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Kentucky’s 2025 legislative session is officially done. Lawmakers left Frankfort more than a week ago, and Gov. Andy Beshear just signed off on the last bill on his desk.  So, what exactly happened this session? And where do things go from here? I’ve been covering the legislative session for Queer Kentucky for the last…

Frankfort is one of a number of communities across Kentucky grappling with a deluge of flash flooding from torrential rainfall over the past several days. More than a foot of rain in some parts of the state has caused rivers to rise, leading to evacuations along the Kentucky River. Emergency officials have asked Frankfort…

Appalachian communities in Kentucky are poised to become manufacturing hubs for the wind energy industry, experts say. The region’s workforce, accessible transportation routes, and stash of coal ash deposits — which contain rare earth metals needed for turbine production — all point to a role for Appalachia in the industry’s supply chain. Larry Holloway,…

LEXINGTON, Ky. — A Lexington man with a history of drug trafficking and a past manslaughter conviction has pleaded guilty to federal charges involving large-scale narcotics distribution and firearms possession, according to court documents unsealed Friday in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky. Keenan J. McLaughlin, also known as “Chief,” entered a guilty…

As federal funding cuts for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program loom, Kentucky experts said proposed changes to shift funding onto states could be disastrous. In a recent letter to Congress, the Kentucky Food Action Network told lawmakers restricting SNAP will hurt farmers across the Commonwealth. Jessica Klein, policy associate at the Kentucky Center for…

A proposed Kentucky law would require animal control officers statewide to undergo training on identifying and reporting child abuse. Kyan’s Law is named after Kyan Higgins Jr, a 10-year-old Louisville boy murdered by his mother. Animal control had visited Kyan’s home 24 times in the 18 months leading up to his death. Joye Keeley,…

April is National Second Chance Month but across the Commonwealth, resources to help people leaving prison find gainful employment are dwindling. According to data from the Prison Policy Initiative, of more than 50,000 people in 2010, 33% found no employment in the four years following release. The Louisville Office of the Center for Employment…

A GOP state representative in Kentucky accosted a transgender woman trying to use the women’s bathroom at the state Capitol Thursday, sparking a terse exchange with another lawmaker on the House floor later in the day. Carma Bell Marshall, who leads the Trans-Wellness Coalition, tried to use the restroom before speaking at a trans…

This Week at the State Capitol March 28, 2025 The 2025 legislative session was gaveled to a close this week after lawmakers overrode a series of gubernatorial vetoes and sent another volley of bills to the governor’s desk. A high-resolution photo is available here. FRANKFORT — The gavel struck a sentimental note when it…

The federal HALT Fentanyl Act advancing through Congress would increase prison time for fentanyl traffickers. Kentuckians convicted on distribution charges involving more than 10 grams of fentanyl would receive at least five years in prison, or no fewer than 10 if they had a prior conviction. For cases involving larger amounts of the substance…