Apr 24 Local News Beshear Signs Prescription Pill Bill Into Law Kentucky lawmakers and Governor Steve Beshear are applauding the passage of a bill aimed at reducing prescription pill abuse. Beshear signed the pill bill today, inviting key legislators and law enforcement officers to take part in the ceremony. The new law isn’t as tough as some had hoped. But House Speaker Greg Stumbo says changes […] By Kenny Colston Apr 24 Local News Beshear Signs Prescription Pill Bill Into Law Kenny Colston
Apr 19 Local News Rx Pill Bill Delayed as Senate Takes a Second Look A bill aimed at cracking down on prescription pill abuse could be stalled once again in the Kentucky Senate. Senate leaders say they are still reviewing the bill, which would enhance the KASPER tracking system and make it part of the attorney general’s office. The chamber is taking an extra day to look over the […] By Kenny Colston Apr 19 Local News Rx Pill Bill Delayed as Senate Takes a Second Look Kenny Colston
Apr 18 Local News House Passes Special Session Pill Bill, Road Plan Funding The Kentucky House of Representatives has passed both bills on its agenda for this year’s special session. House lawmakers approved both the road plan funding bill and a measure to crack down on prescription pill abuse today by wide margins. The more contentious of the two bills was the prescription pill legislation. The House and […] By Kenny Colston Apr 18 Local News House Passes Special Session Pill Bill, Road Plan Funding Kenny Colston
Apr 17 Local News Return of Original Rx Pill Bill Starts a New Fight Over the Issue A change to the so-called pill bill in Frankfort has restarted the fight over the measure in the General Assembly. Prescription abuse is rampant in Kentucky, and the bill strengthens restrictions on the drugs and who can sell them. The measure didn’t clear the General Assembly during this year’s regular session, and lawmakers have been […] By Kenny Colston Apr 17 Local News Return of Original Rx Pill Bill Starts a New Fight Over the Issue Kenny Colston
Apr 16 Local News Kentucky’s Special Session Begins Kentucky lawmakers have returned to the capitol for a special session, and it’s not clear how long they’ll remain in Frankfort to finish their work. The House gaveled in at noon today and quickly filed two bills. One measure cracks down on prescription pill abuse and another funds the state road plan. Neither measure cleared […] By Kenny Colston Apr 16 Local News Kentucky’s Special Session Begins Kenny Colston
Apr 12 Local News Stumbo Says House Won’t Override Budget Vetoes, Giving Beshear the Final Word Governor Steve Beshear’s 45 vetoes to the executive branch budget will remain intact. House Speaker Greg Stumbo says the House Democratic caucus chose not to override any vetoes, despite the objections of individual lawmakers. “But collectively as a body the caucus chose to support the governor’s decisions to veto. He gave a very good presentation […] By Kenny Colston Apr 12 Local News Stumbo Says House Won’t Override Budget Vetoes, Giving Beshear the Final Word Kenny Colston
Apr 12 Local News Lawmakers Reach Deal on Road Plan, But Don’t Pass Funding Mechanism Kentucky lawmakers have reached a late night agreement on a road plan. The House and the Senate finally compromised on two-year and six-year road plans early this morning. House Speaker Greg Stumbo says the impasse was finally broken at about the same time the budget conference committee passed their compromise two weeks ago. “3 o’ […] By Kenny Colston Apr 12 Local News Lawmakers Reach Deal on Road Plan, But Don’t Pass Funding Mechanism Kenny Colston
Apr 3 Local News Future of Coal County Scholarship Program Uncertain A bill to create a scholarship fund to help students from coal mining counties in Kentucky finish their education is once again in limbo. House Bill 260 would create a fund to give scholarships to college juniors and seniors who finish their degrees at schools in coal-producing counties. The program was originally meant only for […] By Kenny Colston Apr 3 Local News Future of Coal County Scholarship Program Uncertain Kenny Colston
Apr 2 Local News Prescription Pill Bill Will Be Voted on After Veto Recess Confusion and last-minute lobbying have potentially derailed what some Kentucky lawmakers considered the hallmark of the current legislative session. House Bill 4 is better known as the prescription pill bill. It’s centerpiece is the transfer of the KASPER drug tracking system to the attorney general’s office. Late last week, it appeared lawmakers had struck a […] By Kenny Colston Apr 2 Local News Prescription Pill Bill Will Be Voted on After Veto Recess Kenny Colston
Mar 30 Local News Road Plan Vote Delayed to Last Day of Session Kentucky lawmakers are unlikely to approve new two-year and six-year road plans in time to override any gubernatorial vetoes. The conference committee working on the plans did not come to a compromise late last night, significantly decreasing the potential for a deal today. The plans fund many projects, including the widening of Interstate 65, the […] By Kenny Colston Mar 30 Local News Road Plan Vote Delayed to Last Day of Session Kenny Colston
Mar 29 Local News Lawmakers Reach Compromise on Tax Amnesty Program Kentucky lawmakers seem to have reached an agreement on a bill to restart a tax amnesty program. The program allows Kentuckians with delinquent taxes to apply for reduced payments. Governor Steve Beshear proposed the program to help raise revenue. The House scaled back Beshear’s original proposal, and the Senate made further revisions. But legislative leaders have decided […] By Kenny Colston Mar 29 Local News Lawmakers Reach Compromise on Tax Amnesty Program Kenny Colston
Mar 29 Local News Budget Compromise Expands Coal County Scholarship Fund A scholarship program intended to serve college students in far eastern Kentucky has been expanded. What was originally called the Appalachian Scholarship Fund has been expanded to all coal-producing counties in Kentucky, including those in the western portion of the state. The program applies to students in the last two years of their education who attend […] By Kenny Colston Mar 29 Local News Budget Compromise Expands Coal County Scholarship Fund Kenny Colston
Mar 29 Local News Expansion of Preschool Funding Cut in Budget Compromise An effort by Governor Steve Beshear to expand preschool services in the commonwealth did not make it into the final state budget. Beshear put a $15 million appropriation for preschool in his budget proposal. The House cut that figure in half and funded other education programs with what was left. The Senate struck all the […] By Kenny Colston Mar 29 Local News Expansion of Preschool Funding Cut in Budget Compromise Kenny Colston
Mar 29 Local News Lawmakers Reach Early Morning Budget Compromise After a night of discussions, Kentucky lawmakers have finally reached a budget agreement. Negotiations on a budget compromise began Monday. By Tuesday, talks had stalled. Lawmakers were unable to work out differences over funding school construction, paying for indigent care at University Hospital in Louisville and reducing bonded debt. House and Senate leaders resolved their […] By Kenny Colston Mar 29 Local News Lawmakers Reach Early Morning Budget Compromise Kenny Colston
Mar 28 Local News Stumbo Says Budget Talks Have Stalled Budget talks in Frankfort appear to have stalled. Lawmakers have met for three straight days, usually twice a day, to resolve differences between budget proposals passed by the House and Senate. But there are firm disagreements over school construction, cuts to the governor’s office and coal severance projects. House Speaker Greg Stumbo says the Senate […] By Kenny Colston Mar 28 Local News Stumbo Says Budget Talks Have Stalled Kenny Colston