The Wrap for Thursday, 3/28/24
Lots of KYGA news, of course – but a few other tasty treats as well.
News
Articles presenting objective information about events. If an article contains both details of the event and commentary about the event, it will be labeled with both tags.
Kentucky state budget bill clears legislature, heads to Beshear
The final budget bill outlines $30 billion of state government spending over the next two years, with Republicans lauding it as a historic investment in Kentucky education and Democrats criticizing it as falling too short.
The Kentucky General Assembly passes the ‘Safer Kentucky’ Act
Democrats made their final impassioned pleas against the tough-on-crime legislation as it made final passage through the Kentucky General Assembly, until Republicans moved to limit debate.
Kid-focused bills advance in Frankfort
Child care, vaccines, and autism education are among the bills on the move.
Bill that would allow armed guards in public schools advances
An amendment to the bill also allows schools to hire pastoral counselors as part of their trauma-informed care team.
KY Senate passes measure to take Horse Racing Commission out of governor's office, create independent body
Another mule bill turns into a real bill – about horses and horse racing.
Black student's statement on anti-DEI legislation misrepresented to Kentucky lawmakers, she says
A Black University of Louisville student says a Frankfort lobbyist acting in a personal capacity misrepresented a statement from her under oath to support anti-DEI legislation.
Republican lawmaker says Kentucky’s newly passed shield bill protects IVF services
The bill’s language is broad enough to do that, according to Westerfield.
‘Momnibus’ bill nears passage
The bill now requires hospitals, birthing centers, and midwives to offer perinatal palliative care.
State Senate weakens bill to curb underage vaping
It now goes to the House with just days left in the legislative session.
Climate-denying House committee chair wants Kentucky to be a fossil fuel ‘sanctuary state’
“I'm not comfortable with going down the road of nullifying federal laws that we don't like. It sets a dangerous precedent. It didn't work out well 170 years ago.”
Medical cannabis funding hinges on conclusive ‘evidence,’ Senate proposal says
The amount of evidence required by the budget bill is not clear, though.
Governor Beshear addresses legislative actions, calling one bill a ‘power grab’
He also discussed various bills that have reached his desk – and continued to call out the ‘partisan politics’ in Frankfort.
Lawsuit seeks to kick Louisville Democratic state Rep. Nima Kulkarni off ballot
The petition to remove Kulkarni from the ballot was filed by the former state legislator she defeated in a Democratic primary in 2018, alleging she should be disqualified for a filing error involving her nomination signatories.
The Lege is stuffing bills into each other to get them passed
Why not just write one multi-thousand-page bill and pass it?
Council for Better Education opposes constitutional amendment on private schools funding
This Kentucky-based advocacy organization is opposed to using public money for private schools, and is planning various actions to defeat the bill.
