By Tony McVeigh
Frankfort, KY – The 2011 session of the Kentucky General Assembly resumes today in Frankfort. Lawmakers met for four days in early January, mostly to elect officers, but the Senate also approved a host of bills backed by that chamber's Republican majority.
In coming days, the Democratically-controlled House will take up the Senate bills, which address issues like immigration enforcement, charter schools, tax reform, Medicaid fraud and government transparency.
Tonight, Gov. Steve Beshear will deliver his fourth State of the Commonwealth address since taking office in December 2007.
The governor's expected to urge lawmakers to raise the state's dropout age from 16 to 18, and approve his plan for addressing a huge deficit in the Medicaid budget.
Only 26 days remain in the 30-day session, which began January 4 and is scheduled to adjourn on March 22.