‘Our Future Is Now,’ Gov. Beshear Tells Kentucky Calling for Big Investments
In a sparsely attended speech before the joint House and Senate, Gov. Andy Beshear once again laid out his budget priorities telling legislators it is time to spend big to move Kentucky forward. My budget is titled: ‘Our Future Is Now.’ Because now is when we must make bold investments,” Beshear said in his address...
Redistricting Adds Chaos Into Already Jam-Packed Election Year
The legislative district boundaries have shifted in plans that likely await the Governor’s veto pen and subsequent General Assembly override, but for more than candidates and incumbents, this process will add a healthy dose of chaos to an already chaotic election season. If the districts move forward this year the shifts will mean additional work...
GOP Stepped on Beshear’s Budget Toes, But the Governor is Getting a Week of Media Attention
Gov. Andy Beshear may have had his toes stepped on by Republicans in the House of Representatives when they broke with protocol introducing their version of the two-year state budget last week, but the Democratic governor is making this a week of the press – introducing his budget bit-by-bit before he unveils the full plan...
Gov. Beshear Calls for $2 Billion in Pre-K through 12th Grade Education
In a Monday morning press conference the week after House Republicans unveiled their full budget and days before he will unveil his full budget request to the state, Gov. Andy Beshear called on the legislature to put billions into Kentucky’s public education system. Beshear pointed to record investments in the state from outside companies as...
House Republicans Introduce Budget Bills Ahead of Beshear’s Speech
House Republicans have filed a two-year spending plan days ahead of Gov. Andy Beshear’s budget address to the Commonwealth, a move that House Democrats blasted as “beyond petty.” The House budget plan includes “record funding for education,” pay increases for the Kentucky State Police, state employees, social workers, and educators. House Budget Committee Chairman Jason...
A Closer Look at Changes in the Senate Redistricting Map
Less than 24 hours after the state Senate maps appeared online a committee approved the proposed changes and sent the maps to the full Senate for their review. The map does not pit incumbents against one another, but it does make substantial changes from the current map, which was adopted in 2013. With 4.5 million...
Back In Session… Redistricting First Focus for Lawmakers
UPDATED: Amid the pageantry of the first day of the legislative session, the Kentucky state Senate filed two bills representing their attempts to redraw the Senate and Congressional District maps in Kentucky. The bills, Senate Bill 2 and 3, were released online Tuesday evening. According to Senate President Robert Stivers, R-Manchester, the Senate map will...
KY Lawmaker Who Urged Community Not to Get Vaccinated has History of Bankruptcies, Charge of Assault
An Eastern Kentucky Republican lawmaker who urged his congregation and community to not wear masks or take the vaccine has a checkered past. Lawmakers returned on Tuesday to the state Capitol to draw up a new two-year state budget, amid calls for the General Assembly to also revisit COVID precautions as a new variant spreads...
House GOP Plan to Move Quickly on Newly Proposed District Maps
Just before New Year’s Eve, Republicans in the Kentucky House of Representatives revealed their plans to substantially redraw legislative districts that will be in place for the next decade. The plan, which was blasted as “fake transparency” by Democrats for being unveiled during a state holiday, will pit multiple incumbent representatives against one another. “If...