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Another week of the 2026 Session of the Kentucky General Assembly is in the books.
I want to express my gratitude to everyone who called or emailed during the session. This week alone, I returned over 150 calls, primarily regarding the Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) or the 13th paycheck for retirees. While I doubt we will be able to secure both, I am encouraged by the possibility of securing one by the end of the session.
I also want to say a HUGE THANK YOU to the city of Frankfort and Franklin County road crews for the great job they have done dealing with all the snow. I have had colleagues from across the state commenting about what a great job they have done. You are making Frankfort proud!
Erika
HB 193
Early in the session, I filed HB 193 that will make shelter pets the official state pet. This bill will raise awareness of the tens of thousands of dogs and cats in Kentucky’s 103 overburdened animal shelters. By raising awareness, we aim to lessen the taxpayer burden for the care and feeding of these animals and decrease the number of animals euthanized in Kentucky shelters, which exceeds 5,000 annually.
This week, I hosted Ethan Branscum, the young man who started lobbying for this bill in 2019 when he was just six years old.
Bills
I filed HB 560 this week. This will help address the challenges faced by school districts like Frankfort Independent, which are short on much-needed revenue because more than 60% of the district’s property doesn’t pay property taxes. This is a significant first step toward addressing this inequity. I have already started a discussions with fellow lawmakers and will keep you posted.
Here are some of the bills that passed the House this week:
House Bill 253 seeks to replace that model with evidence-based reading approaches that emphasize techniques such as phonics and phonetic awareness.
House Bill 257 calls for the state’s education accountability standards to focus on student growth. It would also reduce state testing, prioritize attendance, and enable districts to adopt locally defined quality indicators.
House Bill 164 would increase the coverage amounts that health insurance plans provide for purchasing hearing aids and related services for minors.
House Bill 4 would criminalize efforts to manipulate a minor into sexual contact with an adult, a practice known as “grooming.”
House Bill 369 would add post-traumatic stress disorder to the list of medical conditions that allow veterans to qualify for hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
I was proud to be one of the featured speakers at this year’s Small Business Day at the Capitol. Over 40% of the state’s workforce is employed by small businesses, and in Franklin County, that figure is closer to 50%. Small businesses are essential to the financial future of the commonwealth.
