Government

Illinois lawmakers looking for ways to cut expenses in the state’s Medicaid program may consider the big-ticket cost of prescription drugs as a tempting target. Prescriptions cost the Illinois Medicaid program more than $1 billion a year. Medicaid covers drugs for a wide variety of illnesses, from asthma to schizophrenia, for the poor and disabled. Legislators are looking at other states for ideas. Tennessee, for example, limits adults to five prescriptions each month.

As the 2012 legislative session winds down, lawmakers aren’t touting a long list of accomplishments.  They say that’s not due to a lack of work, but mainly a lack of extra money to fund new programs or expand others.  Instead, House Speaker Greg Stumbo says the main highlights will be a three-bill attack on Kentucky’s drug abuse problems and passing general and road budgets before the end of the session.  In recent years, lawmakers haven’t even been able to pass budgets on time. So Stumbo says this year is a return to normal.

Earlier this month, Republican National Committee co-chair Sharon Day spoke in Murray at the Purchase and Lakes Area Lincoln/Reagan Day Dinner.  She rallied the party in advance of Kentucky’s May 22nd GOP primary.  Before Day arrived, Chad Lampe spoke with her by phone about her message for Commonwealth Republicans and about the rise in profile of smaller GOP primaries, like Kentucky, in light of a bruising presidential nominating contest.

You hear Kenny’s reports daily on WKMS Newscasts. This week, Kentucky’s Senate passed their budget proposals for state government, approved a measure supporting Paducah’s Gaseous Diffusion Plant, and decisively put an end to pensions for Confederate veterans.  Kentucky Public Radio Capitol Bureau Chief Kenny Colston speaks with Rick Howlett about what else happened this past week in Frankfort.

 House Speaker Greg Stumbo says his chamber's priorities for the next two-year budget are not that different from the Senate's.

Both chambers have passed their own budget bills for each branch of state government. The two sides must now work out a compromise. Stumbo says he doesn't have many concerns with the Senate's changes and he expects a conference committee to hatch a compromise quickly.

Anne Pope has been named executive director of the Tennessee Arts Commission. Pope is a former commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, and executive director of the Tennessee Film, Entertainment and Music Commission. She also served as federal co-chair of the Appalachian Regional Commission. Most recently Pope was executive director of the Tennessee STEM Innovation Network, which promotes the teaching of science, technology, engineering and mathematics in public schools. Pope succeeds Rich Boyd, who retired after 28 years in the post.