Politics
Constitutional amendment to use public money for non-public schools proposed in KY House
FRANKFORT — Priority GOP legislation that would allow public funding to non-public schools was filed in the Kentucky House Friday.? The primary sponsor of House Bill 2 is Majority Caucus Chair Suzanne Miles, R-Owensboro. The legislation seeks to amend the state Constitution to give the General Assembly the ability to give dollars to “the education […]
Kentucky Democratic Party announces new executive director
Morgan Eaves, a former member of Gov. Andy Beshear’s administration, will become the executive director of the Kentucky Democratic Party next week.? Eaves will replace current Executive Director Sebastian Kitchen effective Feb. 1, a party press release said. Kitchen will return to the Beshear administration.? “I was honored to serve in the Beshear administration, which […]
Citing a Bevin commutation, Republican lawmaker wants to limit Kentucky governor’s pardon powers
FRANKFORT — A Kentucky Republican lawmaker wants to limit pardoning and sentence commuting powers for Kentucky governors after learning a convicted murderer and rapist is now up for parole after outgoing Republican Gov. Matt Bevin commuted his death sentence.?? Sen. Chris McDaniel, of Ryland Heights, is proposing a constitutional amendment that would suspend the governor’s […]
College photo IDs would no longer suffice to vote in Kentucky under bill moving in Senate
FRANKFORT — A bill that would block Kentuckians from using university-issued IDs to vote has passed out of a Senate committee, prompting the Republican secretary of state to warn members of his party to “be careful not to gratuitously alienate young voters.”? Identification cards issued by universities and colleges to students and employees would no […]
On Roe anniversary, abortion opponents look to White House to fast-track national ban
Falling snow and flight delays thinned this year’s anti-abortion March for Life in Washington, D.C., on Friday, but did not deter the most impatient activists in the movement, those unsatisfied until the entire U.S. map is red with abortion bans. “I’m not okay with abortion states and non-abortion states. I want an abortion-free America,” said […]
Effort to move Kentucky’s statewide elections to presidential years moves forward in legislature
FRANKFORT — The Senate passed legislation Wednesday that moves the state a step closer to holding its elections during presidential election years. Senate Bill 10 proposes a constitutional amendment allowing Kentucky elections for governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and other constitutional officers, in even-numbered years. Senators voted 26-9, with Republican Sens. Adrienne Southworth, of Lawrenceburg, […]
CPE ‘not aware’ of bill that would dissolve it before the legislation was filed
FRANKFORT — The group that oversees the state’s public universities and community colleges were unaware a Northern Kentucky Republican planned to file a bill that would dissolve the council.?? Officials with the Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE) officials said in a statement to the Kentucky Lantern they were reviewing the legislation Wednesday morning. Rep. Steven […]
Anti-DEI bill seeks to remove ‘trauma-informed approach’ for Kentucky schools from state law
FRANKFORT — A bill aimed at preventing education funding to go to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging frameworks in K-12 schools would also remove language protecting “trauma-informed” methods in Kentucky schools if the bill remains unchanged as it makes its way through the General Assembly.? Part of recently-filed Senate Bill 93 from Sen. Stephen Meredith, […]
Moving Kentucky governor’s races to presidential election years gets nod from Senate committee
FRANKFORT — Kentuckians would begin electing their governors in presidential election years under a proposed constitutional amendment that advanced from committee Wednesday.? Sen. Chris McDaniel, R-Ryland Heights, sponsored? Senate Bill 10 — a measure that would set the stage for moving Kentucky elections for constitutional officers, including governor, to even-numbered years.? If the General Assembly […]
Kentucky Senate leader proposes partisan elections for state school board
FRANKFORT —? Senate Republican Whip Mike Wilson wants voters to begin choosing Kentucky Board of Education members in partisan elections.? Wilson, of Bowling Green, filed Senate Bill 8 Tuesday. The legislation “would change the selection of Kentucky Board of Education (KBE) members from a unilateral appointment by the governor to an election by voters across […]
Weddle blames Beshear fundraiser for letting him make illegal political contributions
FRANKFORT — London Mayor Randall Weddle says he told a fundraiser for Gov. Andy Beshear’s reelection in late 2022 that he planned to make political contributions of others on his credit card, but instead of being warned that such a move would be illegal, the fundraiser told Weddle, “Okay sounds great.” Weddle also said that […]
House Republicans removed from committees last year have assignments restored
FRANKFORT — After they were removed from their committees for seemingly bucking GOP House leadership last session, five House Republicans received either new committee assignments or were reassigned to their former committees Monday.? The removal prompted Republican Rep. Felicia Rabourn, of Pendleton, to lead an effort to change House rules that would lessen leadership’s control […]