Bills addressing public notice modernization, housing developmental tools, and local government procurement flexibility advanced this week in both the Senate Standing Committee on State & Local Government and the House Committee on Economic Development & Workforce Investment. 

Modernizing Public Notice Requirements 
Senate Bill 141, sponsored by Senate President Pro Tempore David Givens (R-Greensburg), is a KLC Initiative that modernizes public notice requirements for local newspapers. Developed through a collaborative effort between the Kentucky League of Cities, the Kentucky Association of Counties, and the Kentucky Press Association, this bill includes practical updates to address real-world challenges cities, counties, and newspapers face when complying with statutory public notice requirements while preserving transparency.   
 
Senator Givens shared that this “is the work product of and agreed to language between the Kentucky Press Association, KLC, and KACo, and it strikes that balance between cost, taxpayer investment, and transparency, public notice.” This legislation clarifies rules when multiple newspapers qualify to publish legal notices, and it also provides clear guidance when no qualifying newspaper exists locally. This bill ensures public agencies receive fair and predictable pricing and allows local governments to remain compliant if a newspaper makes an error or fails to publish a legal notice. SB 141 passed unanimously out of committee and now moves to the senate floor for consideration. Read the bill text here.   

Expanding Local Housing Development Tools 
Senate Bill 9, the Senate’s priority legislation to address Kentucky’s housing shortage, passed through committee with favorable expression and will continue moving through the legislative process. Sponsored by Senator Robby Mills (R-Henderson), this bill proposes two “tools” for local governments to encourage development in their communities. Those are the ability to create residential infrastructure development districts and housing development districts. Both options allow cities to provide incentives to housing developers based on their community's needs.   

This legislation stems from the discussions of the Kentucky Housing Task Force over the past two interim sessions. Read the full bill text here. 
 
Modernizing Local Government Procurement 
House Bill 392, sponsored by Representative Michael Meredith (R-Oakland), advanced from the House Committee on Economic Development & Workforce Investment with a committee substitute and will head to the house floor for consideration.  

As amended, the bill raises the current $40,000 small purchase threshold to $50,000 to reflect rising costs and establishes an automatic $10,000 adjustment every five years beginning in 2030. It also aligns local cooperative purchasing authority with state practices, permits independent appraisals when no national valuation standard exists, and creates a limited exemption for law enforcement vehicles and related equipment while still requiring multiple quotes and documentation. 

HB 392 provides practical flexibility for cities while maintaining competitive bidding and transparency safeguards. Read the full bill text here.