FRANKFORT, Ky. — More than 100 new Kentucky laws approved during the 2026 legislative session are set to take effect this week, bringing changes to areas ranging from education and criminal justice to gaming and public safety.

The Kentucky General Assembly passed more than 190 bills during this year’s 60-day session. More than half of those measures will become law Wednesday, July 15.

Under the Kentucky Constitution, laws generally take effect 90 days after the legislature adjourns unless lawmakers establish a different effective date, include an emergency clause or the measure falls under certain exceptions.

Lawmakers adjourned the 2026 session on April 15, making July 15 the effective date for most bills passed this year.

Here are some of the changes Kentucky residents should know about:

Gaming changes

One of the most significant changes comes from House Bill 904, which makes several changes to Kentucky’s wagering and gaming laws.

The law will:

• Raise the minimum age for sports wagering from 18 to 21.
• Prohibit people listed on the attorney general’s child support arrearage list from betting on online platforms.
• Create a licensing and regulatory framework for fantasy sports.
• Prohibit certain “under” bets involving college athletes who play for in-state teams.
• Establish additional regulations for gaming and horse racing-related wagering.

New concealed carry option for some young adults

House Bill 312 will allow Kentuckians ages 18 to 20 to apply for a provisional concealed carry permit.

Applicants must complete a background check and firearms training before receiving the permit.

Changes involving schools

Several new laws will affect Kentucky schools.

Alternative diplomas:
House Bill 562 creates a new alternative diploma option for students with intellectual disabilities. Supporters say the change will allow eligible students to be recognized as graduates rather than dropouts.

School bus safety:
House Bill 7 allows school districts to install cameras on school buses to help enforce stop-arm traffic violations.

School leadership:
Senate Bill 4 creates a training and mentorship program for new school principals.

School administrator pay:
Senate Bill 2 limits school administrators from receiving percentage pay increases greater than classroom teachers in the same district unless there is a significant change in job duties.

Tougher laws involving child safety and abuse

Several new laws focus on child protection.

House Bill 4 makes efforts to manipulate a minor into sexual contact with an adult, commonly referred to as grooming, a criminal offense.

House Bill 366 expands child pornography laws to include computer-generated images of minors and requires certain offenders to serve at least 85% of their sentence.

House Bill 778 makes several changes to child welfare laws, including changes involving foster care placements and the definition of neglect.

Changes involving impaired driving

Senate Bill 66 makes several changes involving impaired driving cases.

The law will:

• Require a suspect who refuses a blood test in an impaired driving case to have their license suspended at arraignment.
• Require the Transportation Cabinet to maintain records of moving violations for 10 years.
• Add certain drugs, including fentanyl, clonazepam and cyclobenzaprine, to the list of substances that may contribute to an impaired driving conviction.

New protections for first responders

Senate Bill 104 creates a 25-foot safety zone around first responders, including police officers and firefighters, while they are performing official duties.

People who refuse an initial warning to move back and intentionally interfere with, threaten or harass a first responder could face criminal charges.

New protections against fraudulent contractors

Senate Bill 153 aims to protect homeowners after severe weather events.

The law:

• Clarifies that vandalism committed to create an insurance claim is fraud.
• Creates a registry for certain contractors following disasters.
• Restricts door-to-door solicitations during declared emergencies.

Changes to criminal justice

House Bill 422, known as Logan’s Law, changes parts of Kentucky’s insanity defense and criminal sentencing laws.

The bill was filed after Ronald Exantus, who killed 6-year-old Logan Tipton in 2015, was released early from prison through mandatory reentry supervision.

The law also changes eligibility for mandatory reentry supervision for certain repeat violent offenders.

House Bill 305, known as the Crystal Rogers Act, strengthens protections surrounding grand jury proceedings.

The law increases penalties for illegally recording or sharing information from a grand jury proceeding. Supporters say the measure is intended to protect the integrity and confidentiality of grand jury investigations.

License plate reader limits

House Bill 58 places restrictions on the use of automatic license plate readers.

The law limits their use primarily to purposes such as:

• Public safety
• Parking enforcement
• Access control
• Criminal investigations

The law also requires captured data to generally be deleted after 90 days, with exceptions for certain investigations and other authorized uses.

Affordable housing

House Bill 333 allows faith-based organizations to build small-scale affordable housing units on property near religious institutions.

Other notable changes

Additional laws taking effect include:

• Food is Medicine initiatives: Senate Joint Resolution 23 recognizes Kentucky as a “Food is Medicine” state and directs agencies to support related efforts.
• Nuclear energy: Senate Bill 57 creates a nuclear reactor site readiness program with grant funding opportunities.
• Storm shelters: Senate Bill 11 creates a pilot rebate program to help homeowners build emergency storm shelters.
• Organ donation: House Bill 510 adds additional verification requirements during the organ donation process.
• Veterans’ health care: House Bill 369 allows veterans to receive hyperbaric oxygen therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder under certain conditions.

More than 100 additional measures are also taking effect this week.