CLEANUP FROM DEADLY TORNADOES, IT HAS BEEN A YEAR OF CHALLENGE THE ABORTION LANDSCAPE REMAINS UNCLEAR AFTER MAJOR COURT RULINGS AND A VOTE OF THE PEOPL REPUBLICANS OVERTAKE DEMOCRATS IN VOTER REGISTRATION IN KENTUCKY AND GAIN EVEN MORE SEATS IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE.

NEW JOBS ARE ANNOUNCED BUT KENTUCKY DEALS WITH WORKFORCE SHORTAGES, INCLUDING TEACHES, NURSES, AND RESTAURANT PERSONNE ON THIS VERY COLD CHRISTMAS WEEKEND, "COMMENT" IS NEXT ON KET.

GOOD EVENING.

I'M BILL BRYANT, AND WE WELCOME YOU TO A SPECIAL EDITION OF "COMMENT ON KENTUCKY THE GUESTS ON OUR PANEL OF WORKING KENTUCKY JOURNALISTS TONIGHT ARE: MORGAN WATKINS, CHIEF POLITICAL REPORTER FOR TH ALEX AQUISTO, REPORTER FOR THE LEXINGTON HERALD LEADER.

AND MARK VANDERHOFF, REPORTER FOR WLKY IN LOUISVILLE.

THIS PROGRAM WAS TAPED ON THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22ND TO GIVE THE STAFF OF KET AND OUR PANELISTS A CHANCE TO SPEND THE HOLIDAYS AT HOME.

ALSO TONIGHT, GOVERNOR BESHEAR TAKES EXECUTIVE ACTION ON MEDICAL MARIJUANA AND EXPANDS MEDICAID AS CANDIDATES WHO HOPE TO REPLACE HIM GET THEIR CAMPAIGNS.

SO WE'LL BE LOOKING BACK AT THE YEAR, BUT ALSO THIS WEEK BEFORE CHRISTMAS THERE'S BEEN SOME NEWS THAT'S HAPPENED AS WELL SO WE'LL COVER SOME OF THAT, AND THAT BEGINS WITH THIS WEATHER SITUATION THAT WE'RE ALL FACING RIGHT NOW.

THE GOVERNOR HAS DECLARED A STATE OF EMERGENCY, BILL COLD WEATHER ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH, AND, MARK, IT'S TOUGH TIMING WITH THE HOLIDAYS HERE.

>> Mark: YEAH, THESE FREEZING TEMPERATURES CAN REALLY SPELL SOME HEADATION FOR KENTUCKY.

THEY'RE DOWN RIGHT DANGEROUS.

AND THE STATE OF EMERGENCY THAT THE GOVERNOR HAS DECLARED WILL ALLOW HIM TO DO SEVERAL THINGS.

HE IS UK THE NATIONAL GUARD WHICH WE SAW A FEW YEARS AGO WAS VERY HELPFUL IN A SNOWSTORM TO GET PEOPLE OUT HOE WERE STRANDED.

HE CAN INVOKE THE PROHIBITION ON PRICE GOUGING.

AND HE'S ALSO SET UP THESE EMERGENCY WARMING SHELTERS ACROSS THE STATE AT KENTUCKY STATE PARKS, SO ALL THING WILL BE VERY HELPFUL.

>> Bill: ALSO, I THINK INSTRUCTED EACH COUNTY TO HAVE A SHELTER THAT IS OPEN FOR WARMING IF THAT SITUATION IS NECESSARY.

SO LOTS OF THINGS IN THAT DECLARATION.

ALEX, YOU KNOW, THIS IS JUST ANOTHER CHALLENGE IN WHAT HAS BEEN ANOTHER TOUGH AND DRAMATIC YEAR HERE IN THE COMMONWEALTH.

>> Alex: WELL, AND I WAS THINKING, BILL, WHEN YOU ASKED THAT, ONE OF THE FIRST STORIES, SADDEST STORIES THAT I WROTE EARLIER THIS YEAR, LATE RAS THEY ARE WAS RATHER RELATED OBVIOUSLY BECAUSE OF THE TORNADOES IN WESTERN KENTUCKY, AND WE'RE ENDING THE YEAR LIKELY WITH WHAT'S GOING TO BE SOME WEATHER-RELATED STORIES WITH THIS EXTREME COLD SNAP THAT'S COMING, AND, OF COURSE, TACK ONTO THAT, YOU KNOW, THE ONGOING COVID PANDEMIC AND ALL OF THAT.

KENTUCKIANS HAVE BEEN NO STRANGER TO STRUGGLE THIS YEAR, AND SO THIS IS JUST -- HONESTLY IT'S SORT OF FITTING THAT WE END THE YEAR THIS WAY, AS DARK AS THAT IS.

>> Bill: MORGAN, YOU GET TO A POINT WHERE YOU WONDER, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS NORMAL ANYMORE, RIGHT?

>> Morgan: YEAH, PRETTY MUCH.

>> Bill: AS WE IN A MINUTE ARE GOING TO DO A LITTLE MORE LOOKING BACK AT THE YEAR, WE WANT TO LOOK AT A LITTLE MORE NEWS FROM THIS WEEK THAT DID HAPPEN, USUALLY A QUIET WEEK RIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS BUT THERE WAS ACTIVITY, ESPECIALLY IN WASHINGTON.

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PASSED A BILL TO FUND THE GOVERNMENT THROUGH SEPTEMBER OF NEXT YEAR.

SENATOR McCONNELL HAD THIS TO SAY ABOUT THAT BILL.

>> THERE'S NO QUESTION A BIPARTISAN FUNDING BILL IS CERTAINLY IMPERFECT.

IF SENATE REPUBLICANS CONTROLLED THIS CHAMBER WOULD BE WE WOULD HAVE HANDLE THE APPROPRIATIONS PROCESS ENTIRELY DIFFERENT FROM TOP TO BOTTOM.

>> Bill: WELL, THIS AVOIDS A HOLY AND YEAR-END GOVERNMENT -- HOLIDAY AND YEAR-END GOVERNMENT SHUT DOWN, MORGAN, SO AT LEAST FOR NOW THAT IS NOT GOING TO BE A DRAMATIC WA HERE TO TOP OFF THE YEAR.

>> Morgan: YES, WE WILL NOT ADD THAT BAD SCENARIO ON TOP OF THE OTHER ONES PEOPLE ARE STILL DEALING WITH.

YEAH, McCONNELL WAS A BIG PART OF THE NEGOTIATIONS ON CUTTING THAT KIND OF FINAL END OF THE YEAR DEAL, WHICH INCLUDES OBVIOUSLY FUNDING FOR THE GOVERNMENT BUT ALSO PRIORITY BILLS THAT CONGRESS HADN'T GOTTEN AROUND TO PASSING YET.

LIKE HE KIND OF MENTIONED, IMPERFECT, DEFINITELY A COMPROMISE, BUT HE GOT A LOT OF THE KEY THINGS HE WAS LOOKING FOR IN THAT, LIKE DEFENSE SPENDING AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

>> Bill: AND YOU'LL HAVE CONGRESSMAN JOHN YARMOUTH IS GOING TO BE LEAVING UP THERE, AND MORGAN McGARVEY TAKES HIS PLACE, AND WE'LL TALK MORE ABOUT THE YEAR UPCOMING IN OUR SHOW NEXT WEEK, BUT FOR CONGRESSMAN YARMOUTH, I MEAN, IT WAS 16 YEARS OF HARD WORK, AND HE'S READY TO GO HOME, RIGHT?

>> Morgan: YEP.

YEAH, HE SAID HE'S SPENDING LOOKING FOR TO ENDING MORE TIME WITH HIS FAMILY AND NOT HAVING TO GO BACK AND FORTH TO DC ALL THE TIME.

AND, YEAH, BUT IT'S DEFINITELY, YOU KNOW, THE END OF AN ERA, LIKE LOUISVILLE HAD CONSIST REPRESENTATION FROM HIM FOR THE LAST 16 YEARS, AND THAT'S COMING TO AN END AND THAT'S A NEW CHAPTER.

YEAH, DEFINITELY A BIG DEAL TO SAY GOODBYE TO HIM.

>> Bill: ALL RIGHT.

AS WE NOW LOOK BACK HOR MORE AT THE YEAR IN ITS ENTIRETY, MARK, WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT THE HISTORIC FLOODING THIS SUMMER IN EASTERN KENTUCKY ON THE PROGRAM, THE ATTEMPTS TO GET THINGS BACK IN ORDER CONTINUE OUT IN THE WESTERN KENTUCKY AFTER THE TORNADOES.

HERE WE ARE HITTING THIS BITTERLY COLD START TO WINTER, AND WE'RE ALL REMINDED THAT THERE ARE FOLKS OUT THERE WHO ARE STILL IN TOUGH CIRCUMSTANCES.

I KNOW YOU JUST MADE A TRIP OUT WEST, RIGHT?

>> Mark: YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT, BILL.

AND, YOU KNOW, WHILE I WAS OUT THERE TALKING TO FOLK, I TALKED TO A LOT OF FAMILIES WHO WERE STILL STAYING WITH RELATIVES.

YOU HAD MULTIPLE SIBLINGS, SOMETIMES WITH THEIR PARENTS IN THE GUEST BEDROOM.

I MET PEOPLE WHO WERE STILL COUCH SURFING AND PEOPLE WHO WERE STILL LIVING IN HOUSES THAT HAD DAMAGE FROM THE STORM.

NOW, DID I ALSO MEET A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO HAD MOVED INTO NEW HOUSES.

THERE WAS ONE WOMAN I INTERVIEWED.

WE MET HER RIGHT AFTER THE TORN AND INTERVIEWED HER, AND THEN ONE YEAR LATER WE WENT BACK AND SAW HER BRAND NEW HOME, WHICH WAS MUCH NICER THAN THE HOME SHE USED TO HAVE, BUT SHE HAS SO MUCH PTSD FROM THAT TORNADO, SHE TOLD ME THAT SHE WOULD GLADLY GIVE AWAY THIS FANCY NEW HOME THAT SHE HAS, MUCH NICER THAN HER OLD ONE, IF SHE COULD JUST GO BACK TO LIVING THE WAY SHE WAS BEFORE THAT.

>> Bill: BECAUSE THAT'S JUST SOMETHING SHE'S LIVING WITH, RIGHT?

YOU'RE SAYING IN THE EVENT OF JUST ANY KIND OF THREATENING WEATHER, WE HEAR OF SO MANY FOLKS OUT THERE HAVE VERY DIFFICULT RECOLLECTIONS AND FEEL LIKE SOMETHING TERRIBLE MAY HAPPEN AGAIN.

>> Mark: BILL, SHE TOLD ME THAT SHE CRIES EVERY TIME IT RAINS, SOMETIMES EVEN IF IT JUST GETS WINDY OUTSIDE.

I MEAN, SHE JUST HAS SO MUCH ANXIETY, AND SHE JUST CAN'T SEEM TO GET RID OF, AND YOU KNOW I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE PROBABLY STUCK IN THAT SAME BOAT.

>> Bill: MORGAN, IN WESTERN KENTUCKY AND IN EASTERN KENTUCKY WHERE THERE WAS THE FLOODING AS WELL, IT'S BEEN FRUSTRATING TO MANY IN TERM OF THE TIME IT HAS TAKEN, SOME OF THE MONEY BEING DISPENSED HAS NOT GONE OUT AS FAST CERTAINLY AS VICTIMS OF THESE SITUATIONS WOULD HAVE LIKE.

MONKEYS SURE.

I MEAN, IT WAS MASSIVE DAMAGE BOTH IN WEST KENTUCKY AND OUT IN EASTERN KENTUCKY, LIKE STUFF THAT TAKES A LONG TIME TO RECOVER FROM, AND A LOT OF HOMES LOST.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S UNFORTUNATELY A LONG-TERM PROBLEM THAT HAS TO BE RESOLVED, AND I'M SURE THAT'S NO COMFORT TO PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING WITH HOUSING ISSUES RIGHT NOW AFTER HAVING GONE THROUGH THESE DISASTERS.

I KNOW THAT GOVERNOR BESHEAR THIS WEEK ANNOUNCED PLANS FOR A COMMUNITY ON HIGHER GROUND THAT THEY'RE GOING TO DEVELOP OUT IN EASTERN KENTUCKY WITH NEW HOUSING, A COMMUNITY CENTER, AND LIKE OTHER PUBLIC SPACES, AND HE TALK ABOUT THIS BEING SOMETHING HE'D LIKE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL OF THESE KINDS OF COMMUNITIES SET UP IN EASTERN KENTUCKY TO KIND OF ESTABLISH NEW HOUSING AND SPACES THAT ARE MORE FLOOD-PROOF, BUT THAT OBVIOUSLY IS -- TAKES TIME TO BUILD THOSE THINGS, AND PEOPLE ARE -- YEAH, WITHOUT SHELTER NOW.

>> Bill: AND THERE IS THIS EMOTIONAL TEAR BETWEEN HOME WAS DOWN THERE, AND THEN FOLKS SAY, BUT FOR SAFETY YOU NEED TO MOVE UP THE MOUNTAIN SOMEWHERE.

SO THAT IS CHALLENGING FOR MANY.

ALL RIGHT.

SO CERTAINLY OUR THOUGHTS CON WITH THE FOLKS IN THOSE DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES.

AS THE 2023 POLITICAL CYCLE GETS ROLLING, AND MAKE NO MISTAKES ABOUT IT IT'S ROLLING HERE IN 2022 AND HA BEEN A FEW MONTHS, THE NUMBER OF KENTUCKY REPUBLICANS SURPASSED DEMOCRATS FOR FIRST TIME OVER THE SUMMER.

THE NUMBER OF INDEPENDENTS, THOUGH, AS A PERCENTAGE GREW FASTER THAN EITHER PARTY.

SO THAT'S A WILDCARD.

AND, MORGAN, WE GO INTO THIS GOVERNOR'S RACE WITH THIS SWING VOTE OF ABOUT 10% INDEPENDENT OR OTHER VOTERS, AND THE GOP WITH A SLIGHT REGISTRATION ADVANTAGE OVER DEMOCRATS.

>> Morgan: YEAH, AND THAT'S A BIG DEAL.

I MEAN, 10% OF THE VOTE IS A LOT OF THE VOTE.

SO THAT'S GOING TO BE SIGNIFICANT, ESPECIALLY FOR SOMEONE LIKE BESHEAR WHO IS LOOKING TO PULL OFF ANOTHER MAJOR WIN AS A DEMOCRAT STATEWIDE IN AN INCREASINGLY REPUBLICAN STATE, SO THOSE INDEPENDENT VOTERS ARE GOING TO BE VERY IMPORTANT TO HIM, AND IMPORTANT TO WHOEVER HE RUNS AGAINST IN THE END, WHOEVER COMES OUT OF THE PRIMARY.

BESHEAR WON IN A SQUEAKER LAST TIME AROUND, AND WE COULD SEE THAT AGAIN THIS TIME.

>> Bill: MARK, I KNOW YOU LOOKED AT THE ACTUAL NUMBERS, AND THERE ARE A LOT OF INDEPENDENTS NOW.

>> Mark: HOW VEXING DO YOU THINK THIS IS FOR CAMPAIGN STRATEGISTS, BILL?

REPUBLICANS HAVE 30,000 MORE REGISTERED VOTERS THAN DEMOCRATS BY THE NUMBERS, BUT THERE ARE 337,000 PEOPLE WHO HAVE REGISTERED AS EITHER OTHER OR INDEPENDENT.

A LOT OF QUESTIONS.

YOU DO NOT KNOW HOW MANY DEMOCRATS ARE REGISTERED AS DEMOCRATS BUT THEY'RE REALLY VOTING AS REPUBLICANS.

YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE THESE INDEPENDENTS REALLY LIE ON THE SPECTRUM.

THIS CREATES SO MANY QUESTION MARKS.

>> Bill: AND THE THING IS THEY'RE QUITE IN THE GENERAL ELECTION BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO SAY IN THE PRIMARY.

SO YOU DON'T GET A HAND AS TO WHICH WAY THEY LEAN, RIGHT?

>> Marcus: YEAH, AND THEY'RE PROBABLY THE SAME KIND OF PEOPLE WHO DON'T LIKE TO DO SURVEYS.

THEY'RE PROBABLY FAIRLY QUIET COMPARED TO YOUR MORE OUTSPOKEN ACTIVISTS ON TWITTER OR FACEBOOK, SO IT'S JUST GOING TO BE SUCH AN INTERESTING DYNAMIC NEXT YEAR TO SEE HOW THIS ALL SHAKES DOWN.

I'M SURE THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE, WHO EVEN THOUGH WE'RE A YEAR OUT, THAT'S DIDN'T CAN'T WAIT TO PARSE THE NUMBERS OUT AFTER ELECTION DAY IN NOVEMBER OF 2023.

>> Bill: MORGAN, WE HAVE SEEN THIS PARTISANSHIP COMING FOR YEARS.

THE REPUBLICANS WERE WAY BEHIND THE DEMOCRATS, AS EARLY AS THE EARLY 1990S, BUT THEY'VE BEEN GROWING THEIR DOMINANCE, BOTH AT THE BALLOT BOX AS WELL AS REGISTRATION THE LAST QUARTER CENTURY OR SO.

>> Morgan: YEAH, I MEAN, THIS LIKE FLIP IN VOTER REGISTRATION WAS REALLY A QUESTION OF WHEN, NOT IF, AND THE WHEN TURNED OUT TO BE THIS YEAR THAT THEY FINALLY PULLED AHEAD.

BUT, YEAH, I MEAN, THIS IS A TREND THAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR A WHILE, BUILDING STEAM, AND YOU'RE REALLY NOT SEEING THAT SLOW DOWN, I DON'T THINK, AND IT'S -- AND IT'S ALSO SHOWN NOT JUST IN OUR REGISTRATION, HOW PEOPLE ARE REGISTERING, BUT WHO THEY ARE LOOK AT THING.

YOU'VE GOT VERY STRONG SUPER MAJORITIES IN BOTH CHAMBERS OF LEGISLATURE NOW WHICH DID JUST FINE IN NOVEMBER'S ELECTION, AND WE'VE GOT ALL BUT ONE OF OUR CONGRESS MEMBERS ARE REPUBLICANS, SO YOU'RE SORT OF SEEING IT BOTH IN HAD TO HEIR ELECTING AND INCREASINGLY HOW PEOPLE ARE CHOOSING TO IDENTIFY AT THE BALLOT BOX.

>> Bill: THE GOVERNOR'S RACE STARTED GETTING CROWDED OVER THE SUMMER.

SOME LIKE TO CONSIDER THAT EARLY, WHEN RYAN QUARLES, DANIEL CAMERON, KELLY CRAFT, SAVANNAH MADDOX ALL GOT IN.

MADDOX HAS NOT GOTTEN OUT.

MIKE HARMON WAS ALREADY IN THE PSYCHIATRIC THEY'VE ALL BEEN TRYING TO GO OUT THERE AND STIR UP INTEREST.

SOMERSET MAYOR ALAN KECK JOINED THE RACE RIGHT BEFORE THANKSGIVING.

I MEAN, THIS HAS BEEN AN ACTIVE CLOSE TO THE YEAR IN NEXT YEAR'S AT LEAST REPUBLICAN GUBERNATORIAL PRIMARY.

MORGAN.

>> Morgan: OH, YEAH.

I MEAN, IT'S AN OPEN FIELD IN THE REPUBLICAN ARENA, AND PEOPLE ARE ALL CHIPPING IN, ESPECIALLY IT'S LOOKING LIKE THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE A RUNOFF SITUATION, LIKE WHOEVER WINS THE PRIMARY, IT'S KIND OF WINNER TAKE ALL, AND YOU DON'T -- YOU DON'T NECESSARILY NEED TO WIN THAT MUCH TO BE ABLE TO SNEAK THROUGH WITH A WIN WHEN YOU HAVE THIS MANY CANDIDATES, SO IT'S GOING TO BE PROBABLY CUTTHROAT.

WE'LL SEE HOW INTENSE THINGS GET IN TERMS OF RHETORIC BETWEEN CAMPAIGNS AFTER THE NEW YEAR WHEN IT REALLY HEATS UP BECAUSE ONCE 2023 STARTS, YOU'RE LOOKING AT FOUR AND A HALF MONTHS AND THEN IT'S THE PRIMARY.

>> Bill: RIGHT.

MARK, WHAT ABOUT THIS SAVANNAH MADDOX GETTING OUT OF THE RACE?

THAT'S CAUSED A LOT OF TALK ALL OF A SUDDEN.

>> Mark: YEAH, WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT THAT FRANKFORT RUMOR MILL ON THIS SHOW, BILL, AND YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT TO BELIEVE AND WHAT NOT TO BELIEVE, BUT IT HAD NOT BEEN MINUTES AFTER SHE POSTED THAT FACEBOOK PAGE THAT I STARTED GETTING TEXTS FROM PEOPLE SPECULATING THAT SHE WAS GOING TO BE MATT BEVIN'S LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR IF AND WHEN HE ACTUALLY DECLARES TO JOIN THAT CROWDED PRIMARY, SO WE'LL SEE.

IT'S GOING TO BE A FUN PRIMARY TO COVER.

I'LL SAY THAT.

>> Bill: NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.

WE'LL TALK MORE ABOUT THE GOVERNOR'S RACE ON NEXT WEEK'S PROGRAM AND WHEN WE SORT OF LOOK AHEAD AT 2023.

CONTINUING OUR LOOK BACK AT 2022, KENTUCKY VOTERS DEFEATED A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT THAT WOULD HAVE KEPT THE STATE CONSTITUTION FROM BEING USED TO PROTECT ABORTION.

MORGAN, THAT WAS AN INTERESTING VOTE.

WE HAD SEEN WHAT HAD HAPPENED IN KANSAS WHERE THERE WAS AN OVERWHELMING DEFEAT OF A SIMILAR MEASURE.

PEOPLE GOING INTO THE ELECTION DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WOULD HAPPEN HERE IN KENTUCKY.

>> Morgan: YEAH, I MEAN, IT WAS A TOTAL UNCERTAINTY BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH KENTUCKY SKEWS CONSERVATIVE, WE HAVE NEVER BEEN IN A SITUATION LIKE WE FOUND OURSELVES AFTER THE SUMMER WHEN THE U.S. SUPREME COURT STRUCK DOWN ROE V. WADE AND ELIMINATED THE RIGHT TO AN ABORTION ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND SO FOR KENTUCKY WE DIDN'T KNOW HOW OUR VOTERS WERE GOING TO RESPOND TO THAT, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT CHANGING THE CONSTITUTION AND THINGS LIKE THAT, AND IT TURNED OUT IT WAS A BIG DEAL TO SEE A RED STATE LIKE KENTUCKY VOTE DOWN AN AMENDMENT THAT ANTI-ABORTION ADVOCATES WERE PUSHING FOR, AND PEOPLE AROUND THE COUNTRY TOOK NOTICE.

>> Bill: AND SO, ALEX, WHERE DOES THAT LEAVE THE ABORTION LANDSCAPE HERE IN KENTUCKY RYAN?

WE AWAIT A RULING FROM THE STATE SUPREME COURT FOR ONE THING, RIGHT?

>> Alex: RIGHT.

SO OUR TRIGGER LAW, WHICH IS EFFECTIVELY AN ABORTION BAN WITH SOME HAVING A MEDICAL EXCEPTIONS, IS STILL IN EFFECT, SO ABORTION IS BANNED IN ALL CASES EXCEPT MEDICAL MENTION ESSENTIALLY, AND WE HAVE A FETAL HEARTBEAT LAW WHICH ESSENTIALLY BANS ABORTION AFTER SIX WEEKS.

BOTH OF THOSE LAWS WENT INTO EFFECT IMMEDIATELY AFTER ROE VERSUS WADE WAS OVERTURNED.

BOTH ARE STILL IN PLACE TODAY EVEN WITH THE REJECTION OF AMENDMENT 2 WHICH WOULD HAVE, AS YOU SAID WITH CHANGED THE CONSTITUTION TO PROHIBIT ANY SORT OF GUARANTEED RIGHT TON AN ABORTION.

SINCE ROE V. WADE WAS OVERFURN AND OUR TRIGGER LAW WENT INTO EFFECT, THAT CASE WAS GOTTEN ALL THE WAY UP TO THE SUPREME COURT.

NOVEMBER ATTENDS THEY HAD ORAL ARGUMENT OVER IT.

THE CLINICS ARE THE CONSTITUTIONAL OF BOTH LAWS AND BASICALLY WE ARE IN A WAIT AND SEE GAME FROM THE KENTUCKY SUPREME COURT WHO NOW MORE THAN A MONTH HAS NOT ISSUED AN ORDER.

BASICALLY WE ARE WAITING TO SEE, WE MAY ENTER THE NEW YEAR STILL NOT KNOWING, WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE GOING TO REINSTATE AN INJUNCTION AND TEMPORARILY BAN BOTH LAWS FROM TAKING EFFECT OR WHETHER THEY'RE NOT GOING TO.

SO RIGHT NOW EVEN THOUGH IT'S BANNED, IT COULD POTENTIALLY NOT BE, BUT WE DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT THE SUPREME COURT IS GOING TO DO.

>> Bill: AND WE DO KNOW THAT THAT WILL NOT BE THE FINAL SAY ON IT BECAUSE THE OVERALL RULING ON THE LAW WILL BE ANOTHER CASE TO BE DECIDED.

ELEMENTARY RIGHT, AND THAT WILL BE MONTHS AWAY AT THIS POINT.

SO WHATEVER THEY DECIDE WILL BE TEMPORARY, AND THEN YOU ADD THE FACT THAT THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY RETURNS TO SESSION ON JANUARY== 3rd.

WE DON'T KNOW TYPICALLY CAN BE NEBS PRE-FILED A BILL YET RELATED TO PRODUCTIVE ACCESS.

NO.

CERTAINLY WHATEVER THE STATE SUPREME COURT DOES RIGHT NOW WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS IS NOT PERMANENT.

HONESTLY, IT MAY BE THE BETTER PART OF A YEAR BEFORE THIS CASE IS FULLY RESOLVED.

SO IT'S GOING TO BE A WHILE.

AND, OF COURSE, THE TRIGGER LAW HAS BEEN IN EFFECT AT THIS POINT FOR SIX MONTHS, WHICH IS HARD TO BELIEVE.

>> Bill: WELL, WE'LL WATCH THAT CERTAINLY, AND EVEN AS BIG JOB ANNOUNCEMENTS WERE MADE IN 2022, WORKFORCE CONTINUES TO BE A MAJOR ISSUE.

STATE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE SAYS THERE ARE NOW TWO JOB OPENINGS FOR EVERY APPLICANT IN KENTUCKY.

WE KNOW THERE'S A SHORTAGE TEACHERS AND NURSES AND RESTAURANT WORKERS AND OTHER THINGS AS WELL.

WE HAVE NEW JOBS COMING NOW WITH THESE BATTERY PLANTS, AND THE GOVERNOR HAS OPENLY SAID, MARK, THAT KENTUCKY NEEDS MORE PEOPLE TO MOVE HERE.

>> Mark: YEAH, BILL.

I'VE SEEN THESE LISTS.

KENTUCKY IS THE SEVENTH WORST IN THE NATION WHEN IT COMES TO LABOR PARTICIPATION RATE.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS CAN AGREE IS A PROBLEM.

THEY JUST WANT AGREE ON WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT.

WE HAVE SEEN SOME GOOD LEGISLATION TO HELP ADDRESS THE NURSING SHORTAGE.

HAVEN'T REALLY SEEN ANYTHING TO HELP ADDRESS THE TEACHER SHORTAGE, WHICH IS GOING TO BE A REAL CRISIS.

THERE HAS BEEN SOME GOOD FUNDING FOR WORKFORCE TRAINING CENTERS.

A LOT OF REPUBLICANS SAY THAT THE TAX REFORM IS GOING TO HELP ATTRACT PEOPLE TO THE STATE WHICH WILL BRING MORE WORKERS IN.

I THINK ONE BIG THING THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE IN THE UPCOMING SESSION IS GOING TO BE LEGISLATION TO ADDRESS THIS SO-CALLED BENEFITS CLIFF.

BASICALLY WHAT IT DESCRIBES IS PEOPLE, THEY DON'T HAVE A JOB.

THEY GET MEDICARE.

THEY HAVE PUBLIC HEALTH CARE.

BUT THEN THEY CAN'T TAKE A JOB BECAUSE IF THEY DO, THAT JOB DOESN'T HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE, THEY'LL LOSE THEIR HEALTH INSURANCE, SO THEY STAY SHOME BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO LOSE THAT PUBLIC HEALTH CARE BENEFIT, AND WHAT REPUBLICANS ARE HOPING TO DO IS COME UP WITH A SYSTEM WHERE THEY CAN KIND OF, INSTEAD OF JUST THROWING YOU RIGHT OF MEDICARE, YOU'LL SLOWLY KIND MOVE OUT OF IT OVER TIME SO THAT THERE WILL BE MORE OF AN INCENTIVE TO GET A JOB.

>> Bill: ALEX, WE HAD THOUGHT OR BEEN LED TO BELIEVE THAT THE WORKFORCE ISSUES WERE COVID RELATED AND WERE TEMPORARY AND BY NOW THINGS WOULD START THE IMPROVE.

THEY'RE NOT IMPROVE AT ALL, IN FACT, DEEPENING IN SOME AREAS.

>> Morgan: YOU'RE LARGER DURING WOULD HAVE HAD KEY WOULD HEAR FROM HOSPITALS THEY HAD SHORTAGES.

THAT WAS OBVIOUSLY PROPERTY BY THE STRESS BROUGHT BY THE PANDEMIC BUT EVEN THEN NURSING SHORTAGES, FOR EXAMPLE, ARE NOT A NEW THING AND AS RECENTLY AS THIS SUMMER THE KENTUCKY HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION HELD A PRESS CONFERENCE, AND IF I'M REMEMBERING CORRECTLY, THEY SAID SOMETHING LIKE ONE OUT OF EVERY FOUR OPEN NURSING JOBS WAS VACANT.

BASICALLY ONE OUT OF EVERY FOUR JOBS TOTAL IN THE STATE WAS UNOCCUPIED.

AND THERE HAVE BEEN SORT OF CONSTANT AGREEMENTS BETWEEN REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS TO HOW DO WE ACTUALLY ATTRACT THIS WORKFORCE TO THE STATE.

BESHEAR'S DECLARED A STATE OF EMERGENCY OVER THE NURSING SHORTAGE.

HE'S ANNOUNCED PAYMENT BOOST FOR PEOPLE LIKE SOCIAL WORKERS.

BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT MANY OF THESE SHORTAGES ARE IN ESSENTIAL INDUSTRIES LIKE HEALTH CARE, AND THEY'RE SORT OF PROTRACTED PROBLEMS THAT WE STILL HAVEN'T QUITE FOUND SOLUTIONS TO.

>> Bill: ALL RIGHT.

AND AGAIN, THERE'S SIN OF TO FIND SOLUTIONS.

MARK, THE FORD BATTERY PLANT WAS HISTORIC AND WORK IS UNDERWAY TO COMPLETE THAT.

IT'S CONTINUING TO EXPAND KENTUCKY'S AUTO MANUFACTURING FOOTPRINT, A NEARLY $6 BILLION INVESTMENT.

WE ANTICIPATE THERE WILL LIKELY BE SOME SPINOFFS AS WELL UP AND DOWN I-65, FOR INSTANCE, RIGHT?

>> Mark: YEAH, BILL, AND WE'VE ALREADY SEEN THAT.

WE'VE SEEN THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF A COMPANY THAT'S GOING TO RECYCLE PAT RIS TO TRY TO GET THE BETH YUM OUT.

LITHIUM IS IMPORTANT FOR THESE EV BATTERIES.

YOU'VE ALSO GOT THE EV PLANT DOWN IN BOWLING GREEN AND VISION, AND YOU'VE GOT NORTH OF KENTUCKY ON 65 CAR MAKERS AND SOUTH KENTUCKY ON 65 CAR MAKERS, SO WE CAN BE THE ONES WHO SUPPLY ALL THOSE ELECTRIC VEHICLE BATTERIES TO THOSE OUT-OF-STATE VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS.

>> Bill: ALEX, KENTUCKIANS HAVE TRIED TO LEARN TO LIVE WITH COVID IN 2022 ALONE WE HAD SOME NEW VARIANTS THAT CAME ALONG.

IT APPEARS TO DEATH TOLL IN THE STATE IS NEARING 18,000 SINCE THE PANDEMIC BEGAN, JUST A HEARTBREAKING NUMERAL.

NEW BOOSTERS PROVIDE SOME HOPE.

THERE'S RECOGNITION THAT NEARLY EVERYBODY HAS SOME DEGREE OF IMMUNITY AT THIS POINT BUT WE KEEP HEARING ABOUT, AND I THEN WE HEAR ABOUT THE THREAT OF A TRIPLE DEMOCRATIC WITH THESE OTHER RSV AND FLU CASES GOING AROUND.

IT'S BEEN A TOUGH SEASON.

>> Alex: IT HAS, AND IT'S UNDOUBTEDLY EXACERBATED BY THE FACT THAT LARGELY PEOPLE ARE NOT, YOU KNOW, MASKING INDOORS, WHICH YOU COULD ARGUE THAT IT IS NOT IMPERATIVE, ALTHOUGH CERTAINLY FOR SOME POPULATIONS IT STILL IS IMPERATIVE IN THE WAY THAT WITH A FOR EXAMPLE,, WHEN THE DELTA VARIANT WAS SENDING THRONGS OF PEOPLE INTO HOSPITALS, BUT LEXINGTON JUST ANNOUNCED THIS WEEK THAT WE ARE ON TRACK OBVIOUS TO HAVE TV WORST FLU SEASON IN A DECADE, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, NOTEWORTHY, AND NOT TO MENTION RSV AND ALL OF THE HOSPITALIZATIONS COUPLED WITH THAT.

SO YOU'VE GOT TO THINK AGAIN, AS I SAID ON THE SHOW, A LACK OF EXPOSURE BECAUSE WE WERE WEARING MASKS OR BECAUSE KIDS WERE OUT OF SCHOOL FOR BASICALLY TWO YEARS, YOU'RE NOT EXPOSED TO ALL THESE DIFFERENT THINGS AND NOW IT'S COMING AT US FROM SO MANY DIFFERENT ANSWERING ELSE AND PEOPLE ARE GETTING REALLY SICK STILL.

>> Bill: RIGHT.

MORGAN, ANOTHER FALLOUT FROM COVID WITH A STATE TEST SCORES IN SCHOOLS.

WE LEARNED THAT THERE WERE BIG DROPS IN NEARLY ALL SUBJECTS ACROSS ALL AGE GROUPS.

SOME, OF COURSE, HAVE ATTACHED A POLITICAL ELEMENT TO THE SHUTDOWNS AND SO ON, BUT OTHERS SAID IN WAS NO AVOIDING IT.

BUT WHAT WE DO KNOW IS THAT THIS CHALLENGE.

IS BEFORE US NOW.

>> Morgan: YEAH.

I MEAN, NO DOUBT.

COVID DIDN'T HELP, THE PANDEMIC.

I MEAN, IF YOU JUST LOOK AT THE STRESSORS, RIGHT, ON KIDS AND THEIR FAMILIES DURING, ESPECIALLY DURING THE FIRST COUPLE YEARS, THAT OBVIOUSLY IS NOT GOING TO BE CONDUCIVE TO LEARNING BUT KENTUCKY WAS ALREADY BEHIND ON A LOT OF THESE METRICS OR THESE MEASURES, AND, YEAH, BASICALLY IT'S LIKE LET'S LOOK AT SOLUTIONS.

I THINK YOU WILL PROBABLY SEE SOME LEGISLATION, I WOULD EXPECT ANYWAY, AROUND THIS COMING IN EARLY NEXT YEAR FROM THE LEGISLATURE, AND GOVERNOR BESHEAR IN AN INTERVIEW THAT I DID WITH HIM KIND OF LOOKING AT THE YEAR BACK AND THE YEAR AHEAD, HE PICKED THAT AS A MAJOR CHALLENGE THAT HE IS GOING TO BE PUSHING ON NEXT YEAR IN TERMS OF BIG INVESTMENTS IN EDUCATION, WHETHER IT'S INVESTMENTS TO DEAL WITH THE TEACHER SHORTAGE AND PROVIDE MORE RESOURCES AND MONEY FOR THEM, WHETHER IT'S PROVIDING MORE SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS FROM MENTAL HEALTH TO OTHER KINDS OF RESOURCES TO HELP THEM, UNIVERSAL PRE-K IS ON HIS LIST OF THINGS HE WANTS TO PUSH FOR.

IT'S BASICALLY, YEAH, THESE ARE PROBLEMS.

2023, LET'S TAKE SOME MORE STEPS TO TRY TO HELP THESE KIDS.

>> Bill: IN WASHINGTON WE MENTIONED SENATOR MITCH McCONNELL HAD HIS UPS AND DOWNS.

HE IS MINORITY LEADER AGAIN, AND HE IS TALKING ABOUT REACHING ACROSS THE AISLE TRYING TO GET SOME THINGS DONE.

HAL ROGERS BECAME THE DEAN OF THE U.S. HOUSE.

NOW THE LONGEST SERVING MEMBER OF THE HOUSE IN WASH WASHINGTON.

AND ALSO WE MENTIONED THAT JOHN YARMOUTH LEAVES CONGRESS AFTER 16 YEARS.

WE HAD SOME PASSINGS THIS YEAR, MARK.

LORETTA LEE, THE COAL MINER'S DAUGHTER WAS LOVED FOR HER GRIT AND HER INNOCENCE AS SHE TAUGHT OTHERS THE LESSONS OF BUTCHER HOLLER.

>> Mark: YOU KNOW WHAT I THINK IS FASCINATING ABOUT HER IS 46 ALBUMS AND SHE WAS STILL MAKING GREAT MUSIC IN RECENT YEARS.

SHE DID THIS AWESOME ALBUM THAT JACK WHITE PRODUCED, VAN LEER ROSE, AND THEN HAD THIS SERIES OF ALBUMS THAT WERE PRODUCED BY JOHNNY CASH'S SON.

I MEAN,.

>> Bill: THE STATE ALSO HAD TO SAY GOODBYE TO FORMER GOVERNOR JOHN Y.

BROWN, JR.

KNOWN FOR BUSINESS AND SPORTS AND POLITICS AS WELL, AND THEN ANOTHER NOTABLE LOSS THIS YEAR WAS THAT OF FORMER UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY COACH JOE B.

HALL.

WELL, THAT'S "COMMENT ON KENTUCKY," THE SPECIAL