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Medical cannabis funding hinges on conclusive ‘evidence,’ Senate proposal says
The Kentucky Senate has proposed keeping new funding out of the hands of state medical cannabis regulators until there is “conclusive evidence” as to the drug’s effectiveness. The Senate and the House both proposed about $15 million for state medical cannabis regulation in the next budget cycle...
Governor Beshear addresses legislative actions, calling one bill a ‘power grab’
Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear on Monday called a Republican-backed bill that would move the state’s wildlife management agency from his administration to the agriculture department an unconstitutional “power grab.”. Beshear also called out Senate Republicans for refusing to confirm his appointees to the Fish and Wildlife Commission. “It’s...
Lawsuit seeks to kick Louisville Democratic state Rep. Nima Kulkarni off ballot
A lawsuit was filed Monday against Democratic state Rep. Nima Kulkarni of Louisville seeking to remove her from the ballot this year, alleging an error on her candidacy filing makes her ineligible to run. The petition to disqualify her was filed in Jefferson Circuit Court by Dennis Horlander, the former...
Council for Better Education opposes constitutional amendment on private schools funding
In light of the Kentucky General Assembly’s passage of HB 2, the Council for Better Education (CBE) is voicing its strong opposition to the constitutional amendment, citing the negative impact it will have on the future of public education in Kentucky. “This legislation puts a Constitutional Amendment on the...
Divided KY Senate advances bill attaching Fish and Wildlife to agriculture department
The GOP-dominated Senate narrowly advanced a controversial change for Kentucky’s wildlife management agency Friday while also voting to administratively attach the racing commission to the state agriculture department as well. Sportsmen’s and wildlife conservation groups have strongly opposed the proposal, and lawmakers echoed their concerns during Friday’s debate....
Medical-cannabis ‘cleanup’ bill passes House
In what the sponsor calls a bill to "clean some things up," more restrictions are being added to the state's medical-marijuana law and provisions were added to allow local school districts to opt out. One of the key provisions in House Bill 829, sponsored by Rep. Jason Nemes (R-Middletown), would...
Ky. House speeds through bills to ease future tax cuts, shift $450M GRANT program to Agriculture
The Kentucky House sped to passage Friday morning an amended state revenue bill that could ease the path to hit triggers for tax cuts in future years, in line with the Republican supermajority’s long-term goal to eliminate the income tax. The GOP-dominated chamber also cleared a late-amended bill to...
The Strongman Fantasy
Quite a few Americans like the idea of strongman rule. Why not a dictator who will get things done?. I lived in eastern Europe when memories of communism were fresh. I have visited regions in Ukraine where Russia imposed its occupation regime. I have spent decades reading testimonies of people who lived under Nazi or Stalinist rule. I have seen death pits, some old, some freshly dug. And I have friends who have lived under authoritarian regimes, including political prisoners and survivors of torture. Some of the people I trusted most have been assassinated.
By any other word these actions would still be the same — just call it racism
Let’s call this what it is – soft-core racism. Over the past several sessions the Kentucky General Assembly has attracted a well-earned reputation for punching down on many of the constituencies it is reputed to represent. Last year it heaped abuse upon transgender kids, essentially laughing in the face of Sen. Karen Berg (D-Louisville), whose trans son committed suicide. Two years ago it placed unreasonable limits on women with unwanted pregnancies from getting abortions. And it is constantly scapegoating the Commonwealth’s teachers for poor student performance, ignoring its own hand in underfunding public schools, and now it’s looking to change the state constitution so it can send taxpayer’s money to private schools.
Kentucky House moves to cut DEI programs, impacting protected groups
The Kentucky House has voted to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives at public colleges and universities – a move that could potentially ban state schools from offering programs geared toward federally protected classes of religion, race, sex, color or national origin. The move came Friday when House members...
Can public tax dollars go to private schools? Kentuckians will answer on November ballot
The Kentucky Senate has passed a controversial “school choice” bill, setting the stage for Kentucky voters to decide if they want taxpayer dollars to go to private and charter schools. House Bill 2, sponsored by House Majority Caucus Chair Suzanne Miles (R-Owensboro) cleared the House Wednesday on a...
Sweeping GOP crime bill clears Kentucky Senate despite judiciary chairman’s opposition
A GOP-backed omnibus crime bill won state Senate approval Friday over the objections of the Republican chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. “Long after I’m gone, we are going to be paying for it — figuratively and literally,” warned Sen. Whitney Westerfield in an impassioned speech that did not dissuade his colleagues from backing House Bill 5.
So the Lege wants schools to teach civics – hahahaha!
If you haven’t been following the 24GA session, you have missed a true lesson in civics gone wrong. Nevertheless, in its infinite wisdom, the Republican SuperBadMajority© is about to pass a mandatory course on civics for high school students to take before they can graduate. HB 535 has passed the House and is awaiting a committee hearing in the Senate Education Committee. Oh wait – that really doesn’t need to happen before it can get one or two readings on the Senate floor.
So you say you want a strongman?
Historians almost never miss a chance to explain how the past can provide guidance for the present. It’s part of their job description. But Yale historian Timothy Snyder demurred on TV the other day when MSNBC’s Nicole Wallace asked him how, between now and election time, would he deal with pro-Putin Trump loyalists, their “erasure of history” and their “willful ignorance of our place in the world.”
Nine minutes. To reverse nearly a half-century of open records law.
Approximately nine minutes. That was the duration of the March 12 floor debate in the House of Representatives on House Bill 509. Approximately nine minutes to reverse nearly a half century of open records law and effectively repeal statutorily established and enforceable rights of public access to records based on their nature and content rather than on the place where they are stored.
Senate committees reject two bad House bills
In a rare occurrence, especially on the same day, two different committees in the Kentucky Senate rejected bills that had already passed the House. However, the chairs of the committees said they may bring the bills back up for a vote, possibly as soon as Friday. HB 367 – Limits...
Kentucky House approves ‘school choice’ amendment despite bipartisan opposition
A “school choice” amendment bill — a top priority for Republican lawmakers in the 2024 General Assembly — cleared the Kentucky House of Representatives Wednesday afternoon following more than two hours of contentious floor debate. In a 65-32 vote, legislators passed House Bill 2, which would...
Louisville launching five-year plan for universal preschool
Kentucky’s largest city took steps Tuesday to implement universal, free and optional preschool for its 3- and 4-year-old citizens. Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg announced that a new nonprofit called Thrive by 5 Louisville will work over the next five years with both public and private dollars to get children in the city better prepared for kindergarten by providing grants to providers and assistance to families.
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