This week marked the final days for filing new House and Senate bills during the General Assembly’s 2026 legislative session, bringing the total number of bills filed this session to 1,293.
Both chambers are easing into hearing the other’s bills, so expect next week to be a busy one as that process speeds up.
With 19 legislative working days remaining, the Senate continues work on its version of the budget. Once the Senate releases its proposal, the bill will go to a conference committee between the two chambers to negotiate a final agreement.
Typically, the General Assembly aims to send budget bills and other priority legislation to the Governor’s desk before the veto period begins April 2, preserving lawmakers’ ability to override any potential vetoes.
Increased Local Assistance Road Program funding
HJR 76 was filed in the House this week and includes the proposed Local Assistance Road Program (LARP) project list for fiscal year 2027.
In recent years, LARP has been funded at around $20 million, but the House proposal includes $68.1 million in projects. This significant increase would fund requested local road projects with rankings of 8, 9 and 10.
The project list may be amended as it moves through the legislative process.
KACo greatly appreciates the leadership of Rep. Jason Petrie, Chair of the House Appropriations and Revenue Committee, and Rep. Ken Upchurch, Chair of the House Budget Review Subcommittee on Transportation, for recognizing the need and making the investment for additional funding for county roads.
Read more about the proposed LARP projects and current County Road Aid challenges here.
Jail legislation
KACo’s government affairs team continues to meet with legislative leadership and members of both chambers to promote House Bill 557, KACo’s comprehensive jail proposal and top priority legislation this session.
This bill is currently assigned to the House Appropriations and Revenue Committee but it has not been scheduled for a hearing.
County officials are encouraged to continue engaging their legislators about the importance of this legislation to their communities and local budgets. Officials can access KACo’s HB 557 resource page for background information, a sample fiscal court resolution and a social media toolkit.
Bills on the move
HB 600 – sponsored by Rep. Mary Beth Imes (R-Calloway), passed the House floor 82-11.
The bill allows county attorneys to use a consolidated legal procedure to enforce the collection of delinquent property taxes. Counties currently lack this tool, which is available to cities. The change could improve efficiency and reduce costs associated with delinquent tax collection.
SB 133 – sponsored by Sen. Matt Nunn (R-Scott), passed out of Senate State and Local Committee this week.
The bill eliminates the requirement for separate annual audits of county clerks’ motor vehicle and motorboat receipts and instead includes those funds as part of the clerk’s regular audit. The Transportation Cabinet would remain responsible for covering the cost associated with auditing that portion of the clerk’s accounts.
The legislation also requires final settlements for county officials who leave office to be completed within 60 days. If a vacancy occurs before the end of a term, the outgoing official would remit any remaining funds to the fiscal court as excess fees, which would then be transferred to the official’s successor.
Additionally, the bill eases audit requirements for smaller special purpose governmental entities (SPGEs).
HB 534 - sponsored by Rep. D.J. Johnson (R-Daviess), passed the House floor Thursday 53–40, with 21 Republicans voting no.
The bill would permit Kentucky to work with the federal government to identify noncitizens registered to vote, allow judicial candidates to share their political party affiliation, and allow Kentucky’s federal officeholders—six members of the U.S. House and two U.S. senators—to run for both reelection and president in 2028, among other provisions.
Voter data shared with the federal government would include a person’s name, date of birth and last four digits of their Social Security number, which are already accessible by the federal government. This bill would consolidate that information into one dataset. If someone is identified as a non-citizen by the federal government, they would be unable to vote until their U.S. citizenship is confirmed.
HB 774 – sponsored by Rep. Jennifer Decker (R-Shelby), passed out of committee this week.
The bill would create a mandatory annual reporting requirement for every county, jail and related local entity that assesses or collects criminal or traffic-related costs, fines or fees.
Required reporting would include breakdowns by:
- Type of cost, fine or fee
- Statutory authority
- Assessing entity
- Stage of proceeding
- Allocation recipient
- Percentage distribution of paid amounts
Additional reporting elements:
- Total assessed, paid and unpaid amounts
- Restructured or discharged totals
- Demographic percentage distributions (race, gender, education, parental status, etc., if previously collected)
- Identification of private contractors and collection agencies receiving funds
Other topics of county interest
Several additional bills that could impact counties are awaiting further action, including legislation related to:
- Constitutional amendments on, abolishment of and a task force on property taxes
- Housing and local government residential permitting response timelines
- Occupational license fee collection
- Alcohol regulatory fees
- Eminent domain
- Elections
- Driver licensing.
Important legislative dates
April 2-13 – Veto recess
April 14-15 – Final two days of session
For questions or feedback, contact Shellie Hampton or Kayla Smith at shellie.hampton@kaco.org or kayla.smith@kaco.org.
