News
Kelly Craft, her coal exec spouse give maximum $10,000 each to Republican Party of Kentucky
FRANKFORT — Republican candidate for governor Kelly Craft and her husband Joe Craft each contributed $10,000 to the?Republican Party of Kentucky?last month. The two Crafts were among 12 donors who each gave $10,000 to the RPK in February, according to a report the party filed late last week with the Federal Election Commission. Five of […]
Limits on foreign ownership of U.S. farmland gain support in Congress, despite skepticism
WASHINGTON — Bipartisan momentum is building in Congress to restrict China and other foreign adversaries from purchasing U.S. farmland, a reflection of a similar push by some states as well as apprehension over Chinese spy balloons, rising land prices and growing international competition. “Foreign ownership of agricultural land threatens small family farms and the overall […]
Republicans push back against education commissioner’s criticism
Two Republican office holders on Monday slammed Kentucky Education Commissioner Jason Glass for his criticism of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation enacted by the General Assembly.?? House Speaker Pro Tem David Meade, R-Stanford, said in a statement that Glass “once again makes it abundantly clear that it is not the legislature that is politicizing the state’s classrooms and […]
Regulators ended last week like they started — tamping down fears, rescuing a bank
Financial regulators, policymakers, and bank executives spent last week trying to abate fears that a banking crisis will spread across the U.S. financial system.? On Friday, President Joe Biden released a statement calling on Congress to take action to make it easier for regulators to hold senior bank executives accountable for their mismanagement.? “It should […]
Legislature approves ‘random’ venue changes for Kentuckians challenging state laws, decisions
FRANKFORT — Kentuckians challenging the constitutionality of state laws and executive branch decisions could move their lawsuits across the state at random, under a Republican-backed bill approved by the legislature last week. Lawyers representing the state also would be entitled to random changes of venue. The sponsor, Sen. Jason Howell, R-Murray, called Senate Bill 126? […]
U.S. remains a grim leader in preterm births. Why? And can we fix it?
Tamara Etienne’s second pregnancy was freighted with risk and worry from its earliest days — exacerbated by a first pregnancy that had ended in miscarriage. A third-grade teacher at an overcrowded Miami-Dade County public school, she spent harried days on her feet. Financial worries weighed heavy, even with health insurance and some paid time off […]
As opioids overdose deaths keep rising, report urges lawmakers to develop new approaches
WASHINGTON — Lawmakers should view America’s staggering opioid crisis, including the rise of illicit fentanyl, through an “ecosystems” approach, argues a massive RAND Corporation report published last week. That means they should examine the gaps and interconnections among emergency response, data collection, education, treatment, housing and law enforcement, the report advises. The 600-page volume — […]
Kentucky education commissioner says legislature put youth at risk with anti-LGBTQ bill
The day after Kentucky lawmakers rapidly changed and passed a bill to include measures banning gender-affirming care for minors, the state’s top education official decried the “sweeping and harmful” legislation. Kentucky Education Commissioner Jason Glass said the latest version of Senate Bill 150 “contains provisions that will put our young people at risk, have the […]
Legislature approves $20 million for housing in disaster zones
FRANKFORT — Although it was much less than they had hoped, affordable-housing advocates in Kentucky are applauding the legislature’s decision to put $20 million into a new Rural Housing Trust Fund. The money is not a new appropriation but comes from more than $400 million the legislature had set aside last year for disaster relief […]
Bill making it harder to retire Kentucky coal plants heads to governor’s desk
FRANKFORT — A bill backed by Kentucky’s coal industry that would make it harder for utilities to retire fossil fuel-fired power plants received final passage Thursday in the Kentucky House of Representatives, sending the legislation for Gov. Andy Beshear’s consideration.? Senate Bill 4, primarily sponsored by Sen. Robby Mills, R-Henderson, would impose a series of […]
With funding release for State Fair Board project added, House approves postsecondary education study
FRANKFORT — House members joined senators in calling for a comprehensive review of Kentucky’s public postsecondary education system, but added provisions from a separate resolution that releases $180 million to the Kentucky State Fair Board for capital construction.? Senate Joint Resolution 98 received support from the House in a 96-0 vote Thursday. The call for […]
Medical cannabis overcomes big obstacle in Kentucky as state Senate votes for legalization
FRANKFORT — A bill to legalize medical marijuana for some Kentuckians who suffer from chronic illnesses overcame a major hurdle Thursday evening, winning? a seal of approval from the state Senate.? Legislation similar to Senate Bill 47 has died in the Senate in previous sessions. However, senators voted 26-11 in favor of the measures with […]