KENTUCKY — The 2024 Kentucky General Assembly is currently underway for its annual legislative session that runs until April 15, 2024.

This year is particularly important because since it is an even-calendar year, that means this year is a “long session” and lasts for 60 legislative days instead of 30 days.

During this In Focus Kentucky segment, Minority Floor Leader Derrick Graham, D-Louisville, shares legislative updates and the caucus priorities for this year’s session from the Kentucky House Democrats perspective.

Graham announced in December 2023 that after 30 years in public office, he will not seek reelection for the 57th District, which serves Frankfort and he felt the time was right to move on.

“I feel strongly that now is the time to give someone else the chance to be our next state representative, a job I have loved since first being elected in 2002. Whether in office or out, I will never stop doing all I can for the community I love and that made me who I am today. There’s no better place to work, live and — as I’ll soon find out — retire,” he said.

For over two decades, Graham has served as Franklin County’s state representative and in the 1990s he was a Frankfort city commissioner. A lifelong resident of Franklin County, Graham was also a social studies teacher at Frankfort High School. Last year, he made history, becoming the first African-American to lead a legislative caucus in the Kentucky House of Representatives.

Graham also previously served as House Democratic Caucus Chair and, from 2013 to 2016, he chaired the House Education Committee.

You can watch the full In Focus Kentucky segment in the player above.