News and Music Discovery
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Beshear Reacts to Kentucky Legislative Research Commission Audit

Legislative Research Commission

A performance audit of the Legislative Research Commission has blamed poor staff morale on outdated management practices, a lack of communication and decision-making that isn't transparent.

Governor Steve Beshear says a draft report shows a need for reforms.

"Some of the policies and procedures are outdated and need to be modernized," Beshear told WKU Public Radio.  "Pay equity is an issue, promotions.  Getting all those things into a more modern platform would make sense for them and for the public."

The long-anticipated performance audit conducted by the National Council of State Legislatures gives scant attention to the issue that led to the review—workplace sexual harassment.

The Legislative Research Commission provides staff and support to Kentucky state legislators. The agency came under scrutiny in 2013 after three Statehouse staffers accused then-state Representative John Arnold of sexual harassment, and claimed that the LRC had done little to protect them. 

But the report says little about the accusations of sexual harassment in the LRC and the General Assembly, though it did provide a review of the LRC’s sexual harassment training practices. It also recommended that harassment training for LRC staff be dovetailed with training for legislators at the beginning of each session. 

Though he denied the sexual harassment accusation, Arnold resigned in 2013 and was later fined by the state legislative ethics commission. LRC executive director Robert Sherman also retired amid the controversy.

Lisa is a Scottsville native and WKU alum. She has worked in radio as a news reporter and anchor for 18 years. Prior to joining WKU Public Radio, she most recently worked at WHAS in Louisville and WLAC in Nashville. She has received numerous awards from the Associated Press, including Best Reporter in Kentucky. Many of her stories have been heard on NPR.
Ryland Barton is the Managing Editor for Collaboratives for Kentucky Public Radio, a group of public radio stations including WKMS, WFPL in Louisville, WEKU in Richmond and WKYU in Bowling Green. A native of Lexington, Ryland most recently served as the Capitol Reporter for Kentucky Public Radio. He has covered politics and state government for NPR member stations KWBU in Waco and KUT in Austin.
Related Content