Tagged: Kentucky

Students from all eight of Kentucky’s public universities have once again descended onFrankfort with a familiar message… stop cutting higher education.

At the annual Rally for Higher Education today, the messages were familiar. Students called on lawmakers to restore or increase funding for higher education. In one of the toughest budget cycles yet, that call is once again likely to go unanswered. But that didn’t stop students like Eastern Kentucky University junior Tyler Goodridge from demonstrating.

Changes to Kentucky's special elections procedures could be imminent.

Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes is supporting a bill to reduce the number of polling places for uncontested special elections for legislative seats.

Grimes says the change will save money for her office, county clerks and taxpayers.

"This means that if an uncontested special election is to occur that the voting doesn't have to occur at the numerous precincts through the county but rather at one location or locations designated by the county Board of Elections," Grimes said.

Governor Steve Beshear and other state officials reiterated the importance of a legislative package focused on fighting prescription drug abuse today (Mon). House Speaker Greg Stumbo filed House Bill 4 last week calling for tougher restrictions on pain management clinics and better use of the state’s prescription monitoring system. Stumbo calls the issue a bi-partisan effort.

“It doesn’t matter whose name is on it, it matters what names it saves down the road, what lives it affects, and how it has a positive impact on this problem. And I believe that it will.”

In his inauguration speech, Gov. Steve Beshear spoke about education and the importance of building a generation that can lead Kentucky in the future. But it was a far cry from the pro-coal rhetoric that dominated some of his speeches earlier this year. Beshear’s avoidance of the issue didn’t surprise many observers, who know where the governor stands on coal.