Voting Rights Are Under Attack ( March 2 - 6 2026)
We hit some major milestones in Frankfort this week! Monday was the last day to start new bills in the Senate, and Wednesday was the deadline for the House. As of Thursday, we are officially two-thirds of the way through the 60-day session.
With the state budget now in the Senate’s hands, the House is turning its attention to other big topics like election laws and public safety. Here is a look at the most important bills we discussed this week. You can access the bill and how House members voted here.
HB 299: Machine Gun Conversion Devices
On Monday, the House looked at HB 299, which deals with "Glock switches." These are small devices that turn a semi-automatic handgun into a fully automatic machine gun.
The Bill: This law would match federal law by making it a "Class C felony" to own one of these devices.
The Goal: Supporters say this gives local police the power to get these dangerous tools off the street, rather than waiting for federal agents to step in.
HB 534: The Election Overhaul (Omnibus Bill)
This was the most debated bill on the floor this week. It’s an "omnibus" bill, which is just a fancy way of saying it packs a bunch of different changes into one big 43-page document. Because many of these changes would make it harder for people to vote, I voted "No."
What the bill includes:
Running for Two Offices: It would let a candidate run for a federal office (like Senator) and President or Vice President at the same time. Right now, Kentucky law says you can't be on the ballot twice.
Voter Roll Cleanup: The state would work with federal agencies to find and remove non-citizens from voter lists.
Judicial Politics: It would let judges—who are supposed to be neutral—tell voters which political party they belong to during their campaigns.
Voting Tech: It bans certain barcodes on voting machines that humans can't read.
Why people are concerned:
Losing the Right to Vote Early: The bill requires the state to remove anyone convicted of a felony from the voter rolls by August. The big problem? It removes them even if they are still appealing their case. If the court later finds them innocent, they will have already lost their chance to vote.
Political Courts: Critics worry that bringing political parties into judge races will make our courts less fair.
Special Rules: Some feel the rule about running for two offices at once is being written just to help a couple of specific politicians, not the general public.
Other bills passed by the House this week include:
House Bill 5: This bill would establish the Kentucky Community and Technical College System Prison Education Program to reduce recidivism and boost Kentucky’s workforce. Under HB 5, KCTCS would partner with the Kentucky Department of Corrections to build and operate a model vocational training campus at Northpoint Training Center, a men’s prison in Boyle County.
House Bill 67: This bill aims to further clarify Senate Bill 181 from the 2025 legislative session that established a traceable communication system requirement for public school students interacting with teachers and other school personnel electronically.
House Bill 142: This bill seeks to help farmers more easily file and renew claims for crop and property damage caused by deer while also addressing overpopulation concerns across the state.
House Bill 246: Also known as Kyan’s Law, this bill would require animal control officers to receive training on recognizing signs of child abuse beginning in 2027. The bill includes an opt-out provision for local governments.
House Bill 254: This bill would exempt some temporary structures, such as trailers, from building code compliance during an emergency declaration, such as natural disasters.
House Bill 282: Also known as Troy’s Law, this legislation would allow wreckers to use flashing, oscillating green lights to increase visibility and prevent serious or fatal accidents.
House Bill 307: Also known as the My Kentucky Future Act, this bill would establish a common online application for students applying to public postsecondary education institutions in the commonwealth, among other provisions.
House Bill 364: This legislation would entitle Kentucky National Guard members to receive Commonwealth Emergency Response Pay when called to state active-duty service during an emergency declared by the governor.
House Bill 418: This bill seeks to protect and prioritize the safety and well-being of children in custody cases involving domestic violence.
House Bill 469: This bill would prevent school board members from being employed by the school district. School board candidates would also be required to undergo a background check when they file to run for office.
House Bill 503: This bill is the proposed budget for the legislative branch for the next two fiscal years.
House Bill 519: This legislation would allow communication disorders to be noted on someone’s personal identification card. The bill would also direct the Kentucky State Police to implement training on interacting with persons with a communication disorder. HB 519 would not be effective until July 2027.
House Bill 542: This legislation seeks to improve communication and transparency during eminent domain negotiations.
House Bill 586: This bill would allow students to carry and self-apply sunscreen at school.
House Bill 611: This bill would create parity for victims of felony assault, sexual offenses and stalking. HB 611 would also create a 10-year interpersonal protective order for victims upon a conviction of first- or second-degree assault when the perpetrator and victim are family members, an unmarried couple or in a dating relationship.
House Bill 651: This legislation seeks to protect rate payers from subsidizing the cost of data centers.
All of these bills are now before the Senate for consideration. The Kentucky House returns to Frankfort on Monday for day 42 of the 2026 legislative session. The House gavels-in at 4 p.m., and the Senate convenes at 2 p.m.