Higdon: New state budget provides funding for projects in the 14th district
By JIMMY HIGDON
14th District State Senator
Friday, April 23, 2021 — It was a privilege to serve you and our district at the Capitol during the 2021 Regular Session. At this same time last year, no one could have predicted just how drastically our lives would change amid the COVID-19 pandemic. As the 30-day session closed on March 30, we can now see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Going into this year’s legislative session, we knew we had a pressing responsibility to address the budget and issues related to the pandemic. Constitutionally, we were required to pass a continuing budget following last year’s decision to pass only a one-year budget instead of the traditional two-year budget. Through cautious and conservative planning, along with federal stimulus funds, I am happy to say the General Assembly invested taxpayer dollars in Kentucky to ensure we get the most out of every penny.
This year’s budget invests $300 million in federal funding to expand broadband access to areas of the state most in need and advance economic development. While reliable internet connectivity is essential to our state’s financial future, so is improving our state’s infrastructure. To improve that, we must include access to quality water and wastewater systems for Kentuckians. The General Assembly allocated $200 million for county water and sewer projects and grants. Billions of dollars have been placed into highway appropriations, with nearly $700 million for revenue sharing to help county and rural and secondary roads.
Additional budget appropriations showcase the General Assembly’s commitment to building a better Kentucky. Over 40% of the state’s approximate $12 billion budget is dedicated to education. That number is well over 50% when including higher education spending. Additionally, our Family Resource and Youth Services Centers program’s funding was maintained in this year’s budget, with $20 million being appropriated to help our rural hospitals. Finally, the General Assembly met our moral and legal obligation to fund state employees’ pensions fully.
I am pleased to say that thanks to funding allocated by the General Assembly, the 14th District will be receiving funds for projects. Bardstown City Schools in Nelson County will receive more than half a million dollars to construct new sidewalks along Templin Avenue, safely connecting Bardstown Primary School with a new elementary school across the street scheduled to open next January. Marion County will be receiving $550,000 for improvements to the shoulders of KY 84 near Marion County Middle School and $350,000 to install a turn lane at Glasscock Elementary on US 68. I appreciate the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet for prioritizing and targeting safety projects near school sites using state funding allocated in the 2020 Highway Plan. I want to thank my colleagues in the State House—Nelson County Representative and House Majority Whip, Chad McCoy, Marion County Representative Brandon Reed, and Representatives Kevin Bratcher (Jefferson County), James Allen Tipton (Spencer County), and Daniel Elliot (Casey County)—for their hard work to strengthen the 14th District.
Looming over every legislative decision was COVID-19 and its various impacts on our economy, health, education, and more. Knowing how important it is to get our state back on track, the General Assembly passed liability protections for businesses and legislation to allow companies to operate within safety guidelines that are less restrictive so that they can get their employees back to work. For parents fortunate enough to remain employed but have found child care options limited following state-mandated shutdowns, the legislature passed a bill to reopen our child care centers. For those still struggling with unemployment-related issues, we enacted legislation to require the state to reopen regional offices for in-person services. The budget also included $575 million to pay down the state’s $800 million federal loan to refund the unemployment trust fund. Doing this will make sure small businesses do not see a significant tax increase.
In response to the many calls from the unemployed, parents in need of child care, those concerned with their children’s education, and families unable to visit with their loved ones in long-term care facilities, the General Assembly began to review what its role should be as life-altering decisions are made. We passed priority measures reforming statute to give the General Assembly oversight over the extension of states of emergencies, administrative and emergency regulations, and allow the voters of Kentucky to decide if the legislature may reserve legislative days to return to Frankfort beyond the current constitutionally required session deadlines.
We continued to show our commitment to protecting the life of the unborn in passing the “born-alive infant protection act,” which provides that an infant born alive must be given the appropriate medical treatment and care to preserve life. We also sought to improve government transparency and efficiency by providing the State Treasurer oversight of state contracts and improving Kentucky’s agriculture industry by rightly placing related offices and boards under the Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner’s jurisdiction. Finally, we also passed legislation to help stabilize and protect the Kentucky Teacher’s Retirement System by implementing a plan for new teachers.
Throughout the session, much of the media attention was on the legislature and the Governor’s disputes regarding the proper balance of power during a state of emergency, budgetary matters, and social issues. But the truth of the matter is that more legislation was agreed upon than not. No one should discount this when considering that, of the 200 bills passed by the General Assembly, the Governor signed into law 158 of them (79%) and allowed 12 others to become law without vetoing them (85% total). In all, only 30 bills were vetoed (15%), but we overrode almost all of those. So despite that division and debate will garner more headlines than unity, there was a lot of great work done over the past three months to build a brighter future for Kentucky.
Legislation that garnered overwhelming support included bills to protect our children by strengthening the statute of limitations on abuse-related crimes and enhancing penalties for those found guilty. We addressed health care costs by capping the out-of-pocket cost of insulin for people with diabetes at $30 per 30-day supply. We continued to improve criminal justice by ensuring accountability within law enforcement, providing pregnant inmates with the dignity of time with their child, and lessening recidivism by helping connect former inmates with job opportunities.
Information on legislation passed during the 2021 Regular Session can be found at www.legislature.ky.gov.
Recent information reported by the Lexington Herald-Leader and verified by findings from the Kentucky State Auditor’s Statewide Single Audit of Kentucky (SSWAK) show that some state employees gamed the system to claim unemployment benefits for themselves. The Herald-Leader report covered a state inspector general report about nineteen Education and Workforce Development employees that received over $54 thousand in unemployment claims. The Auditor’s findings are more expansive and show that thirty-seven state employees received benefits despite working full time. Ten Office of Unemployment Insurance staff accessed their own accounts, which is prohibited and taught in employee training. To make this matter worse, we only know about this because of the Herald-Leader and State Auditors reports. The state inspector general had made a report internally, but the public was never made aware. It still has not been verified what specific disciplinary or legal action was taken against the state employees. During a crisis where tens of thousands are still waiting on checks and dealing with the frustrations of fraudulent attacks on the system, the public deserves transparency.
State Auditor Mike Harmon has referred these findings to Attorney General Daniel Cameron’s Office and the Executive Branch Ethics Office. This kind of unethical behavior cannot be brushed aside. The Governor must take swift action to terminate and prosecute all involved in this scam. This has caused even more harm to an already challenging situation. You can find the State Auditor’s 2020 SSWAK report by visiting auditor.ky.gov.
I would also like to thank you for your continued support, questions, and comments. Although the session is over, we will participate in interim committee meetings throughout the remainder of the year to prepare and discuss new legislation. If you have any thoughts or questions regarding the work we accomplished during this past session, I certainly want to hear from you. You can contact me toll-free at 1-800-372-7181 or email me at Jimmy.Higdon@LRC.KY.GOV.
I am happy to be home, reunited with loved ones. I hope to see you out and about in the coming year. Stay safe, and God bless.
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