FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) - Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear presented his state budget plan on Tuesday for the two-year period beginning July 1. Here are some of the highlights:
Education:
-Increasing the main classroom funding formula for K-12 education by $189 million.
-Restoring Flexible Focus Grants by $47.7 million each year. Grants are used to fund textbooks professional development, extended school services, safe school projects.
-Expanding pre-school, at $18 million each year.
-Providing $60 million in bonds for “Bucks for Brains,” meant to lure top-notch faculty to universities.
-Fully funding projected need for KEES merit-based scholarships.
Economic Development:
-Providing $24 million for Bluegrass Advanced Manufacturing Facility at Georgetown.
-Pushing for statewide high-speed Internet access with $100 million project, backed by bonds and federal and private funds.
Social Services:
-Restoring funding for child care assistance program, affecting 18,000 additional children.
-Providing an additional $500,000 over the biennium to support domestic violence shelters.
-Providing an additional $500,000 over the biennium to support sexual abuse shelters.
-Expanding Meals on Wheels to serve an additional 3,500 people.
Health Care:
-Providing an additional $500,000 per year to increase colon cancer screenings.
-Providing $1 million in the second year of the biennium to increase breast and cervical cancer screenings.
-Funding additional dental hygiene sites in local health departments.
State employees:
-Providing first salary increase for state employees in four years.
-Funding to support 2 percent increase in employer health insurance premiums each year.
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