Create a new section of KRS Chapter 164 to define terms; establish a proactive postsecondary admissions program to be managed by the Council on Postsecondary Education; require each public postsecondary education institution in Kentucky to establish the minimum academic qualification for prospective admission to the institution and implement the common online application approved by the council by July 1, 2027; require the Kentucky Department of Education and each certified nonpublic school to submit a compiled list with designated information of all high school students who most recently completed their junior year to the council and the Kentucky Center for Statistics on or before September 1 of each year; require the KHEAA to submit the KEES award amounts of public and certified nonpublic high school students to the council on or before September 1 of each year; direct the council to send a personalized prospective admissions letter notifying each eligible high school student of each public postsecondary education institution in Kentucky where the recipient qualifies for prospective admissions, provides instructions for the recipient to apply for full admission, and of the student's KEES scholarship amount; provide that the personalized letter shall not constitute a guarantee of admission; retain the right for public postsecondary education institutions to perform a comprehensive reviews of all admissions applications internally; create a new section of KRS Chapter 151 to direct the Kentucky Center for Statistics to collaborate with the Kentucky Department of Education and the Council on Postsecondary Education to publish annual data on academic and workforce outcomes; amend KRS 164.020 to direct the Council on Postsecondary Education to establish a common online application and maintain a website for students to apply to Kentucky public postsecondary institutions through the common online application.

Honor the life and accomplishments of former Governor Martha Layne Collins.

Amend KRS 141.396, relating to the angel investor tax credit, to remove language relating to employee demographics for qualified small businesses from information required; amend KRS 154.20-234, relating to the Angel Investor Program, to remove language relating to employee demographics for qualified small businesses from information required; amend KRS 154.20-240 and 154.20-254 to conform.

Amend KRS 7A.220 to amend the membership and membership qualifications of the Public Pension Oversight Board by adding the chairs or vice chairs of the Senate State & Local Government Standing Committee and House State Government Standing Committee to the board, adding the State Treasurer to the membership, removing 1 of the gubernatorial appointees from the membership, and amending "retirement experience" requirements for appointed members to include experience in retirement plan management or policy by a former elected official; make technical and conforming changes; amend KRS 7A.255 to require the Kentucky Public Pensions Authority to annually report line of duty death benefit payments to the Public Pension Oversight Board in addition to line of duty disability benefit payments; make technical amendments; EFFECTIVE, in part, January 1, 2027.

Amend KRS 16.220 to require the destruction of confiscated firearms; amend KRS 45.777, 147A.002, 500.090, 500.093, and 514.065 to conform.

Amend KRS 222.504 and 222.506 to require that recovery residences be inspected at least annually by state or local officials capable of ensuring compliance with all state and local zoning, building code, and fire safety laws, administrative regulations, and ordinances and establish maximum occupancy standards for recovery residences; amend KRS 222.510 to permit local governments to require an individual or entity seeking to establish a recovery residence to provide notice up to 6 months in advance to all property owners within 1,000 feet of the property on which the recovery residence will be located; EMERGENCY.

Amend KRS 141.019 and 141.039 to ignore capital gains and capital losses from the sale or exchange of currency or bullion.

Create new sections of KRS 304.17A-600 to 304.17A-633 to define terms; prohibit insurers of health benefit plans from requiring prior authorization for a health care service for which the provider has an exemption; require insurers of health benefit plans to establish a program under which participating providers may qualify for exemptions from prior authorization; establish mandatory and permitted provisions of an insurer's prior authorization exemption program; establish requirements for sending forms and notices; require the commissioner of the Department of Insurance to submit an annual report relating to prior authorization, provide a detailed briefing upon request, and promulgate administrative regulations; amend KRS 304.17A-605 to conform; amend KRS 304.17A-611 to prohibit conducting a retrospective review that is based solely on a participating provider having a prior authorization exemption; provide that certain utilization review time frames do not apply to retrospective reviews conducted for the purposes of determining eligibility for a prior authorization exemption; create a new section of KRS Chapter 205 to require the commissioner of the Department for Medicaid Services to submit an annual report relating to prior authorization, provide a detailed briefing upon request, and promulgate administrative regulations; amend KRS 205.536 to conform; apply the provisions to contracts delivered, entered, renewed, extended, or amended on or after January 1, 2028; EFFECTIVE, in part, January 1, 2027, and January 1, 2028.

Create new sections of KRS Chapter 61 to prohibit public agencies from denying permits or licenses for reasons not specified by law; implement a 30-day time frame for ruling on applications for a permit or license if no time frame is otherwise specified by law; establish procedures for applications for a permit or license which are not ruled upon during the applicable time frame or are denied; for appeal process.

Amend KRS 164.7879 to increase the Kentucky educational excellence scholarship base amount for each eligible grade point average; increase the supplemental award amounts; require a supplemental award for eligible Cambridge Advanced International scores; amend KRS 164.7882 to increase the award amount for an eligible student enrolled in a comprehensive transition and postsecondary program; amend KRS 164.7874, 164.7881, 164.7884, and 164.7885 to conform; EFFECTIVE July 1, 2026.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 527 to define "machine gun"; establish the offense of possession of a machine gun conversion device as a Class C felony.

Recognize January 2026 as Kentucky Mentorship Month.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 65 to define terms; allow local governments to regulate short-term rentals.

Amend KRS 164.092 to remove the definition of "equilibrium" and all references to equilibrium; require that university resources shall be allocated without weighting; require the postsecondary working group to meet every odd year; make technical amendments.

Amend KRS 154.15-010 to remove the definition of "executive director" of the Kentucky Communications Network Authority (KCNA); amend KRS 154.15-020 to administratively attach the KCNA to the Finance and Administration Cabinet; remove references to the executive director and the advisory group of the KCNA; abolish the KCNA advisory group; remove references to KCNA staff and require the executive director of the Commonwealth Office of Technology (COT) to assign COT personnel to carry out the functions and responsibilities of the KCNA; require the secretary of the Finance and Administration Cabinet, the Treasurer, and the executive director of the Commonwealth Office of Technology serve as ex officio members on the board of directors for any nonprofit organization incorporated to carry out activities associated with the responsibilities of the KCNA or its board; amend KRS 154.15-030 to remove all current members of the KCNA board except for the representative designated by the Center for Rural Development and replace them with the chief information officer of the Department of Education, who shall serve as chair, the Attorney General, the Governor, the Commissioner of Agriculture, the Secretary of State, and the Treasurer, or their designees; amend KRS 42.726 to add carrying out the functions and responsibilities of the KCNA to the roles and duties of the COT; amend KRS 42.732 to remove the executive director of the KCNA from the Kentucky Information Technology Advisory Council; amend KRS 12.020, 12.023, and 42.014 to conform; require that on the effective date of the Act, all functions and responsibilities previously undertaken by KCNA personnel shall be transferred to existing COT personnel; require all records, files, or documents previously maintained by KCNA personnel to be transferred to the COT; require that the position of executive director of the KCNA shall be terminated on the effective date of the Act; allow the executive director of COT to determine on or before June 30,2026, which staff previous employed by KCNA shall be retained and employed by COT; EMERGENCY.