Kentucky Chamber of Commerce holds 2024 legislative preview in Lexington

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) - With the Kentucky general assembly meeting in just under two months, legislators met at the Central Bank Center in Lexington about what Kentuckians can expect out of lawmakers this upcoming session.

“We’re going to lead with a conservative bend,” said Senate Majority Floor Leader Damon Thayer. “That is the mandate we have, and we feel very strongly about our position and we’re going to lead from a position of strength.”

Monday’s conference, hosted by the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, focused on a wide range of topics, from healthcare, to infrastructure, to the workforce.

One fixture of the upcoming session will be the need to pass a two-year budget and a road plan. The Kentucky legislature must pass one every even-numbered year.

“We have a lot of members in the House and the Senate who will be experiencing the budget and the road plan for the first time, so it’s going to take a little extra time and energy on those two issues,” said Sen. Thayer.

Another topic that both parties are discussing is education, with Republicans advocating for increased parental oversight in their child’s education, including choosing where their child attends school.

“I would anticipate there will be legislation to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot that would give the general assembly more flexibility to offer more school choice for Kentucky,” said Rep. James Tipton (R-Taylorsville).

Gov. Andy Beshear’s “Education First” Plan, which he released in Aug., focuses on increasing teacher pay and fully funding pre-K. Gov. Beshear’s team directed WKYT to an Aug. statement that reads, “The biggest difference between the governor’s last budget proposal and the general assembly’s enacted budget was the lack of funding for education.”

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