Social Media, Taxes, and Election Denialism

2026 Legislative Update #4

Other Recent House Action

A number of bills have passed the House and are awaiting action in the Senate.

HB 5 establishes the Kentucky Community and Technical College System Prison Education Program to reduce recidivism and boost Kentucky’s workforce. I voted YES

HB 67 clarifies Senate Bill 181 from the 2025 legislative session that established a traceable communication system requirement for public school students interacting with teachers and other school personnel electronically. I voted YES. It is not always easy for legislators to get the balance right between protecting our population and avoiding unintended consequences when regulating new technology. 

HB 142 helps farmers more easily file and renew claims for crop and property damage caused by deer while also addressing overpopulation concerns across the state. I voted YES

HB 246, also known as Kyan’s Law, requires animal control officers to receive training on recognizing signs of child abuse beginning in 2027. The bill includes an opt-out provision for local governments. I voted YES

HB 248 allows certain hospitals to establish hospital police departments with officers who have full law enforcement powers, including the authority to make arrests. I voted YES

HB 254 exempts some temporary structures, such as trailers, from building code compliance during an emergency declaration, such as natural disasters. I voted YES

HB 282, also known as Troy’s Law, allows tow trucks to use flashing, oscillating green lights to increase visibility and prevent serious or fatal accidents. I voted YES

HB 299 would mirror federal law that prohibits the possession of a machine gun conversion device by making the offense a class C felony. I voted YES

HB 307, also known as the My Kentucky Future Act, establishes a common online application for students applying to public postsecondary education institutions in the commonwealth, among other provisions. I voted YES

HB 364 entitles Kentucky National Guard members to receive Commonwealth Emergency Response Pay when called to state active-duty service during an emergency declared by the governor. I voted YES

HB 418 protects and prioritizes the safety and well-being of children in custody cases involving domestic violence. I voted YES

HB 468: I voted NO on this bill that would transfer Kentucky’s Human Rights Commission’s ability to adjudicate violations to the Court of Justice.

HB 469 prevents school board members from being employed by the school district. School board candidates would also be required to undergo a background check when they file to run for office. I voted YES

HB 503 is the proposed budget for the legislative branch for the next two fiscal years. I voted NO. This bill would increase legislator pay along with other non-elected staff of the legislative branch. House Democrats unsuccessfully attempted to exempt legislators from the pay rise. With so many cuts to pay and benefits being proposed across the board this year, I cannot fathom why we would need to give ourselves a raise before other government employees.

HB 519, sponsored by Rep. Mike Clines (R-Alexandria) and inspired by a Campbell County resident that suffered a traumatic brain injury, allows communication disorders to be noted on someone’s personal identification card. The bill would also direct the Kentucky State Police to implement training on interacting with persons with a communication disorder. I voted YES

HB 542 seeks to improve communication and transparency during eminent domain negotiations. I voted YES

HB 567 requires proof of address via a government-issued photo ID from an open records applicant. By allowing applicants to provide a digital copy of their photo ID, this bill is much improved over the original proposal. The bots bombarding online open records request systems have become unmanageable (some agencies have received 1000s of frivolous requests). I voted YES because I believe this bill strikes the right balance.

HB 576 creates the Kentucky Talent Recruitment Grant Program to help attract workers to the state and address workforce shortages. I voted YES

HB 586 allows students to carry and self-apply sunscreen at school. I didn’t know that some schools prohibit kids from using sunscreen without a parent’s note! I voted YES

HB 611 creates parity for victims of felony assault, sexual offenses and stalking. HB 611 would also create a 10-year interpersonal protective order for victims upon a conviction of first- or second-degree assault when the perpetrator and victim are family members, an unmarried couple or in a dating relationship. I voted YES

HB 621 establishes clearer limits on class sizes and teacher caseloads for students receiving special education services. Rep. Tina Bojanowski (D-Louisville), a public school teacher, sponsored the measure as part of an effort to ensure students with disabilities receive the attention and support they need. The bill sets maximum numbers of students in special education classrooms depending on the type of disability being served and also limits how many students a special education teacher can be responsible for at one time. The goal is to help ensure students with disabilities receive the attention and support they need while giving schools clear standards for providing those services. I voted YES.

HB 651 seeks to protect rate payers from subsidizing the cost of data centers. I voted YES

HB 669 ensures children in the care of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services receive survivor or dependent Social Security or veterans benefits that are owed to them. I voted YES

HB 685 allows Kentucky to join an interstate compact to allow licensed school psychologists to practice across state lines more easily. I voted YES

HB 713: This is part of an ongoing effort to protect healthcare workers from workplace violence by requiring health facilities to display a notice in a prominent location advising of possible consequences of threatening or aggressive behavior toward health care workers. I voted YES

HB 727 authorizes the Education Professional Standards Board to use proceeds from certification fees for the development and maintenance of the Kentucky Educator Placement Service System. This will allow teacher applicants to apply for more than one job at once. I voted YES

HB 776 updates Kentucky’s dental practice laws by revising definitions, adjusting the composition of the state dental board, and clarifying rules governing dental practices and providers. The bill also gives the Kentucky Board of Dentistry authority to use its funds to offer scholarships or loan repayment assistance, helping attract and retain dentists in the state. The changes are intended to strengthen the dental workforce and improve access to care for Kentuckians. I voted YES

HB 869 creates a rural building and job creation revolving fund to provide low-interest loans for construction or renovation projects tied to job growth, while partnering with the Kentucky Community and Technical College System to support workforce needs. I voted YES

HB 900 allocates $801 million from the state’s budget reserve trust fund over the next two years. I voted NO because there were no details about which projects would be funded. A final version of this bill will be expected after ongoing negotiations with the Senate.



As always, you can find the details of all bills and my voting record on the LRC website.

Road Plan

The House passed our version of the state’s Road Plan (HB 501, HB 502, HJR 75, HJR 76). We appropriated approximately $2.7 billion for each of the next two years. Approximately 50% of these allocations come from federal funds and the rest from the state road fund. This includes about $68 million toward completion of the 4^th Street bridge between Newport and Covington as quickly and as safely as possible. Other major projects in the 67^th district include traffic mitigation and improvements along the entire I-471 corridor, redesign of the I-275 interchange at the AA Hwy, and improvements to the AA Hwy through Wilder and Cold Spring.  

Only the 3rd Bill of the Session has become law

On Monday, the House voted 78-19 on Monday to ensure HB 314 becomes law, overriding the Governor’s veto. I voted NO based on the constitutional concerns raised in the Governor’s veto message. The Senate voted 32-6 to override the veto on Tuesday.

HB 314 transfers oversight of the Kentucky Communications Network Authority (Kentucky Wired) to the Commonwealth Office of Technology and establishes a new director and board for the program. It is now officially law in Kentucky.

What to watch

I expect a lot of action in the final weeks of session, as the Senate takes action on House bills and vice versa. While there are likely several surprises to come, here are a few issues to watch:

HB 904 would raise the sports wagering and charitable gaming age from 18 to 21, regulate fantasy contests, limit Kentucky gaming license holders from participating in prediction markets, and more.

There are likely to be significant changes made to the budget bills in the Senate. Expect several iterations before being settled in free conference committees.

My HB 761, modernizing Kentucky’s Riverport Authority Statute, which I covered in the last newsletter, received its first reading in the House on Friday and has been assigned to the Local Government Committee for consideration. 

SB 199 establishes that any pesticide registered with the Department of Agriculture, with an EPA approved label for use pursuant to the very weak Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act is deemed sufficient warning for the purposes of an action concerning duty to warn. It passed the Senate 23-13 and is up for consideration in the House. Unless this bill is substantially amended, I will be a NO, as will many other House members from both parties. Pesticides such as Round Up, while they have legitimate uses, are known carcinogens that require special care to keep users safe. Manufacturers have a duty to clearly label their products with known risks, side effects, and instructions for use. If they mislead consumers they need to be held liable.