LEXINGTON, Ky. — The Kentucky General Assembly concluded its 2026 regular session Wednesday after lawmakers overrode more than two dozen gubernatorial vetoes and passed major legislation on healthcare, education and firearms that will reshape state policy for years to come.

The two-day finale, held in a temporary structure on the Capitol campus while the historic Capitol building undergoes a $300 million multi-year renovation, marked the first time since 1910 that lawmakers have convened a regular session outside the main Capitol. Despite the unusual setting, lawmakers maintained momentum throughout the 60-day session, passing more than 190 bills before the veto override marathon.

The most significant measure to survive the veto process was House Bill 2, the Kentucky Medicaid Reform Act, which aligns the state's Medicaid program with the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act that Congress passed last year. The bill implements community engagement requirements for certain able-bodied adults and creates new cost-sharing provisions, while enhancing transparency through a performance dashboard and regular program audits.

Lawmakers also override a veto on Senate Bill 1, which significantly restructures Jefferson County Public Schools governance. The measure grants more authority to the superintendent while reducing the school board from seven members to five, aligning it with other Kentucky districts. The legislation came after Kentucky's Supreme Court struck down a similar 2022 law.

Significant firearms legislation also became law this week. House Bill 312 allows Kentuckians aged 18 to 20 to obtain provisional concealed carry permits after background checks and training, while House Bill 78 prevents gun manufacturers from facing lawsuits when firearms are used in crimes.

House Bill 904, a comprehensive gaming reform measure, increases the age requirement for sports wagering from 18 to 21 and establishes new regulations around fantasy sports and betting on in-state college athletes. The bill also creates a purse stabilization fund for horse racing.

Other notable measures include legislation prohibiting non-disclosure agreements when school employees face discipline for abuse, and a constitutional amendment limiting gubernatorial pardons around election time. Both bills broke through long-standing legislative impasses.

The Senate also passed a resolution suspending impeachment proceedings against Fayette Circuit Judge Julie Muth Goodman and calling for open proceedings by the Judicial Conduct Commission into allegations against her. The resolution specifies that suspension does not constitute a decision on the allegations or relinquish lawmakers' right to act in the future.

Before adjourning near midnight Wednesday, lawmakers approved additional measures on impaired driving, physician shortages and nuclear research that now await gubernatorial action.