House
Signed By Governor
2026 Regular Session

HB577

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AN ACT relating to economic development.

Amend KRS 154.12-300, 154.12-305, and 154.12-300 to change the Kentucky Innovation and Commercialization Center program to the Kentucky Entrepreneurship and Innovation Hub Program; amend KRS 154.12-300 to define terms; amend KRS 154.12-305 to add goals of supporting entrepreneur-led economic development and attracting workforce talent, investors, and start-up companies to the program; amend KRS 154.12-310 to make conforming changes; amend KRS 164.6011 to include definitions of "early-stage company" and "high-growth company" in the Kentucky Innovation Act; amend KRS 164.6019 to provide that moneys received in the Kentucky enterprise fund may be subject to restrictions imposed by the contributing entity and subject to approval by the Cabinet for Economic Development; amend KRS 164.6021 to make conforming changes and add the purpose of the Kentucky enterprise fund is to attract, recruit, and support early-stage and high-growth companies to locate, relocate, or establish a presence in the Commonwealth; amend KRS 164.6023 to allow companies based outside of Kentucky to be eligible by becoming a Kentucky-based company within 180 days after certification authorizing funding; amend KRS 154.20-234 to allow a pass-through entity to qualify for participation in the Angel Investor Program; make conforming changes.

Economic DevelopmentFundsInformation TechnologyScience and TechnologySmall BusinessState AgenciesTechnology

Introduced: February 6, 2026

Last action: April 13, 2026

Signed By Governor (Acts Ch. 114)
Read the full textKentucky LegislatureLegiScan

Legislative History

Feb 6, 2026 · House
Introduced In House
Feb 6, 2026 · House
To Committee On Committees (H)
Feb 10, 2026 · House
To Economic Development & Workforce Investment (H)
Feb 12, 2026 · House
Reported Favorably, 1st Reading, To Calendar
Feb 13, 2026 · House
2nd Reading, To Rules (clerical)
Feb 17, 2026 · House
Posted For Passage In The Regular Orders Of The Day For Wednesday, February 18 2026 (clerical)
Feb 18, 2026 · House
3rd Reading, Passed 98-0 (clerical)
Feb 19, 2026 · Senate
Received In Senate

Primary Sponsor

Portrait of Joshua Branscum
Joshua Branscum

Representative · House District 083

Primary sponsor
Josh.Branscum@kylegislature.gov
BallotpediaOfficial profile

Co-sponsors (2)

Portrait of George Brown
George Brown

Representative · House District 077

Co-sponsor
George.Brown@kylegislature.gov
Portrait of Vanessa Grossl
Vanessa Grossl

Representative · House District 088

Co-sponsor
vanessa.grossl@kylegislature.gov

Roll calls

February 18, 2026

House: 3rd reading, passed 98-0

Yea: 98
Nay: 0
LegiScan roll call
March 31, 2026

Senate: 3rd reading, passed 37-0

Yea: 37
Nay: 0