Government
Kentucky House GOP plans to pass income tax cut this week
FRANKFORT — Republican House Speaker David Osborne says his GOP supermajority in the House of Representatives plans to pass a bill this week that would continue to cut the state’s income tax, a big priority that GOP leadership telegraphed well ahead of this year’s legislative session.? Osborne on the first day of the legislative session […]
Kentucky Youth Advocates outlines 2023 goals to help children and families
On the first day of the regular legislative session, Kentucky Youth Advocates outlined priorities to achieve its 2023 goal of making the state “the best place in America to be young.”? Kentucky ranks high for adverse childhood experiences, or ACEs, which are traumas or stressors in a person’s life before their 18th birthday. They can […]
Rotunda rally supports constitutional amendment legalizing cannabis
Saying that legalization without decriminalization is “simply not an option,” state Rep. Nima Kulkarni on Tuesday introduced a constitutional amendment to ask Kentucky voters to weigh in on the cannabis debate. In addition to the amendent, which would legalize personal possession and use of marijuana in Kentucky, the Louisville Democrat also introduced legislation to codify […]
Child poverty rates highest in states that haven’t raised minimum wage, including Kentucky
Of the 20 states, including Kentucky, that have failed to raise the minimum wage above the federal $7.25 an hour standard, 16 have more than 12% of their children living in poverty, according to a States Newsroom analysis of wage and poverty data. Anti-poverty advocates say that’s a sign that there’s an urgent need for […]
Kentucky Supreme Court rejects Beshear’s claim that legislature wrongly curbed his emergency powers
Citing legislative immunity, the Kentucky Supreme Court on Thursday unanimously rejected Gov. Andy Beshear’s claim that the legislature acted unconstitutionally when it curbed his emergency powers in 2021. The court ruled that the state Constitution grants lawmakers immunity from such lawsuits. The legislation in question was a response to Beshear’s COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. Among […]
Kentuckians encouraged to challenge accuracy of new broadband map
Gov. Andy Beshear is encouraging Kentuckians to challenge the accuracy of a new federal broadband availability map that will help determine how billions of federal dollars for broadband deployment will be allocated among states.? The Federal Communications Commission in November released a proposed online interactive map that lists available internet providers and the maximum advertised […]
Teva and Allergan settle opioid lawsuit with Kentucky for $114 million
Two more pharmaceutical manufacturers, Teva Pharmaceuticals Industries, Ltd., and Allergan PLC., have entered agreements with Kentucky to settle claims that they “fueled the opioid crisis by marketing, promoting, selling, and distributing opioids,” the Attorney General Daniel Cameron’s office said Thursday. In a press release, the office said the agreements will bring more than $114 million […]
Kentucky moves to revoke license of psychiatric facility where 7-year-old foster child died
The Beshear administration moved Thursday to revoke the license of a residential psychiatric facility in Louisville where 7-year-old Ja’Ceon Terry, a foster child, died July 17 of positional asphyxia. The state immediately ceased placing children and youth at Uspiritus-Brooklawn Academy after the child’s death. On Thursday, state Inspector General Adam Mather ordered Uspiritus-Brooklawn Academy to […]
Walmart, Kentucky reach opioid settlement for more than $53 million
Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron on Wednesday announced an opioid settlement between Walmart and Kentucky for more than $53 million.? “This agreement with Walmart provides the Commonwealth with over $53 million to help Kentuckians who have been harmed by the opioid epidemic,” Cameron said in a news release. “The Commonwealth is among the states […]
Beshear unveils plans for first ‘higher ground’ community near Knott-Perry line
HINDMAN — Surrounded by elected officials from around the region, Gov. Andy Beshear on Tuesday unveiled plans to build a new community on “higher, stable ground” at a former surface coal mine near the Knott-Perry county line in Talcum.? Speaking at the Knott County Courthouse, Beshear said the couple who are giving 75 acres for […]
Cameron expects another opioid settlement soon
FRANKFORT — Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron said he is optimistic that more opioid companies “are going to come to the table to help address some of the challenges that they help exacerbate.” In a year-end interview with the Kentucky Lantern on Monday, Cameron said that he expected an announcement regarding a settlement by the […]
Kentucky groups urge lawmakers to reject another income tax cut
A coalition of 28 Kentucky organizations is urging lawmakers to reject additional cuts in the state income tax when the legislature convenes Jan. 3. “Record surpluses used to justify the cut are largely a mirage,” says a letter sent Friday to members of the General Assembly and released by the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy.? […]