Mills again co-chairs housing task force; Payne is on the AI task force
Courtesy of Kentucky Lantern
Kentucky General Assembly leaders have announced five task forces that will meet ahead of the 2026 legislative session to discuss possible policy proposals.
Some of the task forces, like the Artificial Intelligence Task Force, are a continuation of study by previous groups. Others, such as the Disaster Prevention and Resiliency Task Force, are new to this interim session.
Republicans Senate President Robert Stivers and House Speaker David Osborne released the list of members and chairs they appointed to the task forces in press releases Tuesday. Like interim joint committees, task forces have both representatives and senators as members and two co-chairs, one from each chamber. Task forces are typically formed by a resolution of the House or Senate and make recommendations about legislation to consider the following year.
Osborne said in a statement that lawmakers will “continue to use our interim to address the challenges facing our Commonwealth.”
“Whether through interim committees or formal task forces, we are positioning ourselves to create policies that help Kentucky and Kentuckians succeed,” Osborne said. “The groundwork we lay now allows for more efficient and productive debate once the session is underway, reducing rushed decisions and increasing the likelihood of passing meaningful, effective legislation.”
A meeting schedule for the task forces has not been released yet.
The interim legislative task forces are:
Make America Healthy Again Kentucky Task Force
The chairs, Sen. Shelley Funke-Frommeyer, R-Alexandria, and Rep. Matt Lockett, R-Nicholasville, were the sponsors of resolutions to establish the group. The task force will explore ways to implement directives from the Trump administration’s “Make America Healthy Again,” or MAHA, policies. During a committee hearing on her resolution, Funke-Frommeyer said “this is our starting point” to start addressing Kentucky’s dismal health statistics. The commonwealth has high rates of diabetes and cancer deaths, maternal mortality and more.
Disaster Prevention and Resiliency Task Force
This task force is the only one of the five with bipartisan co-chairs, Rep. Chris Freeland, R-Benton, and Sen. Robin Webb, D-Grayson. While Webb sponsored the Senate resolution for the task force, Rep. John Blanton, R-Salyersville, introduced the House resolution. Webb said during the floor debate on her resolution that she had been working on the idea of the task force for some time, but the Senate considered the resolution on the heels of statewide floods and winter storms in February. Kentucky has faced more weather-related challenges, such as tornadoes and flooding, since lawmakers adjourned the 2025 session.
Artificial Intelligence Task Force
Both Sen. Amanda Mays Bledsoe, R-Lexington, and Rep. Josh Bray, R-Mount Vernon, chaired the AI task force in 2024 but saw more policy areas to explore when it comes to possible state legislation on AI. This year, the General Assembly passed initial legislation to regulate AI in state government carried by Bledsoe. The co-chairs were part of an April panel on AI and discussed ways the technology could be used in health care, energy, education and more.
States’ AI laws may be impacted by actions at the federal level. The budget bill passed by the House last week includes a 10-year moratorium on enforcement of state AI laws as a way to a patchwork of different policies nationwide.
Henderson state Rep. J.T. Payne will serve on the task force.
“The use of artificial intelligence continues to grow and impacts all of us in our daily lives. It possesses great potential, but like every tool it must be managed carefully and ethically,” said Payne in a Tuesday press release. “I appreciate the opportunity to participate in this conversation and look forward to working with my colleagues, constituents, industry experts, and other stakeholders.”
The Artificial Intelligence Task Force will continue its comprehensive study of the use and impact of artificial intelligence across the Commonwealth of Kentucky with a mission to foster innovation, enhance statewide competitiveness and promote AI literacy among individuals, businesses, and public institutions, according to the release.
Housing Task Force
Last year, lawmakers on the Housing Task Force compiled information to better understand the state’s housing needs. The task force is continuing this year under co-chairs, Senate Republican Caucus Chair Robby Mills and Rep. Susan Tyler Witten, R-Louisville. In a final report released ahead of the 2025 legislative session, the task force found that local elected officials are confronting a problem exacerbated by a boom of jobs in some communities and natural disasters in others. This year, the task force will review issues around housing availability, affordability and development statewide this interim session.
“I’m honored to continue leading this vital work on behalf of Kentucky families,” said Mills in a prepared statement in a release from the Senate Majority Caucus. “Over the past year, the task force laid a strong foundation for bipartisan progress on housing, which was reflected in the passage of Senate Bill 129 and House Bills 160 and 321. These laws provide communities with better tools to address vacant properties, streamline zoning, and encourage smart development. In 2025, we’ll build on that momentum by focusing on practical, long-term solutions that expand housing access and affordability throughout the commonwealth.”
Air Mobility and Aviation Economic Development Task Force
The chairs of this task force are Rep. Stephanie Dietz, R-Edgewood, and Sen. Brandon Storm, R-London. Frommeyer introduced the legislation to create the panel. In an earlier press release, she said Kentucky has “an opportunity to further cement our leadership in this sector and create high-quality jobs” in the aviation industry. The task force will review steps other states are taking in the industry and what policies Kentucky could implement to further support the industry at large and regional airports statewide.
Hendersonian editor Vince Tweddell added local information to this report.
Kentucky Lantern is part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization.
