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 poverty and increasing health care...
Analysis
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...
Every Year Kentucky Intercepts Millions in Child Support Payments Owed to Low-Income Kids and Sends Most to Washington D.C.
The state’s basic cash assistance program, the Kentucky Transitional Assistance Program (KTAP), provides critical support for families with young children to meet basic needs like rent, utilities, toiletries and school...
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 tax rate from 4% to 3.5% beginning Jan. 1, 2026, the State Budget Director announced...
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...
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. House Bill (HB) 5...
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 year’s legislative session, funding several measures to make food more readily available to kids and...
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 on harmful policies that will result in longer sentences, Kentuckians locked up for being poor,...
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...