Government
Momnibus bill drives forward in Kentucky legislature
FRANKFORT — A maternal health bill nicknamed “Momnibus’ was unanimously approved by the Kentucky House Tuesday after about 20 minutes of discussion.? The bipartisan Momnibus came out of a working group of Republican and Democratic women in the House and the Senate.? The Momnibus legislation would expand the Health Access Nurturing Development Services (HANDS) program […]
Republicans and Democrats futilely oppose partisan Kentucky school board elections bill
FRANKFORT — More than a dozen senators — both Republican and Democratic —?voted against a bill that would create partisan Kentucky Board of Education elections, but the measure ultimately passed the Senate Tuesday.? In a vote of 24-14, the Republican-controlled Senate approved a bill that would transform the appointed board into an elected one. The […]
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 […]
House Education forwards ideas looking at management of Kentucky schools
FRANKFORT —?The House Education Committee gave approval to two pieces of legislation that would look at the management of public schools in Kentucky.? One bill would take a deep dive into the Kentucky Department of Education’s programming while a resolution opposed by Louisville school officials would create a task force to review Jefferson County Public […]
Foster parents working from home could qualify for child care subsidies under bill clearing Senate committee
FRANKFORT — Megan Hamilton wants to be a foster mom.? But Hamilton, who lives in Bullitt County, works remotely for a Las Vegas company.? That means she cannot qualify for a child care subsidy in Kentucky, all because she works from home.? “Marketing writers do not make enough money to commute by private jet,” she […]
Under threat from industry ‘middlemen,’ independent pharmacies gain allies in D.C., Frankfort
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear joined a White House roundtable discussion Monday on prescription drug costs that also featured U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, pharmacy entrepreneur Mark Cuban and several community pharmacists from around the country. The main topic was insurance industry middlemen known as pharmacy benefit managers, or PBMs, and panelists were […]
10,000 Kentuckians marched to demand racial equality. My grandmother was one of them.
I never got a chance to ask my grandmother about what March 5, 1964 was like for her. What she heard from speakers on the steps of the Kentucky Capitol. If she saw Martin Luther King Jr. or Jackie Robinson. What she felt standing with thousands of others from across Kentucky. She didn’t speak much […]
In bipartisan vote, House passes bill changing how Kentucky fills vacant U.S. Senate seats
With bipartisan support, a GOP-backed bill that would end the governor’s power to fill vacant U.S. Senate seats passed the House Monday.? Instead, voters in a special election would select a successor, if the bill becomes law.? Kentucky House Republican Floor Leader Steven Rudy, of Paducah, has previously said House Bill 622 is aimed at […]
Appeals court sides with GOP constitutional officers on ethics commission power
Republican constitutional officers celebrated a Friday ruling from the Kentucky Court of Appeals that upheld a law allowing them to each appoint a member of the Executive Branch Ethics Commission.? Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear, who’s office has said it will ask the Kentucky Supreme Court to hear the case, filed a lawsuit in 2022 to […]
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 […]
Small Kentucky farms are again exempt from hunting, fishing license requirements
FRANKFORT — One of the first bills to become law in this year’s legislative session clarifies that Kentuckians who own farms of five acres or smaller can fish or hunt on their own property without purchasing a hunting or fishing license.? Senate Bill 5, sponsored by Sen. Gex Williams, R-Verona, signed into law Thursday by […]