Research that works for Kentucky
The Impact of Diverting Public Money to Private School Vouchers in Kentucky
This November, Kentuckians will vote on an amendment to the state constitution that would permit the General Assembly to spend public money on private schools.
Budget & Tax
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The Impact of Diverting Public Money to Private School Vouchers in Kentucky
This November, Kentuckians will vote on an amendment to the state constitution that would permit the General Assembly to spend public money on private schools.
The Income Tax Was Never Going to Be Eliminated. But Admitting So Matters.
An important shift may have happened last month when the Kentucky House Speaker said the...
Budget Agreement Maintains Modest Spending for Education and Other Needs Despite Funds Available to Do More
The final budget agreement spends significant dollars out of the Budget Reserve Trust Fund (BRTF)...
Senate Budget Includes Much More Infrastructure Spending, Remains Austere When It Comes to Other Needs
The Senate has proposed a budget that spends significant dollars out of the Budget Reserve...
Criminal Justice
![More Kids Will Be Locked in Kentucky’s Troubled Juvenile Detention Facilities Due to Laws Going Into Effect This Month](https://kypolicy.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/More-Kids-Will-Be-Locked-in-Kentuckys-Troubled-Juvenile-Detention-Facilities-Due-to-Laws-Going-Into-Effect-This-Month--480x345.png)
More Kids Will Be Locked in Kentucky’s Troubled Juvenile Detention Facilities Due to Laws Going Into Effect This Month
Several of the most harmful criminal legal system policy changes in recent Kentucky history go into effect this month, increasing incarceration among children and adults alike.
The 2024 Kentucky General Assembly Was the Most Regressive for Criminal Legal System Policies in Recent Memory
More than any legislative session in recent memory, the 2024 Kentucky General Assembly doubled down...
Senate Bill 20 Would Allow More Children to Be Prosecuted as Adults
Prosecuting children in adult court leads to harsher consequences and harmful long-term outcomes, both for...
Crime Statistics Do Not Support Claims of a Crime Wave in Kentucky
The sponsors of House Bill (HB) 5, which will significantly increase incarceration in Kentucky by...
Economic Security
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Tracking SNAP in Kentucky
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a vital source of assistance that helps put food on the table for hundreds of thousands of Kentuckians.
The General Assembly Took Small Steps to Reduce Hunger in 2024 But Could Have Gone Much Further
The General Assembly took meaningful but modest steps toward alleviating hunger in Kentucky during this...
Final State Budget Should Do More for Child Care to Protect Families and Jobs
The recently released Senate budget proposal includes $39 million in new spending on child care...
The Care Crunch: Survey Shows Kentucky Families Are Struggling to Afford Child Care
Kentucky parents with kids in child care are cutting back on essential family needs delaying...
Education
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The Impact of Diverting Public Money to Private School Vouchers in Kentucky
This November, Kentuckians will vote on an amendment to the state constitution that would permit the General Assembly to spend public money on private schools.
In Jefferson County, Privatizing School Funding Is About Undermining Democracy
This November, Kentuckians will vote on whether to change our state constitution to allow public...
Kentucky Average Teacher Pay Fails to Keep Up with Inflation in Most Districts, Remains Far Behind 2008 Levels
In 80% of Kentucky school districts, average classroom teacher salaries declined in the current school...
When Higher Ed Is a Lower Priority: Kentucky Campus Workers Sound the Alarm
Kentucky’s eight public universities and its community college system are invaluable resources to the students...
Health Care
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Medicaid Renewal Process Underway for the First Time Since Start of Pandemic
Kentucky, like every other state, is re-starting its Medicaid renewals process after a three-year pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing downturn.
Nearly 250,000 Kentuckians Covered by Medicaid Will Need to Take Action to Stay Covered
For the past three years, 1.7 million Kentuckians on Medicaid have not had to take...
Kentucky Will Start Providing 10,000 More New Mothers with a Year of Postpartum Medicaid Coverage
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) just approved a plan to allow Kentuckians...
Coalition Letter: Kentucky General Assembly Must Use Special Session to Protect the Health of Kentuckians, Our Workforce and Our Children’s Education
A coalition of Kentucky organizations sent this letter to the Kentucky General Assembly on September...
Jobs & The Economy
![Kentuckys Kids Dont Need Us to Drag Child Labor Laws Back to the 19th Century](https://kypolicy.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Kentuckys-Kids-Dont-Need-Us-to-Drag-Child-Labor-Laws-Back-to-the-19th-Century-480x345.png)
Kentucky’s Kids Don’t Need Us to Drag Child Labor Laws Back to the 19th Century
When I was 16, I nearly sliced two fingers off my left hand while working at a plastics factory.
The Right to a Break Is Just One of the Worker Freedoms on the Line
Lawmakers in Frankfort set off a firestorm last week when they passed House Bill (HB)...
House Bill 500 Takes Away Kentucky Workers’ Lunch and Rest Breaks and Cuts Their Pay
House Bill (HB) 500, which may receive a vote in the full House soon, would...
HB 465 Will Further Undermine Worker Protections and Job Quality
Kentucky already has a growing problem with worker misclassification, in which employers inaccurately and often...