Research that works for Kentucky
Facts Don’t Support Economic Argument for Proposed Federal Prison in Letcher County
In the wake of last year’s devastating eastern Kentucky floods, the federal government reintroduced a previously defeated proposal to build a new Bureau of Prisons (BOP) prison and “prison camp” in Letcher County.
Budget & Tax
State Budget Changes in 2023 Session Increase Future Risk
The General Assembly reduced future revenues substantially this session by passing House Bill (HB) 1, a law that will further shrink Kentucky’s largest revenue source by cutting the state income tax rate, continuing a process that endangers the future of vital public services in the commonwealth.
Shorting State Workers’ Pay Hurts Us All
Last year, the General Assembly provided the first meaningful raise to workers in state government...
HB 444 Leaves $110 Million On the Table for State Worker Pay
Last year, the General Assembly provided a badly-needed 8% raise for state workers in fiscal...
‘Transplant’ Bill Would Give Large Windfall to Companies Recruiting Remote Workers
A bill aimed at relocating higher-income remote workers to Kentucky could cost the state up...
Criminal Justice
Facts Don’t Support Economic Argument for Proposed Federal Prison in Letcher County
In the wake of last year’s devastating eastern Kentucky floods, the federal government reintroduced a previously defeated proposal to build a new Bureau of Prisons (BOP) prison and “prison camp” in Letcher County.
Progress Made on Drug Policy in 2023, Though the Legislature Increased Other Criminal Penalties
If Kentucky were a country, it would be the seventh most incarcerated place in the...
House Bill 3 Proposes Harmful, Regressive Policy Changes to Kentucky’s Juvenile System
A robust body of research shows that locking kids behind bars harms their mental and...
SB 225 Proposes Much-Needed Changes to Kentucky’s Persistent Felony Offender (PFO) Law
For the last 40 years, Kentucky’s persistent felony offender (PFO) law has added decades to...
Economic Security
Don’t Hold Our Best Tool for Fighting Hunger as a Political Hostage
For the last three years, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) has helped stave off hunger and mitigate the rise in food prices during several waves of international crises.
More Than 17,000 Kentuckians Could Lose Food Aid With Return of SNAP Work Reporting Requirements
An estimated 17,300 Kentuckians will soon be at risk of losing much-needed grocery money due...
5 Policy Changes Kentucky Moms Deserve this Mother’s Day
The last year has not been kind to Kentucky mothers, who’ve endured the loss of...
Eroding Kentucky’s Largest Revenue Source Will Bring a Painful Reckoning
The next time the Kentucky state legislature meets, barring a special session, will be early...
Education
Public Schools Are Becoming a Lower State Budget Priority
Preschool through 12th grade public education has become less of a Kentucky budget priority in recent years, according to the official analyses of enacted budgets published by the Office of the State Budget Director.
The School Year Will Soon End, but a New Strategy to Dismantle Public Education Is Just Beginning
Public schools are at the heart of our communities, yet powerful interests have led a...
Average Kentucky Teacher Pay Fell More Than 5% This Year, When Adjusted for Inflation
The modest raises provided by most districts this school year were not enough for average...
Sending Public Money to Private Schools Breaks Kentucky’s Commitment to Students
Ample public investment in K-12 education is essential for Kentucky’s children to thrive. But instead...
Health Care
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
Three Years of Kentucky’s Jobs Recovery in Four Charts
In April 2020, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic bottomed out the economy, and Kentucky lost 294,900 jobs – or 15.0% of the workforce – in just two months.
How Kentucky Can Combat the Growing Scourge of Child Labor
Nearly 100 years after President Franklin Roosevelt called child labor an “ancient atrocity” and took...
The State of Working Kentucky 2022
The COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing economic downturn reshaped Kentucky’s economy in ways that are still...
State Workers Help Us All; It’s Past Time to Help Them Too
Everyone in the commonwealth relies on services provided by the state government, and the workers...
