As the Kentucky General Assembly concluded its ninth week of the 2026 Legislative Session, which included passing 40-mark. Only 19 more days remain in the 2026 legislative session.
Monday was the final day for bill filings in the Senate, and Tuesday was the final day for new House bills. Approximately 350 bills have been filed in the Senate. That number is more than 900 in the House.
With only a few weeks remaining in the 60-day session, much of our focus is on advancing sound policy that benefits Kentucky families, but our biggest priority remains the state budget.
Passing a balanced two-year budget is one of the most important responsibilities the General Assembly has during even-numbered years. The Senate has begun a deep dive into the House budget proposal we received recently, and our current focus is to compare the proposals in House Bill 500 to the enacted budget we passed in 2024, review the changes, and compare them to current revenues and state needs. As conversations continue, my focus remains on ensuring taxpayer dollars are spent responsibly while maintaining the core services Kentucky families rely on.
Earlier this session, the Senate Majority Caucus identified 10 priority pieces of legislation to address some of the most pressing issues facing our commonwealth. I’m pleased to report that all 10 Senate priority bills have now been filed and are moving through the legislative process.
The latest bill, Senate Bill (SB) 8, addresses Kentucky’s energy regulating body, the Public Service Commission (PSC). The bill modernizes the PSC’s structure and operations to strengthen oversight of utilities serving customers across the commonwealth. It’s yet another measure from the Senate aiming at policies that will improve affordability for Kentucky families, especially as it relates to energy costs.
Many other bills have passed the Senate this week.
I was proud to sponsor SB 57, which establishes the Nuclear Reactor Site Readiness Pilot Program to help position Kentucky as a leader in advanced nuclear energy development. The bill allows the state to invest up to $25 million per project to support early federal permitting and site readiness efforts, while requiring strong accountability measures and clear development timelines. To be eligible for a project, a community must earn a nuclear-ready designation before receiving funding, and grant recipients must actively pursue federal permits or repay the funds.
The legislation also protects sensitive project information, allows utilities to seek limited cost recovery through existing regulatory processes and makes nuclear energy projects eligible for certain economic development incentives. SB 57 is designed to strengthen Kentucky’s energy portfolio, attract long-term private investment and support economic growth, while maintaining financial safeguards and legislative oversight.
This week in session, the Senate Majority Caucus, and the sponsor of SB 57, Sen. Danny Carroll, hosted the Kentucky Nuclear Energy Development Authortity, which is attached to the University of Kentucky, to announce $10 million in grant funding awards to six different recipients, each of which will be focusing on the next steps in Kentucky’s energy portfolio expansion, be it through workforce training, education, community readiness and other exciting initiatives. Awardees include the Shaping our Appalachian Region, also known as SOAR; Western Kentucky Community and Technical College, the West Kentucky Educational Cooperative, American Electric Power and private industry companies General Matter and Global Laser Enrichment.
Kentucky’s future is bright, and our all-of-the-above energy approach is critical to our future economic growth and success. These award announcements are the latest step in expanding our footprint in advanced energy technologies, which the Senate and the Kentucky General Assembly have championed since 2018.
SB 94 is another bill I co-sponsored. It updates Kentucky law to ensure motor vehicle dealers are fairly compensated for warranty repairs and recall work. The bill establishes a clear process for dealers to request adjustments to manufacturer repair time allowances and labor rates, sets response deadlines for manufacturers, and standardizes how labor rates are determined across brands. It also requires compensation for dealers when manufacturers issue recall or stop-sale orders on vehicles.
SB 11 creates a rebate program to help Kentucky homeowners build FEMA-compliant storm shelters that are accessible to neighbors during emergencies. The program covers up to $5,000 or 50 percent of construction costs and prioritizes shelters registered for community use during severe weather events. Funding will come from gifts and grants.
SB 59 strengthens protections against the misuse of taxpayer dollars in elections by prohibiting the use of public funds or government resources to advocate for or against ballot measures. The bill applies to public entities such as school districts while preserving public employees’ right to engage in political activity on their own time.
SB 125 improves Kentucky’s response to youth in the juvenile justice system with serious behavioral health needs by creating a structured process to assess high-acuity youth and coordinate treatment among state agencies. The bill also authorizes the development of a dedicated residential mental health facility and directs the operation of at least one female-only detention center.
SB 177 updates licensing laws for speech-language pathologists and assistants by modernizing supervision requirements and aligning Kentucky law with current professional standards, including provisions related to the interstate licensure compact.
SB 189 creates a licensing and regulatory framework for virtual currency kiosk operators, commonly known as crypto ATMs. The bill requires operators to obtain a license, verify user identities, disclose fees, limit transactions for new users and provide fraud protections for consumers.
SB 191 creates a performance-based child care incentive pilot program to improve kindergarten readiness. The program, administered by the University of Kentucky College of Education, will provide financial incentives to child care providers or parents when children demonstrate measurable readiness for kindergarten.
SB 197 creates a four-tier county system to better target Kentucky Business Investment incentives to economically distressed areas and help attract jobs and investment to rural communities.
SB 199 aligns Kentucky pesticide labeling standards with federal law by recognizing EPA-approved labels as sufficient warnings under state law while maintaining liability protections if safety information is knowingly withheld.
Thank you for the opportunity to represent you and to serve as Senate Majority Floor Leader. You may reach my office with comments or questions by calling 502-564-8100 or emailing Max.Wise@kylegislature.gov.
# # #
Sen. Max Wise, R-Campbellsville, represents the 16th Senate District, including Adair, Allen, Metcalfe, Monroe, and Taylor Counties and eastern Warren County. Wise serves as Senate majority floor leader. He is a member of the Senate Committees on Education, and Economic Development, Tourism, and Labor. As part of Senate leadership, Wise also serves on the Legislative Research Commission, the Rules Committee, and the Committee on Committees.
(Dustin R. Isaacs – Senate Majority Floor Leader Max Wise)