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RState Senator · District 16
On the ballot Nov 3, 2026: Kentucky Senate District 16
Max Wise is a Republican state senator who has represented District 16 since January 2015 and is seeking re-election in the November 3, 2026 general election.[1][2]
Max Wise was born in Campbellsville, Kentucky, and graduated from Campbellsville High School in 1993.[1] He received a bachelor's degree from Campbellsville University, attended the Patterson School of Diplomacy at the University of Kentucky in 1999, and received an advanced certificate from Texas A&M University.[1] His career experience includes working as a professor with Campbellsville University and the University of Kentucky.[1] Senate Republicans elected Wise majority leader of the Kentucky State Senate in November 2024.[1] In the 2025-2026 session he serves on the Committee on Committees, Economic Development, Tourism and Labor, Education, Families and Children, and Rules committees.[1]
Researched from the cited sources on 2026-10-21. Not yet independently fact-checked.
Max Wise is on the Nov 3, 2026 ballot for Kentucky Senate District 16 as R. Not researched in depth — candidate list only.
Their recorded votes on bills that divided the chamber (unanimous votes left out), grouped by topic. A bill can sit under more than one topic. "With" and "against" compare each vote with how most Republicans voted. How topics are assigned
Most contested
AN ACT relating to regulated beverages and declaring an emergency.
Creates licenses to distribute and sell cannabis-infused beverages (up to 5 mg of intoxicating cannabinoids per 12 oz), sold by the package to people 21 and older under the Alcoholic Beverage Control department, and makes other changes to alcohol licensing.
Mar 13, 2025 · Passed 22–13 · against most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
AN ACT relating to agritourism.
Bars cities, counties and other local governments from restricting or unduly burdening agritourism activities that meet health, safety and zoning rules, and adds activities involving working animals to the definition of agritourism.
Feb 12, 2026 · Passed 26–12 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
AN ACT relating to state personnel.
Bars state employees in all three branches from teleworking unless an emergency is declared, with exceptions and up to two telework days a month for some employees, and makes other changes to state personnel law.
Feb 20, 2025 · Passed 25–10 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Most contested
AN ACT relating to the Department of Corrections.
Lets the Department of Corrections set execution protocols and procedures by internal policy or memorandum rather than through administrative regulations.
Mar 16, 2026 · Passed 24–11 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
AN ACT relating to law enforcement records.
Exempts law enforcement investigative records from public inspection when disclosure could pose an articulable risk of harm to the agency or its investigation by revealing the identity of informants or witnesses not otherwise known.
Mar 14, 2025 · Passed 25–12 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
AN ACT relating to concealed deadly weapons.
Lowers from 21 to 18 the age to carry a concealed firearm or other deadly weapon without a license and to qualify for a concealed-carry license.
Mar 11, 2025 · Passed 26–11 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Most contested
AN ACT relating to education and declaring an emergency.
For the 2024-25 school year, lets districts meet 1,062 instructional hours instead of 170 attendance days, lets the education commissioner grant up to five disaster relief days or waive up to five attendance days, and caps virtual-program teacher loads.
Mar 6, 2025 · Passed 23–14 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Moves school-based decision making council duties to advisory councils and principals, has the advisory council give a nonbinding nomination for principal to the superintendent, requires principals to report annually to the local board, and lets local boards adopt a human sexuality curriculum.
Feb 19, 2026 · Passed 27–11 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
AN ACT relating to permitted uses of time during the school day.
On the version voted Mar 27, 2025: Requires a moment of silence or reflection at the start of each school day, sets a process for school boards to let students attend outside moral instruction, requires background checks for instructors and drivers, and counts those students as present for state funding.
Mar 14, 2025 · Passed 26–10 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Most contested
AN ACT relating to deficient administrative regulations and declaring an emergency.
On the version voted Apr 14, 2026: Declares six proposed administrative regulations (Medicaid outpatient pharmacy, tobacco and vapor licensing, online insurance verification, controlled substance monitoring, relative caregiver services) null and void and bars agencies from reissuing similar ones through June 1, 2027. Takes effect immediately as an emergency.
Mar 11, 2026 · Passed 26–6 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Lets health care professionals and institutions refuse to participate in services that violate their conscience, bars discrimination and liability for doing so, limits sanctions by hiring and licensing authorities for First Amendment-protected speech, and creates a civil cause of action for those injured by violations.
Mar 7, 2025 · Passed 26–6 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
AN ACT relating to the Medicaid program and declaring an emergency.
On the version voted Mar 14, 2025: Requires legislative authorization before the Cabinet changes Medicaid eligibility, coverage or benefits, makes the community engagement waiver mandatory, creates a Medicaid Oversight and Advisory Board, reinstates behavioral health prior authorization rules as of January 1, 2020, and requires new managed care contracts by 2027.
Mar 27, 2025 · Passed 29–7 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Most contested
AN ACT relating to pesticide labeling.
On the version voted Mar 17, 2026: Deems a pesticide registered with the Department of Agriculture or EPA and bearing an EPA-approved master label to carry sufficient warning in civil actions over a duty to warn.
Mar 5, 2026 · Passed 23–13 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
AN ACT relating to fish and wildlife and declaring an emergency.
Exempts private landowners from state fishing limits (creel, possession, size and method of take) and most stocking requirements for their own private lakes and ponds, defined as those not connected to or accessible by fish from public waters.
Feb 20, 2026 · Passed 29–8 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
AN ACT relating to environmental protection and declaring an emergency.
Narrows the state definition of "waters of the Commonwealth" to federally defined navigable waters, open-throat sinkholes, certain springs and wellhead protection areas, and adds long-term water treatment financial assurance to coal mining bonds where required.
Mar 27, 2025 · Passed 29–8 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Most contested
Raises the weekly personal injury protection work-loss limit from $200 to $500, sets rules for paying medical expenses, gives the Attorney General concurrent jurisdiction over insurance fraud, and requires prosecutors to refer fraud reports to the insurance commissioner.
Mar 27, 2026 · Passed 24–8 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
AN ACT relating to pedestrians.
Bars sitting, standing or remaining stationary on state-maintained rights-of-way not designated for pedestrians, with emergency and utility-worker exceptions; lets local governments authorize limited exceptions and the Transportation Cabinet set minimum standards.
Mar 24, 2026 · Passed 31–6 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Most contested
Gives applicants for building permits, development plans or subdivision plats a vested right to local development standards in effect on the application date, for set periods (up to 10 years, 15 if phased), with exceptions such as safety hazards.
Mar 13, 2026 · Passed 27–10 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Mar 14, 2025 · Passed 32–5 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
AN ACT relating to manufactured housing.
Mar 13, 2025 · Passed 32–5 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Most contested
AN ACT relating to the Kentucky Communications Network Authority and declaring an emergency.
On the version voted Mar 9, 2026: Attaches the Kentucky Communications Network Authority to the Finance Cabinet under the Commonwealth Office of Technology's executive director, abolishes its advisory group and executive director position, and replaces most of its board members.
Mar 10, 2026 · Passed 32–6 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
AN ACT relating to protection of information and declaring an emergency.
Feb 28, 2025 · Passed 30–3 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
AN ACT relating to privacy protection.
Mar 24, 2026 · Passed 34–3 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Voted against most of their party on 2 of 170 party-divided votes on file.
AN ACT relating to medical provider coverage in Level IV trauma centers.
Voted no · most Republicans voted yes · Democrats 2–4, Republicans 25–7
Feb 5, 2026Official record ↗
AN ACT relating to regulated beverages and declaring an emergency.
What it does: Creates licenses to distribute and sell cannabis-infused beverages (up to 5 mg of intoxicating cannabinoids per 12 oz), sold by the package to people 21 and older under the Alcoholic Beverage Control department, and m…
Voted no · most Republicans voted yes · Democrats 0–6, Republicans 22–7
Mar 13, 2025Official record ↗
The votes in their chamber that came out closest and most divided by party, among those they voted on. How we rank
AN ACT relating to regulated beverages and declaring an emergency.
Against most of their party · Passed 22–13 · Yes 22–No 13 · Democrats 0–6, Republicans 22–7
Mar 13, 2025Official record ↗
AN ACT relating to education and declaring an emergency.
With most of their party · Passed 23–14 · Yes 23–No 14 · Democrats 0–6, Republicans 23–8
Mar 6, 2025Official record ↗
AN ACT relating to pesticide labeling.
With most of their party · Passed 23–13 · Yes 23–No 13 · Democrats 0–6, Republicans 23–7
Mar 5, 2026Official record ↗
AN ACT relating to the Department of Corrections.
With most of their party · Passed 24–11 · Yes 24–No 11 · Democrats 0–6, Republicans 24–5
Mar 16, 2026Official record ↗
AN ACT relating to law enforcement records.
With most of their party · Passed 25–12 · Yes 25–No 12 · Democrats 0–6, Republicans 25–6
Mar 14, 2025Official record ↗
AN ACT relating to agritourism.
With most of their party · Passed 26–12 · Yes 26–No 12 · Democrats 0–6, Republicans 26–6
Feb 12, 2026Official record ↗
AN ACT relating to public library district boards of trustees.
With most of their party · Passed 21–11 · Yes 21–No 11 · Democrats 0–4, Republicans 21–7
Feb 28, 2025Official record ↗
AN ACT relating to state personnel.
With most of their party · Passed 25–10 · Yes 25–No 10 · Democrats 0–6, Republicans 25–4
Feb 20, 2025Official record ↗
Substantive votes concern legislation or nominations; procedural votes concern how the chamber considers them. A Yes vote applies to the motion shown, which may not be final passage.
Motion: Final passage (with House Floor Amendment 1, House Floor Amendment 3, House Floor Amendment 2)
Names the Treeing Walker Coonhound state dog, cats and dogs adopted from or living in Kentucky shelters or rescues official state pets, the eastern spotted skunk state nongame mammal, and the eastern hellbender state amphibian.
Motion: Final passage (with House Committee Substitute 2, House Committee Amendment 2)
Amends the state budget bills to add supplemental appropriations for various programs and projects, with conditions attached.
Motion: Override veto: final passage
On the version voted Apr 1, 2026: Requires online gaming operators to deny accounts to people on a child support arrearage registry, sets licensing and fee rules for fantasy contest providers and an age-18 minimum for participants, and lets lottery and racing regulators issue regulations without the Governor's signature.
Motion: Override veto: final passage
Overrides the Governor's line-item vetoes of the Judicial Branch budget, which appropriates money for the Judicial Branch's operating and capital projects and sets general provisions and a budget reduction or surplus expenditure plan.
Motion: Consent passage (with Senate Committee Substitute 1, Senate Committee Amendment 1)
Motion: Override veto: final passage
Updates the sales tax standard for remote retailers, sunsets state tax increment financing programs, conforms to the federal tax code with exceptions, taxes fantasy contest providers and data brokering services, and sets cash rounding rules.
Motion: Override veto: final passage
Sets the Legislative Branch budget, including its operating budget, general provisions, and plans for budget reductions or spending of any surplus.
Motion: Override veto: final passage
Motion: Override veto: final passage
Sets the executive branch budget, including operating and capital project spending, state employee pay and benefit policy, fund transfers, General Fund and Road Fund budget reduction and surplus spending plans, and tobacco settlement spending.
Motion: Override veto: final passage
Directs the Auditor of Public Accounts to hire a vendor to study laws, regulations and agency policies affecting opening and operating licensed child care, with findings due to the Legislative Research Commission by December 1, 2027.
Showing 10 of 241 votes in this collection. Coverage may be incomplete; each entry links to the official record.