Bill > HB500

This bill appropriates funds for the operations, maintenance, support, and functioning of the Commonwealth of Kentucky's government for the fiscal years beginning July 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2028. * **Office of the Governor:** $6,688,100 (General Fund) and $287,900 (Restricted Funds) in FY 2026-27, and $6,607,200 (General Fund) and $287,800 (Restricted Funds) in FY 2027-28. * **Office of State Budget Director:** $3,782,900 (General Fund), $384,000 (Restricted Funds), and $62,000 (Federal Funds) in FY 2026-27, and $3,749,000 (General Fund) and $384,000 (Restricted Funds) in FY 2027-28. * **Homeland Security:** $5,632,600 (General Fund), $4,411,800 (Restricted Funds), and $9,955,400 (Federal Funds) in FY 2026-27, and $5,626,200 (General Fund), $4,360,100 (Restricted Funds), and $9,983,700 (Federal Funds) in FY 2027-28. Includes $5,000,000 in each fiscal year for Next Generation 9-1-1 services. * **Department of Veterans' Affairs:** $37,487,300 (General Fund) and $107,228,800 (Restricted Funds) in FY 2026-27, and $38,976,800 (General Fund) and $108,377,900 (Restricted Funds) in FY 2027-28. Includes funding for veterans' centers, grants to veterans' service organizations, and programs for homeless veterans. * **Kentucky Infrastructure Authority:** $1,830,100 (General Fund), $8,345,500 (Restricted Funds), and $440,051,600 (Federal Funds) in FY 2026-27, and $1,768,800 (General Fund), $10,862,200 (Restricted Funds), and $288,578,900 (Federal Funds) in FY 2027-28. Significant funding is directed towards federal funds for infrastructure projects. * **Department of Military Affairs:** $29,252,300 (General Fund), $21,449,500 (Restricted Funds), and $88,307,100 (Federal Funds) in FY 2026-27, and $28,669,500 (General Fund), $21,566,600 (Restricted Funds), and $88,593,500 (Federal Funds) in FY 2027-28. Includes funding for the Kentucky National Guard and disaster/emergency aid. * **Department for Local Government:** $10,227,100 (General Fund), $4,404,700 (Restricted Funds), and $242,402,800 (Federal Funds) in FY 2026-27, and $12,001,300 (General Fund), $2,346,300 (Restricted Funds), and $242,437,200 (Federal Funds) in FY 2027-28. Includes funding for Appalachian and Delta Regional Commission matching funds and area development districts. * **Local Government Economic Assistance Fund:** $27,926,700 (General Fund) in FY 2026-27 and $25,211,600 (General Fund) in FY 2027-28. * **Local Government Economic Development Fund:** $20,494,800 (General Fund) in FY 2026-27 and $15,059,100 (General Fund) in FY 2027-28. * **Attorney General:** $47,464,000 (General Fund), $82,805,700 (Restricted Funds), and $66,540,000 (Federal Funds) in FY 2026-27, and $44,874,100 (General Fund), $82,464,900 (Restricted Funds), and $63,655,400 (Federal Funds) in FY 2027-28. Includes funding for state enforcement of tobacco regulations, expert witnesses, and various programs like the Office of Medicaid Fraud and Abuse Control and a digital forensics lab. * **Unified Prosecutorial System:** * **Commonwealth's Attorneys:** $83,479,100 (General Fund), $6,488,000 (Restricted Funds), and $359,200 (Federal Funds) in FY 2026-27, and $84,313,500 (General Fund), $6,124,900 (Restricted Funds), and $359,200 (Federal Funds) in FY 2027-28. * **County Attorneys:** $86,248,300 (General Fund), $901,200 (Restricted Funds), and $115,100 (Federal Funds) in FY 2026-27, and $87,108,900 (General Fund), $905,800 (Restricted Funds), and $115,100 (Federal Funds) in FY 2027-28. * **Department of Agriculture:** $20,949,800 (General Fund), $14,505,100 (Restricted Funds), and $12,173,200 (Federal Funds) in FY 2026-27, and $22,945,700 (General Fund), $12,323,200 (Restricted Funds), and $12,173,200 (Federal Funds) in FY 2027-28. Includes significant funding from General Fund (Tobacco) for counties, state accounts, and rural mental health programs. * **Auditor of Public Accounts:** $11,074,100 (General Fund) and $29,365,500 (Restricted Funds) in FY 2026-27, and $10,874,200 (General Fund) and $29,563,700 (Restricted Funds) in FY 2027-28. Includes funding for the Commonwealth Office of the Ombudsman and artificial intelligence auditing software. * **Teachers' Retirement System:** $1,225,339,000 (General Fund) and $21,915,700 (Restricted Funds) in FY 2026-27, and $1,277,624,600 (General Fund) and $23,008,100 (Restricted Funds) in FY 2027-28. This is a significant appropriation for retiree health insurance and actuarially determined employer contributions. * **Support Education Excellence in Kentucky (SEEK) Program:** $3,533,921,800 (General Fund) in FY 2026-27 and $3,565,170,200 (General Fund) in FY 2027-28. This is the largest single appropriation, covering per-pupil funding, vocational transportation, and teachers' retirement system employer match. * **Department of Education - Operations and Support Services:** $62,072,200 (General Fund), $4,751,300 (Restricted Funds), and $565,770,700 (Federal Funds) in FY 2026-27, and $60,564,500 (General Fund), $5,612,800 (Restricted Funds), and $565,989,000 (Federal Funds) in FY 2027-28. Includes funding for Advanced Placement exams, the Center for School Safety, and career and technical education. * **Department of Education - Learning and Results Services:** $1,526,964,400 (General Fund), $36,143,000 (Restricted Funds), and $621,154,200 (Federal Funds) in FY 2026-27, and $1,729,548,700 (General Fund), $43,692,000 (Restricted Funds), and $619,729,900 (Federal Funds) in FY 2027-28. This includes significant funding for Family Resource and Youth Services Centers, preschool programs, and school-based mental health services. * **Education and Labor Cabinet - General Administration and Program Support:** $13,593,600 (General Fund), $23,082,900 (Restricted Funds), and $5,641,200 (Federal Funds) in FY 2026-27, and $13,262,100 (General Fund), $22,889,600 (Restricted Funds), and $5,675,400 (Federal Funds) in FY 2027-28. Includes funding for early childhood development. * **Department of Libraries and Archives:** $11,533,900 (General Fund), $3,969,200 (Restricted Funds), and $3,038,300 (Federal Funds) in FY 2026-27, and $11,963,800 (General Fund), $3,405,700 (Restricted Funds), and $3,071,000 (Federal Funds) in FY 2027-28. Includes funding for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library. * **Workforce Development:** $40,226,200 (General Fund), $12,965,600 (Restricted Funds), and $480,160,800 (Federal Funds) in FY 2026-27, and $39,771,200 (General Fund), $12,911,900 (Restricted Funds), and $481,629,200 (Federal Funds) in FY 2027-28. Includes funding for adult education and unemployment insurance system replacement. * **Energy and Environment Cabinet:** $96,924,600 (General Fund), $126,861,600 (Restricted Funds), and $284,909,300 (Federal Funds) in FY 2026-27, and $96,829,300 (General Fund), $124,015,400 (Restricted Funds), and $286,133,400 (Federal Funds) in FY 2027-28. Includes funding for environmental protection, natural resources, and public service commission. * **Finance and Administration Cabinet:** $836,868,100 (General Fund), $277,937,300 (Restricted Funds), and $1,766,600 (Federal Funds) in FY 2026-27, and $1,063,471,300 (General Fund), $269,724,700 (Restricted Funds), and $1,766,600 (Federal Funds) in FY 2027-28. This cabinet receives significant appropriations for debt service and capital projects. * **Health and Family Services Cabinet:** $4,197,369,500 (General Fund), $3,045,872,300 (Restricted Funds), and $20,182,670,500 (Federal Funds) in FY 2026-27, and $4,195,099,000 (General Fund), $2,972,156,500 (Restricted Funds), and $20,118,827,100 (Federal Funds) in FY 2027-28. This is a substantial portion of the budget, covering Medicaid services, behavioral health, public health, and community-based services. * **Justice and Public Safety Cabinet:** $1,328,583,400 (General Fund), $235,916,300 (Restricted Funds), $72,437,900 (Federal Funds), and $55,582,600 (Road Fund) in FY 2026-27, and $1,359,915,200 (General Fund), $221,737,200 (Restricted Funds), $72,676,500 (Federal Funds), and $57,940,100 (Road Fund) in FY 2027-28. This includes significant funding for State Police, Corrections, and Juvenile Justice. * **Personnel Cabinet:** $63,858,000 (General Fund) and $64,121,900 (Restricted Funds) in FY 2026-27, and $63,858,000 (General Fund) and $62,952,100 (Restricted Funds) in FY 2027-28. Includes funding for public employee health insurance and pension funds. * **Postsecondary Education:** $1,466,348,600 (General Fund), $11,894,631,900 (Restricted Funds), and $1,123,312,500 (Federal Funds) in FY 2026-27, and $1,450,585,300 (General Fund), $12,760,149,500 (Restricted Funds), and $1,148,968,000 (Federal Funds) in FY 2027-28. This encompasses funding for the Council on Postsecondary Education, the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority, and various universities and colleges. * **Public Protection Cabinet:** $2,376,000 (General Fund), $97,113,200 (Restricted Funds), and $1,991,300 (Federal Funds) in FY 2026-27, and $5,365,300 (General Fund), $92,668,000 (Restricted Funds), and $1,992,900 (Federal Funds) in FY 2027-28. Includes funding for professional licensing, alcoholic beverage control, and housing, buildings, and construction. * **Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet:** $92,630,300 (General Fund), $199,391,200 (Restricted Funds), and $29,419,900 (Federal Funds) in FY 2026-27, and $89,948,400 (General Fund), $202,492,200 (Restricted Funds), and $29,797,000 (Federal Funds) in FY 2027-28. Includes funding for state parks, the Horse Park Commission, and the State Fair Board. * **Budget Reserve Trust Fund:** $296,581,400 (General Fund) in FY 2026-27 and $50,413,900 (General Fund) in FY 2027-28. * **Capital Projects Budget:** This section details numerous capital projects across various agencies, funded by Bond Funds, Agency Bonds, Federal Funds, Investment Income, Restricted Funds, and Other Funds. Significant appropriations are noted for the Kentucky Infrastructure Authority, Military Affairs, Finance and Administration Cabinet (including Capitol Annex Renovation), and various postsecondary education institutions for facility upgrades, construction, and equipment. * **Phase I Tobacco Settlement:** This section outlines the allocation of tobacco settlement funds for various purposes, including state enforcement, debt service, agricultural development, early childhood development, and health care initiatives. * **General Fund Budget Reduction Plan:** This part establishes a plan for reducing General Fund expenditures in the event of revenue shortfalls, with specific exemptions and priorities for reductions. * **General Fund Surplus Expenditure Plan:** This part outlines the plan for expending General Fund surplus moneys, prioritizing necessary government expenses and then allocating remaining funds to the Budget Reserve Trust Fund. * **Road Fund Budget Reduction Plan:** This part establishes a