A majority of the bills that passed during the 2025 Regular Session will become law on Friday, June 27. 

This date, confirmed in a formal opinion issued by Attorney General Russell Coleman aligns with Section 55 of the Kentucky Constitution, which states that bills—aside from general appropriations and those deemed emergencies—take effect 90 full days after the legislature adjourns. 

“With the drop of the gavel on Friday, the General Assembly fulfilled its constitutional duty as the policymaking branch of government. It now falls to the Governor and his administration to faithfully execute the laws we’ve enacted,” Senate President Robert Stivers, R-Manchester, said.  

The 2025 Regular Session adjourned sine die on March 28, making March 29 the first day of the 90 days. The 90th day falls on Thursday, June 26, and the laws will officially take effect the following day 

This standard constitutional timeline applies to most of the legislation passed during a regular session unless 

This week, Governor Andy Beshear signed three KLC initiatives passed during the final days of the session. 

House Bill 369 (Representative Mark Hart (R-Falmouth)) stipulates that the annual leave required to be provided to police officers in urban-county governments and former second- and third-class cities may be accrued over a year's time as established in the personnel policy of the department.  

House Bill 437 (Representative Tony Hampton (R-Georgetown)) requires local Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) administrators and investigators be Peace Officer Professional Standards (POPS) certified in order to make arrests with the exception of ABC administrators in consolidated local governments that were appointed prior to the change of law.  

House Bill 555 (Representative Chris Freeland (R-Benton)) changes the population thresholds for exceptions to annual municipal audits to a single exception for municipalities with less than 3,000 people and raises an audit exemption from $150,000 to $500,000. In addition, the bill makes clear that the state cannot withhold nondiscretionary payments for the use of city services just because it is behind on its audit filings, and cities may engage the use of the Auditor of Public Accounts’ staff to perform their audits. 

Governor Beshear previously signed multiple additional KLC initiatives in the week before lawmakers returned for the final days of the session.  

Senate Bill 10, sponsored by Senator Robby Mills (R-Henderson), increases County Employees Retirement System (CERS) health insurance subsidies for members who began participating in the system on or after July 1, 2003. Specifically, it raises the monthly health insurance contribution for non-hazardous positions who meet the "career threshold" to $40 per month for each year of service for retirees not eligible for Medicare. Hazardous positions increase $50 per month for each year of service for retirees not eligible for Medicare. The bill extends an existing employee contribution used to fund retiree health benefits to include members who began participating in the system on or after July 1, 2003, and increases the hazardous employee contribution rate to 2% of pay for those eligible for a fixed-dollar retiree health subsidy. The changes will be effective July 1, 2026, with subsidies payable beginning Jan. 1, 2026, and will apply to service earned prior to the effective date.  

Senate Bill 237  (Senator Jason Howell (R-Murray)) provides that a person who has previously been employed as a peace officer in another state and meets certain criteria shall not be required to pass a physical agility test.  Also included cleanup language to clarify part-time telecommunicators are required to complete a 40-hour online training course and allows fully trained part-time telecommunicators credit toward the full-time academy if they successfully complete the 40-hour overview training within 12 months of hire date.   

House Bill 131, sponsored by Representative Michael Meredith (R-Oakland).  Permits but does not require an alternate staffing schedule for specified fire personnel in 13 former second-class cities. The alternate staffing schedule permits fire personnel in a platoon to be on duty for 48 consecutive hours, after which the platoon serving 48 hours shall be allowed to remain off duty for 96 consecutive hours. It would also allow for an on 24 off 72 hours, on 48 off 72-hour schedule known as a 1-3-2-3 schedule, unless otherwise provided in a collective bargaining agreement. 

House Bill 30 (Representative John Blanton (R-Salyersville)) adds to the definition of 'bona fide promotion or career advancement' exempt from pension spiking provisions applicable to members of the Kentucky Employees Retirement System, County Employees Retirement System, or State Police Retirement System an increase in creditable compensation for all employees in a specified class: 1) due to an increase in the rate of pay authorized or funded by the legislative or administrative body of the employer, or 2) due to an increase in the rate of pay mandated in a collective bargaining agreement approved by the legislative body of the employer.  

House Bill 321 (Representative D.J. Johnson (R-Owensboro)) extends the time allowed for planning commission and board of adjustment members to complete their required orientation training, allowing the four hours to be completed within one year of appointment instead of within 120 days. It also requires at least one hour of that training to focus on the impact of planning and zoning policies and procedures on housing supply and accessibility. This housing-focused content is required for both members and staff. 

The bill further allows members to complete their required eight hours of continuing education over a four-year period instead of two, with one of those hours dedicated to housing. Staff training requirements remain unchanged at 16 hours every two years. 

A Senate Committee Substitute to the bill includes language limiting who may appeal a final action concerning planning and zoning decisions. Under the revised language, only owners of real property located within the same zone as the property in question are authorized to file such appeals.  

House Bill 520 (Representative Chris Fugate (R-Chavies)) provides that law enforcement records shall be exempt from public inspection if the disclosure of the information could pose an articulable risk of harm to the law enforcement agency or its investigation by revealing the identity of informants or witnesses not otherwise known.  

Other Issues 

KLC also played considerable defense of cities during the legislative session. Blocking attempts for preemptive laws regarding short-term rentals which were pushed by Airbnb and the centralized collection of local occupational taxes. These issues will likely return during the interim.  

With the signing of these bills, KLC will have 10 initiatives that will become law this year.  

The General Assembly will return for the 60-day budget session on Jan. 6, 2026.