Week 7: 2025 Legislative Session

With the House and Senate adjourning Friday, we are now in the veto period, putting Gov. Andy Beshear on the clock. As of Friday afternoon, 128 bills and resolutions have been delivered to his desk. Under the Kentucky Constitution, he has 10 days (excluding Sundays) to act. The countdown for bills delivered last week is already underway, while those passed in week seven will have at least a week before gubernatorial action is required. The governor has three choices: sign a bill, allow it to become law without his signature, or veto it. Any bill delivered by Friday is eligible for a veto override when lawmakers return for the final two days of session on March 27 and 28. To date, the General Assembly has overridden more than 100 of Gov. Beshear’s vetoes—a record he will likely extend before the session concludes. Several notable Senate Bills were delivered to the Governor this week, including two I sponsored.

One of my bills, which reforms Kentucky’s public school standards and administrative requirements, is now awaiting the governor’s action. This legislation prioritizes critical and independent thinking, high academic achievement, and expands career and technical education opportunities within the curriculum. It also clarifies that school boards serve as tax-levying authorities and requires district budgets to be published in the same manner as school financial reports. Additionally, it repeals outdated statutes to ensure our education system remains efficient and up to date.

Additionally, my SB 84 reins in bureaucratic overreach by requiring Kentucky courts to interpret laws independently, preventing agencies from expecting judicial deference. Aligning with the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2024 rejection of the Chevron doctrine, it sets a clear legal standard for reviewing agency actions and limits agency power.

These reforms will strengthen our schools and better prepare students for the future, but they are just one piece of the work accomplished this session. 

Here are more key bills that have been sent to the governor’s desk this week:

SB 1 creates the Kentucky Film Office within the Cabinet for Economic Development to oversee and promote Kentucky’s rapidly growing film industry. The office will serve as a central hub for industry coordination, incentive administration, and workforce development. It will streamline permitting, support productions through the Kentucky Entertainment Incentive Program (KEI), and market Kentucky as a premier filming destination. The bill establishes a Kentucky Film Leadership Council to provide governance. It ensures dedicated funding through a $500,000 annual allocation, incentive application fees, and a portion of the state’s transient room tax. By positioning Kentucky as a competitive player in the film industry, SB 1 aims to create jobs, boost local economies, and showcase the state’s natural beauty and cultural heritage on a global stage.

SB 2 Prohibits taxpayer funds from being used for transgender surgeries and hormone therapy for inmates in Kentucky correctional facilities. It ensures inmates continue receiving necessary medical care for conditions like thyroid or hormonal disorders, while clearly distinguishing between essential healthcare and elective gender transition procedures. 

SB 3 updates Kentucky’s NIL laws to align with the expected House v. NCAA settlement, ensuring universities remain competitive. It allows student-athletes to enter agreements for direct compensation, establishes fair market standards, and permits sublicensing through media partners. With an emergency provision, it takes effect immediately upon its filing with the Secretary of State’s Office, be it with or without the governor’s signature or by veto override.

SB 4 establishes comprehensive policies for the responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) in Kentucky’s government. It defines key AI terms, creates an AI Governance Committee, and tasks the Commonwealth Office of Technology with setting ethical and transparent policy standards. The bill emphasizes public disclosure, employee training, and data privacy protections. It also addresses AI’s role in elections by regulating synthetic media and prohibiting deceptive AI-generated content in political messaging. An emergency clause makes the bill effective immediately upon passage.

SB 10 enhances retiree health benefits for County Employees Retirement System (CERS) members by increasing health insurance subsidies to $40 per year for non-hazardous retirees and $50 per year of service for hazardous retirees. To support this, hazardous employees will contribute 2% of pay, and non-hazardous employees hired after July 1, 2003, will also begin contributing. The change applies retroactively for eligible retirees on January 1, 2026. The bill, developed in collaboration with law enforcement, firefighters, and local governments, strengthens recruitment and retention while keeping the system financially sound.

SB 15 aligns Kentucky’s wage laws with the minor league baseball collective bargaining agreement, ensuring salary increases, year-round pay, health insurance, and housing assistance. Supported by Major League Baseball (MLB) and the MLB Players Association, it prevents disruptions to player development and team operations. The bill carries an emergency designation. 

SB 18 expands insurance options for licensed vehicle dealers, allowing coverage from more insurers, including qualified non-admitted insurers. It increases flexibility in meeting licensing requirements and updates insurance statutes.

SB 19 requires a daily one to two-minute moment of silence or reflection in Kentucky public schools, allowing students to meditate, pray, or reflect quietly without staff direction. Parents will be notified and encouraged to guide their children on how to utilize this time. The bill preserves existing provisions on the Pledge of Allegiance, patriotic education, and historical document displays. It also establishes a process for local school boards to approve student participation in moral instruction, requiring providers to submit requests, pass background checks, and assuring participating students count toward school funding (SEEK). 

SB 22 updates licensing and enforcement standards for cosmetologists, estheticians, and barbers. It expands testing opportunities, allows license reciprocity for professionals from U.S. territories, and strengthens penalties for businesses that employ unlicensed nail technicians. The bill also establishes licensing and regulations for mobile barber shops, including location reporting, operational standards, and inspection requirements. Additionally, it permits barber exams in Department of Corrections facilities and removes the requirement that the Board of Cosmetology’s executive director be a licensed cosmetologist.

SB 24 strengthens insurance fraud protections by expanding the definition of fraudulent statements in property and casualty claims. It includes estimates, repair costs, and related expenses, closing loopholes to deter fraud and protect consumers.

SB 25 started as a measure expanding industrial revenue bond eligibility for multifamily housing but has evolved into a broad appropriations and oversight bill. It now includes the creation of a Medicaid Oversight and Advisory Board and sets two-year terms for Senate appointees. The bill also allows local fire safety appeals boards, and strengthens the State Auditor’s authority, including requiring software access and background checks. Finally, it mandates semiannual reports on government efficiency, establishes a Judicial Reserve Fund, expands bond reporting, and allocates $3.2 million to the Court of Justice.

SB 26  protects parents and prospective adoptive parents with disabilities from discrimination in adoption, parental rights, foster care, and kin placement decisions. It mandates individualized assessments, adaptive services, and documentation, aligning state policy with the ADA while prioritizing child welfare.

SB 27 proposes the creation of a state Parkinson’s Disease Research Registry, managed by the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, to collect data that supports research, improves treatment, and helps identify factors contributing to the disease. With over 548 Kentuckians lost to Parkinson’s in 2022, the bill seeks to advance understanding and improve outcomes. It also allows certain healthcare facilities to provide nonemergency medical transportation for residents when a contracted provider is unavailable, without Medicaid reimbursement, unless they become a contracted provider. 

SB 63 allows street-legal special purpose vehicles on public roads under specific conditions. It sets safety, registration, and insurance requirements, with a 20-mile limit on roads with centerline markings. Use is prohibited on interstates, parkways, and restricted highways. Farm-use vehicles are exempt from registration. Local governments must pass an ordinance to permit their use within their jurisdiction. Without local approval, these vehicles cannot be operated on highways in that area.

SB 64 strengthens protections for critical infrastructure by expanding legal safeguards to cable, telephone, and broadband facilities. It also increases penalties for copper theft and related crimes to prevent service disruptions and enhance public safety. The bill carries an emergency designation.

SB 65 nullifies two administrative regulations related to Medicaid services after they were found deficient during the 2024 legislative interim. It ensures that unapproved regulations are void. A House floor amendment added additional regulations found deficient since the bill’s introduction. It includes an emergency clause to prevent any regulatory uncertainty or disruptions in Medicaid services, making it effective immediately upon passage.

SB 75 lowers the minimum age to carry a concealed deadly weapon in Kentucky from 21 to 18. It makes conforming changes to related statutes and includes technical corrections.

SB 77 updates the membership qualifications for the Education Professional Standards Board, which sets standards for teacher certification in Kentucky. The bill aims to ensure broader representation from independent not-for-profit colleges and universities. The Governor may appoint either a chief academic officer or the head of an educator preparation program from these institutions, removing the option to appoint a designee. Additionally, it empowers the Council on Postsecondary Education to judge additional academic offerings and consider a proposal for a new doctoral program submitted by a comprehensive university, such as Ph.D., veterinary medicine, or osteopathic programs, provided that the university meets additional performance criteria.

SB 87 streamlines airport procurement, enhances safety, updates regulations, and increases fines. It ensures aviation funding transparency and directs a study on an FAA-recognized air traffic control or safety program.

SB 89 reflects a coordinated effort to strengthen regulatory clarity and protect Kentucky’s water resources. It updates key definitions in Kentucky law, including “waters of the Commonwealth,” aligning it with the federal definition of “navigable waters.” The bill includes protections for wellhead protection areas, domestic water springs, and sinkholes with open drains. The bill also codifies bonding requirements for long-term water treatment at coal mine sites to ensure environmental accountability.

SB 120 enhances protections for student-athletes by requiring coaches and school staff to complete training on recognizing and reporting abuse. The bill mandates that athletic consent forms include clear instructions on how students can report abuse, empowering them with important information. It also expands participation opportunities for 7th and 8th graders in certain high school sports, allows competition with eligible at-home private school teams, and requires schools to post child labor laws to inform students and parents of their rights.

SB 129 reforms Kentucky’s property tax sales by ensuring only vacant and abandoned properties are eligible and requiring county attorneys to verify abandonment. In counties with consolidated local governments, the bill requires certain development projects in single-family zones to follow zoning map amendment procedures and prohibits leasing accessory or multi-family units unless the owner lives on the property. It exempts residential projects with at least 50% housing from certain state reports, bans unfair emergency response fees on landlords, removes urban service district taxes from central business districts, and prevents planning commissions from changing zoning rules without legislative approval. 

SB 130 creates new criminal offenses to combat gift card fraud, targeting individuals who tamper with, steal, or fraudulently use gift cards. It makes it a Class D felony to manipulate a gift card’s packaging or security features to access funds without authorization. The bill defines “face value” for prosecution purposes and penalizes theft based on a card’s value, ensuring clearer enforcement. By addressing a growing form of financial fraud, SB 130 strengthens consumer protections and provides law enforcement with better tools to prosecute gift card-related crimes.

SB 136 modernizes Kentucky’s vehicle registration system, ensures fair insurance valuations for totaled vehicles, and expands access to REAL IDs. It enhances the Kentucky Automated Vehicle Information System (KAVIS) for more efficient processing, requires insurers to use nationally recognized valuation guides, and allows Marshall Islands citizens to obtain a Kentucky REAL ID. The bill also expands the Kentucky State Police driver’s testing pilot program to up to 10 counties. The bill requires most lienholders to use the electronic title system for lien management starting July 1, 2026, but exempts those not regularly engaged in vehicle financing or granted a cabinet exemption.

SB 176 requires various statutory committee membership appointments to be made in January of each odd-numbered year, vacancies to be filled within 30 days, and the president of the Senate and speaker of the House to appoint co-chairs. Committees include the Legislative Research Commission, the Legislative Oversight and Investigations Committee, and more.

SB 178 reorganizes the Education and Labor Cabinet to enhance vocational rehabilitation, apprenticeship services, and workforce recruitment and retention. It codifies the transfer of the Division of Program Policy and Support from the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to the Education and Labor Cabinet’s Office of Vocational Rehabilitation. The bill also renames the Office of Employer and Apprentice Services to the Office of Industry and Apprenticeship Services, placing the Division of Apprenticeship and the Division of Workforce Talent within this newly named office. A House revision moves the Division of Workforce Talent directly under the Office of Industry and Apprenticeship Services, makes technical changes, and sets an effective date of July 1, 2025.

SB 190 helps charities generate more revenue for their missions while maintaining oversight and structure by expanding charitable gaming opportunities to support nonprofit fundraising. It allows volunteers to serve at up to six weekly events or sessions, increasing community engagement. Licensed charitable organizations may now conduct up to three bingo sessions per week, up from two, providing more opportunities to raise funds. The total allowable gaming time is extended from 10 to 15 hours per week, further supporting nonprofit efforts. These changes take effect on July 1, 2025. 

SB 207 Known as The School Innovation Act, the bill gives Kentucky’s public schools greater flexibility to implement innovative educational strategies by establishing a waiver process through the Kentucky Board of Education. Any public school may apply to become a school of innovation, whether seeking to enhance academic offerings, expand specialized programs, or take a fresh approach to improvement. For struggling schools, this provides an opportunity for a reset within the public school system while maintaining district leadership and accountability. The bill sets clear terms and limitations for waivers, requiring state approval and oversight, with procedures for renewal and rescission when necessary. To streamline the process, it authorizes administrative regulations to support waiver implementation. Additionally, districts may partner with third parties to facilitate innovation, with safeguards in place to revoke waivers if mismanagement occurs. Modeled after successful reforms in South Carolina and Indiana, this legislation creates a structured pathway for schools to pursue tailored solutions that best serve their students.

SB 245 strengthens legislative oversight of the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources Commission by requiring any commissioner whose reappointment is rejected by the Senate vacate their seat upon the adjournment of a legislative session. Under current law, unconfirmed commissioners can continue serving for months or even up to a year if no successor is appointed. This reform ensures that Senate confirmation is a binding requirement, preventing unconfirmed members from exercising regulatory authority over sportsmen beyond the oversight body’s approval. 

SJR 26 Direct the Department for Medicaid Services to provide the Legislative Research Commission with a report regarding pharmacist payment parity. 

SCR 43 Expressed the General Assembly’s support for the Crisis Recovery Support Network coordinated by the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB). The network provides long-term counseling support to schools, districts, and postsecondary institutions recovering from natural disasters, school shootings, and other crises, focusing on rural areas lacking resources. SREB will cover initial training and coordination costs, though states may later contribute $10,000 annually to sustain the program. By adopting 

SCR 43, the Kentucky General Assembly affirms its commitment to student and educator well-being by recognizing the network as a trusted resource for crisis recovery. 


HOUSE BILLS

HB 2 allows Kentucky taxpayers to sue the Kentucky Department of Revenue (DOR) and Finance Cabinet heads over illegal collection of taxes on gold and silver. In the previous legislative session, lawmakers removed such taxes. Attorney General Russell Coleman verified Gov. Beshear unconstitutionally line item vetoed the provision, and thus the law should be enforced, yet DOR has continued collecting these taxes.

HB 4 prohibits Kentucky’s public universities from funding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and requires the closure of DEI offices and positions by June 30. It prevents institutions from influencing admissions, hiring, scholarships, and campus programs based on race, religion, sex, color, or national origin. The bill also bans mandatory DEI training and prohibits universities from requiring students or staff to take courses promoting differential treatment based on these characteristics. The bill does not prohibit any activities, programs or initiatives for military veterans, Pell Grant recipients, first-generation college students, nontraditional students, transfer students from KCTCS, or those with unique disabilities.

HB 6 is mirrored legislation to Senate Bill 20, which strengthens oversight of administrative regulations by defining “major economic impact” as implementation and compliance costs totaling at least $500,000. It requires administrative bodies to certify that regulations have been reviewed and approved before submission, including a signature and date from the responsible official. Additionally, the bill ensures that agencies can only issue regulations within their legally designated authority.

HB 10 aims to protect property owners from the unlawful occupation and damage caused by squatters. The bill establishes a streamlined process for law enforcement to remove unauthorized occupants from private property, eliminating the need for lengthy and costly court proceedings. It also increases penalties for individuals who unlawfully occupy or damage real estate, addressing growing concerns from Kentucky property owners facing these challenges on homes, businesses, railroads, and other properties.

HB 15 lowers the minimum age for a driving permit from 16 to 15, aligning Kentucky with most Southern states. Permit holders must maintain it for 180 days before advancing to an intermediate license, which must be held until age 17 before obtaining a full license.

HB 19  protects individuals and private property from unauthorized drone surveillance. It prohibits the use of drones to record or conduct surveillance without consent, while allowing legitimate business uses like utilities, mapping, and insurance. The bill creates a civil cause of action for violations, with remedies including damages and injunctive relief, and sets a seven-year statute of limitations.

HB 24 exempts soil and water conservation districts from certain audit requirements and raises the threshold for annual audits from $750,000 to $1 million. Instead, audits will be required every four years unless a district meets the $1 million threshold. The same changes apply to watershed conservancy districts. A Senate revision also allows the PACE board to approve temporary roads or structures on conservation easements, provided they are removed once work is completed. This change supports infrastructure and land use needs without permanently disrupting conservation areas.

HB 27 guarantees homeowners in planned communities the right to display political yard signs. Signs may be posted 30 days before an election and removed within seven days after, with HOAs allowed to set reasonable size and placement rules.

HB 38 strengthens protections for victims by enhancing criminal penalties for repeated violations of an order of protection and clarifying what constitutes a repeated offense. It allows petitioners to be excused from court appearances until the respondent has been served, ensuring their safety and reducing undue burden. The bill also broadens the enhanced penalty for a third violation, allowing prior violations against different protected persons to count toward escalation.
 
HB 45 strengthens campaign finance laws by adding reporting requirements, prohibiting foreign contributions, and expanding disclosure rules. Senate changes clarify “paid for by” statements, allow legal campaign fund transfers, and affirm fundraiser expenses as allowable.

HB 54 allows dual credit students in trade programs to count on-the-job training hours from internships and cooperative placements toward licensure requirements for professions regulated by the Department of Housing, Buildings, and Construction, including electricians, plumbers, and HVAC technicians. The bill sets maximum allowable equivalencies—up to 4,000 hours for electricians, two years for plumbers, and 3,000 hours for HVAC licenses. It also requires the department to establish a reporting system and use existing licensure regulations to determine eligibility, ensuring alignment with industry standards.

HB 73 adds WeLeadCS, a virtual computer science career academy for Kentucky high school students, to the Teachers’ Retirement System (TRS) list of participating employers. The bill also requires the TRS consulting actuary to provide a breakdown of actuarial liabilities for each participating employer in its annual actuarial valuation, improving transparency and financial oversight.

HB 90 as amended in the Senate, clarifies Kentucky law regarding perinatal palliative care and medical interventions for pregnant women facing life-threatening conditions. It defines key medical terms and ensures physicians can provide lifesaving treatment, including miscarriage management, care for ectopic pregnancies, and emergency interventions for sepsis, hemorrhage, or other serious complications. The bill also requires that perinatal palliative care services be offered when a severe fetal diagnosis is made. These changes provide legal clarity for medical professionals while reinforcing protections for both women and unborn children.

HB 131 provides flexibility in firefighter scheduling while protecting collective bargaining rights and ensuring pay remains unchanged, helping departments balance staffing needs and firefighter well-being. It allows certain firefighters, without a collective bargaining agreement, to work either a 48-hour on/96-hour off schedule or a 24-hour on/72-hour off, followed by a 48-hour on/72-hour off rotation. It allows collective bargaining agreements to override these schedules and clarifies that schedule changes will not reduce firefighter pay, excluding non-scheduled overtime.

HB 132 addresses a gap in funding for schools providing instruction to students in inpatient medical facilities and assures schools can receive funding for students receiving home or hospital instruction in inpatient facilities starting on the first day of admission, rather than waiting five days. It allows students to access instruction immediately while keeping existing documentation requirements in place.

HB 136 requires the Department of Corrections to provide detailed reports on individuals released from correctional institutions, including first-time offenders and those on parole. The report, submitted to the Interim Joint Committee on Judiciary and published online, will include sentencing data, parole rates, and time served, including for life sentences. It also mandates a parole report covering demographics, prison history, supervision conditions, additional data on individuals released on supervision, recidivism rates, and other key factors. Additionally, the bill requires the department to procure a new inmate communications contract by January 1, 2026. The department must collect necessary data and may establish regulations to implement the law, which takes effect Jan. 1, 2026.

HB 137 ensures that air quality violations are based on scientifically validated methods, aligns state regulations with federal standards, and limits the use of unverified air monitoring data in enforcement actions.

HB 160 ensures fair zoning treatment for qualified manufactured homes by preventing local governments from excluding them or imposing stricter requirements than those for site-built homes in residential zones. It defines a qualified manufactured home as one built within the last five years, at least 20 feet wide, and 900 square feet—though smaller homes may qualify based on lot size and setbacks. The bill also clarifies acceptable foundation standards to align with industry requirements. 

HB 164 allows courts to finalize adoptions posthumously if a child dies during the process. This ensures legal recognition for grieving families while preventing financial benefits from transferring.

HB 184 extends Kentucky’s Insurance Regulatory Sandbox through 2030, allowing companies to test innovative insurance products under oversight from the Department of Insurance. It also updates reporting requirements to ensure transparency and consumer protection.

HB 188 establishes a new driveaway license plate for businesses that transport vehicles on behalf of others before ownership transfer. It sets rules for plate issuance, fees, use restrictions, and record-keeping requirements. Plates are reusable, expire annually, and can only be used for specific transport purposes.

HB 193 streamlines Kentucky’s dual credit and work-ready scholarship programs by consolidating them into a single statute. The bill simplifies administration for schools, colleges, and state agencies while ensuring students have clear access to available opportunities. It allows high school students to take up to eight career and technical education dual credit courses and four general education courses, all covered by dual credit scholarships. Additionally, it removes the penalty that reduced scholarship amounts by 50 percent for unsuccessful course completion and shifts scholarship distribution to a first-come, first-served basis rather than prioritizing seniors over juniors.

HB 196 reduces the required number of emergency medical or mine emergency technicians on duty at active coal mines. If a shift has 10 or fewer employees, only one technician is needed instead of two.

HB 201 addresses rental property misuse by amending KRS 514.070 to classify holding rented property beyond the agreed period—thereby depriving the owner of future rentals—as theft by failure to make required disposition of property. The bill clarifies legal consequences for individuals who unlawfully retain rental property past the contractual term.

HB 208 requires local school boards to prohibit student use of personal telecommunication devices during instructional time, with exceptions for teacher-authorized use. It also expands school internet restrictions by requiring social media platforms to be blocked on school networks. 

HB 233 updates consumer protections for real estate goods or services contracts by defining terms, establishing a five-business-day cancellation window after an insurer’s notice of noncoverage, and setting new notice and cancellation requirements. It strengthens penalties and trade practice regulations related to property and casualty insurance. The bill applies to contracts entered into on or after the effective date. 

HB 240 strengthens early literacy by requiring a universal reading screener for kindergarten students in the last 10 days of school. Beginning in the 2025-26 school year, students who do not meet reading benchmarks may be retained in kindergarten or shall remain in first grade for an additional year. Students turning seven by August 1 are exempt from kindergarten retention, and placement decisions for special education students will be made by their admissions and release committee. The bill also requires schools to reevaluate reading improvement plans for retained students.

HB 263 clarifies how student-teacher stipends are disbursed, ensuring they are not classified as financial aid. It allows the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority to distribute stipends directly to eligible students and establish criteria for approving stipends for Kentucky residents student-teaching outside the state. The bill also removes expected family income from the selection criteria for the teacher scholarship and makes conforming changes to related statutes.

HB 298 reforms the process for identifying and supporting schools needing comprehensive support and improvement (CSI). It requires annual CSI reviews, gives superintendents flexibility in forming turnaround teams, and mandates evidence-based instruction and curricula. The bill also strengthens policies on staff misconduct, including mandatory reporting, reference checks, continued investigations, and regular background checks. Districts with multiple CSI schools may contract with turnaround vendors, with commissioner approval.

HB 303 creates academic and career pathways to help military healthcare personnel transition into civilian healthcare roles. It allows colleges to offer bridge programs that credit military training, reducing time to earn credentials. Programs must align with the DoD SkillBridge Program, and professional licensure boards will collaborate to support licensing. Schools must report annually on program outcomes, ensuring a smoother transition for military medical professionals into the workforce.

HB 305 expands the healthcare training scholarship program to include licensed physician assistants, dietitians, and nutritionists. It also prohibits employment restrictions for scholarship recipients enrolled in state-registered nursing aide training programs. These changes aim to broaden access to healthcare training opportunities and support workforce development.

HB 306 expands eligibility for professional engineer licensure to accredited fire protection engineering technology program graduates. Applicants must complete 45 additional credit hours in engineering science or design and gain at least six years of progressive engineering experience or teaching in the field. The bill also includes engineering instructors from designated programs and directs the licensing board to set regulations for evaluating engineering coursework.

HB 313 officially declares June as Kentucky History Month. 

HB 315 bans foreign entities from proscribed countries from acquiring agricultural land in Kentucky or participating in state agriculture programs. They may purchase land for non-agricultural use if developed within five years. The Attorney General enforces compliance, with violations leading to state seizure and foreclosure. A Senate Committee Substitute (SCS) allows foreign-owned companies to lease land for agricultural research, ensuring operations like Syngenta can continue while maintaining restrictions on foreign land ownership.

HB 342 requires Kentucky high school students entering ninth grade in the 2026-2027 school year or later to complete one credit in financial literacy. 

HB 390 directs the Department of Vehicle Regulation to establish an online insurance verification system by 2027. It sets requirements for insurer data submissions, creates a technical advisory committee, and updates processes for revoking and reinstating vehicle registrations for lack of insurance. Reinstatement fees will help fund the new system, with additional technical changes made to existing laws.

HB 392 ensures that prisoners and inmates are housed according to their original biological sex. It also clarifies that the state is responsible for providing proper medical care, including emergency care, for patients in state-run mental health facilities. The intent is to promote safety in correctional facilities and guarantee appropriate healthcare for those in state care.

HB 398 makes key changes to Kentucky’s workplace safety laws. It prohibits the state from enforcing any occupational safety regulations that are stricter than federal rules. The bill allows only current employees or their qualified representatives to request an inspection and requires they be notified of any complaints. It ensures employee representatives can be present during inspections and sets strict time limits for filing complaints and issuing citations, including a six-month limit on issuing citations after a violation. Courts may also award legal expenses against the Department of Workplace Standards in certain cases.

HB 399 aims to keep order during legislative proceedings by creating two levels of interference offenses. First-degree interference applies to disorderly conduct that disrupts or prevents the legislature from conducting business and is a Class A misdemeanor for a first offense, and a Class D felony for subsequent offenses. Second-degree interference involves unlawfully entering or remaining in legislative spaces or obstructing legislators or staff, with penalties ranging from a Class B misdemeanor to a Class A misdemeanor for repeat offenses.

HB 415 clarifies that insurance coverage mandates under Subtitle 17A of KRS Chapter 304 apply only to primary, major medical health insurance policies. It reinforces the long-standing exclusion of limited and supplemental insurance from these mandates. The bill also gives the insurance commissioner authority to exempt similar or limited coverage types from these requirements.

HB 422 updates Kentucky’s administrative regulations process to improve transparency and public access. It establishes clear filing and notification requirements for state agencies and directs the Commonwealth Office of Technology to manage a centralized website for public access to regulation filings. The bill also streamlines procedures for reviewing, deferring, and withdrawing regulations, allows for informational and full review meetings, and applies regulation deficiency procedures to all legislative committees. Additionally, it clarifies the definition of “signature” and makes technical updates to existing laws.

HB 424 requires the boards of state universities and the Kentucky Community and Technical College System to approve a performance and productivity evaluation process for presidents and faculty members by January 1, 2026. Faculty must be evaluated at least once every four years, and employees who fail to meet performance standards may be removed regardless of status. The bill also allows university presidents to be delegated authority for faculty appointments and removals and establishes contract duration limits for employees in these institutions. 

HB 441 makes several changes to the Teachers’ Retirement System to expand hiring flexibility for school districts. It increases the percentage of retired teachers a district can rehire full-time from 3% to 10%, and under the critical shortage provision, from 1% or two members to 10% or four members. The bill removes the requirement for superintendents to make every reasonable effort to hire qualified applicants in critical shortage areas and eliminates the pension waiver program, while allowing current participants to continue. It also removes Kentucky Virtual High School from the list of schools operated by the Department of Education.

HB 455 establishes the Office of Election Investigations and Security within the Office of the Attorney General and requires an annual report to the Legislative Research Commission.

HB 495 prohibits discrimination against mental health care professionals, institutions, and ordained ministries for providing protected counseling services. A significant revision by a Senate committee substitute removes Medicaid payment for hormone or other gender-affirming care.

HB 520 exempts law enforcement records from public inspection if disclosing them could pose a risk by revealing the identity of informants or witnesses not otherwise known. 

HB 537 strengthens the Opioid Abatement Trust Fund by ensuring that all money from opioid-related settlements, lawsuits, or bankruptcies goes directly into the fund. It removes outdated references to past legal cases and gives the Attorney General the authority to set rules on how certain funds are distributed. The bill improves oversight and ensures settlement money is used to fight addiction and support recovery efforts across Kentucky.

HB 662 prohibits government agencies from disclosing personally identifiable information of judicial officers and their immediate family upon written request and requires removal of such information within 72 hours. It also establishes a civil cause of action for unauthorized disclosure. The bill further modifies insurance denial procedures, removing the requirement for a medical license number on specific insurance-related notices and eliminating the need for a medical director’s signature on denial letters. However, an amendment restores the requirement that internal appeal determination letters and review notices provided to providers must include the medical license number of the decision-maker.

HB 684 updates Kentucky’s election procedures, voter accessibility, and candidate filing rules. It allows fewer precinct officers for consolidated precincts and requires election boards to notify schools by December 1 if buildings will be used as polling places, though schools are not required to close. Caregivers of qualified voters may cast excused in-person absentee ballots, and county clerks can issue and reissue mail-in absentee ballots. Ballot drop-box and audit surveillance footage may be disposed of after 60 days unless needed for legal purposes.

HB 694 directs employer contributions for retiree health in the Teachers’ Retirement System (TRS) to be used to reduce the pension fund’s unfunded liability once the retiree health fund is fully funded. If the retiree health fund falls below 95% funding, those contributions will return to the health fund until it is fully funded again. The TRS Board may recommend changes to reduce employee or employer contributions once both the pension and retiree health funds are fully funded. This shift in contributions is expected to accelerate the pension fund’s path to full funding by approximately two years.

HB 701 protects the use of digital assets and self-hosted wallets, prevents local zoning discrimination against digital asset mining businesses, and establishes guidelines for blockchain node operations. It shields node operators and staking providers from liability for validated transactions and exempts digital asset mining and staking from money transmitter and securities regulations. The Attorney General’s Office is authorized to enforce violations.

HB 783 strengthens oversight of motor vehicle dealers’ use of temporary tags. It limits tag purchases based on prior sales, requires electronic recordkeeping, and sets clear rules for issuing tags. The bill prohibits misuse, such as issuing tags to ineligible vehicles or before a sale, and establishes penalties including fines, license suspension, and felony charges for violations.

HJR 15 returns for permanent display on the New State Capitol grounds the granite Ten Commandments monument given to the Commonwealth of Kentucky in 1971 by the Fraternal Order of Eagles. 

HJR 30 authorizes the Office of State Budget Director to release a portion of money appropriated for the Kentucky Water or Wastewater Assistance for Troubled or Economically Restrained Systems Fund. 

HJR 32 authorizes the Office of State Budget Director to release certain awards from the School Facility Assistance Fund.  

HJR 34 declares that the contingent appropriation of capital construction funds to improve and advance the existing Kentucky Community and Technical College System remains under consideration by the General Assembly.