From Kentucky Public Radio's Tony McVeighHealth care, not gambling issues, attracted the most lobbying dollars during the regular session of the 2009 Kentucky General Assembly.The Legislative Ethics Commission’s July report indicates health care interests spent $1.3 million lobbying lawmakers during the 2009 regular session.Energy and utility groups were second, spending $561,000. Racing and gambling interests were third, spending $419,000. Next were public and private organizations, tobacco interests, banking and financial services and the insurance industry.Total spending on lobbying in the first four months of 2009 was $6.7 million. During the same period, lobbyists reported spending zero dollars on food and beverages for individual lawmakers.
Rick Howlett was midday host and the host of LPM's weekly talk show, "In Conversation." He was with LPM from 2001-2023 and held many different titles, including Morning Edition host, Assignment Editor and Interim News Director. He died in August 2023. Read a remembrance of Rick here.
