Kentucky League of Women Voters says lawmakers reduced “surprise meetings,” but transparency gaps remain

FRANKFORT, Ky. The Kentucky League of Women Voters said Kentucky lawmakers made some progress on legislative transparency during the 2026 General Assembly session, even as the group concluded that additional reforms are still needed to ensure the public can better follow and participate in the state’s lawmaking process.

In its latest report, the League pointed to a reduction in the use of “surprise meetings” during the session. The group said the General Assembly used 47 surprise meetings in 2024, compared with 28 surprise meetings in 2026.

The League’s assessment, published Nov. 13, 2026, framed the change as a practical improvement in how and when legislative business is scheduled, noting that fewer surprise meetings can make it easier for residents, stakeholders, and observers to plan around committee and leadership activity.

The report also described the overall trend as mixed. While the League credited lawmakers with some steps that it said improved transparency during 2026, it continued to call for more work, indicating that lowering the number of surprise meetings alone does not fully address the group’s broader concerns about public access to legislative information and meetings.

Advocates for open government often focus on predictability and access, because surprise scheduling can reduce public awareness and limit opportunities for residents to attend meetings, track deliberations, or provide timely input. The League’s findings on surprise meetings therefore speak directly to how accessible the process is on a day-to-day basis for members of the public following state business.