Report Html
Legislative Report February 9, 2026
Prepared by: Kentucky League of Cities
Bill Information
GROOMING OF MINORS
(PROCTOR, MARIANNE)

AN ACT relating to grooming a minor.

­Create a new section of KRS Chapter 510 to establish the offense of grooming a minor; amend KRS 510.010 to define "course of conduct," "grooming behavior," and "sexual conduct"; amend various sections to conform; make technical corrections. HFA (2) Retain original provisions, except amend the elements of the offense of grooming a minor; establish that age appropriate conversations with siblings about human sexuality and conversations with minors that are a part of a volunteer's duties are not considered a violation of this offense.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/5/2026 - received in Senate

CHILD CARE
(HEAVRIN, SAMARA)

AN ACT relating to child care.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 199 related to the quality-based graduated early care and education rating system program to establish the intent of the General Assembly related to the program; establish processes and procedures for how the program is changed by administrative regulation; require a program modernization plan and final recommendations for modernization to be created and submitted to the Legislative Research Commission; amend KRS 199.891 to define terms; create new requirements for how the Cabinet for Health and Family Services establishes and operates the Certified Child Care Community Designation Program; delete language related to a previous 1 time requirement for the cabinet to submit recommendations and best practices to the Legislative Research Commission; establish a new January 1, 2028 submission deadline for the cabinet to make publicly available a standardized application for certification and instructions for the program; establish new requirements for applications by local governments to participate in the program; require an annual report by the Cabinet for Economic Development regarding the program; amend KRS 199.8983 to increase the membership of the Kentucky Child Care Advisory Council; establish that the council shall additionally advise the Cabinet for Health and Family Services on the operations, funding, and licensing of child-care microcenters; create new sections of KRS Chapter 199 to define terms; establish licensure for child-care microcenters; establish the Kentucky Child-Care Microcenter Program to regulate the standards and operations of child-care microcenters; establish early care and education training requirements for licensed child-care providers and certified family child-care home providers; establish that the Education and Labor Cabinet shall compile, produce, and make publicly available a monthly report providing a comprehensive snapshot of all licensed and certified child care services, Head Start services, child care services regulated by the United States Department of Defense, and state-funded public preschool services operating within the Commonwealth; establish a voluntary designation process through which any licensed or certified child-care provider may identify as a faith-based program; require the Office of State Budget Director to produce a comprehensive annual report outlining all state and federal spending on child care and early childhood education services and submit it annually to the Legislative Research Commission; establish that the Cabinet for Health and Family Services shall submit an approval request to the federal Administration for Children and Families to utilize a cost estimation model to inform payment rates beginning with the fiscal year 2028-2030 Child Care and Development Fund state plan; amend KRS 199.882 to change the definitions of "contribution" and "state match" and define "third-party administrator"; amend KRS 199.883 to establish that the Cabinet for Health and Family Services shall enter into a contract with a private third-party administrator to administer the Employee Child Care Assistance Partnership Program and establish duties and requirements of the third-party administrator; amend KRS 199.885 to establish the third-party administrator is responsible for issuing state fund matches out of the Employee Child Care Assistance Partnership fund; amend KRS 199.886 and 199.887 to specify how employers and employees interact directly with the third-party administrator instead of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/9/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Families & Children (H)

DEATH BENEFITS
(BANTA, KIM)

AN ACT relating to death benefits.

Amend KRS 61.315 to include additional cancers which, when they are the cause of death of a firefighter, would make the firefighter eligible for death benefits; make a technical correction.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/28/2026 - received in Senate

FEDERAL IMMIGRATION LAW ENFORCEMENT
(ROBERTS, T.J.)

AN ACT relating to federal immigration law enforcement.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 16 to define "Task Force Model Program"; require Kentucky State Police posts to enter into agreements with the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement to participate in the Task Force Model Program; require Kentucky State Police officers who participate in the Task Force Model Program to complete Immigration and Customs Enforcement training; amend KRS 15.404 to provide that any peace officer who completes Immigration and Customs Enforcement training will be deemed to have completed annual in-service training; require the Kentucky Law Enforcement Council to certify the Immigration Authority Delegation Program as an approved in-service training program.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/21/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Judiciary (H)

PRIVACY PROTECTION
(HODGSON, JOHN)

AN ACT relating to privacy protection.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 189 to define terms related to automated license plate readers; restrict use of automated license plate readers; establish limitations on use and sale of data captured by automated license plate readers; provide that captured license plate data may be retained longer than 90 days only if it is being used in a criminal or insurance investigation or has become subject to a preservation of evidence notification; require law enforcement agencies to adopt and make public a written policy governing use of automated license plate readers; provide that any recorded images or data captured by an automated license plate reader may be made available to the National Insurance Crime Bureau or its successor organization; require the Transportation Cabinet to establish a permit process for installation of automated license plate readers on highway rights-of-way and to promulgate administrative regulations; amend KRS 189.990 to establish penalty for violation.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/14/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Judiciary (H)

VIDEO TELECONFERENCE MEETINGS
(HODGSON, JOHN)

AN ACT relating to video teleconference meetings.

Amend KRS 12.070 to permit a board, commission, or similar administrative body to conduct video teleconference meetings to allow public participation; allow members of a board, commission, or similar administrative body to attend meetings virtually unless a decision implements, interprets, or prescribes law or policy, affects private rights or procedures available to the public, or administers or awards funds; prohibit members who participate virtually from receiving reimbursement for travel expenses; amend KRS 61.826 to prohibit a member of a public agency that attends a meeting through video teleconference from receiving reimbursement of travel expenses; amend KRS 164.004 to conform.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/10/2026 - (H) Posted for Passage in Regular Orders of the Day; w/ HCS1 and HCA1(T)

PLANNING AND ZONING
(HODGSON, JOHN)

AN ACT relating to planning and zoning.

Create a new section of KRS 100.401 to 100.419 to specify that if a land use development plan or subdivision plan is for a proposed development adjacent to a county not part of the planning unit and the development would have a substantial impact on the infrastructure of that county, then the planning unit shall require as a binding element of the plan application an agreement from the other county approving the plan.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/14/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Local Government (H)

HOUSING
(HODGSON, JOHN)

AN ACT relating to housing and declaring an emergency.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 198A, relating to affordable housing, to define terms; require agencies that expend state or federal affordable housing funds to expend at least 90% of those funds on single-family detached housing and no more than 10% of those funds on multifamily housing in any given fiscal year; EMERGENCY.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/14/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Local Government (H)

LIMITA ON GOVERNMENT SPENDING AND TAXATION
(ROBERTS, T.J.)

AN ACT proposing to create a new section of the Constitution of Kentucky relating to limits on government spending and taxation.

Propose to create a new section of the Constitution of Kentucky to create spending limits and restrictions on imposing new taxes, tax rate increases, fees, or extension of expiring taxes; provide ballot language; submit to voters for ratification or rejection.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/14/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Elections, Const. Amendments & Intergovernmental Affairs (H)

PROPERTY EXEMPT FROM TAXATION
(ROBERTS, T.J.)

AN ACT proposing to amend Section 1 of the Constitution of Kentucky relating to property exempt from taxation.

Propose to amend Section 1 of the Constitution of Kentucky to provide citizens of the Commonwealth the right to exempt from property taxation a property owned and maintained solely as their primary residence and a motor vehicle owned and maintained solely as their primary vehicle after calendar year 2028; provide ballot language; submit to voters for ratification or rejection.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/14/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Elections, Const. Amendments & Intergovernmental Affairs (H)

FEDERAL FIREARM RESTRICTIONS
(ROBERTS, T.J.)

AN ACT relating to federal firearm restrictions.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 237 to declare legislative intent; define "federal firearm restriction"; provide that if a federal firearm restriction is repealed or declared unconstitutional, the Commonwealth shall not enact or enforce a law, rule, or regulation that mirrors, replaces, or imposes a restriction similar to that federal firearm restriction; prohibit prosecutions, fines, or other penalties for activities that were regulated or prohibited by a federal firearm restriction that is repealed or declared unconstitutional; prohibit specified persons and organizations from enforcing repealed or unconstitutional federal firearm restrictions; create a civil cause of action against a person or organization that violates the prohibitions; waive sovereign, governmental, and qualified immunity; provide penalties for any person who violates the prohibition on enforcing a repealed or unconstitutional federal firearm restriction; allow manufacturers of firearms or federally licensed firearms dealers to manufacture, sell, or possess firearms and accessories no longer restricted under federal law.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/14/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Judiciary (H)

OPEN MEETINGS
(ROBERTS, T.J.)

AN ACT relating to open meetings.

Amend KRS 61.848 to establish that any formal action of a public agency is voidable by a court if there was not substantial compliance with statutes regarding video teleconferencing of meetings, recording of minutes, and conditions for attendance.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/14/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Local Government (H)

SANITATION DISTRICTS
(ROBERTS, T.J.)

AN ACT relating to sanitation districts.

Amend KRS 220.510 to establish controls for sanitation districts when charging fees, taxes, or other charges to property owners or to other persons for the provision of services; affirm a cause of action when a person is charged for sewer services, but has not received service within 5 years of the plan approval date; provide that the Act may be cited as the Ensuring Fair Sewer Charges Act.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/14/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Local Government (H)

OUT OF STATE INSURERS
(GROSSL, VANESSA)

AN ACT relating to health insurance coverage by out-of-state insurers.

Amend KRS 304.11-020 to exempt foreign insurers from compliance with the insurance code and insurance-specific taxes, assessments, surcharges, fees, and other charges imposed by the state or a local government for an individual or group health insurance policy, certificate, plan, or contract issued or delivered in this state if certain conditions are met; amend KRS 91A.080; create a new section of KRS Chapter 136 to conform.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/14/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Banking & Insurance (H)

WATER FLUORIDATION PROGRAMS
(HART, MARK)

AN ACT relating to water fluoridation programs.

Amend KRS 211.190 to make water fluoridation programs optional; allow the governing bodies of water systems subject to regulation by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to decide whether they participate in water fluoridation programs; provide that a water fluoridation program in place on the effective date of the Act continues until action is taken by its governing body to end its participation; provide that any decision regarding participation in a water fluoridation program made by the governing body of a water system shall be binding on all water systems it supplies; provide that a governing body, a member or employee of a governing body, or any public or private entity that may be held liable for the actions of a governing body that makes any decision regarding its participation in an optional water fluoridation program shall be immune from civil or criminal liability for acts carried out reasonably and in good faith regarding its decision of whether to participate in the water fluoridation program. HCS (1) Retain original provisions; remove immunity for private entities regarding acts relating to the continuation, termination, or commencement of a water fluoridation program; provide that the immunity is conferred under KRS 65.2003; extend the immunity to discretionary acts; remove the requirement that the immune acts be performed reasonably and in good faith.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/6/2026 - received in Senate

PROPERTY TAX RATES FOR EMERGENCY SERVICES
(HART, MARK)

AN ACT relating to property tax rates for emergency services.

Amend KRS 75.040 to establish conditions under which a fire protection district or volunteer fire department district may exceed the maximum established tax rate; create a new section of KRS Chapter 75 to establish the procedure by which a fire protection district or volunteer fire department district may exceed the maximum tax rate set in KRS 75.040 by requiring a public hearing and notification to the public; establish the methods by which the public may recall the portion of the levy that increases the tax beyond the previous year's rate; exempt the rates from the provisions of KRS 132.023; amend KRS 75A.050 to establish conditions under which a fire district may exceed the maximum established tax rate; create a new section of KRS Chapter 75A to establish the procedure by which a fire district may exceed the maximum tax rate set out in KRS 75A.050 by requiring a public hearing and notification to the public; establish the methods by which the public may recall the portion of the levy that increases the tax beyond the previous year's rate; exempt the rates from the provisions of KRS 132.023; amend KRS 75.015 to conform; EFFECTIVE January 1, 2027.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/9/2026 - (H) WITHDRAWN

EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES
(HART, MARK)

AN ACT relating to emergency medical services.

Create new sections of KRS Chapter 311A to create the EMS Professionals Foundation Program fund; specify the ambulance services and EMS professionals that are eligible to share in the distribution of the fund; provide that the Board of Emergency Medical Services shall administer the fund and may promulgate administrative regulations to facilitate its administration; authorize reimbursement for an EMS professional's out-of-pocket costs for mental health treatment for a diagnosed post-traumatic stress injury or post-traumatic stress disorder; provide for annual supplements to ambulance providers for each EMS professional it employs; amend KRS 42.190 and 136.392 to include the EMS Professionals Foundation Program fund to the premium surcharge; amend KRS 61.315 to include eligibility for in the line of duty death benefits to specified ambulance service providers.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/14/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Local Government (H)

SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT
(RAYMER, REBECCA)

AN ACT relating to solid waste management.

Amend KRS 224.40-315 to exclude certain waste sites or facilities from being considered a municipal solid waste disposal facility.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/29/2026 - (H) SECOND READING, to Rules

RESTORING RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
(ROBERTS, T.J.)

AN ACT relating to restoring religious liberty.

Amend KRS 446.350 to define terms; outline appropriate relief if a government substantially burdens a person's sincerely held religious belief; apply to laws adopted before or after the effective date; include severability clause; waive sovereign and governmental immunity.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/14/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Judiciary (H)

DUTY-RELATED DISABILITY BENEFITS
(TACKETT LAFERTY, ASHLEY)

AN ACT relating to duty-related disability benefits.

Amend KRS 61.621 to allow a member of a state-administered retirement system who works in a nonhazardous position that could be certified as a hazardous position and who receives a duty-related injury to be eligible for the same minimum retirement benefit provided to members who receive a hazardous disability retirement; amend KRS 61.702 to allow Kentucky Employees Retirement System (KERS) members working in a nonhazardous position that could be certified as a hazardous position who receive a duty-related injury to receive the same health benefit provided to members who receive a hazardous disability retirement; amend KRS 78.5536 to allow County Employees Retirement System (CERS) members working in a nonhazardous position that could be certified as a hazardous position who receive a duty-related injury to receive the same health benefit provided to members who receive a hazardous disability retirement; allow certain persons whose last day of paid employment was on or after January 1, 2022, but prior to the effective date of the Act to apply for benefits; RETROACTIVE.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/14/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House State Government (H)

EMPLOYMENT
(CALLAWAY, EMILY)

AN ACT relating to employment.

Create new sections of KRS Chapter 335B.010 to 335B.070 to require hiring or licensing authorities to establish an application process that gives persons convicted of a crime an opportunity to obtain a determination about whether the crime will disqualify the individual from a position of public employment or occupational license before pursuing employment or training; require hiring or licensing authorities to formulate policies and procedures for the application process by promulgating regulations no later than January 1, 2027; provide an annual report to the Legislative Research Commission by November 1, 2027; provide that certain entities are exempted from the requirements of the application process; amend KRS 335B.020 to add criteria for hiring and licensing authorities to consider when determining if a conviction directly relates to the position of public employment or occupational license sought; amend KRS 335B.030 to require hiring or licensing authorities to evaluate information and provide written findings of fact to the applicant upon determination.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/14/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Licensing, Occupations, & Administrative Regulations (H)

QUALIFICATIONS FOR ELECTED OFFICE
(BAKER, SHANE)

AN ACT relating to qualifications for elected office.

Amend KRS 67.060, 83A.040, 160.180, and 262.240, to require a candidate for county commissioner, city mayor, city legislative body member, board of education member, and soil and water conservation district supervisor to be a natural born citizen of the United States and no other country and a national of only the United States in order to hold each respective office.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/14/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Elections, Const. Amendments & Intergovernmental Affairs (H)

PEDESTRIANS
(JACKSON, KEVIN)

AN ACT relating to pedestrians.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 189 to define terms; prohibit a person from remaining on any portion of a state-maintained right-of-way that is not designated for pedestrian use; provide exemptions and authorize local governmental exceptions; allow local governments to enact ordinances to authorize limited exceptions to the prohibition; allow the Transportation Cbinet to promulgate administrative regulations to define minimum standards for state-maintained rights-of-way; amend KRS 189.570 to conform. HCS (1) Return original provisions; make technical correction for an internal reference.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/6/2026 - received in Senate

CIGAR BARS
(LEWIS, CHRIS)

AN ACT relating to cigar bars.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 65 to define "cigar bar" and "local government"; allow the operation of cigar bars in areas where establishments holding valid quota retail drink licenses are held and allow certain local government controls on the establishment of cigar bars, including permits, controls for smoke, smoke-free deliver spaces, notice of the presence of smoke, and prohibition of other types of smoking contrivances; allow a local government to permit the operation of cigar bars without holding a valid quota retail drink license. HCS (1) Retain original provisions, except change the definition of "cigar bar" relating to the percentage of the minimum annual gross income from the on-site sale of cigars, pipe tobacco, paraphernalia and accessories related to the consumption of cigars and pipe tobacco, and rental of humidors, or a combination thereof from 15% to 25%.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/4/2026 - received in Senate

REEMPLOYMENT OF RETIRED POLICE OFFICERS
(CALLAWAY, EMILY)

AN ACT relating to reemployment of retired police officers.

Amend KRS 70.292, 70.293, and 95.022, regarding city and county programs to reemploy retired police officers without incurring employer retirement contributions, to reduce the required service of the officer or sheriff before retirement from 20 years to 15 years and to allow retired officers to take health insurance coverage through the employing city or county; amend KRS 61.702 and 78.5536 to conform.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/30/2026 - (H) SECOND READING, to Rules

PENSION SPIKING
(BLANTON, JOHN)

AN ACT relating to pension spiking in the systems administered by the Kentucky Public Pensions Authority.

Amend KRS 61.598, relating to pension spiking and the definition of "bona fide promotion or career advancement," to retroactively exempt pension spiking adjustments that were due to increases in rates of pay authorized or funded by the legislative or administrative body of an employer or mandated in a collective bargaining agreement approved by the legislative body of the employer for members of the Kentucky Employees Retirement System, County Employees Retirement System, or State Police Retirement System who retired on or after July 1, 2022; require the Kentucky Public Pension Authority to review and make necessary adjustments to benefits payable on or after July 1, 2022, to impacted members; RETROACTIVE.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/14/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House State Government (H)

IN LINE OF DUTY DISABILITY BENEFITS
(CALLAWAY, EMILY)

AN ACT relating to in line of duty disability benefits and declaring an emergency.

Amend KRS 61.702 and 78.5536 to provide full hospital and medical insurance benefits for a member, their spouse, and their dependents if the member becomes disabled in line of duty with a hazardous disability; EMERGENCY.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/15/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House State Government (H)

TEMPORARY STRUCTURES
(LAWRENCE, WILLIAM)

AN ACT relating to temporary structures.

Amend KRS 198B.050 to exempt certain temporary structures from state building code compliance if erected by or for a state or government agency, city, or municipality; require a temporary structure to be inspected and brought into compliance or removed after 6 months; exempt portable or temporary shower or toilet units from state building code compliance if intended to be used for less than 6 months; require a portable or temporary shower or toilet unit to be inspected and brought into compliance or removed after 6 months.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/15/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Licensing, Occupations, & Administrative Regulations (H)

AMEND CONSTITUTION RELATING TO CITIZENSHIP REQUIREMENTS FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS
(BAKER, SHANE)

AN ACT proposing an amendment to Sections 32, 72, 91, 100, and 122 of the Constitution of Kentucky relating to citizenship requirements of state and local elected officials.

Propose to amend Sections 32, 72, 91, 100, and 122 of the Kentucky Constitution to require candidates for the General Assembly, Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Treasurer, Auditor of Public Accounts, Commissioner of Agriculture, Secretary of State, Attorney General, county clerk, Circuit Court clerk, Commonwealth’s attorney, county attorney, District Judge, Circuit Judge, Court of Appeals Judge, and Justice of the Supreme Court to be a natural born citizen of the United States and a national of only the United States in order to hold each respective office; provide ballot language; submit to voters for ratification or rejection.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/15/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Elections, Const. Amendments & Intergovernmental Affairs (H)

REGULATORY AUTHORIZATIONS BY THE COMMISSIONER OF INSURANCE
(MEREDITH, MICHAEL)

AN ACT relating to regulatory authorizations by the commissioner of insurance.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 299 to establish procedures and authorization by the commissioner of insurance for the voluntary dissolution of certain companies transacting the business of insurance upon the cooperative or assessment plan; amend KRS 304.50-010 to prohibit the commissioner from authorizing additional workers' compensation self-insured groups on and after the effective date of the Act; amend KRS 342.350 to conform.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/21/2026 - received in Senate

KEEPING CHICKENS ON RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY.
(DOAN, STEVEN)

AN ACT relating to keeping chickens on residential property.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 65 to define "backyard chicken"; allow a person to keep 6 or fewer backyard chickens on residential property in cities and certain other local governments; establish requirements and restrictions on local regulatory authority.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/6/2026 - received in Senate

VEHICLE LIGHTS
(WHITE, RICHARD)

AN ACT relating to vehicle lights.

Amend KRS 189.920 to allow wreckers to be equipped with a flashing, rotating, or oscillating blue light, to be used only when the wrecker is stationary and while removing a vehicle or debris from the highway; prohibit a wrecker from using a blue light when towing a vehicle; this Act may be cited as Troy's Law.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/15/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Transportation (H)

ELECTIONS
(WHITE, RICHARD)

AN ACT relating to elections.

Amend KRS 116.035 to provide that a voter shall be deemed a resident of a city within the county of his or her habitation if the voter has at least 50% ownership in real property located within the city precinct.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/16/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Elections, Const. Amendments & Intergovernmental Affairs (H)

PEACE OFFICERS
(LEWIS, CHRIS)

AN ACT relating to peace officers.

Amend KRS 15.420, relating to the Kentucky Law Enforcement Foundation Program Fund, to include in the definition of "police officer" a Kentucky State Fair Board special police officer.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/30/2026 - (H) reassigned to committee House Veterans, Military Affairs, & Public Protection (H)

CRIMINAL TRESSPASS
(MEREDITH, MICHAEL)

AN ACT relating to criminal trespass.

Amend KRS 511.010 to define terms; amend KRS 511.070 to expand the elements of criminal trespass in the second degree to include knowingly entering or remaining in a workplace while engaging in disruptive or threatening behavior where notice against trespass is given; establish that a second or subsequent criminal trespass in the second degree offense within 3 years is a Class A misdemeanor; amend KRS 511.080 to establish that a second or subsequent criminal trespass in the third degree offense within 3 years is a Class B misdemeanor.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/28/2026 - received in Senate

RAILROAD CROSSINGS
(CALLOWAY, JOSH)

AN ACT relating to railroad crossings.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 277 to require each railroad company to destroy or remove obstructive vegetation at intersections with public roads or highways; direct the Transportation Cabinet or local government to remove obstructive vegetation if the railroad company fails to do so after receiving written notice from the cabinet or local government; establish procedures for reimbursement by the railroad company for the vegetation removal.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/20/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Transportation (H)

CITY FRANCHISES
(BIVENS, RYAN)

AN ACT relating to city franchises.

Amend KRS 69.010 to change the time period that a city has to provide for the sale of a new franchise before the expiration of the current utility franchise from 18 months to 6 months.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/10/2026 - (H) Posted for Passage in Regular Orders of the Day

KENTUCKY COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK AUTHORITY
(LOCKETT, MATT)

AN ACT relating to the Kentucky Communications Network Authority and declaring an emergency.

Amend KRS 154.15-010 to remove the definition of "executive director" of the Kentucky Communications Network Authority (KCNA); amend KRS 154.15-020 to administratively attach the KCNA to the Finance and Administration Cabinet; remove references to the executive director and the advisory group of the KCNA; abolish the KCNA advisory group; remove references to KCNA staff and require the executive director of the Commonwealth Office of Technology (COT) to assign COT personnel to carry out the functions and responsibilities of the KCNA; require the secretary of the Finance and Administration Cabinet, the Treasurer, and the executive director of the Commonwealth Office of Technology serve as ex officio members on the board of directors for any nonprofit organization incorporated to carry out activities associated with the responsibilities of the KCNA or its board; amend KRS 154.15-030 to remove all current members of the KCNA board except for the representative designated by the Center for Rural Development and replace them with the chief information officer of the Department of Education, who shall serve as chair, the Attorney General, the Governor, the Commissioner of Agriculture, the Secretary of State, and the Treasurer, or their designees; amend KRS 42.726 to add carrying out the functions and responsibilities of the KCNA to the roles and duties of the COT; amend KRS 42.732 to remove the executive director of the KCNA from the Kentucky Information Technology Advisory Council; amend KRS 12.020, 12.023, and 42.014 to conform; require that on the effective date of the Act, all functions and responsibilities previously undertaken by KCNA personnel shall be transferred to existing COT personnel; require all records, files, or documents previously maintained by KCNA personnel to be transferred to the COT; require that the position of executive director of the KCNA shall be terminated on the effective date of the Act; allow the executive director of COT to determine on or before June 30,2026, which staff previous employed by KCNA shall be retained and employed by COT; EMERGENCY.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/3/2026 - received in Senate

GOVERNMENT SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS
(HOLLOWAY, KIM)

AN ACT relating to government social media accounts.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 61 to define "public agency," "harassment," "obscene," and "social media platform"; prohibit a public agency, or individual acting on behalf of a public agency, from disabling, deleting, blocking, hiding, or otherwise preventing a person or entity from commenting on a social media platform designated by the public agency to communicate government business or on an account of an individual with the authority to speak on behalf of the public agency acting on its behalf on his or her personal account; permit a public agency, or individual acting on behalf of a public agency, to disable or delete comments that are libelous or slanderous, obscene, would be considered harassment, or would pose an imminent threat to public safety as determined by a court; allow a person or entity to bring forth an action against a public agency, or an individual acting on behalf of a public agency, for any violation; create a new section of KRS Chapter 160 defining "official electronic school communication"; prohibit a public school, school district, or individual acting in his or her capacity on behalf of a public school or school district from directly or indirectly publishing an official electronic school communication to advocate for or against a political topic, party, candidate, or question; prohibit a public school, school district, or individual acting in his or her official capacity on behalf of a public school or school district from restricting lawful public commentary on a political topic, party, or question if the public school, school district, or person acting in his or her official capacity on behalf of a public school or school district directly or indirectly publishes such commentary on an official electronic school communication.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/20/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House State Government (H)

PEACE OFFICER TRAINING
(HOLLOWAY, KIM)

AN ACT relating to peace officer training.

Amend KRS 15.334 to require law enforcement training on crisis intervention and de-escalation.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/20/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Judiciary (H)

ISSUANCE OF IDENTITY DOCUMENTS
(RAYMER, REBECCA)

AN ACT relating to the issuance of identity documents.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 186 to define "local governmental entity" and "local official"; require the Transportation Cabinet to expand driver licensing services by setting up a system between the Transportation Cabinet and 1 local official or local governmental entity in each county to issue operator's licenses and personal identification cards; require the Transportation Cabinet to identify a local official or local governmental entity in each county that will participate in the system by July 1, 2027; allow a local offical or local governmental entity to charge a convenience fee for any document issued by a local official or local governmental entity; require the Transportation Cabinet report the number of documents issued by local officials and local governmental entities and any effect on wait times at regional licensing offices; amend KRS 186.531 to conform; EFFECTIVE July 1, 2027.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/20/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Transportation (H)

HOUSING
(POLLOCK, MICHAEL SARGE)

AN ACT relating to housing.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 100 to define terms; make affordable housing developed by a religious developer a permitted use and require only a ministerial review by a planning unit for compliance with the section; include requirements that an affordable housing development must meet including that it be on property owned by a religious institution prior to January 1, 2026, exclusively contains affordable housing, be less than 24 units and be located only on a parcel in certain zones, and to have obtained all other permits; require a religious institution that does not continue to qualify to seek approval from a planning unit; allow the Kentucky Housing Corporation to advise religious developers regarding affordable housing developments; allow homeless shelters operated by a religious institution to be permitted uses in commercial or business zones.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/9/2026 - received in Senate

POULTRY
(MADDOX, SAVANNAH)

AN ACT relating to poultry.

Create a new section of KRS 217.005 to 217.215 to allow certain USDA-exempted poultry processors to sell to end consumers on a farm, at a farmers market, or at a roadside stand.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/21/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Agriculture (H)

PARAMEDIC EDUCATION
(TACKETT LAFERTY, ASHLEY)

AN ACT relating to paramedic education.

Create a new section of KRS 164.740 to 164.7891 to establish a coal county paramedic scholarship to be administered by the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority (KHEAA); define terms; establish a fund in the State Treasury to be administered by KHEAA for providing coal county paramedic scholarships.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/21/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Postsecondary Education (H)

SANCTUARY POLICIES
(BAUMAN, JARED)

AN ACT relating to sanctuary policies.

Create new sections of KRS Chapter 61 to define terms; prohibit state and local governmental entities from adopting sanctuary policies; require law enforcement agencies to use reasonable resources to support the enforcement of federal immigration law; prohibit policies which would restrict the sharing of information with federal immigration agencies; require compliance with federal requirements when a defendant subject to an immigration detainer has been sentenced in a criminal case; require correctional facilities to provide information regarding the date of discharge to federal immigration agencies and cooperate in the transfer of an inmate to federal custody; require completion of a sentence before an inmate may be transferred to federal custody in cases where the inmate is a violent offender; require a law enforcement agency to provide notice to a judge if a person in their custody is subject to an immigration detainer; require counties to endeavor to enter into agreements with federal immigration agencies regarding the housing of persons in county jails who are subject to immigration detainers; create a rebuttable presumption that a state or local officer who intentionally violates any of the provisions of the Act has committed malfeasance and neglect of duty and is subject to impeachment; allow the Attorney General to make findings that a local government has violated the Act; and to withhold road aid funding if the local government willfully violates the Act by refusing to cease a violation; create a private right of action against an official that has adopted a sanctuary policy; waive immunities when a person is injured by a person released as a result of a sanctuary policy; amend KRS 177.360 and 177.366 to require transfer of road aid moneys to be suspended upon notice by the Attorney General of willful violations by a local government and reinstated upon notice by the Attorney General of compliance; provide that the Act may be cited as the Lawful Immigration System Act of 2026.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/21/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Judiciary (H)

COURT COSTS
(BRATCHER, STEVE)

AN ACT relating to court costs.

Amend KRS 454.460 under the Uniform Public Expression Protection Act to define term; amend KRS 454.478, relating to court costs under the Uniform Public Expression Protection Act to require that the court make a finding that a party acted in bad faith prior to awarding court costs, reasonable attorney's fees, and reasonable litigation expenses.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/21/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Judiciary (H)

INVESTOR-OWNED ELECTRIC UTILITIES
(MCCOOL, BOBBY)

AN ACT relating to investor-owned electric utilities.

Amend KRS 278.160 to prohibit the collection of charges and fees for other governmental units by an investor-owned electric utility; prohibit the collection of certain surcharges and amounts that are not directly and exclusively related to the provision of electric service; require investor owned utilities to file new tariffs 90 days after December 30, 2026; EFFECTIVE December 30, 2026.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/22/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Natural Resources & Energy (H)

TRANSPORTATION
(SMITH, TOM)

AN ACT relating to transportation and declaring an emergency.

Amend KRS 138.220 to set a single excise tax on gasoline and special fuels; set initial base rate at 29.6 cents per gallon (cpg); subject tax to annual adjustment; eliminate references to taxation on the average wholesale price of gasoline and the supplemental tax on gasoline and special fuels; require annual notification to motor fuel dealers of the adjusted rate of the excise tax on gasoline and special fuels for each upcoming fiscal year; amend KRS 138.660 to set the initial base rate for the heavy equipment motor carrier surtax for gasoline at 2.2 cpg for fiscal year 26-27 and 4.3 cpg for fiscal year 27-28 and set the rate for special fuels at 3.6 cpg for fiscal year 26-27 and 7.2 cpg for fiscal 27-28; subject the surtax to annual adjustment; create a new section of KRS Chapter 138 to define "taxes"; provide a mechanism for annual adjustment of the excise tax on gasoline and special fuels and the heavy equipment motor carrier surtax based on changes in the National Highway Construction Cost Index 2.0; allow these taxes to increase or decrease no more than 5% from one year to the next, subject to the statutory minimums; amend KRS 186.018 to increase the fee for a driving history record from $3 to $6; amend KRS 186.020 to eliminate the requirement to present a vehicle's registration receipt when renewing the vehicle registration and allow mail or online registration renewal with no additional fee; amend KRS 186.040 to eliminate the $30 county clerk fee for motor carrier registrations on vehicles in excess of 44,000 pounds; increase the county clerk fee for motor vehicle registrations from $6 to $8; amend KRS 186.050 to increase to state fee for motor vehicle registrations from $11.50 to $22; increase other state registration fees; provide for a $10 late charge for vehicle registrations not renewed within 30 days of expiration; make technical correction; amend KRS 186.162, 186.180, and 186.240 to conform; amend 186.531 to set the reinstatement fee for a suspended operator's license at $100 and provide for distribution of funds; amend KRS 281A.150 to increase reinstatement fees for suspended CDLs from $50 to $100; amend KRS 186A.130 and 186A.245 to set the fee for an initial title at $25, the fee for a duplicate or replacement title at $10, and the fee for a speed title at $40, and adjust the distribution of fees between the Transportation Cabinet and the county clerk; amend KRS 189.574 to increase to fee for state traffic school from $15 to $50; create a new section of KRS Chapter 174 to create the multimodal transportation fund, specify allowable uses for moneys in the fund; amend KRS 177.320 and 177.365, regarding allocation of a portion of fuel tax revenue to county road aid funds and municipal road aid funds; change the revenue-sharing formula on the portion of fuel tax revenue available for revenue sharing which exceeds $825 million in any year from 18.3% to counties and 7.7% to cities to 13% for each fund; amend KRS 176.080 to establish limitations and awarding of single bid construction contracts the exceed, engineer's estimates, require reporting of such contracts; amend KRS 176.210 to prohibit the Department of Highways from revealing the identities of eligible bidders on a project until the project bid letting; amend KRS 138.210 to delete the definitions for "average wholesale price," "average wholesale floor price," and "quarterly survey value"; amend KRS 138.695, 138.270, 42.409, 234.320, and 234.380, and 186A.035 to conform; repeal KRS 138.228, regarding the calculation of average wholesale price of gasoline, KRS 138.4602, regarding determination of total consideration on vehicles purchased between 2009 and 2014, and KRS 175.505, regarding the debt payment acceleration fund for turnpike authority debt; EFFECTIVE, January 1, 2027; EFFECTIVE, in part, July 1, 2026; EMERGENCY.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/22/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Transportation (H)

CIRCULAR ENERGY FACILITIES
(GORDON, DEANNA)

AN ACT relating to circular energy facilities.

Create new sections of subchapter 40 of KRS Chapter 224 to define "advanced recovery facility," "circular energy economy," "circular energy facility," and "energy carriers"; declare legislature finding regarding the landfilling of wastes as an obsolete method of waste management and promotion of a circular energy economy using circular energy facilities; create a Circular Economy and Advanced Recovery Advisory Council attached to the Energy and Environment Cabinet and identify members of the council and meeting schedule; require the council to make recommendations on policies that advance a circular energy economy using advanced recovery technologies; set forth the duties of the council and require the council to prepare an annual report to be submitted to the Legislative Research Commission December 30 of each year; prohibit local governments and special districts from banning circular energy or advanced recovery facilities in their jurisdiction.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/22/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Natural Resources & Energy (H)

AUTOMATED LICENSE PLATE READERS
(ROBERTS, T.J.)

AN ACT relating to automated license plate readers.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 189 to define "automated license plate reader" or "ALPR"; prohibit the use, deployment, and maintenance of an ALPR system; allow a person to bring a civil action for a violation and allow recovery of actual and punitive damages; make the use, deployment, and maintenance of an ALPR system a Class D felony and set a fine of $10,000.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/22/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Transportation (H)

UTILITY DISCONNECTION PROTECTIONS
(WITTEN, SUSAN)

AN ACT relating to utility disconnection protections.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 278 to create winter and summer temperature standards for disconnection of service by retail electric and gas utilities; allow resumption of disconnection only after a 72-hour period during which the temperature standard is exceeded; establish a certificate of need for persons who are at risk if utility service is disconnected that can be provided by a physician, physician assistant, community-based service organization, or faith-based service organization; prohibit disconnection of service on holidays and weekends, including Fridays, and before 8 a.m. and after 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday; allow for reconnection of service for partial payment with a payment plan; require waiver of termination fees, reconnection fees, and late fees for customers having obtained a certificate of need; require utility to make reasonable effort towards reestablishing service for a customer terminated after having obtained a certificate of need but no more than 24 hours after repayment is commenced; require separate, written notice 14 days prior to a disconnection to residential household; require that notice be distinguishable from the regular billing notices; establish font size and typeset for material to be printed on the notice; require a hardship reconnection order for persons at risk who have had service terminated by the utility after meeting specific repayment requirements; require the Public Service Commission to promulgate administrative regulations and issue an order setting forth any applicable rules and procedures.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/22/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Natural Resources & Energy (H)

SWIMMING POOLS
(GROSSL, VANESSA)

AN ACT relating to swimming pools.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 198B to define terms; require the Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction to permit a private swimming pool to be constructed without a barrier or enclosure if the swimming pool will be equipped with an approved safety pool cover; require the department to incorporate this provision into the Kentucky Building Code by administrative regulation; permit the legislative body of a local government to adopt more stringent local ordinances relating to approved safety pool covers, barriers, and enclosures.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/22/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Licensing, Occupations, & Administrative Regulations (H)

ROAD FUNDING
(BAUMAN, JARED)

AN ACT relating to road fund receipts and declaring an emergency.

Amend KRS 177.320 and 177.365, relating to the allocation of a portion of motor fuel tax revenue to county road aid funds and municipal road aid funds, to change the revenue-sharing formula on the portion of revenue available for revenue sharing that exceeds $775 million in any fiscal year from 18.3% for counties and 7.7% for cities to 13% for each fund; make technical corrections; amend KRS 176.241, 178.010, 179.010, and 189.503 to conform; EMERGENCY.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/22/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Transportation (H)

PUBLIC AGENCY TRANSACTIONS
(MEREDITH, MICHAEL)

AN ACT relating to local public agency transactions.

Amend KRS 45A.345, relating to local procurement, to define "best value" and redefine "evaluated bid price" as "economic efficiency"; amend KRS 45A.365 to require invitations for bids to state that awards be made on the best value rather than the lowest evaluated bid price; delete requirement for the inclusion of a reciprocal preference for resident bidders; require awards to the best value bid rather than the bid that is lowest evaluated bid price remove reference to reciprocal preference; amend KRS 45A.370 to allow purchases through competitive negotiation using the best value bid rather than the lowest evaluated bid; remove references to reciprocal preference; amend KRS 45A.375, relating to competitive negotiation to allow awards to be made upon the best value rather than lowest evaluated bid, and remove reference to reciprocal preference; amend KRS 45A.385, relating to small purchase procedures, to increase the small purchase maximum amount to $60,000 from $40,000; index the maximum amount by $10,000 every 5 years beginning in 2030; require the Finance and Administration Cabinet to publicize the current amount; amend KRS 45A.420, relating to cooperative purchasing, to allow local public agencies to make agreements using an established discount, quote, formula, or other pricing method as established by the Commonwealth when an agreement does not establish a fixed unit price; amend KRS 82.083, relating to the disposition of property owned by a city, to amend the definition of "independent appraisal" as it relates to personal property for which there is no applicable nationally published valuation standard, to include a generally accepted method to determine a good-faith estimate; amend KRS 82.084 to add law enforcement vehicles and equipment to the exclusions from KRS 45A.345 to 45A.460 and 424.260; amend KRS 424.260 to increase the limit for making advertisements for purchases to $60,000 from $40,000; index the small purchase maximum amount by $10,000 every 5 years beginning in 2030; amend KRS 157.420 and 157.440 to conform; repeal KRS 65.027, relating to reciprocal preference to resident bidders.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/23/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Economic Development & Workforce Investment (H)

PROHIBITED USES OF TAX DOLLARS
(RABOURN, FELICIA)

AN ACT relating to prohibited uses of tax dollars.

Amend KRS 65.013 to create a cause of action for violations of the use of tax dollars to advocate for or against public questions on the ballot or to lobby or participate in executive agency lobbying; establish time limitation to commence suit and appropriate venue; provide damages recoverable per violation; allow for a class action; prohibit persons held civilly liable from holding a position of public trust or profit for 10 years; create a new section of KRS Chapter 65 to establish a criminal penalty and a prohibition against holding a position of public trust or profit for 10 years for individuals found guilty of a violation.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/23/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Elections, Const. Amendments & Intergovernmental Affairs (H)

SUPPLEMENTAL PENSION PAYMENT
(TIPTON, JAMES)

AN ACT relating to a supplemental payment for recipients of a monthly retirement allowance from the systems administered by the Kentucky Public Pensions Authority, making an appropriation therefor, and declaring an emergency.

Appropriate $96 million from the Kentucky Permanent Pension Fund in fiscal year 2026-2027 to the Kentucky Public Pensions Authority to fund 1-time supplemental payments on July 1, 2026, to recipients of a retirement allowance who have been retired for at least 12 months from the Kentucky Employees Retirement System (KERS) and the State Police Retirement System (SPRS); allow the Board of Trustees of the County Employees Retirement System to, by board decision, provide a one-time supplemental payment to recipients of a retirement allowance who have been retired at least 12 months by increasing employer contribution rates over a one-year or two-year period; specify that the 1-time supplemental payment shall be equal to the monthly payment received by the recipient in the month of June 2026; APPROPRIATION; EMERGENCY.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/23/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Appropriations & Revenue (H)

CERTIFICATE OF NEED
(PROCTOR, MARIANNE)

AN ACT relating to certificate of need.

Amend KRS 216B.040 to require that the Cabinet for Health and Family Services conduct public hearings on certificate of need applications as requested by applicants and by holders of certificates of need and licenses; amend KRS 216B.062 to require a final decision within 90 days; amend KRS 216B.085 to require that only the applicant may request a public hearing; require that notice of the public hearing be given only to the applicant; require that only the applicant have the right to be represented by counsel and to present evidence and arguments at the public hearing; require that the cabinet notify only the applicant of the decision and that the decision is final unless a request for reconsideration is filed by only the applicant; amend KRS 216B.090 to permit only the applicant to request a hearing for purposes of reconsideration of the cabinet; amend KRS 216B.095 to delete notice of a cabinet decision regarding a request for a nonsubstantive review to any affected party; amend KRS 216B.115 to permit an appeal to the Franklin Circuit Court by the applicant of any final decision of the cabinet regarding an application to be made.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/23/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Health Services (H)

CERTIFICATE OF NEED
(PROCTOR, MARIANNE)

AN ACT relating to certificate of need.

Amend KRS 216B.015 to redefine "capital expenditure minimum" and define "major medical equipment expenditure minimum"; amend KRS 216B.061 to modify conditions under which a person is prohibited from taking actions without a certificate of need.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/23/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Health Services (H)

AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST FUND
(BRATCHER, STEVE)

AN ACT relating to the affordable housing trust fund.

Amend KRS 64.012 to increase and modify fees received by the county clerk; after January 1, 2027, allow recalculation using the CPI-U, with the fee increase going to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund; apply to fees received by county clerks for services provided on or after August 1, 2026.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/23/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Local Government (H)

BOOKING PROCEDURES IN LOCAL JAILS
(FLANNERY, PATRICK)

AN ACT relating to booking procedures in local jails.

Amend KRS 17.169 to include local law enforcement as persons authorized to collect DNA samples; define "rapid DNA instruments"; amend KRS 17.170 to provide for the collection of DNA samples at arrest or initial appearance from all persons charged with a felony offense; allow for collection of a second DNA sample by approved local governments to be processed via rapid DNA instruments; amend KRS 17.175 to provide that a person may request expungement of the record of his or her DNA in certain enumerated circumstances; amend KRS 64.060 to establish a $5 payment from the State Treasury to the collecting agency for each DNA sample collected.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/23/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Local Government (H)

KENTUCKY FIRE COMMISSION
(MILES, SUZANNE)

AN ACT relating to the Kentucky Fire Commission.

Amend KRS 95A.020 to increase the Kentucky Fire Commission to 18 members by transferring the 4 ex officio members to full member status; provide for terms of office of the members not subject to gubernatorial appointment; amend KRS 95A.262 to specify that any reimbursement to the Kentucky Career and Technical College System for administrative activities is subject to the 5% reimbursement cap in KRS 94A.240; specify that cancer screening reimbursements can be made from revenues allocated to the Firefighters Foundation Program fund pursuant to KRS 42.190 and 136.392. HCS (1) Retain original provisions, except stipulate that reimbursements for out-of-pocket expenses for cancer screenings may be paid from the remaining portion of funds allocated for hepatitis A and B vaccinations.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/6/2026 - received in Senate

LOCAL PURCHASING
(NEIGHBORS, AMY)

AN ACT relating to local purchasing.

Amend KRS 45A.380 to allow the purchase of used vehicles and used equipment through noncompetitive negotiation if the agency pays no more than 75% of the manufacturer's suggested retail price for new same or similar vehicles or equipment for the used vehicle or equipment; amend KRS 424.260 to allow local agencies to purchase used vehicles and equipment negotiation if the agency pays no more than 75% of the manufacturer's suggested retail price for new same or similar vehicles or equipment without making a newspaper advertisement for bids.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/4/2026 - (H) SECOND READING, to Rules

AMEND CONSTITUTION RELATING TO CITIZENSHIP REQUIREMENTS FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS
(HODGSON, JOHN)

AN ACT proposing to create a new section of the Constitution of Kentucky relating to citizenship requirements for state and local elected officials.

Propose to create a new section of the Constitution of Kentucky to require candidates for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, Auditor of Public Accounts, Treasurer, Commissioner of Agriculture, member of the General Assembly, any justice or judge of the Kentucky Court of Justice, county officer, or any other statewide, judicial, legislative, or local elected office to be a citizen of the United States, and not a citizen or national of any foreign state or country, at the time of their election or appointment for the duration of their term, and for 18 years immediately preceding election or appointment, in order to hold each respective office; provide ballot language; submit to voters for ratification or rejection.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/28/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Elections, Const. Amendments & Intergovernmental Affairs (H)

COVERAGE FOR GROUND AMBULENCE SERVICES
(RAYMER, REBECCA)

AN ACT relating to coverage for emergency ground ambulance services.

Create a new section of Subtitle 17A of KRS Chapter 304 to require coverage for emergency ground ambulance services; establish minimum allowable reimbursement for out-of-network emergency ground ambulance services; establish requirements for reimbursement of out-of-network ground ambulance providers; prohibit balance billing by out-of-network ground ambulance providers; establish construction clause in the event of conflicts; amend KRS 18A.225 to require the state employee health plan to comply with emergency ground ambulance coverage and payment requirements; provide that Act applies to health benefit plans issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2027; EFFECTIVE January 1, 2027.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/29/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Banking & Insurance (H)

BACKGROUND CHECKS
(HAMPTON, TONY)

AN ACT relating to background checks.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 17 to define terms and require criminal justice agencies to provide criminal history records information to requesting agencies when they are conducting a basic suitability or fitness assessment for federal or contractor employees under 5 U.S.C. sec. 9101; authorize the agency to request a fee of $25 for reimbursement of expenses related to the check from entities other than the Commonwealth; amend KRS 610.340, relating to juvenile justice records, to conform.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/10/2026 - House Local Government (H), (Bill Scheduled for Hearing)

ELECTIONS
(HODGSON, JOHN)

AN ACT relating to elections.

Amend KRS 67.060, 83A.040, 160.180, and 262.240, to require candidates for county commissioner, mayor, legislative bodys, local board of education member, and soil and water commissioner at the time of their elections or appointments and for the duration of their term in office to be a citizen of the United States, a citizen of the United States for 18 years immediately preceding election or appointment, citizen or national of only the United States and no other foreign state or country, and a citizen or national of only the United States and no other foreign state or country for 18 years immediately preceding election or appointment in order to hold each respective office.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/29/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Elections, Const. Amendments & Intergovernmental Affairs (H)

TAX INCREMENT FINANCING
(DUVALL, ROBERT)

AN ACT relating to tax increment financing.

Amend KRS 154.30-010 to remove the sunset date in the definition of "modified new revenues for income tax" to make it permanent.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/29/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Appropriations & Revenue (H)

REAL PROPERTY
(JOHNSON, DJ)

AN ACT relating to real property.

Amend KRS 45A.045, relating to the disposal of state property, to require the Finance and Administration Cabinet to determine that there is no need of a state agency or ownership interest of local government before disposal of state-owned real property; require the state agency disposing of real property to provide maintenance and security of real property until completion of disposal; establish authority for the Finance and Administration Cabinet to utilize other methods to dispose of real property when there are no responsive bids received; establish a process for a local government to notify the state of its interest in using abandoned or underutilized state-owned real property; amend KRS 56.463 to require a state agency disposing of real property to provide maintenance and security of surplus real property until completion of disposal; amend various other sections to conform.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/30/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House State Government (H)

CIVIL RIGHTS
(ELLIOTT, DANIEL)

AN ACT relating to civil rights.

Create a new section of KRS 344.010 to 344.025 to define terms; set standards for determinations of impairments; amend KRS 344.010 to define "major life activities," "regarded as having such an impairment," and "transitory impairment"; amend KRS 344.020 to provide for execution of the policies embodied in the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008; amend KRS 344.030 to provide that "qualified individual with a disability" is to be interpreted consistently with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 2008; amend KRS 344.190 to remove the adjudicative powers of the Human Rights Commission regarding matters related to employment and public accommodations; amend KRS 344.200 to provide that an aggrieved individual may file a civil action for a discriminatory practice other than a housing practice without first filing a complaint with the Human Rights Commission; require a probable cause determination on a complaint to be made within 30 days of the commission's receipt of the respondent's response or the expiry of the time for a response, whichever is later; require orders dismissing complaints with the commission to be made without prejudice; allow an aggrieved individual to file a civil action for the same grievance while a complaint is either pending with or has been dismissed by the Human Rights Commission; provide that the filing of a complaint before the commission does not toll the statute of limitations for the filing of a civil action; provide that the statute of limitations for an action filed by the commission on behalf of a private party who has not previously filed an action for that grievance is 3 years as provided under KRS 413.115; provide that a civil action for a grievance may only be filed by either the private party or the commission but not both; allow for a private party or the commission to intervene as a third party in a civil action filed by the other; bar the recovery of monetary damages by the commission; limit a private party's remedies to those set out in KRS 344.450; provide that all matters of fact are to be triable by jury; allow a private party with an complaint already filed with or pending before the commission to bring a civil action for the same grievance within 1 year of the effective date of this Act; amend KRS 344.320 to eliminate adjudicative functions of local commissions; amend KRS 344.635 to allow a party to a complaint for a discriminatory housing charge with the Human Rights Commission to demand a trial by jury if a civil action is elected in lieu of administrative hearing; repeal KRS 344.210, 344.230, 344.240, 344.270, and 344.340 related to adjudicative functions of the Human Rights Commission; amend KRS 344.660 and 344.675 to conform.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/30/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Judiciary (H)

PUBLIC CONTRACTS
(FLANNERY, PATRICK)

AN ACT relating to public contracts.

Create new sections of KRS Chapters 45A, 56, and 65 to require that state and local contracts contain a provision that any iron, steel, or aluminum used in all state and local projects be manufactured in the United States unless a waiver is granted; amend KRS 45A.343, 45A.352, 65.027, 162.070, 164A.575, 176.070, 176.080, and 424.260 to conform; provide that Section 1 to 3 of the Act may be cited as the Kentucky Buy American Act.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/30/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Economic Development & Workforce Investment (H)

CARE AND TREATMENT OF INDIVIDUALS WITH MENTAL ILLNESS
(NEMES, JASON)

AN ACT relating to the care and treatment of individuals with mental illness.

Amend KRS 202A.011 to define "benefit from treatment," "individual with a mental illness," and "severe mental illness"; remove "mentally ill person" and redefine "danger"; amend KRS 202A.028 to allow the Commonwealth to file an emergency motion to be heard within 48 hours regarding the hospitalization of an individual with a mental illness who has been found by a qualified mental health professional to not meet the criteria for involuntary hospitalization; amend KRS 202A.051 to allow a court to order a respondent to participate in outpatient psychiatric treatment; allow a court to require a hospital to notify the court and the Commonwealth if the hospital releases a person who is hospitalized; allow a court to order a person released from hospitalization to participate in outpatient psychiatric treatment; require that any petition filed under this section to expire in 30 days if it has not been served on the respondent; amend KRS 202A.061 to allow the Commonwealth to file an emergency motion to be heard within 48 hours regarding the hospitalization of an individual with a mental illness who has been found by a qualified mental health professional to not meet the criteria for involuntary hospitalization; create new sections of KRS Chapter 202A to require the court to appoint an outpatient provider for every person who is ordered to community-based outpatient treatment; require a multidisciplinary team to regularly monitor a person's adherence to community-based outpatient treatment; allow a court or an authorized staff physician to order a 72 hour emergency admission to a hospital for every person who fails to comply with an order for community-based outpatient treatment; require the court to conduct a review hearing no later than 72 hours prior to the expiration or request for early release by a hospital of a period of involuntary hospitalization for individuals who have been diagnosed with a severe mental illness and within the past 12 months been involuntarily committed to a hospital setting or have been found incompetent to stand trial within the past 12 months; amend KRS 202A.0819 to allow a court to order a person who is receiving assisted outpatient treatment to comply with any other reasonable conditions; amend KRS 202A.0823 to allow a court to determine if a person should be ordered to receive specific care in line with his or her treatment plan; amend KRS 202A.091 to allow a petitioner who qualifies as a responsible party under KRS 311.631 to participate in an involuntary hospitalization proceeding and receive the respondent's discharge plan; amend KRS 202A.101 to allow a person to be transported to a hospital without a copy of the petition for involuntary hospitalization when a court orders it under KRS 202A.028 and 202A.061; amend KRS 202C.010 to amend the definition of "evidentiary hearing"; amend "individual with a mental illness" and remove "mentally ill person"; amend KRS 202C.020 to establish the duties and pay for the guardian ad litem in a 202C proceeding; amend KRS 202C.030 to extend the date of the evidentiary hearing from 20 to 45 days, unless the court orders a later hearing date for good cause shown; prohibit the respondent from using the insanity defense; amend KRS 202C.040 to extend the date of the commitment hearing from 20 to 45 days, unless the court orders a later hearing date for good cause shown; establish the duties of the guardian ad litem; amend KRS 202C.050 to remove criteria to be committed under this chapter; amend KRS 202C.060 to provide that after the initial standard review hearing, subsequent review hearings shall occur once every 2 years unless a material change has occurred; require competency evaluations to be conducted at least once every 2 years; amend KRS 202C.130 to include notice of motions filed by forensic psychiatric facilities to the Commonwealth and all other parties of record; amend various sections to conform; repeal KRS 202A.081, relating to court-ordered community-based outpatient treatment.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/2/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Health Services (H)

MENTAL HEALTH OF FIRST RESPONDERS
(WESLEY, BILL)

AN ACT relating to the mental health of first responders.

Amend KRS 95A.292 to allow rescue squad members to participate in the Alan "Chip" Terry Professional Development and Wellness Program; create a new section of KRS Chapter 39F to direct the Division of Emergency Management and the Kentucky Fire Commission to enter into an agreement to ensure that rescue squad members have access to the program; provide that the Act may be cited as Gavin's Rights.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/2/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Veterans, Military Affairs, & Public Protection (H)

LOCAL OCCUPATIONAL LICENSE FEES
(DIETZ, STEPHANIE)

AN ACT relating to local occupational license fees.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 91A to define terms; require 100% of the wages of an employee associated with the corporate office to be apportioned to the local government where the corporate office is located; exclude wages for work performed at a satellite office; require 100% of the wages of an employee assigned to a state government office to be apportioned to the local government where the state government office is located; allow a refund claim for occupational license fees paid for work physically performed outside of the local government's jurisdiction; establish requirements for refunds; amend KRS 67.780 to conform; apply the apportionment and refund requirements to incentive agreements entered into or amended on or after the effective date of the Act.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/10/2026 - House Local Government (H), (Bill Scheduled for Hearing)

EXECUTIVE BRANCH APPROPRIATIONS
(PETRIE, JASON)

AN ACT relating to appropriations measures providing funding and establishing conditions for the operations, maintenance, support, and functioning of the government of the Commonwealth of Kentucky and its various officers, cabinets, departments, boards, commissions, institutions, subdivisions, agencies, and other state-supported activities.

The State/Executive Branch Budget: Details Part I, Operating Budget; details Part II, Capital Projects Budget; details Part III, General Provisions; details Part IV, State Salary/Compensation, Benefit, and Employment Policy; details Part V, Funds Transfer; details Part VI, General Fund Budget Reduction Plan; details Part VII, General Fund Surplus Expenditure Plan; details Part VIII, Road Fund Budget Reduction Plan; details Part IX, Road Fund Surplus Expenditure Plan; details Part X, Phase I Tobacco Settlement; and details Part XI, Executive Branch Budget Summary; APPROPRIATION.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/3/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Appropriations & Revenue (H)

TRANSPORTATION CABINET APPROPRIATIONS
(PETRIE, JASON)

AN ACT relating to appropriations providing financing and conditions for the operations, maintenance, support, and functioning of the Transportation Cabinet of the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

The Transportation Cabinet Budget: Detail Part I, Operating Budget; detail Part II, Capital Projects Budget; detail Part III, Funds Transfer; detail Part IV, Transportation Cabinet Budget Summary; APPROPRIATION.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/3/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Appropriations & Revenue (H)

LEGISLATIVE BRANCH APPROPRIATIONS
(PETRIE, JASON)

AN ACT making appropriations for the operations, maintenance, and support of the Legislative Branch of the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

The Legislative Branch Budget: Detail Part I, Operating Budget; detail Part II, General Provisions; detail Part III, Budget Reduction or Surplus Expenditure Plan; APPROPRIATION.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/3/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Appropriations & Revenue (H)

JUDICIAL BRANCH APPROPRIATIONS
(PETRIE, JASON)

AN ACT making appropriations for the operations, maintenance, support, and functioning of the Judicial Branch of the government of the Commonwealth of Kentucky and its various officers, boards, commissions, subdivisions, and other state-supported activities.

The Judicial Branch Budget: Detail Part I, Operating Budget; detail Part II, Capital Projects Budget; detail Part III, General Provisions; detail Part IV, Budget Reduction or Surplus Expenditure Plan; APPROPRIATION.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/3/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Appropriations & Revenue (H)

FISH AND WILDLIFE RESOURCES
(HALE, DAVID)

AN ACT relating to the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources.

Amend KRS 15.460 to allow Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources game wardens to receive annual supplements from the Kentucky Law Enforcement Foundation Program fund; remove the requirement that a game warden's annual training stipend be paid from the game and fish fund; amend KRS 150.010 to remove the definitions for "administrative regulation," "navigable waters," and "public roadway"; add definitions for "exotic wildlife," "native wildlife," and "roadway" and amend the definition for "livestock"; amend KRS 150.021 to remove the requirement that the department pay a fee equal to 5% of the debt service for the 2-way radio system utilized by the Kentucky State Police; amend KRS 150.025 to allow the department or the commissioner, with the approval of the commission, to promulgate administrative regulations to carry out the purposes of KRS Chapter 150; amend KRS 150.027 to require the department to file a statement of consideration at the same time as it files an administrative regulation that affects property that is adjacent to department-owned or controlled lakes; amend KRS 150.061 to require the commissioner of the department to establish a salary structure for the department's Division of Law Enforcement that is adequate to meet the department's recruitment and retention goals; amend KRS 150.090 to provide that waters bordering the Commonwealth are included in the jurisdiction of game wardens; amend KRS 150.120 to provide that native and exotic wildlife that are taken, possessed, or transported in violation of the provisions of KRS Chapter 150 or the administrative regulations promulgated thereunder shall be seized; require that upon seizure, native wildlife or any hybrid thereof shall be declared contraband and disposed of as determined by the commissioner; amend KRS 150.150 to conform and to provide that the $25,000 set aside annually for hunger relief is not required to be taken from the game and fish fund; amend KRS 150.170 to change the reference from "disposal" tag to "carcass tag" for the taking of depredating wildlife; amend KRS 150.172 to allow a person to use a firearm at any time to take a mortally wounded animal instead of an injured animal; amend KRS 150.360 to allow the taking of wildlife at night instead of only coyotes and to conform; amend KRS 150.660 to allow the department to revoke a pay lake operator's license at all of his or her licensed locations for failure to comply with the laws or regulations governing pay lakes; amend KRS 150.690 to change the references from "buffalo" to "American bison"; amend KRS 150.990 double all fines for violations of KRS Chapter 150 and to establish replacement costs for certain wildlife; amend KRS 150.995 to provide that any restitution amount to be paid to the department for the illegal taking of wildlife that would exceed $10,000 shall be panel scored by 2 official scorers; allow the commissioner or a designee to seek an order from the court for payment of restitution costs in any action in which a person is found guilty for a violation of KRS Chapter 150 and for which restitution costs are owed; amend KRS 235.250 to increase the minimum required amount of boating liability insurance from $500 to $1,000.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/4/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Tourism & Outdoor Recreation (H)

REVENUE
(PETRIE, JASON)

AN ACT relating to revenue.

Amend KRS 141.068 to make a technical correction.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/5/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Appropriations & Revenue (H)

RETIREMENT BENEFITS FOR PROBATIONARY EMPLOYMENT
(LEWIS, CHRIS)

AN ACT relating to retirement benefits for probationary employment.

Amend KRS 61.552 to allow employees to purchase service credit for the time spent as a probationary employee; amend KRS 78.510 to redefine "employee," "member", and "participating" to include, solely for the purpose of benefits payable to a person employed in a full-time position or a probationary position, employees who become disabled or die as a direct result of an act in line of duty or as a result of a duty-related injury.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/5/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House State Government (H)

CONCEALED DEADLY WEAPONS
(RABOURN, FELICIA)

AN ACT relating to concealed deadly weapons.

Repeal KRS 237.115, which interprets the application of the license to carry concealed deadly weapon statute as permitting postsecondary facilities, local governments, and units of state government to limit concealed carry in governmental buildings; amend KRS 150.172, 237.110, and 527.020 to conform; amend KRS 237.110 to no longer prohibit the carrying of concealed deadly weapons in schools and specify that the prohibition of carrying concealed deadly weapons in airports is limited to areas controlled by the Transportation Security Administration; make technical corrections; amend KRS 527.070 to add persons with valid licenses to carry concealed deadly weapons to the list of those permitted to possess weapons in schools.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/5/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Judiciary (H)

COLLECTION OF LOCAL BUSINESS TAXES
(FLANNERY, PATRICK)

AN ACT relating to the collection of local business taxes and fees.

Amend KRS 67.767 to require the Secretary of State to prescribe standard forms for net profits, gross receipts, and payroll occupational tax returns; form an advisory committee to develop the forms; require the advisory committee to file the form with the Interim Joint Committee on Local Government for its November 2026 meeting; require the Secretary of State to file administrative regulations including the standard forms and electronic links; and require tax districts to accept the standard forms and the associated payments electronically on and after January 1, 2028.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/5/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Local Government (H)

FISCAL REPORTING
(THOMAS, WALKER)

AN ACT relating to the fiscal reporting of local entities.

Amend KRS 65A.030 to increase the fiscal reporting levels of special purpose governmental entities; allow entities conducting yearly audits to move to an audit every 4 years if the entity receives 2 sequential audit reports with unqualified opinions and report the fact that the entity is operating under the alternative audit schedule to the Department for Local Government; require an entity to have yearly audits if the entity receives anything but an unqualified audit opinion at a subsequent audit; amend KRS 147.635, relating to area planning commissions, to align their audit requirements to those in KRS 65A.030; amend KRS 220.280, relating to sanitation districts, to align their audit requirements to those in KRS 65A.030; amend KRS 43.070 and 186.240 to combine the county clerks' independent audits of motor vehicle and motorboat registration fees and licenses, motor vehicle usage taxes, and ad valorem taxes on motor vehicles and motorboats into the county clerks' regular periodic audit; require the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet to bear the cost of the portion of the audit attributed to receipts from motor vehicles and motorboats; amend KRS 64.830, relating to final settlements of outgoing county officials, to make the settlement to be complete within 60 days of the expiration of the term of office or the date a vacancy is otherwise created to account for unexpected vacancies in office; require that if an official's vacancy does not coincide with the end of the calendar year or end of the official's term, the outgoing county official is to remit any remaining funds to the fiscal court as excess fees and require the fiscal court to provide an amount equal to the excess fees remitted by the outgoing official to the outgoing county official's successor for official use; repeal KRS 43.071, relating to the annual audit of county clerk's motor vehicle and motorboat tax receipts; EFFECTIVE, in part, July 1, 2027.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/5/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Local Government (H)

PERMITS
(WHITE, RICHARD)

AN ACT relating to permits.

Create new sections of KRS Chapter 61 to require a permitting authority to issue a decision on any permit application within 60 days; automatically grant any permit if a permitting authority fails to render a decision within 60 days; require any denial or conditional approval of a permit to be based on clearly established applicable laws or regulations; grant Circuit Court jurisdiction over any permitting matter; require the Circuit Court to determine whether a permitting decision by the permitting authority was based on clear and convincing evidence; require the Circuit Court to award the applicant attorney's fees and costs if the court finds against the permitting authority; allow third-party challenges to permitting decisions only if the third-party has property adjacent to property that has been granted a permit and where the third-party can demonstrate concrete and particularized harm resulting from issuance of a permit; allow an applicant to appeal any adverse decision from a third-party challenge; require a third party to pay applicant's attorney's fees and costs if the permit is finally approved following a third-party challenge; create a new section of KRS Chapter 100 to grant by-right approval to housing projects which meet a planning unit's code or regulations; grant Circuit Court jurisdiction over any denial of a housing project under the section; require the Circuit Court to determine whether a denial by the planning unit was based on clear and convincing evidence; require Circuit Court to award the applicant attorney's fees and costs if the court finds against the planning unit; provide that the section does not prevent monitoring by the planning unit or affect restrictions in rules or regulations of a homeowners association, condominium association, or other property owners association; amend KRS 198B.060 to permit third-party plan review and inspections under new procedures; create a new section of KRS Chapter 198B to define terms; require regulatory authorities to provide information to prospective applicants regarding requirements to apply for a permit; require a regulatory authority to inform an applicant of whether the application is complete within 3 days and include whether the regulatory authority is able to perform plan review and inspection within specified time limits; require a regulatory authority to conduct plan review within 7 days of receipt of a complete application and inspections within 5 days of any request for an inspection being made; permit an applicant to use a qualifying third-party inspector; set out circumstances under which a regulatory authority may collect fees depending on use of a third-party inspector; set out what a third-party inspector may review and set out qualifications and requirements the third-party inspector must meet; require a regulatory authority to issue a permit within 1 business day of the completion of required plan reviews and inspections associated with an otherwise complete application; state that any ordinance, rule, or regulation contrary is void and unenforceable; state that a regulatory authority may issue a stop work order if a condition of a project constitute an immediate threat to public safety and welfare; establish immunity for the regulatory authority for action of an applicant or third-party inspector.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/6/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Local Government (H)

ELECTIONS
(JOHNSON, DJ)

AN ACT relating to elections and declaring an emergency.

Amend KRS 30A.145 to require the Administrative Office of the Courts to prepare an all-time list each month of persons convicted of a felony, including persons whose cases are on appeal, and provide the list to the State Board of Elections; amend KRS 83A.040 to require a special election if more than the majority of the membership of a legislative body is vacated because of an election error due to no fault of any candidate or fraud; establish that members of the legislative body whose term expires shall remain in office until the contest and any appeals of the regular election are complete and final; create a new section of KRS Chapter 116 to require the State Board of Elections to compare the statewide voter registration system against the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements Program, or its successor program, each month to remove registered voters who are not citizens of the United States within 5 days; require the State Board of Elections to forward the name, date of birth, last known address, and voter registration record of any individual who is removed to the Attorney General; require the State Board of Elections to notify the county clerk of the county in which the voter lived of the removal; amend KRS 116.113 to specify that the Administrative Office of the Courts shall include persons convicted of a felony whose case is on appeal in the lists they send to the State Board of Elections for removal from the voter registration records; create a new section of KRS Chapter 117 to define "cast vote record"; allow county clerks to use a ballot verifier software program to produce electronic images of cast ballots and cast vote records for public inspection, as long as the records do not contain voter-identifying information; allow counties to use the software program to perform additional audits; establish that the State Board of Elections shall promulgate administrative regulations to establish uniform standards for formatting, publication, and redaction of images of ballots and cast vote records; amend KRS 117.125 to establish that no voting equipment or voting systems shall be purchased after the effective date of the Act that utilize non-human readable codes, including barcodes, QR codes, or other encrypted markings to represent or tabulate a voter's choices on the ballot; amend KRS 117.383 to require that the ballot scanner and race selected for a hand-to-eye recount by the Secretary of State shall have at least 10 votes cast; amend KRS Chapter 118.176 to establish that a person who successfully challenges the bona fides of a candidate may recover certain costs; create a new chapter of KRS Chapter 118A to establish that judicial candidates may disclose their political party, state current and past voter registration status, and communicate political values or viewpoints consistent with that party affiliation; establish that judicial candidates shall not claim to be the official nominee of a political party, use language or materials that imply nomination, designation, or endorsement by a political party, or use party symbols, slogans, or imagery in a manner that would lead someone to believe they are running in a partisan election; amend KRS 120.165 to require the county clerk and local board of elections to call a special election if a majority of the offices of a legislative body are deemed vacant; establish that a person bringing a successful election contest may recover certain costs; amend KRS 121.015 to define "executive committee of a political party"; amend KRS 121.150 to allow federal candidates to contribute to a party executive committee if the amount of the contribution is within contribution limits and if the contribution is not earmarked for any particular candidate or slate of candidates; specify that a qualified political party committee, including a state or county executive committee, may endorse, support, oppose, and make contributions or expenditures to nonpartisan candidates; EMERGENCY.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/9/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Elections, Const. Amendments & Intergovernmental Affairs (H)

INVESTOR OWNED ELECTRIC UTILITIES
(FLANNERY, PATRICK)

AN ACT relating to investor-owned electric utilities and declaring an emergency.

Amend KRS 278.670 to define "environmental control" and "underpreciated extra-state generation utility plant balances," amend various definitions, and make technical changes; amend KRS 278.672 to remove the deadline date for calculating the value of the regulatory asset associated with the undepreciated extra-state generation utility plant balances, deferred storm costs, and other regulatory assets approved by the Public Service Commission (PSC) remove the dollar amount thresholds for qualifying for a financing order; remove the submittals associated with securitization of deferred costs for retried electric generation greater than 50%; add additional submittals for an application for a financing order; remove the requirement that the comparison standard must demonstrate that the securitization will provide quantifiable net present value benefits to customer; add requirement for a utility to acquire in-state dispatchable generation and agree to a freeze on base rates for a period of 2 years; define "dispatchable"; amend KRS 278.674 to prohibit the PSC from requiring securitized bonds to be marketed as a specific type of security or that an assignee be formed as a specific type of entity; provide a price cap for costs associated with retaining counsel, advisors, or other consultants; remove PSC authority to address how the securities are marketed; add a template issuance advice letter to be included in the financing order; direct that the PSC must approve sales or transfer of assets including extra-state generation facilities even if the balances are securitized; amend KRS 278.678 to make technical changes; amend KRS 278.682 to remove the requirement that the securitized surcharge be listed as a separate item on the customer bill; EMERGENCY.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/9/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Natural Resources & Energy (H)

HOUSING DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS
(BRAY, JOSH)

AN ACT relating to housing development districts.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 65 to define terms; permit a local government to establish a housing development district and a Housing Incentive Payment Program; allow a local government to exempt housing developments within a district from planning and zoning following a public hearing; permit other local taxing authorities to participate in a district; allow a local government to accept applications from developers to undertake projects within a district; allow a local government to negotiate with a developer whose application it has accepted regarding rates associated with incentive payments to the developer; establish a means by which a developer shall be paid incentive payments by a local government; require area development districts to provide assistance to a local government in establishing a district; require the Cabinet for Economic Development to promote awareness of the district and incentive program and the Certified Child Care Community Designation program set out in KRS 199.891; require the cabinet to post information including a list of local governments that have established a district and have obtained the certified child care community designation to its website; require local governments that have established a district to provide information to the Department for Local Government regarding the district and utilization of the incentive program; require the Department for Local Government to submit a report to LRC summarizing information received from local governments regarding districts; provide that the Act shall not be construed to prohibit a local government from establishing any other program for housing development.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/9/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Local Government (H)

PEACE OFFICERS
(BLANTON, JOHN)

AN ACT relating to peace officers.

Amend KRS 15.310 to define "agency" and "court order"; amend KRS 15.382 to provide that minimum standards for peace officer certification shall be met prior to being hired; exclude any candidate that is prohibited by a court order from possessing a firearm; provide that certain screening tests conducted by local law enforcement agencies be approved by the Kentucky Law Enforcement Council; amend KRS 15.3975 to provide that any extension for a court security officer to complete required training may be granted by the executive director of the Kentucky Law Enforcement Council; amend KRS 15.404 to provide that any extension for a peace officer to complete required training may be granted by the executive director of the Kentucky Law Enforcement Council; amend KRS 15.405 to require an agency to request previous employment records for a candidate before making a conditional offer of employment; amend KRS 15.990 to provide that any agency who does not comply with KRS 15.405 shall be subject to a fine of between $25 and $1,000.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/3/2026 - Introduced

EMINENT DOMAIN
(DOSSETT, MYRON)

AN ACT relating to eminent domain and declaring an emergency.

Amend KRS 382.850 to require a condemnor in an eminent domain action involving property subject to a conservation easement to provide a written report to the court justifying the condemnation due to lack of feasible alternative locations; allow the court to dismiss the condemnation action if the lack of alternative locations is not demonstrated; amend KRS 262.850 to require a condemnor in an eminent domain action involving property located in an agricultural district to provide a written report to the court justifying the condemnation due to lack of feasible alternative locations; allow the court to dismiss the condemnation action if the lack of alternative locations is not demonstrated; amend KRS 416.550 prohibit a condemnor from engaging in false, intimidating, or misleading negotiation tactics; allow a property owner of potentially condemned property to obtain an independent appraisal within 60 days of an initial offer for purchase; reduce the indepdent appraisal period to 30 days if the property owner refuses the initial offer for purchase; prohibit the filing of a condemnation action within the independent appraisal period; establish a penalty of dismissal of the condemnation action, payment of attorney's fees, and a bar on future condemnation actions for violations; amend KRS 416.560 to specify requirements for contents of notice of entry to owners of property; establish penalty for failure to give notice; require condemnor to give notice of a material change to the project; require condemnor to use only current data for surveys; provide a copy of a survey to the property owner within 15 days of completion; allow the property owner to petition a local legislative body for a public meeting regarding the proposed taking; amend KRS 416.610 to require the condemnor to take measures to ensure access to property during on-site work on a project where only a portion of the property has been condemned; amend KRS 416.660 to include preexisting improvements on property and the value of agricultural improvements in the determination of fair market value of condemned property; amend KRS 416.570, 416.600, 416.630, 416.640, and 416.650 to conform; EMERGENCY.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/3/2026 - Introduced

TAXATION
(PETRIE, JASON)

AN ACT relating to taxation.

Amend KRS 131.150 to insert gender neutral language.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/3/2026 - Introduced

FISCAL MATTERS
(PETRIE, JASON)

AN ACT relating to fiscal matters.

Amend KRS 131.030 to make technical corrections.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/3/2026 - Introduced

CORRECTIONAL SERVICES
(MEREDITH, MICHAEL)

AN ACT relating to correctional services.

Amend KRS 441.005 to define "restricted custody center" and make technical changes; create new sections of KRS Chapter 441 to require the Department of Corrections to promulgate administrative regulations providing the minimum standards for holdover facilities; require the Department of Corrections to contract with a fiscal court of a county or local or regional correctional authority to provide correctional services to state prisoners; allow prisoners being held for a nonviolent or nonsexual misdemeanor conviction to be housed in a restricted custody center; require jailers to get permission from the Department of Corrections before transferring a Class C or Class D felon to another jail unless required by statute or an emergency exists; establish the regional jail authority construction fund, and establish requirements for the Department of Corrections to submit a list of regional jail construction projects to the Legislative Research Commission; establish the regional jail conversion fund and establish requirements for receiving grant funds; amend KRS 431.215 to require the Commonwealth to pay a county a fee per day based on the county's actual costs to house prisoners for the time the prisoner was held before a conviction if the sentence the prisoner receives in whole or in part includes the amount of time served prior to judgment; amend KRS 441.025 to allow counties to contract with the Department of Corrections to house state prisoners and operate holdover facilities; amend KRS 441.045 to require the Commonwealth to pay counties for the costs of providing health services to prisoners the county is responsible for; amend KRS 441.420 to require the Department of Corrections to pay for architectural plans and engineering services associated with any tentatively approved construction of a local correctional facility; amend KRS 441.430 to allow a regional jail authority to receive tentative approval for new regional jail construction; amend KRS 441.520 to specify the rate that a jail that receives a transferred inmate can charge the originating jail; amend KRS 441.810 to require that the jailer of each county within a regional jail authority be a member of the board; amend various sections to conform.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/4/2026 - Introduced

DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE
(FLANNERY, PATRICK)

AN ACT relating to driving under the influence.

Amend KRS 189A.010 to provide that a person who is convicted of a fourth or subsequent violation of this section shall be prohibited from purchasing alcohol for his or her period of license suspension and for 2 years after; make technical corrections; create a new section of KRS Chapter 189A to require that any ignition interlock license or hardship license issued to a person who has been convicted of a fourth or subsequent offense of driving under the influence contain the language "No Alcohol Sale" and a prominent red stripe; create a new section of KRS Chapter 507 to provide that any person who is convicted of an offense in which a death resulted from the person's operation of a motor vehicle while under the influence shall be prohibited from purchasing alcohol during any period of supervision and for 2 years following any period of supervision; require the defendant to surrender his or her license; require the court to notify the Transportation Cabinet; create a new section of KRS 186.400 to 186.640 to require that any operator's license issued to a person convicted of a fourth or subsequent offense of driving under the influence or of an offense in which a death resulted from the person's operation of a motor vehicle while under the influence contain the language "No Alcohol Sale" and a prominent red stripe; create a new section of KRS Chapter 244 to prohibit the sale or distribution of alcohol to any person who is prohibited from purchasing alcohol issued to a person convicted of a fourth or subsequent offense of driving under the influence or of an offense in which a death resulted from the person's operation of a motor vehicle while under the influence.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/4/2026 - Introduced

FIRE PROTECTION
(DOSSETT, MYRON)

AN ACT relating to fire protection.

Amend KRS 227.331 to define "fire protection official"; require anyone who violates any administrative regulation, emergency order, or final order of the fire protection official be subject to an administrative fine or suspension or revocation of certificate of authority, occupancy, or other license or permit; authorize the fire protection official to enforce proper orders of or taken by the fire protection official in Circuit Court; require all actions for enforcement, recovery of administrative fines, and injunctive relief for violations to be brought in the name of the fire protection official. .

  CURRENT STATUS

2/5/2026 - Introduced

JUDICIAL SALES
(MEADE, DAVID)

AN ACT relating to judicial sales.

Amend KRS 426.522 to change the auctioneer's fee structure for judicial sales; allow advertising to be at the discretion of the master commissioner and auctioneer; allow real property to be sold at another location in the county in which the property is located if the auctioneer determines that is the best method to conduct the sale; require nonforeclosure sales to be conducted in a manner agreed to by the master commissioner or plaintiff and the auctioneer.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/5/2026 - Introduced

OPEN RECORDS
(FLANNERY, PATRICK)

AN ACT relating to open records.

Amend KRS 61.870 to change the definition of "resident of the Commonwealth"; amend KRS 61.872 to allow the official custodian of public records to require government-issued photo identification that includes an address from an applicant requesting to inspect records as proof that they are a resident of the Commonwealth; allow the agency to require a different form of identification or proof if the applicant does not possess photo identification; amend KRS 61.876 to conform.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/5/2026 - Introduced

PUBLIC ADJUSTERS
(MEREDITH, MICHAEL)

AN ACT relating to public adjusters.

Amend KRS 304.9-020 to modify the definition of "apprentice adjuster," "negotiate," and "public adjuster"; amend KRS 304.9-430 to prohibit the issuing of a public adjuster license on or after the effective date of the Act; amend KRS 304.9-432 to prohibit issuing an apprentice adjuster license to a person that is supervised by a public adjuster; prohibit temporary or apprentice adjuster licensees from taking an examination for, or being issued, a public adjuster license; amend KRS 304.9-433 to prohibit a public adjuster from providing services until the required rescission period has concluded; establish information to be included in contracts between a public adjuster and an insured; require a public adjuster to provide a physical copy of the contract to the insured and insurer; modify the required rescission period for contracts between a public adjuster and an insured; provide that contracts in violation of KRS Chapter 304 are not enforceable; amend KRS 304.9-4331 to prohibit a public adjuster from being affiliated with an entity or person that obtains business in connection with a claim, utilizing a contractor, another form of business, or other person to solicit or obtain contract signatures; prohibit a public adjuster from negotiating with an insurer on behalf of an insured; amend KRS 304.9-4332 to require a public adjuster to provide insured with a receipt of deposit within 3 business days; amend KRS 304.9-4333 to modify fees that may be charged by a public adjuster; amend KRS 304.9-440 to require the commissioner to take certain regulatory actions against an adjuster or apprentice licensee under certain conditions; amend KRS 304.9-436 and 304.9-295 to conform; make conforming and technical amendments throughout; direct that certain sections apply to contracts entered on or after the effective date of the Act.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/5/2026 - Introduced

LIGHT POLLUTION
(HOLLOWAY, KIM)

AN ACT relating to light pollution and declaring an emergency.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 176 to define terms; require the Transportation Cabinet to fully shield outdoor lights encroaching on agricultural land; EMERGENCY.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/5/2026 - Introduced

WORKFORCE INVESTMENT
(DUVALL, ROBERT)

AN ACT relating to workforce investment, making an appropriation therefor, and declaring an emergency.

Create new sections of KRS Chapter 154.12 to establish the Kentucky Talent Recruitment Grant Program under the Cabinet for Economic Development; define terms; establish the duties of the cabinet in implementation of the program subject to approval of the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority; establish eligible grant applicants' duties and program reporting requirements; establish the Kentucky Talent Recruitment Grant Program fund; APPROPRIATION; EMERGENCY.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/5/2026 - Introduced

RETIRED EMERGENCY PERSONNEL
(DIETZ, STEPHANIE)

AN ACT relating to retired emergency personnel.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 95 to define "city" and "firefighter"; provide that cities may employ retired firefighters provided the firefighter participated in the Firefighters Foundation Program Fund or retired pursuant to KRS Chapter 95, retired with at least 20 years of service credit with no administrative charges pending, and met the separation of employment requirements so that retirement benefits from the systems administered by the Kentucky Public Pensions Authority (KPPA) were not voided; provide that retired firefighters employed by a city shall continue to receive the benefits they were eligible to receive upon retirement, but shall not accrue any additional retirement or health benefits during reemployment except that a city may authorize health coverage by taking legislative action; provide that retirement and any health contributions shall not be paid by the city to the KPPA on a retired firefighter who is reemployed under the Act; provide that individuals employed under the Act may be employed for a term not to exceed 1 year, which may be renewed at the discretion and need of the city; establish limits on the number of reemployed firefighters a city may hire under the program; make technical corrections; amend KRS 61.637, 61.702, 78.5536, and 78.5540 to conform.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/6/2026 - Introduced

DATA CENTERS
(BRAY, JOSH)

AN ACT relating to data centers.

Create new sections of KRS Chapter 96 relating to municipal utilities and KRS Chapter 278 relating to Public Service Commission-regulated utilities to: define terms; only allow for the provision of electric service to a data center through a contract that conforms to the requirements of the Act; require that within 90 days of the effective date of the Act, the electric service provider issue or file a tariff setting forth the process for a data center customer to apply for service; require the payment of a nonrefundable service application fee; require the preparation of studies to determine the manner in which the electric service provider can safely and efficiently serve the data center in a way that does not have negative service or rate impacts to their non-data center customers; establish the minimum contract requirements between the electric service provider and the data center customer; provide that requirements of the Act that are conflict with the Tennessee Valley Authority's requirements for the distribution of electricity that it supplies shall not apply; prohibit the charging or allocating of any costs associated with serving or constructing new infrastructure to serve a data center to any other customers served by natural gas, water, or wastewater utilities; amend KRS 154.20-229 to require that a qualified data center project that has been preliminarily approved for a certificate of exemption under KRS 139.499 include in its memorandum of agreement with the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority a certification that the data center project complies or will comply with all applicable local requirements and the applicable requirements of the Act.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/6/2026 - Introduced

ISSUANCE OF IDENTITY DOCUMENTS
(REED, AARON)

AN ACT relating to the issuance of identity documents.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 186 to define "local official"; require the Transportation Cabinet to expand issuance of renewal and duplicate operator's licenses and personal identification cards in any county in which a permanent regional licensing office is not located by establishing a system between the Transportation Cabinet and a local official to issue renewal and duplicate operator's licenses and personal identification cards for a $25 convenience fee in addition to any other applicable fees; allow counties to enter into an interlocal agreement to share personnel and equipment for issuance; require the Transportation Cabinet to report to the Legislative Research Commission annually on the number of renewal and duplicate operator's licenses and personal identification cards issued under the Act and any effect on wait times at the permanent regional licensing offices; amend KRS 186.531 to remove the 4 year identity document option; amend KRS 186.410, 186.535, and 186.579 to conform; repeal KRS 186.4101, relating to license renewal and reconciliation of 4-year and 8-year license renewal periods; EFFECTIVE July 1, 2027.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/20/2026 - received in House

HOUSING DISTRICTS
(MILLS, ROBBY)

AN ACT relating to housing districts.

Create new sections of KRS Chapter 65 to define terms; establish the process for a local government to establish a residential infrastructure development district and for dissolution of a district; authorize a local government to issue bonds and other obligations to pay for infrastructure costs within a residential infrastructure development district; authorize a local government to collect special assessments on property within the residential infrastructure development district to pay for infrastructure costs and use special assessment revenue for administrative costs unless restricted; establish that the special assessment constitutes a lien, address lien priority, require delinquent property taxes to be paid prior to a special assessment, and allow for redemption of property sold as a result of delinquent payment of a special assessment; permit local governments to act jointly to establish and maintain a residential infrastructure development district; define terms and allow a local government to establish a housing development district and a Housing Incentive Payment Program; allow a local government to exempt housing developments within a housing development district from planning and zoning following a public hearing; permit other local taxing authorities to participate in a housing development district; allow a local government to accept applications from developers to undertake projects within a housing development district; allow a local government to negotiate with a developer whose application it has accepted regarding rates associated with incentive payments to the developer; establish a means by which a developer shall be paid incentive payments by a local government; require area development districts to provide assistance to a local government in establishing a housing development district; require the Cabinet for Economic Development to promote awareness of the housing development district and incentive program and the Certified Child Care Community Designation program set out in KRS 199.891; require the cabinet to post information including a list of local governments that have established housing development districts and have obtained the certified child care community designation to its website; require local governments that have established housing development districts to provide information to the Department for Local Government regarding the district and utilization of the incentive program; require the Department for Local Government to submit a report to LRC summarizing information received from local governments regarding housing development districts; provide that the Act shall not be construed to prohibit a local government from establishing any other incentive program for housing development.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/4/2026 - (S) Referred to Committee Senate State & Local Government (S)

SAFE ROOM REBATE PROGRAM
(MEREDITH, STEPHEN)

AN ACT relating to a residential safe room rebate program.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 39A to define terms; the residential safe room rebate program; establish the residential safe room rebate fund to provide rebates to residents of this state for the construction or installation of a residential safe room; establish an application process by which the Division of Emergency Management awards rebates; require the division to promulgate administrative regulations; require the division to report annually to the Legislative Research Commission about the residential safe room rebate program.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/20/2026 - (S) recommitted to committee Senate Appropriations & Revenue (S)

PLANNING COMMISSION MEMBERSHIP
(DENEEN, MATTHEW)

AN ACT relating to planning commission membership.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 100 to define terms; amend KRS 100.133 and 100.137 to allow the inclusion of a nonvoting ex officio member of a planning unit to be a representative of a military installation to advise on matters relating to national security and other concerns for the military installation; provide that the Act may be cited as the Military Installation Protection Act.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/23/2026 - received in House

CITY GOVERNMENT
(MADON, SCOTT)

AN ACT relating to city government.

Amend KRS 64.5277 to define "excess credit hours"; amend KRS 64.5278 to allow a city to establish different base incentive amounts for different types of city officers by ordinance; remove minimum and maximum payment amounts.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/2/2026 - received in House

HEIRS PROPERTY
(THOMAS, REGINALD)

AN ACT relating to heirs property.

Create new sections of KRS Chapter 381 to enact the Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act; define terms, including "heirs property"; create a mechanism for partition or sale among cotenants by the court; create requirements for notice and determination of value through agreement or appraisal; create protocol for buyouts, partition alternatives, partition in kind, sale by open market, sealed bids, or auction; create the heirs property research fund; amend KRS 324B.050 to authorize the Kentucky Real Estate Authority to promulgate administrative regulations to issue grants from the fund; amend KRS 64.012 to increase the recording and indexing fee collected by county clerks by $1 and to direct those additional fees to the heirs property research fund; amend KRS 381.135 and 389A.030 to conform.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/6/2026 - Introduced

OPERATING A MOTOR VEHICLE
(HIGDON, JIMMY)

AN ACT relating to operating a motor vehicle.

Repeal and reenact KRS 189.292 to define "mobile electronic device"; prohibit the use of a mobile electronic device while operating a motor vehicle; establish exceptions; amend KRS 189.294 to define "mobile electronic device"; amend KRS 189.990 to establish penalties for violation of KRS 189.292 and 189.294; require that money from fines be deposited into the traumatic brain injury trust fund, the Kentucky trauma care system fund, and the veterans' program trust fund; provide that a courtesy warning and not a uniform citation shall be issued by a peace officer until October 31, 2026; provide that the Act may be cited as the Phone-Down Kentucky Act.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/21/2026 - received in House

SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT
(ELKINS, GREG)

AN ACT relating to solid waste management facilities.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 109 to prohibit the imposition of fees or permitting requirements on a solid waste management facility that is handling solid waste that was generated outside of the county or waste management district where the solid waste management facility is located, by the county or waste management district where solid waste was generated.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/22/2026 - received in House

STRENGTHEN ECONOMIC INFRASTRUCTURE
(RAWLINGS, STEVE)

AN ACT relating to measures to strengthen Kentucky's economic infrastructure.

Amend KRS 369.130 to add and modify various definitions; create a new section of KRS 369.130 to 369.139 to prohibit the Commonwealth of Kentucky and governing authorities from issuing, recognizing as legal tender, accepting or requiring as payment, or participating in any test of central bank digital currency; create new sections of KRS 369.130 to 369.139 and KRS Chapter 393 to prohibit ownership of digital asset mining businesses by prohibited foreign parties; provide for enforcement by Attorney General and penalties for violation of prohibited foreign party prohibition; establish distribution of proceeds if digital asset mining business property is escheated due to a violation; amend KRS 45.345 to conform; amend KRS 42.500 to make technical corrections; permit the State Investment Commission to invest up to 10% of excess funds in bullion; prohibit State Investment Commission from investing in central bank digital currency; amend KRS 42.525 to make technical corrections; authorize the State Investment Commission to promulgate administrative regulations to carry out and effectuate certain authorized investments; establish Subtitle 13 of KRS Chapter 286 and create new sections thereof to regulate virtual currency kiosks; establish definitions; provide for enforcement by the commissioner of the Department of Financial Institutions; establish license requirements for virtual currency kiosks; require regulatory filings to be submitted to a nationwide licensing system registry; establish initial and renewal application processes and requirements, reporting, surety bond and tangible net worth, and change of control requirements for virtual currency kiosk operators; require the commissioner to promulgate administrative regulations to establish format, document submission, fee, and trade practice requirements for virtual currency kiosk operators; establish record retention requirements for persons required to be licensed as virtual currency kiosk operators; establish trade practice requirements relating to protection of resident assets, virtual currency kiosk transactions, prohibited practices, and fraud and information security compliance procedures; authorize the commissioner to conduct investigations and examinations; provide for the confidentiality of certain documents provided to the commissioner; authorize the commissioner to share, disclose, and report information and take other actions to assist in the commissioner's duties; require the commissioner to submit an annual licensing report to the Legislative Research Commission; establish due process requirements for adverse actions taken by the commissioner against licensees and other persons; establish requirements for the denial, suspension, or revocation of a license; authorize the commissioner to enter cease and desist orders and emergency orders; authorize the commissioner to order civil penalties against persons that violate the subtitle; create a new section of KRS Chapter 41 to define terms; recognize gold specie and silver specie as legal tender in Kentucky; provide for use of gold specie and silver specie as legal tender; require the State Treasurer to promulgate administrative regulations in accordance with KRS Chapter 13A to designate or establish a bullion depository and authorize 1 or more electronic payment systems to facilitate electronic payment transactions; establish requirements for system participants, transaction information, and bullion deposits; require the State Treasurer to submit an annual report to the Legislative Research Commission and to implement the system within 1 year; provide that Section 32 of the Act may be cited as the Kentucky Transactional Gold and Silver Act; require the commissioner of the Department of Financial Institutions to promulgate any required emergency and ordinary administrative regulations on or before January 1, 2027; EFFECTIVE, in part, March 31, 2027.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/6/2026 - Introduced

AD VALOREM TAX RATE
(BOSWELL, GARY)

AN ACT relating to the levy of an ad valorem tax rate.

Amend KRS 132.017, relating to the process for a recall of a local ad valorem tax rate, to define "school nickel tax rate"; require a petition process for recalling the levy of a school nickel tax rate; remove other taxes levied by local governmental entities from the petition process requirements; require an ad valorem tax levied by a local governmental entity and a general tax rate levied by a local board of education to be voted upon by the voters if the tax rate produces more than 4% in revenues over the revenues produced by the compensating tax rate; require the suspension of the ordinance, order, resolution, or motion levying the tax rate until after the required election; allow a local governmental entity or a local board of education to cancel a required recall election by reconsidering the levy and instead levying a tax rate that produces no more than 4% in revenues over the revenues produced by the compensating tax rate; specify ballot and public notification requirements for the election; provide that if a tax rate is recalled, the compensating tax rate shall be levied; amend KRS 68.245, 75A.050, 132.018, 132.023, 132.027, and 160.470 to conform; make technical changes; EFFECTIVE January 1, 2027.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/7/2026 - Introduced

KENTUCKY FIRE COMMISSION
(DENEEN, MATTHEW)

AN ACT relating to the Kentucky Fire Commission, making an appropriation therefor, and declaring an emergency.

Amend KRS 95A.020 to increase the Kentucky Fire Commission to 18 members by transferring the four ex-officio members to full member status and provide for terms of office of the non-appointive members; amend KRS 95A.262 to specify that the cancer screening reimbursements can be made from revenues allocated to the Firefighters Foundation Program fund pursuant to KRS 42.190 and 136.392; make an appropriation of $3,924,000 to the Kentucky Community and Technical College System for various projects for the commission; APPROPRIATION; EMERGENCY.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/7/2026 - Introduced

AGRITOURISM
(WEBB, ROBIN L.)

AN ACT relating to agritourism.

Amend KRS 247.801 to amend the definition of "agritourism activity"; define "working animal"; create a new section of KRS 247.800 to 247.810 to prohibit a city, town, county, or other political subdivision of the Commonwealth from restricting a person from engaging in an agritourism activity; require that an agritourism activity comply with public health and safety requirements and any existing law enforceable by police powers of local government.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/10/2026 - Senate Agriculture (S), (Bill Scheduled for Hearing)

IN THE LINE OF DUTY DEATH BENEFITS
(DENEEN, MATTHEW)

AN ACT relating to in the line of duty death benefits.

Amend KRS 61.315 to define "rescue squad personnel"; expand eligibility for in the line of duty death benefits to rescue squad personnel; require the Division of Emergency Management to promulgate administrative regulations establishing necessary criteria and procedures; amend KRS 164.2841 to define "rescue squad personnel"; expand eligibility for tuition and fee exemption to dependents of rescue squad personnel who died in the line of duty; amend KRS 342.316 to conform.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/7/2026 - Introduced

CREATE A NEW SECTION OF THE CONSTITUTION RELATING TO PROPERTY EXEMPT FROM TAXATION
(NEMES, MICHAEL J.)

AN ACT proposing to create a new section of the Constitution of Kentucky relating to property exempt from taxation.

Propose to create a new section of the Constitution of Kentucky to exempt homeowners who are 65 years of age or older from any increase in the valuation of their permanent residence that is assessed after the later of the year the homeowner turned 65 or the year the homeowner acquired the property; require the exemption to be in addition to the exemption provided in Section 170 of the Constitution of Kentucky and notwithstanding Sections 171, 172, and 174 of the Constitution of Kentucky; apply the exemption to increases in valuation that occur after the date the amendment is ratified by the voters; provide ballot language; submit to voters for ratification or rejection.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/23/2026 - received in House

FAIR PERMITTING AND LICENSING PRACTICES
(RAWLINGS, STEVE)

AN ACT relating to ensuring fair permitting and licensing practices.

Create new sections of KRS Chapter 61 to prohibit public agencies from denying permits or licenses for reasons not specified by law; implement a 30-day timeframe for ruling on applications for a permit or license if no time frame is otherwise specified by law; establish procedures for applications for a permit or license which are not ruled upon during the applicable timeframe or are denied; for appeal process.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/5/2026 - Senate Economic Development, Tourism, & Labor (S), (Bill Scheduled for Hearing)

WATER FLOURIDATION PROGRAMS
(ELKINS, GREG)

AN ACT relating to water fluoridation programs.

Amend KRS 211.190 to make water fluoridation programs optional; allow the governing bodies of water systems subject to regulation by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to decide whether they participate in water fluoridation programs; provide that a water fluoridation program in place on the effective date of the Act continues until action is taken by its governing body to end its participation; provide that any decision regarding participation in a water fluoridation program made by the governing body of a water system shall be binding on all water systems it supplies; provide that a governing body, a member or employee of a governing body, or any public or private entity that may be held liable for the actions of a governing body that makes any decision regarding its participation in an optional water fluoridation program shall be immune from civil or criminal liability for acts carried out reasonably and in good faith regarding its decision of whether to participate in the water fluoridation program.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/9/2026 - Introduced

NUCLEAR ENERGY DEVELOPMENT
(CARROLL, DANNY)

AN ACT relating to nuclear energy development.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 164 to establish the Nuclear Reactor Site Readiness Pilot Program; define terms; require the Kentucky Nuclear Energy Development Authority (authority) to annually submit recommendations to the General Assembly for awarding grant funding to eligible applicants for up to 1/3 of the actual costs incurred in applying for and procuring an early site permit, construction permit, or combined operating license from the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission, not to exceed $25,000,000; establish eligibility requirements and scoring criteria for applications; require the authority to make eligibility determinations and objectively score grant applications; require that applicants procure a surety bond or other similar security to guarantee the repayment of the grant amounts in the event of forfeiture for eligibility; provide for forfeiture and repayment of grant funding if certain permitting, licensure, or commencement of construction timelines are not met; establish the Kentucky nuclear reactor site readiness pilot program fund; create a new section of KRS Chapter 278 to allow a regulated utility to apply to the Public Service Commission for the recovery of costs not covered in its existing rates incurred in applying for and procuring an early site permit, construction permit, or combined operating license from the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission; prohibit the recovery of costs for any amounts that have been offset by grant funding from the Nuclear Reactor Site Readiness Pilot Program; amend KRS 164.2802 to require 12 hours of nuclear-related training for new and existing at-large voting members of the Kentucky Nuclear Energy Development Authority; allow the director or the chair of the authority to waive the training requirement for any member who can demonstrate adequate knowledge of nuclear-related issues; require that the authority include its evaluations, scores, and funding recommendations for the Nuclear Reactor Site Readiness Pilot Program with its annual report to the Governor and the Legislative Research Commission; amend KRS 164.2803 to allow fusion-related nuclear energy projects to be eligible for grant funding from the Nuclear Energy Development Grant Program.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/15/2026 - (S) Referred to Committee Senate Natural Resources & Energy (S)

PROHIBITED USES OF TAX DOLLARS AND RESOURCES
(RAWLINGS, STEVE)

AN ACT relating to prohibited uses of tax dollars and resources.

Amend KRS 65.013 to define terms; expand the prohibition on using tax dollars to advocate for or against a public question on the ballot to prohibit using any resources, and to explicitly apply prohibition to school districts, regional educational cooperatives, and recalls on a ballot; establish a criminal penalty and a prohibition against holding a position of public trust or profit for 10 years for a person found guilty of violating the prohibition; create a cause of action for a citizen aggrieved by a violation of the prohibition; establish a statute of limitations to commence suit and the appropriate venue; provide when the suit accrues; specify damages recoverable per violation; allow for class action; include a prohibition against holding a position of public trust or profit for 10 years for a person held civilly liable; amend KRS 48.025 and 132.017 to conform.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/9/2026 - Introduced

KENTUCKY COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK AUTHORITY
(WILLIAMS, GEX)

AN ACT relating to the Kentucky Communications Network Authority and declaring an emergency.

Amend KRS 154.15-010 to remove the definition of "executive director" of the Kentucky Communications Network Authority (KCNA); amend KRS 154.15-020 to administratively attach the KCNA to the Finance and Administration Cabinet; remove references to the executive director and the advisory group of the KCNA; abolish the KCNA advisory group; remove references to KCNA staff and require the executive director of the Commonwealth Office of Technology (COT) to assign COT personnel to carry out the functions and responsibilities of the KCNA; require the secretary of the Finance and Administration Cabinet, the Treasurer, and the executive director of the Commonwealth Office of Technology serve as ex officio members on the board of directors for any nonprofit organization incorporated to carry out activities associated with the responsibilities of the KCNA or its board; amend KRS 154.15-030 to remove all current members of the KCNA board except for the representative designated by the Center for Rural Development and replace them with the chief information officer of the Department of Education, who shall serve as chair, the Attorney General, the Governor, the Commissioner of Agriculture, the Secretary of State, and the Treasurer, or their designees; amend KRS 42.726 to add carrying out the functions and responsibilities of the KCNA to the roles and duties of the COT; amend KRS 42.732 to remove the executive director of the KCNA from the Kentucky Information Technology Advisory Council; amend KRS 12.020, 12.023, and 42.014 to conform; require that on the effective date of the Act, all functions and responsibilities previously undertaken by KCNA personnel shall be transferred to existing COT personnel; require all records, files, or documents previously maintained by KCNA personnel to be transferred to the COT; require that the position of executive director of the KCNA shall be terminated on the effective date of the Act; allow the executive director of COT to determine on or before June 30,2026, which staff previous employed by KCNA shall be retained and employed by COT; EMERGENCY.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/15/2026 - (S) Referred to Committee Senate State & Local Government (S)

PUBLIC PENSION OVERSIGHT BOARD
(HIGDON, JIMMY)

AN ACT relating to the Public Pension Oversight Board.

Amend KRS 7A.220 to amend the membership and membership qualifications of the Public Pension Oversight Board by adding the chairs or vice chairs of the Senate State & Local Government Standing Committee and House State Government Standing Committee to the board, adding the State Treasurer to the membership, removing 1 of the gubernatorial appointees from the membership, and amending "retirement experience" requirements for appointed members to include experience in retirement plan management or policy by a former elected official; make technical and conforming changes; amend KRS 7A.255 to require the Kentucky Public Pensions Authority to annually report line of duty death benefit payments to the Public Pension Oversight Board in addition to line of duty disability benefit payments; make technical amendments; EFFECTIVE, in part, January 1, 2027.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/9/2026 - (S) Referred to Committee Senate State & Local Government (S)

LOCAL OCCUPATIONAL LICENSE FEES AND TAXES
(MAYS BLEDSOE, AMANDA)

AN ACT relating to local occupational license fees and taxes.

Amend KRS 68.180, 68.185, 160.482, and 160.607, relating to local occupational license fees, taxes, and limitations, to increase certain population thresholds from 300,000 to 500,000; EFFECTIVE August 1, 2026. SCS (1) Delete original provisions, except amend KRS 160.607, relating to the local occupational license tax for schools, to increase the population threshold at which the maximum tax rate may be increased from 300,000 to 500,000; EFFECTIVE August 1, 2026.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/27/2026 - received in House

COLLABORATION WITH FEDERAL IMMIGRATION LAW ENFORCEMENT
(WHEELER, PHILLIP)

AN ACT relating to state and local collaboration with federal immigration law enforcement.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 61 to define "Jail Enforcement Model," "Task Force Model," and "Warrant Service Officer Model"; require local law enforcement and the Kentucky State Police to enter into agreements with the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement to participate in programs established under section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, 8 U.S.C. sec. 1357.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/13/2026 - Introduced

CREDIT UNIONS
(ELKINS, GREG)

AN ACT relating to the provision of financial services and products by credit unions.

Amend KRS 66.480 to allow local government and school district investments in United States obligations by a repurchase agreement with a credit union and in interest-bearing accounts issued through a credit union; amend KRS 41.010 to redefine "bank" and "state depository" to include credit unions; amend KRS 41.070 to prohibit receipts from being held, used, or deposited in a personal or special credit union account; amend KRS 41.220 to allow credit unions to be designated as state depositories; amend KRS 41.240, 41.250, 41.300, 30A.120, and 30A.200 to conform.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/14/2026 - Introduced

STANDARDIZING REAL PROPERTY TAX BILLS
(RAWLINGS, STEVE)

AN ACT relating to standardizing real property tax bills.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 134 to require use of a standardized form for all real property tax bills; require the Department of Revenue to prescribe the form and make it available to all taxing districts that levy a property tax on real property; specify provisions to be included on the form; exempt certificates of delinquency and third-party purchasers from the form requirements.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/8/2026 - Introduced

WELDING SAFETY
(WHEELER, PHILLIP)

AN ACT relating to welding safety.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 198B to establish requirements for projects using structural steel welding, such as hiring a certified welder and meeting national welding standards; define terms; exempt welding projects performed or requested on the premises of a homeowner or farmer; EFFECTIVE January 1, 2027.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/10/2026 - Senate Licensing & Occupations (S), (Bill Scheduled for Hearing)

IMPEDING A FIRST RESPONDER
(NUNN, MATT)

AN ACT relating to impeding a first responder.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 519 to define terms; establish the crime of impeding a first responder.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/22/2026 - Introduced

SOLAR ENERGY PROJECTS
(WEST, STEPHEN)

AN ACT relating to eminent domain for solar energy projects.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 416 to prohibit the construction of any solar electric generating or related transmission facility on any land that was acquired by eminent domain; amend KRS 416.570 to require that as part of the verified petition required to be filed prior to an exercise of eminent domain, a condemnor shall certify that the proposed condemnation will not violate the prohibition on constructing solar electric generating or transmission facilities on condemned land.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/20/2026 - Introduced

DEPARTMENT OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL
(ADAMS, JULIE RAQUE)

AN ACT relating to the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control and declaring an emergency.

Amend KRS 243.033 to modify alcoholic beverage caterer duties and privileges; remove caterer Sunday sales restrictions; prohibit the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control from imposing or attempting to enforce minimum customer thresholds or maximum event limits for caterers; amend KRS 243.090 to require the department to approve or deny a license application within 45 days after receipt of the application; amend KRS 438.3061, 438.3063, 438.3065, 438.3067, 438.3069, 438.310, 438.312, 438.316, and 438.337 to delay the retailer tobacco, nicotine, and vapor product license requirement until February 1, 2027; make the delay RETROACTIVE to January 1, 2026; EMERGENCY.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/22/2026 - (S) Referred to Committee Senate Licensing & Occupations (S)

SHORT-TERM RENTALS
(RICHARDSON, CRAIG)

AN ACT relating to short-term rentals.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 100 to define terms; prohibit a local government from requiring the operator of a short-term rental to obtain a conditional use permit, imposing density-based restrictions on short-term rentals, prohibiting the operation of a short-term rental in a residential zone, regulating the time or place a property may be used as a short-term rental, limiting the number of properties a person can operate as short-term rentals, imposing a residency requirement on operators of short-term rentals, restricting short-term rental platforms, or prohibiting a tenant from offering a leased property as a short-term rental with permission of a landlord; allow a planning unit to require permitting for the operation of short-term rentals and enumerate the contents of a permit application, procedures for application, revocation of a permit, benefits of permit, and penalties for operating without a permit when planning unit has adopted a permitting ordinance; state that ordinances generally applicable to all dwellings that are necessary for public health or safety and do not treat short-term rentals differently than other residential properties are unaffected; state that any ordinance that conflicts with provisions of the Act is void and unenforceable and that a party aggrieved by a violation of the Act may be awarded attorney's fees and costs; state that the Act shall not be construed to affect regulations of a homeowner's association or other similar property owner association.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/21/2026 - Introduced

CONFISCATED FIREARMS
(CARROLL, DANNY)

AN ACT relating to confiscated firearms.

Amend KRS 16.220, relating to firearms confiscated by law enforcement, to provide that firearms which were used in a homicide be destroyed; provide that firearms in the possession of the Department of Kentucky State Police may be destroyed if they have been defaced, are contaminated by hazardous material, unsafe to discharge, or upon request of an innocent owner; amend KRS 500.090, relating to forfeiture of property in criminal cases, to require local law enforcement agencies to destroy firearms that have been used in a homicide; require that all firearms that are transferred to the Department of Kentucky State Police not be intentionally damaged, modified, or disabled by the agency having custody, except as may be necessary for forensic testing; amend KRS 15.440 to require law enforcement agencies to have a written policy and procedures manual relating to the destruction of firearms used in homicides by January 1, 2027; amend KRS 15.512 to conform.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/22/2026 - Introduced

WORKER FAIRNESS IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY
(WHEELER, PHILLIP)

AN ACT relating to worker fairness in the construction industry.

Create new sections of KRS Chapter 337 to prohibit subcontractors from misclassifying employees on capital projects as independent contractors; define terms; establish criteria for classifying workers as employees or independent contractors; provide a complaint and appeal process for misclassification violations; provide that no prime contractor or subcontractor, nor any agent thereof shall retaliate against any person for taking action or providing information to investigators for violations; provide that a complaint shall be dismissed without prejudice if the Department of Workplace Standards fails to take action within 180 days after filing a complaint; provide that prime contractors or subcontractors shall post a notice for filing complaints or inquiries with the commissioner of the Department of Workplace standards; require each contract for a capital project shall require a prime contractor and any subcontractors to enroll and verify the work eligibility of all employees through the E-Verify program; require the department to promulgate administrative regulations; require the commissioner to provide any order or decision that a subcontractor has misclassified an employee as an independent contractor to the Department of Worker's Claims, the Department of Revenue, and the Office of Unemployment Insurance no later than 60 days after the order or decision; amend KRS 337.990 to establish penalties for violations; amend KRS 45A.145 to prohibit subcontractors or any corporate officer or shareholder that owns at least 10% of the outstanding stock of the corporation with 2 or more violations in 5 years from contracting with the state for 2 years; create new sections of KRS Chapters 341 and 342 and amend KRS 131.190 to require the Department of Revenue, the Office of Unemployment Insurance, and the Department of Workers' Claims to provide one another with any assessment or orders arising out of the misclassification of an employee; create a new section of KRS Chapter 337 to require the secretary of the Education and Labor Cabinet to develop a training program relating to employee misclassification; provide that Sections 1 to 8, 13, and 14 of this Act may be cited as the Kentucky Workers Fairness Act; EFFECTIVE, in part, January 1, 2027.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/22/2026 - Introduced

EMINENT DOMAIN
(HIGDON, JIMMY)

AN ACT relating to eminent domain.

Amend KRS 416.670 to establish the right of a landowner to repurchase condemned property that was not used after the completion of a highway project.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/27/2026 - (S) Referred to Committee Senate Transportation (S)

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS
(MEREDITH, STEPHEN)

AN ACT relating to prescription drugs.

Amend KRS 304.17A-164 to define and redefine terms; establish cost-sharing requirements for prescription drugs; require rebates to be passed through; establish confidentiality requirements for the rebate information; create a new section of KRS 365.880 to 365.900 to provide that the actual amount of rebates received is a trade secret; provide that compliance with prescription drug cost-sharing and rebate requirements shall not be in violation of the Uniform Trade Secrets Act; amend KRS 304.17C-125, 304.38A-115, 18A.225, and 164.2871 to apply the cost-sharing and rebate requirements for prescription drugs to limited health service benefit plans, limited health service organizations, the state employee health plan, and self-insured employer group health plans provided by the governing board of a state postsecondary education institution; apply provisions to health plans issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2027; EFFECTIVE January 1, 2027.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/27/2026 - Introduced

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE
(NEMES, MICHAEL J.)

AN ACT relating to unemployment insurance.

Amend KRS 341.243 to change the employer's contribution rate to the service capacity upgrade fund; of the rate subtracting .075% until December 31, 2026; provide that beginning January 1 2027, the rates shall be adjusted by subtracting 0.0115%; require the secretary of the Education and Labor Cabinet to set the adjustment percentage annually to be effective January 1 of each subsequent year, not to exceed 1.025%.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/4/2026 - (S) Referred to Committee Senate Economic Development, Tourism, & Labor (S)

MASSAGE THERAPY
(FUNKE FROMMEYER, SHELLEY)

AN ACT relating to massage therapy.

Amend KRS 309.364 to confer authority on local governments to regulate massage therapy buinesses relating to zoning requirements, occupational licensing or fees, and inspections, advertising, hours of operation, and sanitation; amend KRS 309.3535 to increase violation penalty from a Class B misdemeanor to Class A misdemeanor for each massage performed without a license.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/9/2026 - received in House

FISCAL REPORTING OF LOCAL ENTITIES
(NUNN, MATT)

AN ACT relating to the fiscal reporting of local entities.

Amend KRS 65A.030 to increase the fiscal reporting levels of special purpose governmental entities; allow entities conducting yearly audits to move to an audit every 4 years if the entity receives 2 sequential audit reports with unqualified opinions and report the fact that the entity is operating under the alternative audit schedule to the Department for Local Government; require an entity to have yearly audits if the entity receives anything but an unqualified audit opinion at a subsequent audit; amend KRS 147.635, relating to area planning commissions, to align their audit requirements to those in KRS 65A.030; amend KRS 220.280, relating to sanitation districts, to align their audit requirements to those in KRS 65A.030; amend KRS 43.070 and 186.240 to combine the county clerks' independent audits of motor vehicle and motorboat registration fees and licenses, motor vehicle usage taxes, and ad valorem taxes on motor vehicles and motorboats into the county clerks' regular periodic audit; require the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet to bear the cost of the portion of the audit attributed to receipts from motor vehicles and motorboats; amend KRS 64.830, relating to final settlements of outgoing county officials, to make the settlement to be complete within 60 days of the expiration of the term of office or the date a vacancy is otherwise created to account for unexpected vacancies in office; require that if an official's vacancy does not coincide with the end of the calendar year or end of the official's term, the outgoing county official is to remit any remaining funds to the fiscal court as excess fees and require the fiscal court to provide an amount equal to the excess fees remitted by the outgoing official to the outgoing county official's successor for official use; repeal KRS 43.071, relating to the annual audit of county clerk's motor vehicle and motorboat tax receipts; EFFECTIVE, in part, July 1, 2027.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/28/2026 - Introduced

RETIREMENT
(NEMES, MICHAEL J.)

AN ACT relating to retirement.

Amend KRS 61.530 to insert gender-neutral language.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/28/2026 - Introduced

LEGAL ADVERTISEMENTS
(GIVENS, DAVID P.)

AN ACT relating to legal advertisements.

Amend KRS 424.110 to define "advertisement" and "published statement of ownership"; amend KRS 424.120 to determine where newspaper advertisements shall be placed when 2 or more newspapers meet the initial qualifications; determine when alternative publication procedures may be used when there is no newspaper in the county containing the government seeking to make the advertisement or no suitable newspaper in an adjoining similarly sized county; define "adjoining similarly sized county", and set publication parameters for advertisements, along with parallel advertising in the largest association of newspapers within the Commonwealth; set time requirements for publication; provide when digital newspapers may be used for advertising and when publication is deemed to have occurred; amend KRS 424.147 to expand remedial advertising to satisfy not only the provisions found in KRS Chapter 424, but the remainder of the Kentucky Revised Statutes relating to timing or manner of publication; amend KRS 424.160 to set the rates for advertising; require contractual terms offered to public agencies of the Commonwealth that are offered to commercial customers; require the rate charged by a newspaper shall be the lowest advertising rate provided for in KRS 424.215; provide volume discounts for display forms; amend KRS 132.027, 68.245, 132.023, and 160.470 to specify that publication shall be made in the qualified newspaper under KRS 424.120 rather than in the largest newspaper within the county; remove the requirement for display type and column inch minimum; expand the requirement that publication be made not less than 7 days nor more than 21 days.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/9/2026 - (S) Referred to Committee Senate State & Local Government (S)

AFFORDABLE HOUSING
(SMITH, BRANDON)

AN ACT relating to affordable housing, making an appropriation therefor, and declaring an emergency.

Create new sections of KRS Chapter 198A to define terms; establish the abandoned home pool fund to be administered by the Kentucky Housing Corporation; specify eligible recipients, activities, and uses of fund; amend KRS 64.012 to increase county clerk recording fees and add a $2 fee to be deposited in the abandoned home pool fund; appropriate $25,000,000 from the General Fund to the abandoned home pool fund; APPROPRIATION; EMERGENCY, effective July 1, 2026.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/30/2026 - Introduced

DEPARTMENT OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL
(ADAMS, JULIE RAQUE)

AN ACT relating to the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control and declaring an emergency.

Amend KRS 243.033 to modify alcoholic beverage caterer duties and privileges; remove caterer Sunday sales restrictions; prohibit the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control from imposing or attempting to enforce minimum customer thresholds or maximum event limits for caterers; amend KRS 243.090 to require the department to approve or deny a license application within 45 days after receipt of the application; EMERGENCY.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/10/2026 - Senate Licensing & Occupations (S), (Bill Scheduled for Hearing)

PREVENTION OF HARMFUL AND FRAUDULENT PRACTICES
(ELKINS, GREG)

AN ACT relating to the prevention of harmful and fraudulent practices.

Amend KRS 367.620 to exclude certain activity from the definition of "goods or services relating to real estate"; amend KRS 367.624 to require contractors to furnish a notice relating to assignment of benefits prior to entering into a real estate goods or services contract; amend KRS 367.626 to prohibit requiring a person to pay a cancellation fee or any other fee contained in a contract that is not enforceable against the person; amend KRS 367.628 to prohibit certain representations and marketing by a contractor or person representing a contractor; provide that certain contracts between a contractor or person representing a contractor and an insured are not enforceable; modify provision prohibiting causing, or encouraging another person to cause, damage to real estate; prohibit contractors from having a financial connection with certain persons; prohibit contractors from soliciting or providing contracts on behalf of certain persons; provide that certain violations constitute a fraudulent insurance act under KRS 304.47-020 and criminal mischief in the first degree under KRS 512.020; amend KRS 367.627 to make technical amendments; require the Attorney General to enforce the contractor requirements; create a new section of KRS Chapter 15 to provide the Attorney General with concurrent jurisdiction in the investigation and prosecution of offenses under KRS 304.47-020; amend KRS 304.47-020 and 512.020 to conform; create a new section of KRS Chapter 367 to authorize the Attorney General to issue an order during certain states of emergency to require persons engaging in business as a contractor in the designated area to obtain a certificate of registration; establish registration application requirements; authorize peace officers in the designated area to enforce an order issued by the Attorney General; require contractors to post a copy of the contractor's certificate of registration at each job site within the designated area; require contractors to provide a copy of the certificate of registration or proof of registration to specified persons; prohibit contractors from soliciting business in person within the designated area for 90 days after a state of emergency is declared; prohibit local governments from imposing emergency registration or licensure for contractors under certain circumstances; exempt contractors from the registration and related requirements if the Attorney General determines that the local government imposes greater emergency registration or licensing requirements; permit a local government to submit a declaration to the Attorney General stating that the local government's emergency registration or licensure requirements are greater than those imposed under the section; require the Attorney General to affirm or reject a local government's declaration; authorize the Attorney General to promulgate administrative regulations; amend KRS 411.230 to conform; direct that certain provisions apply to contracts entered into on or after the effective date of the Act.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/10/2026 - Senate Banking & Insurance (S), (Bill Scheduled for Hearing)

MISSING AND UNIDENTIFIED PERSONS
(DENEEN, MATTHEW)

AN ACT relating to missing and unidentified persons.

Amend KRS 15.440, relating to eligibility for Law Enforcement Foundation Program funds, to require units of government to possess a written policy and procedures manual that requires local police departments to submit missing and unidentified persons case information to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System according to specified criteria.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/3/2026 - Introduced

SCHOOLS
(TICHENOR, LINDSEY)

AN ACT relating to schools and declaring an emergency.

Amend KRS 160.145 to expand existing definitions and define "private electronic communication" and "qualified school volunteer"; limit the scope of unauthorized electronic communication to private electronic communication and exclude designated types of communication from the scope of the requirement to obtain written parental consent prior to communicating outside of the traceable communication system; limit the scope of the school volunteers subject to this section to qualified school volunteers; specify that the requirement to obtain written parental consent only applies to students enrolled within the same school district as the school district employee or qualified school volunteer; permit a local school district more flexibility in disciplinary actions arising from a violation of this section; permit a written parental consent form to designate more than 1 school district employee or qualified school volunteer; provide that the written consent may be revoked by the parent who filed the consent; require notice of the revocation to be sent to the identified school district employee or qualified school volunteer; prohibit a school or school district from refusing to accept parental consent forms; prohibit requiring parental consent forms under this section as a requirement for a student to participate in an academic, athletic, or extracurricular opportunity; provide an emergency exception to permit a school district employee or qualified school volunteer to communicate electronically without prior written parental consent if the individual discloses the communication after the fact; permit a school district to reconsider allowing previously prohibited volunteers; create a new section of KRS Chapter 160 to prohibit a public school district or public charter school from entering into a nondisclosure agreement relating to unauthorized electronic communication or misconduct involving a minor or student; amend KRS 160.380 to define "abusive conduct"; require school district applicants to disclose being the subject of any disciplinary actions in the previous 12 months relating to abusive conduct and consent to a reference check; require school districts to conduct reference checks; require nonpublic schools and public school districts to disclose any disciplinary actions related to abusive conduct of applicants; provide immunity for disclosures made about school employee conduct; require school districts to request all related information from public and nonpublic schools and the Education Professional Standards Board (ESPB); require schools and EPSB to provide the records; require requests for information to be satisfied in 10 working days; require EPSB to create and implement procedures for information requests; require all school district applicants to list all schools of previous and current employment on the application; require a school district to internally report and investigate to completion all allegations of abusive conduct; require all records relating to an allegation of abusive conduct to be retained in an employee's personnel file unless the allegation is proven false; provide that certain requirements apply to public charter schools; amend KRS 156.160 to direct the Kentucky Board of Education to include employment standards in the voluntary certification standards for private schools; make technical corrections; amend KRS 160.151 to define "certified nonpublic school"; require employees of certified nonpublic schools to submit to a national and state criminal background check and a CA/N check; require certified nonpublic school personnel to have a state criminal background check every 5 years; prohibit a certified nonpublic school from hiring a violent or felony sex crime offender; require a certified nonpublic school to conduct reference checks on all applicants; prohibit a certified nonpublic school from entering into a nondisclosure agreement related to misconduct involving a minor or student; make technical corrections; amend KRS 156.095 to require the Kentucky Department of Education to develop a training related to sexual misconduct and inappropriate relationships for employees to undergo every 5 years; make technical corrections; amend KRS 161.151 to conform; require that an allegation of abusive conduct be reported pursuant to KRS 620.030; amend KRS 158.4431, 156.492, and 158.200 to conform; provide that Section 2 may be cited as Erin's Law; EMERGENCY. SCS (1) Delete all provisions except amendments to KRS 160.145; amend definitions of "family member," "parent," "private electronic communication," "qualified school volunteer," "school district employee," and " unauthorized electronic communication"; make technical changes. SFA (1) Retain all provisions; require parental notification for all material phases of an investigation of or disciplinary actions arising from unauthorized electronic communication with students. SFA (2) Retain all provisions; exclude electronic communication between a student and a school resource officer of director of pupil personnel from the definition of unauthorized electronic communication when designated school administrators are included in the communication.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/28/2026 - received in House