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New Budget, Other Major Issues Still Loom for Kentucky Lawmakers

Although two major issues have been nearly resolved, Kentucky lawmakers still have a full agenda this session. Redistricting and expanded gambling dominated the first half of the session.

The gambling bill was defeated last week and redistricting was settled by the Kentucky Supreme Court. But that doesn’t mean the legislative work is over. Lawmakers still have a two-year budget to pass. Senate President David Williams says that's just one of several pressing issues.

“This budget’s gonna be a real challenge," he says. "The other needs we have in this state need to be met and we need to look at the managed care situation for Medicaid, the transportation budget, the road plan and we have a very short time to do it.”

Lawmakers are considering whether to make the University of Pikeville the state’s ninth public university. They also want to pass some form of comprehensive legislation to fight various drug problems.

The session is scheduled to end on April 14.