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Kentucky General Assembly

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Kentucky General Assembly
2025 session
Coat of arms or logo
Type
Type
HousesSenate
House of Representatives
Term limits
None
History
FoundedMay 26, 1845
Leadership
Robert Stivers (R)
since January 8, 2013
David Osborne (R)
since January 8, 2019
Structure
Seats138 voting members
  • 38 senators
  • 100 representatives
Senate political groups
  •   Republican (31)
  •   Democratic (7)
House political groups
Length of term
Senate 4 years
House of Representatives 2 years
Salary$188.22/day + per diem (elected before January 1, 2023) $203.28/day + per diem (elected after January 1, 2023)[1]
Elections
Last Senate election
November 5, 2024
(19 seats)
Last House election
November 5, 2024
Next Senate election
November 3, 2026
(19 seats)
Next House election
November 3, 2026
RedistrictingLegislative control
Motto
United we stand, divided we fall
Meeting place
Kentucky State Capitol
Frankfort
Website
https://legislature.ky.gov/Pages/index.aspx

The Kentucky General Assembly, also called the Kentucky Legislature, is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Kentucky. It comprises the Kentucky Senate and the Kentucky House of Representatives.

The General Assembly meets annually in the state capitol building in Frankfort, convening on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in January. In even-numbered years, sessions may not last more than 60 legislative days, and cannot extend beyond April 15. In odd-numbered years, sessions may not last more than 30 legislative days, and cannot extend beyond March 30. Special sessions may be called by the Governor of Kentucky at any time and for any duration.

History

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The first meeting of the General Assembly occurred in 1792, shortly after Kentucky was granted statehood. Legislators convened in Lexington, the state's temporary capital. Among the first orders of business was choosing a permanent state capital. In the end, the small town of Frankfort, with their offer to provide a temporary structure to house the legislature and a cache of materials for constructing a permanent edifice, was chosen, and the state's capital has remained there ever since.[2]

After women gained suffrage in Kentucky, Mary Elliott Flanery was elected to the Kentucky House of Representative from the 89th District, representing Boyd County, Kentucky. When Flanery took her seat in January 1922, she was the first female state legislator elected in Kentucky and the first female legislator elected south of the Mason–Dixon line.[3]

Operation Boptrot led to the conviction of more than a dozen legislators between 1992 and 1995. The investigation also led to reform legislation being passed in 1993.[4]

The Civil War

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Further information: Kentucky in the American Civil War

Due to the strong Union sympathies of a majority of the Commonwealth's citizens and elected officials, Kentucky remained officially neutral during the Civil War. Even so, a group of Confederate sympathizers met in Russellville in November 1861, to establish a Confederate government for the state. The group established a Confederate state capital in Bowling Green, but never successfully displaced the elected General Assembly in Frankfort.[5]

Assassination of Governor Goebel

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See also: William Goebel

The General Assembly played a decisive role in the disputed gubernatorial election of 1899. Initial vote tallies had Republican William S. Taylor leading Democrat William Goebel by a scant 2,383 votes.[6] The General Assembly, however, wielded the final authority in election disputes. With a majority in both houses, the Democrats attempted to invalidate enough votes to give the election to Goebel. During the contentious days that followed, an unidentified assassin shot Goebel as he approached the state capitol.[7]

As Goebel hovered on the brink of death, chaos ensued in Frankfort, and further violence threatened. Taylor, serving as governor pending a final decision on the election, called out the militia and ordered the General Assembly into a special session, not in Frankfort, but in London, Kentucky, a Republican area of the state.[6] The Republican minority naturally heeded the call and headed to London. Democrats predictably resisted the call, many retiring to Louisville instead. Both factions claimed authority, but the Republicans were too few in number to muster a quorum.[7]

Goebel died four days after receiving the fatal shot, and the election was eventually contested to the U.S. Supreme Court, who ruled the General Assembly's actions legal and made Goebel's lieutenant governor, J. C. W. Beckham, governor of the state.[8]

Houses

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The General Assembly is bicameral, consisting of a Senate and a House of Representatives.[9] The House and Senate chambers are on opposite ends of the third floor of the capitol building, and legislators have offices in the nearby Capitol Annex building.

Section 33 of the Kentucky Constitution requires that the General Assembly divide the state into 38 Senate and 100 House districts. Districts are required to be as nearly equal in population as possible. Districts can be formed by joining more than one county, but the counties forming a district must be contiguous. Districts must be reviewed every 10 years and be re-divided if necessary.

Under the state constitution, only three counties may be divided to form a Senate district—Jefferson (Louisville), Fayette (Lexington) and Kenton (Covington).

Senate

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The Senate is the upper house of the General Assembly.

Terms and qualifications

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According to Section 32 of the Kentucky Constitution, a senator must:

  • be at least 30 years old;
  • be a citizen of Kentucky;
  • have resided in the state at least 6 years and the district at least 1 year prior to election.

Under section 30 of the Kentucky Constitution, senators are elected to four year staggered terms, with half the Senate elected every two years.

Leadership

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Prior to a 1992 constitutional amendment, the Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky presided over the Senate; the 1992 amendment created a new office of President of the Senate to be held by one of the 38 senators.

  • President (elected by full body): Robert Stivers (R-25)
  • President Pro-Tempore (elected by full body): David P. Givens (R-9)

Additionally, each party elects a floor leader, whip, and caucus chair.

Current party leadership of the Kentucky Senate[10]
Republican Party Democratic Party
Floor Leader Max Wise (R-16) Gerald Neal (D-33)
Whip Mike Wilson (R-32) David Yates (D-37)
Caucus chair Robby Mills (R-4) Reggie Thomas (D-13)

House of Representatives

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The House of Representatives is the lower house of the General Assembly. Section 47 of the Kentucky Constitution stipulates that all bills for raising revenue must originate in the House of Representatives.

Terms and qualifications

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According to Section 32 of the Kentucky Constitution, a representative must:

  • be at least 24 years old;
  • be a citizen of Kentucky
  • have resided in the state at least 2 years and the district at least 1 year prior to election.

Per section 30 of the Kentucky Constitution, representatives are elected every two years in the November following a regular session of the General Assembly.

Leadership

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Additionally, each party elects a floor leader, whip, and caucus chair.

Current party leadership of the Kentucky House of Representatives[11]
Republican Party Democratic Party
Leader Steven Rudy (R-1) Pamela Stevenson (D-43)
Whip Jason Nemes (R-33) Lindsey Burke (D-75)
Caucus chair Suzanne Miles (R-7) Al Gentry (D-46)

Committees

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Senate committees

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Committee Chair Vice Chair
Agriculture Jason Howell Gary Boswell
Appropriations and Revenue Christian McDaniel Amanda Mays Bledsoe
Banking and Insurance Jared Carpenter Rick Girdler
Committee on Committees Robert Stivers none
Economic Development, Tourism, and Labor Phillip Wheeler Shelley Funke Frommeyer
Education Stephen West Lindsey Tichenor
Enrollment TBD none
Families and Children Danny Carroll Amanda Mays Bledsoe
Health and Services Stephen Meredith Craig Richardson
Judiciary Brandon J. Storm Phillip Wheeler
Licensing and Occupations Julie Raque Adams Jason Howell
Natural Resources and Energy Brandon Smith Gex Williams
Rules Robert Stivers none
State and Local Government Michael J. Nemes Greg Elkins
Transportation Jimmy Higdon Donald Douglas
Veterans, Military Affairs, and Public Protection Matthew Deneen Aaron Reed

House of Representatives committees

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Committee Chair Vice Chair(s)
Agriculture Myron Dossett Daniel Fister
Appropriations and Revenue Jason Petrie Adam Bowling and Josh Bray
Banking and Insurance Michael Meredith Matt Lockett and Michael Pollock
Committee on Committees David W. Osborne David Meade
Economic Development and Workforce Investment Josh Branscum Thomas Huff
Elections, Const. Amendments, and Intergovermental Affairs DJ Johnson John Hodgson
Enrollment Thomas Huff none
Families and Children Samara Heavrin Nick Wilson
Health Services Kimberly Poore Moser Robert Duvall
Judiciary Daniel Elliott Jennifer Decker
Licensing, Occupations, and Administrative Regulations Matthew Koch Tom Smith
Local Government Patrick Flannery Amy Neighbors
Natural Resources and Energy Jim Gooch Jr. Jared Bauman and Richard White
Postsecondary Education James Tipton Shane Baker
Primary and Secondary Education Scott Lewis Mike Clines
Rules David W. Osborne David Meade
Small Business and Information Technology Deanna Frazier Gordon William Lawrence
State Government David Hale Rebecca Raymer
Tourism and Outdoor Recreation Kim King Susan Witten
Transportation John Blanton Mary Beth Imes
Veterans, Military Affairs, and Public Protection Bobby McCool Billy Wesley

Legislative Research Commission

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The Kentucky General Assembly is served by a 16-member nonpartisan agency called the Legislative Research Commission (LRC). Created in 1948, the LRC provides the General Assembly with staff and research support including committee staffing, bill drafting, oversight of the state budget and educational reform, production of educational materials, maintenance of a reference library and Internet site, and the preparation and printing of research reports, informational bulletins and a legislative newspaper. It is led by the elected leadership of the Democratic and Republican parties in both the Kentucky House of Representatives and the Kentucky Senate, while the agency is run on a day-to-day basis by a Director.[12]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "How much do Kentucky's governor and other elected officials make? Here's a list". Louisville Courier-Journal. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
  2. ^ Klotter, James. "The General Assembly: Its History, Its Homes, Its Functions". Kentucky Legislative Research Commission. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved December 26, 2013.
  3. ^ Powers, James C. (1992). John E. Kleber (ed.). The Kentucky Encyclopedia. Lexington, Kentucky: The University Press of Kentucky. pp. 323–324. ISBN 0-8131-1772-0. Retrieved March 11, 2010.
  4. ^ Lowell Hayes Harrison, James C. Klotter (1997). A New History of Kentucky. University Press of Kentucky. p. 422. ISBN 978-0-8131-2008-9.
  5. ^ Talbott, Tim (July 31, 2013). "Kentucky's Neutrality during the Civil War". history.ky.gov. By Laura Forde, Bismarck High School, Bismarck, ND. National Endowment for the Humanities, Kentucky Historical Society. Archived from the original on June 8, 2016. Retrieved September 10, 2019.
  6. ^ a b McQueen, Keven (2001). "William Goebel: Assassinated Governor". Offbeat Kentuckians: Legends to Lunatics. Ill. by Kyle McQueen. Kuttawa, Kentucky: McClanahan Publishing House. ISBN 0-913383-80-5.
  7. ^ a b Woodson, Urey (1939). The First New Dealer. Louisville, Kentucky: The Standard Press.
  8. ^ Klotter, James C. (1977). William Goebel: The Politics of Wrath. Lexington, Kentucky: The University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 0-8131-0240-5.
  9. ^ "The Constitution of the Commonwealth of Kentucky: Informational Bulletin No. 59" (PDF). Kentucky Legislative Research Commission. October 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 2, 2014. Retrieved October 9, 2007.
  10. ^ "Legislators - Legislative Research Commission". Kentucky Legislative Research Commission. Retrieved January 16, 2024.
  11. ^ "Legislators - Legislative Research Commission". Kentucky Legislative Research Commission. Retrieved January 16, 2024.
  12. ^ "About the Legislative Research Commission". Kentucky Legislative Research Commission. Archived from the original on December 10, 2006. Retrieved January 9, 2007.
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