FRANKFORT, Ky. (WDRB) -- Bills to change Kentucky election cycles and targeting violent crime are among the first bills filed and up for debate in Frankfort.

Those are Republican-led initiatives. The GOP controls the House and Senate, and even if Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear vetoes a bill, they have the supermajorities to override that action.

There are currently seven Democrats in the 38-member Senate, and a majority of those represent Jefferson County.

Thursday, the Senate Democrats laid out their priorities, which include the state budget, education, and children and family issues.

During his State of the Commonwealth address, Beshear pushed his goal for investment in education, which includes 11% raises for public school employees. Democrats in both chambers agree with that initiative.

"We want to increase teacher pay," Sen. Reginald Thomas, D-Lexington, said. "We want to fully fund transportation."

With the billions of dollars in rainy day funds, they want to see universal pre-K become a reality.

"It only costs $175-200 million a year. We have the money year after year after year to help better our young people," Thomas said.

"If we double down on education, we'll see the benefits for lifetimes to come," Sen. David Yates, D-Louisville, said.

Sen. Cassie Chambers Armstrong, D-Louisville, is focused on Kentucky children and families. She has already filed bills to help struggling families have access to more school meals and is pushing for a child tax credit for those with kids under 6 years old.

"It is also good economic policy to invest in our families," Chambers Armstrong said. "To invest in our kids, and to invest in our future."

She also filed a bill which would eliminate the sales tax on diapers. While that bill has received bipartisan support, many of the other items on the Democrats' wish list have not received the same positive feedback.

Republicans in the House and Senate have said "there's not much appetite" for universal pre-K among their members.

When asked about public school employee raises, House Speaker David Osborne (R) said last week that they support investing in education, but want to empower districts to decide on salaries.

"I believe that those are decisions best made at the local level," Osborne said.

The Democrats' leader in the Senate, Gerald Neal, D-Louisville, said they object to the GOP push to continue lowering the state income tax.

"The closer we get to zero in terms of income tax, that means we gotta get income from somewhere," Neal said.

Republicans recently passed Senate Bill 10 out of committee, which is a constitutional amendment to line Kentucky's statewide races with even-numbered years. Voters would have the final say, since any constitutional amendment would have to receive a majority vote at the ballot box.

Sen. Chris McDaniel, R-Kenton, told WDRB News that if the bill went into effect, the gubernatorial election and other constitutional offices would be on the 2032 ballot. Winners in the 2027 elections would receive a five-year term to align with the new date.

McDaniel said this will be a cost-saving measure and drive up voter participation. But Democrats worry it will bring national politics into local issues.

"The more that we try to align Kentucky with Washington, D.C., politics, I think, the worse off for us," Yates said.

The Senate gavels in on Friday at 9 a.m. There are still more than three months left until the legislative session ends.

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