The regular Session of the Kentucky General Assembly officially adjourned on March 30, and we are now one month away from the start of the 2025 Interim period. The interim provides an opportunity to review, communicate, and consider measures for the 2026 session, which will begin on January 6.
I’m pleased to share a brief overview of our work resulting from the 2025 Legislative Session. From day one, we remained focused on advancing policies that strengthen our economy, address pressing challenges, protect Kentucky values, and improve daily life across our communities.
This session, I was proud to carry legislation focused on protecting Kentucky’s youth from nicotine products (Senate Bill 100) and strengthening the long-term sustainability of our retirement systems (Senate Bill 9). Senate Bill 100 addresses an issue brought to the forefront by passionate student advocates. The bill requires retailers selling these products to have a license, which the ABC will enforce.
During this 30-day session, we passed 164 bills. In partnership with our House colleagues, we addressed key issues including tax relief, public safety, education reform, and government accountability. We also prioritized support for rural communities, ensuring they have the resources to grow, recover, and thrive.
Continuing Kentucky’s progress toward a lower individual income tax was a priority. With the passage of House Bill 1, we authorized a reduction from 4 percent to 3.5 percent—effective Jan. 1, 2026. The latest reduction will leave an addition $718 million in the pockets of hardworking Kentuckians and consumers.
The Governor issued 28 vetoes, all overridden by the legislature except for minor line-item vetoes. While these bills generated the majority of press coverage and dominated floor discussion, it’s essential to understand that approximately 75.5 percent of all enacted laws were largely non-controversial, approved by both legislative chambers and signed by the Governor.
I’ve included select bills passed this session with this letter. I hope you’ll take a moment to review them. To date, 33 bills have either gone into full effect or have provisions that have. The effective date for most legislation (116 measures) is June 27, and 15 bills have a specific effective date in the future. You can find all bills in full at legislature.ky.gov.
As always, I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve. If you have any questions, please email[email protected]. ### Sen. Jimmy Higdon, R-Lebanon, represents the 14th Senate District, including LaRue, Marion, Nelson, Spencer, and Washington Counties. Higdon serves as chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, overseeing efforts to craft biennial road plans, advance Kentucky’s transportation infrastructure, and improve public safety. He also serves as Senate co-chair of the Public Pension Oversight Board, focusing on stabilizing and strengthening Kentucky’s pension systems through reform and surplus investment. Additionally, Higdon is a member of the Senate Committees on Education; Veterans, Military Affairs, and Public Protection; and Licensing and Occupations. During the 2024 interim, he served as a Kentucky Housing Task Force member.
Senate Bill 1 creates the Kentucky Film Office to grow the state’s film industry, streamline permits, manage incentives, and market Kentucky as a filming destination.
Senate Bill 2 bans taxpayer-funded transgender surgeries and hormone therapy for inmates, while preserving access to medically necessary care.
Senate Bill 3 updates NIL laws to allow student-athlete pay and revenue-sharing, keeping Kentucky universities competitive under anticipated national rules.
Senate Bill 4 sets statewide rules for government use of AI, focusing on ethics, transparency, data privacy, and election integrity. It took effect immediately on March 24.
Senate Bill 10 increases retiree health subsidies for CERS members and requires new employee contributions to help fund the benefit, aiming to support recruitment and keep the system sustainable.
Senate Bill 26 protects the rights of parents and adoptive families with disabilities by prohibiting discrimination in adoption, custody, and placement decisions. It requires fair evaluations, supportive services, and aligns state policy with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Senate Bill 43 updates medical license reviews, ends suspensions for tax issues, expands ID access through third-party processing, and requires a report on testing and ID needs.
Senate Bill 64 expands legal infrastructure protections and increases copper theft penalties to prevent service disruptions and improve public safety.
Senate Bill 73 makes sexual extortion a felony, strengthening protections for victims, especially minors.
Senate Bill 77 expands the Council on Postsecondary Education’s authority to review and approve new doctoral programs at Kentucky’s comprehensive universities, such as a potential Osteopathic program at my alma mater, Eastern Kentucky University. Programs that don’t require state funding may be approved directly by CPE, while those that do must be recommended to the General Assembly.
Senate Bill 84 requires Kentucky courts to independently interpret laws without deferring to state agency interpretations, adopting a de novo standard of review. This aligns state law with the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2024 decision overturning the Chevron doctrine and clarifies that agencies cannot expect judicial deference to their views on statutes or regulations.
Senate Bill 87 supports Kentucky’s aviation sector by streamlining airport procurement, enhancing safety, and promoting workforce development. It raises transaction limits under FAA small purchase rules for major airports, increases penalties for violations, and updates outdated aviation laws. The bill also calls on the Council on Postsecondary Education to study the creation of an FAA-recognized air traffic or safety program at a Kentucky university.
Senate Bill 120 enhances student-athlete protections by requiring coaches and school staff to complete training on recognizing and reporting abuse.
Senate Bill 162 cracks down on unemployment insurance compensation fraud.
Senate Bill 179 creates the Nuclear Energy Development Grant Program within the Kentucky Nuclear Energy Development Authority to support projects that grow the state’s nuclear energy capabilities. It allocates $10 million from existing University of Kentucky funds for initiatives.
Senate Bill 183 requires proxy advisers for state retirement systems to prioritize financial returns over political agendas and provide economic justification when opposing company board recommendations.
Senate Bill 207 allows public schools to apply for innovation waivers to try new instructional models, especially in underperforming districts. It maintains oversight, permits third-party partnerships, and creates a state-run instructional materials depository.
House Bill 2 allows taxpayers to sue state executive branch officials for illegally taxing gold and silver, despite a prior law repealing those taxes. It responds to continued collections after an unconstitutional veto was ruled invalid.
House Bill 4 bans DEI offices and funding at public universities, prohibits mandatory DEI training and diversity statements, and bars race- or identity-based preferences in hiring, admissions, and programs.
House Bill 10 creates a faster process to remove squatters, defines the term in law, expands criminal mischief statutes, and provides legal protections for good-faith property owners and law enforcement.
House Bill 6 limits when state agencies can file or amend regulations, allowing it only when authorized by law and one of six specific conditions is met, such as avoiding major economic impact, complying with court orders, meeting legal deadlines, or addressing emergencies or funding issues.
House Bill 15 lowers the minimum age for a driving permit from 16 to 15, aligning Kentucky with most Southern states.
House Bill 38 increases penalties for repeated violations of protective orders and clarifies what qualifies as a repeat offense. It also allows victims to delay court appearances until the respondent is served and expands what counts toward a third-offense penalty.
House Bill 48 cuts red tape in public schools by easing evaluation, training, and reporting requirements. It extends the evaluation timeline for tenured teachers, reduces the frequency of certain trainings, and sets a four-year professional development cycle.
House Bill 190 requires school boards to develop accelerated learning plans and automatically enroll high-achieving high school students in advanced courses, unless parents opt out in writing.
House Bill 208 requires schools to ban student use of personal devices during class, except with teacher permission, and to block social media on school networks. It addresses concerns about the impact of screen time on student learning and well-being.
House Bill 240 strengthens early literacy by requiring end-of-year reading screenings for kindergarteners and allowing retention for students who don’t meet benchmarks. It includes exemptions for older and special education students and mandates updated reading improvement plans for those retained.
House Bill 315 restricts foreign entities from certain countries from acquiring or leasing Kentucky farmland or participating in state agricultural programs.
House Bill 342 makes financial literacy a graduation requirement starting with the Class of 2030.
House Bill 544 creates a disaster relief fund to support flood-hit regions and doubles the emergency funding available to the state’s executive branch.
House Bill 546 funds local road grants with population-based matching requirements, supports six county priority projects, and authorizes bonding and federal funds for the I-69 bridge. It also requires a new agreement with Indiana to reaffirm toll-based financing, keeping major transportation projects on track.
House Bill 622 invests an additional $34.5 million in school safety over the remainder of the biennium.
House Bill 694 shifts TRS retiree health contributions to the pension fund once it is fully funded, helping reduce unfunded liabilities and speeding up full funding by about two years.
House Bill 695 increases Medicaid oversight, adds work requirements for able-bodied adults, improves pharmacy and behavioral health spending transparency, and requires legislative approval for significant changes.
House Joint Resolution 46 approves 149 local road projects across 97 counties and cities, with no area receiving more than two. Senate changes added six more projects using funds reallocated through House Bill 546.
