Budget & Taxes

The LRC Director's recommended Legislative Branch Budget: Detail Part I, Operating Budget; detail Part II, General Provisions; detail Part III, Budget Reduction or Surplus Expenditure Plan; APPROPRIATION.

The State/Executive Branch Budget: Details Part I, Operating Budget; details Part II, Capital Projects Budget; details Part III, General Provisions; details Part IV, State Salary/Compensation, Benefit, and Employment Policy; details Part V, Funds Transfer; details Part VI, General Fund Budget Reduction Plan; details Part VII, General Fund Surplus Expenditure Plan; details Part VIII, Road Fund Budget Reduction Plan; details Part IX, Road Fund Surplus Expenditure Plan; details Part X, Phase I Tobacco Settlement; and details Part XI, Executive Branch Budget Summary; APPROPRIATION.

Amend KRS 138.220 to set a single excise tax on gasoline and special fuels; set initial base rate at 29.6 cents per gallon (cpg); subject tax to annual adjustment; eliminate references to taxation on the average wholesale price of gasoline and the supplemental tax on gasoline and special fuels; require annual notification to motor fuel dealers of the adjusted rate of the excise tax on gasoline and special fuels for each upcoming fiscal year; amend KRS 138.660 to set the initial base rate for the heavy equipment motor carrier surtax for gasoline at 2.2 cpg for fiscal year 26-27 and 4.3 cpg for fiscal year 27-28 and set the rate for special fuels at 3.6 cpg for fiscal year 26-27 and 7.2 cpg for fiscal year 27-28; subject the surtax to annual adjustment; create a new section of KRS Chapter 138 to define "taxes"; provide a mechanism for annual adjustment of the excise tax on gasoline and special fuels and the heavy equipment motor carrier surtax based on changes in the National Highway Construction Cost Index 2.0; allow these taxes to increase or decrease no more than 5% from one year to the next, subject to the statutory minimums; amend KRS 186.018 to increase the fee for a driving history record from $3 to $6; amend KRS 186.020 to eliminate the requirement to present a vehicle's registration receipt when renewing the vehicle registration and allow mail or online registration renewal with no additional fee; amend KRS 186.040 to eliminate the $30 county clerk fee for motor carrier registrations on vehicles in excess of 44,000 pounds; increase the county clerk fee for motor vehicle registrations from $6 to $8; amend KRS 186.050 to increase to state fee for motor vehicle registrations from $11.50 to $22; increase other state registration fees; provide for a $10 late charge for vehicle registrations not renewed within 30 days of expiration; make technical correction; amend KRS 186.162, 186.180, and 186.240 to conform; amend KRS 186.531 to set the reinstatement fee for a suspended operator's license at $100 and provide for distribution of funds; amend KRS 281A.150 to increase reinstatement fees for suspended CDLs from $50 to $100; amend KRS 186A.130 and 186A.245 to set the fee for an initial title at $25, the fee for a duplicate or replacement title at $10, and the fee for a speed title at $40, and adjust the distribution of fees between the Transportation Cabinet and the county clerk; amend KRS 189.574 to increase to fee for state traffic school from $15 to $50; create a new section of KRS Chapter 174 to create the multimodal transportation fund, specify allowable uses for moneys in the fund; amend KRS 177.320 and 177.365, regarding allocation of a portion of fuel tax revenue to county road aid funds and municipal road aid funds; change the revenue-sharing formula on the portion of fuel tax revenue available for revenue sharing which exceeds $825 million in any year from 18.3% to counties and 7.7% to cities to 13% for each fund; amend KRS 176.080 to establish limitations and awarding of single bid construction contracts the exceed, engineer's estimates, require reporting of such contracts; amend KRS 176.210 to prohibit the Department of Highways from revealing the identities of eligible bidders on a project until the project bid letting; amend KRS 138.210 to delete the definitions for "average wholesale price," "average wholesale floor price," and "quarterly survey value"; amend KRS 138.695, 138.270, 42.409, 234.320, 234.380, and 186A.035 to conform; repeal KRS 138.228, regarding the calculation of average wholesale price of gasoline, KRS 138.4602, regarding determination of total consideration on vehicles purchased between 2009 and 2014, and KRS 175.505, regarding the debt payment acceleration fund for turnpike authority debt; EFFECTIVE, in part, July, 1, 2026, and January 1, 2027; EMERGENCY.

Amend KRS 139.470 to exempt gross receipts derived from aircraft sold and delivered in this state to a resident of another state from sales and use tax; EFFECTIVE August 1, 2026.

Amend KRS 139.010, relating to sales and use taxes, to define "ammunition," "antique firearm," "body armor," firearm," "firearm muffler or silencer," "firearm-related accessory," "firearm safety course," "firearm safety device," and "firearm storage device"; amend KRS 139.480 to exempt ammunition, antique firearms, body armor, firearms, firearm-related accessories, firearm safety courses, firearm safety devices, firearm storage devices, noise cancelling ear protection, and admissions or program fees related to certain firearm-related activities; EFFECTIVE August 1, 2026.

Amend KRS 139.010, relating to the sales and use taxes, to define "menstrual discharge collection devices"; amend KRS 139.480 to exempt from sales and use tax the sale or purchase of menstrual discharge collection devices; apply to sales or purchases made on or after August 1, 2026, but before August 1, 2030; require the Department of Revenue to report annually to the Interim Joint Committee on Appropriations and Revenue the total exemptions claimed for the previous fiscal year; amend KRS 131.190 to allow the Department of Revenue to report to the Legislative Research Commission.

Amend KRS 141.019 to establish an individual income tax exclusion for amounts contributed to a Kentucky Saves account for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2027, but before January 1, 2031; create a new section of KRS Chapter 141 to establish the parameters for the Kentucky Saves exclusion and to establish the Kentucky Saves tax credit; define terms; require the Department of Revenue to report annually on the exclusion and tax credit; amend KRS 141.0205 to provide ordering of the tax credit; amend KRS 131.190 to allow the Department of Revenue to report on the exclusion and tax credit.

The Governor's recommended State/Executive Branch Budget: Detail Part I, Operating Budget; detail Part II, Capital Projects Budget; detail Part III, General Provisions; detail Part IV, State Salary/Compensation, Benefit, and Employment Policy; detail Part V, Funds Transfer; detail Part VI, General Fund Budget Reduction Plan; detail Part VII, General Fund Surplus Expenditure Plan; detail Part VIII, Road Fund Budget Reduction Plan; detail Part IX, Road Fund Surplus Expenditure Plan; detail Part X, Phase I Tobacco Settlement; and detail Part XI, Executive Branch Budget Summary; detail Part XII, Appropriations from the Budget Reserve Trust Fund; APPROPRIATION.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 141 to establish a nonrefundable credit against the tax imposed under KRS 141.020 for qualifying contributions made to a Kentucky Educational Savings Plan trust account in accordance with the guidelines in 26 U.S.C. sec. 529; for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2027, but before January 1, 2031; amend KRS 141.0205 to provide the ordering of the tax credit; amend KRS 131.190 to allow the department to report on the credit.

Amend KRS 177.320 and 177.365, relating to the allocation of a portion of motor fuel tax revenue to county road aid funds and municipal road aid funds, to change the revenue-sharing formula on the portion of revenue available for revenue sharing that exceeds $775 million in any fiscal year from 18.3% for counties and 7.7% for cities to 13% for each fund; make technical corrections; amend KRS 176.241, 178.010, 179.010, and 189.503 to conform; EMERGENCY.