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Democratic State Rep. Derrick Graham, a retired social studies teacher at Frankfort High School, will replace former Rep. Carl Rollins as the chairman of the House Education Committee, the House Speaker announced Friday. “I look forward to hitting the ground running in working with the educational community and my colleagues in the General Assembly in continuing to develop policies that help to generate and elevate student achievement and success in all schools across our great Commonwealth, from pre-school to the... Read more 

As U.S. farmers increasingly rely on genetically modified crops to boost their yields, that has spawned new questions for makers of finished food products, including America’s official drink that’s distilled here in Kentucky. Bill Samuels Sr., the founder of Maker’s Mark, says genetically modified organisms don’t affect the end product of bourbon even though the liquor must be composed of at least 51 percent corn (and must be aged in new charred white oak barrels). But he said if consumers... Read more 

Speaking to a familiar crowd at the Woodford County Farm Bureau on Tuesday night, independent candidate in the 56th House race John Mark Hack showed off his agriculture policy experience but also his opposition to a key initiative for many horse owners in that district. The forum was the first time Hack, Democratic nominee James Kay and Republican nominee Lyen Crews met to face voters in the special election race to represent voters from Woodford County, western Lexington, and eastern... Read more 

The U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision in favor of seed giant Monsanato over an Indiana farmer is expected to have a ripple effect on the future of farming and technological advances in science and medicine. The court unanimously ruled that farmers could not reuse patent-protected genetically modified soybeans to create a secondary line of seeds without paying the corporation. In essence, a patent extends across a self-replicating line of products. Agriculture Commissioner James Comer told Pure Politics his office was reviewing... Read more 

The 21st century can be a non-violent century if everyone in the world can apply the best parts of the U.S. political model and practice compassion in their daily lives, the Dalai Lama told a Louisville audience on Sunday. If the 20th century was the century of violence in which 100 million people were killed in conflicts, then the 21st century can be more peaceful and non-violent, he said. Dubbed an international compassionate city in November of 2011 Louisville embraced the 14th... Read more 

UPDATED: State Rep. Jeff Greer, D-Brandenburg, pre-filed legislation this week which he says is meant to remove a “poker chip” the Senate has used during negotiations over other bills: the confirmation of the state’s insurance commissioner. Bill Request 7 would remove the power the Senate has to confirm the governor’s appointment of the commissioner of Insurance Department and the commissioner of the Department of Workers’ Claims. Both positions require re-appointments every four years. “Last session it was highly rumored the... Read more 

Agriculture Commissioner James Comer on Thursday announced the complete shut down of Richie Farmer’s cash-losing fuel lab as well as the departure of Deputy Commissioner Larry Cox, who had been heading up the lab’s closure. As announced in April the fuel testing will continue via a private laboratory at a $600,000 savings to taxpayers. A press release from the Department of Agriculture announced Larry Cox would return to retirement on Thursday. He served in the department before as executive director for... Read more 

In his trip to Washington, D.C., last week to push for legalizing industrial hemp, Agriculture Commissioner James Comer found that he had unlikely — and influential — ally who has been lobbying House Speaker John Boehner on that for years. Comer met privately with Boehner for more than 30 minutes. And he said it was a surprise that he didn’t need to explain the differences between hemp and marijuana to Boehner. “He said that his daughter had been a proponent... Read more 

Calling it the single “most important decision in our lifetime” to improve Kentuckians’ health, Gov. Steve Beshear officially announced Thursday that he agreed to expand Medicaid 308,000 more Kentuckians. The Affordable Care Act — also known as Obamacare — allows states to expand Medicaid to cover those who earn up to 138 percent of the federal poverty rate, which is about $31,000 for a family of four. With Beshear’s announcement, Kentucky will be the 22nd state to agree to the expansion,... Read more 

Gov. Steve Beshear will announce his decision to expand Medicaid coverage on Thursday to more uninsured low-income families as provided by the Affordable Care Act, a key lawmaker confirmed Wednesday. Rep. Tom Burch, D-Louisville, told Pure Politics that the governor’s office told him the decision will expand coverage to 300,000 more Kentuckians which earn up to 138 percent of the federal poverty rate. Burch said that group represents nearly half of the uninsured people in the state. Burch, who chairs the... Read more