Week 10 Legislative Update

Sen. Steve Rawlings (District 11)
The two most significant measures still under review are the state’s two-year budget and the two-year road plan. The Senate is currently examining the House proposal and preparing potential adjustments before sending it back to the House.

Once both chambers review each other’s versions, the budget will likely move to a conference committee to finalize the details before being sent to the governor.

Bills approved in the Senate

With the close of Senate and House proceedings on Friday, just 14 legislative days remain in the 2026 session. The following is an update on legislation approved by the Senate this week. 

As the primary sponsor, I was thankful to see Senate Bill 34 pass the Senate this week. The legislation gives Kentuckians a simple new option for transferring a home or vehicle directly to a named beneficiary upon death without having to go through the probate process.

Under the bill, property owners maintain full control of their home or vehicle during their lifetime and may change or revoke the designation at any time. The transfer only takes effect after death if the designation has been properly recorded, providing families with a straightforward and affordable estate planning option.

Additional bills passing this week include the following.

Senate Bill 6: Appropriates $150 million in fiscal year 2027 to the Endowed Research Fund created by Senate Bill 1 in 2024. The fund supports five research consortium accounts administered by the Council on Postsecondary Education to advance collaborative research initiatives across Kentucky.

Senate Bill 19: Designates the indigo milk cap, a mushroom native to Kentucky forests, as the official state mushroom. The proposal was brought forward by students from Letcher County Central High School and is intended to recognize Kentucky’s natural heritage and promote environmental education.

Senate Bill 41: Requires most local tax increases that exceed four percent above the compensating rate to be submitted to voters for approval. Local governments may avoid a recall election by lowering the proposed rate within the four-percent threshold.

Senate Bill 53: Clarifies that local planning units, commissions and boards may hold public hearings and accept public comment when reviewing subdivision plats and development plans. The bill reinforces transparency and public participation in local land-use decisions.

Senate Bill 65: Nullifies several administrative regulations deemed deficient by the Administrative Regulation Review Subcommittee. The measure reinforces legislative oversight of agency rulemaking by invalidating rules that lawmakers determined did not properly implement statutory intent.

Senate Bill 66: Updates Kentucky’s impaired driving laws to clarify the consequences of refusing a blood test and to improve enforcement procedures. The bill also expands the list of substances subject to per se DUI prosecutions and aligns record-retention requirements for moving violations.

Senate Bill 77: Creates a framework to support research into ibogaine as a potential treatment for opioid use disorder and other neurological conditions. The bill establishes the Ibogaine Research and Intellectual Property Development Fund and authorizes public-private partnerships to conduct clinical research.

Senate Bill 97: Requires health benefit plans to cover medically necessary prosthetic and orthotic devices and establishes minimum coverage standards. The bill also sets patient notification requirements, network adequacy standards and reporting requirements for insurers.

Senate Bill 100: Strengthens the authority of the Energy Planning and Inventory Commission in evaluating Kentucky’s energy supply and utility decisions. The bill expands the executive director’s access to information and allows the commission to participate more directly in Public Service Commission proceedings.

Senate Bill 116: Updates statutes governing physician assistants to support more efficient collaboration within physician-led care teams. The bill modernizes practice and administrative requirements to help improve health care access, particularly in rural areas.

Senate Bill 133: Updates fiscal reporting and audit requirements for certain local entities. The bill raises reporting thresholds, allows qualified entities to move to longer audit cycles and aligns audit procedures for several local government offices.

Senate Bill 147: Modernizes Kentucky’s vital records laws governing birth and death certificates. The bill clarifies the legal status of certified copies, updates fee structures and strengthens coordination between death records and voter registration maintenance.

Senate Bill 149: Updates statutes governing the office of county treasurer. The bill aligns treasurer appointments with county election cycles and allows fiscal courts to appoint acting or deputy treasurers when necessary.

Senate Bill 198: Updates statutes governing the authority and responsibilities of the Office of the Attorney General. The bill adds federal tax information security requirements, clarifies agency record custody and establishes a 10-year statute of limitations for certain legal actions.

Senate Bill 219: Requires the commissioner of the Department of Financial Institutions to impose a $3 fee on deferred deposit transactions. The fee supports the collection and reporting of required data from licensed deferred deposit service businesses.

Senate Bill 221: Strengthens Kentucky’s abuse of a corpse statute by making it a Class D felony to knowingly buy or sell a corpse or parts of a corpse after final disposition has been authorized. The bill addresses gaps in law exposed by cases involving the illegal sale of human remains.

Senate Bill 222: Updates Kentucky law governing environmental covenants used in environmental remediation projects. The bill clarifies procedures for creating and enforcing land-use restrictions on contaminated properties to support redevelopment.

Senate Bill 224: Establishes statutory protections for vested property rights in development approvals. Planning authorities must evaluate permit applications using the development standards in effect when the application was submitted.

Senate Bill 225: Requires the Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction to evaluate the impact of proposed building code changes on residential construction. The department must conduct cost-benefit analyses and report findings to the General Assembly.

Senate Bill 226: Allows agents guaranteeing prices under preneed burial contracts to charge a one-time administrative fee of up to 15 percent once the contract is fully paid. The fee is exempt from certain refund requirements and applies to contracts entered into after the law takes effect.

Senate Bill 261: Allows fiscal courts and cities to fund the maintenance of pedestrian swinging bridges used for recreation. The bill also provides liability protections for landowners who lease property to local governments for these purposes.

Senate Bill 262: Proposes a constitutional amendment allowing constitutional amendments to appear on ballots as a clear summary or question rather than the full text. The change is intended to make ballot language easier for voters to understand.

Senate Bill 291: Creates a statewide licensing system for secondary metal recyclers to help deter the resale of stolen metal. The bill requires reporting through the LeadsOnline database and strengthens coordination with law enforcement to combat copper theft.

Senate Bill 312: Expands the authority of certified court security officers to transport individuals in custody beyond courthouse grounds. The bill also allows these officers to assist with certain involuntary mental health commitment transports.

Senate Bill 323: Requires subpoenas for medical records to be served at least 14 days before records must be produced. The change provides health care providers adequate time to locate and provide records while supporting orderly court proceedings.

Senate Bill 333: Requires proceeds from the sale of confiscated firearms to be transferred to the Office of the Attorney General. The funds will be used to provide grants to police departments for the purchase of body armor.

Senate Bill 343: Reorganizes the Department of Workers’ Claims by moving it under the Office of the Governor. The bill establishes leadership qualifications and transfers all related staff and resources as part of the restructuring.

Senate Concurrent Resolution 66: Encourages the University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville to explore participation in federal nuclear energy programs. The resolution also urges expansion of academic programs in nuclear science and engineering.

Senate Joint Resolution 62: Directs the Division of Water to prepare a report outlining the permitting process for debris removal from waterways following flooding. The report will also include recommendations for improving cleanup coordination and efficiency.

Senate Joint Resolution 75: Directs the Public Service Commission to study ways to improve the affordability of utility services, particularly for low-income households. The commission must report findings and recommendations to the General Assembly by Sept. 1, 2027.

Senate Joint Resolution 116: Directs Kentucky’s public universities to collaborate on solutions to address the state’s physician shortage. The effort will produce recommendations for expanding health care access in underserved areas.

Senate Joint Resolution 134: Directs the Public Service Commission to review how utilities calculate fuel adjustment charges on customer bills. The commission must gather public input, evaluate ways to reduce volatility and report recommendations to the General Assembly.

House Bill 314: Modernizes oversight of the Kentucky Wired broadband network by placing management under the Commonwealth Office of Technology. The bill expands board representation and took effect immediately after the legislature overrode the governor’s veto.