KY Senate Republicans

10/22/2026

SEN. GEX WILLIAMS, REP. DAN FISTER HIGHLIGHT $30.2 MILLION FOR FRANKLIN COUNTY ROADS AND BRIDGES
Ceremonial checks presented to fiscal court recognize highway and bridge investments, plus resurfacing on three local roads

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Oct. 22, 2026) — Sen. Gex Williams, R-Verona, and Rep. Dan Fister, R-Versailles, presented two ceremonial checks to the Franklin County Fiscal Court on Wednesday to recognize $30.24 million in transportation investments approved by the Kentucky General Assembly during the 2026 legislative session.

The presentation recognized $29.56 million in the state road plan for Franklin County highway and bridge projects, plus a separate $685,000 through the Local Assistance Road Program (LARP).

“Getting a road resurfaced matters a great deal when it’s the road you take home every day,” said Williams. “Benson Valley Road, Manley-Leestown Road and Colston Lane are in this plan because local roads need attention, too. I’m pleased we could include those projects alongside the larger highway and bridge work Franklin County needs.”

Projects recognized at the presentation include:

$18.16 million for work on the KY Highway 676 East-West Connector bridge over the Kentucky River,
$10.67 million to address pavement conditions on Interstate 64 between milepoints 57.811 and 59.431 and
$730,000 for design work to improve safety and traffic flow on U.S. Highway 60 (Versailles Road) between U.S. Highway 460 and I-64.

The $29.56 million road plan check presented to the fiscal court represents the three projects listed above. The state road plan also includes $12.17 million for the Singing Bridge, bringing Franklin County’s two-year road plan total to $41.73 million.

Williams and Fister previously recognized the Singing Bridge funding by presenting a ceremonial check to Frankfort city officials. Williams wrote an op-ed earlier this year outlining support for the Singing Bridge project and other details. You can find that op-ed via The State Journal using the link in the comments.

The separate $685,000 LARP check represents resurfacing projects on Benson Valley Road ($173,000), Manley-Leestown Road ($368,000) and Colston Lane ($144,000).

Together, the road plan and LARP projects represent $42,415,000 in transportation investments for Franklin County.

“Franklin County is home to Kentucky’s capital, a rich history and hardworking people who deserve safe, reliable roads and strong infrastructure,” Fister said. “We’re proud to invest in the projects that keep our communities connected and support future growth.

“We just can’t lose sight of the fact these investments are possible because we’ve been responsible with taxpayer dollars and made sound decisions about state spending,” Fister added. “We’ll continue to prioritize critical infrastructure while ensuring taxpayer money is spent wisely.”

The ceremonial checks recognize projects authorized through House Bill 502 and House Joint Resolution 76.

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Sen. Gex Williams, R-Verona, serves Franklin, Carroll, Gallatin and Owen counties and portions of Boone and Kenton counties. He serves on the Senate Transportation Committee.

PHOTO CUTLINE: Sen. Gex Williams (left) and Rep. Dan Fister (right) present ceremonial checks to Franklin County Judge Executive Michael Mueller (middle), representing state-allocated road funding supporting projects in Franklin County. Oct. 21, 2026. Photo Credit: Franklin County Fiscal Court.

10/22/2026

Seventeen Kentucky organizations have filed declarations to take part in the state's new education scholarship program under House Bill 1.

Starting in 2027, eligible taxpayers can receive a dollar-for-dollar federal income tax credit of up to $1,700 for qualifying cash contributions to scholarship granting organizations. Families can then use scholarships from those organizations for education expenses at public and private schools.

November 30 is the initial declaration deadline under the state's proposed regulation. The Secretary of State's office must send Kentucky's list of eligible organizations to the IRS by January 1.

Source: Public, private school leaders talk opportunities for families as House Bill 1 gains momentum — WHAS 11, Oct 21, 2026.

Find the story linked below!

10/21/2026

HB 1 GAINS MOMENTUM AS 17 ORGANIZATIONS PREPARE TO OFFER STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS
Public-and private-school leaders describe opportunities for families as Kentucky prepares for the federal tax credit’s 2027 launch

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Oct. 21, 2026) — Seventeen organizations have filed declarations to participate in Kentucky’s new education scholarship program, state officials told lawmakers Wednesday, as public- and private-school leaders described how House Bill 1 could help families afford more educational opportunities.

The update came during the Commission on Race and Access to Opportunity’s examination of HB 1, which secured Kentucky’s participation in the federal scholarship tax credit program.

HB 1 initially passed both chambers with bipartisan support. The General Assembly overrode Gov. Andy Beshear’s veto in March, securing Kentucky students’ access to the program.

Sponsored by Reps. Kimberly Moser, R-Taylor Mill, and TJ Roberts, R-Burlington, HB 1 was carried in the Senate by Senate President Pro Tempore David Givens, R-Greensburg.

“We want every kid in the commonwealth to have people who believe in them as much as you all do,” commission co-chair Sen. Amanda Mays Bledsoe, R-Lexington, who led Wednesday’s meeting, told the educators.

Beginning in 2027, eligible taxpayers can receive a dollar-for-dollar federal income tax credit of up to $1,700 for qualifying cash contributions to listed scholarship-granting organizations, known as SGOs. Under the IRS’s proposed rules, married couples filing jointly could claim up to $3,400 based on each spouse’s qualifying contributions. The credit is nonrefundable, meaning it is limited to the taxpayer’s federal income tax liability. Unused credit may carry forward for up to five years.

Those organizations award scholarships to eligible students to cover educational expenses. HB 1 does not appropriate money from Kentucky’s education budget or change the SEEK funding formula. Fiscal analysis found that HB 1 is not expected to reduce state General Fund revenues.

For Will Hodges, a former Green County Schools superintendent now advising the Kentucky Education Fund, the opportunity comes down to confidence in his own community.

“I do feel like my local school system and my community school will do a better job of managing those dollars than Washington, D.C., does,” Hodges said.

Hodges was responding to Sen. Lindsey Tichenor, R-Smithfield, who asked what concerns he was hearing from public-school leaders as they prepare to participate.

Hodges described scholarships that could help eligible families with tutoring, educational equipment, technology and other qualifying expenses. The Kentucky Education Fund is working with the state’s 15 area development districts to connect schools, donors and communities ahead of the program’s launch.

Bowling Green Independent Schools Superintendent Gary Fields said his district plans to partner with the fund, initially focusing on helping families afford dual-credit courses and Advanced Placement exams. These opportunities can help students earn college credit and prepare for careers while still in high school.

“If it can help our kids, we’re going to do it,” Fields said.

At Louisville’s West End School, President and Head of School Gregory Ross described a different need: sustaining full scholarships for students whose families otherwise could not afford the school.

Ross said every student receives a full scholarship and the school must raise roughly $5 million annually to support its work. He described students overcoming homelessness and other hardships with consistent academic support, structure and high expectations.

“When we talk about the importance of something like an SGO, it’s a lifeline for us,” Ross said.

Tichenor lauded the school’s work before asking how it would participate in the scholarship program.

“It really is incredibly impressive what you guys are doing,” she told Ross.

The testimony showed how the same federal program can support students in different educational settings.

Public-school students can get help with qualifying expenses, while eligible private-and home-school students can pursue support tailored to their educational needs.

Democratic governors in Colorado and New York have also embraced participation, citing opportunities to help public-school students.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul recently announced her state would participate, saying, “I’m not going to leave money on the table when it could help our kids.”

Public-school advocates are preparing to participate, too. NPR reported Oct. 20 that the Southern Education Foundation, which previously opposed the program, is launching an alliance of scholarship-granting organizations to support public-school students.

Kentucky’s participation means students here can qualify for scholarships supported by the federal credit. Without it, Kentuckians could still claim the credit for qualifying donations benefiting students in participating states elsewhere.

Secretary of State Michael Adams and his staff outlined preparations for 2027, including reviewing new federal rules and compiling Kentucky’s list of participating organizations. Michael Wilson, the office’s director of business services and deputy general counsel, updated the number of organizations that have filed declarations to 17 as of Wednesday morning.

Federal requirements include income verification, scholarships for at least 10 students who do not all attend the same school and spending at least 90 percent of SGO income on scholarships. Eligible students generally must live in households earning no more than 300 percent of area median gross income, adjusted for family size.

Organizations seeking to participate should review the secretary of state’s program information and filing guidance. Officials identified Nov. 30 as the initial declaration deadline under Kentucky’s proposed regulation.

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10/21/2026

ICYMI: ADAMS’ EARLIER REFORMS PROVIDE FOUNDATION FOR CALLAWAY PROPOSAL ON INCARCERATED MATERNAL CARE

Health Services Committee examines proposal to strengthen reporting and oversight of prenatal and postpartum care

Find the full release from our office here:

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Oct. 20, 2026) —A proposal to improve care for incarcerated mothers and their babies brought lawmakers back to an issue Sen. Julie Raque Adams, R-Louisville, has championed since 2018. Tuesday’s Interim Joint Committee on Health Services meeting examined how better reporting coul...

10/20/2026

ADAMS’ EARLIER REFORMS PROVIDE FOUNDATION FOR CALLAWAY PROPOSAL ON INCARCERATED MATERNAL CARE
Health Services Committee examines proposal to strengthen reporting and oversight of prenatal and postpartum care

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Oct. 20, 2026)—A proposal to improve care for incarcerated mothers and their babies brought lawmakers back to an issue Sen. Julie Raque Adams, R-Louisville, has championed since 2018. Tuesday’s Interim Joint Committee on Health Services meeting examined how better reporting could help ensure existing protections are being carried out.

Rep. Emily Callaway, R-Louisville, presented 2027 Regular Session Bill Request 425 alongside representatives of the Reason Foundation and Louisville Metro Department of Corrections. The preliminary proposal would standardize reporting and auditing of prenatal and postpartum care across correctional facilities.

“The circumstances that bring a woman into custody do not diminish her need for care or her hopes for her child,” Adams said. “That has guided my work from the beginning. We have a responsibility to protect the health of both mother and baby and to treat women with dignity during a particularly vulnerable time in their lives.”

Adams sponsored Senate Bill 133 in 2018, known as the Dignity Bill, which passed with bipartisan support. The law established requirements for adequate nutrition for pregnant women in jail and hygiene products for women in custody. It also strengthened protections against the use of restraints during pregnancy, labor, transport for delivery and postpartum recovery.

She expanded those protections through Senate Bill 84 in 2021. The law established access to community programs and social workers to help mothers plan for their babies’ care and required facilities to allow newborns to remain with their mothers for up to 72 hours after birth unless a medical professional identifies a health or safety risk. It also prohibited restrictive housing for medical observation during pregnancy and the immediate postpartum period.

Callaway acknowledged Adams and other lawmakers for their work on maternal care, emphasizing that those efforts must include women in correctional facilities.

“They found themselves in the care of our correctional facilities, and we have a duty to ensure they too are cared for and that the baby has a fighting chance even before his and her first breath,” Callaway said.

Reason Foundation policy analyst Layal Bou Harfouch cited Adams’ earlier laws while explaining that gaps in publicly available, comparable information make it difficult to assess their implementation. The proposed framework would track care from the identification of pregnancy through delivery and postpartum recovery.

The need for better information has also drawn national scrutiny. A 2025 Bloomberg Law and NBC News investigation found that at least 22 states did not track pregnancy outcomes in jails. Kentucky’s earlier work is featured in Justice Action Network’s national “Women Unshackled” case study, which identifies Adams’ 2018 Dignity Bill as the first of its kind.

Louisville Metro corrections officials outlined their practices, including pregnancy screening, obstetric care, substance use treatment and postpartum support. They also discussed connecting women with community care after release.

“I appreciate Rep. Callaway carrying this work forward and the medical and corrections professionals helping us understand what care looks like day to day,” Adams said. “Our earlier laws established important protections. Consistent reporting can help us see whether women are receiving that care and where more attention is needed. We owe it to these mothers and their babies to follow through.”

Callaway emphasized that the proposal remains preliminary and open for discussion ahead of Kentucky’s 30-day 2027 Regular Session, which begins January 5.

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10/20/2026

A mile and a half matters when it’s on the road you use to travel home everyday.

The new stretch of U.S. 421 near Cranks gives Harlan County drivers a safer route near the Virginia state line. As the community celebrates, the late Sen. Johnnie Turner deserves a place in the story.

Turner was a staunch advocate for this project and pushed for the construction funding included in the General Assembly’s 2024 road plan. He isn’t with us to see this ribbon-cutting, but his work helped bring this day about.

Harlan County is now represented by Sen. Scott Madon, who was in attendance for the ribbon cutting.

This opening is a welcome milestone for the people he serves and a lasting reminder of Turner’s commitment to his neighbors.

10/19/2026

WEST, TICHENOR RECOGNIZE READING PROGRESS ENCOURAGE CONTINUED FOCUS ON FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS
New results follow national recognition for Kentucky’s academic growth; early math support enters its next stage

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Oct. 19, 2026) — Kentucky’s 2025-26 assessment results show reading gains at the elementary, middle and high school levels. Senate Education Chair Steve West, R-Paris, and Vice Chair Lindsey Tichenor, R-Smithfield, issued the following joint statement on the results.

“Learning to read well changes a child’s experience in school. It makes the next assignment less intimidating and opens the door to subjects that might become a lifelong interest. We’re encouraged that more Kentucky students are reaching that point, and we thank the teachers whose persistence makes that progress possible.

“These reading gains follow national recognition earlier this year for Kentucky’s growth in reading and math. They give us further encouragement about the work underway through Read to Succeed, including stronger teacher training and help for children who struggle with reading.

“Our focus on handwriting and cursive instruction reflects that same commitment to foundational skills. Children need to understand what they read, express their thoughts clearly and work through a problem with confidence. Those abilities give them more independence in school and more choices in life.

“Mathematics results show we have more work to do. Rep. James Allen Tipton’s leadership on Numeracy Counts gives schools a stronger approach to identifying difficulties early and responding to each child’s needs. Its new K-3 screening and intervention requirements began this school year, after the testing reflected in this report. We will follow that work closely and keep supporting the teachers and families helping children succeed.”
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BACKGROUND
The Kentucky Department of Education’s 2025-26 assessment results show reading gains across elementary, middle and high school, while mathematics performance remained flat or declined slightly. Full state, district and school results are available through the Kentucky School Report Card.

The percentage of students scoring proficient or distinguished in reading increased to 50 percent at the elementary level, 48 percent at the middle school level and 49 percent at the high school level.

Earlier this year, the Education Scorecard ranked Kentucky fifth among 35 states included in its reading growth comparison and eighth among 38 states included in its mathematics comparison for 2022-25. That analysis covers an earlier period than the newly released state results.

West championed the 2022 Read to Succeed Act. Tichenor sponsored the 2024 law requiring elementary cursive instruction beginning in 2025-26. Tipton sponsored the 2024 Numeracy Counts Act, whose required K-3 mathematics screening and intervention cycle begins in 2026-27.

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10/19/2026

There’s something about Kentucky that stays with you.

Maybe it’s the rolling hills or mountaintops that greet you on the drive home. It may be the familiar faces in a small-town restaurant or a neighbor who shows up before you even have to send an invite. It could be that quiet pride that comes from knowing you’re part of a place with a story deserving of sharing.

For a lot of us right now, it may be football. 😁

Our commonwealth has never been defined by any one landscape or industry, because we have such diversity in both. Kentucky is best defined by its traditions and its values, but more importantly, its people who have built their lives here, by birthright or by choice, and the generations who came before us and the promise we’re working to leave those who come next.

Kentucky became the nation’s 15th state in 1792. More than two centuries later, that same pioneering spirit lives on in communities across all 120 counties.

On National Kentucky Day, we’re celebrating the place we’re fortunate to call home and the people who make it unlike anywhere else.

Happy National Kentucky Day! 💙

10/18/2026

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President Robert Stivers
President Pro Tempore David Givens
Floor Leader Max Wise
Caucus Whip Mike Wilson
Caucus Chair Robby Mills

10/18/2026

A little more time with the people you love. Another birthday to celebrate. Good news from the doctor. A quiet morning that suddenly feels anything but ordinary.

For families who have faced breast cancer, moments like these can mean the world.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and while it’s a time to remember those we’ve lost, it’s also a time to celebrate just how much life there is to look forward to.

There are survivors making new memories, patients finding reasons to smile on difficult days and families holding on to hope. There are doctors, nurses, researchers and loved ones helping make more of those moments possible.

There’s good reason to keep looking forward. Advances in screening and treatment have helped save lives, and every conversation that encourages someone to take their health seriously matters.

So this October, celebrate the milestones, big and small. Encourage someone you love to talk with their doctor about screening. Reach out to a friend who’s going through treatment. And if breast cancer has touched your family, know that your story matters.

Here’s to more birthdays, more good news and countless little moments worth celebrating. 🎀