Most important legislation still under review this session is budget, road plan

Before I share an update on the legislative session, I want to recognize the passing of Staff Sgt. Benjamin Pennington of Glendale, Kentucky. At just 26 years old, he made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country.

Pennington was deployed at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, supporting Operation Epic Fury when Iranian drones and missiles struck the installation on March 1. He suffered severe injuries in the attack and passed away on March 8. His loss is deeply felt across Kentucky and throughout our nation.

Since enlisting in the U.S. Army in 2017, Pennington served with the 1st Space Battalion, 1st Space Brigade at Fort Carson, Colorado. As a unit supply specialist, he played an important role in supporting systems for missile warning, GPS tracking, and satellite communications used by our military. His fellow soldiers described him as a dedicated teammate and leader.

The Kentucky Senate honored his service this week through the adoption of a Senate resolution recognizing his life and sacrifice. I join many others in offering prayers and condolences to his loved ones.

Legislative update: Late-session processes to expect

Week 10 of the legislative session brought an increase in committee hearings and floor votes as lawmakers work to finalize legislation before the session concludes. With only a short time remaining in the 60-day session, both chambers are working to advance their priorities.

Many bills are now arriving at the governor’s desk for review. While he may veto legislation, the General Assembly retains the authority to override those vetoes if necessary. One veto has already been overridden, and additional veto activity may take place in the coming weeks.

The most important legislation still under review is the two-year state budget and the two-year road plan. The Senate is reviewing the House’s proposal and preparing potential revisions before returning it to the House for further discussion.

If the two chambers adopt different versions, a conference committee will meet to resolve those differences before sending the final proposal 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. 

I was also pleased to see two additional pieces of legislation I sponsored advance through the Senate this week.

Senate Bill 226 addresses administrative practices related to preneed burial contracts. The bill allows agents who guarantee prices under these contracts to charge a one-time administrative fee of up to 15 percent once the contract has been fully paid. The provision applies only to new contracts moving forward and clarifies how these administrative costs may be handled.

The Senate also passed Senate Bill 149, which updates statutes governing the office of county treasurer. The legislation aligns the appointment of a county treasurer with the election cycle of other county officials and provides fiscal courts with the flexibility to appoint an acting or deputy treasurer when needed to ensure continuity of financial oversight.

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 34: Allows Kentuckians to transfer a home or vehicle directly to a named beneficiary at death without going through probate. Owners retain full control during their lifetime and may change or revoke the designation, with the transfer taking effect only upon death if properly recorded.

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 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 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 KentuckyWired 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.

It’s an honor to represent you in Frankfort.  I look forward to continuing my dedication to Bath, Clark, Fayette, Menifee, and Montgomery counties while representing my fellow communities in District 28.  If you have any questions, comments or concerns, you can always contact me at 502-564-8100 or by email at Greg.Elkins@kylegislature.gov.