Legislative Updates

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​2026 Regular Session

The 2026 Regular Session of the Kentucky General Assembly concluded on April 15, 2026. Throughout the 60-day session, KPPA tracked more than 80 bills that could have affected the systems. Five bills passed that directly affect KPPA:

• ​​​Senate Bill 85 (Special Needs Trust): This bill allows a Special Needs Trust to be named as a beneficiary and to choose the same lifetime survivor payment options that are normally limited to person beneficiaries.
• ​House Bill 220​ (Pension Spiking): Pension​ spiking happens when a Tier 1 or Tier 2 member’s pay increases by more than 10% a year during the last five years before retirement. Currently, if an employer gives a group of employees a pay raise – either because the employer approves it, the legislature funds it, or it is part of a union contract – those raises are treated as normal pay increases. House Bill 220 clarifies that these group raises will not cause pension-spiking reductions for members with an effective retirement date on or after July 1, 2021.

• Two bills passed related to specific reemployment situations: ​House Bill 213 (Reemployment of Retired Police Officers) and ​​​Senate Bill 102​ (Kentucky State Police R Class Reemployment). Retirees must continue to follow all reemployment laws and requirements when returning to work.

• ​House Bill 500​ (Executive Branch/State Budget Bill): House Bill 500 sets the Executive Branc​​h Budget for the biennium (Fiscal Year 2026-2027 and 2027-2028). While this bill does not change member benefits, the Executive Branch Budget provides funding for the systems and sets KPPA’s administrative budget.

Law changes affecting members are typically based on specific membership details, such as participation date, benefit tier, and whether service is hazardous or nonhazardous. Members can review their individual retirement account by logging in or registering at MyRetirement.ky.gov.​

You can read our complete 2026 legislative summary here.​

Effective Dates

Legislation is effective 90 days after adjournment, unless there is an emergency clause, in which case bills are effective upon the Governor’s signature. Each year, the Reviser of Statutes for the Legislative Research Commission requests an Attorney General’s Opinion on the official effective date. The effective date of legislation passed during the 2026 Regular Session is July 15, 2026. 

​​​​​​2025 Regular Session

Four retirement-related bills passed during the 2025 Regular Session: two affect specific members and two affect administrative processes. You can read our complete summary here .

Law changes affecting members are typically based on specific membership details, such as participation date, benefit tier, and hazardous or nonhazardous service credit. To see your retirement account summary, log in or register at MyRetirement.ky.gov.

​​​​​​​L​egislative​ Tracking​

Du​​ring legislative sessions, KPPA tracks proposed legislation of importance to the systems and their members a​​s the legislation moves through the process.

We provide an overview of the most significant bills and resolutions passed this Session that will have an impact on the Kentucky Public Pensions Authority (KPPA).

​​​​​​​​If you're interested in the legislative process you can always watch committee meetings and the proceedings of both chambers live on KET or on the Legislative Research Commission (LRC)'s YouTube channel​.​

You can click below to see a graphic showing the legislative process in the Kentucky General Assembly.

​

These legislative summaries are intended for general informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal advice regarding the legislative meaning, purpose, intent, application or administration of a particular statutory change.

If you have questions or concerns regarding the impact of a particular piece of legislation, please contact the Legislative Research Commission or a qualified attorney. If you have questions regarding your Kentucky Public Pensions Authority benefits, please contact us by email​;or by telephone at (800) 928-4646.

Public Pension Oversight Board Materials