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 harshening penalties and lengthening sentences...
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...
House Bill 5 Would Cost Kentucky More Than $1 Billion Over a Decade
The Kentucky Senate is now considering House Bill (HB) 5, legislation containing the most sweeping expansion of the state’s criminal statutes in decades. In addition to increasing incarceration, hardship and...
House Passes Austere Budget That Adds to Already Overfunded Reserves and Aims for More Tax Cuts
Kentucky has a historic opportunity to invest in critical community needs, but the House passed a modest budget – lacking adequate funds for areas like education, child care, housing and...
House Bill 5 Arrives in Senate With Changes That Make It Even More Harmful
Last week, the House passed House Bill (HB) 5, a sprawling collection of tried-and-failed policies that will increase incarceration, hardship and the risk of fatal overdose in Kentucky. Prior to...
Floor Amendment to HB 5 Proposes New Harmful Changes That Far Outweigh Attempts at Making Bill Less Harsh
The House is expected to vote on House Bill (HB) 5 today with a floor amendment from its primary sponsor. Rather than make the bill less harsh, nearly all of...
House Bill 5 Doubles Down on Ineffective Policies That Will Further Increase Incarceration and Hardship
This analysis was originally published on January 10. It was updated on January 22 to reflect the most recent version of House Bill 5. All Kentuckians should be able to...
The Money Is There and So Are the Needs: Preview of the 2024-2026 Budget of the Commonwealth
Introduction The General Assembly faces a critically important opportunity with the 2024-2026 Budget of the Commonwealth. A strong national economy has resulted in robust recent state revenue growth, but the...
Local Sales Tax Amendment Could Lead to Wider Inequality Without Better Funding Local Services
Under Kentucky’s constitution, there are limits on the types of taxes the General Assembly may authorize local governments to levy, and local sales taxes are not allowed. [efn_note]As currently interpreted,...
More Than 300,000 Kentuckians Have Been Charged for Cannabis Over the Past Two Decades
Over the past two decades, as states around the nation have moved to decriminalize and legalize cannabis, more than 300,000 people in Kentucky have been charged with a cannabis-related crime,...