Study: Medicaid Expansion Led To Dramatic Drop In Kentucky Uninsured

by Ja’Nel Johnson – A new study says the number of low-income Kentuckians without health insurance declined by 68 percent in the first year of the state’s Medicaid expansion. The research was conducted by the University of Louisville’s School of Public Health and Information Sciences Department of Health Management and Systems Sciences by faculty members Joseph Benitez, Liza…

Ky. Supreme Court rules in judicial campaign case

by The Associated Press – FRANKFORT, KY. — Kentucky’s Supreme Court has set some conditions on what types of political comments judicial candidates can make when running for judgeships. The state’s high court ruled Thursday that it’s permissible for judicial candidates to identify themselves as Democrats or Republicans. Candidates also can refer to themselves as the only…

Kentucky’s top climate official sent packing

by James Bruggers, @jbruggers – Two veteran public servants in the state’s Energy and Environment Cabinet have lost their jobs, including a former air division chief who had been guiding the state’s response to President Barack Obama’s new climate pollution regulations. John Lyons was named assistant secretary for climate policy in 2013 by former Gov. Steve…

Kynect was not sustainable, Kentucky officials say

by John Cheves, [email protected] –  FRANKFORT — The state’s Kynect health insurance exchange is a financially unsustainable boondoggle that has cost $330 million, Gov. Matt Bevin’s top health officials told lawmakers at the Capitol Tuesday. Additionally, state spending on Medicaid will jump by 20 percent in the next two-year budget, to $3.7 billion, as federal support declines, they said.…

Acting Transportation Cabinet head sees no need for new Road Fund formula after weathering nine-figure shortfall

by Kevin Wheatley – FRANKFORT — Faced with declining revenues in the state’s Road Fund due in part to low gas prices, officials with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet said Tuesday that the fund will make minimal progress in the biennium after a $112.5 million shortfall was resolved in the current fiscal year. But after the General Assembly passed…

State Rep. Lynn Bechler Explains Reason for Sole Dissenting Vote on Bullying Bill

by PARKER FRANKLIN –  The lone dissenter of a Kentucky bill that would establish a statewide definition of bullying says the legislation is too broad. Kentucky’s State House passed HB 316 last week. Under that bill, school boards across the commonwealth would be required to institute anti-bullying rules along with procedures to investigate bullying reports. Advocate Susan Guess, who…