From Kentucky Public Radio's Tony McVeighKentucky Governor Steve Beshear is refusing to allow alternatives to expanded gambling be heard in the upcoming special legislative session on the budget.Senate President David Williams says there are ways to help the horse industry without putting video slots at the horse tracks, and has offered an alternate proposal. But Governor Beshear is refusing to let the alternative be heard.“Unlike my proposal, President Williams’ proposal would not create alternate sources of revenue,” Beshear said.Williams hopes the governor will change his mind and let alternative proposals be vetted, but he doesn’t believe expanded gambling will reach the Senate anyway. “If the House is prohibited from having the entire story, I don’t think there is any way in the world that this bill will pass the House of Representatives,” Williams said.Governor Beshear has again amended the special session call to include economic incentives and a funding mechanism for major projects such as the Ohio River bridges between Louisville and Indiana.
Rick Howlett was midday host and the host of LPM's weekly talk show, "In Conversation." He was with LPM from 2001-2023 and held many different titles, including Morning Edition host, Assignment Editor and Interim News Director. He died in August 2023. Read a remembrance of Rick here.