Lawmakers returned to Frankfort on February 4 to resume the 2025 Regular Session and got right to work filing several bills, meeting with constituents, and attending committee meetings.
The biggest victory of the week was the Senate passage of legislation that will make Kentucky more competitive by lowering the state’s individual income tax to 3.5 percent as of January 2026. This measure is the next step in the legislature’s efforts to leave more money in the pockets of Kentuckians, empowering them to save, invest, and spend in ways that benefit their own communities. This measure not only helps Kentuckians, but also strengthens Kentucky’s economic competitiveness, making it an even more attractive place to work.
A lower income tax fosters growth, creates jobs, and ensures that our state remains on a path toward sustained prosperity. HB 1 continues the House Majority’s efforts to eliminate the individual income tax entirely. In 2018, the General Assembly first acted to decrease the individual income tax rate from 6 percent to 5 percent, which resulted in historic economic growth, as well as record job creation and state revenue. Lawmakers passed legislation HB 8 22RS that lays the groundwork to eliminate the individual income tax entirely but includes preset triggers that must be met before the legislature can move to decrease the tax in half a percentage point increments. These triggers essentially hold funding for state programs and agencies harmless. I am pleased to share that the bill was signed into law just a day after the House and Senate sent it to the Governor’s desk. We were, of course, prepared to override another veto if necessary.
As session continues, I look forward to discussing the legislation we are working on, especially how it will help bring about change throughout the Commonwealth. I wanted to take some time to inform you about some of the bills passed out of committee.
Teacher Red Tape Reduction Act: Members of the House Education Committee approved HB 48, which would remove burdensome administrative policies and standards that take a teacher’s time away from the students in the classroom. This measure would standardize professional development schedules, reduce the frequency of summative evaluations, and remove unnecessary requirements set by the Kentucky Department of Education to give teachers more time to focus on instruction.
Landon’s Law/Choking Safety in Schools: Another bill passed by committee this week was HB 44, also known as Landon’s Law. The measure would require schools to train staff to use anti-choking devices if they have purchased the equipment. Qualified staff would also receive instruction on the proper technique of the Heimlich maneuver. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that schools have anti-choking devices to improve student safety and comply with the American Disabilities Act (ADA). In addition, the anti-choking device manufacturer LifeVac provides schools with a free choking rescue device upon request. This device is registered and regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Individual Liberty: HB 27 also passed committee this week, which would clarify existing law on planned communities to prohibit all homeowner associations from banning political yard signs. The bill maintains the authority of associations to regulate size and duration of political yard signs, while primarily protecting the first amendment rights of homeowners.
Protecting Elections: House Elections, Constitutional Amendments, and Intergovernmental Affairs approved legislation, HB 45, aimed at bringing consistency in election laws banning foreign nationals from attempting to influence our elections via donations and political advertising. Foreign nationals are already banned from donating to influence candidate elections, and this law would extend that ban to proposed ballot measures, like the constitutional amendments that were on our November ballot.
Celebrating Kentucky’s Rich History: Members of the House State Government Committee approved HB 313, which would designate the month of June as “Kentucky History Month.”
As always, I hope you will feel free to contact me with any questions or issues. I can be reached through the toll-free message line in Frankfort at 1-800-372-7181. Please feel free to email me at Amy.Neighbors@kylegislature.gov. If you would like more information about the legislature, you can visit the Legislative Research Commission website at legislature.ky.gov.
(Laura Leigh Goins, Deputy Chief of Staff for Media Relations – House Majority Leadership)