Rae Hodge is senior political journalism major at the University of Louisville, graduating in May 2013. She is the Editor-in-Chief of The Louisville Cardinal, and is an intern for Kentucky Public Radio in the state Capitol.
With no deal and time running out, a special session is becoming more likely for Kentucky lawmakers to reform the underfunded pension programs for state employees, Gov. Steve Beshear said on Tuesday.
Gambling brings social ills that will offset any tax revenue to Kentucky, argued a new group that rallied Wednesday in the Capitol Rotunda. About 30 people joined the group Stop Predatory Gambling Kentucky for the rally, where speakers dismissed efforts in the General Assembly to expand gambling through casinos or Instant Racing.
Voting along strict party lines, the Kentucky Senate has approved a bill that would allow persistently low-performing public schools to become charter schools.
Legislative pension reform is progressing through the Kentucky General Assembly. Senate Bill 7 would keep new legislators from participating in the Kentucky Employees Retirement System. It is aimed at preventing the addition of new burdens to Kentucky's pension system, despite the fact that legislator's pensions are generally well-funded.
Senate President Robert Stivers praised the bipartisan effort in his chamber to solve Kentucky's underfunded pension problem.
In the wake of the high-profile Savannah Dietrich court case, a bill in the Kentucky House would prevent judges from issuing gag orders against sexual assault victims undergoing trial in juvenile court.
Originally published on Wed February 27, 2013 1:32 pm
Kentucky state Senate Democrats are largely lukewarm about the potential for actress and activist Ashley Judd entering the 2014 race for the U.S. Senate seat now held by Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell.
The state Senate has passed a bill that allows Kentucky military personnel to register to vote and receive ballots electronically—but they'll have to use snail mail to send the ballots back.
The bill's authors wanted to let deployed Kentuckians vote electronically, but State Senate President Robert Stivers doesn't believe that would be safe.
"If somebody does something to my bank book by electronic means I'll know it," he said."If I happen to get a lesser tax bill or greater tax bill I will know it. Once you cast your ballot, there's no way to know what happened to that ballot."
Seeking the passage of three pieces of legislation protecting against discrimination based on sexual orientation, more than 200 people rallied on Wednesday in the Capitol Rotunda with Kentucky's Fairness Campaign.
Rep. Mary Lou Marzian, a Democrat of Louisville, is sponsoring a bill that would prevent employers from discriminating against employees based on sexual orientation. The bill, along with Senate Bill 28, would also make it illegal for landlords and real estate agents to discriminate on those grounds.
House Bill 7 allows six of the state's eight public universities to use bonds and other means to fund projects like building renovations, construction and renovations to Commonwealth Stadium. And it passed the Senate budget committee unanimously Thursday.
A bill that would effectively block grocery stores from selling wine and liquor—and ban wine and liquor sales in new pharmacies—was approved today in a state House committee.
Under the legislation, grocery stores could still sell alcohol from an adjoined structure with a separate entrance.
Current law does not allow people younger than 21 to enter a place which sells wine and package liquor, which has prevented sales in grocery stores in the past.
