenStates summary
01
What this bill does
Official summary alongside an AI-generated read on where it stands and why.
Overall Score
72OUT OF 100
Score:72/100 civic fit
Risk:Moderate Risk
Impact:Moderate Impact 50/100
Constitutionality95%
Bipartisan80%
Public opinion70%
Bill summary
Create a new section of KRS Chapter 198B to establish requirements for projects using structural steel welding, such as hiring a certified welder and meeting national welding standards; define terms; exempt welding projects performed or requested on the premises of a homeowner or farmer; EFFECTIVE January 1, 2027.
02
Impact analysis
✦ AI analysisModeled effects across six domains, estimated from bill text and comparable legislation.
Economy
Positive outlook
60%
Benefits
- Standardizes welding quality across construction projects
- Increases professionalization of the welding workforce
- Aligns state building standards with national benchmarks
Risks
- Increased labor costs for hiring certified welders
- Compliance burden for small-scale construction businesses
- Potential project delays due to certification verification
Society
Positive outlook
70%
Benefits
- Higher building safety standards for public infrastructure
- Protection for employees working on structural projects
- Improved consumer protection via standardized work
Risks
- Potentially higher construction costs passed to consumers
- Barriers to entry for emerging or entry-level welders
- Exclusionary pressure on non-certified labor pools
Technology Industry
No direct effect
Neutral — no direct effect identified.
Benefits
- No material direct effect identified.
Risks
- No material direct effect identified.
Civic Accountability
No direct effect
Neutral — no direct effect identified.
Benefits
- No material direct effect identified.
Risks
- No material direct effect identified.
Public Health & Safety
Positive outlook
85%
Benefits
- Ensures integrity of structural steel in buildings
- Prevents construction accidents from substandard welding
- Establishes clear, enforceable professional benchmarks
Risks
- Exemption-based safety gaps in homeowner projects
- Limited regulatory oversight for remote site projects
- Cost-driven shortcuts possible if enforcement is weak
03
How trustworthy & consequential it is
Sourcing already shown above, this is what the analysis found worth flagging.
Source
OpenStates
Official bill text or data from OpenStates.
Confidence
Low
Information is limited or incomplete.
Analysis basis
OpenStates summary
Source used for this bill's analysis.
Source note
LegiScan returned a PDF-only document. PDF extraction is not enabled in this build, so the pipeline used a safer fallback.
Analysis scope
Source provided is a summary abstract; lacks full bill text for specific enforcement details.
04
Where it stands
Official recordsigned by Governor (Acts Ch. 201)
- IntroducedComplete
- CommitteeComplete
- Chamber votesComplete
- Final agreementComplete
- GovernorComplete
- EnactedComplete
05
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06
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