The gavel struck a sentimental note when it fell for the final time as it not only marked the end of the 2025 legislative session, but it also marked the last official action of the Kentucky General Assembly at the State Capitol, at least for the next few years. The granite and marble sentinel has stood watch over Frankfort for more than a century. However, the building will close this summer for a massive multi year restoration project, and lawmakers will convene in a temporary structure on the Capitol Campus during the project. Like most years, the historic building has played host to a memorable session in 2025, one in which lawmakers passed more than 140 bills and debated hundreds more over the thirty day period. A measure on tax reform carried momentum from the start as lawmakers voted to cut Kentucky's income tax rate from 4% to 3.5% beginning next year.
Despite some criticism, the legislation won bipartisan support this session, and the governor signed the bill into law in February. As the weeks continued, bills on college diversity programs, workplace safety, transgender related services, maternal health, Medicaid, and environmental regulations, all one final passage following hard fought debates in committee and on the chamber floors. The governor issued more than two dozen vetoes on those topics and more. But in the end, lawmakers once again demonstrated the independence of the general assembly, overriding virtually all of the governor's vetoes during a full day of floor proceedings on day 29. Before gaveling to a close on Friday, lawmakers sought to clear the decks of pending legislation and sent a final volley of bills to the governor's desk.
Among them was senate bill 181, which calls on school districts to implement traceable communication systems for staff and volunteers to use when communicating electronically with students. Lawmakers also gave final passage to legislation on manufactured housing. House bill 160. It would prohibit local governments from adopting or enforcing zoning regulations that treat manufactured homes differently from site built homes in single family residential zones. Both measures are headed to the governor with around two dozen more bills, and the governor will have ten days to sign them into law, issue vetoes, or allow them to become law without his signature.
Lawmakers will return to Frankfort in June for the interim period when they hold committee hearings on issues and consider proposals for the 2026 legislative session next January.