Legislative Liaison
Legislative Liaison
Veto Recess Begins as General Assembly Nears Conclusion
Week 7 of the 2025 Legislative Session
The final full week of the 2025 Kentucky General Assembly has come to an end, and we now enter the Veto Recess. From Saturday, March 15th through Wednesday, March 26th, Governor Beshear will sign, veto, or allow to become law without his signature the 126 bills and binding resolutions that were delivered to him by the end of Friday’s action. One week ago, only 10 bills and 1 binding resolution had made their way to the Governor’s desk. One week later, that total jumped to 119 bills and 10 binding resolutions – many having been amended with the full text of other bills. Including 72 House bills, 47 Senate bills, and 8 House and 2 Senate binding resolutions.
In the final days before the veto recess, as is often the case, the Republican legislative supermajorities sent dozens of bills to the Democratic governor, anticipating he will make liberal use of his veto pen. Among the more controversial measures was SB 89, which seeks to align the definition of “waters of the Commonwealth” with the federal standard. While the bill was amended to address some concerns about groundwater protection, it still drew criticism from environmental advocates. Another contentious measure, HCR 50, passed the House last week and cleared the Senate on the final day. This resolution establishes the Kentucky “Discipline of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) Task Force, composed of legislators tasked with providing additional oversight of state spending and programs.
While some of these higher profile floor debates reflect the national political discussion, the bulk of legislative work was around Medicaid, tax incentives, and the state pre-empting local ordinances. There are many bills that remain positioned to pass after the veto recess, or have the requisite readings to become vehicles for fixes, veto bait, or non-controversial measures that the membership anticipate will be signed by Governor Beshear.
The Senate will reconvene at 9am and the House will reconvene at 12pm on March 27 for the final two days of the 2025 Kentucky General Assembly.
Stay Connected
- Contact Lawmakers: You can leave messages for your representatives and senators through the Legislative Research Commission’s toll-free line at 800-372-7181 or find your legislator at legislature.ky.gov using the "Find Your Legislator" tool.
- Track Bills and Meetings: Stay updated on legislative proceedings by visiting legislature.ky.gov, watching live at KET.org/Legislature, or accessing archived footage on the LRC YouTube Channel at THIS LINK or KET.org/legislature/archives.
This issue of e-Liaison contains summary information for bills that we are tracking with details on the most recent activity for each bill. We will continue to highlight timely legislative news that is important to our members in each weekly issue. If you would like to suggest that we add a bill to the e-Liaison for tracking purposes, please contact KRWA.
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HB1 |
INCOME TAX RATE (PETRIE J) AN ACT relating to the individual income tax rate. |
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Current Status: |
2/6/2025 - SIGNED BY GOVERNOR; (Acts Ch. 1) |
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HB16 |
WATER FLUORIDATION PROGRAMS (HART M) AN ACT relating to water fluoridation programs. |
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Current Status: |
3/4/2025 - (S) Referred to Committee Senate Health Services (S) |
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HB67 |
WAGES (GROSSBERG D) AN ACT relating to wages. |
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Current Status: |
2/4/2025 - (H) Referred to Committee House Economic Development & Workforce Investment (H) |
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HB85 |
SANITATION DISTRICTS (ROBERTS T) AN ACT relating to sanitation districts. |
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Current Status: |
3/12/2025 - received in Senate |
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HB88 |
WASTE MANAGEMENT DISTRICTS (CALLAWAY E) AN ACT relating to waste management districts. |
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Current Status: |
3/4/2025 - (S) Referred to Committee Senate Natural Resources & Energy (S) |
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HB102 |
PFAS SUBSTANCES (KULKARNI N) AN ACT relating to perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances. |
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Current Status: |
2/4/2025 - (H) Referred to Committee House Natural Resources & Energy (H) |
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HB171 |
SPECIAL PURPOSE GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES (THOMAS W) AN ACT relating to special purpose governmental entities. |
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Current Status: |
2/4/2025 - (H) Referred to Committee House Local Government (H) |
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HB308 |
EXEMPTING KENTUCKY FROM DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME (DOAN S) AN ACT relating to exempting the Commonwealth of Kentucky from the observance of daylight saving time. |
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Current Status: |
2/7/2025 - (H) Referred to Committee House State Government (H) |
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HB326 |
UTILITY DISCONNECTION PROTECTION (WILLNER L) AN ACT relating to utility disconnection protections. |
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Current Status: |
2/7/2025 - (H) Referred to Committee House Natural Resources & Energy (H) |
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HB327 |
UTILITY SERVICE DISCONNECTION REPORTS (WILLNER L) AN ACT relating to utility service disconnection reports by retail electric suppliers. |
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Current Status: |
2/7/2025 - (H) Referred to Committee House Natural Resources & Energy (H) |
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HB331 |
BACKGROUND CHECKS ON THE SALE OR TRANSFER OF FIREARMS (BROWN JR. G) AN ACT relating to background checks on the sale or transfer of firearms. |
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Current Status: |
2/7/2025 - (H) Referred to Committee House Judiciary (H) |
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HB336 |
COST OF LIVING INCREASE FOR STATE RETIREMENT BENEFITS (HANCOCK E) AN ACT relating to a cost-of-living increase to the retirement benefits for retired state employees, making an appropriation therefor, and declaring an emergency. |
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Current Status: |
2/7/2025 - (H) Referred to Committee House Appropriations & Revenue (H) |
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HB345 |
PUBLIC CONTRACTS (FLANNERY P) AN ACT relating to public contracts. |
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Current Status: |
2/7/2025 - (H) Referred to Committee House State Government (H) |
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HB353 |
EMINENT DOMAIN (ROBERTS T) AN ACT relating to eminent domain. |
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Current Status: |
2/7/2025 - (H) Referred to Committee House Judiciary (H) |
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HB386 |
PUBLIC NOTICES (LEHMAN M) AN ACT relating to public notices. |
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Current Status: |
2/12/2025 - (H) Referred to Committee House Local Government (H) |
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HB387 |
METROPOLITAN SEWER DISTRICTS (BAUMAN J) AN ACT relating to metropolitan sewer districts. |
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Current Status: |
3/11/2025 - (S) Referred to Committee Senate Natural Resources & Energy (S) |
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HB407 |
RAILROAD CROSSINGS (CALLOWAY J) AN ACT relating to railroad crossings. |
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Current Status: |
2/12/2025 - (H) Referred to Committee House Transportation (H) |
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HB422 |
ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS (LEWIS D) AN ACT relating to administrative regulations. |
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Current Status: |
3/14/2025 - delivered to Governor |
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HB615 |
ELECTRIC UTILITIES (MCCOOL B) AN ACT relating to electric utilities. |
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Current Status: |
2/26/2025 - (H) Referred to Committee House Natural Resources & Energy (H) |
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HB616 |
INVESTOR OWNED ELECTRIC UTILITIES (MCCOOL B) AN ACT relating to investor-owned electric utilities. |
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Current Status: |
2/26/2025 - (H) Referred to Committee House Natural Resources & Energy (H) |
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HB659 |
ENERGY (GOOCH JR. J) AN ACT relating to energy. |
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Current Status: |
2/26/2025 - (H) Referred to Committee House Natural Resources & Energy (H) |
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HB660 |
NATURAL RESOURCES (GOOCH JR. J) AN ACT relating to natural resources. |
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Current Status: |
2/26/2025 - (H) Referred to Committee House Natural Resources & Energy (H) |
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State Bill Page: |
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HB682 |
UTILITY RELOCATION (UPCHURCH K) AN ACT relating to utility relocation. |
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Current Status: |
3/14/2025 - delivered to Governor |
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State Bill Page: |
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HB741 |
PUBLIC WATER AND WASTEWATER SYSTEMS (BRAY J) AN ACT relating to public water and wastewater systems and declaring an emergency. |
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Current Status: |
3/13/2025 - (S) Returned to Committee Senate Appropriations & Revenue (S) |
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State Bill Page: |
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HB769 |
LOCAL GOVERNMENT (RUDY S) AN ACT relating to local government. |
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Current Status: |
3/11/2025 - (H) Returned to Committee House Local Government (H) |
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State Bill Page: |
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SB8 |
PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION (STIVERS R) AN ACT relating to the Public Service Commission. |
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Current Status: |
2/26/2025 - Senate Natural Resources & Energy (S), (Bill Scheduled for Hearing) |
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State Bill Page: |
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SB50 |
SPECIAL DISTRICTS (MILLS R) AN ACT relating to special districts. |
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Current Status: |
3/4/2025 - (H) Referred to Committee House Local Government (H) |
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State Bill Page: |
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SB64 |
KEY INFRASTRUCTURE ASSETS (STORM B) AN ACT relating to key infrastructure assets and declaring an emergency. |
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Current Status: |
3/13/2025 - delivered to Governor |
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State Bill Page: |
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SB89 |
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION (MADON S) AN ACT relating to environmental protection and declaring an emergency. |
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Current Status: |
3/13/2025 - delivered to Governor |
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State Bill Page: |
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SB171 |
EMINENT DOMAIN (WEST S) AN ACT relating to eminent domain. |
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Current Status: |
3/4/2025 - Senate Agriculture (S), (Bill Scheduled for Hearing) |
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State Bill Page: |
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SB180 |
WATER FLOURIDATION PROGRAMS (TICHENOR L) AN ACT relating to water fluoridation programs. |
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Current Status: |
2/19/2025 - (S) Referred to Committee Senate Health Services (S) |
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State Bill Page: |
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SB204 |
ENERGY (WHEELER P) AN ACT relating to energy. |
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Current Status: |
2/20/2025 - (S) Referred to Committee Senate Natural Resources & Energy (S) |
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State Bill Page: |
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SB205 |
PUBLIC UTILITIES (WHEELER P) AN ACT relating to public utilities. |
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Current Status: |
2/20/2025 - (S) Referred to Committee Senate Natural Resources & Energy (S) |
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State Bill Page: |
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SB211 |
ENERGY (CARROLL D) AN ACT relating to energy. |
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Current Status: |
2/20/2025 - (S) Referred to Committee Senate Natural Resources & Energy (S) |
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State Bill Page: |
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SB212 |
ENVIRONMENT (CARROLL D) AN ACT relating to the environment. |
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Current Status: |
2/20/2025 - (S) Referred to Committee Senate Natural Resources & Energy (S) |
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State Bill Page: |
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SB216 |
ENERGY (WHEELER P) AN ACT relating to energy. |
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Current Status: |
2/20/2025 - (S) Referred to Committee Senate Natural Resources & Energy (S) |
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State Bill Page: |
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SB248 |
ENERGY (SMITH B) AN ACT relating to energy. |
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Current Status: |
3/6/2025 - (S) Returned to Committee Senate Natural Resources & Energy (S) |
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State Bill Page: |
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SB251 |
REORGANIZATION (STIVERS R) AN ACT relating to reorganization. |
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Current Status: |
2/20/2025 - (S) Referred to Committee Senate State & Local Government (S) |
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State Bill Page: |
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SB252 |
ENVRIONMENT (SMITH B) AN ACT relating to the environment. |
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Current Status: |
2/20/2025 - (S) Referred to Committee Senate Natural Resources & Energy (S) |
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State Bill Page: |
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SB259 |
ENERGY (WISE M) AN ACT relating to energy. |
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Current Status: |
2/20/2025 - (S) Referred to Committee Senate Natural Resources & Energy (S) |
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State Bill Page: |
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SCR67 |
ESTABLISHING THE DISATER PREVENTION AND RESILIENCY TASK FORCE (WEBB R) A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION establishing the Disaster Prevention and Resiliency Task Force to study disaster mitigation, risk assessment, infrastructure resilience, and planning for natural disasters that impact the Commonwealth. |
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Current Status: |
3/6/2025 - received in House |
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State Bill Page: |
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Keeping up with the Legislature has never been easier! The state has updated its Legislative website. From this site, you can view all bills and resolutions, contact legislators, by email and check on legislative committee schedules and calendars. You can reach a legislator in person by calling 502-564-8100 (not toll-free).
The toll-free meeting schedule information line is 1-800-633-9650. The toll-free message line is 1-800-372-7181, to leave a message for a legislator or an entire committee. The TTY message line is 1-800-896-0305. En Espanol, el nombre es 1-866-840-6574. The toll-free bill status number is 1-866-840-2835.
Every issue of e-Liaison will contain summary information for each bill that we track with a section that details the most recent activity with the bill. We will continue to highlight timely legislative news that is important to our members in each issue. If you would like to suggest that we add a bill to the e-Liaison for tracking, please contact KRWA. By clicking on the link, you will be taken to the bill summary on the LRC’s website.
The Kentucky legislature convenes in regular session on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in January for 60 days in even-numbered years and for 30 days in odd-numbered years. It convenes in special sessions at the call of the governor.
The Kentucky Constitution mandates that a regular session be completed no later than April 15 in even-numbered years and March 30 in odd-numbered years.
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