Kentucky Association of Counties

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Kentucky Association of Counties

Kentucky Association of Counties

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County Champion

SPOTLIGHT

#Public Entity Insurance

The County Voice


KACo has a strong voice representing Kentucky counties at the state and federal levels. We work to promote counties first, preserve county decision making and protect counties from cost shifting and preemption of authority.

KACo Advocacy Team


Jim Henderson
Executive Director/CEO

Shellie Hampton
Director of Government Affairs

Kayla Carter Smith
Policy Analyst
2026 Legislative Priority: Reshaping the Shared Responsibility of County Jails

Kentucky county jails are at a crisis point, with fiscal court subsidies rising more than 76% in six years and counties forced to raise taxes or cut essential services just to keep their facilities operating.

KACo has published a one-page document with key points of HB 557, our comprehensive jails proposal.

Know Your Legislator

Find listings for Kentucky's legislators by chamber including a short biography, committee assignments and contact information for both their Capitol office and home district.

We encourage members to meet with legislators in their district prior to the start of the legislative session to update them on issues important to counties and how those issues will affect their district in particular. During the session, stay engaged and visit legislators in Frankfort as bills make their way through the legislative process.

Legislative News

June 03, 2021
Legislative committee hears update on ‘last mile’ broadband expansion project
Pictured: Rep. Ken Fleming, R-Louisville, shares his thoughts on the procurement process for the “last mile” broadband expansion project.
June 02, 2021
New Cleaner Water Grant Program call for projects now open - $150 million for counties
The Cleaner Water Program, a grant program to improve drinking water and wastewater, is part of the $1.3 billion Building a Better Kentucky Plan, which will create 14,500 jobs expanding broadband, delivering clean drinking water and building new schools.
May 10, 2021
New guidance from U.S. Treasury released on the use of American Rescue Plan Act funding
Today, the U.S. Department of Treasury released new guidance on the State and Local Coronavirus Fiscal Recovery Fund (Recovery Fund), part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
April 21, 2021
2021 Legislative Session Review
The 2021 Legislative Session was short but eventful, with legislators addressing many important county issues.
April 20, 2021
General Assembly allocates $300 million for broadband
HB 320 sets aside $250 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds to provide broadband access to unserved and underserved areas in Kentucky and allows electric coops to deploy broadband services.
April 20, 2021
Financial help is on the way for county jails
At the last minute, lawmakers amended legislation to allocate millions of dollars to county jails devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
April 20, 2021
$250 million set aside for drinking water and wastewater in 2021 session
In the final hours of session, the General Assembly gutted a bill and allocated millions of the state’s American Rescue Plan Acts dollars to the Kentucky Infrastructure Authority (KIA) for drinking water and wastewater programs.
April 20, 2021
$20 million allocated to rural hospitals in 2021 session
HB 556, sponsored by Rep. Danny Bentley and co-sponsored by Rep. Jason Petrie, allocates $20 million to the Rural Hospital Operations and Facilities Revolving Loan Fund.
Kentucky Association of Counties
400 Englewood Drive, Frankfort, KY 40601
Phone: 502-223-7667 • 800-264-5226 • Fax: 502-223-1502
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