Kentucky Legislature

The Kentucky legislature has overridden the governor's veto on a sweeping bill that opens the door to fixed odds wagering in the state and bars a cap being placed on the number of mares bred to a stallion there, among its many facets. HB 904, first introduced into the state legislature by Republican Representatives Matthew Koch and Michael Meredith, was approved by state lawmakers earlier this month. Governor Andy Beshear, however, vetoed the bill and issued a statement Monday explaining his decision by arguing the bill would authorize two executive...

Kentucky's horse industry is strong by any measure: economically, culturally, and politically. But that strength did not happen by accident. It was built through years of consistent engagement with lawmakers by groups such as the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association (KTA), the Kentucky Thoroughbred Farm Managers Club (KTFMC), and the Kentucky Equine Education Project (KEEP). Participation by industry members at KEEP Day at the Capitol on Thursday, February 12, is critical, even without a pressing legislative crisis. For legislators, KEEP Day is not about a single bill or budget line. It's about...

Progress towards a new School of Veterinary Medicine at Murray State University continues to be made, as the Kentucky House of Representatives passed House Bill 400 Feb. 15, the institution of higher learning said in a release late Thursday. After advancing from the House Agriculture Committee Feb. 7, the bill, introduced by House Agriculture Committee Chair Richard Heath, would amend the existing state statute to allow Murray State to offer doctoral degrees required to become licensed in veterinary medicine. A complementary piece of legislation, Senate Bill 189, was introduced by...

In the face of an end run in the Kentucky legislature, The Jockey Club will rescind its 140 mare cap for stallions, the organization announced in a press release Thursday morning. "The Jockey Club announced today that it is rescinding the following italicized language in Rule 14C of The Jockey Club's Principal Rules and Requirements of the American Studbook that addresses limitations to the total number of mares bred per stallion: The total number of broodmares bred per individual stallion whose year of birth is 2020 or thereafter shall not exceed 140...

The Kentucky Equine Education Project (KEEP) will host the fourth annual KEEP Day in Frankfort Thursday, Mar. 12, it announced Teusday. KEEP Day in Frankfort provides KEEP grassroots members, industry leaders and breed associations an opportunity to share with state legislators the importance of horses to their districts and to the state's economy. The event will take place from 8:30-10:30 a.m. in Room 125 in the Capitol Annex. "KEEP Day in Frankfort is a great opportunity for legislators to connect with the horse industry to learn exactly what makes this...