History
The first meeting of the General Assembly occurred in 1792, shortly after Kentucky was granted statehood. Legislators convened inThe Civil War
Due to the strong Union sympathies of a majority of the commonwealth's citizens and elected officials, Kentucky remained officially neutral during theAssassination of Governor Goebel
The General Assembly played a decisive role in the disputed gubernatorial election of 1899. Initial vote tallies had Republican William S. Taylor leading Democrat William Goebel by a scant 2,383 votes. The General Assembly, however, wielded the final authority in election disputes. With a majority in both houses, the Democrats attempted to invalidate enough votes to give the election to Goebel. During the contentious days that followed, an unidentified assassin shot Goebel as he approached the state capitol. As Goebel hovered on the brink of death, chaos ensued in Frankfort, and further violence threatened. Taylor, serving as governor pending a final decision on the election, called out the militia and ordered the General Assembly into a special session, not in Frankfort, but in London, Kentucky, a Republican area of the state. The Republican minority naturally heeded the call and headed to London. Democrats predictably resisted the call, many retiring to Louisville instead. Both factions claimed authority, but the Republicans were too few in number to muster a quorum. Goebel died four days after receiving the fatal shot, and the election was eventually contested to the U.S. Supreme Court, who ruled the General Assembly's actions legal and made Goebel's lieutenant governor, J. C. W. Beckham, governor of the state.Houses
The General Assembly is bicameral, consisting of a Senate and a House of Representatives. The House and Senate chambers are on opposite ends of the third floor of the capitol building, and legislators have offices in the nearby Capitol Annex building. Section 33 of the Kentucky Constitution requires that the General Assembly divide the state intSenate
The Senate is the upper house of the General Assembly.Terms and qualifications
According to Section 32 of the Kentucky Constitution, a state senator must: *be at least 30 years old; *be a citizen of Kentucky; *have resided in the state at least 6 years and the district at least 1 year prior to election. Under section 30 of the Kentucky Constitution, senators are elected to four year staggered terms, with half the Senate elected every two years.Leadership
Prior to a 1992 constitutional amendment, the Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky presided over the Senate; the 1992 amendment created a new office of President of the Senate to be held by one of the 38 senators. *President (elected by full body):House of Representatives
The House of Representatives is the lower house of the General Assembly. Section 47 of the Kentucky Constitution stipulates that all bills for raising revenue must originate in the House of Representatives.Terms and qualifications
According to Section 32 of the Kentucky Constitution, a state representative must: *be at least 24 years old; *be a citizen of Kentucky *have resided in the state at least 2 years and the district at least 1 year prior to election. Per section 30 of the Kentucky Constitution, representatives are elected every two years in the November following a regular session of the General Assembly.Leadership
*Speaker (elected by full body): David Osborne (R-59) *Speaker Pro Tempore (elected by full body): David Meade (R-80) Additionally, each party elects a floor leader, whip, and caucus chair.Standing committees
Senate Standing Committees and Chairs * AGRICULTURE, Sen. Paul Hornback * APPROPRIATIONS & REVENUE, Sen. Christian McDaniel ** Senate Budget Review Subcommittee on Economic Development and Tourism, Natural Resources and Environmental Protection: Sen. Chris Girdler ** Senate Budget Review Subcommittee on Education: Rep. Stephen West ** Senate Budget Review Subcommittee on General Government, Finance, and Public Protection: Sen. Danny Carroll ** Senate Budget Review Subcommittee on Human Resources: Sen. Ralph Alvarado ** Senate Budget Review Subcommittee on Justice and Judiciary: Sen. Wil Schroder ** Senate Budget Review Subcommittee on Transportation: Sen. Max Wise * BANKING & INSURANCE, Sen. Tom Buford * COMMITTEE ON COMMITTEES, Sen. Robert Stivers II * ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, TOURISM, AND LABOR, Sen. Alice Forgy Kerr * EDUCATION, Sen. Mike Wilson * ENROLLMENT, Sen. Max Wise * HEALTH & WELFARE, Sen. Julie Raque Adams * JUDICIARY, Sen. Whitney Westerfield * LICENSING, OCCUPATIONS, & ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS, Sen. John Schickel * NATURAL RESOURCES & ENERGY, Sen. Jared Carpenter * RULES, Sen. Robert Stivers II * STATE & LOCAL GOVERNMENT, Sen. Joe Bowen * TRANSPORTATION, Sen. Ernie Harris * VETERANS, MILITARY AFFAIRS, & PUBLIC PROTECTION, Sen. Albert Robinson House Standing Committees and Chairs * AGRICULTURE, Rep. Richard Heath * APPROPRIATIONS & REVENUE, Rep. Steven Rudy ** House Budget Review Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Protection, Tourism, and Energy, Rep. Jill York ** House Budget Review Subcommittee on General Government, Rep. Suzanne Miles ** House Budget Review Subcommittee on Health and Family Services, Rep. Russell Webber ** House Budget Review Subcommittee on Justice, Public Safety, & Judiciary, Rep. Jason Nemes ** House Budget Review Subcommittee on Personnel, Public Retirement, and Finance, Rep. Brian Linder ** House Budget Review Subcommittee on Postsecondary Education, Rep. James Tipton ** House Budget Review Subcommittee on Primary and Secondary Education and Workforce Investment, Rep. Regina Bunch ** House Budget Review Subcommittee on Transportation, Rep. Sal Santoro * BANKING & INSURANCE, Rep. Bart Rowland * COMMITTEE ON COMMITTEES, Rep. Jeff Hoover * ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & WORKFORCE INVESTMENT: Rep. Jim DeCesare * EDUCATION: Rep. John Carney * ELECTIONS, CONST. AMENDMENTS & INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS: Rep. Kenny Imes * ENROLLMENT: Rep. Donna Mayfield * HEALTH and Family Services: Rep. Addia Wuchner * JUDICIARY: Rep. Joseph M. Fischer * LICENSING, OCCUPATIONS, & ADMIN REGS: Rep. Adam Koenig * LOCAL GOVERNMENT: Rep. Michael Meredith * NATURAL RESOURCES & ENERGY: Rep. Jim Gooch, Jr. * RULES: Rep. Jeff Hoover * SMALL BUSINESS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY: Rep. Diane St. Onge * STATE GOVERNMENT: Rep. Jerry T. Miller * TOURISM & OUTDOOR RECREATION: Rep. Tommy Turner * TRANSPORTATION: Rep. Marie Rader * VETERANS, MILITARY AFFAIRS, & PUBLIC PROTECTION: Rep. Tim MooreLegislative Research Commission
The Kentucky General Assembly is served by a 16-member nonpartisan agency called the Legislative Research Commission (LRC). Created in 1948, the LRC provides the General Assembly with staff and research support including committee staffing, bill drafting, oversight of the state budget and educational reform, production of educational materials, maintenance of a reference library and Internet site, and the preparation and printing of research reports, informational bulletins and a legislative newspaper. It is led by the elected leadership of the Democratic and Republican parties in both the Kentucky House of Representatives and the Kentucky Senate, while the agency is run on a day-to-day basis by a Director.See also
* Kentucky Senate * Kentucky House of Representatives *References
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