Kentucky lawmakers intend to file bill creating ‘Charlie Kirk Day’
Kentucky Republican lawmakers say they will file a bill on the first day of the 2026 legislative session to “honor the life and legacy” of Charlie Kirk by designating Oct. 14 as “Charlie Kirk Day” in the commonwealth.
Sen. Steve Rawlings and Rep. TJ Roberts, both of Burlington in Northern Kentucky, will sponsor the legislation in the House and Senate, according to a Tuesday press release.
Kirk, 31, was a right-wing political influencer who founded the student organization Turning Point USA and hosted The Charlie Kirk Show podcast. He was fatally shot last month at an event on the campus of Utah Valley University.
Tuesday would have been Kirk’s 32nd birthday.
In their press release, the lawmakers lauded Kirk as a “tireless free speech advocate” who helped preserve the First Amendment . The planned bill will be a tribute to Kirk’s “lifelong work defending free expression and advancing the conservative cause.”
“Charlie Kirk dedicated his life to ensuring that every American could speak freely and think boldly,” Rawlings said in the news release. “Even after his passing, his influence will continue to be felt through the countless young people he inspired and the enduring strength of the ideas he championed.”
Roberts said “Charlie Kirk Day” would remember Kirk’s life, but also as a renewal of the “commitment to uphold respectful dialogue, courage in the face of adversity and the conviction that faith and truth endure.”
“Charlie Kirk’s legacy reminds us that free speech and faith in one’s convictions are the cornerstones of a free society,” Rawlings said. “It’s only fitting that Kentucky recognize his impact and lasting contributions to our nation’s civic life.”
Similar legislation has been introduced elsewhere to memorialize Kirk.
House Bill 113 in Florida would require all state colleges and universities to rename a campus roadway after Kirk, with state funds being withheld from noncompliant schools.
