Focus for legislative session now shifts to veto period

As the 2026 Legislative Session enters its final days, we are wrapping up our work sending legislation to the governor and preparing to return for the final step in the process. This is where months of work come together and every bill is finalized before becoming law, reflecting careful planning and policy-driven decision-making.

The focus now shifts to the veto period. The governor has 10 days to act on legislation, and we will return for the final two days of the session to review those decisions and, if necessary, override vetoes.

These final days are a critical part of the process. They ensure the work Kentuckians sent us here to do is completed and that every piece of legislation is fully considered before it takes effect.

Over the past week, we took major steps to finalize a responsible budget and make strategic investments that will benefit communities across Kentucky, including those right here in our 28th Senate District.

We approved a balanced two-year budget that continues strong support for education, fully funds pensions and brings greater oversight to Medicaid—one of the fastest-growing areas of spending. In total, the budget directs more than $32 billion toward core services.

At the same time, we limited spending growth in other areas to ensure long-term fiscal stability while continuing to invest in high-impact priorities.

Over the next two years, we increased per-pupil funding by 2 percent and committed an additional $500 million to strengthen our pension system, continuing a trend of long-term financial improvement.

In total, SEEK funding alone exceeds $7 billion, with additional investments in early childhood education, student services and classroom support.

Medicaid continues to be one of the fastest-growing areas of the budget, now accounting for roughly $6 billion in state funding annually.

This budget includes additional oversight and cost controls while maintaining access to care for those who rely on the program.

We also passed House Bill 900, investing $1.7 billion in one-time funds into infrastructure and workforce development without adding recurring costs.

Strong fiscal management over the past decade has allowed us to rebuild the reserve fund and responsibly reinvest in Kentucky’s future.

I will be sharing more details soon on how these investments will directly benefit our region.

We also finalized a fully funded road plan that prioritizes projects ready for immediate progress and aligns spending with available resources.

Unlike other proposals, this plan avoids overcommitment and focuses on achievable outcomes.

This week’s final legislative days ran late into the evenings to ensure legislation was delivered on time and the process remains intact.

I was proud to see several of my bills, Senate Bills 29, 49, 226, 30, 149, 153 and 27 pass both chambers and be delivered to the governor this week. Each of these measures takes a practical, commonsense approach to real challenges, from cutting unnecessary red tape in waste management, to improving safety around battery disposal, to increasing transparency for families making end-of-life arrangements, to modernizing oversight of Kentucky’s motor vehicle industry while addressing real transportation needs for agriculture, to strengthening local government financial operations, to protecting homeowners from fraud in the wake of severe weather, and providing clear, respectful processes for handling unclaimed deceased individuals.

Taken together, these bills are about making systems work better—improving transparency, strengthening accountability and addressing real-world issues in a way that benefits Kentucky families and communities.

I encourage you to visit the LRC website to review all legislation that has been delivered to the governor.

It is an honor to represent you in Frankfort. I look forward to continuing to serve Bath, Clark, Fayette, Menifee, and Montgomery counties while representing the communities of the 28th District. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, you can contact me at 502-564-8100 or by email at Greg.Elkins@kylegislature.gov.