KENTUCKY — The 2022 Kentucky General Assembly is underway for its annual legislative session that runs until April 14.

This year is important because since it is an even calendar year, that means this year’s session lasts for 60 days instead of 30 days.

Steven Rudy (R) of Paducah is the Majority Floor Leader in the Kentucky House of Representatives. He was first elected to the legislature in 2004 and represents the 1st House District, which includes Ballard, Carlisle, Fulton, Hickman and parts of McCracken counties.

With Rudy's Majority Floor Leader position in the House Republicans, he is mainly responsible for serving as the lead speaker for his party during floor debates, develops the calendar and co-leads with the House Speaker on developing policy formation and policy decisions.

During this In Focus Kentucky interview, Rep. Rudy comments on a variety of topics and issues being debated during the General Assembly session. 

"Uortunately our previous Majority leader, as everyone remembers, got ill right before the 2020 session and I filled in as floor manager at the time for him during the long session, the pandemic session, where we started voting from our offices and things like that. Last year was the first session that I was actually in the complete role as majority floor leader and then this year the long session, we're the ones that kind of map out the the session and map out the when bills are being taken up and things like that, certainly take a lot of input from the rest of the leadership and the membership. But that's, that's kind of the role of just keeping everything on time and scheduling," explains Rep. Rudy. 

Rudy explained that his job is a delicate balance of answering to both his constituents and members of the majority caucus in Frankfort.

"Before I got this role, I was the Appropriations and Revenue Chairman and was tasked with writing the entire budget for the state. So I got a really different perspective of the statewide perspective in that role as well. So you know, we certainly still have our constituents to ask answer to, but in this role I have the members of the majority caucus to answer to, as well and it it is a tough balance. But you know, we we try to be open and accessible and have an open air and an understanding and understand the perspectives that everybody comes through in this job," said Rudy.

You can watch the full In Focus segment above.