Consensus on road plan likely not to come until next week

Despite earlier optimism that an agreed-upon road plan would be completed by the end of this week, work will continue over the weekend by House and Senate leaders to try to iron out a compromise. 
“We have no agreement at this particular juncture,” Senate President David Williams said Friday morning during a press conference with House [...]

NKY makes pitch for federal, toll-free bridge funding

Members of northern Kentucky’s Congressional delegation and local officials are in Washington this week to lobby for federal funding to replace the Brent Spence Bridge. 
While Congress works on a transportation spending bill, those involved in the lobbying effort are hoping to secure between $500 million and $800 million of the $3 billion required to build [...]

Deputy cabinet secretary placed on leave following EPO

Steve Nunn, a former state legislator, deputy state cabinet secretary and son of former Gov. Louie Nunn, has been placed on leave after an emergency protective order was filed against him alleging he struck a woman. 
Reporter Ronnie Ellis with CNHI has the story about Nunn, who ran for governor in 2003, left the legislature in [...]

Payday lending bill clears committee, critics say bill doesn’t go far enough

A proposed system to help keep people from accumulating too much debt through payday loans cleared a House committee on Wednesday, but has predatory lending opponents saying the measure doesn’t go far enough.
 House Bill 444 is a revised and stripped-down version of House Bill 500 offered during last year’s session by Rep. Johnny Bell, a [...]

Notes from the House floor

Just a couple of funny happenings on the House floor during the orders of the day today - 

Rep. Reggie Meeks, a Louisville Democrat, introduced his House Bill 160 today by saying it was “recycled” from last year’s bill that outlined proposed to changes in state law governing reporting recycling initiatives in state government. The line [...]

Beshear releases general plan for use of federal stimulus dollars

Gov.  Steve Beshear released a general overview of how Kentucky will use the estimated $3 billion the state expects to receive under the federal economic stimulus package. 
Beshear released the breakdown following a press conference this afternoon with Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson about the plan. 
The governor plans to create a state Web site to track the [...]

Bill targeting “ambulance chasers” passes committee

A bill that would prohibit chiropractors and other businesses in “the healing arts” from soliciting those involved in accidents for 30 days after the accident was passed without opposition by the House Banking and Insurance Committee this morning. 
House Bill 412 mirrors a law already on the books that prohibits attorneys from soliciting business from someone involved [...]

Full text of President Obama’s address to Congress

Here’s the text of President Barack Obama’s address to a joint session of Congress Tuesday night, courtesy of the White House press office. 
Madame Speaker, Mr. Vice President, Members of Congress, and the First Lady of the United States:
I’ve come here tonight not only to address the distinguished men and women in this great chamber, but [...]

Beshear to talk about stimulus plan today in Louisville

Gov. Steve Beshear will be talking more today about Kentucky’s share of the recently passed federal economic stimulus package at a press conference with Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson. 
The press conference follows Beshear’s trip to Washington D.C. this past weekend for the National Governors Association winter conference that included meetings with President Barack Obama. 
Some details about [...]

Reactions to Obama’s address

Here are a couple of official statements from Kentucky’s elected officials following President Barack Obama’s address to a joint session of Congress Tuesday night.
From U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell -
“Tonight Kentuckians and all Americans were proud eyewitnesses to history as an African-American president addressed a joint session of Congress for the first time.
“Over the years, there [...]