Staff report
Kentucky’s House and Senate conference committee reached an agreement on a state budget around 2:30 a.m. and expect the $22 billion, two-year budget to be approved on Friday, making the constitutionally imposed deadline just in time.
Both Senate President Robert Stivers (R-Manchester) and House Speaker Greg Stumbo (D-Prestonsburg) said the negotiations were cordial and productive.
Stivers said, “We have agreement on all issues related to the budget.”
They did not want to get into many specifics until they have presented details to their caucuses but they did provide some general insight in a press conference after the announcement
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“We have an adequate and effective blend of the priorities contained in the governor’s budget, and in both House and Senate expectations,” said Stumbo.
Highlights of the agreement include, they said:
Infusing the state’s troubled pension funds with more than a billion new dollars, the Governor’s priority
Cutting state funding for state universities by 4.5 percent a year, in keeping with the Governor’s proposal
No additional funding for public defenders or social workers as the Governor had proposed
Raises fees charged to lobbyists
No cuts to Planned Parenthood as the Governor proposed
A provision that 60 percent (instead of the current 50) of coal severance tax revenues be returned to coal counties
The agreement does not address the issue currently in litigation – whether the Governor can order cuts to university budgets in the current budget year.
Stumbo noted that the education budget does contain provisions for Work Ready and “some other things we talked about throughout the session.”
He also said that after a discussion early morning with Chief Justice John Minton that the budget had addressed his recommendation regarding funding for the courts, but provided no specifics.
Stivers pointed out that Kentucky State University would be exempt from the funding cuts to universities in order to protect its special land grant mission.
“There was a strong consensus that President (Raymond) Burse has been very effective in moving the institution forward,” Stivers said. “We want to see that continue.”
Leadership will spend today meeting with their caucuses and presenting the budget agreement details in anticipation of a vote on Friday.
“I am very comfortable that it will pass the Senate,” said Stivers who also said he would not recommend any vetoes to the Governor.
Stumbo said he expected the agreement to have bi-partisan support in the House.
Gov. Bevin issued this statement: “We thank Senate President Stivers, House Speaker Stumbo and the members of the conference committee for the hard work that was put into this budget agreement. For the first time in decades, we can say that Kentucky is investing in our pension system in a meaningful way. We look forward to reviewing the details of the compromise and its final passage.”