Tempo in Frankfort picks up, bills moving with purpose

Week six of the 2026 Legislative Session is in the books, and the tempo in Frankfort has noticeably picked up. Bills are moving with purpose, committee rooms are busy, and long hours of discussion are turning ideas into action.

Crossing the 100-bill mark for measures that have cleared at least one chamber is a significant checkpoint. It shows that the General Assembly is not standing still; we are actively engaging the challenges facing Kentucky families and advancing legislation to meet them.

There is still serious work ahead before final adjournment, but the progress so far reflects a clear focus: growing our economy, easing financial pressures on families, strengthening local communities, defending taxpayers, improving educational outcomes, and holding the government to a higher standard of accountability.

Last week, the Senate approved the following measures.

Senate Bill 2 is intended to ensure fairness and balance in educator compensation by preventing school administrator pay raises from outpacing those of classroom teachers. The bill prohibits administrators from receiving a percentage pay increase greater than the average percentage increase provided to teachers within the same district, while still allowing for waivers under existing law. SB 2 also updates conforming language and removes outdated statutory provisions.

Senate Bill 4 seeks to create a new statewide leadership training program for new school principals. Beginning in the 2027–2028 school year, principals in their first five years on the job would participate in a structured, cohort-based practicum that provides mentoring, professional training, and peer support. The program is designed to better prepare principals for instructional leadership, school safety, accountability, and managing staff and student needs—without adding new financial burdens for school districts. Most participation costs would be covered by the state, and training hours could count toward existing professional requirements.

Senate Bill 71 SB 71 strengthens fiscal oversight and governance by expanding required training for local school board members. The bill establishes a structured in-service training framework that includes finance, ethics and open meetings and open records education, with requirements tailored to a board member’s length of service. It also adds training related to superintendent evaluation and requires boards to formally review budget roles and responsibilities with district leadership. SB 71 makes reforms to ensure school board members have a consistent understanding of financial responsibilities and public resource management. It aims to improve financial decision-making and accountability in public education.

Senate Bill 45 Strengthens protections for agritourism and working-animal activities in Kentucky by ensuring that local governments cannot impose unreasonable or impractical restrictions on lawful operations. The bill clarifies and modernizes Kentucky’s agritourism statutes by recognizing activities such as farm tours, rodeos, livestock exhibitions, carriage rides, and other events involving working animals when they comply with existing health safety, planning, and zoning laws. SB 45 prohibits cities, counties, and other political subdivisions from adopting or enforcing regulations that place undue burdens on agritourism operators while preserving enforcement authority for animal welfare, public safety and criminal laws. The measure supports rural economies, family farms and legitimate animal-related businesses while maintaining Kentucky’s existing standards of care.

Senate Bill 153, which I passed in the Senate, strengthens accountability for contractors and protects Kentucky homeowners from fraudulent and abusive practices — especially in the aftermath of natural disasters.

I filed this legislation in direct response to the growing problem of “storm chasers” — out-of-state contractors who descend on hard-hit communities, pressure homeowners, manipulate insurance claims, and too often leave families worse off than before. When Kentuckians are trying to rebuild after a tornado, flood, or severe storm, they should not have to worry about being misled or taken advantage of.

SB 153 targets deceptive marketing practices, damage inducement schemes, improper financial relationships, and unenforceable contract terms tied to insurance-funded repairs. The bill requires clear notice before the assignment of insurance benefits and prevents contractors from charging illegal or misleading fees.

During declared emergencies, the legislation gives the Attorney General additional tools — including the authority to require contractor registration, limit aggressive in-person solicitation, and mandate proof of registration at job sites in coordination with local governments.

It also strengthens enforcement by requiring prosecutors to refer suspected fraudulent insurance activity to the Department of Insurance for review.

Recent court-ordered bans against contractors engaged in fraudulent conduct only underscore the need for stronger protections. Senate Bill 153 ensures that when disaster strikes, Kentucky families are protected — not preyed upon.

Senate Bill 155 establishes a clear framework for responding quickly and effectively to animal health emergencies that threaten livestock, poultry or other domesticated animals across Kentucky. The bill authorizes the Commissioner of Agriculture, in consultation with the state veterinarian, to declare an animal health emergency and take targeted action when disease outbreaks, severe conditions or supply disruptions put animal welfare at risk. SB 155 grants emergency authority to deploy veterinary services, order quarantines, restrict the movement of animals or equipment, waive transportation rules for feed and medicine and secure critical goods and services without delay. The measure supports coordination with local, state and federal partners to protect Kentucky agriculture, food supply chains and rural communities.

Senate Bill 160 Improves oversight of licensed child care centers while ensuring fair and consistent treatment for providers across Kentucky. The bill establishes clear standards the Cabinet for Health and Family Services must follow when reviewing violations and considering corrective action, suspension or revocation. It prevents a single violation of a corrective plan from automatically triggering license revocation unless the violation alone justifies that action, and it allows providers up to five business days to submit the requested documentation. SB 160 requires structured weekly support for new centers operating under preliminary licenses and limits violations during that probationary period, except in cases involving serious safety concerns. The reforms apply to pending licensing actions and take effect immediately, promoting accountability while preserving strong protections for child safety statewide.

Senate Bill 172 Known as the Fuel Surcharge Stability Act, SB 172 helps stabilize bills and improve affordability by allowing the Public Service Commission to extend the period during which utilities recover fuel costs, reducing sudden rate spikes for consumers. The bill requires coal severance taxes to be considered during fuel adjustment reviews and gives regulators flexibility to smooth fuel cost recovery when requested by a utility. The measure includes an emergency clause to take effect immediately, supporting greater rate stability for Kentucky households and businesses.

Senate Bill 72 The Health Care Heroes Recruitment and Retention Act seeks to address Kentucky’s health care workforce shortage by protecting the rights of medical professionals and health care institutions to decline participation in specific procedures or services that violate sincerely held religious, moral or ethical beliefs. The bill prohibits retaliation or discrimination against doctors, nurses and other providers for exercising conscience protections while preserving federal requirements related to emergency medical treatment and sexual assault evidence collection. SB 72 clarifies key definitions, strengthens due process protections by requiring timely notice and response to complaints, and establishes enforcement tools for violations. By reinforcing conscience protections alongside patient safety standards, the bill aims to retain experienced providers and attract new health care professionals to the commonwealth.

Each of these bills now moves to the House for consideration.

Several important measures also cleared Senate committees last week and are now headed to the full Senate for a vote.

Transportation SB 110 Modernizes Kentucky’s vehicle titling and registration system by continuing the transition to secure electronic processes that reduce paperwork, improve efficiency and better serve vehicle owners, lenders and county clerks. The bill requires lienholders to use the electronic lien system beginning in 2027 and ensures the state’s electronic titling and centralized lien systems are fully operational before broader implementation. It allows vehicle titles to be stored electronically with an option to request a printed copy, expands the use of email or text notifications for registration and tax notices and authorizes the Transportation Cabinet to set certain titling and registration fees through administrative regulation beginning January 1, 2027. SB 110 also streamlines county clerk operations, eliminates outdated requirements and codifies current best practices to make vehicle transactions faster, clearer and more reliable for Kentuckians.

Natural Resources and Energy Senate Bill 57 Advances a new Nuclear Reactor Site Readiness Pilot Program designed to accelerate nuclear energy development in Kentucky by supporting early federal permitting and structured partnerships between the state, utilities and private-sector partners. The legislation allows the state to invest up to $25 million per project while incorporating strict accountability measures, milestone requirements and financial safeguards to protect taxpayers. Projects will be evaluated based on site suitability, regional economic impact and geographic diversity, with final approval retained by the General Assembly. The proposal positions Kentucky to compete for advanced nuclear investment as a part of our energy portfolio and provide long-term economic growth.

State and Local Senate Bill 9 Priority housing legislation designed to cut red tape and expand home construction across Kentucky. The measure builds on work by the Kentucky Housing Task Force and gives local governments and developers new tools to build the roads, utilities and infrastructure needed for large residential developments. Cities and counties could create Residential Infrastructure Development Districts that allow infrastructure costs to be financed over time rather than paid upfront, helping lower housing costs and accelerate construction. The bill also creates a framework for Housing Development Districts, allowing local governments to partner with developers on qualifying residential projects and negotiate housing incentive payments based on a portion of future property tax revenues. These incentives may be awarded annually for up to seven years for new construction or up to 15 years for redevelopment of existing structures. SB 9 keeps decisions local, requires transparency and ensures that only properties within a district bear the costs. The goal is to support both new housing and redevelopment, help communities grow responsibly and ensure Kentucky’s housing supply keeps pace with population and economic growth.

Senate Bill 141 Modernizes Kentucky’s public notice laws by clarifying where and how legally required advertisements must be published while preserving transparency and controlling taxpayer costs. The bill defines key terms, establishes objective rules for determining which newspapers qualify to publish notices and sets clear procedures when multiple newspapers serve the same area or when no qualifying newspaper exists. It updates publication timelines, allows certain digital publication standards and expands remedial procedures to correct advertising errors. SB 141 also ensures public agencies receive the lowest available advertising rates and comparable contract terms offered to commercial customers while maintaining print publication requirements and expanding statewide online access to public notices.

Committee passage is a notable step in the legislative process. It allows subject-matter experts and stakeholders to weigh in before measures reach the Senate floor.

As we move into week seven, floor action will continue to increase and our attention will begin turning more toward budget discussions and key priority legislation.

I remain committed to working hard on behalf of the people of the 28th District, so your voice is represented in every vote taken.

If you have questions about legislation or would like to share your thoughts on an issue, please don’t hesitate to reach out to my office.