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Kentucky House Speaker Says Session Could End Without Budget

LRC Public Information

Kentucky House Speaker Greg Stumbo is suggesting that the current general assembly session may end without passage of a state budget. 

The house and senate budget conferees met during a public session this afternoon. Stumbo says the prospects of reaching agreement on a spending plan are slim.

“Well, I thought this morning there was a glimmer of hope but it seems that’s vanished in the afternoon session,” Stumbo said. “So I think we’re still philosophically light-years apart."

Senate Majority Floor Leader Damon Thayer agrees that talks are currently at an impasse. 

“There’s a long time between now and midnight on April 12, so I’m not going to make a prediction like that,” Thayer said. “But for now, we’re definitely at a standstill.”

Thayer says the senate majority wants to back up Bevin’s plan to put as much money as possible into stabilizing the pension plans.

Conferees are scheduled to meet again at 6 P.M. Monday evening. If they cannot agree on a compromise budget, Stumbo says the governor could only spend money for public protection, education, and federally mandated items. 

The governor would also have to call lawmakers into a special session before the end of June to try to adopt a state budget. 

Stu Johnson is a reporter/producer at WEKU in Lexington, Kentucky.