Budget & Taxes

in committee · Kentucky · House Feb 3, 2026

HB 489: AN ACT relating to an eligible child tax credit.

Create a new section in KRS Chapter 141 to establish a nonrefundable individual income tax credit for an eligible child; define "eligible child"; allow credit for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2027, but before January 1, 2031; establish that the credit amount is equal to $4,000 per eligible child, not to exceed $8,000 per return, per taxable year; amend KRS 141.0205 to order the credit; amend KRS 131.190 to allow the Department of Revenue to report on the credit.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates $4,000 nonrefundable child tax credit per eligible child, providing direct tax relief to families. Aligns with tax relief indicators for middle/lower income.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Income Tax Tax Credits

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in committee · Kentucky · House Jan 15, 2026

HB 241: AN ACT relating to the exemption of certain animal services from sales and use tax.

Amend KRS 139.470 to exempt from sales and use tax pet adoption fees and certain small veterinarian service fees charged by local government animal shelters and nonprofit animal welfare organizations; apply to transactions on or after August 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesExempts pet adoption/vet fees from sales tax, providing tax relief to nonprofits and shelters per tax relief indicators.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Sales Tax

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in committee · Kentucky · House Jan 27, 2026

HB 428: AN ACT making appropriations for the operations, maintenance, support, and functioning of the Judicial Branch of the government of the Commonwealth of Kentucky and its various officers, boards, commissions, subdivisions, and other state-supported activities.

The Chief Justice's recommended Judicial Branch Budget: Detail Part I, Operating Budget; detail Part II, Capital Projects Budget; detail Part III, General Provisions; detail Part IV, Budget Reduction or Surplus Expenditure Plan; APPROPRIATION.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesFunds judicial branch operations via appropriations, directly supporting budget allocation for essential government functions per bill's purpose.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations Government Spending State Budget

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in committee · Kentucky · House Jan 14, 2026

HB 46: AN ACT relating to inheritance tax exemptions.

Amend KRS 140.080 to exempt Class B beneficiaries from inheritance taxation when receiving property from a decedent who died on or after January 1, 2027.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesExempts Class B beneficiaries from inheritance tax, reducing tax liability and providing tax relief per bill's amendment to KRS 140.080.95% confidence

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in committee · Kentucky · Senate Jan 29, 2026

SB 135: AN ACT relating to the provision of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and declaring an emergency.

Amend KRS 48.705 to allow the Governor to authorize limited use of moneys in the budget reserve trust fund to provide for the continuity of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program during a lapse in federal appropriations; require repayment of the moneys within 90 days of restoration of federal appropriations; require reporting to the Legislative Research Commission and the State Budget Director; require prior approval of the General Assembly if more than 5% of the total balance of the budget reserve trust fund is used; EMERGENCY.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill uses budget reserves to maintain SNAP funding continuity during federal lapses, protecting essential public assistance without defunding or tax changes.90% confidence

Sub-Topics State Budget

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in committee · Kentucky · House Jan 15, 2026

HB 233: AN ACT proposing to amend Section 172B of the Constitution of Kentucky relating to property exempt from taxation.

Propose to amend Section 172B of the Constitution of Kentucky to expand the freeze on an assessment or reassessment moratorium to include the development of property and to remove the 5-year expiration date for the moratorium; provide ballot language; submit to voters for ratification or rejection.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesExtends property tax assessment moratorium indefinitely, providing ongoing tax relief for property owners by preventing reassessment increases.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingExpands tax freeze on property development, removing expiration, which incentivizes housing construction and development per tax policy indicators.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Property Tax Property Development Property Taxes

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in committee · Kentucky · House Jan 14, 2026

HB 183: AN ACT relating to the taxation of retirement distributions.

HB 183 increases Kentucky's tax exclusion for retirement income from $31,110 to $41,110 annually for tax years beginning January 1, 2027. It directly affects Kentucky residents receiving retirement distributions from pension plans, annuities, or retirement accounts by allowing more income to be tax-free. The key change raises the threshold at which these distributions become subject to state income tax. This policy adjustment applies automatically to qualifying retirement income without requiring additional filings or eligibility checks.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesIncreases tax exclusion for retirement income, providing tax relief to retirees (middle/lower income), aligning with support indicators for tax relief.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Income Tax Pensions

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in committee · Kentucky · House Jan 23, 2026

HB 391: AN ACT relating to elementary literacy and making an appropriation therefor.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 171 to establish the Kids Love to Read Program; specify the program is for children in kindergarten through grade 5; require books to be sent to children's homes; require the Department for Libraries and Archives to promulgate administrative regulations necessary to administer the program; appropriate $500,000 in fiscal year 2027-2028 to support the program; APPROPRIATION.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAppropriates $500,000 for literacy program, directly increasing state funding for public education services.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationAppropriates $500,000 for K-5 literacy program delivering books to homes, directly funding elementary education access and student programs.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations K-12 Education Libraries

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in committee · Kentucky · House Jan 29, 2026

HB 445: 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.

Appropriate $221.4 million, $18.7 million, and $16 million in fiscal year 2026-2027 for the Kentucky Employees Retirement System (KERS) nonhazardous pension fund, the KERS hazardous pension fund, and the State Police Retirement System pension fund, respectively, to provide a one-time 2% COLA effective July 1, 2026; APPROPRIATION; EMERGENCY.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAppropriates $221.4M+ for pension COLA, directly funding state retirement benefits under budget management.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations Pensions

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in committee · Kentucky · House Jan 15, 2026

HB 238: AN ACT relating to an apprenticeship tax credit.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 141 to establish an income tax credit for employers that maintain an apprenticeship program and hire apprentices; amend KRS 141.0205 to order the credit; amend KRS 131.190 to allow the Department of Revenue to report to the Legislative Research Commission on the credit.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates corporate income tax credit for apprenticeship programs, directly modifying tax policy to incentivize workforce development and aligns with fiscal tools for economic growth.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentTax credit incentivizes employer-sponsored apprenticeships, promoting workforce development and job training opportunities within Labor & Employment framework.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Income Tax Tax Credits Apprenticeships

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