Economy

‘Gray machines’ ban receives final passage in Kentucky Senate

BY: - March 14, 2023

FRANKFORT — Legislation that would ban so-called “gray machines” in Kentucky received final passage Tuesday in the GOP-controlled Kentucky Senate and heads to Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear’s desk.? House Bill 594, sponsored by Rep. Killian?Timoney, R-Nicholasville, saw much less resistance among Republicans than when it was approved by the House last week, passing the upper […]

Kentucky House approves sports gambling bill

BY: - March 13, 2023

FRANKFORT — Betting on sports would become legal in Kentucky, under a measure approved Monday by the state House. Although the prospects for House Bill 551 are uncertain in the Senate, it comfortably won bipartisan passage in the House by a 63-34 vote. The bill needed 60 votes, given that Kentucky statutes require bills raising […]

A ‘shell’ bill to regulate Delta-8 THC rushes through Kentucky House

BY: - March 9, 2023

FRANKFORT — After a court decision last year legalized an intoxicating compound derived from hemp, a bill to regulate Delta-8 THC sped through the House of Representatives on Thursday.? Delta-8 THC can get a user “high” similar to the Delta-9 THC compound found in marijuana. Some hemp farmers have been trying to find a market […]

‘Gray machines’ ban, sports betting legalization advance in Kentucky House

BY: - March 9, 2023

FRANKFORT ?— Two gambling-related bills — one to legalize betting on sports contests and another to ban so-called ‘gray machines’ — advanced in the Kentucky legislature Wednesday.? House Bill 551, sponsored by Rep. Michael Meredith, R-Oakland, would legalize sports gambling in Kentucky and advanced out of the House Licensing, Occupations, & Administrative Regulations Committee.? “I’m […]

Powell signals higher interest rates. Here’s why Friday’s jobs report will affect Fed’s decision.

BY: - March 9, 2023

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said this week that interest rate increases could be higher and come faster if Friday’s unemployment data shows the nation’s labor market isn’t cooling off. Stock indexes fell after his comments. That’s been a familiar pattern over the past year as the federal bank has tried to combat inflation.? A […]

Senate approves studying feasibility of four-year public university in Southeastern Kentucky

BY: - March 8, 2023

FRANKFORT — Citing higher education’s potential for spurring economic development in the wake of the coal industry’s decline, a resolution calling for a comprehensive review of Kentucky’s higher education system received Senate approval Wednesday.? The vote for Senate Joint Resolution 98 was 35-0. It now goes to the House for consideration.? The resolution, sponsored by […]

Bill addressing Kentucky’s health-care workforce shortages clears House?

BY: - March 8, 2023

A Kentucky bill aimed at addressing Kentucky’s health-care workforce shortages passed the House Wednesday 92-1.? House Bill 200 would create a health-care workforce fund through a private-public partnership administered by the Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE), the Lantern previously reported. Most of the money in the fund – 65% – would be reserved for educational […]

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack

U.S. agriculture secretary unveils initiatives aimed at small and midsized farms

BY: - March 7, 2023

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on Monday announced new steps the Department of Agriculture is taking to recenter U.S. agriculture and benefit small and midsized operations, including a proposed new “Product of USA” labeling rule and an $89 million expansion of the USDA intermediary lending program. At the National Farmers Union conference in San Francisco, […]

Sponsor says drag show bill is pro-children not anti-LGBTQ

BY: - March 3, 2023

FRANKFORT — A Kentucky bill that would criminalize “sexually explicit” performances by “male or female impersonators” on publicly-owned land or in front of children passed a Senate committee Thursday. Members of the? Senate Veterans, Military Affairs and Public Protection Committee voted to advance Senate Bill 115, sponsored by Sen. Lindsey Tichenor, R-Smithfield. A chant of […]

Bill moves to let Kentucky Horse Park hire outside merit system, share in local ‘bedroom’ tax

BY: - March 3, 2023

A state legislative panel unanimously approved a bill Thursday that would allow the Kentucky Horse Park to exclude its new hires from the state merit system designed to protect employees from political influence and enable the park to share in the “bedroom tax” collected by hotels, motels and other providers of overnight lodging in Fayette […]

Senate approves bill to preserve coal-fired power generation in Kentucky

BY: - March 2, 2023

FRANKFORT —The Senate on Thursday approved a bill to keep coal-fired power plants operating in Kentucky, as supporters of the measure railed against federal overreach and the few opponents warned the bill could result in costly state overregulation of utilities. Senate Bill 4 is opposed by the state’s investor-owned utilities, who say it would prevent […]

Kentucky lawmakers advance bill to keep coal on the power grid, cite reliability concerns

BY: - February 28, 2023

FRANKFORT — Kentucky lawmakers are advancing a bill to try to keep coal-fired power plants on the state’s electric grid “for the foreseeable future,” pointing to concerns over rolling blackouts that some utilities implemented when arctic temperatures swept through in December. Senate Bill 4, sponsored by Sen. Robby Mills, R-Henderson, would prevent the Kentucky Public […]