Kentucky’s state lawmakers gaveled in for the 2023 General Assembly on Tuesday, before they end the week for a three-week break and return again for business in February. Per state law, this year – being an odd-numbered year – is a short, 30-day legislative session, with lawmakers required to gavel out by midnight on March 30th.

Short session kick-off

The first week of the Kentucky Legislative session is an important mark for policy makers and citizens of the state. As we get our bearings with lawmakers’ and other stakeholders’ policy priorities for the coming months, new legislators are also sworn in and the body will begin the process of making laws that will affect the lives of Kentuckians.

Short sessions, intended to serve as ‘cleanup’ sessions in between budget cycles, have notoriously become a jam-packed bombardment of filed bills in a shorter period of time in recent years. During the 2021 sessions, nearly 600 bills were filed in the House alone. Lawmakers have expressed a desire to return to the original intention of short sessions and maintain a focused agenda for this General Assembly.

Expected priorities

Some of that agenda is expected to include cutting the individual income tax an additional half percentage point as allowed by House Bill 8 passed during the previous legislative session; reducing bourbon barrel taxes; funding for juvenile detention centers; and tending to the teacher shortage.

This day is also a time for citizens to come to the beautiful capital city of Frankfort and meet with their legislators to discuss the issues that are important to them. You Decide, Kentucky! is meeting with key legislators to share our mission of educating Kentuckians on the importance of amending Section 181 of the Kentucky Constitution to allow for local revenue modernization and update them on our statewide coalition-building efforts.

Election year

Much focus will also be on the gubernatorial election both this week and throughout the session, with the filing deadline at the end of this week to be considered by the voters in the primary election in May and general election in November. There are eight Republicans and two Democrats who have announced their intention to run.

If you are a policy maker or a citizen of Kentucky, the first day of the legislative session is an important day for you. You Decide, Kentucky! will continue to support efforts to and educate Kentuckians on the importance of amending our state constitution in order to empower residents to decide what revenue streams will improve the quality of life in their communities.