Coonhounds and hellbenders: Lawmakers name new ‘official’ critters of Kentucky A bill given final passage on the final day of the 2026 General Assembly names new officials animals of Kentucky. Here’s what they are.

A bill given final passage on the final day of the 2026 General Assembly names new officials animals of Kentucky. Here’s what they are.

KY General Assembly ends: What happened to all those bills we wrote about? More than 1,000 bills were filed this year. But only a fraction of them will make it into Kentucky law.

More than 1,000 bills were filed this year. But only a fraction of them will make it into Kentucky law.

State funding for Kentucky universities restored under final budget bill The initial budget bill would have cut millions from Kentucky’s public colleges and universities in the next two fiscal years.

The initial budget bill would have cut millions from Kentucky’s public colleges and universities in the next two fiscal years.

Lot of talk, little action: 5 high-profile KY bills that did not become law While lawmakers introduced more than 1,000 non-budget-related bills, most didn’t make it across the finish line. These bills did not pass.

While lawmakers introduced more than 1,000 non-budget-related bills, most didn’t make it across the finish line. These bills did not pass.

Legislators hoped to fix long wait times for a driver’s license in KY. Did they? Kentucky lawmakers wanted to address long wait times at the state’s regional licensing offices, but struggled to agree on a solution.

Kentucky lawmakers wanted to address long wait times at the state’s regional licensing offices, but struggled to agree on a solution.

Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman launches Democratic run for KY governor in 2027 Coleman’s announcement serves as the unofficial kickoff to the 2027 campaign. No other prominent politician has declared for the office.

Coleman’s announcement serves as the unofficial kickoff to the 2027 campaign. No other prominent politician has declared for the office.

In case you were wondering how the Kentucky General Assembly has handled being smacked down by the Supreme Court in the matter of Judge Goodman, I think we have enough evidence to suggest they didn't like it one bit.

(We've embedded the resolutions in these stories since they're not online yet.)

KY lawmakers override Beshear vetoes on election laws, Medicaid oversight, more The Kentucky General Assembly overrode Beshear’s vetoes on multiple bills, including election law changes and increased Medicaid oversight.

The Kentucky General Assembly overrode Beshear’s vetoes on multiple bills, including election law changes and increased Medicaid oversight.

Image of a ProPublica headline that reads "They Needed Treatment for Drug Addiction. The Company They Turned to May Have Used Them to Commit Fraud." The headline is illustrated with a pair of hands holding a miniature rehab center. One hand is dropping a small human through the top of the building. From the bottom of the building, a $100 bill emerges.

NEW: Kentucky’s largest drug rehab center touts a Christian message and a selfless commitment to helping others.

But internally, the organization prioritized money over the well-being of its clients and staff, interviews show.

W/ @kentucky.com

www.propublica.org/article/kent...

ICYMI: @aacquisto.bsky.social was on @wbur.org's Here & Now to talk about her reporting with @taylorsixhl.bsky.social on Kentucky-based Addiction Recovery Care's alleged widespread Medicaid billing fraud.

www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2...

Kentucky’s largest drug rehab center touts a Christian message and a selfless commitment to helping others.

But internally, the organization prioritized money over the well-being of its clients and staff, interviews show.

New, with @propublica.org: www.kentucky.com/news/state/a...

Will KY Senate abide by Supreme Court’s order to halt judge’s impeachment proceedings? Senate officials have not committed to abiding by the Kentucky Supreme Court’s order. Here’s what we know.

President Robert Stivers' first public statement on the recent state Supreme Court ruling in the Judge Julie Goodman impeachment matter was released with a full schedule for a Senate trial.

KY judge voids impeachment of Fayette Circuit Judge Julie Goodman Judge Phillip Shepherd on Tuesday voided a House Resolution that impeached Circuit Judge Julie Muth Goodman this month.

A Franklin Circuit Court judge on Tuesday voided the impeachment of Fayette Circuit Judge Julie Muth Goodman, saying she committed no offenses or misconduct that rose to the level of impeachment.

We've got the order embedded for those of you who want to see it. 👇

Lawmakers look to make major cuts to Kentucky State University, reduce majors The Kentucky Senate is moving a bill that would place major financial oversight on Kentucky State University and make major cuts.

With a last-minute shell bill, lawmakers want to bring major cuts to Kentucky State University, the only public HBCU in the state. The advancing bill would reduce the school to 10 majors and limit enrollment, which would likely reduce faculty and staff.

KY Senate must see, stop dangerous consequence of Judge Goodman’s impeachment | Opinion Editorial: Goodman’s conviction for controversial decisions, not crimes, would send a chilling message to every judge in Kentucky.

Editorial: Goodman’s conviction for controversial decisions, not crimes, would send a chilling message to every judge in Kentucky.

KY lawmakers push bills to save road, gun and pesticide industries from lawsuits But Kentucky’s Constitution guarantees access to courts and right to jury trial. Will ‘immunity bills’ conflict with constitutional rights?

But Kentucky’s Constitution guarantees access to courts and right to jury trial. Will ‘immunity bills’ conflict with constitutional rights?

There are a lot of rabbit holes one could go down with the Kentucky House's impeachment of Fayette Circuit Judge Julie Goodman.

And so I went down several.

How we got here. What key players have said. Some of the cases in question. Judicial discipline. Past Kentucky impeachments. Where we go next.

The House is wasting no time and is taking up the articles of impeachment resolution right now.

Morris, Barr trade insults in first KY GOP Senate debate. Cameron avoids the fray Monday’s event was the first time Nate Morris, Daniel Cameron and Andy Barr shared a debate stage.

Monday’s event was the first time Nate Morris, Daniel Cameron and Andy Barr shared a debate stage.

Bill gutting KY environmental regs unlikely to move this year — but it’s not dead A proposal to restrict state regulators to federal minimums has stalled, prompting a debate over forever chemicals.

A proposal to restrict state regulators to federal minimums has stalled, prompting a debate over forever chemicals.

‘We love our public schools.’ Beshear vetoes federal tax credit scholarship bill “The message was clear. Don’t divert public dollars,” Beshear wrote of the 2024 defeat of Amendment 2 in his veto message.

New: KY Gov. Andy Beshear has vetoed HB1, the largely GOP-backed bill authorizing federal tax credits for private school scholarships.

“I am standing up for my conviction that... the answer is not diverting students and dollars from public education."

www.kentucky.com/news/politic...

KY Politics Insider: What to expect when Trump comes to NKY; Barr internal poll More on Daniel Cameron embracing allies of Rep. Thomas Massie, a DC controversy centering around a Kentucky native and Andy Barr’s poll.

More on Daniel Cameron embracing allies of Rep. Thomas Massie, a DC controversy centering around a Kentucky native and Andy Barr’s poll.

Report: Guards smuggled drugs into one of Kentucky’s most notorious prisons Former correctional officers charged with drug trafficking, other offenses for alleged scheme at Eastern Kentucky Correctional Complex.

Former correctional officers charged with drug trafficking, other offenses for alleged scheme at Eastern Kentucky Correctional Complex.

Analysis: Anti-crime bill would add hundreds of millions in new KY prison costs House Bill 422, called Logan’s Law, would lengthen prison sentences, narrow the criminal insanity defense and eliminate some early releases.

The big anti-crime bill of this legislative session would “result in significant long-term increases in operational costs,” eventually adding hundreds of millions of dollars in expenses for a state that already spends more than $830M a year on its Dept. of Corrections, according to a new analysis.

‘Weird touching’ & ‘invasive’ texts: Report details complaints against former UK coach Assistant coach Hakon DeVries left University of Kentucky last year after three female students filed complaints, starting investigation

A University of Kentucky coach made several female athletes uncomfortable with late-night visits, overly physical hugs, personal comments about their bodies, frequent texts and direct messages, gifts and conversations about sex, according to a Nov. 21, 2025, investigative report the school produced.

Lexington judge facing impeachment calls attempt ‘frivolous’ The judge said the impeachment petition, filed by a former state lawmaker, lacked an affidavit, making it null.

The judge said the impeachment petition, filed by a former state lawmaker, lacked an affidavit, making it null.

Lawmakers move to strip KY human rights commissions of power to enforce law GOP sponsor of House Bill 468 says civil rights complaints should be settled in jury trials, not by state and local administrative agencies.

Kentucky lawmakers are moving a bill to strip power from the state and local human rights commissions that enforce civil rights law for the public, instead directing aggrieved people to hire lawyers and file lawsuits.

Lexington candidate facing felony charges may not live in district he’s running for February court documents show the candidate’s home address as outside the 9th Council District, which he has filed to run in.

A Lexington council candidate who was recently charged with felony assault may not live in the council district he has filed to run in, according to court records.

KY would ban ‘Glock switch’ devices on semi-automatic handguns under House bill Federal law prohibits conversion devices that allow guns to be fired more rapidly, but local police chiefs say a sate ban is also necessary.

Federal law prohibits conversion devices that allow guns to be fired more rapidly, but local police chiefs say a sate ban is also necessary.