Kentucky lawmakers gathered in Frankfort on Tuesday to discuss funds from the American Rescue Plan Act and how they should be spent in the commonwealth.
In New Albany, Ind., the city council is divided over a plan to let the largely appointed New Albany Redevelopment Commission decide how to spend $16.8 million in American Rescue Plan funds.
Supporters of House Bill 312 say changes to the transparency law will ease the burden on local agencies, which sometimes deal with out-of-state open records requests.
House Bill 561 also looks to change 20th century formulas that determine how state road fund dollars are sent to cities and counties, a switch advocates say would modernize Kentucky law and benefit fast-growing cities.
The measure, backed by GOP Rep. Jim DuPlessis of Elizabethtown, stops short of the sweeping reforms backed by the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, the Kentucky League of Cities, the Kentucky Association of Counties
A newly created board would oversee hiring the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s chief and draft the state’s road spending plans