diff --git a/.github/workflows/dep_build_v3.yml b/.github/workflows/dep_build_v3.yml
index 96b000383..9b56a9c26 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/dep_build_v3.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/dep_build_v3.yml
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ jobs:
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
-        java_version: ['8', '17', '21', '23']
+        java_version: ['17', '21', '23']
         # Versions need to align with ones in 'main.yml' workflow
         kotlin_version: ['1.9.24', '2.0.21', '2.1.0']
     env:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/main.yml b/.github/workflows/main.yml
index 95ed5be97..7edab16e8 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/main.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/main.yml
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ on:
     branches:
     - master
     - "3.0"
-    - "2.19"
     paths-ignore:
     - "README.md"
     - "release-notes/*"
@@ -12,7 +11,6 @@ on:
     branches:
     - master
     - "3.0"
-    - "2.19"
     paths-ignore:
     - "README.md"
     - "release-notes/*"
@@ -27,18 +25,18 @@ jobs:
       fail-fast: false
       max-parallel: 5
       matrix:
-        java_version: ['8', '11', '17', '21', '23']
+        java_version: ['17', '21', '23']
         kotlin_version: ['1.9.24', '2.0.21', '2.1.0']
         include:
-          - java_version: '8'
+          - java_version: '17'
             kotlin_version: '1.9.24'
             release_build: 'R'
     env:
       JAVA_OPTS: "-XX:+TieredCompilation -XX:TieredStopAtLevel=1"
     steps:
-    - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+    - uses: actions/checkout@11bd71901bbe5b1630ceea73d27597364c9af683 # v4.2.2
     - name: Set up JDK
-      uses: actions/setup-java@v4
+      uses: actions/setup-java@8df1039502a15bceb9433410b1a100fbe190c53b # v4.5.0
       with:
         distribution: 'temurin'
         java-version: ${{ matrix.java_version }}
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index 45e9b74ba..9b09d7216 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -57,8 +57,9 @@
     <properties>
         <project.build.sourceEncoding>UTF-8</project.build.sourceEncoding>
 
-        <javac.src.version>1.8</javac.src.version>
-        <javac.target.version>1.8</javac.target.version>
+	<!-- as per [databind#4820], minimum of Java 17 for Jackson 3.0 -->
+        <javac.src.version>17</javac.src.version>
+        <javac.target.version>17</javac.target.version>
 
         <version.kotlin>1.9.24</version.kotlin>
 
diff --git a/release-notes/VERSION b/release-notes/VERSION
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4157d6a89
--- /dev/null
+++ b/release-notes/VERSION
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+Project: jackson-module-kotlin
+Versions: 3.x (for earlier see VERSION-2.x)
+
+Module that adds support for Kotlin-specific data types, constructs.
+
+Active Maintainers:
+
+* WrongWrong (@k163377) (since 2.15)
+
+Co-maintainers:
+
+* Tatu Saloranta (@cowtowncoder) -- at-large Jackson Author, helps from time to time
+
+Former maintainers:
+
+* Dmitry Spikhalskiy (@Spikhalskiy)
+* Drew Stephens (@dinomite)
+* Jayson Minard (@apatrida) -- original Module Author
+* Vyacheslav Artemyev (@viartemev)
+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------
+=== Releases ===
+------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+3.0.0 (not yet released)
+
+- Minimum Java baseline: Java 17