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Kentucky General Assembly

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Kentucky General Assembly
NameKentucky General Assembly
LegislatureKentucky General Assembly
House typeBicameral
HousesKentucky Senate, Kentucky House of Representatives
Leader1 typeSenate President
Leader1Robert Stivers
Party1(R)
Election12013
Leader2 typeHouse Speaker
Leader2David Osborne
Party2(R)
Election22017
Members138, 38 Senators, 100 Representatives
Political groups1Majority, Republican (31), Minority, Democratic (7)
Political groups2Majority, Republican (80), Minority, Democratic (20)
Meeting placeKentucky State Capitol, Frankfort, Kentucky
Websitelegislature.ky.gov

Kentucky General Assembly. The legislative branch of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, it is a bicameral body composed of the Kentucky Senate and the Kentucky House of Representatives. It convenes in the Kentucky State Capitol in Frankfort, Kentucky, with its powers and framework established by the Kentucky Constitution. The assembly is responsible for enacting state laws, approving the budget, and providing oversight of the executive branch led by the Governor of Kentucky.

History

The first assembly convened in 1792 following Kentucky's admission to the United States under the leadership of Isaac Shelby. Early sessions were governed by the first Kentucky Constitution drafted at the Danville Political Club. Throughout the 19th century, the assembly navigated issues like the American Civil War, with the Confederate government of Kentucky briefly claiming authority. The current governing document is the Kentucky Constitution of 1891, adopted during a convention led by figures like William Lindsay. The 20th century saw significant shifts, including the Civil Rights Movement and the Republican takeover of the Kentucky Senate in 1999, marking a modern political realignment.

Structure and composition

The assembly consists of two chambers: the Kentucky Senate with 38 members and the Kentucky House of Representatives with 100 members. Senators serve four-year terms, while representatives serve two-year terms, with all members elected from single-member districts. The Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky serves as the constitutional President of the Kentucky Senate but votes only to break ties; day-to-day leadership is provided by the elected President pro tempore of the Kentucky Senate. The Speaker of the Kentucky House of Representatives presides over the lower chamber. Following the 2022 Kentucky elections, the Republican Party holds supermajorities in both chambers.

Powers and duties

The assembly holds the sole power to enact statutory law for the commonwealth, as outlined in the Kentucky Constitution. Its primary duties include crafting and passing the Kentucky state budget, which funds agencies like the Kentucky Department of Education and the Kentucky State Police. It holds the power of impeachment, with the Kentucky House of Representatives bringing charges and the Kentucky Senate conducting trials. The body also exercises oversight through committees like the Kentucky General Assembly Interim Joint Committee on Appropriations and Revenue and has the authority to ratify amendments to the United States Constitution.

Legislative process

Bills may be introduced in either chamber, except for revenue bills which must originate in the Kentucky House of Representatives. Legislation is referred to standing committees such as the Kentucky Senate Committee on Appropriations and Revenue or the Kentucky House Committee on Judiciary for review. To become law, a bill must pass both chambers in identical form and be signed by the Governor of Kentucky, who may veto it; the assembly can override a veto with a majority vote in both houses. The assembly typically meets for 60-day sessions in even-numbered years and 30-day sessions in odd-numbered years, as mandated by the Kentucky Constitution.

Current session and leadership

The current session is operating under the leadership of Robert Stivers, the President of the Kentucky Senate, and David Osborne, the Speaker of the Kentucky House of Representatives. Key leadership roles include Damon Thayer as Majority Floor Leader of the Kentucky Senate and Steven Rudy as Majority Floor Leader of the Kentucky House of Representatives. The minority parties are led by Gerald Neal in the Kentucky Senate and Derrick Graham in the Kentucky House of Representatives. The assembly meets in the Kentucky State Capitol, with administrative support provided by the Legislative Research Commission.

Notable legislation

Historically significant acts include the Kentucky Education Reform Act of 1990, championed by Governor Wallace G. Wilkinson. In the 21st century, the assembly passed the Pension Reform Act of 2013, sparking widespread protest from groups like the Kentucky Education Association. Recent major laws include the 2022 House Bill 9, which created a new Jefferson County school district board, and the 2019 Senate Bill 9, relating to abortion and fetal heartbeat. Other impactful legislation governs medical cannabis, industrial hemp production, and tax codes administered by the Kentucky Department of Revenue.

Category:Kentucky General Assembly Category:State legislatures of the United States