Kentucky

Propose to amend Section 29 of the Constitution of Kentucky to establish the initiative power of the people to propose laws and to enact or reject proposed initiatives at an election; establish procedures for initiatives, effect of adopted initiatives, and parameters for the subject of any initiative; provide ballot language; submit to voters for ratification or rejection.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 218A to establish the criminal offense of unlawful possession of a controlled substance on hospital property as a Class D felony unless a higher penalty applies; require hospitals to display signs regarding unlawful possession; amend KRS 218A.1415 to change the name of the crime of possession of a controlled substance to unlawful possession of a controlled substance; remove controlled substance analogues, methamphetamine, lysergic acid diethylamide, phencyclidine, gamma hydroxybutric acid, and flunitrazepam from unlawful possession of a controlled substance in the first degree; establish possession of a controlled substance on hospital property as a Class D felony unless a higher penalty applies; amend KRS 218A.1416 to add controlled substance analogues, methamphetamine, lysergic acid diethylamide, phencyclidine, gamma hydroxybutyric acid, and flunitrazepam to unlawful possession of a controlled substance in the second degree; amend KRS 218A.133, 218A.1417, 218A.202, 218A.205, 218A.275, and 218A.500 to conform.

Create new sections of KRS Chapter 65 to provide incremental revenue tax incentives to the Rural Kentucky Revitalization Opportunity Partnership; define terms; state findings; establish the Rural Kentucky Revitalization Opportunity Partnership Board; establish incentive program; create an income tax credit for certain residents; amend KRS 141.0205 to order the credit; amend KRS 131.190 to allow reporting by the Department of Revenue.

Amend KRS 118.425 to modify issuance of certificates of election to electors of political parties and organizations in Presidential and Vice Presidential elections to award 2 certificates to the candidates receiving the highest amount of the statewide popular vote, and the remaining certificates proportionally to electors of political parties and organizations whose candidates received at least 10% of the statewide popular vote.

Recognize and congratulate T. Gerard "Gerry" Bradley on his appointment as president of the University of Louisville.

Amend KRS 158.6453 to require a local board of education to maintain a district plan on the promotion of advanced coursework in mathematics; beginning with the 2028-2029 school year, establish requirements for the plan to automatically enroll students in grade 8 into Algebra I or higher courses for high school credit with specific conditions; until the 2036-2037 school year, direct the Kentucky Department of Education to submit a report on students in grade 8 taking math courses for high school credit to the Legislative Research Commission; amend KRS 158.791 to conform; authorize local board of education to implement the plan prior to the start of the 2028-2029 school year; require superintendents to submit an implementation plan to the local board of education.

Amend KRS 286.3-380 to include gender-neutral language.

Amend KRS 142.406 to require the Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet to establish criteria to administer a regional marketing and matching funds program; require the program to provide financial and marketing assistance for projects that directly support the promotion and marketing efforts of a tourism attraction event or geographic area; establish 9 tourism regions in the state; require a tourism regional committee to be established within each tourism region; set requirements for the appointment of members to the tourism regional committee; require the Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet to establish terms and operating policies of the tourism regional committees; require at least 25% of the moneys available in the tourism, meeting, and convention marketing fund to be divided equally among the tourism regions for the payment of eligible expenses; require the Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet to work in partnership with the tourism regional committees to use the money provided to the tourism regions; require at least 10% of the moneys in the tourism, meeting, and convention marketing fund to be dedicated to the regional marketing and matching funds program; require the Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet to implement initial strategic plans for marketing and promoting tourism in each tourism region; mandate reporting to the Legislative Research Commission by the secretary of the cabinet; create a new section of KRS Chapter 148 to mandate reporting by the commissioner of the Department of State Parks to the Legislative Research Commission on state park occupancy rates; EMERGENCY.

Create new sections of KRS Chapter 189 to define "agency," "owner," "recorded images," and "traffic control signal monitoring system"; establish a civil penalty of $50 if a motor vehicle in a consolidated local government is recorded failing to obey the instructions of a traffic control device; set forth forms and procedures; outline defenses for citations for failing to obey a traffic control device; mandate that a person who refuses to pay the civil penalty and does not appear to contest the citation shall have the vehicle's registration suspended; mandate that civil penalties shall not result in points against the violator's driving record; amend KRS 189.231 and 189.990 to conform.

Amend KRS 199.896 to establish square footage requirements for child-care centers.

Amend KRS 350.240, relating to natural resources and mining, to make a technical correction.

Commemorate the 80th Southern Legislative Conference of the Council of State Governments Southern Office.

Amend KRS 189.010 to include electric vehicle batteries in the definition of "nondivisible load" as it pertains to any state-maintained highway.

Amend KRS 243.100 to make a technical correction.

Amend KRS 304.48-080 to replace a reference to the executive director with the commissioner.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 164 to require the Council on Postsecondary Education to promulgate administrative regulations to prohibit the use of public funds towards a degree in a low-earning outcome program; require the council to provide an annual report on the implementation of the prohibition to the Legislative Research Commission.

Direct the Kentucky Law Enforcement Council to develop and approve an in-service training course to be presented to all certified peace officers on wellness checks and the emergency aid exception to the warrant requirement of the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution.

Amend KRS 353.804 and 353.812 to make technical corrections and update committee references.

Amend KRS 156.070 to require the Kentucky Board of Education or any agency designated to manage interscholastic athletics to train administrators and coaches on how to prevent suicide.

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.

Amend KRS 189.340 to restrict travel in the leftmost lane of any multilane highway at a speed lower than the posted speed limit; provide exceptions; amend KRS 189.990 to set penalties.

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.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 17 to define terms; require the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet to establish and maintain a domestic violence offender registry; limit the registry to persistent domestic violence offenders; require registrants to pay a $150 registration fee.

Designate February 23 to February 27, 2026, as Public Schools Week in the Commonwealth.

Amend KRS 292.420, relating to securities exemptions, to make technical corrections.