Government
Bill could pave way for online news outlets to publish legally-required public notices
FRANKFORT — Without a daily or weekly printed newspaper of record in Northern Kentucky, local leaders are seeking a way to get public notices out to readers digitally.? The House Local Government Committee on March 3 gave its favor to House Bill 534, which would create qualifications for a digital news publication to be considered […]
KCTCS supports Stivers’ proposed review of Kentucky’s higher education system
FRANKFORT — Kentucky’s two-year college system supports Senate President Robert Stivers’ call for? a comprehensive review of higher education, says the system’s acting president. Among the ideas Stivers wants considered: Leave technical education with the Kentucky Community and Technical College System, while moving traditional academic subjects from the two-year colleges to regional four-year public universities. […]
Sponsor says drag show bill is pro-children not anti-LGBTQ
FRANKFORT — A Kentucky bill that would criminalize “sexually explicit” performances by “male or female impersonators” on publicly-owned land or in front of children passed a Senate committee Thursday. Members of the? Senate Veterans, Military Affairs and Public Protection Committee voted to advance Senate Bill 115, sponsored by Sen. Lindsey Tichenor, R-Smithfield. A chant of […]
Bill moves to let Kentucky Horse Park hire outside merit system, share in local ‘bedroom’ tax
A state legislative panel unanimously approved a bill Thursday that would allow the Kentucky Horse Park to exclude its new hires from the state merit system designed to protect employees from political influence and enable the park to share in the “bedroom tax” collected by hotels, motels and other providers of overnight lodging in Fayette […]
After compromise, small farm wineries self-distribution advances, awaits only a House vote
FRANKFORT — After the Kentucky Senate last week approved allowing Kentucky small farm wineries to self-distribute their products, a House of Representatives committee followed suit Wednesday.? The bill underwent some changes since it was filed after the wineries and the Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of Kentucky reached a compromise on the amount of wine the […]
Bill clears committee that would establish regulations for current, future donations raised by state
FRANKFORT — A House committee on Tuesday approved a Republican-backed bill that would?charge the state officials overseeing millions in disaster donations with setting out regulations for how the donated funding can be applied for and used. House Bill 257, sponsored by Rep. Jason Petrie, R-Elkton, would take the millions of dollars donated to the state’s […]
Juvenile justice bill passes House, would open some minors’ now-confidential records
FRANKFORT —A Republican-backed bill that would reopen a juvenile detention center in Louisville passed the House 79-18 hours after it passed a?House committee Tuesday morning.? It may now go to the Senate for a vote. Members of the House Standing Committee On Appropriations And Revenue voted 20-2 – with two passes – to advance House […]
Senator says bill will address Kentucky’s housing needs; it’s just not written yet
FRANKFORT — State Sen. Brandon Smith is working on legislation that would address a growing housing crisis in Eastern Kentucky following last summer’s devastating floods. Colleagues of Smith, R-Hazard, filed a shell bill, Senate Bill 286, amid the Senate’s deadline for new bills earlier this week and Smith’s absence. After becoming the primary sponsor Wednesday, […]
Kentucky Senate defines school materials ‘harmful to minors’ in bill critics call book banning
FRANKFORT — The Kentucky Senate approved legislation Thursday that its sponsor says protects children from inappropriate materials but which critics say will lead to book?banning. Senate Bill 5, sponsored by Sen. Jason Howell, R-Murray, would create a complaint process for local school districts to filter materials that parents and guardians consider inappropriate for children. It […]
Bill to remake how Kentucky Board of Education members are selected passes state Senate
FRANKFORT — Among their debates on the Kentucky Senate floor Thursday, senators questioned if the creation of a committee to nominate members to the Board of Education would bring more or less politics to the process. Senate Bill 107 seeks to create a nomination committee for the Kentucky Board of Education. The group would give […]
Bill addressing Kentucky’s health care workforce shortages clears committee
A Kentucky bill drafted to address the state’s health care workforce shortages easily passed a House committee Thursday. The bill, which has bipartisan support, sailed out of the House Standing Committee on Health Services with 18 yes votes and one pass. No one voted against the bill. It now goes to the House floor. House […]
Kentucky Senate approves bill to get report on donated disaster relief funds
FRANKFORT — The Senate passed a piece of legislation from a Western Kentucky lawmaker that seeks answers to how donated disaster relief funds have been spent so far.? A committee substitute version of Senate Bill 99 passed 33-2 Wednesday. Sen. Whitney Westerfield, R-Fruit Hill, said on the floor that he filed the bill after a […]