KENTUCKY — The fast-moving, 60-day 2022 Kentucky General Assembly legislative session is underway and all eyes remain on the 2-year budget spending plan.
Democrats cite a $2 billion surplus in this year’s budget that they say can be invested in the state, but Republicans are taking a more conservative approach.
As party leaders in the House of Representatives wind down on the final few weeks of the 2022 Kentucky General Assembly session, there continues to be differing opinions on what top priorities to move ahead with to close out the legislative session.
"Well I'd like to promise folks back home that they'll see less election year antics and shenanigans but, I doubt it. I doubt it. I think they're gonna continue to see all sorts of bills that are just designed to pander to one party or the other and be entertainment, rather than policymaking," explains Angie Hatton (D-Minority House Whip).
"You know, most people that I've talked to in the hall, talk about the pace and I think we're operating at a good pace, a good steady pace. We've got a lot of things that we want to get accomplished. Halfway through, you walk these halls here right now people are freaking out because their bills haven't moved yet and they they know that it is only a 60-day session, and I constantly remind them last year was a 30-day session. We're now on day 31. So we're only halfway done and we passed over 200 bills last session so we still have time to get things done. But we are being very intentional about the pace...as I said before, the General Assembly will be judged on day 60, not on day 32. And when we look back on day 60, if Kentucky is better than it was on day one, then we've had a productive General Assembly. If it's not, then we have something to work on again. I think that you will see some major policy changes in the coming weeks. And I'm confident that we will get to meaningful tax reform this session in the 30 days that we have," adds Steven Rudy (R-House Majority Floor Leader).
You can watch the full In Focus segment above.