Federal Budget and Tax Law Will Worsen Health and Hardship in Kentucky and Provide More Giveaways to the Wealthy
The passage of Congress’s major budget and tax legislation, titled the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), sets up a...
The Hidden Web of Criminal Legal System Fines and Fees in Kentucky
Thousands of provisions in Kentucky state law, and untold local ordinances, make up a vast, hidden web of criminal legal system fines and fees that trap many people in a...
Federal Funding Cuts to Medicaid and Public Health Will Worsen Kentucky’s Opioid Crisis
Drug overdose deaths have declined in recent years both nationally and in Kentucky, but that progress is now at risk due to potential cuts that threaten more than $800 million...
Children in the Balance: Kentucky Reforms Successfully Diverted More Kids from Detention, but Now Those Gains Are at Risk
Executive Summary In 2014, the Kentucky General Assembly passed Senate Bill (SB) 200 with the goal of reforming the state’s juvenile justice system. The bill accomplished many of its primary...
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...
Kentucky Schools Brace for the End of Federal Recovery Funds As Voucher Threat Looms
For years, inadequate state funding for public education has forced Kentucky’s kids to make do with outdated textbooks and technology, deprived them of vital supports and left them without the...
Kentucky School Districts Brace for Expiration of Federal Funds That Sustained Schools for Several Years
As kids head back to the classroom in Kentucky this month, school districts are bracing for the loss of billions of dollars in vital federal funding that has greatly benefitted...
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 in states like Kentucky that have total and near total abortion bans is emerging. An...
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) primarily on infrastructure and very specific local projects. However, it remains largely austere when it...
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 Trust Fund (BRTF), primarily on infrastructure projects, much more than the House proposed. However, the...