Week in Review: Committees Discuss Important Issues Ahead of the 2026 Regular Session
Rep. Marianne Proctor (District 60)
With August coming to a close and only three months remaining in the legislative interim, lawmakers are wrapping up another successful month reviewing potential legislation for the upcoming session. Multiple interim joint committees and statutory committees met this week. We held crucial discussions on juvenile justice, the robust metal industry, and economic growth.
Local Government: Members discussed two bill proposals set to be filed during the 2026 Regular Session. The first proposal seeks to grant lawmakers the ability to decide how to restore voting rights to individuals. The bill would amend the current constitution to allow for the restoration of rights after a five-year waiting period following the completion of probation and parole. The second proposal would allow designated election schools to have the option to use Non-Traditional Instruction days (NTI) instead of closing for voting.
Public Pension Oversight: Lawmakers received quarterly updates from the Judicial Form Retirement System (JFRS), the Kentucky Public Pensions Authority (KPPA), and the Teacher’s Retirement System of the State of Kentucky (TRS). JFRS provided an overview of their investment performance, asset locations, and overall cash flow. KPPA shared several highlights from the fiscal year 2025 so far, emphasizing that all funds have surpassed their actuarial assumed rates of return and that all pension funds have made positive net contributions.
Health Services: Legislators heard from the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky on the state’s overall health outcomes, reducing the prevalence of chronic illness, and the need for statewide public health improvements. The committee also received a presentation on the Healthy Kids Clinic in Meade County Public Schools, which offers students, faculty, and staff in the district with dental, medical, and mental health services. Members then discussed pharmacy payment parity, a policy that ensures pharmacists are reimbursed by health insurers for clinical services at rates comparable to other providers within the scope of their practice.
Judiciary: Members discussed Kentucky’s Justice Reinvestment Initiative on Domestic Violence. The discussion highlighted several key issues, including the high prevalence of DV in Kentucky, where half of all adults will experience sexual violence, physical violence, or stalking in their lifetimes. Domestic violence also accounts for nearly half of all violent crimes in the state over a six-year period. Additionally, members discussed the Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act. Under the current law in Kentucky, if one heir files for partition, the property often ends up being sold in a forced sale for pennies on the dollar, depriving heirs property owners of both the home and any inheritance associated with it.
Medicaid Oversight and Advisory: Legislators heard testimony on a range of topics from Medicaid eligibility to access to healthcare. First, members received updates from the Department for Medicaid Services on state-based and federally facilitated marketplaces. The Department also discussed Medicaid eligibility, enrollment, and redeterminations. A variety of stakeholders then outlined the role of Kynectors and Navigators. Members then heard testimony on presumptive eligibility from Kentucky Hospital Association Officials. Finally, the Cabinet gave members a status update on the Rural Health Transformation Program Application Process