By Associated Press
Frankfort, KY – Kentucky's Legislative Ethics Commission is reporting special interests spent $7 million lobbying state lawmakers from January through April. Most of that money, just over 6 million dollars, was paid to the lobbyists who push for legislation benefiting their employers. The Legislative Ethics Commission monitors that spending. So far this year, the health care industry has spent the most, putting $1.5 million in lobbying efforts at the state Capitol. Hospital operators accounted for about $300,000 of that. Among the biggest spenders, the Kentucky Hospital Association spent $56,000. Norton Healthcare spent over 44 thousand. Baptist Healthcare System spent just under 44 thousand.