Legislative Liaison
Legislative Liaison
Major Bills Advance as Filing Deadline Nears
Week 8 of the 2026 Legislative Session
There was major bill movement last week, both in quantity and quality. The House has sent its budget to the Senate; a shared Republican priority in House Bill 1 is on the Governor’s desk; Medicaid reform took a leap forward; and, the House Appropriations Chairman dropped a nearly 300-page tax bill. This is all taking place on the eve of the bill filing deadline. The last day to file new Senate bills is Monday, and the House deadline falls two days later. Members filed 186 bills just this week – many of those being “shell bills” that only include technical changes and no substance, yet. 1,085 bills have been filed so far, and only three have passed both chambers. Over the last four sessions, as few as 13% and as many as 20% of filed bills have been enacted.
Of particular note: HB 763 - Workforce Development (McCool, B) – Creates new sections of KRS Chapter 336 to establish the Kentucky FLOW Program (KY Future Leaders of Water). The legislation defines eligible participants, outlines approved program activities, and creates a dedicated Kentucky FLOW Program fund. The goal of the program is to strengthen Kentucky’s water and wastewater workforce pipeline by promoting career awareness, industry-recognized training opportunities, and hands-on engagement for apprentices and utility managers. The legislation provides a long-term framework to support recruitment and retention efforts across public water and wastewater systems statewide. The bill carries an emergency clause and would take effect July 1, 2026.
HB 392 - Public Agency Transactions (Meredith, M) – Relates to local public agency purchasing and property disposal procedures. The bill increases the small purchase and bid advertisement thresholds from $40,000 to $50,000 and provides for automatic $10,000 increases every five years beginning in 2030. The legislation expands procurement flexibility for local governments, including public utilities, particularly in small purchases and cooperative purchasing practices. The bill received third reading and passed the House 97-0 with Committee Substitute (1) on February 18 and was received in the Senate on February 19.
HB 651 - Public water and wastewater systems and declaring an emergency (Bray, J), amends KRS 224A.320 to requirements for the Kentucky Water and Wastewater Assistance for Troubled or Economically Restrained Systems (WWATERS) Program; received its first reading and reassigned to the A&R Committee.
Other closely watched Bills: Extension of Municipal Service (HB 693) Water Fluoridation (HB 103) Eminent Domain (HB 542) (SB 119), Data Centers (HB 544) (HB 593), and Waters of the Commonwealth (HB 552) saw little action last week.
Stay Connected
- Contact Lawmakers: You can leave messages for your representatives and senators through the Legislative Research Commission’s toll-free line at 800-372-7181 or find your legislator at legislature.ky.gov using the "Find Your Legislator" tool.
- Track Bills and Meetings: Stay updated on legislative proceedings by visiting legislature.ky.gov, watching live at KET.org/Legislature, or accessing archived footage on the LRC YouTube Channel at THIS LINK or KET.org/legislature/archives.
This issue of e-Liaison contains summary information for bills that we are tracking with details on the most recent activity for each bill. We will continue to highlight timely legislative news that is important to our members in each weekly issue. If you would like to suggest that we add a bill to the e-Liaison for tracking purposes, please contact KRWA.
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HB35 |
SCHOLARSHIP ELIGIBILITY (BANTA K) AN ACT relating to scholarship eligibility for proprietary schools. |
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Current Status: |
1/13/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Primary and Secondary Education (H) |
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Recent Status: |
1/7/2026 - Introduced |
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State Bill Page: |
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HB41 |
PUBLIC NOTICES (LEHMAN M) AN ACT relating to public notices. |
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Current Status: |
1/14/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Local Government (H) |
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Recent Status: |
1/7/2026 - Introduced |
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State Bill Page: |
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HB49 |
PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING (CALLAWAY E) AN ACT relating to professional engineering and land surveying scholarships. |
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Current Status: |
2/11/2026 - received in Senate |
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Recent Status: |
2/10/2026 - (H) THIRD READING, passed 97-0 |
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State Bill Page: |
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HB60 |
GEOENGINERING (HODGSON J) AN ACT relating to geoengineering. |
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Current Status: |
2/9/2026 - (H) recommitted to committee House Judiciary (H) |
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Recent Status: |
2/6/2026 - (H) SECOND READING, to Rules |
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State Bill Page: |
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HB83 |
OPEN MEETINGS (ROBERTS T) AN ACT relating to open meetings. |
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Current Status: |
1/14/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Local Government (H) |
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Recent Status: |
1/7/2026 - Introduced |
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State Bill Page: |
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HB85 |
SANITATION DISTRICTS (ROBERTS T) AN ACT relating to sanitation districts. |
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Current Status: |
1/14/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Local Government (H) |
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Recent Status: |
1/7/2026 - Introduced |
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State Bill Page: |
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HB103 |
WATER FLUORIDATION PROGRAMS (HART M) AN ACT relating to water fluoridation programs. |
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Current Status: |
2/6/2026 - received in Senate |
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Recent Status: |
2/5/2026 - (H) THIRD READING, passed 67-29 with Committee Substitute (1) |
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State Bill Page: |
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HB108 |
SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT (RAYMER R) AN ACT relating to solid waste management. |
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Current Status: |
1/29/2026 - (H) SECOND READING, to Rules |
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Recent Status: |
1/28/2026 - (H) FIRST READING |
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State Bill Page: |
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HB196 |
PFAS SUBSTANCES (KULKARNI N) AN ACT relating to perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances. |
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Current Status: |
1/14/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Natural Resources & Energy (H) |
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Recent Status: |
1/7/2026 - Introduced |
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State Bill Page: |
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HB238 |
APPRENTICESHIP TAX CREDIT (KULKARNI N) AN ACT relating to an apprenticeship tax credit. |
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Current Status: |
1/15/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Appropriations & Revenue (H) |
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Recent Status: |
1/8/2026 - Introduced |
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State Bill Page: |
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HB292 |
SPECIAL PURPOSE GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES (THOMAS W) AN ACT relating to special purpose governmental entities. |
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Current Status: |
1/20/2026 - (H) WITHDRAWN |
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Recent Status: |
1/16/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Local Government (H) |
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State Bill Page: |
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HB313 |
CITY FRANCHISES (BIVENS R) AN ACT relating to city franchises. |
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Current Status: |
2/12/2026 - received in Senate |
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Recent Status: |
2/11/2026 - (H) THIRD READING, passed 93-0 |
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State Bill Page: |
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HB344 |
LOCAL GOVERNMENT (MOORE A) AN ACT relating to local government. |
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Current Status: |
1/21/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Local Government (H) |
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Recent Status: |
1/13/2026 - Introduced |
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State Bill Page: |
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HB377 |
UTILITY DISCONNECTION PROTECTIONS (WITTEN S) AN ACT relating to utility disconnection protections. |
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Current Status: |
1/22/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Natural Resources & Energy (H) |
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Recent Status: |
1/14/2026 - Introduced |
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State Bill Page: |
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HB392 |
PUBLIC AGENCY TRANSACTIONS (MEREDITH M) AN ACT relating to local public agency transactions. |
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Current Status: |
2/19/2026 - received in Senate |
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Recent Status: |
2/18/2026 - (H) THIRD READING, passed 97-0 with Committee Substitute (1) |
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State Bill Page: |
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HB432 |
LOCAL PURCHASING (NEIGHBORS A) AN ACT relating to local purchasing. |
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Current Status: |
2/12/2026 - received in Senate |
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Recent Status: |
2/11/2026 - (H) THIRD READING, passed 82-7 with Committee Substitute (1) |
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State Bill Page: |
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HB472 |
PUBLIC CONTRACTS (FLANNERY P) AN ACT relating to public contracts. |
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Current Status: |
1/30/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Economic Development & Workforce Investment (H) |
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Recent Status: |
1/22/2026 - Introduced |
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State Bill Page: |
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HB494 |
ADMINSTRATIVE REGULATIONS (ROBERTS T) AN ACT relating to administrative regulations. |
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Current Status: |
2/3/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Licensing, Occupations, & Administrative Regulations (H) |
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Recent Status: |
1/27/2026 - Introduced |
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State Bill Page: |
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HB498 |
ADULT WORKFORCE DIPLOMA PILOT PROGRAM (DUVALL R) AN ACT establishing the Adult Workforce Diploma Pilot Program. |
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Current Status: |
2/12/2026 - (H) SECOND READING, to Rules |
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Recent Status: |
2/11/2026 - (H) FIRST READING |
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State Bill Page: |
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HB500 |
EXECUTIVE BRANCH APPROPRIATIONS (PETRIE J) AN ACT relating to appropriations measures providing funding and establishing conditions for the operations, maintenance, support, and functioning of the government of the Commonwealth of Kentucky and its various officers, cabinets, departments, boards, commissions, institutions, subdivisions, agencies, and other state-supported activities. |
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Current Status: |
2/27/2026 - received in Senate |
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Recent Status: |
2/26/2026 - floor amendments (12), (14) and (15) filed to Committee Substitute , floor amendments (9), (10), (11) and (13) filed to bill |
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State Bill Page: |
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HB536 |
HOUSING DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS (BRAY J) AN ACT relating to housing development districts. |
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Current Status: |
2/9/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Local Government (H) |
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Recent Status: |
2/2/2026 - Introduced |
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State Bill Page: |
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HB542 |
EMINENT DOMAIN (DOSSETT M) AN ACT relating to eminent domain and declaring an emergency. |
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Current Status: |
2/18/2026 - House Judiciary (H), (Bill Scheduled for Hearing) |
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Recent Status: |
2/10/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Judiciary (H) |
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State Bill Page: |
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HB544 |
DATA CENTERS (MOORE A) AN ACT relating to data centers. |
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Current Status: |
2/10/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Small Business & Information Technology (H) |
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Recent Status: |
2/3/2026 - Introduced |
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State Bill Page: |
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HB551 |
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT REALTING TO THE ENVIROMENT (STALKER S) AN ACT proposing to amend Section 1 of the Constitution of Kentucky relating to the environment. |
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Current Status: |
2/10/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Elections, Const. Amendments & Intergovernmental Affairs (H) |
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Recent Status: |
2/3/2026 - Introduced |
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State Bill Page: |
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HB552 |
ENVIROMENTAL PROTECTION (STALKER S) AN ACT relating to environmental protection. |
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Current Status: |
2/10/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Natural Resources & Energy (H) |
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Recent Status: |
2/3/2026 - Introduced |
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State Bill Page: |
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HB593 |
DATA CENTERS (BRAY J) AN ACT relating to data centers. |
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Current Status: |
2/27/2026 - (H) SECOND READING, to Rules |
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Recent Status: |
2/26/2026 - (H) FIRST READING |
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State Bill Page: |
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HB614 |
REVENUE (PETRIE J) AN ACT relating to revenue. |
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Current Status: |
2/18/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Appropriations & Revenue (H) |
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Recent Status: |
2/10/2026 - Introduced |
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State Bill Page: |
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HB651 |
PUBLIC WATER AND WASTEWATER SYSTEMS (BRAY J) AN ACT relating to public water and wastewater systems and declaring an emergency. |
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Current Status: |
2/27/2026 - (H) reassigned to committee House Appropriations & Revenue (H) |
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Recent Status: |
2/27/2026 - (H) Returned to Committee House Natural Resources & Energy (H) |
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State Bill Page: |
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HB693 |
EXTENSION OF MUNICIPAL UTILITY SERVICE (DOSSETT M) AN ACT relating to the extension of municipal utility service. |
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Current Status: |
2/23/2026 - Introduced |
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Recent Status: |
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State Bill Page: |
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HB757 |
REVENUE MEASURES (PETRIE J) AN ACT relating to revenue measures and declaring an emergency. |
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Current Status: |
2/25/2026 - Introduced |
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Recent Status: |
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State Bill Page: |
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HB763 |
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT (MCCOOL B) AN ACT relating to workforce development, making an appropriation therefor, and declaring an emergency. |
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Current Status: |
2/26/2026 - Introduced |
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Recent Status: |
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State Bill Page: |
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HR84 |
EAST KENTUCKY DISASTER RELIEF CENTER (TACKETT LAFERTY A) A RESOLUTION encouraging the development and construction of the East Kentucky Disaster Relief Center at Bear Mountain near Pikeville, Kentucky. |
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Current Status: |
2/25/2026 - Introduced |
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Recent Status: |
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State Bill Page: |
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SB9 |
HOUSING DISTRICTS (MILLS R) AN ACT relating to housing districts. |
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Current Status: |
2/18/2026 - received in House |
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Recent Status: |
2/17/2026 - (S) THIRD READING, passed 35-2 with Committee Substitute (1) |
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State Bill Page: |
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SB22 |
DUAL CREDIT SCHOLARSHIP PRGRAM (HIGDON J) AN ACT relating to the dual credit scholarship program. |
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Current Status: |
1/23/2026 - received in House |
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Recent Status: |
1/22/2026 - floor amendment (1) withdrawn |
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State Bill Page: |
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SB25 |
GEOENGINEERING (RAWLINGS S) AN ACT relating to geoengineering. |
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Current Status: |
1/6/2026 - Introduced |
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Recent Status: |
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State Bill Page: |
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SB55 |
WATER FLOURIDATION PROGRAMS (ELKINS G) AN ACT relating to water fluoridation programs. |
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Current Status: |
1/9/2026 - Introduced |
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Recent Status: |
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State Bill Page: |
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SB119 |
EMINENT DOMAIN (HIGDON J) AN ACT relating to eminent domain. |
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Current Status: |
1/27/2026 - (S) Referred to Committee Senate Transportation (S) |
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Recent Status: |
1/23/2026 - Introduced |
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State Bill Page: |
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SB133 |
FISCAL REPORTING OF LOCAL ENTITIES (NUNN M) AN ACT relating to the fiscal reporting of local entities. |
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Current Status: |
1/28/2026 - Introduced |
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Recent Status: |
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State Bill Page: |
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SB172 |
UTILITY FUEL ADJUSTMENT (WHEELER P) AN ACT relating to utility fuel adjustment and declaring an emergency. |
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Current Status: |
2/19/2026 - SIGNED BY GOVERNOR |
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Recent Status: |
2/18/2026 - delivered to Governor |
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State Bill Page: |
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SB178 |
ENVIRONMENTAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS (ELKINS G) AN ACT relating to environmental administrative regulations. |
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Current Status: |
2/26/2026 - (S) SECOND READING, to Rules |
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Recent Status: |
2/25/2026 - (S) FIRST READING |
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State Bill Page: |
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SB192 |
MUNICIPAL FINANCIAL REPORTING (MAYS BLEDSOE A) AN ACT relating to municipal financial reporting. |
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Current Status: |
3/2/2026 - (S) Posted for Passage in Regular Orders of the Day; w/ SCS 1 |
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Recent Status: |
2/27/2026 - (S) Posted for Passage in Regular Orders of the Day for Monday, March 02 2026 |
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State Bill Page: |
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SB249 |
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT (WHEELER P) AN ACT relating to workforce development and declaring an emergency. |
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Current Status: |
2/25/2026 - Introduced |
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Recent Status: |
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State Bill Page: |
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SB255 |
RURAL REVITALIZATION (MEREDITH S) AN ACT relating to rural revitalization. |
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Current Status: |
2/26/2026 - Introduced |
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Recent Status: |
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State Bill Page: |
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SB267 |
ENERGY (HOWELL J) AN ACT relating to energy. |
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Current Status: |
2/26/2026 - Introduced |
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Recent Status: |
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State Bill Page: |
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SB277 |
NATURAL RESOURCES (SMITH B) AN ACT relating to natural resources. |
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Current Status: |
2/26/2026 - Introduced |
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Recent Status: |
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State Bill Page: |
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SB284 |
NATURAL RESOURCES (SMITH B) AN ACT relating to natural resources. |
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Current Status: |
2/27/2026 - Introduced |
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Recent Status: |
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State Bill Page: |
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SB285 |
THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION (SMITH B) AN ACT relating to the Public Service Commission. |
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Current Status: |
2/27/2026 - Introduced |
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Recent Status: |
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State Bill Page: |
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SJR62 |
DIVISION OF WATER (MADON S) A JOINT RESOLUTION directing the Division of Water to provide recommendations and clear guidance on how local governments can more easily access jurisdictional streams and waterways for cleanup after a flood. |
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Current Status: |
2/25/2026 - (S) Referred to Committee Senate State & Local Government (S) |
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Recent Status: |
1/27/2026 - Introduced |
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State Bill Page: |
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SJR75 |
PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION (MADON S) A JOINT RESOLUTION directing the Public Service Commission to explore measures that would address affordability and the provision of essential utility services and declaring an emergency. |
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Current Status: |
2/25/2026 - (S) Referred to Committee Senate State & Local Government (S) |
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Recent Status: |
2/3/2026 - Introduced |
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State Bill Page: |
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Keeping up with the Legislature has never been easier! The state has updated its Legislative website. From this site, you can view all bills and resolutions, contact legislators, by email and check on legislative committee schedules and calendars. You can reach a legislator in person by calling 502-564-8100 (not toll-free).
The toll-free meeting schedule information line is 1-800-633-9650. The toll-free message line is 1-800-372-7181, to leave a message for a legislator or an entire committee. The TTY message line is 1-800-896-0305. En Espanol, el nombre es 1-866-840-6574. The toll-free bill status number is 1-866-840-2835.
Every issue of e-Liaison will contain summary information for each bill that we track with a section that details the most recent activity with the bill. We will continue to highlight timely legislative news that is important to our members in each issue. If you would like to suggest that we add a bill to the e-Liaison for tracking, please contact KRWA. By clicking on the link, you will be taken to the bill summary on the LRC’s website.
The Kentucky legislature convenes in regular session on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in January for 60 days in even-numbered years and for 30 days in odd-numbered years. It convenes in special sessions at the call of the governor.
The Kentucky Constitution mandates that a regular session be completed no later than April 15 in even-numbered years and March 30 in odd-numbered years.
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