FRANKFORT – Saying Kentuckians deserve better, House Democratic Caucus leaders held a press conference this afternoon to call out what they said is “an appalling lack of transparency” this legislative session.
“This has unfortunately become a major theme each spring, but it has become worse this year,” Caucus Whip Lindsey Burke of Lexington said. “We want Kentuckians to know that our caucus rejects this approach, and that we’re fighting for their right to simply know what their government is doing and to be able to offer meaningful input.”
She cited several examples where that is not taking place. “House Bill 755, which would significantly lower the threshold to reduce the individual income tax, made it through committee and the House yesterday in a matter of hours, before it could even be read online,” she said. “Today, meanwhile, we were told only 25 minutes would be spent on a major bill that threatens our waterways, and members were not allowed to ask questions and could only spend one minute explaining their vote. A few hours later, the House Health Services Committee rushed through another rewritten bill negatively affecting reproductive care.”
Other examples include rewritten education bills sent out last night after 8 p.m.; late agendas; and limits on public comment for House Bill 4, the anti-diversity, equity and inclusion bill.
“Our caucus, staff, and the public need to know what’s in these last-minute bills,” Rep. Burke said. “Only about five percent of this year’s expected laws had been sent to Governor Beshear by Friday, when there were just six working days left this legislative session. That’s not how government should work. Our caucus is fighting for greater transparency and for Kentuckians to have the information they need and the voice they deserve.”
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