Government
Kentucky House leaves its rules unchanged, despite calls for less control, more transparency
FRANKFORT — Despite recent calls by several Republicans to loosen House leadership’s control of the legislative process, the House voted Tuesday to make no changes in its rules. Four Republicans joined Democrats in voting against the rules resolution, which was sponsored by House Speaker David Osborne and adopted by a vote of? 72-23. The only […]
Osborne says Kentucky House budget will dip into record ‘rainy day’ fund, mum on what for
FRANKFORT — The GOP speaker of the Kentucky House of Representatives says he expects House Republicans’ two-year budget proposal to utilize some of the state’s record “rainy day” fund balance, though he declined to say how much or for what.?? House Speaker David Osborne, R-Prospect, in a Tuesday afternoon press conference said crafting the statutorily-mandated […]
McConnell applauds Kentucky Republicans’ rise at public swearing-in of constitutional officers
FRANKFORT — Kentucky’s most prominent Republican, U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, applauded his party’s continued hold on most of Kentucky’s constitutional offices as newly elected or reelected officials took their public oaths of office on Tuesday in the Capitol Rotunda.? “I’m thrilled to have an opportunity to be here today in this most improbable […]
Still crusading for ‘kinship care’ families
For Barry Shrout, raising four granddaughters is a role he willingly took on — and that he acknowledges is exhausting and expensive. “The financial part of it is a big thing with me,” said Shrout, 66, a single grandfather from Maysville who has custody of the girls ages 10, 11, 13 and 17. “I have […]
States, Biden administration push efforts to aid renters, keep people housed
Maine’s housing authority received $35 million in 2023 — the first time in 54 years it has received a direct appropriation from the state budget — to help build more affordable rental housing for communities that have struggled to keep up with high housing prices. The state’s program provides funding to developers for affordable housing […]
Warren Beeler will serve as Jonathan Shell’s deputy agriculture commissioner
Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner-elect Jonathan Shell has named Warren Beeler, a veteran of the Kentucky Department of Agriculture and a former University of Kentucky Extension specialist, as his deputy commissioner. Beeler, who served as Republican Shell’s campaign chairman, held positions in the state agriculture department for 17 years. Republican Gov. Matt Bevin in 2016 appointed him […]
Budget, charter schools and abortion: What to watch for as Kentucky legislature convenes
Lawmakers will gather in Frankfort Jan. 2? to begin work on a state budget in a year when they will face voters at the polls. The 60-day session will see the Republican-led General Assembly consider constitutional amendments to put on the November ballot, as well as pass a two-year state spending plan. It will also […]
Floodplain buyouts in Kentucky are ‘the fastest in the program’s history’
When floodwaters rushed through the town of McRoberts in July 2022, Kimberly Sapp-Allen and her husband packed what they could in their vehicles, left their home that sat along the rising creek and headed for higher ground. The floods scoured several counties across Eastern Kentucky, including Letcher County — where Sapp-Allen lives. In the end, […]
How a new way to vote is gaining traction in states — and could transform US politics
With U.S. democracy plagued by extremism, polarization, and a growing disconnect between voters and lawmakers, a set of reforms that could dramatically upend how Americans vote is gaining momentum at surprising speed in Western states. Ranked choice voting, which asks voters to rank multiple candidates in order of preference, has seen its profile steadily expand […]
Candidates continue to file for 2024 elections ahead of January deadline
As the Jan. 5 deadline approaches, more candidates are filing to run in Kentucky’s 2024 elections.? The Secretary of State’s website lists filings for many elections, including those in the General Assembly, U.S. congressional races, and the Kentucky Supreme Court and Court of Appeals.? Americans will also select a president next year. Kentucky’s primary election […]
Beshear creates antisemitism task force
Citing a rise in antisemitism and threats at synagogues across Kentucky, Gov. Andy Beshear announced he is establishing a task force in response.? The task force will be under the Governor’s Office of Faith Based & Community Initiatives and will have duties such as reviewing the state of antisemitism in Kentucky, assessing Holocaust education and […]
Lexington Democrat Palumbo not seeking reelection to state House. Son plans to run for her seat.
A longtime Democratic Lexington legislator will not seek reelection to the Kentucky House of Representatives but her son has indicated he’s running to succeed her.? State Rep. Ruth Ann Palumbo said in a Thursday statement that she would not run for an 18th term. She thanked her constituents for their trust and her family and […]