LEXINGTON, Ky. — Kentucky's 2026 legislative session is winding down with lawmakers scheduled to meet just four more days before an April 1 deadline to pass bills that Gov. Andy Beshear could veto, according to reporting from Queer Kentucky.

The General Assembly will reconvene April 14 and 15 after a two-week veto period, during which the governor will review passed legislation. Lawmakers have burned through most of the 60 legislative days allocated for the session, which began in January.

Of approximately 15 LGBTQ-focused bills filed during the 2026 session, all but two are effectively dead as of late March. All five pro-LGBTQ+ bills failed to advance, while most anti-LGBTQ+ proposals — including measures to restrict drag shows, limit transgender health care access, regulate bathroom use by transgender individuals, and prevent transgender teachers in classrooms — never gained significant traction.

The legislative timeline makes passage of new anti-LGBTQ+ bills unlikely. Most legislation requires at least five to six legislative days to complete the full legislative process. With only four days remaining before the veto period, bills that have not already advanced lack sufficient time to proceed, according to legislative analysts.

Two bills remain under scrutiny. Senate Bill 72 would allow healthcare workers to deny services based on religious beliefs and passed the Senate but has stalled in the House. House Bill 468, which initially addressed enforcement of fairness ordinances, has been modified and poses less threat to LGBTQ+ rights, though monitoring continues in the Senate.

The legislature's focus in final days centers on three major priorities: crafting the next two-year state budget currently in conference committee; addressing governance changes for Jefferson County Public Schools and Fayette County schools; and implementing Medicaid modifications outlined in House Bill 2 to align with federal requirements.

During the veto period, Gov. Beshear has 10 days, excluding Sundays, to sign bills into law, veto them, or allow them to become law without his signature. The GOP-led legislature can attempt to override gubernatorial vetoes only during the final two legislative days.

Advocates monitoring the session note that bills can potentially be inserted into other legislation through shell bills or similar mechanisms, though such maneuvers appear unlikely given the legislature's apparent lack of appetite for anti-LGBTQ+ measures this year and competing legislative priorities.