Government
State budget support for airport at Bluegrass Station reignites local opposition
FRANKFORT — Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear and House Republicans differed on plenty in their two-year state budget proposals but landed on one area of agreement: Supporting efforts to build a general aviation airport with a 7,800-foot runway and airpark at Bluegrass Station, a state-owned industrial park at Avon in Fayette County.? A local government attempt […]
On party lines, Kentucky Senate OKs bill to curb diversity, equity, inclusion in higher education
FRANKFORT — Kentucky Senate Republicans passed a bill aimed at curbing diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in public universities and colleges Tuesday.? Senate Bill 6 was sent to the House on a party line vote with 26 Republicans voting in favor and seven Democrats voting against it.? The sponsor, Senate Republican Whip Mike Wilson, of […]
Republican lawmaker seeks to put hope on horizon for early childhood, Kentucky parents
FRANKFORT — When Jessie Schook, the vice president of workforce and economic development for the Kentucky Community and Technical College System, tells people she is expecting her first child in June, many want to know: “Are you on a (child care) list?”? The wait to get a new baby into a child care center can […]
House budget raises fears of cuts to Medicaid services, enrollment
Advocates and state officials, alarmed about cuts to Medicaid in the budget proposal approved by the Kentucky House Feb. 1, hope to make their case for changes as the Senate takes up the approximately $60-billion-a-year spending plan. That begins Wednesday, with the Senate Appropriations and Revenue Committee scheduled to hear from Eric Friedlander, secretary of […]
Poll finds majority of Kentucky voters think DEI should be left up to businesses, institutions
A majority of Kentucky voters believe businesses and institutions should make their own decisions regarding diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs without politicians’ input, a new poll found.? According to results released Tuesday by the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky, a poll of 625 registered Kentucky voters found 71% believe businesses and institutions should be […]
Education measures aim to protect students, certify more substitute teachers, examine funding
FRANKFORT — A renewed effort to help schools avoid new hires who have a history of sexual misconduct, a response to the substitute teacher shortage and a fresh look at the school funding formula are among education legislation introduced in this session of the Kentucky General Assembly. House Education Committee Chair Rep. James Tipton, R-Taylorsville, […]
Bill would save Kentucky consumers money, help independent pharmacies survive, says sponsor
Four years after leading the effort to cut corporate middlemen out of the prescription drug business for Kentucky’s Medicaid program, Sen. Max Wise now is taking aim at those same companies’ role in private health insurance. Noting his Senate Bill 50, enacted in 2020, resulted in millions of dollars in savings to Kentucky Medicaid, Wise, […]
Republican senator will ask Kentucky lawmakers to put $300 million into strengthening child care
Republican state Sen. Danny Carroll has announced his anticipated child care legislation will come with a $300 million, two-year price tag.? The ambitious proposal, called the Horizons Act, would have Kentucky spend far more than the $104 million over the biennium approved by the House for the child care sector and the $141 million that […]
Gambling interests put big money on Kentucky governor’s race via party governors associations
FRANKFORT? – Gambling interests ponied up big to outside groups that spent more than $30 million on last year’s race for Kentucky governor. Kentucky’s horse race tracks that have expanded into new forms of legalized gambling gave big to the Democratic Governors Association in 2023 which spent $19.2 million backing Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear’s reelection. […]
‘A woman’s health matters’: Abortion access allowed New Hampshire woman to become a mom
Amanda D’Angelo only had a few weeks to get used to the idea that she was going to be a twin mom, before her eight-week scan revealed one had died. It’s a relatively common occurrence early on in twin pregnancies, and while it was upsetting, she took comfort in still being pregnant. She went on […]
Stivers wants to further explore a four-year university in Hazard, endow collaborative research
Senate President Robert Stivers wants another study on how to expand higher education opportunities in Southeastern Kentucky.? This time, the Manchester Republican is sponsoring Senate Joint Resolution 132 calling on the Council on Postsecondary Education to study turning the Hazard Community and Technical College into a four-year residential university.? Study: Building a new public university […]
Bill helping ‘kinship care’ families wins unanimous Senate support
FRANKFORT — A bill aimed at giving more financial help to “kinship care” Kentuckians who are raising a minor relative — such as a grandchild or niece — passed unanimously out of the Senate on Thursday.? Senate Bill 151 would allow kinship caregivers to change their placement status from temporary custody to a child-specific foster […]