SEN. STORM PROPOSALS WOULD EXPAND ROAD ACCESS AND ADVENTURE TOURISM, AND PROTECT CONNECTIVITY INFRASTRUCTURE
Senate Bills 63 and 64 introduced in the first week of the 2025 Legislative Session
FRANKFORT KY (Jan. 15, 2025)—Sen. Brandon Storm, R-London, working with Backroads of Appalachia, filed Senate Bill (SB) 63 on Thursday. This legislation allows certain off-road vehicles, such as ATVs, UTVs, and mini-trucks, to operate legally on public roads under specific conditions. The bill outlines a framework to increase transportation flexibility, reduce costs, and spur economic growth, particularly in rural regions like eastern Kentucky. The proposal would exclude low-speed vehicles and golf carts.
To be street-legal, vehicles must meet safety requirements, such as having functioning headlights, brake lights, turn signals, mirrors, windshields (or goggles for drivers), and proper tires. They would be prohibited on interstates and major highways but allowed on smaller roads with center line markings for trips up to 20 miles. Local governments and state agencies retain the authority to impose additional restrictions. SB 63 also requires vehicles to be registered and insured and display a motorcycle license plate.
The reforms would support industries reliant on these vehicles and offer a practical solution for rural transportation. They would also make it easier for residents to navigate their communities and access essential services. The Transportation Cabinet must create administrative regulations to enforce these provisions to ensure effective implementation.
Benefits for Eastern Kentucky
SB 63 addresses unique needs in rural areas like eastern Kentucky, where off-road vehicles are widely used for farming, logging, and outdoor recreation. Legalizing these vehicles for expanded road use would provide greater transportation options and help residents save on travel costs. It would also encourage regional tourism and recreation, bolster local economies, and create new opportunities for small businesses.
“A lot of us from the region have been pushing for something like this for a long time,” Storm said. “I’m happy to have the support of many of my fellow regional delegates who have already signed on as co-sponsors. I hope to get the support of the entire Mountain Caucus and encourage all of our colleagues out in other rural parts of the state to recognize how this bill could benefit their communities. We’re looking at all roads to help strengthen the future of our Appalachian region and our people back home need to know, whether big or small policy changes, we’re working for them.”
There’s currently a pilot project for off-road vehicles using recreational trails, championed over the last few years by Sen. Phillip Wheeler, R-Pikeville.
Senate Bill 64 Introduced
Storm also introduced SB 64 to strengthen protections for essential infrastructure—facilities vital to connectivity, public information and economic stability.
While current law identifies power plants, water treatment facilities, natural gas pipelines, and food processing plants as “key infrastructure assets,” SB 64 modernizes the statute by expanding the definition to include facilities supporting cable television, telephone, and broadband services.
The bill also amends portions of Kentucky Revised Statute Chapter 511, which governs laws on burglary and trespass, by clarifying offenses such as first- through third-degree burglary and criminal trespass. Additionally, it enhances criminal mischief laws by imposing stricter penalties for acts that damage, unlawfully possess, or tamper with infrastructure, rendering it inoperable or unsafe.
Follow the legislative status of SBs 63 and 64 and other 2025 legislation being considered at Legislature.ky.gov.
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Sen. Brandon J. Storm, R-London, represents the 21st Senate District, including Casey, Lincoln, Laurel, and Rockcastle Counties. He serves as chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee and as Senate co-chair of the Juvenile Justice Oversight Council. Storm is also a member of the Senate Committees on Transportation and on Banking and Insurance. He serves as a liaison member of the Budget Review Subcommittee on Justice. A 2023 esteemed Henry Toll Fellowship graduate, Storm was the only Kentuckian to participate in the program.
For a high-resolution .jpeg of Storm, please visit: https://legislature.ky.gov/Legislators/Pages/Legislator-Profile.aspx?DistrictNumber=121.
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