Ky. House could pass budget soon

Rep. Myron Dossett

Efforts are ramping up in the Kentucky House to get a biennial budget to the Senate within the next several days.

Representative Myron Dossett of Pembroke says he’ll be back in Frankfort Sunday afternoon and he hopes to see the spending plan in the hands of the Senate by the end of the week.

Representative Walker Thomas of Hopkinsville agrees the House needs to get it done sooner than later with the session more than a week past the halfway point.

Governor Andy Beshear is likely to veto at least portions of the final product of the budget and Senator Whitney Westerfield of Christian County is stressing the importance of getting the budget to the governor in time to allow the General Assembly to override those vetoes.

He says he isn’t worried that the Senate hasn’t received a budget yet, noting there’s still time as long as it happens soon.

Representative Thomas says House Bill 426 that he is sponsoring is still awaiting a committee hearing. It would allow Hopkinsville, Christian County and any other local government to institute a tax on alcohol. The old classification system that’s no longer used dictated which locales were eligible and Thomas says the bill would do away with that antiquated system.

Hear local legislators discuss these issues and others Sunday morning at 9 on Lite Rock 98.7 and online at lite987whop.com.