Kentucky lawmakers preview upcoming legislative session

KENTUCKY (WKYT) - The Kentucky Chamber of Commerce held its annual legislative preview in Lexington on Monday. While some lawmakers attended the conference, others were in Frankfort.

Kentucky’s 2025 legislative session is set to begin on Jan. 7.

“A couple of years ago, we passed House Bill 8, which set aside some triggers that once those triggers are hit, the general assembly could come back in and lower the individual income taxes,” said Rep. Josh Bray, R-Mount Vernon.

Representative Bray said one of the first and potentially most contentious votes could be on lowering the individual income tax from four percent to three-point-five percent.

It is a policy that the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce said they support.

“Kentuckians can keep more of their paycheck to address the cost-of-living challenges that they face,” said Kate Shanks, senior VP of public affairs with the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce.

Another focus both parties have is improving Kentucky’s student performance.

Earlier this month, Kentucky voters struck down Constitutional Amendment 2, which would have allowed for the general assembly to have the option to allocate public dollars for private schools.

“That is a space where I feel like we have some opportunity to make some real policy impact, especially now that we know the voter stance on Amendment 2,” said Rep.-Elect Anne Gay Donworth, D-Lexington.

Other lawmakers, who may have supported the passage of Constitutional Amendment 2, said they would reevaluate how they tackle providing support to Kentucky’s education system.

“If Amendment 2 passed, we’d be going more of that direction,” said Sen. Steve West, R-Paris. “Since it didn’t pass, we will change things and go a different direction, work within the public system.”

Kentucky House and Senate members will have from Jan. 7 through Feb. 18th and 19th, respectively, to file legislation.