Democratic Governor’s Ambitious Plan Faces Opposition in GOP-Dominated Senate
The Kentucky House of Representatives has passed a budget bill that excludes funding for the governor’s universal pre-K proposal. The bill, which serves as the state’s main policy document, will now move to the Republican-dominated Senate for consideration.
Democratic Governor Andy Beshear had included an 11% pay raise for teachers and public school employees in his proposed spending blueprint. The governor argued that the raise was necessary to attract and retain qualified educators. Additionally, he sought to allocate $172 million annually over the next two fiscal years to provide preschool for all four-year-olds in Kentucky, with the aim of ensuring that every child is prepared for kindergarten.
During the House debate, Representative Derrick Graham, the highest-ranking House Democrat, criticized the GOP’s plan for not adequately addressing the needs of K-12 teachers. He pointed out that Kentucky ranked among the lowest in the nation in terms of average teacher starting pay and average teacher pay overall. Graham argued that the proposed budget would not significantly improve the state’s standing in these areas.
On the other hand, Republican Representative Jason Petrie emphasized the importance of local control over setting pay scales. He defended the House bill, stating that it would provide over $1.3 billion in funding increases for K-12 education during the biennium.
Besides education funding, House Democrats also highlighted perceived shortcomings in the GOP spending plan, particularly regarding water projects and affordable housing initiatives. Republican Representative Kevin Bratcher, however, defended the budget as responsible and dismissed the Democrats’ calls for increased spending as “dumb.”
Education funding remained a central topic of discussion throughout the House debate. The House plan aimed to increase per-pupil funding under the state’s main funding formula for K-12 schools, known as SEEK. The proposed amount would rise to $4,368 in the first fiscal year and $4,455 in the second year, representing increases of $117 million and $154 million, respectively. Currently, the amount is set at $4,200 per student.
The House’s budget proposal also included additional state funding for transportation of K-12 students, with the state covering 100% of these costs in the second year of the biennium. Governor Beshear had called for full funding of transportation costs in both years, but the House plan allocated 80% in the first year.
Republican leaders praised the House plan for its investments in mental health, substance abuse recovery programs, and public safety. The budget bill allocated funds to hire 100 more social workers, provide pay raises to state police troopers and commercial vehicle enforcement officers, and increase funding for the College Access Program by $196 million, benefiting undergraduate students.
The budget remains the top priority for Kentucky lawmakers during the 60-day session, and the House’s passage of the bill marks another step in the process. The focus now shifts to the Senate, where the bill will be reviewed and potentially amended. Ultimately, a conference committee comprising leaders from both chambers will reconcile any differences and finalize the budget plan. As both the House and Senate hold Republican supermajorities, the final version is expected to align closely with the current proposals.
Separate Spending Bill Passes House to Address State’s Financial Reserves
In addition to the budget bill, the House also approved a separate spending bill that taps into the state’s substantial budget reserves. The bill outlines various one-time investments, including nearly $1 billion towards further reducing the state’s pension liabilities. Other allocations would support infrastructure projects and economic development initiatives. The bill passed the House unanimously with a vote of 96-0 and will now move to the Senate for consideration.