FRANKFORT, Ky. — Republicans and Democrats shared their thoughts on Kentucky’s 2024 legislative session at dueling news conferences at the state capitol building in Frankfort following the conclusion of the session.
Lawmakers passed hundreds of bills this session and both sides said there are some wins they can be proud of.
Kentucky Senate Republicans called the results of the 60-day legislative session “gratifying.” Tuesday Senate leaders touted the state’s budget for 2024-2026, which includes another projected tax cut for Kentuckians. Majority Leader Damon Thayer, R-Georgetown, said this has been a goal for the party since acquiring a super majority in 2017.
“Because of the conservative management and fiscal discipline we showed during the budget process, Kentuckians by this time in 2026 will have their taxes cut yet again, a fourth time down to 3.5%,” Thayer said.
Thayer, Senate President Robert Stivers and other members of the majority caucus shared highlights of the state budget, including significant investments in roads, city improvement projects and education. A total 9% increase in SEEK funding per student. SEEK funding refers to state dollars for local school districts.
“They are able to give significant raises to our teachers as a result of those increases in the SEEK funding formula,” said State Senator Mike Wilson, R-Bowling Green, the Senate majority whip.
Another major win for Republicans is passing House Bill 2, a school choice constitutional amendment. Voters will now decide if the legislature can use state funds for private and charter schools.
“Polling indicates that a supermajority of Kentuckians across all party ideologies; Democrat, Republican, Independent, support the concept of parental school choice,” Thayer said.
Republicans believe putting a school choice amendment on the ballot lets the people decide if it’s something they want in Kentucky. The Democrat caucus believes Kentuckians will vote this down in November.
“I think Kentuckians are smart enough to see through that effort. It’s absolutely an effort to destroy our public schools,” said State Representative Cherlynn Stevenson, D-Lexington.
Stevenson, Senate Minority Leader Gerald Neal and state Democrat leaders acknowledged some strengths to the budget including investments in local communities, charities and extra Medicaid waivers but also say it lacked two key components, teacher raises and universal Pre-K. These were both major asks from Gov. Andy Beshear, D-Kentucky, in his budget.
“Democrats came to the negotiation table and held our own. Unfortunately Republicans were adamantly opposed to making necessary investments in our state’s future,” Stevenson said.
Democrats passed seven sponsored bills this session, including expansions of crime victims’ compensation and changing the state’s cosmetology board. Senator Neal said some of their biggest wins were preventing so-called anti-DEI, anti-LGBTQ and bills tightening SNAP benefit qualifications from passing.
“Fighting is what we’ve been doing this entire session, because we used our voice, some of the most heinous bills will not prevail,” Neal said.
Senate Republicans said Tuesday, the bill targeting DEI ultimately failed because they did not have enough votes to agree on changes made by the House to Senate Bill 6. House Republicans changed Senate Bill 6 to have the same wording as another DEI bill, House Bill 9 during a House committee last month. Senator Thayer said not having enough votes and the House unwilling to compromise killed the bill’s chances for this session.
Republicans acknowledged work could continue on DEI legislation during the interim.
Many of the bills that did not pass this session could continue getting worked on during the interim; and be reintroduced next year.