Representative Samara Heavrin was presented the Kentucky Chamber MVP Award by Kentucky Chamber President and CEO Ashli Watts at the Grayson County Chamber’s Women in Leadership event in June in recognition of her leadership during the 2026 Kentucky General Assembly.
Rep. Heavrin was among a select group of legislators who went above and beyond to advance policies that strengthen Kentucky’s economy, support employers, and improve the Commonwealth’s competitiveness.
Recipients of the Kentucky Chamber MVP Award demonstrate exceptional leadership for Kentucky’s business community by sponsoring or carrying Chamber priority legislation to final passage, leading on critical policy issues, or taking difficult votes in support of a stronger business climate.
During the 2026 legislative session, Rep. Heavrin, as chair of the House Families and Children Committee, championed House Bill 6 and House Joint Resolution 50, the Kentucky Chamber’s top legislative priority. The landmark child care package reduces barriers to opening and operating child care centers, strengthens accountability, expands options for working families, and supports the child care workforce.
“Child care is one of the most significant workforce challenges facing Kentucky employers and working families,” said Kentucky Chamber President and CEO Ashli Watts. “This landmark legislation delivered meaningful reforms that will expand child care access, strengthen workforce participation, and support economic growth across the Commonwealth. Representative Heavrin has been a tireless champion on this issue, and her leadership helped turn years of discussion into meaningful action for Kentucky families, employers, and communities.”
The legislation reflects more than 18 months of work by the Kentucky Collaborative on Child Care, a partnership between the Kentucky Chamber, the Lift a Life Novak Family Foundation, and the Convergence Center for Policy Resolution, which brought together stakeholders to identify practical, consensus-driven solutions to strengthen the state’s child care system.
The 2026 General Assembly advanced many top priorities of the Kentucky business community, and the pro-growth policies that passed saved Kentucky businesses an estimated $1.564 billion, or $911 for each employer in the Commonwealth.
While monitoring legislation that impacts Kentucky’s business climate, the Kentucky Chamber tracks lawmakers’ support for policies that help employers grow, create jobs, and invest in their communities. MVP Award recipients distinguish themselves not only through their voting records but through their leadership in advancing solutions that strengthen Kentucky’s economy.
Learn more about business issues during the 2026 Kentucky General Assembly in the Kentucky Chamber’s Results for Business publication.