FRANKFORT, Ky. (LEX 18) — Kentucky House Democrats unveiled their legislative agenda for 2026 on Thursday, outlining a plan they say will help working families struggling with rising costs of living.
The platform, called "A Common Vision for the Commonwealth," focuses on five key areas: No Hungry Kentuckian, Affordable and Accessible Health Care, An Affordable Kentucky Home, Strong Schools, and A Fair Shot for Families.
"Families are working hard. They are still falling behind. The price of everything is up. The price of groceries, the price of healthcare, the price of utilities - everything has gone up. And wages haven't kept pace," House Democratic Leader Pamela Stevenson said.
"As their government, we should be doing something," Stevenson added.
Food security proposals target SNAP funding
On food security, Democrats propose adding $50 million to the state budget in 2026 and $66 million in 2027 to offset new federal cost shifts affecting the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which serves nearly 600,000 Kentuckians.
"If we want people to have food on the table, we must protect the programs that help make this possible," Stevenson said.
"We want to make sure that every Kentuckian has food. Imagine that. Every Kentuckian has food," Stevenson added. "If you're human, you need food to live."
The platform also calls for strengthening the Meals for Seniors program and expanding support for food banks and local food partnerships.
Healthcare reforms target medical debt and rural hospitals
Democrats are also pushing health care proposals aimed at limiting medical debt and stabilizing rural hospitals.
"When you are sick, you shouldn't face roadblocks like impossibly high costs, lengthy wait times, or distant travel for the care you need," Rep. Lindsey Burke said. "We want a Kentucky where a health crisis does not become a financial crisis."
Some of their bills will include capping medical debt interest at 3% and preventing medical debt from being used to damage credit scores.
"Because you got sick or got into an accident, you should still be able to afford a home. You should still be able to start a business. You should be able to go to school, if you need to do those things," Rep. Adam Moore said.
House Democrats also call for investing $335 million in a Rural Hospital Fund to help keep rural hospitals open.
"When a rural hospital struggles, an entire community feels it," Burke said.
Housing and wage proposals address affordability crisis
With Kentucky facing a shortage of roughly 200,000 affordable housing units, Democrats say it's time to take action.
"Families need relief now, not years from now," Rep. Josh Watkins said as he explained that many Kentuckians spend nearly half of their income on rent.
Their proposal includes putting $100 million into an Affordable Housing Loan Fund to help build and preserve affordable homes.
The agenda also calls for raising Kentucky's minimum wage. They propose increasing the wage in gradual steps to reach $17 an hour by 2029, with future increases tied to inflation.
"If you work full time, you should be able to afford the basics," Burke said.
Tax relief and education investments
One of the bills under the "fair shot for families" priority would eliminate sales tax on essential items like diapers, medicine and utilities - items Democrats say everyday Kentuckians need.
"Kentucky currently taxes diapers, but not gold bars. Tell me why we're taxing babies instead of the wealthy," Burke said.
Education proposals include expanded access to early childhood education.
"We envision a Kentucky where every child starts school ready to learn, where teachers can afford to stay in the profession they love, where higher education is accessible, and where every student has the support they need," Watkins said.
Republican supermajority holds decision-making power
Democrats face an uphill battle implementing their agenda. Republicans hold supermajorities in both the Kentucky House and Senate, giving the GOP the power to decide which bills and issues get taken up during the legislative session.
Details of Republican plans will emerge as bills are filed, but GOP leaders say they also believe issues like childcare and housing need to be addressed this year.
