Government
House approves easing educational requirements for substitute teachers in Kentucky
FRANKFORT — A proposal to lower the educational requirements to be a substitute teacher in Kentucky easily cleared the House Wednesday. Before voting in favor of House Bill 387, Democratic Rep. Sarah Stalker of Louisville warned that the need for the bill is a symptom of a larger problem: the state’s shortage of teachers and […]
House budget slams the brakes on future electric vehicle purchases by some state agencies
FRANKFORT — Auto manufacturers are investing billions in Kentucky to build electric vehicles, but some state agencies wouldn’t be able to buy them under a mandate from the Republican House. The two-year state spending plan passed by the GOP-dominated House this month would require various state agencies looking to buy new vehicles to purchase only […]
House plan would create ‘a hole’ in Kentucky Medicaid budget, Senate committee told
FRANKFORT — The state Senate began its review of the House two-year budget proposal Wednesday, starting with Medicaid, a $15 billion a year program that provides health coverage and other services to about 1.5 million low income, disabled or other Kentuckians. The Senate Appropriations and Revenue Committee heard from Eric Friedlander, secretary of the Cabinet […]
Bill to limit governor pardons, commutations around elections passes Senate committee?
FRANKFORT —?A bill that would limit Kentucky governors’ power to issue pardons or commute sentences was approved by the Senate State and Local Government Committee Wednesday.? 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 […]
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 […]