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Kentucky Senate’s pro-coal bill would burden ratepayers, make energy transition more chaotic
For many years, Kentucky’s three-person, non-partisan Public Service Commission (PSC) has presided over Kentucky’s investor-owned and co-operative electric utilities. It has been guided by two principles — that utilities should meet the energy needs of residential, commercial, industrial, and institutional customers using the reasonable least-cost alternative. And that those utilities, for the privilege of having a geographic monopoly over providing that service, should deliver adequate, safe, and reliable energy to customers.
Our legislature is being invaded by out-of-state extremists
Many bills passed by the General Assembly each year receive strong bipartisan and even unanimous support. Many of these good bills begin as conversations with Kentuckians who have encountered barriers and concerns that need to be addressed, or who have come up with ideas to help their fellow Kentuckians statewide. This practical problem-solving approach is the cornerstone of good government.
Thanks to Katie Britt, I know things must be all right at the border
I know, I know! As in any other even-numbered year, I, too, have been listening to Republicans scream about the Wide-Open Southern Border™. For years, they’ve been telling us that we should be so terrified of undocumented immigrants that we need to arm ourselves to the teeth, subsidize Wayne LaPierre’s luxurious lifestyle at the NRA, and shoot dark people on sight.
The open records bill is better, but still has significant problems
There were few surprises in the March 7 meeting of the House State Government Committee at which a committee substitute for House Bill 509 passed by a vote of 12-4-2. HB 509, as originally introduced, proposed two changes to the open records law and one change to the open meetings law.
McGarvey scores a perfect 100 in this retiree group’s scorecard
Seven-in-ten Republican voters in the 2022 congressional mid-term were 50 or older according to the Pew Research Center. The Alliance for Retired Americans’ just-released 2023 Congressional Voting Record suggests that Democrats are far better than Republicans on what the ARA calls “critical retirement security issues, today.”. Nationwide, Democrats...
Biden ‘hit it out of the ballpark again’
United Auto Workers retiree Kirk Gillenwaters said President Joe Biden “hit it out of the ballpark again” with his State of the Union speech. “I was still on a high from when he spoke to us and hit it out of the ballpark,” said Gillenwaters, a longtime Kentucky union activist and president of the Kentucky Alliance for Retired Americans. In January, he attended the UAW’s annual Community Action Program legislative conference in Washington where Shawn Fain, the union's president, announced that the UAW was endorsing Biden.
I’m a Baptist pastor against white Christian nationalism. It violates Jesus’ lessons
I am writing as a Christian pastor — a Baptist, no less — serving churches for the past 52 years. Of course, I favor Christianity. And in my ministry, I invite persons to consider faith in Jesus Christ. Therefore, it may seem surprising that I am a leader of an effort during this election year to resist White Christian nationalism. White Christian nationalism does not invite people into faith, but rather seeks to dominate, control and coerce not only individuals, but society.
‘Adult-oriented’ businesses would be subject to new restrictions under bill approved by Senate
A bill placing new restrictions on “adult-oriented” businesses, which opponents have blasted as “anti-drag,” passed the Kentucky Senate Wednesday 32-6. It can now go to the House for consideration. Senate Bill 147 prohibits “adult-oriented” businesses from being located within 933 feet of a child care facility,...
Kentucky lawmakers scale back proposal to shield more public records from disclosure
Kentucky lawmakers reduced the scope of a proposal that originally could have eliminated citizens’ access to many types of government documents. House Bill 509 would’ve redefined the concept of “public records” in a narrower way, which critics said would block citizens’ access to a wide array of documents they’re allowed to review under current state law.
Democrats walk out to protest ‘alternatives to pregnancy termination’ bill
In 2017, Central Kentuckian Heather Hyden faced an “upsetting, awful” and “horrific experience.” The baby she carried — a “very wanted pregnancy” — had a lethal fetal anomaly. She was induced in February of that year, medical care she would be unable...
Andy says VETO, General Assembly says HELL NO
This week, Nate, Aaron, and new co-host Dr. Brian Clardy start the episode with some (un)surprising news out of DC. Then we keep covering the Kentucky legislature, where they just wrapped up day 45 of the 60-day session. We’ve got some highs, some lows, and a moment or two of hope. Then we’ve got a great returning guest, Jamie Lucke, the editor of the Kentucky Lantern, a media outlet that does an amazing job covering the legislature. Tune in to hear about how the Lantern functions in a time that is so tough for news media – then we close with our call to action!
Public records compromise still has giant loophole
An eleventh hour compromise committee substitute for House Bill 509 honors lawmakers’ commitment to eliminate the section of the bill that dramatically redefined the term “public record” as only a record which “documents, records, memorializes, or gives notice to a person outside the public agency of a transaction or final action.”
Kentucky House resolution would command state to defy EPA on air pollution from coal, gas
A new, Republican-led joint resolution would declare Kentucky “a sanctuary state” from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s regulations on fossil fuel-fired power plants, directing the state’s Energy and Environment Cabinet to defy federal air pollution rules. For Kentucky’s coal and natural gas power plants, air quality...
Louisville Jewish group hosts “A Jewish Call to End the War”
Via press release from Jewish Louisvillians for Peace. Jewish Louisvillians for Peace is hosting a conversation of Jewish perspectives on the need to end the war in Gaza, moderated by former Congressman John Yarmuth and featuring Rabbi Marisa Elana James, Director of Social Justice Programming at New York's Congregation Beit Simchat Torah, UofL Professor of Philosophy Avery Kolers, and UofL Associate Professor of Sociology Michal Kofman (an Israeli and former IDF officer).
Momnibus bill drives forward in Kentucky legislature
A maternal health bill nicknamed “Momnibus’ was unanimously approved by the Kentucky House Tuesday after about 20 minutes of discussion. The bipartisan Momnibus came out of a working group of Republican and Democratic women in the House and the Senate. The Momnibus legislation would expand the Health Access...
Senate advances GOP bill paving the way for school ‘guardians’
Despite opposition from Republicans and Democrats, a GOP-backed measure that paves the way for school districts to hire “guardians” to fill vacant law enforcement officer roles on school campuses passed out of the Kentucky Senate Tuesday. Senate Bill 2, sponsored by Sen. Max Wise (R-Campbellsville) builds upon his...
Republicans and Democrats futilely oppose partisan Kentucky school board elections bill
More than a dozen senators — both Republican and Democratic — voted against a bill that would create partisan Kentucky Board of Education elections, but the measure ultimately passed the Senate Tuesday. In a vote of 24-14, the Republican-controlled Senate approved a bill that would transform the appointed...
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