Analysis

Kentucky Has an Opportunity to Continue Steps to Reducing Incarceration by Addressing Harsh “Persistent Felony Offender” Laws

Kentucky’s Persistent Felony Offender (PFO) law is a punitive sentencing policy that emerged during the beginning of the so-called War...

House Budget Provides Only Modest Reinvestment Despite Strong Revenues

Despite billions of additional dollars from both one-time surpluses and stronger recurring revenues, the proposed House budget provides only modest funding increases in certain parts of government while leaving $1.1...

3 Ways New Legislation Would Make Kentucky’s Unconstitutional Voucher Program Even Worse

During the 2021 Kentucky General Assembly — as public school advocates were prevented from being in the Capitol by the COVID pandemic — lawmakers passed legislation to fund private schools...

Governor’s Budget Includes Substantial Reinvestment in Education and Other Areas

The governor’s proposed budget uses the unprecedented recurring and surplus dollars available to reinvest in a range of areas with a focus on higher core funding for K-12 and higher...

What the Legislature Can Do to Improve the Return Home for Kentuckians Leaving Incarceration

Despite the harms to people, families and communities, Kentucky incarcerates 40% more people than the U.S. average. In addition, existing state and federal policies strip people reentering society of certain...

Further Shift Away from Income Taxes Would Worsen Inequities, Harm State’s Economy

As the 2022 Kentucky General Assembly approaches, some interested in more tax cuts for the wealthy are again pushing to shift Kentucky’s tax system away from income taxes and toward...

New Federal Infrastructure Law Moves Kentucky Forward

The bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which the President has now signed into law, includes much-needed new investments in modernizing Kentucky's physical infrastructure. The law funds a broad array...

School Funding Task Force Recommendations Include Steps Toward Adequacy and Equity

In 2021, the Kentucky General Assembly created a School Funding Task Force to meet in the interim to review funding for K-12 education in Kentucky and other states and identify...

How Kentuckians Would Benefit from the Build Back Better Act

Kentuckians’ economic future and family well-being hinge on passage of the Build Back Better Act (BBB) now in front of Congress. The legislation contains landmark policies that will create millions...

The Improved Child Tax Credit in Kentucky Parents’ Own Words — and Why It Should Be Permanent

The enhanced Child Tax Credit (CTC) from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) has been a transformational policy, benefitting nearly 1 million Kentucky kids and lifting 69,000 out of poverty...