Overview
- Gov. Andy Beshear proposed universal pre-K for all 4-year-olds, arguing it lowers family costs and boosts long-term workforce growth.
- He called for fully funding Medicaid and outlined related health investments, including $100 million to lower Kynect premiums, more Michelle P waiver slots, $25 million for nursing student loan forgiveness and a $125 million rural hospital fund.
- The plan includes $150 million for the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, which the governor said could leverage private dollars into roughly $1 billion in new housing.
- Beshear’s budget also features over $100 million to support SNAP benefits and new economic development tools, including $70 million for site development, $100 million for large-project infrastructure and a $25 million rural jobs fund.
- GOP leaders, including Speaker David Osborne and Senate President Robert Stivers, emphasized fiscal restraint and the General Assembly’s budget authority, as party officials and senators questioned elements such as the pre-K approach amid ongoing 2028 speculation about Beshear’s future.