by Kevin Wheatley – FRANKFORT — Faced with declining revenues in the state’s Road Fund due in part to low gas prices, officials with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet said Tuesday that the fund will make minimal progress in the biennium after a $112.5 million shortfall was resolved in the current fiscal year. But after the General Assembly passed…
by PARKER FRANKLIN – The lone dissenter of a Kentucky bill that would establish a statewide definition of bullying says the legislation is too broad. Kentucky’s State House passed HB 316 last week. Under that bill, school boards across the commonwealth would be required to institute anti-bullying rules along with procedures to investigate bullying reports. Advocate Susan Guess, who…
by Erica Peterson – A bill introduced by U.S. Sen. Rand Paul would allow Fort Knox to continue producing natural gas to power the Army base. Almost a year ago, Fort Knox became the first U.S. base to generate all of its own electricity. The move was spurred by the region’s 2009 ice storm; parts of Fort Knox lost power…
by Gina Kinslow, gkinslow@glasgowdailytimes.com – GLASGOW — Members of the State Senate are considering a bill that would prohibit a person under the age of 18 from using a tanning device at a tanning facility, but provide an exemption for medical use of phototherapy devices. Owners of one Glasgow tanning bed business, E-Z Tan Tanning on Shane…
by Valarie Honeycutt Spears, vhoneycutt@herald-leader.com – Kentucky travel industry officials have released a study that contends the early return to school each year is costing the state millions of dollars and thousands of jobs. The travel industry commissioned the study to support a bill that would prevent school districts from starting classes before late August. Many districts return to…
by John Cheves, jcheves@herald-leader.com – Several House members filed a bill Friday to clarify that a contested consumer-protection law was meant to cover all life insurance policies, not just those sold after the law was approved in 2012. House Bill 408 would add language to the Unclaimed Life Insurance Benefits Act to clearly state that it applies to all…
by Stu Johnson, WEKU NEWS – Discussions about Kentucky tax reform have circulated around the state capitol for decades but no comprehensive tax measure has passed. Two state lawmakers say major pension shortfalls could help move the issue along. Governor Matt Bevin says his proposed spending cuts across state government aim to deal with the more than $30…
by Kevin Wheatley – Republicans in three of four special House elections hold a collective 3-to-1 cash advantage on their Democratic opponents, with pro-GOP groups enjoying a $872,377 edge on their counterparts across the aisle with the March 8 contests upcoming, campaign finance filings show. The cash disparity comes less than a month until voters in Scott, Owen, Fayette,…
by Curtis Tate, ctate@mcclatchydc.com – Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said that the next president should be able to choose a successor for the Supreme Court vacancy created Saturday by the death of Justice Antonin Scalia. Both the Senate Judiciary Committee and the full Senate must vote to confirm any nominees to the court, but with the Senate…
by James Bruggers, @jbruggers – The Kentucky Supreme Court decided not to take up the matter after Bluegrass appealed a lower court ruling. STORY HIGHLIGHTS U of L professor calls ruling significant but said companies can find a work-around. Ruling upholds earlier decisions by Judge Phillip Shepherd and a panel of appellate judges. The Kentucky Supreme…