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 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 27 Local News School Construction Could Be A Roadblock in Budget Talks Kentucky lawmakers continue to work on a budget compromise. Both chambers of the General Assembly have approved budget bills and a conference committee has been meeting since Monday to work out the differences. One major point of disagreement is funding for school construction. It’s a priority for the House. But Senators were not ready to […] By Kenny Colston Mar 27 Local News School Construction Could Be A Roadblock in Budget Talks Kenny Colston
Mar 20 Local News Lawmakers Propose Partial Sales Tax Refunds for Residents of Tornado-Stricken Areas Kentucky lawmakers are planning to help home and business owners in tornado-stricken areas. Earlier this month, tornadoes ripped through Northern and Eastern Kentucky, causing millions of dollars in damage. But lawmakers are working on legislation to give storm victims refunds on sales tax for building materials. The plan addresses a concern that people won’t rebuild […] By Kenny Colston Mar 20 Local News Lawmakers Propose Partial Sales Tax Refunds for Residents of Tornado-Stricken Areas Kenny Colston
Mar 15 Local News Senate Passes Bill That Changes Redistricting Process A bill that would alter the section of the state Constitution dealing with redistricting is moving through the state legislature. The Senate took up the measure today. The bill passed mostly on party lines in the Republican-controlled chamber, 27-11. Senate Bill 18 provides more guidance to lawmakers drawing new districts in split counties and gives […] By Kenny Colston Mar 15 Local News Senate Passes Bill That Changes Redistricting Process Kenny Colston
Mar 13 Local News House Judiciary Committee Has First Hearing on PSE Bill A proposal to restrict the purchase of pseudoephedrine-containing medicine is now up for discussion in the Kentucky House of Representatives. The cold medicine is a key ingredient in meth production, and lawmakers hope restricting PSE will reduce meth use in the commonwealth. Earlier this month, the Senate passed a compromise proposal. That bill limits consumers […] By Kenny Colston Mar 13 Local News House Judiciary Committee Has First Hearing on PSE Bill Kenny Colston
Mar 8 Local News Senate Bill Would Amend Constitution on Redistricting, Defer to Federal Law A move to amend the provisions of Kentucky’s constitution that deal with redistricting has been introduced in the state Senate. State Senator Robert Stivers’s bill would change the laws around redistricting, and give more direction for how medium-sized counties could be split. Right now, the constitution says that any county that can be made one […] By Kenny Colston Mar 8 Local News Senate Bill Would Amend Constitution on Redistricting, Defer to Federal Law Kenny Colston
Mar 2 Local News State Senate Passes Bill Regulating PSE Medicine Use A bill regulating the amount of certain cold medicines consumers can buy over the counter has passed the State Senate. The bill is intended to crack down on meth users, who use cold medicine to make the illegal drug. Senate Bill 3 passed after an amendment raised the monthly pseudoephedrine allotment to seven point two […] By Kenny Colston Mar 2 Local News State Senate Passes Bill Regulating PSE Medicine Use Kenny Colston
Mar 1 Local News Current Bill to Regulate PSE Use In Trouble, Another Compromise Possible A bill dealing with pseudoephedrine usage could be in trouble for the second straight legislative session. Supporters of restricting PSE use thought they had a compromise. Previous bills have attempted to make the drug available by prescription only. The latest measure would allow the drug to remain over the counter but limits consumers to three […] By Kenny Colston Mar 1 Local News Current Bill to Regulate PSE Use In Trouble, Another Compromise Possible Kenny Colston
Mar 1 Local News PSE Compromise Passes Committee, Could See Senate Floor Action Today A supposed compromise on a bill aimed at cracking down on meth production in Kentucky is once again making its way through the state Senate. The bill passed committee quickly this morning. The bill’s sponsor, Senator Robert Stivers, says the bill could be voted on the Senate floor as soon as this afternoon. The compromise […] By Kenny Colston Mar 1 Local News PSE Compromise Passes Committee, Could See Senate Floor Action Today Kenny Colston
Feb 23 Local News Stivers Says He’s Considering Compromises on Anti-Meth Bill A Senate bill that would have made pseudoephedrine available by prescription only has surprisingly been killed by its sponsor. State Senator Robert Stivers withdrew Senate Bill 50 Thursday, to the objection of several of his colleagues. Pseudoephedrine, or PSE, is a key ingredient in both over-the-counter cold medicines and meth. The bill was meant to […] By Kenny Colston Feb 23 Local News Stivers Says He’s Considering Compromises on Anti-Meth Bill Kenny Colston
Feb 16 Local News PSE Bill Narrowly Clears Committee A bill that would make pseudoephedrine available only by prescription in Kentucky has cleared its first legislative hurdle. PSE is commonly found in cold medicines and is also used to make meth. The Senate Judiciary Committee heard another hour of testimony on the issue from law enforcement officers and former meth addicts today before passing […] By Kenny Colston Feb 16 Local News PSE Bill Narrowly Clears Committee Kenny Colston
Feb 6 Local News Congressional Filing Deadline Likely to Be Moved Again Kentucky lawmakers are struggling to finalize new Congressional districts. Both chambers approved new maps of the districts last month and have been in a conference committee for weeks to work out the differences. Last week, legislative leaders thought they were close to an agreement that would leave the maps relatively unchanged, but no compromise was […] By Kenny Colston Feb 6 Local News Congressional Filing Deadline Likely to Be Moved Again Kenny Colston
Jan 20 Local News Lawmakers Remain ‘Far Apart’ on New Congressional Map Kentucky’s congressional delegation will have to wait a little longer to find out who exactly they’ll represent this year. Legislative leaders are trying to work out a compromise on new congressional redistricting maps, having already passed maps of their own districts and their own versions of the congressional map. The congressional map is currently in […] By Kenny Colston Jan 20 Local News Lawmakers Remain ‘Far Apart’ on New Congressional Map Kenny Colston