Fayette County school board chair says law ousting him is unconstitutional. He’s suing.

Fayette County Board of Education chair Tyler Murphy on Tuesday filed a lawsuit in Franklin Circuit Court challenging the constitutionality of the new 2026 Kentucky law that prohibits him from serving because he works for another public school district.

Murphy is suing the state of Kentucky and members of the Fayette County Board of Elections, which include Fayette County Clerk Susan Lamb, Fayette County Sheriff Kathy Witt, and members Deborah Alexander and Monteia Mundy.

The lawsuit challenges the constitutionality of Senate Bill 4, passed earlier this year by the Kentucky General Assembly. The law went into effect immediately. The wording of the law effectively makes Murphy ineligible to run for reelection — it says anyone working more than 100 days per year for another school district cannot serve on the school board in Kentucky’s large districts. Murphy’s seat is up for grabs in November this year.

Even with the bill gaining momentum to be passed earlier this year, Murphy filed for reelection shortly before the General Assembly approved the measure.

Because Murphy filed prior to the enacting of the law, Lamb previously told the Herald-Leader that someone would need to sue to remove Murphy from the ballot. Murphy told the Herald-Leader Wednesday he was not aware that any such action had been taken before Murphy’s lawsuit Tuesday.

About the lawsuit, Murphy said Wednesday, “Our reasons for filing are outlined in the complaint.”

Lamb declined to comment Wednesday about being named as a defendant in Murphy’s lawsuit in a role as a member of the Fayette election board.

The lawsuit asked for an injunction to prevent the law from going into effect.

The school board eligibility bar in the new law currently affects only Murphy, the lawsuit alleges, because he is a teacher in Boyle County Schools. Only school board members in school districts that have more than $300,000 inhabitants -- Fayette and Jefferson counties -- are affected by the law.

The lawsuit alleges the law “was enacted for the very purpose of rendering Murphy ineligible for re-election that position” and is an “unconstitutional local or special act.”

On April 14, before the new law was passed, he filed for re-election with Lamb’s office.

Murphy was elected to the Fayette school board in 2018 and re-elected in 2022. His current term expires after December 31, 2026. The new law allows him to serve out that term, but not serve after that.

The lawsuit says “the legislatively imposed lame duck status” will likely damage his authority as board member and chair and “thus impair his ability to carry out his duties.”

The lawsuit maintains that Fayette County Schools has made academic gains in the seven years that Murphy has been on the school board and in the time he has been chair.

The lawsuit notes in September 2025, state senator Chris McDaniel, R-Taylor Mill, asked Murphy and Fayette County Public Schools Superintendent Demetrus Liggins to resign. The reason given was a criticism of how the school board voted on an occupational tax measure which was later deemed illegal by the Kentucky attorney general.

The lawsuit noted that Rep. Matt Lockett, R-Nicholasville, took action to remove Murphy from office, which is still under consideration in the General Assembly.

Wednesday, after the lawsuit was filed, Lockett said in a statement, “This lawsuit is nothing more than an attempt to distract from the disaster that Fayette County Public Schools is under Tyler Murphy’s leadership as board chair.”

Republican and Democratic lawmakers alike have expressed displeasure with Murphy and Liggins because FCPS is in the throes of a financial crisis that lawmakers have said is of the FCPS’ officials own making.

A teachers’ union, the Kentucky Education Association joined Murphy in the lawsuit, the lawsuit said, on Murphy’s behalf and others who might be affected by the new law.

Murphy is a member of the KEA’s executive committee and the board of directors of the National Education Association, the lawsuit said. The lawsuit indicated that the NEA activity could be the reason for the new law and its effect on Murphy.

While Murphy is still a candidate for school board, the lawsuit said, the new law places a “cloud” over his candidacy that could erode support.

Angela Billings, a spokesperson for the Kentucky Senate Majority, said because matter is now pending before the courts, the Senate will not comment on the merits of the case.

“Senate Bill 4 was enacted by the General Assembly as part of a broader effort to strengthen school leadership and improve governance and accountability in Kentucky’s largest school districts, which have experienced repeated leadership and operational challenges that prompted lawmakers to provide greater oversight and accountability on behalf of the students, families, and taxpayers they serve,” Billings told the Herald-Leader.

Murphy has two opponents in the November general election.

This is a developing story and could be updated.

This story was originally published June 3, 2026 at 11:01 AM.