Research that works for Kentucky
Immigrants Are a Vital Part of Kentucky Communities
Just as we came together from different places and races to build Kentucky in the past, immigrants play a vital role in Kentucky now, and are a critical part of Kentucky’s future wellbeing.
Budget & Tax
Another Income Tax Cut Will Dig the Hole Deeper
Kentucky lawmakers are expected to vote early in the legislative session on another half-point cut to the individual income tax rate, a drop from 4% to 3.5%.
Legislature Moved Goalposts to Meet Conditions for Tax Cuts Whose Bill Is Now Coming Due
The conditions have been met for the General Assembly to potentially cut the individual income...
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 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...
Criminal Justice
New FBI Data Shows No Evidence of a Violent Crime Wave in Kentucky
Recently-released FBI crime data for 2023 shows a slight increase in total violent crime in Kentucky compared to 2022, but a closer look shows that while some crimes went up others went down.
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...
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...
Economic Security
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.
Our Leaders Should Give Thanks to Food Assistance, Not Deplete It
As families across Kentucky fill their homes with food this Thanksgiving, some politicians in Frankfort...
Nearly 400,000 Kentucky Kids Received Summer Food Benefits but Program Could Help Many More
Every child deserves year-round access to nutritious food, but in Kentucky, one in five kids...
New Census Data Shows More Is Needed to Cut Poverty and Improve Incomes
New Census data for 2023 shows that pandemic-era policies made a big difference in reducing...
Education
Teacher Pay Remains 20% Less Than 2008 Despite Small Gain in 2025 School Year
This school year, average district pay for Kentucky teachers is $13,888 less than 2008 once adjusted for inflation, according to new data from the Kentucky Department of Education.
Kentucky Voters Buried Private School Vouchers. One More Idea Must Die to Truly Reinvest in Our Public Schools
Despite the best efforts of anti-public school activists and the deep pockets of out-of-state billionaires,...
Amendment 2 Proponents Misrepresent Education Spending to Tell False Tale About Kentucky Public Schools
An article by the Bluegrass Institute (BIPPS), and a series of follow-ups on individual school...
Broad Language of Amendment 2 Would Have Far-Reaching and Unpredictable Consequences
Kentucky has one of the nation’s strongest constitutions when it comes to public education. But...
Health Care
Affordable Care Act Has Helped Make Insurance Affordable for a Decade, but Will Get More Expensive if Congress Doesn’t Act
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) created several new opportunities for health coverage in Kentucky that began in 2014, including a marketplace where Kentuckians with low wages can receive subsidized insurance plans.
Two Years After Dobbs Decision, Harms Are Evident for States Like Kentucky
Two years out from the Dobbs decision, a fuller picture of how people are faring...
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...
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...
Jobs & The Economy
The Case for Paid Parental Leave for Kentucky State Employees
Paid parental leave has countless benefits for workers, children and families.
Federal Investments Are Funding Improvements and Creating Jobs in Nearly All Kentucky Counties
Two recent federal industrial policies, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and the Inflation Reduction Act...
The State of Working Kentucky 2024
The state of working Kentucky in 2024 includes good news on jobs but within the...
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...
