Kentucky General Assembly

Kentucky lawmakers have spent a lot of time talking about the state’s teacher shortage this legislative session. So what did they do toaddress the issue?Jefferson County Teachers’ Association President Brent McKim said some bills around licensure and student behavior may aid schools in hiring and retention, but other measures limiting academic freedom could make the state’s teacher shortage evenworse.

Amid culture war clashes over LGBTQ-inclusive school policies, Kentucky lawmakers passed a bill that would give the GOP-controlled Senate the power to confirm or deny the state’s education commissioner.

The Kentucky House Education Committee advanced a measure on Tuesday that would enshrine into state law the First Amendment rights of public school staff to engage in “private religious expression” while on thejob.“It was a sad day in America when the Bible was taken out of schools,” bill sponsor Republican Rep. Chris Fugate of Chavies told the committee.

The lawsuit seeks the authority to impose a restaurant tax on prepared food and beverages. Under current state statute, only certain small cities can enact a restaurant tax to help fund local tourism.

Kentucky education leaders are warning of dire consequences if more isn’t done to address the growing teacher shortage.

The ACLU of Kentucky is calling for state lawmakers to uphold reproductive rights, reform the criminal justice system and pass a statewide fairness ordinance protecting LGBTQ people from discrimination.

Gov. Andy Beshear delivered his fourth State of the Commonwealth address on Wednesday, focusing on economic wins, rebuilding eastern Kentucky after historic flooding and calling on the GOP-led legislature to legalize medical cannabis.

Kentucky Secretary of State Michael Adams called for increasing the number of voting locations during a Wednesday debrief of the November election.

A Republican lawmaker has pre-filed two bills targeting transgender individuals, one of which includes a “bathroom bill” that previously failed in the Kentucky Legislature.

Investments in public safety are a priority for Gov. Andy Beshear as he offered another preview of his budget proposal for the 2022 fiscal year. Kentucky…