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FRANKFORT, Ky. (July 13, 2026) — Dozens of new laws that were passed during the 2026 legislative session – including ones on gaming, first responders, schools, criminal justice, grooming and concealed carry – are set to take effect in Kentucky this week.
The Kentucky General Assembly passed more than 190 bills during this year’s 60-day legislative session, and more than half of those measures will become effective on Wednesday.
The state constitution specifies that new laws take effect 90 days after the legislature adjourns unless they have special effective dates, are general appropriation measures, or include emergency clauses that make them effective immediately upon becoming law.
Lawmakers adjourned the 2026 session on April 15, making July 15 the effective date for most bills.
Here’s a look at some of the measures taking effect:
Affordable Housing – House Bill 333 will allow faith-based organizations to build small-scale affordable housing units on property located near religious institutions.
Alternative Diplomas – House Bill 562 will create a new alternative diploma option for high school students with intellectual disabilities, allowing the students to be considered graduates rather than dropouts. It also calls for the state Department of Workforce Development to create a one-stop shop that identifies all employers in Kentucky that will recognize the new alternative diploma as a valid high school diploma.
Alternative Sentencing – Much of Senate Bill 122 will not take effect until later this year. However, several provisions that aim to keep families intact when a parent is convicted of a felony will take effect. Those provisions require Kentucky courts to consider alternative sentences for certain nonviolent felony convictions when the defendant is a primary caretaker of a dependent child.
Campaign Finance – House Bill 136 will allow the use of campaign funds to pay for the “reasonable costs” of security measures for candidates, office holders and family members.
Child Pornography – House Bill 366 will expand child pornography prohibitions to include computer-generated images of a minor. It will also require someone convicted of possessing or viewing child pornography to serve at least 85% of their criminal sentence.
Child Welfare – House Bill 778 will create multiple changes to Kentucky law related to child welfare. It seeks to ensure safe and adequate foster care placements and that children in foster care are not placed with someone on the sex offender registry. Also under HB 778, child injuries caused by ingestion or inhalation of a controlled substance will be included in the definition of neglect, and neglect will be added to the child abuse statute.
Concealed Carry – House Bill 312 will allow Kentuckians aged 18 to 20 years old to obtain a provisional concealed carry permit after undergoing a background check and firearms training.
Crystal Rogers Act – House Bill 305 seeks to preserve the integrity of grand jury proceedings by strengthening penalties for illegally recording or sharing information on a grand jury proceeding.
Death Penalty Regulations – Senate Bill 251 will give the Kentucky Department of Corrections the option to implement execution protocols and procedures through internal policy, memorandum or similar action. Right now, the department is required to promulgate administrative regulations to prescribe and implement execution protocols. Supporters say the change could help resolve long-term delays surrounding Kentucky’s death penalty regulations.
Federal Education Opportunity Program – House Bill 1 will clear the way for Kentucky to participate in the new federal educational tax credit program established by the U.S. Congress last year in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The program allows taxpayers to contribute up to $1,700 to scholarship organizations that assist K-12 students in public and private schools. Families can use the funds for a wide range of education-related expenses, and taxpayers can receive a matching federal tax credit for contributions.
Food is Medicine Initiatives – Senate Joint Resolution 23 declares Kentucky as a “Food is Medicine” state and directs state agencies to advance Food is Medicine initiatives.
Fraudulent Contractors – Senate Bill 153 will help protect Kentucky homeowners from abusive and fraudulent contractors following severe weather. It will clarify that vandalism committed for the purpose of an insurance claim is fraud. It will also create a post-disaster registry for roofing, siding and tree-removal businesses, and it will prohibit door-to-door solicitations during declared emergencies.
Gaming – House Bill 904 will implement a broad reform in Kentucky’s wagering and gaming laws. Among many provisions, HB 904 will increase the age to participate in sports wagering from 18 to 21 and prohibit anyone on the attorney general’s child support arrearage list from betting on online platforms. The bill will also create a comprehensive licensing and regulatory framework around fantasy sports and forbid negative outcome bets – also known as “under” bets – on college athletes who play on in-state teams. Another section will prevent fantasy operators or betting companies from contracting with a prediction market that operates in Kentucky. HB 904 will also give racetracks the option to offer fixed-odds wagering to help address public perception around computer-assisted bets that change the odds suddenly before a race. Additionally, it will create a purse stabilization fund to ensure that any wagers from fixed odds still support the horse industry. Other sections relate to tote system modernization, charitable middlemen restrictions, and charitable gaming governance, fees and caps.
Grooming – House Bill 4 will criminalize efforts to manipulate a minor into sexual contact with an adult, a practice known as “grooming.”
Ibogaine Research – Senate Bill 77 calls for creation of an ibogaine research and intellectual property fund to be administered by the Department of Agriculture. It will allow the department to partner with a drug developer to conduct clinical trials on using ibogaine to treat substance use disorders and other neurological and mental health conditions.
Impaired Driving – Under Senate Bill 66, a suspect in an impaired driving case who refuses to submit to a blood test will have their driver’s license suspended at the time of arraignment. If the person is convicted, their license will be subsequently suspended by the state Transportation Cabinet. The bill will require the cabinet to maintain records of moving traffic convictions for 10 years. It will also add clonazepam, cyclobenzaprine and fentanyl to the list of drugs that, when detected in a driver’s blood, could lead to an impaired driving conviction.
Impeding a First Responder – Senate Bill 104 seeks to prevent interference or harassment of first responders. It will create a 25-foot safe zone around police, firefighters and others while they are performing their official duties. Individuals who remain in the zone could face criminal charges if they ignore an initial warning to move back and intend to impede, threaten or harass a first responder.
Interstate Compacts – House Bill 36 will allow Kentucky to participate in interstate licensure compacts for respiratory therapists, athletic trainers and dieticians. The goal is to make it easier for people in these professions to locate to and practice in Kentucky.
Kentucky-Grown Agricultural Products – Senate Bill 5 will make it easier for Kentucky schools to purchase locally grown food for student meals. It seeks to lift some procurement requirements and better connect students with the agricultural economy.
Kentucky State Police – Senate Bill 278 calls for the commissioner of Kentucky State Police to allow state troopers to participate in approved, off-duty law enforcement work for public entities, entities that receive state funding and certain ticketed events.
License Plate Readers – House Bill 58 will limit the use of license plate readers largely to public safety purposes, such as regulating parking, controlling access to secured areas, deterring crime and conducting criminal investigations. The state Transportation Cabinet could also use readers for toll and revenue collection and certain enforcement needs. HB 58 also will require data captured by automatic license plate readers to be deleted after 90 days, with limited exceptions for criminal investigations and other needs.
Literacy and School Employee Misconduct – House Bill 422 will clarify the insanity defense in criminal law. It will also prevent juries and courts from applying the insanity defense inconsistently when returning verdicts for multiple counts arising from a single course of conduct. In addition, HB 422 will make repeat violent offenders ineligible for mandatory reentry supervision. The bill was filed after Ronald Exantus, the man who killed 6-year-old Logan Tipton in 2015, was released early from prison last year on mandatory reentry supervision.
Logan’s Law – House Bill 422 will clarify the insanity defense in criminal law. It will also prevent juries and courts from applying the insanity defense inconsistently when returning verdicts for multiple counts arising from a single course of conduct. In addition, HB 422 will make repeat violent offenders ineligible for mandatory reentry supervision. The bill was filed after Ronald Exantus, the man who killed 6-year-old Logan Tipton in 2015, was released early from prison last year on mandatory reentry supervision.
Medicaid Delivery Study – Senate Concurrent Resolution 9 calls for a study of accountable care models used for Medicaid programs in other states. The study will also look at opportunities to implement such a model in Kentucky through a pilot program. The effort seeks to control costs and improve health outcomes.
Mental Health Care – House Bill 178 aims to support the psychiatric collaborative care model, allowing primary care providers, care managers and consulting psychiatrists to work together on a patient’s mental health care.
Nuclear Energy – Senate Bill 57 will create the Nuclear Reactor Site Readiness Pilot Program to help energy providers obtain licenses and permits related to site work for nuclear power projects. The program will provide up to $25 million in grant funding to each of three projects in Kentucky.
Pesticide Labeling – Under Senate Bill 199, pesticides that display a warning label approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will have met legal standards concerning the duty to warn consumers about potential health effects. The final version of the bill applies only to products that have an agricultural use label.
Prison Education Programs – House Bill 5 will establish the Kentucky Community and Technical College System Prison Education Program, seeking to reduce recidivism and support workforce development. KCTCS will partner with the state Department of Corrections to build and operate a vocational training campus at Northpoint Training Center.
Provisional Physician Licenses – Senate Bill 137 will allow the state Board of Medical Licensure to issue a provisional license to a physician who completed residency in a foreign country and can meet other requirements. The applicant will need to provide an offer of employment from a licensed health care provider located in an underserved area.
Physician Shortages – Senate Joint Resolution 116 directs the University of Kentucky, the University of Louisville and Eastern Kentucky University to coordinate a search for actionable solutions to physician shortages and to explore and expand health care opportunities in medically underserved areas.
Real Estate Fraud – House Bill 264 seeks to combat real estate scams. It will create a legal presumption of fraud when someone advertises residential or commercial property for sale, lease or rent without ownership or authority.
School Administrator Salaries – Senate Bill 2 would prohibit school administrators from receiving a percentage pay increase that is greater than the percentage pay increase provided to classroom teachers in that district unless the increase is due to a significant change in job duties. The bill includes a waiver process for certain circumstances. One section related to removing principals has already taken effect.
School Bus Safety – House Bill 7 will allow school districts to install traffic cameras on school buses to help enforce laws against stop-arm traffic violations.
School District Governance – Senate Bill 1 will effectively revamp the governance structure of Jefferson County Public Schools by creating more specific responsibilities for superintendents and boards of education in large, complex school districts. The legislation also seeks to lay out a legal justification for why the general assembly has a compelling interest in intervening in large districts like Jefferson County.
School Leadership – Senate Bill 4 will create a new training program that provides leadership development and mentorship opportunities for new school principals in Kentucky. Other portions of the bill have already taken effect, including language that prevents an employee of any Kentucky school district from running for a school board seat in a large school district. Another portion that has already taken effect reduces the number of school board members in Jefferson County from seven to five.
Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners – House Bill 134 aims to expand the availability of sexual assault nurse examiners across Kentucky. It calls for a statewide coordinator to recruit nurses, facilitate training and improve collaboration between hospitals, law enforcement and rape crisis centers.
Stalking – House Bill 521 seeks to modernize state stalking laws to align with contemporary legal standards and better address behaviors that occur through electronic communications and social media.
Status Offenders – Senate Bill 170 will create a four-year pilot program in up to 10 school districts to help address barriers to school attendance. It also aims to strengthen diversion of status offenders using Responsive Interventions to Support and Empower (RISE) teams and increased family involvement.
Storm Shelter Rebates – Senate Bill 11 will create a residential safe room rebate pilot program that helps homeowners pay for building emergency storm shelters. The goal is to provide matching grants using money from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The rebate fund would not include state appropriations.
Student Violence – Senate Bill 101 will mandate that school boards expel students in grades 6 through 12 for at least 12 months if the student recklessly, with a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument, or intentionally causes or attempts to cause physical injury to a school district employee on school property or at a school function. The bill includes some exceptions for students with disabilities.
Tax Money – Senate Bill 59 prohibits tax dollars from being used to advocate for or against a public question on a ballot. It also establishes criminal and civil penalties for violators.
Organ Donors – House Bill 510 aims to protect patients during the organ donation process by requiring additional verification steps before organ procurement can begin. It will also clarify that donor consent must be properly documented and that a patient must be formally declared dead before organs are donated.
Veteran Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder – House Bill 369 will create provisions in state law that make veterans eligible to receive hyperbaric oxygen therapy in response to post-traumatic stress disorder.
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