Government
Distrust of fluoride ‘mind-boggling’; mineral is ‘time-tested’ and a ‘good thing,’ dentists say
As a dental hygienist working with low-income schoolchildren in Louisville, Jennifer Hasch said the untreated tooth disease she saw was shocking. Some teens had decay so severe they had to have all their teeth pulled and be fitted with dentures. Middle school kids reported being unable to sleep because of pain from infected and abscessed […]
Kentucky’s Republican-controlled Senate passes three Democratic bills
FRANKFORT — Three Democratic-sponsored bills passed out of Kentucky’s Republican-controlled Senate Friday morning.? Two of the bills, Senate Bills 48 and 14, received unanimous approval and the third, Senate Bill 45, gained 32 votes from Republicans and Democrats, with three GOP senators voting no. With 23 days left for lawmakers to meet, these were the […]
Kentucky Senate president’s bill for public university research wins committee approval
FRANKFORT — Republican Senate President Robert Stivers’ bill to set up endowed research funding for research consortiums between two or more public universities is heading to the Senate floor.? Senate Bill 1, which Stivers previously introduced alongside a Senate Joint Resolution to further explore how higher education opportunities can be expanded in Southeastern Kentucky, received […]
Kentucky senator wants to expand school safety law with ‘guardians’ and mental health reports
FRANKFORT — A Kentucky Republican is once again seeking to strengthen security and mental health measures in schools to prevent school shootings in the commonwealth. This time, the legislation includes having certified guardians fill in for law enforcement officers in schools that do not currently have officers and compiling data on mental health initiatives and […]
Kentucky House advances SNAP bill some worry will cause food insecurity
After an hour-long debate on the Kentucky House floor, lawmakers advanced a bill that is aimed at upping workforce participation but which some worry will cause food insecurity.? House Bill 367 would give the General Assembly power over decisions about work requirements for Kentucky’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, better known as SNAP.? It passed 61-33 […]
As Kentucky lawmakers push anti-DEI bills, Black scholars define diversity
FRANKFORT — Against the backdrop of the Kentucky General Assembly considering a couple of bills that would limit diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in education, a panelist of Black scholars and academics met to define the state’s past and present with DEI.? The discussion concluded the Kentucky Legislative Black Caucus’ annual Black History Speakers Series […]
Bail clampdowns don’t match what research says about suspects, experts say
Crime is shaping up as a potent election issue, and one of the key points of debate is over bail: Which suspects should be jailed before trial, and which ones should be released on bond — and for how much money? Some conservatives argue that lenient bail policies put suspects who are likely to commit […]
Bill promoting nuclear energy in Kentucky advanced by Senate committee
FRANKFORT — The University of Kentucky would be home to a new authority to develop nuclear energy’s potential in the state, including identifying sites for nuclear reactors and other facilities, under a bill approved Wednesday by the Senate Natural Resources and Energy Committee.? Senate Bill 198, sponsored by Sen. Danny Carroll, R-Benton, a long-time advocate […]
Celebrity rescue Ethan supports bill to make animal torture a felony in Kentucky?
FRANKFORT — In early 2021, Ethan the dog became a Louisville and Kentucky celebrity as the city rallied behind his recovery from horrific neglect. Ethan’s human, Jeff Callaway, told lawmakers Wednesday that after being sold as a puppy, he was traded for drugs and endured a “hellish” chapter of his life that ultimately led to […]
Bill limiting Kentucky governor’s pardon power near elections wins bipartisan approval in Senate
FRANKFORT —?With bipartisan support, the Kentucky Senate took another step toward limiting pardon and sentence commutation powers of the governor.? Republican-backed Senate Bill 126 proposes a constitutional amendment to suspend the governor’s power to issue pardons or sentence commutations from 30 days before a gubernatorial election until the fifth Tuesday after the election, the day […]
Bipartisan bill trying to shield Kentucky elections from ‘deep fakes’ clears committee
FRANKFORT — A Senate committee forwarded a bipartisan bill Wednesday aimed at limiting use of “deep fakes” or deceptive artificial intelligence to influence elections in Kentucky.? Two Lexington lawmakers, Republican Sen. Amanda Mays Bledsoe and Democratic Sen. Reggie Thomas, told the Senate State and Local Government Committee Senate Bill 131 is a first step in […]
$300 million to help rebuild from flood is closer to reaching Eastern Kentucky with plan’s approval
Almost $300 million in federal aid is a step closer to reaching Eastern Kentucky to help rebuild from devastating floods, U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell announced Wednesday. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has approved Kentucky’s 2022 Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CBDG-DR) action plan, McConnell announced. The ?plan determines how $297,994,000 […]