by Ryland Barton – State Lawmakers on Friday will hear the “pros and cons” of legalizing marijuana for medical purposes. It’s the first hearing in which representatives from both sides of the issue will present their arguments to the interim Licensing, Occupations and Administrative Regulations Committee. State legislators have long been hesitant about throwing support behind the…
HYDEN, Ky. (WYMT) – An audit of the Leslie County Sheriff’s Office revealed several things the Attorney General’s Office, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and the Leslie County Attorney will need to look at, according to a report released Tuesday from State Auditor Mike Harmon. Former Leslie County Sheriff Paul Howard left office in 2014. According to the…
by Kevin Wheatley, @KWheatley_cn2 – Gov. Matt Bevin is asking businesses, cabinet secretaries and state employees to identify unnecessary state regulations as he looks to make the state more business-friendly. Bevin’s administration unveiled his Red Tape Reduction initiative on Wednesday, promising to cut the more than 4,500 regulations on Kentucky’s books. In a news release, Bevin’s office said…
by ALLISON CRAWFORD – Eight western Kentucky elementary schools are among 63 schools across the state receiving funding for kindergarten readiness programs. United Way Born Learning Academies will be available at schools in McCracken, McLean, Christian, Daviess, Graves, Union, and Webster counties this fall. The program began in 2012 with a $1 million grant from Toyota and…
by RYLAND BARTON – Liberal state lawmakers have for 16 years pushed for a bill that would amend Kentucky’s civil rights code to protect people from discrimination in the workplace, housing and other areas based on their sexual orientation. Dubbed the fairness bill, the measure has gotten considerable attention from the press and advocates each year it’s…
by The Associated Press – FRANKFORT, KY. — Gov. Matt Bevin has appointed a new judge-executive for Webster County in western Kentucky. Bevin selected Stephen Henry of Providence to replace the county’s longtime judge-executive, James Townsend, who resigned. Bevin’s office says Henry is a lifelong Webster County resident who became the county’s first 911 coordinator while…
by Joseph Gerth, @Joe_Gerth – Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer called for state legislation that would allow local governments to pass gun control measures in an effort to deal with rising murder rates in places like Louisville and other urban areas. “Here in Kentucky, we need to give cities and counties … the right to protect their…
by JOSH JAMES – The sponsor of a 2016 Kentucky bill that shares some provisions with a recently gutted Texas abortion law says he intends to reintroduce some form of the bill again during next year’s legislative session. In a landmark decision Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court dealt a blow to anti-abortion advocates by voiding parts of a 2013…
by Kevin Wheatley, @KWheatley_cn2 – FRANKFORT — An overflow crowd gathered in the Capitol Annex Wednesday afternoon to voice either their support or concerns with Gov. Matt Bevin’s administration’s proposed Medicaid waiver program, Kentucky HEALTH, that will go before the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services on Aug. 1. The meeting also included the Advisory Council for Medical Assistance, which…
The Associated Press – DANVILLE, KY. — The Danville City Commission has passed a resolution opposing the conversion of a natural gas pipeline to carry potentially hazardous natural gas solids through Boyle County. The Advocate-Messenger reports (http://bit.ly/297GU7s) the resolution, passed Monday, cites concerns over the volatility of Natural Gas Solids and the potential harm a leak…