LRC News Releases
Interim committee receives update on state budget revenues
Sen. Christian McDaniel, R-Ryland Heights, shares his concerns about the road fund revenue shortfall during Wednesday’s Interim Joint Committee on Appropriations and Revenue Committee meeting. McDaniel also serves as co-chair of the committee. A high-resolution photo can be found here.
FRANKFORT — Kentucky saw a higher than predicted increase in general fund revenue at the end of the 2025-26 fiscal year, while the state’s road fund did not.
State Budget Director John Hicks gave the Interim Joint Committee on Appropriations and Revenue an update on the numbers Wednesday.
At the conclusion of the 2025-26 fiscal year, Hicks said the state general fund received $476 million more in revenue than the official estimated total. The budget reserve trust fund also now sits at $2.9 billion.
Sales and use tax, individual income tax and major business tax receipts were major contributors to the general fund revenue in the last fiscal year, according to Hicks.
“The headliner is sales and use (tax) at 6.4% (growth),” he said. “… Having 6.4 is a really good year. It shows, again, that nationally, consumption drives the U.S. economy.”
The individual income tax receipts also grew by 4.6%, despite the individual tax rate dropping from 4% to 3.5% in January.
“That’s always a good statement about wages and salaries,” Hicks said about the growth.
During the presentation, Hicks noted that lottery receipts grew by 5.5%.
“We continue to find that interesting given we have sports wagering in Kentucky,” Hicks added.
Sen. Amanda Mays Bledsoe, R-Lexington, said the lottery receipts caught her attention as well.
“Especially since we consistently hear how much it’s dropping and the impact that has on some of our higher education dollars,” she said. “Any indication on why that raised? … Are you tracking the impact of both moving forward to see if there’s any trends related to the lottery or sports gambling?”
Hicks said that, according to a member of his staff, revenues increase in a year with high Powerball jackpots.
“Scratch-off tickets are a major component of their revenue streams,” Hicks said. “Both of those did well. The thing that is kind of hard to guess is those Powerball jackpots rising … They did pretty-well on scratch-offs. We did really well on high Powerball.”
Hicks said his office is also tracking the impact of sports wagering, and described the revenues as “healthy and exceeding expectations.”
The second half of Hicks’s presentation focused on the 2025-26 fiscal year road fund receipts. Hicks told the committee the road fund saw a $72.4 million revenue shortfall primarily due to lower motor fuel revenues.
Committee co-chair Sen. Christian McDaniel, R-Ryland Heights, noted the governor suspended the state’s gas tax for six weeks at the end of the fiscal year.
“If you look at the official estimate versus the actuals, but for the action of the governor, we would have met the official estimate?” McDaniel asked.
Hicks said “yes.”
While gas tax revenues were down, Hicks noted motor vehicle usage taxes were higher than estimated. He said $734 million in revenue is another record high.
“We’ve had like three straight years of record high, at least, of motor vehicle usage tax,” he said. “So that offsets the gas tax and the other elements that are much smaller pieces of the road fund.”
Hicks also told the committee there were several steps taken to address the shortfall. There was an adjustment in the revenue sharing appropriation for cities and counties. Unexpended appropriations in other areas of the transportation budget were transferred to the road fund and overall budget reductions were made.
McDaniel expressed concern over the shortfall’s impact on cities and counties.
“They’re certainly bearing a fairly disproportionate burden of the shortfall,” he said.
The next Interim Joint Committee on Appropriations and Revenue meeting is scheduled for Sept. 2 at 1 p.m. For more information, visit legislature.ky.gov.
Legislators receive update on national education assessment numbers
Sen. Stephen West, R-Paris, speaks Tuesday during a meeting of the Interim Joint Committee on Education. Legislators received an overview of the National Assessment of Educational Progress. A high-resolution photo can be found here.
FRANKFORT — The Interim Joint Committee on Education heard testimony Tuesday about the latest numbers from the National Assessment of Educational Progress.
Jennifer Stafford, associate commissioner of the KDE's Office of Assessment and Accountability, offered a NAEP overview. She said it's often referred to as the nation's report card, first administered in 1969. It provides states benchmarks for comparison and benchmarks for each state to compare its prior data.
"The NAEP is given to a sample of students, so not all students nor all schools participate," she said.
Stafford reported on the 2024 NAEP math and reading results from grades 4 and 8. The 2026 assessment was administered during the winter, and the results are not available yet.
From 2022 to 2024, Kentucky's grade 4 reading score increased from 217 to 218, and the grade 4 math score increased from 234 to 238. Both increases outpaced national averages.
Stafford said the improvement in reading marked a "statistically significant change, and that's to be celebrated because that's a meaningful difference." Nationally, the number fell 2 points to 214.
In grade 8, Kentucky's scores did not change in reading but increased from 269 to 271 in math while national scores fell in both categories.
Committee Co-Chair Sen. Stephen West, R-Paris, said it appears funding to improve scores is being used in an efficient manner.
"I want to give you some positive feedback," he said. "I think your implementation on Read to Succeed and numeracy has been very effective. When we first did that, honestly, I didn't expect much results for four of five years, and I think you're way ahead of schedule."
Committee Co-Chair Rep. James Tipton, R-Taylorsville, said lawmakers can pass bills but progress also depends on implementation. He said he has attended conferences this summer, hearing discussion about the "Mississippi miracle."
"There is a new term out there. It's called the 'southern surge' because states in the South have followed Mississippi, and we're seeing the benefit of that," he said.
Lawmakers on transportation committee discuss delivery robots
Sen. Gary Clemons, D-Louisville, expresses concern about job losses in relation to personal delivery robots during Tuesday's Interim Joint Committee on Transportation meeting. A high-resolution photo is available here.
FRANKFORT — Robots are here – and sometimes they bring dinner directly to your door.
The Interim Joint Committee on Transportation discussed potential legislation to regulate those robots, also known as personal delivery devices, in the commonwealth on Tuesday.
Rep. Chris Lewis, R-Louisville, filed House Bill 741 this year, but the bill did not become law.
The legislation would have defined a personal delivery device as a device intended primarily to transport cargo on sidewalks, crosswalks, bicycle lanes or paths; shoulders, sides of streets or roadways or highways; parking lots or similar areas.
Most personal delivery devices operate autonomously.
HB 741 would have also restricted the speed of the devices and required $100,000 in liability insurance for the companies deploying the devices.
DoorDash has been advocating for legislation like HB 741 across the country in recent years, according to Jake Holmgreen, senior associate of southeast government relations for the delivery company.
"This year alone, especially in the south, we've had a lot of success passing legislation," he said. "We just last month passed legislation allowing this in North Carolina."
DoorDash has developed its own personal delivery device called Dot. The red robot weighs 350 pounds, can carry up to 30 pounds of cargo and can travel up to 20 mph. Holmgreen said the devices are autonomous and are for deliveries within 3 to 5 miles.
Currently, Dot is only operating in California and Arizona.
Holmgreen said safety is a priority for DoorDash. While every Dot is autonomous, the company has humans on standby that can take over operating the robot remotely and can communicate with humans on-site through its built-in two-way radio.
The robots are also equipped with lights and cameras, and the company carries $100,000 in liability insurance.
"It will also make sounds," Holmgreen said. "And it's designed to behave as a cautious bicyclist, so deferring to pedestrians, vehicles, other cyclists, that sort of thing."
The purpose of Dot and other personal delivery devices is to meet the increasing demand for delivery across Kentucky and the country, Holmgreen said.
"The robot would take priority of kind of smaller orders to allow those dashers, those human drivers, to complete larger, more financially rewarding, lucrative deliveries," he said. "We're not looking to replace drivers, right? We're looking to supplement their work and keep up with the increase of demand and also give them better earning opportunities."
During discussion, Sen. Gex Williams, R-Verona, asked Holmgreen to provide more information on the data the company has on the milage and safety of these devices.
"You're collecting data. Do you have any data on the safety, the amount of mileage, that sort of thing?" Williams asked.
Holmgreen said DoorDash has around 200,000 miles on the road with its personal delivery devices so far with no reported major safety incidents or injuries.
Safety was also on the mind of Rep. Anne Gay Donworth, D-Lexington. She said she's almost hit one of these types of devices with her car in Lexington. She believes any potential legislation regulating these robots should have a higher liability insurance requirement.
"I would encourage an increased amount of liability coverage. If you're talking about an accident and it involves multiple cars or pedestrians, additional health emergencies come out of it," she said.
On the topic of the human impact of the devices, Donworth also advocated for better pay for human delivery drivers.
Sen. Gary Clemons, D-Louisville, wanted to know more about the humans monitoring the devices remotely for issues.
Holmgreen said he did not have an exact number to share, but he knows there are humans monitoring the devices 24 hours a day, seven days a week and each person has a group of robots assigned to them.
Clemons said the potential job loss for humans is a concern for him.
"I'm concerned any time we do something autonomous that we're losing jobs, and that's one thing I'm definitely not interested in," he said.
The Kentucky General Assembly cannot take action on legislation until the 2027 legislative session begins on Jan. 5.
The next Interim Joint Committee on Transportation meeting is scheduled for Sept. 1 at 1 p.m. For more information, visit legislature.ky.gov.
Interim committee reviews 2025 child fatality and near fatality report
Rep. Tina Bojanowski, D-Louisville, speaks on the horrific abuse some medically complex children face in Kentucky. The discussion was part of Monday's Interim Joint Committee on Families and Children meeting. A high-resolution photo is available here.
FRANKFORT — In 2025, the state's Child Fatality and Near Fatality Review Panel reviewed 72 child fatality cases in the commonwealth and 176 near fatal cases.
On Monday, the Interim Joint Committee on Families and Children heard a presentation on the panel's findings and policy recommendations.
Panel member and physician Dr. Melissa Currie said the report for 2025 includes 21 recommendations to address some troubling findings, including an 104% increase of overdose ingestion cases over the last five years.
"We reported the highest number of ingestion cases since the panel's inception this past year, and of course, children under 4 are at the highest risk for accidental ingestion compared to all other age groups," Currie said.
Cannabinoids, fentanyl and methamphetamines are the top three substances children have been ingesting in Kentucky, with fentanyl causing the most fatalities. Currie said the dangers of cannabinoid ingestion should not be downplayed.
One case the panel studied left a child in intensive care with neurological deficits after the child ingested the wax of a THC dab pen. In another case study, a child with a positive cannabinoid test at birth died of a fentanyl overdose 13 months later.
The Department of Community Based Services "should encourage staff to continue to treat cannabinoid use as high-risk behavior," Currie said.
Currie said the panel has six recommendations on how to address the cannabinoid ingestion issue, including requiring cannabinoid products to be sold in child resistant packaging with warning labels and an aggressive public health educational campaign.
Committee co-chair Rep. Samara Heavrin, R-Leitchfield, said she agrees with the panel's recommendation on continuing to consider cannabinoid use as a high-risk behavior.
"I think I would also encourage our judicial branch to do that as well," Heavrin added.
In a further review of the panel's findings on ingestion cases, Rep. Nick Wilson, R-Williamsburg, noted that, in many cases, children are ingesting legal prescription medication as well.
Wilson asked if the prescription medication-related injuries are occurring due to unsafe storage.
Currie said not every prescription is dispensed in a child-resistant bottle, and sometimes adults think they have safely stored medications out of reach of children. But young children have gained access to them anyway by climbing a chair or other means, she said.
"We're huge proponents of medication lock boxes that have either keys or combinations, so that even if the children get a hold of it, they can't get into the lockbox… Having those readily available and free of charge to families with young kids through their medical providers or other community resources is really important," Currie said.
In addition to ingestion cases, the panel also reviewed physical abuse and neglect cases.
"The panel reviewed 55 cases of physical abuse, which was a 31% increase over the prior year," Currie said. "More than half of the physical abuse cases involved abusive head trauma, formerly known as shaken baby syndrome."
Medically fragile children are also at high-risk, according to the panel's findings. The panel reviewed 43 cases involving medically fragile children last year, with neglect as the most common case.
Currie said medical providers are not recognizing the warning signs of abuse or neglect in time to intervene properly. The panel recommended more abuse and neglect prevention training for medical providers and law enforcement.
The panel also recommends the state work on developing a statewide monitoring system for medically complex children.
Currie said many of the children the panel sees with the worst outcomes had become completely isolated after leaving school to be improperly homeschooled.
Rep. Tina Bojanowski, D-Louisville, noted the report revealed that some medically complex children in Kentucky are the victims of sexual abuse, human trafficking, torture and physical abuse. She asked what it would take to create legislation on establishing a statewide registry.
Steve Shannon, the executive director of the Kentucky Association of Regional Programs, Inc., said creating a statewide registry would be "challenging, but worthwhile."
"I think people would want a really tight definition of who would be considered a child that's medically frail," Shannon said. "I think it's always hard to start making lists, but I think it's a way to make sure kids are safe."
The Interim Joint Committee on Families and Children's next meeting is scheduled for Aug. 19 at 1 p.m. For more information, visit legislature.ky.gov.
New state laws are taking effect in Kentucky this week
Dozens of new laws are taking effect in Kentucky this week based on bills adopted during the 2026 legislative session.
FRANKFORT — FRANKFORT, Ky. (July 13, 2026) — Dozens of new laws that were passed during the 2026 legislative session – including ones on gaming, first responders, schools, criminal justice, grooming and concealed carry – are set to take effect in Kentucky this week.
The Kentucky General Assembly passed more than 190 bills during this year's 60-day legislative session, and more than half of those measures will become effective on Wednesday.
The state constitution specifies that new laws take effect 90 days after the legislature adjourns unless they have special effective dates, are general appropriation measures, or include emergency clauses that make them effective immediately upon becoming law.
Lawmakers adjourned the 2026 session on April 15, making July 15 the effective date for most bills.
Here's a look at some of the measures taking effect:
Affordable Housing – House Bill 333 will allow faith-based organizations to build small-scale affordable housing units on property located near religious institutions.
Alternative Diplomas – House Bill 562 will create a new alternative diploma option for high school students with intellectual disabilities, allowing the students to be considered graduates rather than dropouts. It also calls for the state Department of Workforce Development to create a one-stop shop that identifies all employers in Kentucky that will recognize the new alternative diploma as a valid high school diploma.
Alternative Sentencing – Much of Senate Bill 122 will not take effect until later this year. However, several provisions that aim to keep families intact when a parent is convicted of a felony will take effect. Those provisions require Kentucky courts to consider alternative sentences for certain nonviolent felony convictions when the defendant is a primary caretaker of a dependent child.
Campaign Finance – House Bill 136 will allow the use of campaign funds to pay for the "reasonable costs" of security measures for candidates, office holders and family members.
Child Pornography – House Bill 366 will expand child pornography prohibitions to include computer-generated images of a minor. It will also require someone convicted of possessing or viewing child pornography to serve at least 85% of their criminal sentence.
Child Welfare – House Bill 778 will create multiple changes to Kentucky law related to child welfare. It seeks to ensure safe and adequate foster care placements and that children in foster care are not placed with someone on the sex offender registry. Also under HB 778, child injuries caused by ingestion or inhalation of a controlled substance will be included in the definition of neglect, and neglect will be added to the child abuse statute.
Concealed Carry – House Bill 312 will allow Kentuckians aged 18 to 20 years old to obtain a provisional concealed carry permit after undergoing a background check and firearms training.
Crystal Rogers Act – House Bill 305 seeks to preserve the integrity of grand jury proceedings by strengthening penalties for illegally recording or sharing information on a grand jury proceeding.
Death Penalty Regulations – Senate Bill 251 will give the Kentucky Department of Corrections the option to implement execution protocols and procedures through internal policy, memorandum or similar action. Right now, the department is required to promulgate administrative regulations to prescribe and implement execution protocols. Supporters say the change could help resolve long-term delays surrounding Kentucky's death penalty regulations.
Federal Education Opportunity Program – House Bill 1 will clear the way for Kentucky to participate in the new federal educational tax credit program established by the U.S. Congress last year in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The program allows taxpayers to contribute up to $1,700 to scholarship organizations that assist K-12 students in public and private schools. Families can use the funds for a wide range of education-related expenses, and taxpayers can receive a matching federal tax credit for contributions.
Food is Medicine Initiatives – Senate Joint Resolution 23 declares Kentucky as a "Food is Medicine" state and directs state agencies to advance Food is Medicine initiatives.
Fraudulent Contractors – Senate Bill 153 will help protect Kentucky homeowners from abusive and fraudulent contractors following severe weather. It will clarify that vandalism committed for the purpose of an insurance claim is fraud. It will also create a post-disaster registry for roofing, siding and tree-removal businesses, and it will prohibit door-to-door solicitations during declared emergencies.
Gaming – House Bill 904 will implement a broad reform in Kentucky's wagering and gaming laws. Among many provisions, HB 904 will increase the age to participate in sports wagering from 18 to 21 and prohibit anyone on the attorney general's child support arrearage list from betting on online platforms. The bill will also create a comprehensive licensing and regulatory framework around fantasy sports and forbid negative outcome bets – also known as "under" bets – on college athletes who play on in-state teams. Another section will prevent fantasy operators or betting companies from contracting with a prediction market that operates in Kentucky. HB 904 will also give racetracks the option to offer fixed-odds wagering to help address public perception around computer-assisted bets that change the odds suddenly before a race. Additionally, it will create a purse stabilization fund to ensure that any wagers from fixed odds still support the horse industry. Other sections relate to tote system modernization, charitable middlemen restrictions, and charitable gaming governance, fees and caps.
Grooming – House Bill 4 will criminalize efforts to manipulate a minor into sexual contact with an adult, a practice known as "grooming."
Ibogaine Research – Senate Bill 77 calls for creation of an ibogaine research and intellectual property fund to be administered by the Department of Agriculture. It will allow the department to partner with a drug developer to conduct clinical trials on using ibogaine to treat substance use disorders and other neurological and mental health conditions.
Impaired Driving – Under Senate Bill 66, a suspect in an impaired driving case who refuses to submit to a blood test will have their driver's license suspended at the time of arraignment. If the person is convicted, their license will be subsequently suspended by the state Transportation Cabinet. The bill will require the cabinet to maintain records of moving traffic convictions for 10 years. It will also add clonazepam, cyclobenzaprine and fentanyl to the list of drugs that, when detected in a driver's blood, could lead to an impaired driving conviction.
Impeding a First Responder – Senate Bill 104 seeks to prevent interference or harassment of first responders. It will create a 25-foot safe zone around police, firefighters and others while they are performing their official duties. Individuals who remain in the zone could face criminal charges if they ignore an initial warning to move back and intend to impede, threaten or harass a first responder.
Interstate Compacts – House Bill 36 will allow Kentucky to participate in interstate licensure compacts for respiratory therapists, athletic trainers and dieticians. The goal is to make it easier for people in these professions to locate to and practice in Kentucky.
Kentucky - Grown Agricultural Products – Senate Bill 5 will make it easier for Kentucky schools to purchase locally grown food for student meals. It seeks to lift some procurement requirements and better connect students with the agricultural economy.
Kentucky State Police – Senate Bill 278 calls for the commissioner of Kentucky State Police to allow state troopers to participate in approved, off-duty law enforcement work for public entities, entities that receive state funding and certain ticketed events.
License Plate Readers – House Bill 58 will limit the use of license plate readers largely to public safety purposes, such as regulating parking, controlling access to secured areas, deterring crime and conducting criminal investigations. The state Transportation Cabinet could also use readers for toll and revenue collection and certain enforcement needs. HB 58 also will require data captured by automatic license plate readers to be deleted after 90 days, with limited exceptions for criminal investigations and other needs.
Logan's Law – House Bill 422 will clarify the insanity defense in criminal law. It will also prevent juries and courts from applying the insanity defense inconsistently when returning verdicts for multiple counts arising from a single course of conduct. In addition, HB 422 will make repeat violent offenders ineligible for mandatory reentry supervision. The bill was filed after Ronald Exantus, the man who killed 6-year-old Logan Tipton in 2015, was released early from prison last year on mandatory reentry supervision.
Medicaid Delivery Study – Senate Concurrent Resolution 9 calls for a study of accountable care models used for Medicaid programs in other states. The study will also look at opportunities to implement such a model in Kentucky through a pilot program. The effort seeks to control costs and improve health outcomes.
Mental Health Care – House Bill 178 aims to support the psychiatric collaborative care model, allowing primary care providers, care managers and consulting psychiatrists to work together on a patient's mental health care.
Nuclear Energy – Senate Bill 57 will create the Nuclear Reactor Site Readiness Pilot Program to help energy providers obtain licenses and permits related to site work for nuclear power projects. The program will provide up to $25 million in grant funding to each of three projects in Kentucky.
Pesticide Labeling – Under Senate Bill 199, pesticides that display a warning label approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will have met legal standards concerning the duty to warn consumers about potential health effects. The final version of the bill applies only to products that have an agricultural use label.
Prison Education Programs – House Bill 5 will establish the Kentucky Community and Technical College System Prison Education Program, seeking to reduce recidivism and support workforce development. KCTCS will partner with the state Department of Corrections to build and operate a vocational training campus at Northpoint Training Center.
Provisional Physician Licenses – Senate Bill 137 will allow the state Board of Medical Licensure to issue a provisional license to a physician who completed residency in a foreign country and can meet other requirements. The applicant will need to provide an offer of employment from a licensed health care provider located in an underserved area.
Physician Shortages – Senate Joint Resolution 116 directs the University of Kentucky, the University of Louisville and Eastern Kentucky University to coordinate a search for actionable solutions to physician shortages and to explore and expand health care opportunities in medically underserved areas.
Real Estate Fraud – House Bill 264 seeks to combat real estate scams. It will create a legal presumption of fraud when someone advertises residential or commercial property for sale, lease or rent without ownership or authority.
School Administrator Salaries – Senate Bill 2 would prohibit school administrators from receiving a percentage pay increase that is greater than the percentage pay increase provided to classroom teachers in that district unless the increase is due to a significant change in job duties. The bill includes a waiver process for certain circumstances. One section related to removing principals has already taken effect.
School Bus Safety – House Bill 7 will allow school districts to install traffic cameras on school buses to help enforce laws against stop-arm traffic violations.
School District Governance – Senate Bill 1 will effectively revamp the governance structure of Jefferson County Public Schools by creating more specific responsibilities for superintendents and boards of education in large, complex school districts. The legislation also seeks to lay out a legal justification for why the general assembly has a compelling interest in intervening in large districts like Jefferson County.
School Leadership – Senate Bill 4 will create a new training program that provides leadership development and mentorship opportunities for new school principals in Kentucky. Other portions of the bill have already taken effect, including language that prevents an employee of any Kentucky school district from running for a school board seat in a large school district. Another portion that has already taken effect reduces the number of school board members in Jefferson County from seven to five.
Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners – House Bill 134 aims to expand the availability of sexual assault nurse examiners across Kentucky. It calls for a statewide coordinator to recruit nurses, facilitate training and improve collaboration between hospitals, law enforcement and rape crisis centers.
Stalking – House Bill 521 seeks to modernize state stalking laws to align with contemporary legal standards and better address behaviors that occur through electronic communications and social media.
Status Offenders – Senate Bill 170 will create a four-year pilot program in up to 10 school districts to help address barriers to school attendance. It also aims to strengthen diversion of status offenders using Responsive Interventions to Support and Empower (RISE) teams and increased family involvement.
Storm Shelter Rebates – Senate Bill 11 will create a residential safe room rebate pilot program that helps homeowners pay for building emergency storm shelters. The goal is to provide matching grants using money from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The rebate fund would not include state appropriations.
Student Violence – Senate Bill 101 will mandate that school boards expel students in grades 6 through 12 for at least 12 months if the student recklessly, with a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument, or intentionally causes or attempts to cause physical injury to a school district employee on school property or at a school function. The bill includes some exceptions for students with disabilities.
Tax Money – Senate Bill 59 prohibits tax dollars from being used to advocate for or against a public question on a ballot. It also establishes criminal and civil penalties for violators.
Organ Donors – House Bill 510 aims to protect patients during the organ donation process by requiring additional verification steps before organ procurement can begin. It will also clarify that donor consent must be properly documented and that a patient must be formally declared dead before organs are donated.
Veteran Post - Traumatic Stress Disorder – House Bill 369 will create provisions in state law that make veterans eligible to receive hyperbaric oxygen therapy in response to post-traumatic stress disorder.
Lawmakers name Katie C. Comstock as the new LRC Director
FRANKFORT — Katie C. Comstock, an accomplished attorney with nearly two decades of experience in Kentucky government, was appointed Wednesday as the next Director for the Legislative Research Commission (LRC).
Comstock has served as LRC's Deputy Director for Committee and Staff Coordination since 2024, spearheading committee operations and overseeing more than 80 nonpartisan staff and bill drafters. She first joined the organization in 2005 as a committee analyst and later worked as a budget reviser, fiscal analyst, and Judiciary Committee Staff Administrator.
During her tenure in state government, Comstock has also served as the Director of the Kentucky Administrative Office of the Courts, overseeing the administrative arm of Kentucky's unified court system and supporting the activities of nearly 3,300 employees and more than 400 elected officials.
"I was fortunate to start my career at LRC, and I consider it my professional home," Comstock said. "We have incredible talent here, and a strong culture of public service throughout the organization. I look forward to building on that tradition."
LRC serves as the administrative and research arm of the Kentucky General Assembly. It's governing committee – comprised of majority and minority leaders from both the Senate and House of Representatives – approved the appointment at a regular meeting Wednesday.
Comstock will succeed current Director Jay D. Hartz, who announced his retirement last year. Her appointment takes effect August 1, and Hartz will remain with LRC through the end of July.
"Ms. Comstock brings exceptional expertise, steady leadership, and a deep commitment to serving the people of Kentucky," said House Speaker David W. Osborne. "Her experience and her willingness to engage thoughtfully with legislators and citizens alike make her uniquely prepared to guide the Legislative Research Commission. I am confident she will empower an already outstanding staff and help ensure that the law-making branch of our state government remains strong, responsive, and firmly focused on the needs of Kentuckians."
Senate President Robert Stivers said Comstock's experience and stewardship made her an obvious choice for the job.
"She's a steady presence with an unmatched wealth of knowledge and an unwavering commitment to the success of the institution," Stivers said. "She is also relentless in upholding LRC's values and placing its nonpartisan mission first and foremost."
Over her career, Comstock has held key positions in all three branches of state government – executive, legislative, and judicial – and will step into her new role with extensive expertise in legislative procedure, government operations, staff workflow, and fiscal management.
Her efforts at LRC have focused on championing a culture of accountability and professionalism and aligning staff performance with organizational goals and legislative priorities.
Comstock earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from DePauw University in 2001 and graduated cum laude from the University of Louisville Louis D. Brandeis School of Law, where she earned a Juris Doctor in 2005. She lives in Lexington with her husband, Kris, and two children, Cooper and Claire.
Screen time in the classroom topic of legislative committee
Sen. Steve Rawlings, R-Burlington, asks about one-to-one digital technology use in K-12 schools in the U.S. during Monday's Interim Joint Committee on Education meeting. A high-resolution photo can be found here.
FRANKFORT — Legislation on screen time in the classroom could be in the works for the 2027 legislative session.
Lawmakers heard from critics of one-to-one digital technology usage in the classroom during the Interim Joint Committee on Education meeting on Monday.
Teacher turned neuroscientist Dr. Jared Horvath told the committee that research from more than 90 countries shows digital technology use in the classroom results in lower test scores.
In Kentucky, this is also true, he said. Kentucky began the transition to one-to-one in 2016. The year before Kentucky went digital, math and reading scores were the highest they had ever been for fourth graders, Horvath said.
"Since 2016, you adopted tech. Math has gone down four points to the lowest levels we've seen since 2006, and reading dropped 10 points, lower than it has ever been in Kentucky history," he said.
While the COVID-19 pandemic forced students to be fully digital for some of the last decade, Horvath said the pandemic is not the main source of the problem.
"I took COVID out of the data. It doesn't matter," he said. "What we're seeing is not unique to your state … I could do this for all 50 states."
Horvath said learning using digital methods is always "shallower, weaker and less durable" than learning done with analog methods, and that "digital literacy is not determined by the amount of tech you use, it's determined by the amount of knowledge you have."
Sen. Steve Rawlings, R-Burlington, asked Horvath where the push for more technology in the classroom came from.
"Was it big tech?" he asked. "A mom sent me a 2017 article that said that the National Education Association's top priorities were a digital curriculum over an in-person … Was it evidence-based?"
Horvath said the decision to introduce the individual use of tablets and laptops into classrooms was "never" evidence-based. He said mass introduction occurred when a leading computer company invented a laptop that didn't sell well. The company decided to recoup costs by selling it cheaply to schools, he said.
Rep. Shane Baker, R-Somerset, asked Horvath about what age screen time use is appropriate and how much screen time is acceptable.
Horvath said removing all tech from schools is not a realistic goal, however, primary schools "could get away with never touching tech." Technology use in the classroom for older students should be "very, very regulated,' he added.
Advocate Emily Cherkin also spoke to the committee about the dangers of technology use in the classroom.
"In my professional opinion, one of the most harmful things we have done to our children in American schools is to give them internet-connected devices built by for-profit technology companies and call it educational, and then to act surprised when test scores plummet, mental health declines and skill-building and cognition erode," she said.
Cherkin urged lawmakers to consider scaling back digital technology use and access in schools, and require schools obtain full and informed consent from parents before children engage with technology use in the classroom. She also suggested allowing parents to opt-out of any ed-tech offerings and to provide those students with an equal educational experience.
Artificial intelligence use in the classroom is another concern, Cherkin said, especially generative AI. She told lawmakers generative AI is "dangerous" for children and asked lawmakers to consider a recent call for a five-year pause on generative AI use in pre-K through 12th grade.
Here in Kentucky, Fleming County Schools is already looking at ways to reduce digital technology usage in the classroom. Superintendent Dr. Brian Creasman told the committee the students have started to ask for less technology-driven learning.
He said the district's school board is in the process of approving a new screen time policy that would limit screen time use to 45 minutes per day for grades K-5, 60 minutes per day for grades 6-8 and 90 minutes per day for grades 9-12.
"We really want learning to take place in our classrooms that's more meaningful to students and more relevant, but that also prepares students for the real world," he said.
Committee co-chair Sen. Stephen West, R-Paris, said Monday's discussion only "scratches the surface" of the topic of screen time in schools. He believes it is a topic lawmakers will continue to study throughout the interim.
"I can already tell from our presentations that there may be some legislation forthcoming," he said.
The Kentucky General Assembly cannot take action on legislation until the 2027 legislative session begins on Jan. 5.
The next Interim Joint Committee on Education meeting is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Aug. 4. For more information, visit legislature.ky.gov.
Judiciary committee hears testimony from lawmakers on geoengineering
Rep. John Hodgson, R-Fisherville, discusses proposed penalties for geoengineering during Thursday's meeting of the Interim Joint Committee on Judiciary. A high-resolution photo can be found here.
FRANKFORT — Three legislators presented testimony to the Interim Joint Committee on Judiciary Thursday, asking lawmakers to consider creating penalties for geoengineering activities in Kentucky.
Rep. John Hodgson, R-Fisherville; Sen. Steve Rawlings, R-Burlington; and Rep. Jim Gooch Jr., R-Providence; all spoke in favor of the proposal, which lawmakers have discussed in past sessions of the Kentucky General Assembly.
Hodgson and Rawlings introduced a measure in the 2026 legislative session intended to outlaw intentional weather manipulation and atmospheric pollution. However, the legislation stalled in committee.
Hodgson defined geoengineering Thursday as "attempts by government or even non-governmental actors to modify the global climate or temperature, like playing God with the weather."
He explained there are multiple ways this can be accomplished, including through stratospheric aerosol injection, marine cloud brightening and cirrus cloud thinning.
Other states have passed geoengineering bans, including Tennessee, Florida and Louisiana, and 34 states are working on, or have filed legislation on, the issue.
Hodgson said proposed penalties include a class D felony and a $500,000 fine, noting that intentional release of pollutants in the upper atmosphere is illegal.
"A class D felony is necessary because a fine of any size would not be a deterrent for the federal government or for wealthy NGOs who are interested in carrying out these activities," he said.
Hodgson argued that personal criminal liability for participants would make convictions more likely.
Sen. Danny Carroll, R-Paducah, asked if there have been simulations to determine any impact geoengineering may have on the atmosphere.
Hodgson said not to his knowledge. "It's difficult to simulate an atmospheric stack that's 50,000 feet tall."
Rep. Kimberly Poore Moser, R-Taylor Mill, asked for further clarification, noting that she is trying to understand why a corporation would intentionally engage in geoengineering.
Hodgson referenced cloud seeding in his testimony and said eight or nine western states license and permit the activity.
Cloud seeding is where silver iodide is injected into cloud seed to form ice crystals and make rain or snow over farmlands or ski areas, which some claim can increase the output of a rain cloud by about 15 percent, he said.
Hodgson said it's an uncertain science and that accusations that some may be trying to manipulate storms alarms the public. He said he doesn't know if it's happening in Kentucky, but if so, "we want them to quit."
Committee Co-Chair Rep. Daniel Elliott, R-Danville, asked if this bill was modeled from any other state, and Rawlings said lawmakers looked at efforts in Rhode Island and New Hampshire. He said the issue crosses partisan boundaries.
Hodgson clarified that geoengineering does not include contrails or vapor trails from ordinary jet aircraft, crop dusting, ground source pollution or airport fog control. These items "would not be included in this bill," he said.
Hodgson said the main purpose of the bill is to express state sovereignty and to convince the U.S. Congress to act on the issue.
Lawmakers cannot take up legislation until the Kentucky General Assembly convenes in a regular or special session. The next regular session is scheduled to begin in January.
Legislators receive medical cannabis update, express concerns
Rep. Ryan Bivens, R-Hodgenville, speaks Thursday during the Interim Joint Committee on Agriculture meeting. A high-resolution photo can be found here.
FRANKFORT — Legislators on the Interim Joint Committee on Agriculture expressed concerns about affordability and opportunities for Kentucky farmers during a presentation Thursday on medical cannabis in the commonwealth.
Committee Co-Chair Rep. Myron Dossett, R-Pembroke, said he's uncertain if Kentucky farmers are benefitting from the program as they should. He said farming and farmers are vitally important in Kentucky, and that's why the issue was part of Thursday's meeting.
"I want to make sure that our Kentucky farmers were fairly treated through the process of putting the regulations and the licensures together because I cannot think of anyone I have more faith and trust than in our Kentucky farmers of doing something like this," he said.
Medical cannabis patient Ricky Wayne Hunt of Hopkinsville testified that he was diagnosed with cancer of the spinal cord when he was 10 years old. He said he continues to have tremendous pain, and he reached out to Dossett about the price of medical cannabis in Kentucky.
"What I kind of had was sticker shock when I first went to the dispensaries here," Hunt said, explaining the price was cheaper in a different state.
Hunt said he wonders where the disparity comes from and if it will change over time.
Staff members from the state's Office of Medical Cannabis and the Kentucky Cannabis Industry Alliance also testified during the meeting.
Sam Flynn, special adviser to the governor and chief deputy general counsel of the Office of Medical Cannabis, answered Dossett's questions concerning prices of medical cannabis. Dossett said Hunt is paying for medical cannabis out-of-pocket.
"Five of our seven surrounding states had a medical cannabis program before we did," Flynn said. "Several of them had an adult use program before we did. And so, the price, their markets are more mature. They produce more cannabis and therefore the price is going to be significantly lower in those states versus a state where you're just getting up and operational."
Flynn said Kentucky is in a great place now for medical cannabis and is continuing to open cultivation facilities and processing facilities, which will move things along at a much faster pace.
"I think what you'll see is that price is going to come down and ultimately level off at a stable price that people can certainly afford. We've seen that there's significant demand in the commonwealth," he said.
According to the Office of Medical Cannabis, there were 584 applications for 16 available cultivator licenses. To obtain a medical cannabis license, interested parties must complete an application that is reviewed and goes through a lottery process. Then, selected applicants undergo an inspection prior to approval.
Flynn and Rachel Roberts, executive director of the Kentucky Cannabis Industry Alliance, explained how medical cannabis production in Kentucky is subject to specialized statutory and regulatory requirements. They include enclosed and locked facilities, testing standards, inventory tracking and security requirements.
"Because of how much volume is in the Michigan market, it's not tested the way our Kentucky patients' products are tested," Roberts said. "It's not grown by our growers here…everything here is grown in Kentucky. It's tested in Kentucky. It meets the standards that you as the lawmakers put in place. And that's the kind of medicine I want our Kentucky patients using."
Flynn agreed with Roberts.
"Just a little bit about cannabis cultivation in Kentucky – all cannabis cultivation in Kentucky has to be done indoors. So, this is again about the intent that this is a safe, secure, medical grade product," he said.
Sen. Matthew Deneen, R-Elizabethtown, said he has spoken with constituents who have expressed concerns about privacy issues when they seek medical cannabis cards.
Flynn said his office provides patient information only to law enforcement agencies to determine if there are qualifying felony offenses.
Rep. Ryan Bivens, R-Hodgenville, said he is a believer in return on investment.
"We have got patients that are dealing with higher prices," he said. "…Maybe we just need to can this and open it back up so they can go to other states and buy this because I think we're wasting a whole lot of money."
Dossett said he wants Kentuckians to be able to access medical cannabis more affordably.
"I feel that the governor's decision to roll back this so far as allowing these patients who desperately need this help to be able to go out of state, you're leaning to guide them toward the streets and purchasing something illegal because of the costs. So, we do want to be very cautious about that," he said.
Lawmakers receive update on implementation of recent legislation
Co-Chair Sen. Matthew Deneen, R-Elizabethtown, speaks during Wednesday's Education Assessment and Accountability Review Subcommittee meeting about implementation of House Bill 257. A high-resolution photo can be found here.
FRANKFORT — Lawmakers heard Wednesday from Kentucky's commissioner of education about efforts to implement recent legislation on accountability standards in the commonwealth.
House Bill 257 calls for the state's education accountability standards to focus on student growth. It would also reduce state testing, prioritize attendance and allow districts to adopt locally defined quality indicators. Lawmakers passed the legislation during the 2026 Regular Session.
Legislation implementation was discussed during Wednesday's meeting of the Education Assessment and Accountability Review Subcommittee. Education Commissioner Robbie Fletcher said it's extremely important for local districts to align indicators with Kentucky academic standards.
"We want students to have the opportunity to apply real-world skills, real world content," he said. "…We have so many students that are getting opportunities for internships, for apprenticeships. How can we make that a bigger part of the accountability model if that's something that your local community is asking for?"
Skills such as communication, collaboration and problem-solving will be considered, Fletcher said.
"Again, I believe that reading, mathematics, our test scores are important. But our students are much more than a test score, and they need to have the opportunity to demonstrate learning in other ways," he said.
Among the changes to the state assessment system, officials are removing portions related to on-demand writing and editing, and districts must adopt a writing policy.
With the accountability system, officials are removing school climate and safety indicators and adding indicators related to individual student growth in reading, mathematics and chronic absenteeism.
Co-Chair Sen. Matthew Deneen, R-Elizabethtown, asked Fletcher about local accountability, including such topics as civics, history and financial literacy. He also asked how this would be handled on a district-by-district basis.
"On a local accountability measure, that's up to the school district," Fletcher said. "Now, every single school district has to have standards. It has to show how it addresses Kentucky standards. And you know already we have graduation requirements in financial literacy and in other parts thereto. So, districts can, and every district I've seen a local accountability, will have assessments in math reading, science and social studies."
Fletcher said districts may also use resources of their choosing to go above and beyond.
Co-Chair Rep. Timmy Truett, R-McKee, asked if some of these initiatives have already been used in some districts.
"I like the fact that this local accountability gives the districts flexibility, but correct me if I'm wrong," he said. "Is this something that has been going on for a long time in some of these districts?"
Fletcher said nearly 160 districts out of 171 have completed the Portrait of a Learner community-informed competency markers. They can include things such as collaboration, communication and problem-solving.
Considering varying aspects of student development is part of the improvements, Fletcher said.
"As far as accountability, 92% of the people we've surveyed in our very first survey asked that we move from change – instead of comparing cohorts of students, to look at individual student growth," he said.
Fletcher said many stakeholders have offered valuable information and feedback during the changes, including legislators.
"We've had several representatives who have been a part of our Kentucky United We Learn meetings, and I'm so thankful for that. But they help shape these ideas as we move forward. We also did nine town halls to get information to arrive where we are today," he said.
Truett asked for clarification on implementation.
"So, this new accountability system is for this upcoming school year?" he said.
Fletcher said that is the case.
"The testing system that we just completed will be on the old system. … For example, the school safety and climate will still be a part of what's reported in the fall. As we move forward, the next one will have chronic absenteeism and then we'll also be looking at growth," he said.
The next steps for Kentucky's accountability system are the first reading of regulations in July and August, the second reading of regulations in September and October and a public comment period in November and December, Fletcher said.
Lawmakers receive update on state police recruitment, retention
Rep. Matthew Koch, R-Paris, asks a question about high school recruitment during a discussion on Kentucky State Police recruitment and retention. The question was part of Tuesday's Interim Joint Committee on State Government meeting. A high-res version is available here.
FRANKFORT — The Kentucky State Police force has grown significantly in the last few years, but the agency still faces recruitment and retention challenges.
Kentucky State Police Commissioner Col. Phillip Burnett, Jr. shared the agency's recruitment and retention struggles with the Interim Joint Committee on State Government on Tuesday.
He told lawmakers that most state police agencies nationwide face a 10% staffing shortage. Kentucky is not an exception, Burnett said, and there are many factors at play.
"One of the issues we wrangle with is recruitment of qualified men and women coming to this agency, and this is not just a KSP problem," he said. For example, some recruits who are physically fit are unable to pass the exams.
Another recruitment challenge at KSP is competing with other job opportunities, especially remote work. Poor public perception of law enforcement is also an issue, but ensuring candidates that Kentucky is different is a priority, Burnett said.
"One thing we focus on with our people and people we bring in is that… law enforcement is typically celebrated and supported, and not just with our citizens, but with our leaders, our general assembly, our governor, everyone is supportive of law enforcement," he said.
The lengthy hiring process and a change in the pension system are also challenges for the agency.
"We've been hit hard and trying to grapple with a change of the pension benefits, and we have seen that has been a detriment towards bringing in men and women in our agency," Burnett said.
Retaining recruits is also a concern.
The agency's current cadet class started with 81 recruits in May and has since dropped to 48. Each dropout is given an exit interview, Burnett said. The reasons for discontinuing training vary.
"The majority of them say that 'law enforcement is not what I thought it would be,' or they're not physically fit or mentally prepared," Burnett said. "… They're homesick. They don't want to be away from home, and some of them have never been away from home."
KSP cadets are required to attend 24 weeks of training in Frankfort, but can travel home on the weekends, he added.
Burnett said in order to combat the homesickness, KSP plans to cut training from 24 weeks to 22 weeks and include some virtual instruction for the next cadet class.
Although KSP faces recruitment challenges, Burnett said the general assembly's support in increasing trooper pay has helped bring the agency from around 700 troopers and officers in 2020 to near historic levels in 2024 and 2025.
"We have built our numbers up, but that is because of support from the general assembly, support from the governor, and so that's been able to give us quality mechanisms to be able to recruit," he said.
Rep. Matthew Koch, R-Paris, noted KSP's recruitment standards are higher than the military's standards. He said he appreciates knowing a KSP trooper has to meet certain recruitment and training requirements, but noted it likely makes recruiting new cadets difficult.
"I was actually very happy to hear you're going into the high schools, because I think that's where you're going to have to head this off early as you face certain challenges such as physical fitness, obesity," he said. "… Is there room to possibly start a better, longer mentorship program getting these kids, getting these applicants ready for school slots?"
Burnett said the agency has expanded its mentorship efforts through an apprenticeship program. Once a student turns 18, they can choose a telecommunicator route or the commercial vehicle enforcement inspector route.
"Once they complete that program, that should be about 600 hours, then they would be guaranteed a spot in our academy," Burnett said.
The agency is also exploring a partnership with the Bluegrass Community and Technical College's criminal justice program.
Another demographic lawmakers were interested in knowing more about was female recruitment.
"I'm curious knowing about the women you serve with," said Senate Minority Whip Cassie Chambers Armstrong, D-Louisville. "Could you give me a percentage of recruits that are women, women who graduate? I'm interested in knowing a little bit more about that."
Burnett said recruiting more women into KSP has been extremely important to the agency, but recruitment numbers are "not where we need to be," despite the agency's best efforts.
"I can tell you we have taken dedicated females within this agency and put them dealing with nothing but with recruitment of females," Burnett said.
Burnett said he meets with the women working for KSP to collaborate on how to improve female recruitment.
"We have incorporated a KSP women's summit where we have our troopers, our officers and our sworn females within our agency for days at Trooper Island where we get together and collaborate," Burnett said.
The next Interim Joint Committee on State Government is scheduled to meet at 11 a.m. on July 8. For more information, visit legislature.ky.gov.
Lawmakers hear from autism experts, express concern for constituents
Rep. Sarah Stalker, D-Louisville, describes challenges parents sometimes face when seeking care for children with autism. The discussion was part of Wednesday's meeting of the Interim Joint Committee on Families and Children. A high-resolution photo can be found here.
FRANKFORT — From Fulton to Elkhorn City, many Kentucky families face the daily challenges of loved ones with autism, according to testimony Wednesday to the Interim Joint Committee on Families and Children.
A large contingent of stakeholders came to Frankfort to share information about their services, and legislators posed several questions and comments about ways to improve the lives of those with autism and those who live and work with them.
Rep. Sarah Stalker, D-Louisville, said she has constituents who have reached out to her during their search for services.
"Just on my way up to Frankfort today, I took a call with somebody who has reached out to 349 – she's contacted on her own 349 facilities – to try and get help for her son who's about in the sixth grade," she said.
Stalker and other legislators said they would like to help make life better for their constituents with autism and their families. She said she is extremely concerned about children with profound autism, which often means they are nonverbal and could display aggressive behaviors.
"I am probably in conversations with about five families right now who have children with profound autism, and they have found themselves in a situation where they've probably been in a crisis for several years. But they have reached a breaking point where they can no longer keep their child safe," she said.
Stalker said placement in a specialized facility is not always seamless because a child's behaviors are too severe, and she asked how this situation could be rectified. She also cited costs associated with services could be difficult or prohibitive.
Rep. Emily Callaway, R-Louisville, suggested more cooperation between stakeholders could be beneficial.
"It seems like there should be more streamlining. There should be more cooperation between agencies and more of these types of discussions, including the private sector in this. We should not be king of the yard with this," she said. "We need all of the stakeholders at the table. We need to have serious discussions about what are we doing that is duplicative and ultimately not giving us any kind of benefit for the kids and the individuals within our communities that are suffering," she said.
Several groups testified during the meeting, including representatives from the Human Development Institute at the University of Kentucky, the Kentucky Association for Behavior Analysis, the Kentucky Department of Education, the Kentucky Autism Training Center at the University of Louisville and the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services.
According to a presentation from the Human Development Institute, federal health officials estimate that autism rates have increased to 1 in 31 children. That's compared to 1 in 69 in 2012.
Educational classifications of autism have quadrupled since the 2008-09 academic year, officials from the institute said, and about 12% of Kentucky students with disabilities had an autism classification in the 2024-25 school year. Males were significantly more likely to be identified as having autism.
Officials said long wait times and costs were major barriers to diagnosing autism.
Shannon O'Connor, executive director of ABA Advocates, Kentucky Association for Behavior Analysis, testified that network adequacy can present challenges for those with autism, and she thanked Rep. Kimberly Poore Moser, R-Taylor Mill, for legislation designed to help collect accurate data about the clinicians who are client-facing versus those who are not.
She also highlighted legislation to help to enforce compliance among Medicaid managed care organizations, but cautioned that faithful implementation is critical to its success.
Strong cooperation between groups is also necessary to improve services for those with autism and their families, Dr. Steven Stack, secretary of the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, told the panel.
"It's going to require the education community. It's going to require the executive branch. It's going to require impacted families, those who are experiencing and living with these challenges. It's certainly going to involve the legislature because we can't build a facility, even if that was recommended by a multi-stakeholder group without the resources to build it," he said.
Sen. Amanda Mays Bledsoe, R-Lexington, expressed gratitude for the conversation and said there is more that needs to be done.
"There's a lot of empathy in this room from all sides of the room for this issue. I think one of the challenges is that if you've met a kid or a teenager or adult, you've met one person with autism," she said. "How they present the issues that get them above the line is very different in every single situation. So, trying to have standardized care for such a diverse group of people who have very different needs is very, very difficult."
Rural health effort highlighted during committee meeting
Rep. Ken Fleming, R-Louisville, asks questions and offers comments Tuesday during an Interim Joint Committee on Health Services meeting. A high-resolution photo can be found here.
FRANKFORT — An effort to improve health care in rural Kentucky was under the spotlight during Tuesday's meeting of the Interim Joint Committee on Health Services.
The federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) awarded the state close to $213 million in December to support a rural health transformation plan. The cooperative agreement aims to improve health outcomes and access to health care in rural areas across the state over the next five years.
Dr. Steven Stack, secretary of the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, and Tom Walton, director of CHFS's Rural Health Transformation Program, told lawmakers that the state is facing tight deadlines to demonstrate that funds have been deployed or else Kentucky could risk losing the money.
"This is a big project, obviously," Stack said. "We appreciate your interest related to it. We may dream big and fall a little short, but if we don't dream big, we're never going to reach high."
According to Tuesday's presentation, CMS emphasizes rural health through workforce development, innovative care, technical innovation and sustainable access.
Among other areas, funds may be deployed toward prevention and chronic disease, provider payments, consumer tech solutions, training, workforce, advances in information technology and behavioral health. However, CMS is limiting funds for efforts such as new construction or clinician salaries.
Stack said a brand-new team was assembled from scratch for the undertaking and partners have been identified. Contracting is happening now.
"It's really just the beginning and it'll ramp up. They'll be a lot more richness of detail as we go forward," he said, adding that getting results quickly is part of the undertaking.
The speakers highlighted five areas that are included in Kentucky's transformation plan: maternal and infant health, integrated EMS and trauma response, behavioral health that spans from crisis care to long-term support, dental access and community hubs that unite interventions and resources for chronic care.
Walton said state officials have focused on hiring a team from rural Kentucky with both medical experience and experience operating in rural communities. The state is launching early pilot programs and looking at ways to measure progress, he said.
Rep. Emily Callaway, R-Louisville, asked about reaching incarcerated individuals for prenatal and maternal care, and Walton and Stack said the issue will be considered.
"That population has additional constraints or considerations, but there's nothing in the design of these things that would preclude inclusion," Stack said. "It really just comes down to who's fulfilling it and if the community of service providers or clinicians are those who also individuals who provide the care to the incarcerated population."
Sen. Donald Douglas, R-Nicholasville, said there must be program baseline expectations for it to be successful. He also acknowledged the plan is a complicated process and an "enormous task."
"When we take a look at access to health care, are we going to try to make a distinction between access to health care and lack of utilization, because often we lump lack of utilization into access, and I think that really, really distorts the numbers," he said.
Rep. Ken Fleming, R-Louisville, asked about the number of contracts that have been awarded so far.
Stack said there is a whole host of awarded contracts.
Walton said one important factor is the partnerships.
"When we meet with our CMS officer every other week, the first thing they say is basically, 'You guys are doing great.' We're way ahead of most other states. But the thing that they really like is when we say we're being locally led – that really is the focus of CMS," he said.