More than 100 new Kentucky laws took effect Wednesday following action by the 2026 General Assembly, bringing changes that affect education, criminal justice, public safety, health care, gaming and other areas across the commonwealth.
Lawmakers passed more than 190 bills during this year’s 60-day legislative session. Under the Kentucky Constitution, most legislation becomes law 90 days after the legislature adjourns unless it includes an emergency clause, a different effective date or is part of the state budget. Because the legislature adjourned April 15, most new laws became effective July 15.
Among the measures that took effect is House Bill 904, which made sweeping changes to Kentucky’s gaming laws. The legislation raised the minimum age for sports wagering from 18 to 21, established a regulatory framework for fantasy sports, prohibited certain college athlete proposition bets involving Kentucky teams, and allowed racetracks to offer fixed-odds wagering while creating a purse stabilization fund for the horse racing industry.
House Bill 312 created a provisional concealed carry permit for Kentuckians ages 18 to 20 who complete firearms training and pass a background check.
House Bill 4 established the criminal offense of grooming by making it illegal to manipulate a minor into sexual contact with an adult.
Several education-related measures also took effect.
House Bill 562 created an alternative high school diploma for students with intellectual disabilities, allowing qualifying students to graduate with a diploma instead of being classified as dropouts. The measure also directed the Kentucky Department of Workforce Development to identify employers that will recognize the new credential.
Senate Bill 2 limited administrator pay raises by prohibiting school administrators from receiving percentage increases greater than classroom teachers in the same district unless the raise is tied to significant changes in job responsibilities or approved through a waiver process.
House Bill 7 authorized school districts to install stop-arm cameras on school buses to help enforce laws against motorists who illegally pass stopped buses.
Senate Bill 4 established a statewide leadership development and mentoring program for new school principals.
Senate Bill 101 required school districts to expel students in grades 6-12 for at least one year if they intentionally or recklessly injure or attempt to injure a school employee with a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument, with certain exceptions for students with disabilities.
Senate Bill 5 aimed to increase the use of Kentucky-grown foods in school meal programs by easing procurement requirements and encouraging local purchasing.
Public safety and criminal justice laws that took effect included Senate Bill 104, which created a 25-foot buffer zone around first responders performing official duties. Individuals who remain within the zone after being warned to move and who intend to impede, threaten or harass first responders could face criminal charges.
House Bill 366 expanded child pornography laws to include computer-generated images depicting minors and required those convicted of possessing or viewing child pornography to serve at least 85% of their sentence.
House Bill 305, known as the Crystal Rogers Act, increased penalties for illegally recording or sharing information from grand jury proceedings.
House Bill 778 made multiple changes to child welfare laws, including prohibiting foster placements with registered sex offenders, expanding the definition of neglect to include injuries caused by controlled substances, and adding neglect to Kentucky’s child abuse statute.
House Bill 422, also known as Logan’s Law, clarified Kentucky’s insanity defense and made repeat violent offenders ineligible for mandatory reentry supervision.
Senate Bill 66 strengthened impaired driving laws by allowing courts to suspend the driver’s license of suspects who refuse blood tests at arraignment and expanded the list of drugs that can support impaired driving convictions.
Several health care initiatives also took effect.
House Bill 178 supported collaborative mental health care by encouraging coordination among primary care providers, care managers and consulting psychiatrists.
House Bill 134 sought to expand access to sexual assault nurse examiners through statewide recruitment, training and coordination efforts.
Senate Bill 137 created provisional physician licenses for certain foreign-trained physicians who agreed to work in medically underserved areas.
House Bill 510 established additional safeguards during the organ donation process, including requiring documentation of donor consent and verification that death has been formally declared before organ procurement.
Other notable measures that took effect included House Bill 333, which allowed faith-based organizations to build small-scale affordable housing near religious institutions; Senate Bill 11, which created a pilot rebate program to help homeowners build residential storm shelters using federal funds; Senate Bill 153, which strengthened protections against fraudulent contractors following disasters; House Bill 264, targeting real estate fraud; Senate Bill 57, establishing a nuclear reactor site readiness grant program; and House Bill 36, allowing Kentucky to join interstate licensing compacts for respiratory therapists, athletic trainers and dietitians.
Several other bills passed during the 2026 legislative session included provisions that became law earlier this year or will take effect later in 2026.
