Education legislation was a main focus for the 2026 General Assembly this week, as lawmakers advanced a slate of bills addressing school governance, district finances, reading instruction, testing standards, and administrator pay. Measures on grooming, fluoride, trauma centers, and housing also advanced. Here’s a look at some of the bills that moved forward this week.
Senate Bill 1 would overhaul the governance structure of large school districts, including Jefferson County Public Schools, by more clearly defining the roles and responsibilities of superintendents and boards of education. The bill also attempts to establish a legal framework for legislative intervention in large districts, following a similar 2022 law that was later struck down by the courts.
Senate Bill 3 seeks to enhance financial transparency within school districts. It calls on districts to publish financial documents online and establishes new timelines and procedures for adopting budgets, presenting information at public meetings, and reporting on finances.
The House Primary and Secondary Education Committee took up a major education bill on Wednesday that would end the use of the three-cuing model in Kentucky schools by the 2029-30 academic year. The approach teaches students to read by recognizing whole words and using context clues to decipher language. House Bill 253 seeks to replace that model with evidence-based reading approaches that emphasize techniques like phonetic awareness and phonics.
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 allow districts to adopt locally-defined quality indicators.
Senate Bill 2 would prohibit school administrators from receiving a percentage pay increase that is greater than the average percentage pay increase provided to classroom teachers in that district.
The committee also voted in favor of Senate Bill 4 to create a five-year training program that provides leadership development and mentorship opportunities for new school principals in Kentucky. The state would partner with the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce to provide intensive training during the fourth year of the program.
Other bills on the move include:
Hearing Aids – House Bill 164 would increase the coverage amounts that health insurance plans provide for purchasing hearing aids and related services for minors.
Cigar Bars – House Bill 194 would create clear guidelines for cigar bars to operate in local communities, including certain requirements related to smoke exposure, age limits, and revenue thresholds, among others.
Eating Disorders – House Bill 169 calls on health insurance plans that provide behavioral or mental health care coverage to also provide coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of feeding or eating disorders.
Inmate Reentry – Senate Bill 48 would prohibit repeat violent offenders from qualifying for mandatory reentry supervision, which allows certain inmates to leave prison under community supervision near the end of their sentences.
School Bus Safety – House Bill 7 would allow school districts to install traffic cameras on school buses to help enforce laws against stop-arm violations.
Robotics Education – House Bill 44 would create a state trust fund for promoting robotics education in Kentucky high schools. Grants from the trust fund would also support efforts to create community partnerships and career pathways for students in the field.
Grand Jury Confidentiality – House Bill 305 would extend the statute of limitations from one year to 10 years for prosecuting anyone who secretly records grand jury proceedings. It would also extend the statute of limitations for unlawfully sharing grand jury testimony from one year to five years.
Grooming – House Bill 4 would criminalize efforts to manipulate a minor into sexual contact with an adult.
Geoengineering – House Bill 60 would prohibit the injection of certain chemicals into the atmosphere with the intent to modify the weather.
Trophy Catfish – House Bill 397 seeks to preserve the trophy catfish population in the lower Ohio River by prohibiting commercial fishing and transport of live trophy catfish beginning in 2027.
School Board Financial Training – Senate Bill 71 would enhance the financial training requirements for local school board members.
Fluoride in Drinking Water – House Bill 103 would allow officials at local water systems to opt out of adding fluoride to their water supply.
Backyard Chickens – House Bill 276 would allow residents to keep up to six chickens on their residential property for personal egg production or educational purposes. It would also prevent local governments from outright banning the practice of keeping chickens.
Locally-Grown Food – Senate Bill 5 would 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.
Trauma Centers – Senate Bill 12 seeks to allow more of Kentucky’s hospitals to be designated as Level IV trauma centers, particularly in rural areas of the commonwealth that are facing shortages in health care. Among several changes, the bill would ease some of the staffing standards required in current law.
Veteran PTSD – House Bill 369 would add post-traumatic stress disorder to the list of medical conditions that allow veterans to qualify for hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
Affordable Housing – House Bill 333 would allow faith-based organizations to build small-scale affordable housing units on property located near religious institutions.
Massage Therapy – Senate Bill 132 would strengthen local oversight of massage businesses while toughening penalties for unlicensed practices in an attempt to combat human trafficking.
Kentuckians are encouraged to check the General Assembly’s calendar for updates. Kentuckians can also track the action through the Legislative Record webpage, which allows users to read bills and follow their progression through the chambers.
Citizens can also share their views on issues with lawmakers by calling the general assembly’s toll-free message line at 1-800-372-7181.
Information from the Kentucky Legislative Research Commission.
