Economy
Child labor, food assistance bills stall in Kentucky Senate committee but could get another chance
FRANKFORT — A Senate committee on Thursday blocked House bills that would loosen state restrictions on child labor and tighten eligibility for food assistance, but the measures are not necessarily dead. The committee could consider both bills again at a specially-called meeting Friday, said Sen. Max Wise, chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Economic […]
Bill qualifying more foster parents for child care benefits advances
FRANKFORT — A Louisville Democrat’s bill aimed at getting more foster care parents in Kentucky passed a House committee, placing it two steps from law.? Senate Bill 240 would allow foster parents in Kentucky to qualify for child care benefits while working outside the home or working remotely in the home. Currently they must work […]
Kentucky Senate ups House’s one-time spending on projects by more than a billion dollars
FRANKFORT — The GOP-dominated Kentucky Senate approved budget bills Wednesday funding the state executive branch and upping the House’s proposed one-time spending by almost $1.8 billion for projects across the state, though some advocates say funding for education and affordable housing still falls short.? Republican Senators unveiled their changes to House Bill 6, the state […]
House bill encouraging local governments to meet child care challenges moves to full Senate
FRANKFORT — A Kentucky House bill that encourages local governments to examine available zoning for child care centers received unanimous approval by a Senate committee Tuesday.? House Bill 561 cleared the House in late February. Now that it cleared the Senate Families and Children Committee 9-0, it can go to the Senate floor.? “A lot […]
Shop owner worried bill limiting vape products will put him out of business
New limits on vaping products that a Northern Kentucky shop owner says will put his stores out of business passed the Kentucky House Monday with opposition from some Northern Kentucky lawmakers.? The legislation, House Bill 11, would limit vape sales in Kentucky to products authorized or pending action by the federal Food and Drug Administration. […]
Kentucky House passes bill weakening safety protection for coal miners
Republicans in the GOP-dominated Kentucky House of Representatives passed a bill Monday that a long-time coal mine safety advocate says would put miners at risk by weakening a key protection put in place nearly two decades ago.? House Bill 85, sponsored by Rep. Bill Wesley, R-Ravenna, would reduce the number of required mine emergency technicians […]
Looking toward November, Biden targets ‘shrinkflation’ in State of the Union speech
The White House retweeted Cookie Monster about it. The president made his own Super Bowl video about it. And then President Joe Biden made it a point in his State of the Union speech: “Shrinkflation” must be stopped. Biden said Thursday during his annual address that he is taking on corporations that are making more […]
Clinging to coal: Kentucky utilities could have more hurdles to clear before retiring power plants
FRANKFORT — A bill backed by the Republican Kentucky Senate president would create new hurdles for utilities to retire fossil fuel-fired power plants, building on last year’s law that made it harder for utilities to move away from coal and natural gas. Senate Bill 349, primarily sponsored by Sen. Robby Mills, R-Henderson, was approved Wednesday […]
‘Effectively dead,’ housing discrimination laws in Louisville, Lexington fall to veto override
FRANKFORT — The GOP-dominated Kentucky legislature overrode Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear’s veto of a bill targeting local source-of-income discrimination bans just a day after the governor had issued the veto.? House Bill 18, sponsored by Rep. Ryan Dotson, R-Winchester, immediately became law Wednesday because of an emergency clause in the bill.? In a gathering with […]
Kentucky state employees would gain parental leave under bill approved by Senate
FRANKFORT — State employees could take up to four weeks of paid parental leave under a bill that the Kentucky Senate approved 28-10 on Tuesday.? Senate Bill 142 would entitle state government workers who’ve held their jobs for at least a year to take up to four weeks of paid leave after birth or adoption. […]
‘This is clearly the session for child care.’ Or is it?
FRANKFORT — As the Kentucky legislative session approaches “late in the game,” Sen. Danny Carroll said Tuesday the status of his Horizons Act is a “little concerning.”? The bill, which proposes Kentucky spend $300 million over the next two years to stabilize the child care industry, passed out of the Senate Families and Children Committee […]
Beshear’s first veto would protect local housing discrimination laws
FRANKFORT — Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear told a crowd gathered to commemorate a historic civil rights march that he has vetoed a bill that would preempt local anti-discrimination ordinances.? It’s the governor’s first veto of this legislative session. Critics have warned the bill would preempt local ordinances in Kentucky’s largest cities prohibiting discrimination against tenants […]