Kentucky

2026 Regular Session·1,718 bills·Adjourned April 15, 2026

Track legislation moving through Kentucky. Browse 1,718 bills and resolutions during the 2026 Regular Session, each with a plain-language summary, current status from introduction to enactment, sponsors, and voting history.

Bills

AN ACT relating to the Kentucky statewide health data utility.

Create new sections of KRS Chapter 194A to establish the Kentucky statewide health data utility; define terms; establish purposes and a restricted fund for the utility; require the executive director of the Office of Data Analytics to be responsible for the development, implementation, operation, and maintenance of the utility, contract with a consortium of public health colleges to operate and govern the utility, and promulgate administrative regulations to carry out those duties; establish functions and content of utility; create a consortium of public health colleges; establish duties of consortium in operating and governing the utility; establish administration and operation requirements for the consortium; establish the Kentucky Health Information Technology Board; require the board to establish policies and procedures for the sharing and submission of health information, approve data control, governance, and privacy practices, and advise the executive director and the consortium; require the utility's participants to comply with health information sharing and submission requirements within certain timeframes; require the secretary of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to enforce the mandatory reporting requirements for the utility's participants; establish enforcement powers of secretary including civil penalty assessment; require the consortium and the executive director to make annual reports relating to the utility; amend KRS 194A.030, 194A.101, 194A.103, 194A.095, 205.640, 205.6489, 211.474, 214.375, and 311A.190 to conform; repeal KRS 216.2920, 216.2921, 216.2923, 216.2925, 216.2927, and 216.2929, relating to health data collection; establish timeframe for making initial appointments, and provide for staggered appointments to the board; require the Cabinet for Health and Family Services or the Department for Medicaid Services to seek federal approval if it is determined that such approval is necessary; provide authorization from the General Assembly to make changes in the Medicaid program as required under KRS 205.5372(1); EFFECTIVE, in part, July 1, 2028.

AN ACT relating to regulated substances and declaring an emergency.

Create new sections of KRS Chapter 138 to define terms; impose a 4% state retail regulatory license fee on all alcoholic beverage and cannabis-infused beverage sales to consumers by alcoholic beverage retailers; establish procedures and duties of retailers; impose state wholesale regulatory license fees on alcoholic beverages and cannabis-infused beverages and state retail regulatory license fees on kratom, hemp-derived, and cannabinoid products; set out regulatory license fee rates, deductions for timely filing and payment, and licensee duties; amend KRS 211.285 to fund the alcohol wellness and responsibility education fund with 0.5% of the collected state retail regulatory license fees; create a new section of KRS Chapter 217 to establish Department for Public Health laboratory and testing standards and procedures; amend KRS 241.010 to define "state or national conference" and redefine "alcoholic beverages"; amend KRS 241.069 to delete outdated language; amend various sections of KRS Chapter 243 to establish state license fees for new and existing license types; limit licensee discipline to only the specific license in question; establish a souvenir package license for distillers; authorize distillers, small farm wineries, and microbreweries to allow leashed dogs on their premises; allow caterers and special temporary auction licensees at state and national conferences; modify the privileges for various licensees, including a wholesaler, Class B distiller, and special agent or solicitor; add references to the new tax structure and statutes; modify requirements for public notice of a license application; sunset existing excise, wholesale, and other taxes on July 1, 2027, as they relate to alcoholic beverages and cannabis-infused beverages; repeal and reenact KRS 243.075, relating to local regulatory license fees, to allow any moist or wet city or county to impose the fee; authorize audits of each city's or county's regulatory license fee fund by the Auditor of Public Accounts for the most recent 10 years; describe audit penalties for cities and counties that fail to substantially comply; direct cities and counties to reduce the regulatory license fee to 3% within 4 years; limit future cities and counties to a 1% regulatory license fee; amend KRS 244.080 to permanently prohibit a retail license from using a premises if the licensee sold to minors at that premises 3 or more times in 24 months; amend KRS 244.585 to establish limitations for agreements between distributors and breweries or microbreweries; amend KRS 131.250, 139.010, 243.045, 243.430, 243.790, 243.850, and 243.990 to conform; EFFECTIVE, in part, July 1, 2027; EMERGENCY.

A RESOLUTION adjourning the Senate in honor and loving memory Val A. "Bud" Lederer.

Adjourn in honor and loving memory of Val A. "Bud" Lederer.

A RESOLUTION recognizing April 28th, 2026, as Pay It Forward Day.

Recognize April 28, 2026, as Pay It Forward Day.

A RESOLUTION adjourning the Senate in honor and loving memory of Denise Lane "Deni" Hamilton.

Adjourn the Senate in honor and loving memory of Denise Lane "Deni" Hamilton.

AN ACT relating to energy production and byproduct management.

Create new sections of KRS Chapter 353 to establish the purposes of the Act; define terms; require and specify the types of permits before constructing or operating a carbon dioxide facility; exempt enhanced oil or gas recovery under KRS 353.592; require any oil, natural gas or coalbed methane well converted to a carbon dioxide sequestration well to be governed by this Act; set forth the requirements and process to obtain a Class VI underground injection control permit; require permit fees to be put in the carbon dioxide sequestration facility administrative fund; set forth a process for commercially valuable minerals; designate the consent of owners of pore space for a administratively complete application; specify when the Energy and Environment Cabinet can begin technical review of the application; require financial responsibility sufficient to cover specific activities and cabinet review of financial responsibility annually; provide that the cabinet's determination is considered final; allow for the adjustment of financial responsibility based on adjustments in cost estimates; list the type of financial instruments which can be used as qualifying financial responsibility instruments; authorize the cabinet to promulgate administrative regulations for financial responsibility; identify reasons why the cabinet would deny an application for a permit; authorize the cabinet to restore applicant eligibility for permit under specific grounds and circumstances; require cabinet approval for a transfer of a permit and allow obligations and rights to pass to the new transferee; require periodic review of permits; prescribe the notice and comment requirements for a Class VI permit; delineate the cabinet's actions for applications that are complete and incomplete; prohibit the approval or transfer of a permit to an operator for conditions specified and allow eligibility after an applicant, operator, or control person takes certain remedial actions; establish requirements to maintain the integrity of carbon sequestration wells and notification of affected parties when activities occur on the well site; provide mechanism of redress for parties that are not in agreement over activities on the well site; specify the requirements for plugging and abandoning a Class VI well or monitoring well; authorize the secretary of the Energy and Environment Cabinet to enter into cooperative agreements; specify the requirements for a completion certificate issued by the Energy and Environment Cabinet after demonstrating compliance for 50 years or another time frame designated by the cabinet along with notice and public hearing; require ownership transferred to the Commonwealth and that both pore and surface owners are held harmless from liability; establish a carbon dioxide sequestration facility administrative fund and specify the moneys to be placed into the fund and the purposes and uses of the fund; establish an application fee to be paid to the carbon dioxide sequestration facility administrative fund and authorize the cabinet to promulgate administrative regulations for a fee schedule; establish a carbon dioxide sequestration facility trust fund and specify the purposes and use of moneys in the fund; require sequestration operators to pay a fee on each ton of carbon dioxide sequestered and have the fees remitted to the carbon dioxide sequestration facility trust fund; require the cabinet to prepare an annual report on the Class VI underground injection control permit and the carbon dioxide sequestration facility trust fund; state that the report is due December 31 of each year beginning with the receipt of the first application for an underground injection control permit; require the Energy and Environment Cabinet to certify the amount of carbon dioxide sequestered by each permittee and allow amounts sequestered to be used for a carbon dioxide credits, allowances, trading, emissions allocations, or offsets; prohibit the altering of legal rights or relationships of several mineral estates and pore space owners in common law; specify methods for nonconsenting owners; allow for the cabinet to make a determination on missing or nonconsenting pore space owners for a sequestration facility and notice for a pooling order; require the applicant to pay the cost of administrative hearing with a pooling order; establish notice for a pooling order and the compensation of owners; establish requirements for seismic survey of lands; require operator to deposit funds for unknown or missing pore space owners and allow funds to be moved to the carbon dioxide sequestration facility trust fund after 7 years; create a severability clause; establish violations and penalties; require notice and service for violations and establish courts with jurisdiction and a requirement for a stay of notice and administrative hearing; authorize the cabinet to promulgate administrative regulations to develop regulatory program for the administration of the underground injection control program; repeal KRS 353.800, 353.802, 353.804, 353.806, 353.808, 353.810, and 353.812, relating to geologic storage of carbon dioxide.

A RESOLUTION honoring the life and accomplishments of former Kentucky Governor Martha Layne Collins.

Honor the life and accomplishments of former Governor Martha Layne Collins.

A RESOLUTION recognizing the filing of the Major Richard Star Act, a bill exploring an opportunity for veterans with disabilities to receive their full United States Department of Defense retirement pay and United States Department of Veterans Affairs disability compensation without offset.

Recognize the filing of the Major Richard Star Act in the United States Congress, a bill exploring an opportunity for veterans with disabilities to receive their full United States Department of Defense retirement pay and United States Department of Veterans Affairs disability compensation without offset.

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 property damage threshold for the mandatory reporting requirement for boating accidents.

AN ACT relating to forcible entry and detainer.

Create new sections of KRS 383.200 to 383.285 to provide for expungement of records in eviction proceedings that are dismissed; prohibit minors from being named in an action for forcible detainer unless the minor is a leaseholder; provide for expungement of a minor's name from an order; amend KRS 383.250 to provide for sealing of records; amend KRS 367.310 to prohibit consumer reporting agencies from maintaining information in their files relating to dismissed eviction actions; provide that the expungement of dismissed eviction actions applies to actions initiated on or after the effective date of the Act.

AN ACT relating to state contracts.

Amend KRS 45A.035 to require the Finance and Administration Cabinet to promulgate administrative regulations to establish policies regarding timely payments, partial payments, reimbursement, and payment resolution process; create a new section of KRS Chapter 45A to require terms included in state government contracts to address timely payments, partial payment, a payment process for disbursement of funds, payment schedule, and a payment resolution process; establish timely payment policies to provide that all undisputed amounts shall be paid within 30 business days of receipt of the goods, services, invoice, or in accordance with the terms of the contract; provide interest penalties for undisputed amounts that are not timely paid ; require any invoices that are submitted by a contractor or vendor outside of the 10 calendar days correction period to be considered a new invoice for the purpose of calculation of the late payment fee pursuant to KRS 45.454; require the Finance and Administration Cabinet to promulgate administrative regulations to establish a payment resolution process; define "purchasing agency" and "undisputed amount"; require the Finance and Administration Cabinet to submit a report every 6 months to the Legislative Research Commission detailing late payment contract disputes.

A RESOLUTION honoring the life and legacy of Reverend Alfred Daniel "A.D." King.

Honor the life and legacy of Revered Alfred Daniel "A.D." King.

AN ACT relating to the protection of veterans' benefits.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 40 to limit the compensation for advising or assisting with veterans' benefits; prohibit persons seeking compensation for advising, assisting, or consulting on a veterans' benefits matter from utilizing international call or data centers, directly or aggressively soliciting business, gaining access to personal medical, financial, or benefits log-in or password information, charging interest, and utilizing a doctor with whom they have an employment or business relationship; limit the fee for representation; require any person receiving compensation for assisting on a veterans' benefits matter to report to the Kentucky Department of Veterans' Affairs (KDVA) annually; allow KDVA to promulgate form for the report and display it on their website; establish that violators constitute a violation of the Consumer Protection Act; provide that attorneys and law firms seeking to receive compensation for advising, assisting, or consulting any individual with any veterans' benefits matter shall be governed federal regulations.

AN ACT relating to the establishment of a Medicaid state-directed payment program.

Amend KRS 205.6412 to require the Department for Medicaid Services to seek authorization from the United States Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to implement a state-directed payment for physician and nonphysician professional services provided to a Medicaid beneficiary by a qualifying hospital's affiliated physician groups or physicians and other professionals employed or contracted by the qualified hospital; require the Department of Medicaid Services to direct Medicaid managed care organizations to issue payments back to January 1, 2026, upon federal approval; RETROACTIVE.

AN ACT relating to economic relief for local communities of the Commonwealth and declaring an emergency.

Amend KRS 154.14-020, relating to the GRANT Program, to include the United States Department of Justice and the United States Department of Defense as eligible agencies; amend KRS 154.14-030 to push the sunset date of the program from December 31, 2026, to December 31, 2028; amend KRS 154.14-040 to increase the possible extension of a project from 6 months to 12 months; amend KRS 154.14-070 to make technical changes; EMERGENCY.

A JOINT RESOLUTION designating honorary names for various roads and bridges.

Direct the Transportation Cabinet to designate a portion of United States Route 60A as the Officer Peter Grignon Memorial Highway.

AN ACT relating to the criminal justice system.

Amend KRS 31.010 and 31.020 to make technical corrections; amend KRS 31.030 to require the annual report filed by the Department of Public Advocacy to inform the LRC and the public of the work of all divisions of the department; amend KRS 31.110 to provide that the Department shall provide legal representation to a person who is accused of being in contempt of court for noncompliance with a court-ordered obligation only when the obligation arises out of a criminal prosecution or conviction or an action or adjudication for a public or status offense; create a new section of KRS Chapter 31 to provide that the Department of Public Advocacy shall not be appointed by a court to provide legal representation unless specifically authorized by KRS 31.110; amend KRS 31.211 to provide that any attorney providing legal representation under KRS Chapter 31 shall forward all information that indicates payment or reimbursement for services to the public advocate; amend KRS 31.215 to provide that any attorney providing legal representation under KRS Chapter 31 shall not accept fees for legal representation; create an exception for unsolicited gifts of de minimis value; amend KRS 31.219 to provide that any attorney providing legal representation under KRS Chapter 31 shall file a notice of appeal after trial if requested by his or her client; amend KRS 202A.121 to provide that an attorney appointed under KRS Chapter 202A shall be paid a fee fixed by the court not to exceed $500; direct the secretary of the Personnel Cabinet to work with the Department of Public Advocacy to develop and implement a new classification series for Department of Public Advocacy Trial Attorneys; make technical corrections.

AN ACT relating to the office of county treasurer.

Amend KRS 68.010, relating to the office of county treasurer, to time the appointment of county treasurer to the election of county officer's; require the county treasurer's bond be corporate surety; stipulate that an acting county treasurer may be appointed for reason of the treasurer's absence; provide if the county treasurer is unable to perform the duties of the office for 5 days the fiscal court may appoint an acting county treasurer; set a time period of 60 days or upon the conclusion of the county treasurer's term, whichever occurs first, to fill the position of county treasurer, and allow the appointment of a deputy county treasurer and outline the authority, oath, and bond requirements of the position.

AN ACT relating to roads and declaring an emergency.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 179 to define "chip seal"; require the Department of Rural and Municipal Aid to establish a pilot project to evaluate the efficacy of chip seal pavement on gravel county roads; start the pilot program on July 1, 2026, and end it on June 30, 2030; limit the amount of county road aid funds a county may use to chip seal county roads in any year; require the Department of Rural and Municipal Aid to report annually to the Legislative Research Commission on the use of chip seal pavement on gravel county roads; set forth required elements of the report: EFFECTIVE July 1, 2026; EMERGENCY.

AN ACT relating to economic development.

Amend KRS 154.12-300, 154.12-305, and 154.12-300 to change the Kentucky Innovation and Commercialization Center program to the Kentucky Entrepreneurship and Innovation Hub Program; amend KRS 154.12-300 to define terms; amend KRS 154.12-305 to add goals of supporting entrepreneur-led economic development and attracting workforce talent, investors, and start-up companies to the program; amend KRS 154.12-310 to make conforming changes; amend KRS 164.6011 to include definitions of "early-stage company" and "high-growth company" in the Kentucky Innovation Act; amend KRS 164.6019 to provide that moneys received in the Kentucky enterprise fund may be subject to restrictions imposed by the contributing entity and subject to approval by the Cabinet for Economic Development; amend KRS 164.6021 to make conforming changes and add the purpose of the Kentucky enterprise fund is to attract, recruit, and support early-stage and high-growth companies to locate, relocate, or establish a presence in the Commonwealth; amend KRS 164.6023 to allow companies based outside of Kentucky to be eligible by becoming a Kentucky-based company within 180 days after certification authorizing funding; amend KRS 154.20-234 to allow a pass-through entity to qualify for participation in the Angel Investor Program; make conforming changes.

AN ACT relating to Kentucky State University and declaring an emergency.

Amend KRS 48.030, relating to branch budget recommendations, to include supporting budget documents.

AN ACT relating to government agencies, making an appropriation therefor, and declaring an emergency.

Appropriate General Fund moneys from the budget reserve trust fund account in each fiscal year of the 2026-2028 fiscal biennium to various state agencies for miscellaneous projects and programs; APPROPRIATION; EMERGENCY.

AN ACT relating to public protection and declaring an emergency.

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.

AN ACT relating to possession or viewing of matter portraying a sexual performance by a minor.

Amend KRS 531.335, relating to possession or viewing of matter portraying a sexual performance by a minor, to provide that the sexual performance may be by a computer-generated image of a minor; provide that any person convicted of possession or viewing of matter portraying a sexual performance by a minor shall not be released on probation or parole without serving 85% of the sentence imposed.

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