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    Thomason’s plans growth and with it, a broader distribution of its famous baked beans

    Thomason’s plans growth and with it, a broader distribution of its famous baked beans

    BRIEFS: HCPL hosts Veterans Resource Fair; City High class of ’75 reunion; HPD wants help finding car thieves

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    WEHT/WTVW employees rally for their union

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    Good News: Habitat breaks ground on another build; future owner ‘overwhelmed with joy’

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    Pittsburg uses new construction process to build a new type of water storage tank

    Pitching ace Kemp uses bat to send Lady Cols to state again

    Pitching ace Kemp uses bat to send Lady Cols to state again

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    Blazing-fast broadband services now available to the majority of homes in the city and county

    Blazing-fast broadband services now available to the majority of homes in the city and county

    HMP&L signs initial agreement to build a battery energy storage system on South Green Street

    HMP&L signs initial agreement to build a battery energy storage system on South Green Street

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    Henderson joins West Kentucky Film Commission with hopes of luring movie makers here

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    The Gnomes of Audubon Forest, a Henderson Tourist Commission initiative, is a scavenger hunt for all ages

    Executive director says this year’s arts alliance lineup gives people what they want

    Executive director says this year’s arts alliance lineup gives people what they want

    2000 baseball Cols remember fondly state championship season a quarter century later

    2000 baseball Cols remember fondly state championship season a quarter century later

    Summer Sunset Series, SummerFest ratchet up Henderson festival season this week

    Summer Sunset Series, SummerFest ratchet up Henderson festival season this week

    May the summer blockbuster season begin!

    May the summer blockbuster season begin!

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    The Gnomes of Audubon Forest, a Henderson Tourist Commission initiative, is a scavenger hunt for all ages

    No Kentucky Home, Part 4: A missing bench comes to symbolize missing solutions to homelessness

    No Kentucky Home, Part 3: A church called its vision for housing a ‘Beacon of Hope.’ The mayor had concerns.

    No Kentucky Home, Part 2: After living outdoors for weeks, she got a place to sleep, a shower — and a job

    HCHS grad Tyler Brocato currently competing in a national chef competition

    HCHS grad Tyler Brocato currently competing in a national chef competition

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Kentucky Republicans and Democrats prepare to face off on ‘school choice’ amendment

McKenna Horsely by McKenna Horsely
April 16, 2024
in Politics, State
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Amendment 2 would allow General Assembly to fund nonpublic schools

Courtesy of Kentucky Lantern

FRANKFORT — As the dust settled on the General Assembly’s 2024 session, Republican and Democratic lawmakers began gearing up for a fierce fight on a constitutional amendment to allow public dollars to go to private schools.

The amendment will be on the ballot this November. 

Putting the question to voters had been a GOP priority heading into the session. Democrats consistently opposed the idea in floor debates and committees. 

On Tuesday, both sides turned their attention to the amendment, previewing arguments Kentuckians will be hearing this election season.

 Senate Majority Leader Damon Thayer speaks at a podium flanked by fellow Republican senators. (Kentucky Lantern photo by McKenna Horsley)

Senate Republican Floor Leader Damon Thayer, who is not seeking reelection, said he plans to be “very vocal” on convincing Kentucky voters to pass the measure, which will be known as Amendment 2. In a press conference with other GOP Senate leaders, Thayer, of Georgetown, said the “school choice” amendment was among the Republican accomplishments he was most proud of this session, which ended Monday. 

“I think it has a very good chance to pass but I’m also not naive,” Thayer said. “There will be a lot of money spent to try to defeat it, but we think that there are going to be groups coming into Kentucky and groups from Kentucky who are going to be investing heavily in media and grassroots to pass Amendment 2 this fall.” 

Republican Senate President Robert Stivers said he believed charter schools and public schools “can live together and actually thrive together.”

 The constitutional amendment, which was known as House Bill 2 during the legislative session, is the Republican supermajority’s answer to courts striking down charter school legislation in the past. The Kentucky Constitution bars using tax dollars to fund any but the state’s “common schools” (or public schools), and courts citing the Constitution have struck down the General Assembly’s attempts to steer tax dollars into private or charter schools. 

“I think it would answer the question once and for all, and I know that several people voted for the school choice amendment to settle that question: What do the people of Kentucky want?” Stivers said. 

 Kentucky Democratic Party Chairman Colmon Elridge, middle, speaks to media with Senate Minority Floor Leader Gerald Neal, right, and House Minority Caucus Leader Cherlynn Stevenson. (Kentucky Lantern photo by McKenna Horsley)

Since it requires a ballot vote, the legislation for the constitutional amendment was not subject to a gubernatorial veto. Nevertheless, Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear has vowed to oppose the constitutional amendment — and leaders in the Kentucky Democratic Party (KDP) plan to follow suit. 

Democrats also held a press conference Tuesday to talk about the legislative session. KDP Chairman Colmon Elridge called Amendment 2 “shameful” and pointed to other recent GOP-backed amendments that failed at the polls, like a constitutional amendment to clarify that there is no right to an abortion in the Kentucky Constitution. Kentucky voters defeated that amendment in 2022.

Democratic Caucus Chair Rep. Cherlynn Stevenson, of Lexington, said Democrats must “respond loud and clear in November that public taxpayer dollars do not belong in private schools.” She predicted the amendment will fail. 

“Public schools are the largest employer in most of our state’s counties and are a vital source of income for our families,” Stevenson said. “Draining them of funds would amount to financial catastrophe and create an unnecessary strain on local economies.” 

Amendment 2 will appear on ballots with another constitutional amendment that will likely drive Republicans to the polls — a measure to clarify that noncitizens of the United States cannot vote in any local or state elections in Kentucky.

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