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Partisan games or power to the people? Kentucky’s GOP legislature clips governor’s wings
FRANKFORT — Republican lawmakers say a flurry of bills to limit the governor’s authority would give more power to Kentuckians. However, Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear chalks up the trend to partisan “games.” While the power struggle between Kentucky’s legislative and executive branches is nothing new, it’s become a recurring theme since voters elected a Democratic […]
School ‘guardians’ bill advances despite GOP lawmaker’s call for more input from law enforcement
FRANKFORT — A Republican bill aimed at increasing school security by enlisting armed “guardians” was approved by a Senate committee Thursday, despite concerns raised by Republican Sen. Danny Carroll, a former police officer, who called for more input from law enforcement. Kentucky senator wants to expand school safety law with ‘guardians’ and mental health reports […]
If Kentucky had an empty U.S. Senate seat, voters not governor should fill it, House panel says
FRANKFORT — The day after Mitch McConnell announced he is stepping down as the U.S. Senate’s Republican leader, Republican lawmakers in his home state were working to trim the Kentucky governor’s role in filling future U.S. Senate vacancies. A state House committee on Thursday approved a bill that would require the governor to call a […]
Thayer seeks to end Kentucky’s limits on political giving, require more frequent reporting instead
FRANKFORT — Senate Republican Floor Leader Damon Thayer is seeking to eliminate state limits on donations to political campaigns and committees while increasing the frequency of campaign finance reports to every two weeks.? Thayer, of Georgetown, told the Kentucky Lantern after filing Senate Bill 100 that he is “making a few statements on my way […]
Kentucky Senate passes Stivers’ endowed research bill
FRANKFORT — Most Kentucky senators expressed support for legislation from Republican Senate President Robert Stivers to encourage Kentucky universities to work together on cutting-edge research projects.? Stivers, of Manchester, is backing Senate Bill 1, which would set up endowed research funding for research consortiums between two or more public universities.? Thirty-six Republican and Democratic senators […]
Republicans move forward with partisan state school board elections
FRANKFORT — A Senate committee forwarded a bill on a party line vote Wednesday that would establish partisan elections for the Kentucky Board of Education — a proposal previously called a “terrible idea” by Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear.? Senate Bill 8 would allow Kentucky voters in each of the seven Supreme Court districts to elect […]
Kentucky reacts to McConnell stepping down as U.S. Senate GOP leader
FRANKFORT — As news in Washington broke that Sen. Mitch McConnell, the longest serving floor leader of the U.S. Senate, planned to step down from that role this November, eyes in Kentucky turned to the senator’s legacy.? McConnell, also Kentucky’s longest-serving U.S. senator, is routinely credited by Republicans for building the current state party, which […]
Kentucky lawmakers hope school ‘van’ drivers will be easier to find
FRANKFORT —?Republican-backed bills aimed at relieving issues around transporting Kentucky kids to schools were heard in legislative committees Tuesday.? Rep. Emily Callaway, R-Louisville, presented House Bill 447 to the House Education Committee Tuesday morning. If passed, her bill would allow school districts to use passenger vehicles, such as vans, to transport kids to and from […]
Kentucky’s Republican-controlled Senate passes three Democratic bills
FRANKFORT — Three Democratic-sponsored bills passed out of Kentucky’s Republican-controlled Senate Friday morning.? Two of the bills, Senate Bills 48 and 14, received unanimous approval and the third, Senate Bill 45, gained 32 votes from Republicans and Democrats, with three GOP senators voting no. With 23 days left for lawmakers to meet, these were the […]
Kentucky Senate president’s bill for public university research wins committee approval
FRANKFORT — Republican Senate President Robert Stivers’ bill to set up endowed research funding for research consortiums between two or more public universities is heading to the Senate floor.? Senate Bill 1, which Stivers previously introduced alongside a Senate Joint Resolution to further explore how higher education opportunities can be expanded in Southeastern Kentucky, received […]
Kentucky senator wants to expand school safety law with ‘guardians’ and mental health reports
FRANKFORT — A Kentucky Republican is once again seeking to strengthen security and mental health measures in schools to prevent school shootings in the commonwealth. This time, the legislation includes having certified guardians fill in for law enforcement officers in schools that do not currently have officers and compiling data on mental health initiatives and […]
As Kentucky lawmakers push anti-DEI bills, Black scholars define diversity
FRANKFORT — Against the backdrop of the Kentucky General Assembly considering a couple of bills that would limit diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in education, a panelist of Black scholars and academics met to define the state’s past and present with DEI.? The discussion concluded the Kentucky Legislative Black Caucus’ annual Black History Speakers Series […]