Government
Jewish women cite Kentucky’s Religious Freedom law in contesting state abortion ban
LOUISVILLE — Enacted in 2013, Kentucky’s “Religious Freedom Restoration Act,” has been used to champion conservative causes ranging from tax incentives for a Noah’s Ark theme park in Grant County to the right of churches to stay open during the pandemic shutdown. Now, three Jewish women from Louisville argue that same law protects their reproductive […]
Another lawsuit challenges Kentucky’s ban on ‘skill-based’ gambling machines
A manufacturer and operators of so-called “skill-based” gaming machines have filed a lawsuit, the second of its kind, challenging the constitutionality of a new state ban on such machines that’s set to go into effect this summer.? Prominent Technologies, a Pennsylvania-based company that manufactures and operates “skill-based” machines often found in gas stations and convenience […]
Cameron seeks another ‘random’ change of venue, this time in challenge brought by teachers union
Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron has again invoked a new state law that allows him to move some lawsuits to another circuit court chosen at random. Cameron is seeking to move the Kentucky Education Association’s challenge of another new law — one making it harder for the teachers union to collect dues — out of […]
Beshear tries to revive Medicaid dental, vision, hearing benefits scrapped by legislature
Gov. Andy Beshear has again proposed regulations to expand dental, vision and hearing Medicaid benefits for Kentucky adults, after the legislature ended the expansion by finding earlier regulations deficient. Each new regulation says why it is “substantially different” from the one rejected by the legislature. Most of the reasons have to do with changes in […]
Craft and Cameron bring out the boxing gloves for KET debate
LEXINGTON — The two Republican frontrunners in Kentucky’s governor’s race finally appeared on the same debate stage Monday, launching attacks at each other during a fiery KET debate. Monday night marked the first time that Attorney General Daniel Cameron and former United Nations Ambassador Kelly Craft appeared in a debate together. A recent FOX 56/Emerson […]
Teachers union asks judge to block new Kentucky law barring payroll deductions to pay union dues
FRANKFORT — Kentucky’s largest teachers union representing thousands of educators throughout the state is asking a judge to temporarily block a new law that prohibits the union from collecting dues through payroll deductions.? The Kentucky Education Association (KEA) sued the state last month asking for Senate Bill 7 to be struck down as unconstitutional and […]
Challenges to books in Kentucky libraries tripled in 2022 amid national jump in attempted bans
Like libraries nationwide, Kentucky libraries experienced a surge in challenges to materials in 2022. Data released by the American Library Association’s Office of Intellectual Freedom last week indicated the number of challenges nearly doubled in the U.S. since 2021, but in Kentucky they tripled. The number of attempts to restrict materials went from just seven […]
How flood cleanup left Kentucky disaster victims feeling violated and vulnerable
This article is republished from the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting. On a steamy day in August, Don Young dug through the rubble that used to be his home. He was desperately trying to salvage the most precious possessions representing the life he’d made in the Letcher County community of McRoberts. Floods last July ravaged […]
$124 million from feds will build hundreds of homes in tornado-impacted Western Kentucky
FRANKFORT — Kentucky officials are opening up applications this summer for almost $124 million in federal funding to help rebuild housing and infrastructure primarily in tornado-impacted Western Kentucky, which Gov. Andy Beshear said could help rebuild around 600 homes.? The federal funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) will go to […]
If your Kentucky ‘farm’ is smaller than 5 acres, you now need a license to hunt or fish on it
It was a small change in a 48-page bill that became law during this year’s legislative session. Senate Bill 241, sponsored by Sen. Robin Webb, D-Grayson, mainly sought to give the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources the power to acquire perpetual conservation easements for 54,000 acres of land in Southeastern Kentucky.? That aspect […]
Abortion-rights attorneys help patients and providers navigate legal chaos?
These days Kylee Sunderlin is often the first person people will talk to about needing or wanting to terminate a pregnancy, even though she’s not a nurse or doctor or a loved one. She’s a lawyer.? This is Sunderlin’s third year overseeing a national hotline dedicated to helping people navigate legal questions around abortion in […]
Beshear campaign says its donors attest that they are contributing their own money
FRANKFORT — Responding to questions about a Kentucky Lantern report, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear on Thursday said ?contributions supporting his reelection campaign are always “voluntary” with no promises of any sort given to donors. The Kentucky Lantern on Monday reported that the largest group of contributors to the Democratic governor’s reelection bid include people who […]