Photo Caption: KENTUCKY GOVERNOR ANDY BESHEAR GAVE HIS FIRST STATE OF THE COMMONWEALTH ADDRESS ON JAN. 14, 2020. BY KET
JANUARY 28, 2020 KENTUCKY’S DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR IS PROPOSING A 10-CENT TAX INCREASE ON A PACK OF CIGARETTES AND E-CIGARETTES TO HELP FUND THE STATE’S MEDICAID EXPANSION AND HIRE HUNDREDS OF ADDITIONAL SOCIAL WORKERS TO HELP PROP UP THE STATE’S BELEAGUERED CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM.
GOV. ANDY BESHEAR INCLUDED $31.5 MILLION TO HIRE 350 CHILD PROTECTIVE SOCIAL WORKERS AND SOCIAL SERVICE CLINICIANS IN A PROPOSED TWO-YEAR STATE BUDGET PLAN HE OUTLINED TO LAWMAKERS TUESDAY EVENING, CALLING IT A “HISTORIC INVESTMENT IN PROTECTING OUR CHILDREN.”
SPREAD OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS — $7 MILLION IN THE FISCAL YEAR THAT BEGINS JULY 1 AND $24.5 THE FOLLOWING YEAR — THE MONEY WOULD MOVE THE STAFFING NEEDLE FROM 1,309 SOCIAL WORKERS TO 1,659, A 27 PERCENT INCREASE. FORMER GOV. MATT BEVIN, IN HIS FIRST BIENNIAL BUDGET, PROPOSED ADDING $4.8 MILLION TO SUPPORT KENTUCKY SOCIAL WORKERS. IN 2018, HE CHAMPIONED A $28 MILLION INCREASE TO HIRE MORE STAFF.
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