KCC Week 11 Recap- General Assembly 2026
Read our full lists — Many bills have had significant changes late in the session, so please review and make your calls—Particularly on our “Strong Support” and “Strong Oppose” bills!
Please call the legislative message line at 1-800-372-7181 (Monday-Friday 7AM-6PM) to express your views on these bills. You may also email your legislators if the phone lines are closed.
The "Hot Bill" list!
In addition to our full list of all environmental bill links at the top of this email, you can find our most urgent bills by going to our home page and click on the "Hot Action Bills" button! We update that list daily due to bills moving quickly from chamber to chamber.
Thanks to all who joined our coalition "Town Hall" meeting!
We were glad to see a great turnout for this past Monday's Town Hall meeting on the health of our Commonwealth. In recent weeks, lawmakers have considered issues involving our collective public health and civic health, and how these issues intersect. The Town Hall was a combined effort of the Kentucky Conservation Committee, Kentucky Resources Council, Kentucky Waterways Alliance, and Sierra Club Kentucky Chapter. If you missed the Town Hall, we have posted the video here.
SB199- On the Governor’s Desk
We want to thank everyone for their calls to stop Senate Bill 199. This is the bill that would make it more difficult for a plaintiff to recover from a pesticide manufacturer for a "failure to warn." While it was amended in the House to further limit the immunity of chemical companies from lawsuits, this continues to be a troublesome bill. We were particularly struck by the testimony this week of Rep. Kim Holloway on the bill this week, who is from a farming community but also has been struggling with family members stricken with cancer from chemicals. See her powerful testimony here. Then contact the Governor to veto this bill.
Calls to Support Land Conservation
The senate has now passed its version of the budget, and also passed a bill that would spend $810 million from the Budget Reserve Trust Fund on one-time appropriations. Previous versions of these bills have already passed in the House, meaning that this work will soon go to the conference committee.
What the $810 million would be spent on was not specified other than to say that it would be in the following broad categories:
Water and sewer project pools
Economic Development investments
Smaller one-time local infrastructure projects and investments
Now is the time to weigh in with state legislators and ask them to “Please support another strategic investment in the Kentucky Heritage Land Conservation Fund as part of HB 900.”
Outreach to any legislators is helpful and appreciated, and especially if you are represented by or have a relationship with the following lawmakers in leadership roles:
Senator President Robert Stivers,[robert.stivers@kylegislature.gov]; Senator David Givens, david.givens@kylegislature.gov]; Senator Max Wise, [max.wise@kylegislature.gov]; Senator Robby Mills, robby.mills@kylegislature.gov ]; Senator Mike Wilson, mike.wilson@kylegislature.gov ]; House Speaker David Osborne, david.osborne@kylegislature.gov ]; Senator Chris McDaniel, chris.mcdaniel@kylegislature.gov ]; Senator Amanda Mays Bledsoe, amanda.maysbledsoe@kylegislature.gov ], Representative David Meade, david.meade@kylegislature.gov ]; Representative Steven Rudy, steven.rudy@kylegislature.gov ]; Representative Suzanne Miles, suzanne.miles@kylegislature.gov ]; Representative Jason Nemes, jason.nemes@kylegislature.gov ]; Representative Jason Petrie, jason.petrie@kylegislature.gov ]; Representative Adam Bowling, adam.bowling@kylegislature.gov ]; Representative Josh Bray, josh.bray@kylegislature.gov ].
Are you New to KCC? Welcome!
A space to hear all voices for the environment. The Kentucky Conservation Committee is one of the longest-running state-based conservation nonprofits, with a focus on providing a trusted voice in Kentucky’s Capitol and beyond. We effectively advocate for protection, restoration and sustainable use of natural resources for the equitable benefit of all citizens in our Commonwealth. KCC was formed in 1975, to provide a collaborative space for citizens and organizations to come together over shared goals on critical conservation policy issues, and make change happen. We provide nonprofit Government Relations and Legislative support for citizens and partner groups throughout the state on environmental and conservation issues. Explore our online resources and stay connected with us! Our team includes experienced nonpfofit legislative agents and consultants, and our Board of Directors is structured to include experienced environmental and conservation experts from a range of expertise from land conservation, clean energy, water resources, outdoor recreation, former state agency professionals and more. We debate every key bill weekly during the session to ensure that a wide range of voices are heard.