Government
Kentucky death row inmates spend years waiting for executions that aren’t coming
Across the country, few people have been on death row longer than Karu Gene White. White was 20 years old when he was convicted of taking part in the brutal murders of three elderly Breathitt County shopkeepers in February 1979. The following year, he was sentenced to death by execution. Today, nearly 44 years later, […]
Kentucky House passes bill limiting power of Louisville’s air pollution authority
Kentucky lawmakers in the House of Representatives passed a bill Tuesday that would prevent Louisville’s air pollution authority from issuing fines against industries that self-disclose violations of federal pollution regulations.? Rep. Jared Bauman, R-Louisville, on the House floor reiterated his reasoning for House Bill 136 by saying it would bring industries in Jefferson County into […]
Opponents fear House-approved bill would preempt a Louisville housing ordinance
Republican-backed legislation passed the Kentucky House of Representatives Tuesday that would ban local governments from requiring landlords to accept federal housing vouchers from tenants, something housing advocates say no local government has done.? House Bill 18, sponsored by Ryan Dotson, R-Winchester, passed 74-20 on a party line vote with the minority of Democrats repeating concerns […]
Senate OKs expanding KEES eligibility to homeschool students, including those who take alternative entrance exam
FRANKFORT — Kentucky senators approved a bill that would make homeschool students eligible for a state-funded scholarship, but some raised concerns over the inclusion of a Christian-backed alternative college entrance exam as an equivalent test.? The Senate passed Senate Bill 7 with a vote of 33-4 on Tuesday. The GOP legislation would make students from […]
Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman discusses her double mastectomy
FRANKFORT — Kentucky Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman knew for a long time that one day she might learn cancer was at her door.? Her family history put her on heightened alert — her mother, aunt and cousin all had breast cancer. So she “wasn’t shocked” when, in September, a routine mammogram — her first — […]
Citing ‘denials, delays,’ Baptist Health ends contracts with two more Medicare Advantage carriers
A stalemate between one of Kentucky’s largest health care providers and three major health insurers is affecting thousands of Kentucky retirees enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans. Baptist Health last fall ended its contract agreement with Humana for physician services covered by Medicare Advantage, the Kentucky Lantern reported in October. That means doctors’ visits are considered […]
Discussion, no vote on bill mandating how academics in Kentucky would be evaluated
The Kentucky House Education Committee discussed but did not vote on a bill Tuesday that would allow public universities and colleges to remove faculty who fall short of “productivity requirements.”? Rep. James Tipton, the Republican chairman of the committee and the sponsor of House Bill 228, said the agenda was changed Monday night. Originally, the […]
‘Moment of silence’ would be mandatory in Kentucky public schools under bill moved by House committee
Kentucky public schools would be required to begin each day with a moment of silence or reflection under a bill that was advanced Tuesday by the House Education Committee. Rep. Tina Bojanowski, a Louisville Democrat and public school teacher, opposed House Bill 96, saying it “reads as a bill that requires prayer during the school […]
House education chair says professor review bill is not aimed at limiting tenure in Kentucky
FRANKFORT — Kentucky’s public universities and colleges could remove faculty who fall short of new “productivity requirements” under a bill sponsored by the chairman of the House Education Committee. Rep. James Tipton’s House Bill 228 would require the boards of Kentucky’s public universities and the Kentucky Community and Technical College System to establish a process […]
What to know about the certificate of need debate in Kentucky
FRANKFORT — For the past four years, at least one lawmaker has annually tried to reform Kentucky’s certificate of need (CON) laws.? In 2023, a legislative task force set out to understand the issue and talk about reforms — and it is slated to continue that work in 2024.? But what is the complicated CON […]
On Roe anniversary, abortion opponents look to White House to fast-track national ban
Falling snow and flight delays thinned this year’s anti-abortion March for Life in Washington, D.C., on Friday, but did not deter the most impatient activists in the movement, those unsatisfied until the entire U.S. map is red with abortion bans. “I’m not okay with abortion states and non-abortion states. I want an abortion-free America,” said […]
‘Excessive and disturbing’: Regulator slashes Kentucky Power proposed rate hike by two-thirds
Kentucky’s utility regulator has allowed Kentucky Power to raise its electricity rates, but by much less than what the utility had originally asked for.? The Kentucky Public Service Commission in a Friday afternoon order allowed Kentucky Power, which serves about 163,000 customers in 20 Eastern Kentucky counties, to increase monthly bills? for the average residential […]