(FRANKFORT, Ky.)-The first week of the 2026 Legislative Session is now complete, officially beginning the constitutionally required 60-day budget session for the Kentucky General Assembly. While the opening days were largely procedural, they set the stage for the policy debates and budget decisions ahead.
As a member of the Senate Majority Caucus, I can assure you our focus remains on you, the Kentucky taxpayer. We continue to advance fiscally responsible, pro-growth policies that have helped strengthen Kentucky over the past decade.
You will notice in your upcoming paycheck that more of your hard-earned dollars are staying with you. Through pragmatic, thoughtful individual income tax reductions, the rate has been lowered from 6 percent to 3.5 percent, with the most recent 0.5 percent reduction taking effect on January 1. Each half-percent reduction keeps approximately $700 million in Kentucky families’ pockets, providing greater flexibility as households manage rising costs.
Throughout this session, lawmakers will focus on the issues most important to Kentuckians, including affordability, economic growth, education, housing, job creation, public safety, and more.
As a budget session, the coming months will be critical and demanding, as the legislature’s primary responsibility is to adopt a new two-year state budget and road plan. Under Kentucky’s constitution, the process begins in the House of Representatives, which drafts and passes the initial budget before sending it to the Senate. Once received, the Senate can propose changes, advocate for district priorities, and negotiate final spending decisions with House counterparts.
I’m eager to work with my colleagues and the governor’s administration in this budget cycle to address ongoing challenges in juvenile justice and to find common ground on early childhood education.
To that end, I’ll introduce legislation this session to incentivize kindergarten readiness. The forthcoming proposal would reward early childhood education providers and eligible parents when children enter school prepared to learn, helping close the achievement gap before it starts. More details on that effort will be available soon. I’m grateful for the collaboration that has gone into this, and I am approaching this proposal with optimism.
Additionally, I look forward to working with stakeholders across the energy sector as we consider key budget and policy areas to further Kentucky’s nuclear energy development and diversify our long-term energy strategy.
On Friday, I introduced Senate Bill 57, which I’m truly excited about. It proposes a pilot program to support early-stage nuclear energy development by investing in at least three potential reactor sites across the commonwealth. The idea is to establish a partnership among the state, utilities, and private industry, with each contributing up to $25 million per site. These funds could be used for things like early site permits, construction permits, or combined operating licenses from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
We’ve already seen growing interest from national developers, utility companies, and large-scale employers. This is about making a serious investment now so Kentucky can be at the center of the nuclear economy in the years ahead. For a $75 million investment, we’re targeting a $20 billion return. It’s a smart, forward-looking move for our energy future.
I also filed Senate Bill 43 this week, which strengthens Kentucky’s energy planning by expanding the Energy Planning and Inventory Commission’s responsibilities. Under this legislation, the commission will be required to include in its annual report a comprehensive inventory of Kentucky’s existing electric generation and transmission resources, a forecast of future demand, and detailed recommendations to address any gaps between current resources and projected needs. The goal is to ensure that Kentucky maintains a reliable, forward-looking energy portfolio that supports economic growth and energy security.
In addition to the budget and the two bills I’ve introduced, the General Assembly is considering various other policy proposals. Several education-focused bills were introduced this week, including one to better protect teachers in classrooms from abuse and another to strengthen the teacher workforce pipeline by expanding the ‘grow your own’ program. I’ll share more on these bills as they progress.
As the session moves forward, attention will turn to committee work. Committees will begin reviewing legislation, hearing public testimony, and shaping bills before they reach the Senate floor, where many of the most substantive discussions take place.
Kentuckians can stay engaged by visiting legislature.ky.gov for schedules, bill text, and voting records. Committee meetings and floor proceedings are available live and on demand through KET and the LRC’s YouTube channel.
Stay informed at kysenaterepublicans.com.
Week one set the tone, but the most important decisions are still ahead. As lawmakers continue their work on the budget and consider legislation affecting communities across the commonwealth, public engagement and transparency will remain central to the process.
Please feel free to contact my office if you have any concerns or suggestions. My office can be reached at 502-564-8100 or by email at Danny.Carroll@kylegislature.gov.
