The Kentucky General Assembly officially wrapped up its legislative session Wednesday, passing bills that would make changes to education, gambling and concealed firearm licenses. This is a list of some of the bills that were passed for 2026 that are expected to go into effect in mid-July.
House Bill 490: Academic tenure
HB 490 allows for public postsecondary education institutions — like Murray State University — to fire or remove faculty for financial reasons or low program enrollment. The measure has been largely contested by MSU faculty members and members of the United Campus Workers of Kentucky. Opponents said the measure would limit academic freedom, opening the door for universities to fire professors for pursuing research in controversial topics and limiting student learning by eliminating less popular academic programs. HB 490 contains an emergency clause, meaning that it is expected to go into effect immediately, rather than after a 90-day period.
House Bill 312: Concealed firearms
Passed on April 14, HB 312 will allow 18-year-olds to apply for and obtain a provisional license to carry a concealed firearm. Concealed carry licenses were reserved for individuals 21 and older who applied for a standard license, passed a background check, met certain criteria and completed a training program. Under HB 312, a legal adult younger than 21 can apply for a provisional license and must pass the same criteria and complete the training program. Upon turning 21, they must then apply for a standard license.
House Bill 904: Sports betting
While the age for carrying a concealed firearm will be lowered, the age requirement for sports betting will increase from 18 to 21. Passed on April 14, HB 904 makes several changes to gambling in the state, including raising the betting age, restricting in-state collegiate athlete prop bets (bets made on an individual athlete’s performance rather than the outcome of a game) and authorizing fixed-odds wagering on horse racing (where a bettor’s payout is fixed at the time of making a bet, as opposed to the odds fluctuating until the race’s end). While sports betting will now require individuals to be 21, the age for horse betting remains at 18.
House Bill 562: Alternate high school diplomas
Another measure impacting education is HB 562, which requires the Kentucky Board of Education to establish and compose regulations for an alternate high school diploma for students with disabilities who are unable to participate in regular statewide assessment and require a modified curriculum. It also requires the Department of Workforce Development to create and publish a list of employers who will accept applicants with alternate diplomas.
House Bill 169: Adding eating disorders to health insurance
HB 169 requires health plans to provide coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of eating disorders. It also requires that insurers not use standards like body mass index (BMI) to determine a patient’s coverage.
House Bill 4: Grooming becomes a criminal offense
HB4 establishes the grooming of a minor to be a criminal offense. According to the bill, grooming behavior is “a course of conduct directed at a minor that is intended to establish an emotional connection with a minor through manipulation, trust-building, or influence” with the intent to engage in future sexual activity or to “normalize or desensitize the minor to acts of sexual conduct.”
To learn more about these bills or other legislative actions from this session, visit the official website for the Kentucky General Assembly.
