- Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear has signed the “Bitcoin Rights” bill, protecting crypto users’ rights to self-custody and node operation.
- Oklahoma’s Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Act has passed the State House of Representatives with a 77-15 vote and now heads to the Senate.
- Arizona leads in the state Bitcoin reserve race, with two strategic digital asset reserve bills advancing to the House floor.
Kentucky has officially enacted landmark cryptocurrency protections as Governor Andy Beshear signed the “Bitcoin Rights” bill into law on March 24. Meanwhile, Bitcoin reserve legislation continues to gain momentum across multiple U.S. states, highlighting growing governmental interest in cryptocurrency adoption and regulation.
The Kentucky legislation, formally known as House Bill 701, was introduced by Representative Adam Bowling on February 19 and received unanimous support in both chambers of the state legislature. Crypto advocacy group Satoshi Action Fund said the new law protects “the right to self-custody, run a node, and use of digital assets” without “fear of discrimination.”
According to the bill’s official description, the legislation safeguards several fundamental cryptocurrency rights, including:
– The right to use digital assets and self-custody wallets
– Protection against discriminatory local zoning changes targeting crypto mining
– Guidelines for operating cryptocurrency nodes
– Exemption of crypto mining from money transmitter license requirements
– Clarification that mining and staking activities do not constitute offering or selling securities
The unanimous passage through Kentucky’s legislative chambers—91-0 in the House and 37-0 in the Senate—reflects growing bipartisan support for cryptocurrency frameworks at the state level. This legislation mirrors similar protections signed into law by Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt in May 2024.
Kentucky is also considering separate legislation to establish a Bitcoin reserve, which would permit the State Investment Commission to allocate up to 10% of excess state reserves into digital assets, including Bitcoin.
Meanwhile, Oklahoma’s House Bill 1203, known as the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Act, has cleared another legislative hurdle. The bill passed the Oklahoma House of Representatives with a convincing 77-15 vote, according to the Oklahoma Bitcoin Association. Introduced by state Representative Cody Maynard on January 15, the bill previously passed the Government Oversight Committee in February.
Bitcoin legislation tracking group Bitcoin Laws said that with this development, Oklahoma now shares second place with Texas in what they term the “State Bitcoin reserve race.”
Arizona currently leads this legislative competition after two strategic digital asset reserve bills cleared the state’s House Rules Committee on March 24, advancing to the full House floor for voting. Bitcoin Laws suggests the Oklahoma bill has a strong chance of becoming law, citing Republican dominance in the state Senate and governor’s office.
Missouri has also joined the movement, with its Special Committee on Intergovernmental Affairs currently evaluating a Bitcoin reserve bill, according to Bitcoin Laws.
This wave of state-level cryptocurrency legislation comes as jurisdictions across the United States seek to establish regulatory frameworks in the absence of comprehensive federal guidance, potentially positioning themselves as attractive destinations for blockchain innovation and investment.
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