Budget & Taxes

Amend KRS 141.383 and 154.61-020 to allow that any unallocated portion of the $75 million credit cap be carried forward for utilization in subsequent calendar years for high-impact motion pictures or entertainment productions; amend KRS 154.12-280 to require the Kentucky Film Office to review applications, notify applicants of additional information needed, and forward applications to the Cabinet for Economic Development and the Kentucky Film Leadership Council; amend KRS 154.12-282 to update functions and purposes of the Kentucky Film Leadership Council; amend KRS 154.61-010 to define terms and revise definitions; provide that a motion picture or entertainment production eligible for credit includes a video game, music video, or commercial; amend KRS 154.61-020 to increase the minimum amount of qualifying expenditures and qualifying payroll expenditures that must be expended by an approved company to qualify for tax incentives; require, in addition to current reports, the submission of a certified audit by an approved company within 180 days of completion of production.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 151B to require no less than 85% of general fund appropriations to the Office of Adult Education to be used for programs fulfilling the adult education mission and goals of the office; amend KRS 151B.403 to require a qualifying test to obtain a High School Equivalency Diploma to offer a written or paper test administration.

Amend KRS 65.013 to define terms; expand the prohibition on using tax dollars to advocate for or against a public question on the ballot to prohibit using any resources, and to explicitly apply prohibition to school districts, regional educational cooperatives, and recalls on a ballot; establish a criminal penalty and a prohibition against holding a position of public trust or profit for 10 years for a person found guilty of violating the prohibition; create a cause of action for a citizen aggrieved by a violation of the prohibition; establish a statute of limitations to commence suit and the appropriate venue; provide when the suit accrues; specify damages recoverable per violation; allow for class action; include a prohibition against holding a position of public trust or profit for 10 years for a person held civilly liable; amend KRS 48.025 and 132.017 to conform.

Appropriate General Fund moneys from the budget reserve trust fund account in each fiscal year of the 2026-2028 fiscal biennium to various state agencies for miscellaneous projects and programs; APPROPRIATION; EMERGENCY.

This bill authorizes the Kentucky state government to pay specific outstanding claims that were previously approved but not paid due to expired or insufficient funding or missing procurement documents. It directly affects various businesses, healthcare providers, and state employees by providing funds from the general, transportation, and federal funds to settle these debts. The legislation includes a detailed list of individual vendors and employees along with exact payment amounts, ranging from small fees to larger contracts totaling tens of thousands of dollars. By declaring an emergency, the bill allows for immediate payment of these claims without waiting for the regular legislative budget cycle.

SB 185 requires all branches of Kentucky government (executive, legislative, judicial) to include supporting budget documents when preparing their budget recommendations for the General Assembly. The bill amends Kentucky Revised Statute 48.030 to mandate that branches provide these supporting materials alongside their budget statements and estimates. This change applies to the budget preparation process before submissions to the legislature, ensuring more detailed documentation accompanies each branch's financial requests. The bill is currently in the Senate Committee on Committees following its introduction on February 11, 2026.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 141 to allow a contribution to be made to the autism spectrum disorder trust fund through an income tax refund designation effective for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2026; require the designation to be printed on the face of the individual income tax form; require a description of the trust fund in the individual income tax return instructions; require the Department of Revenue to transfer the funds designated to the autism spectrum disorder trust fund; create a new section of KRS Chapter 211 to create the autism spectrum disorder trust fund; amend KRS194A.624 to require the Advisory Council on Autism Spectrum Disorders to administer the trust fund; require the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to submit an annual report to the Governor and the Legislative Research Commission and to promulgate administrative regulations; EMERGENCY.

Amend KRS 45A.380 to allow the purchase of used vehicles and used equipment through noncompetitive negotiation if the agency pays no more than 75% of the manufacturer's suggested retail price for new same or similar vehicles or equipment for the used vehicle or equipment; amend KRS 424.260 to allow local agencies to purchase used vehicles and equipment negotiation if the agency pays no more than 75% of the manufacturer's suggested retail price for new same or similar vehicles or equipment without making a newspaper advertisement for bids.