Government
Awaiting Supreme Court hearing, ‘random’ change of venue law on hold, putting other cases on hold
A new law allowing some court cases to be randomly moved across the state is on hold as the Kentucky Supreme Court plans to hear arguments about its constitutionality. The Supreme Court will hear arguments on Senate Bill 126 on Aug. 16, after Franklin Circuit Court Judge Phillip Shepherd in April requested the state’s highest […]
Four Kentucky infrastructure projects awarded more than $33 million in federal funding
U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is scheduled to be in Lexington Thursday to highlight more than $33 million in federal grant funding for four transportation infrastructure projects. According to a U.S. Department of Transportation press release, the funds come from the RAISE discretionary grant fund. Funding in the 2023 Fiscal Year will go to rural […]
Money for broadband is here. The work of connecting Kentuckians could take years.
LOUISVILLE — With more than $1 billion on its way to connect Kentuckians who have poor or nonexistent internet access, a roundtable of government leaders and telecommunications executives on Tuesday gave a window into the years of work that lie ahead to make broadband a reality throughout the state. Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear joined the […]
NC Republicans lose US Supreme Court case on legislatures’ power over federal elections
The U.S. Supreme Court rejected North Carolina Republican legislators’ argument that the state courts cannot review laws legislatures pass governing federal elections. Republican legislators claimed the Elections Clause in the U.S. Constitution makes legislatures the sole state authorities on federal elections law,? including congressional redistricting. Critics said the high court’s endorsement of the independent state […]
Beshear, McConnell, Biden hail $42 billion to connect all Americans to high-speed broadband
Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear and Republican U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell hailed a White House announcement Monday that Kentucky will receive almost $1.1 billion to expand broadband internet access. The funding is part of $42.45 billion unveiled by the Biden administration to connect all Americans to high-speed broadband internet by the end of the decade. The […]
Beshear campaign, Kentucky Democratic Party return $202,000 linked to London mayor
Editor’s note: This story was updated Tuesday evening with additional responses. The Andy Beshear for Governor campaign and Kentucky Democratic Party have refunded $202,000 in what they determined to be excess political contributions – money originally reported by the campaign and party as donations from numerous members of the family of London Mayor Randall Weddle […]
How much partisan gerrymandering does Kentucky’s Constitution allow?
A fight over Kentucky’s state House and U.S. congressional districts is now before the state Supreme Court, more than a year after new maps were adopted by the Republican supermajority that controls the General Assembly. On March 23, the high court agreed to take the challenge by state Democrats, bypassing the state Appeals Court, “in […]
States with low election turnout did little in 2023 to expand voting access
This year’s state legislative sessions are almost all wrapped up. And on voting and elections policy, the headlines have largely focused on a new wave of restrictive voting laws passed in big Republican-led states like Florida, Texas, and Ohio, as well as expansive laws approved in Democratic-led states like Michigan, Minnesota, and New York. But […]
Kentucky politicians mark Juneteenth as Beshear calls on legislature to make it a state holiday
Kentucky leaders on both sides of the political spectrum celebrated Juneteenth by discussing African American history and calling the holiday a mark of progress toward equality.? Gov. Andy Beshear signed a proclamation recognizing Monday as Juneteenth National Freedom Day in Kentucky in the Capitol Rotunda.? Those who joined Beshear included Senate Minority Floor Leader Gerald […]
Pushback greets Cameron appointee’s plan to explore illegal psychedelic to treat opioid disorder
The commission that manages the state’s opioid-settlement money voted June 13 to hold two public hearings to discuss the idea of funding development of an opioid-use disorder treatment using the psychedelic drug ibogaine. Two members of the Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission questioned the idea, one saying it seems to benefit a company developing a treatment, […]
Opioid settlement payouts to localities made public for the first time
Thousands of local governments nationwide are receiving settlement money from companies that made, sold, or distributed opioid painkillers, like Johnson & Johnson, AmerisourceBergen, and Walmart. The companies are shelling out more than $50 billion total in settlements from national lawsuits. But finding out the precise amount each city or county is receiving has been nearly […]
Kentucky’s juvenile detention system still struggling with ‘critical staffing issues’
FRANKFORT — Despite salary increases, persistent understaffing is forcing a shuffling of Kentucky juveniles being held in detention. The Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice plans to move girls from a detention center in Campbell County to one in Boyd County for an estimated 90 days in response to staffing difficulties.? The boys being held in […]