Policy discussions and legislative updates joined the lineup at the Kentucky State Fair this week. In between sampling deep-fried delicacies, browsing the Pride of the Counties displays and admiring the award-winning fair entries, state lawmakers held committee meetings Thursday at the Kentucky Exposition Center.
Following the annual Kentucky Farm Bureau Ham Breakfast, the interim joint committees on agriculture, local government, state government and licensing, occupations and administrative regulations met for discussion on a variety of issues.
The following is a summary of discussed topics pertinent to county governments:
Committee on Local Government
Department for Local Government (DLG) Commissioner Matt Sawyer was joined by DLG Office of Federal and State Grants executive director Billie Johnson to update the committee on the disbursement of more than $2.7 billion in one-time legislative appropriations. This funding is for a variety of infrastructure and other needs that were awarded to local governments during the 2024 legislative session as directed in HB 1.
Committee on State Government
Leaders from the Kentucky County Clerks Association (KCCA) were invited to testify on several critical issues, including election security, funding and the handling of open records requests.
With the November general election approaching, KCCA President and Grant County Clerk Tabatha Clemons, along with Montgomery County Clerk Chris Cockrell and Anderson County Clerk Jason Denny, highlighted the challenges they face in staffing and verifying election results promptly.
They also emphasized the importance of voter preparation, noting that some voters arrive at the polls unfamiliar with the candidates or proposed constitutional amendments. Referring to the variety of content on ballots, including federal races, local elections and constitutional amendments, Clemons told legislators, “It’s not just a ‘county’ ballot; it’s everyone’s ballot.”
Jefferson County Clerk Bobbie Holsclaw shared details about a recent ransomware attack on her office by Russian hackers. The attack shut down her systems for days and incurred costs nearing $100,000. Holsclaw praised the swift response of her colleagues across the state, who helped her office recover quickly.
Holsclaw also noted that clerks might seek state grants to better secure transportation-related systems connected to the internet. She reassured committee members that she doesn’t worry about elections being targeted because voting machines in Kentucky are not connected to the internet, unlike the vehicle-related transactions that clerks perform.
Additionally, the Kentucky State Board of Elections updated the committee on its ongoing voter roll maintenance efforts, ensuring the accuracy and integrity of the voter rolls ahead of the upcoming elections.
Committee on Licensing, Occupations and Administrative Regulations
Legislators focused on the critical issue of staff recruitment and retention within the state's emergency medical services. Staff from the Kentucky Board of Emergency Medical Services testified on the ongoing crisis, emphasizing the need for continued efforts to address this challenge, which has significant implications for public safety across Kentucky.
