Jan 11 Politics Nearly a Year After Kentucky Legislature’s OK, Cannabidiol is Still Unavailable FRANKFORT — When the Kentucky legislature unanimously passed a law last spring decriminalizing the anti-seizure medication cannabidiol oil, a handful of legislators had tears rolling down their cheeks. In a moment of peak bi-partisanship, senators joined representatives in their chamber—already filled with applause and cheering—and families with their ailing children rushed into the aisles to […] By Rae Hodge Jan 11 Politics Nearly a Year After Kentucky Legislature’s OK, Cannabidiol is Still Unavailable Rae Hodge
Jan 10 Politics The First Week of the Kentucky General Assembly’s 2015 Session, in Review FRANKFORT —In the first week of the Kentucky General Assembly’s 2015 legislative session, lawmakers elected leadership, assigned committees and begun moving legislation through the Capitol at a fast pace. The Republican-controlled Senate was especially active. Here are the four bills that have already cleared the chamber: Senate Bill 1: Sponsored by Sen. President Robert Stivers, […] By Rae Hodge Jan 10 Politics The First Week of the Kentucky General Assembly’s 2015 Session, in Review Rae Hodge
Jan 9 Politics Kentucky Senate OKs Bill Requiring In-Person Visit With Medical Professional Before Abortion FRANKFORT — A bill that would delay women’s access to abortions passed through the Kentucky Senate without any delay at all. In less than 24 hours, Senate Bill 4 cleared a committee composed of 14 men and no women, then passed a floor vote on Friday. The bill would add more waiting time to the state’s […] By Rae Hodge Jan 9 Politics Kentucky Senate OKs Bill Requiring In-Person Visit With Medical Professional Before Abortion Rae Hodge
Jan 9 Politics Kentucky House Speaker: Let Teachers’ Retirement System Issue $3.3 Billion in Bonds FRANKFORT — Kentucky’s state-funded teacher pensions are in a $14 billion hole, and House Speaker Greg Stumbo says he may have a solution. Stumbo said the state could re-invest in the underfunded Kentucky Teacher Retirement System by allowing KTRS to issue $3.3 billion worth of bonds. On Friday, he filed a bill that would do […] By Rae Hodge Jan 9 Politics Kentucky House Speaker: Let Teachers’ Retirement System Issue $3.3 Billion in Bonds Rae Hodge
Jan 8 Politics Right to Work Bill Passes Kentucky Senate After Fierce Debate FRANKFORT — Moments after Senate Republicans and Democrats finished congratulating each other Thursday on their bi-partisanship on anti-heroin legislation, a fierce debate erupted along party lines over the contentious legislation known as Right To Work. The high-priority piece of legislation for the Senate’s Republican leadership passed out of committee in a flash Wednesday night—and it […] By Rae Hodge Jan 8 Politics Right to Work Bill Passes Kentucky Senate After Fierce Debate Rae Hodge
Jan 8 Politics Kentucky State Senate Gives Speedy OK to Anti-Heroin Legislation FRANKFORT —Legislation addressing Kentucky’s heroin epidemic progressed with extraordinary speed Thursday in the Senate, and is now on its way to the House. The legislation was approved without opposition. The bill stiffens penalties against traffickers and seeks to treat addicts while they are behind bars. The legislation adds $13.3 million for treatment; $7.5 would go to county […] By Rae Hodge Jan 8 Politics Kentucky State Senate Gives Speedy OK to Anti-Heroin Legislation Rae Hodge
Jan 7 Politics 5 Takeaways From Gov. Beshear’s Final State of the Commonwealth Address FRANKFORT — In his final State of the Commonwealth address, Gov. Steve Beshear celebrated many of his major policy accomplishments during his tenure and called on lawmakers to continue moving the 2015 session toward job-creation initiatives. The over-riding theme of Wednesday evening’s address was Beshear’s advocacy for workforce development in Kentucky, and the four ways he […] By Rae Hodge Jan 7 Politics 5 Takeaways From Gov. Beshear’s Final State of the Commonwealth Address Rae Hodge
Jan 7 Politics Anti-Heroin Bill Gets OK From Senate Committee on 2nd Day of 2015 Session FRANKFORT — An anti-heroin bill sailed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee on just the second day of Kentucky’s 2015 legislative session. The legislation, sponsored by Republican state Sen. Chris McDaniel, would stiffen penalties for users and institute mandatory minimum sentencing, while providing funding for addiction treatment programs in Kentucky prisons. McDaniel, from Taylor Mill, […] By Rae Hodge Jan 7 Politics Anti-Heroin Bill Gets OK From Senate Committee on 2nd Day of 2015 Session Rae Hodge
Jan 7 Politics Kentucky State Sen. Brandon Smith Charged With DUI on First Night of 2015 Session FRANKFORT — Kentucky State Police arrested state Sen. Brandon Smith, R-Hazard, on Tuesday night on charges of driving under the influence. Smith was initially stopped Tuesday night for speeding, but was later charged with driving under the influence, according to the Associated Press. The AP adds: Smith blew a .088 in a portable breath test, […] By Rae Hodge Jan 7 Politics Kentucky State Sen. Brandon Smith Charged With DUI on First Night of 2015 Session Rae Hodge
Jan 7 Politics Warm Welcome Expected for Local Option Sales Tax in Kentucky Senate FRANKFORT— Democratic and Republican leaders in the Kentucky legislature are in a rare moment of accord on a top issue at the start of the 2015 session. Senate President Robert Stivers, a Manchester Republican, and House Speaker Greg Stumbo, a Democrat out of Prestonsburg, are optimistic about the fate of a constitutional amendment to allow […] By Rae Hodge Jan 7 Politics Warm Welcome Expected for Local Option Sales Tax in Kentucky Senate Rae Hodge
Jan 7 Politics Possible Fix for Kentucky’s No-Jail Jailers: Cutting Their Pay FRANKFORT — Top Kentucky elected officials say a measure could remedy the costly issue of elected county jailers who have no jails to run—slashing their pay scales. The Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting recently revealed that the state has 41 elected jailers in counties where the local jail had been consolidated with neighboring jurisdictions. The […] By Rae Hodge Jan 7 Politics Possible Fix for Kentucky’s No-Jail Jailers: Cutting Their Pay Rae Hodge
Jan 6 Politics Kentucky Capitol Demonstrators Call For Action Against Heroin FRANKFORT — Nearly 130 demonstrators calling for action against the growing epidemic of heroin abuse filled the state Capitol Rotunda on Tuesday, the first day of the Kentucky General Assembly’s 2015 session. Some, like Tina Rowland, carried poster-sized pictures of the family members they’d lost to heroin addiction and overdose. Rowland’s daughter Tabatha was 25 […] By Rae Hodge Jan 6 Politics Kentucky Capitol Demonstrators Call For Action Against Heroin Rae Hodge
Jan 6 Politics Kentucky General Assembly’s 2015 Session Gets Underway FRANKFORT — The first day of the Kentucky General Assembly’s 2015 legislative session kicked off with a flurry of activity. Demonstrators flooded into the Capitol rotunda. Constitutional officers and elected officials of every stripe filled statehouse hallways, and both the Senate and House convened at 12 p.m. in their chambers to elect their leadership and open […] By Rae Hodge Jan 6 Politics Kentucky General Assembly’s 2015 Session Gets Underway Rae Hodge
Jan 5 Politics What To Look For In the Kentucky General Assembly’s 2015 Session The 2015 session of the Kentucky General Assembly gets underway this week, and most of the high-priority bills state lawmakers will grapple with are re-incarnations of last year’s unresolved dilemmas. Here are the old battles that are scheduled to be fought again during the 30-day session, which will be spread out over three months. The […] By Rae Hodge Jan 5 Politics What To Look For In the Kentucky General Assembly’s 2015 Session Rae Hodge
Dec 19 Politics Kentucky House Democrats’ Top Priority: The Local Option Sales Tax FRANKFORT—Kentucky Democratic House leaders announced Friday that their highest priority in the upcoming legislative session will be passing a bill allowing local governments to enact local option sales taxes. The legislation, designated House Bill 1, would allow local governments to put public projects on November ballots, and allow residents to vote on whether they should […] By Rae Hodge Dec 19 Politics Kentucky House Democrats’ Top Priority: The Local Option Sales Tax Rae Hodge