by JOSH JAMES – In less than two weeks, Republican voters in Kentucky will head to the state’s first presidential caucus in more than three decades, but the process won’t be much different from a typical primary election. For curious voters expecting lively election day speeches, coin tosses, and campaign operatives herding them into different corners, the…
by Nathan Lyttle – FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) – The Kentucky Chamber of Commerce says it will pay for billboards and newspaper ads to raise awareness about Kentucky’s public pension debt. Kentucky Chamber President and CEO Dave Adkisson said Kentucky’s $36 billion public pension debt would require every Kentuckian to pay $8,268 just to pay it off. He said the…
by Ja’Nel Johnson – A new study says the number of low-income Kentuckians without health insurance declined by 68 percent in the first year of the state’s Medicaid expansion. The research was conducted by the University of Louisville’s School of Public Health and Information Sciences Department of Health Management and Systems Sciences by faculty members Joseph Benitez, Liza…
by The Associated Press – FRANKFORT, KY. — Kentucky’s Supreme Court has set some conditions on what types of political comments judicial candidates can make when running for judgeships. The state’s high court ruled Thursday that it’s permissible for judicial candidates to identify themselves as Democrats or Republicans. Candidates also can refer to themselves as the only…
BY CURTIS TATE, ctate@mcclatchydc.com – WASHINGTON — Kentucky Democrats are looking to Lexington Mayor Jim Gray to challenge Republican Sen. Rand Paul, who recently ended his presidential bid. But in spite of his polished appearance and business success, Gray has a big obstacle to overcome: the ‘D’ that comes after his name. In a state where registered Democrats…
by James Bruggers, @jbruggers – Two veteran public servants in the state’s Energy and Environment Cabinet have lost their jobs, including a former air division chief who had been guiding the state’s response to President Barack Obama’s new climate pollution regulations. John Lyons was named assistant secretary for climate policy in 2013 by former Gov. Steve…
by John Cheves, jcheves@herald-leader.com – FRANKFORT — The state’s Kynect health insurance exchange is a financially unsustainable boondoggle that has cost $330 million, Gov. Matt Bevin’s top health officials told lawmakers at the Capitol Tuesday. Additionally, state spending on Medicaid will jump by 20 percent in the next two-year budget, to $3.7 billion, as federal support declines, they said.…
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…