Kentucky 2026 Second Amendment Bills

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The 2026 Kentucky General Assembly Regular Session has concluded. Two major pro-Second Amendment bills passed and were enacted over Governor Andy Beshear’s veto. No anti-Second Amendment legislation became law.

Key Enacted Pro-Second Amendment Bills

•  House Bill 78 (HB 78): Provides civil liability protections for firearms manufacturers, distributors, and sellers against third-party lawsuits over criminal or unlawful misuse of their products. It includes an emergency clause and preempts conflicting local rules. Passed the House and Senate, vetoed, then overridden on April 14, 2026.

•  House Bill 312 (HB 312): Creates provisional concealed carry licenses for 18- to 20-year-olds (with training and background check requirements), transitioning to standard licenses at 21. Passed the House and Senate, vetoed, then overridden on April 14, 2026.

Other Notable Firearms-Related Bills

Many other bills were introduced but did not pass (most died in committee or failed to advance). Examples include:

Pro-Second Amendment or Neutral

•  HB 80: Relating to federal firearm restrictions.

•  HB 79: Sales/use tax exemption for firearms and related items.

•  HB 749: Proposal for state police to facilitate transfers of certain machine guns.

•  HB 517: Repealing restrictions on concealed carry in certain public buildings/postsecondary institutions.

•  SB 75: Lowering concealed carry age (related to HB 312 efforts).

Restrictive/anti-Second Amendment Bills (Did Not Pass)

•  HB 116: Broad regulations including assault weapon definitions, mandatory background checks on private sales, safe storage, registration, etc.

•  HB 315: Bans on assault weapons, bump stocks, machine guns (with grandfathering).

•  HB 299: Banning machine gun conversion devices.

•  Various safe storage, theft reporting, child access, protective order, and domestic violence-related restrictions.

Summary

The session strengthened gun owner and industry protections (liability shields + expanded concealed carry access for young adults) while rejecting broader restrictions. Most laws from the session take effect around July 15, 2026, unless specified otherwise. For the full list and exact status, check the Kentucky General Assembly website.