General Assembly approves one-year budget

FRANKFORT, April 1 -- House Speaker David Osborne, R-Prospect, (center, foreground) oversees discussion of House Bill 352, the state budget, as amended by a conference committee. House members watched the day’s proceedings from outside of the chamber and communicated their questions, comments, and votes through House Leadership who remained on the floor.

With COVID-19 causing many uncertainties, the Kentucky General Assembly approved a one-year budget on the final day of the session prior to the veto recess Wednesday.

The $11.3 billion general fund spending plan passed on an 80-10 vote in the House after being approved earlier on a 34-0 vote in the Senate. The plan doesn’t include any pay raises for teachers or state employees and is based on “pessimistic” revenue estimates—though likely not pessimistic enough, according to many.

The budget meets the state’s obligation to the state Teachers’ Retirement System insurance fund and would allow the system to fully meet its actuarially required pension contribution.

Lawmakers also had to do away with a planned increase in guaranteed per-pupil SEEK funding for public school systems.

Legislators will now have to approve another one-year budget for fiscal year 2021-2022 either during next year’s session or in a potential special session.

Photo from Kentucky LRC