We’re in the home stretch, but plenty of work remains to be done. With just four legislative days before the veto period, things are moving quickly. Bills are being debated, final votes are happening, and we’re working hard to pass legislation that will impact Kentucky families, businesses, and communities. The next few legislative days will be fast-paced and decisive, and I want to keep you informed as we make the final push.
At this point in the session, we’ve shifted our focus to hearing a large batch of House bills in committee and on the Senate floor. Just as the House is working through Senate bills, we’re carefully reviewing their legislation to ensure it aligns with the priorities of Kentuckians.
This week also brought a great reminder of why this work matters, as students from across the state visited the Capitol for Kentucky Youth Advocacy Week. It’s always inspiring to see young Kentuckians engage in the legislative process and share their vision for the future.
The Senate passed Senate Bill (SB) 3 this week and sent it to the state House of Representatives where a House committee quickly approved it. Designated a priority, the bill will make sure Kentucky’s name image and likeness laws are modern and reflect the upcoming federal court ruling. It aligns with federal standards and will allow Kentucky universities to participate in direct compensation agreements. Notably, the bill prevents exploitation of our student athletes.
SB 3 is a game-changer. It equips our universities with the tools to adapt to the shifting NIL landscape while protecting student-athletes and expanding their opportunities. This legislation is about fairness, preparation, and ensuring Kentucky continues to lead nationally. With NIL reforms on the horizon, we are positioning our programs for success and ensuring our student-athletes have every opportunity to thrive. I expect to see its final passage early next week which would deliver the bill to the Governor’s desk for consideration.
Below are several other bills that passed the Senate this week that the Kentucky state House of Representatives may now take up.
Bills include additional priority legislation, such as SB 1, which establishes the Kentucky Film Office within the Cabinet for Economic Development to attract more film and television productions to the commonwealth. The office will serve as a central hub for filmmakers and coordinate with local film commissions and tourism agencies to streamline permits, incentives, and workforce development while marketing Kentucky as a premier filming destination. The bill also creates the Kentucky Film Leadership Council to oversee tax incentives and set industry policies to ensure efficient and responsible growth. Funded through state allocations, application fees, and a portion of the bed tax, the office will work to bring more productions to Kentucky and create jobs and economic opportunities for local businesses. Supporters say the bill will help Kentucky compete with other states by simplifying the filming process and ensuring tax incentives are administered effectively, which benefits a range of workers from construction crews and electricians to small business owners.
SB 6, priority legislation, improves transparency in Kentucky’s education funding by ensuring that the full cost of public education is accurately reported. The bill requires the Support Education Excellence in Kentucky (SEEK) funding model to include state-paid fringe benefits—such as teacher pensions and health insurance—in per-pupil funding calculations. Currently, these costs are not factored into state education funding reports, which leaves an incomplete picture of total taxpayer investment. SB 6 does not change how schools receive funding but provides a more accurate representation of the state’s financial commitment to public education. The bill’s reporting changes take effect on July 1, 2026.
SB 7, the Right of Publicity Act, another priority bill, prohibits the unauthorized commercial use of unclothed images of individuals, living or deceased, in Kentucky. It allows legal action for misuse, exempts cloud and internet service providers, and preserves First Amendment protections for journalism, art, and entertainment.
SB 9, the final bill getting priority designation that was approved this week, strengthens the Kentucky Teachers’ Retirement System by standardizing sick leave policies, capping pensionable sick leave at 12 days per year, and requiring districts to cover the costs of additional leave. It also mandates 30 days of maternity leave by 2030, ensures TRS reports sick leave liabilities, and allows state audits for oversight. The bill aligns administrator leave policies with teacher leave policies to improve pension sustainability and fairness.
SB 63 allows street-legal special-purpose vehicles on certain public roads under safety and registration conditions. It prohibits use on interstates and parkways, requires inspections, and exempts farm-use vehicles from registration.
SB 68 reduces school administrative burdens by eliminating certain reporting requirements, clarifying school board tax authority, expanding career and technical education, and repealing outdated statutes.
SB 93 requires private insurers, Medicaid, KCHIP, state employee, and university health plans to cover hearing aids and services for children starting Jan. 1, 2026. It mandates at least one hearing aid per ear with a $2,500 minimum per device, consults the Kentucky Commission on the Deaf and Hard of Hearing on coverage levels, adjusts cost-sharing for higher-priced devices, and sets network adequacy standards for pediatric audiologists.
SB 130 creates new criminal offenses for gift card fraud to make it a Class D felony to tamper with or steal gift cards. It defines “face value” for prosecution and strengthens law enforcement tools to combat financial fraud.
SB 132 protects medical professionals’ rights to decline participation in procedures that violate their conscience. It prohibits retaliation, ensures professionals can access complaints filed against them, and includes an emergency clause for immediate effect.
SB 144 bans the resale of firearms used in homicides and requires their destruction within 90 days of a court order. It also allows the Kentucky State Police to destroy unsafe, defaced, or contaminated firearms to prevent them from re-entering circulation.
SB 136 modernizes Kentucky’s vehicle registration and licensing processes by streamlining KAVIS, ensuring consistent insurance valuations for totaled vehicles, and expanding REAL ID eligibility for Freely Associated States citizens.
SB 153 sets standards for prepayment claims review in Medicaid to prevent improper payments, increase oversight, and reduce fraud. It requires compliance with state regulations and, if necessary, federal approval.
SB 183 requires proxy advisers working with state retirement systems to prioritize financial outcomes over environment, social and governance (ESG) activism, mandates economic analysis for certain shareholder votes, and reduces reliance on politically motivated investment decisions.
SB 202 regulates cannabis-infused beverages to protect consumers and establish oversight under the Kentucky Department of Alcohol Beverage Control. It limits products to 5 mg per serving, requires a University of Kentucky Cannabis Center report by Nov. 1, and allows existing inventory exceeding the new limits to be sold until May 1.
SB 207 creates a waiver process for public schools to implement innovation strategies. This process allows them to tailor academic offerings, expand programs, and apply for state-approved flexibilities while maintaining oversight.
SB 218 improves financial transparency by directing the Kentucky Department of Revenue to create an online hub for local government spending and tax information. It requires public access by 2026.
SB 237 exempts experienced out-of-state law enforcement officers from Kentucky’s physical agility test for peace officer certification, easing recruitment while maintaining professional standards.
SB 266 allows Kentucky State Police troopers to take off-duty law enforcement jobs with commissioner approval and department regulations to prevent conflicts of interest. It also permits state-owned vehicles with regular plates and sets policies on uniforms, equipment, and facilities.
Several House measures were delivered to the Governor’s desk.
House Bill (HB) 191 expands eligibility for burial in Kentucky state veterans’ cemeteries to certain National Guard and Reserve members and their families to align with federal standards. It takes effect Jan. 1, 2026.
HB 216 allows Department of Agriculture employees (excluding Kentucky Office of Agricultural Policy staff) to apply for funds, awards, or contracts from the office. It includes an emergency provision.
HB 219 requires emergency medical providers to receive sexual assault emergency response training but does not mandate certification.
HB 234 expands Kentucky Office of Homeland Security grants to airport security personnel. It directs firearm sale funds toward protective gear and technology to enhance safety and policing.
HB 261 permits retired CPAs to provide unpaid services such as tax preparation and nonprofit board participation without forfeiting their CPA license.
HB 262 allows small CPA firms to retain the name of a deceased or retired owner.
HB 391 increases the threshold for selling pure Kentucky honey without regulatory permits from 150 to 500 gallons to support small-scale beekeepers.
House Concurrent Resolution 20 directs the Legislative Research Commission to study access to Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANE) in Kentucky, with training led by the state’s Sexual Assault Response Team Advisory Committee.
HB 241 passed out of the Senate but with revisions, so it will move to a conference committee before it can be delivered to the Governor’s desk. The bill provides school districts relief from excessive closures by granting up to five additional non-traditional instruction days, allowing extended school days, and waiving certain instructional day requirements. It also prevents KDE from limiting virtual program enrollment.
Once we wrap these final legislative days, we’ll enter the veto period to give the Governor time to review the bills we’ve sent to his desk. He can sign them into law, let them take effect without his signature, or issue a veto. When we return for the remaining two days of session, the legislature can, and will, override any vetoes with a majority vote in both chambers. If history tells us anything, we can expect the Governor to veto numerous good pieces of legislation that reflect our Kentucky values. We will add several new bills to his record of more than 100 gubernatorial vetoes that have been overridden. It’ll be interesting to see which bills he chooses to veto and which he may disagree with, but will quietly let become law without his signature of support.
Thank you for allowing me to serve you in the Kentucky Senate. Please get in touch with my office at 502-564-2450 or Max.Wise@kylegislature.gov if you have any questions, concerns, or ideas.
(Dustin R. Isaacs – Senate Majority Floor Leader Max Wise)