With the end of the 2026 Regular Session in sight, work in Frankfort has entered a busy final stretch. These closing weeks often bring some of the most consequential conversations of the session, as legislation developed and debated over the past several months begins moving through the remaining stages of the process.
Three pieces of legislation I sponsored have made it to the governor’s desk for signature this week.
Senate Bill (SB) 5 makes it easier for Kentucky schools to buy fresh, local food by removing certain bidding rules and defining what counts as “Kentucky-grown.” It supports student health and boosts local farming. The bill allows school boards and districts to work more directly with in-state farmers to bring nutritious food into school meals. The measure supports student health, strengthens local agriculture and advances the broader Food is Medicine initiative led by Agriculture Commissioner Jonathan Shell. The bill takes effect immediately upon its filing with the Kentucky Secretary of State’s Office.
SB 73 lets small Kentucky producers make and sell tallow- and pork-based cosmetic products from home under state safety rules, thus supporting local entrepreneurship. It adds rules for farm-based poultry sales and further protects working livestock dogs. Local governments can collaborate with nonprofits to care for stray horses with liability protections, too.
SB 158 sets clear rules to protect consumers when buying optional financial products tied to vehicle purchases, such as debt cancellation or value protection plans. The bill ensures these products are optional, clearly disclosed and priced separately from loan interest. It prevents lenders or dealers from requiring consumers to purchase them as a condition of financing or a vehicle sale. The bill stipulates that vehicle value protection agreements are not insurance products and must be disclosed as such, applies enforcement under Kentucky’s Consumer Protection Act and establishes additional regulatory standards for these agreements. There is now a regulatory framework for credit personal property insurance, including limits on coverage, consumer disclosure requirements and oversight by the Department of Insurance. The legislation applies to new agreements beginning Jan. 1, 2027.
Other bills are moving quickly between the House and Senate as lawmakers work through a wide range of policy issues before sending legislation to the governor for consideration. The volume and variety of proposals reflect the broad scope of issues the Kentucky General Assembly has taken up this year, from education and workforce initiatives to regulatory oversight, economic policy and public safety.
In even-numbered years, the General Assembly meets for 60 legislative days, and we are now approaching the final portion of that calendar. Over the coming days, legislation passed by both chambers will move through the governor’s review period, when bills may be signed into law, vetoed or allowed to become law without a signature.
Lawmakers will then return for the final legislative days of the session to consider any vetoes and complete the remaining work before adjourning sine die, and formally closing the 2026 session on April 15.
One major piece of unfinished business remains the state budget, which outlines Kentucky’s spending priorities for the next two fiscal years. Budget negotiations are continuing as lawmakers work to reach an
