Kentucky legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Kentucky HB679: AN ACT relating to tourism and declaring an emergency.
Status: In committee, February 26, 2026
Amend KRS 142.406 to require the Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet to establish criteria to administer a regional marketing and matching funds program; require the program to provide financial and marketing assistance for projects that directly support the promotion and marketing efforts of a tourism attraction event or geographic area; establish 9 tourism regions in the state; require a tourism regional committee to be established within each tourism region; set requirements for the appointment of members to the tourism regional committee; require the Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet to establish terms and operating policies of the tourism regional committees; require at least 25% of the moneys available in the tourism, meeting, and convention marketing fund to be divided equally among the tourism regions for the payment of eligible expenses; require the Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet to work in partnership with the tourism regional committees to use the money provided to the tourism regions; require at least 10% of the moneys in the tourism, meeting, and convention marketing fund to be dedicated to the regional marketing and matching funds program; require the Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet to implement initial strategic plans for marketing and promoting tourism in each tourism region; mandate reporting to the Legislative Research Commission by the secretary of the cabinet; create a new section of KRS Chapter 148 to mandate reporting by the commissioner of the Department of State Parks to the Legislative Research Commission on state park occupancy rates; EMERGENCY.
What the bill says
An act relating to tourism and declaring an emergency.
From the introduced text:
AN ACT relating to tourism and declaring an emergency. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky: Section 1. KRS 142.406 is amended to read as follows: (1) The Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet shall promulgate administrative regulations in accordance with KRS Chapter 13A to establish the criteria to administer a regional marketing and matching funds program. The program shall provide financial and marketing assistance for projects that directly support the promotion and marketing efforts of a tourism attraction, event, or geographic area. (2) Tourism regions are established in the Commonwealth as follows: (a) Tourism Region 1, the Western Lakes and Rivers Region, consisting of Ballard, Caldwell, Calloway, Carlisle, Christian, Crittenden, Fulton, Graves, Hickman, Livingston, Lyon, Marshall, McCracken, Todd, and Trigg Counties; (b) Tourism Region 2, the Green River Region, consisting of Daviess, Hancock, Henderson, Hopkins, McLean, Muhlenberg, Ohio, Union, and Webster Counties; (c) Tourism Region 3, the Cave Region, consisting of Allen, Barren, Butler, Edmonson, Hart, Logan, Metcalfe, Monroe, Simpson, and Warren Counties; (d) Tourism Region 4, the Louisville-Lincoln Region, consisting of Breckinridge, Bullitt, Grayson, Hardin, Henry, Jefferson, Larue, Marion, Meade, Nelson, Oldham, Shelby, Spencer, Trimble, and Washington Counties; (e) Tourism Region 5, the Southern Kentucky Lakes and Rivers Region, consisting of Adair, Casey, Clinton, Cumberland, Green, McCreary, Pulaski, Russell, Taylor, and Wayne Counties; BR180700.100 …
Sponsors
- Aaron Thompson (R, HD-098) · primary sponsor
- John Blanton (R, HD-092)
- Chris Fugate (R, HD-084)
- David Hale (R, HD-074)
Latest actions
- : to Tourism & Outdoor Recreation (H)
- : to Committee on Committees (H)
- : introduced in House
Subjects: State Agencies, Funds, Reports Mandated, Effective Dates, Emergency, Boards And Commissions, Parks And Shrines, Administrative Regulations And Proceedings, Tourism
Common questions
- What is HB679?
- HB679 is a bill in the Kentucky Legislature (2026 Regular Session): AN ACT relating to tourism and declaring an emergency.
- What does HB679 do?
- In its own words: An act relating to tourism and declaring an emergency.
- What is the status of HB679?
- In committee as of February 26, 2026. Latest action: to Tourism & Outdoor Recreation (H) (February 26, 2026).
- Who sponsored HB679?
- Aaron Thompson (R, HD-098), with 3 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for HB679?
- On the Kentucky Legislature website: https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/26rs/hb679.html
Source: official Kentucky record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.