The Kentucky General Assembly will convene in Frankfort at noon on Tuesday, Jan. 7. A press release that was recently sent out by the office of 82nd District Rep. Nick Wilson offers an overview of what to expect in the upcoming session, where new bills will be filed and updates to existing laws will be made.
State lawmakers will have until midnight on March 30 to complete their work in the 2025 Regular Session. Wilson said that the General Assembly will tackle a number of important issues leading up to that deadline, including discussions regarding the lowering of state income tax rates from four percent to 3.5 percent.
Wilson said he expects to see a vote on the income tax issue take place sometime early in the upcoming session.
In addition to income taxes, Wilson said that there will be focus placed on how to get more Kentuckians to work, how to increase the access to affordable health care, and how to strengthen communities by protecting children and honoring veterans.
Since lawmakers set the state budget last year, they will not focusing on that particular task in 2025. Instead, they will be able to shift their focus in other directions where they hope to make some positive contributions.
Wilson explained in his release that special committees and task forces have been formed with the goal of addressing such issues as housing and labor shortage, the use of artificial intelligence and “governance of the state’s largest school system.”
Speaking of schools, Wilson reminded constituents about the recent investments that have been made in education, saying, “We spend more on education than any other area of government and this past session we made every attempt to get funding to the level closest to students.”
Wilson pointed out that “education investments included in the state budget represent the largest increase in funding since the passage of the Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA).”
Specifically, Wilson said that investments in education in the Commonwealth included:
– An increase in SEEK funding that amounted to a total of $612 more per pupil aver a two-year period.
– Funding to cover 90% of transportation costs in fiscal year 2025, and to fully cover those costs in 2026.
– Increased access to funding for districts with a limited ability to raise local revenues.
– A yearly increase of $4.8 million to the general fund for a Pilot Teacher Recruitment Student Loan Forgiveness Program.
– $2.6 million for the Teacher Scholarship Programs.
– $7.3 million in additional yearly funding for a new Student Teacher Stipend Program.
– Nearly $2 billion in the state budget for the teacher’s retirement system, and an additional $80 million for the teacher’s retirement system from House Bill 1.
Wilson pointed out that this will be a “historic session” since it will be the last session for the next several years to take place in the state’s Capitol building.
“The entire campus is undergoing renovations aimed at maintaining the facility’s historic integrity while making it safer and more accessible for those who work and visit,” Wilson said, noting that, beginning with the next session, lawmakers will be meeting in a temporary facility until renovations to the Capitol building are complete.
The News Journal will provide readers with regular updates throughout the 2025 legislative session, but those interested can also follow along by accessing live coverage of proceedings through YouTube and Kentucky Educational Television (KET). For more information, go online to www.legislature.ky.gov.
Rep. Wilson can be reached by e-mail at nick.wilson@kylegislature.gov.
