This morning, advocates in the health, education and agriculture community voiced their concerns with the proposed state budget, saying lawmakers are putting tax cuts over the needs of Kentuckians.

Our McKenzie spent brings us the criticisms raised and the changes advocates want to see in the budget.

This as we start our legislative update.

The Kentucky Together Coalition says the state budget slashes funding to vital services at a time when federal changes and rising costs already put Kentucky families at risk.

Advocates are particularly concerned about the effects of budget cuts on teachers.

So if we have frozen funding, gutted transportation, no raises, no preschool investment, and then on top of it all, a possible 78% health increase, health insurance premium increase on every teacher, bus driver, school employee and retiree in the Commonwealth.

Several changes to Medicaid are on the table for Kentucky.

Cuts to Medicaid from the federal level will be implemented over the next few years.

And House Bill two, which passed committee yesterday, could change eligibility standards in the state.

Health advocates say now isn't the time to cut the state's Medicaid funding.

They simply cannot afford a system that starts asking for $20 co-pays per visit, or to be put on hold when they have to call the cabinet for assistance, because the state won't have any funding to support the needed manpower to handle basic support and application assistance.

Potential cuts to Medicaid could impact those with disabilities to an even greater extent.

Some situations that are very daunting, I think, and scary for the disability community and throughout Kentucky with these Medicaid calls can be very costly.

Sitting in a $50,000 wheelchair on a $500 cushion.

And that's actually kind of moderately price for some medical durable medical equipment that people with disabilities and who receive Medicaid rely upon.

One thing that we see in the disability community been everything that's going to be said here today.

It may not impact you directly, but you're a tab.

You're temporarily able-bodied because you're only an accident or diagnosis.

Away will become someone with disability.

Might need the services that we're talking about today.

With some of the cost of the Snap program, also known as food stamps, shifting from the federal government to the state.

Farmers want lawmakers to know that cuts to Snap could affect their bottom line.

Last year at Franklin County Farmers Market, food access programs that support food security for limited income community members that we're administering on our own accounted for $88,000 of total revenue for local vendors, but we can expect that impact to immediately decrease by approximately 20% if Snap is not sufficiently funded in this budget.

Jason Bailey of the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy, a progressive leaning think tank, says the reason these services aren't being funded more is because lawmakers are too focused on hitting benchmarks to lower the state income tax even more.

Why would lawmakers want an enormous rainy day fund to climb further to 4.4 billion, when Kentuckians are harmed by the spending cuts and freezes?

Ari described today that this budget contains.

There is only one reason, and that would be to try to hit the triggers in law for more individual income tax over the tax cuts over the next two years.

If lawmakers prioritize more tax cuts over investments in Kentuckians.

The benefits go overwhelmingly to the wealthy.

Bailey endorsed House Bill 13, a Democrat sponsored proposal that would create a flat 6% tax rate for Kentuckians making over $300,000 a year.

A poll from his organization found that 67% of Kentuckians would support such a measure.

For Kentucky Edition, I'm McKenzie Spink.

Thank you.

McKenzie.

Now, just before our broadcast tonight, the House Appropriations and Revenue Committee took up a new draft of the two year state budget.

State Representative Jason Petrie, who is chair of the budget panel, started the meeting by outlining the overall budget cuts being proposed.

He then went on to list areas of the budget that are not being considered for cuts.

The cuts just broad based percentage cuts 4% in FY 27 and additional 3% in FY 28, with the following being exempted.

Exempted from the cuts percentages.

Veterans affairs I knock and judgments seek.

Lawyers list school facilities, construction, county cost, Medicaid benefits, behavioral health, family resource centers and volunteer services.

Juvenile justice deals.

Department of corrections, community services and local facilities.

Department of corrections.

Adult correctional facilities.

Department of corrections, local jail support and post-secondary performance fund and along with a 2% salary increment across the executive branch.

For elected and unelected.

There would likewise be a cliff increase for law enforcement related, and I believe the same is true on fire.

But right now, Cliff incentives would go up 2% and 2%.

Also.

An amended version of House Bill 500 advanced at a committee tonight.

Its next destination is the House floor.

The Kentucky Education Association issued a statement applauding changes to the budget plan.

While they say they want teacher pay raises and full day kindergarten funding.

They're happy with some of the concessions.

It says, quote, thanks to strong advocacy from Kia and educators across the Commonwealth.

The current version of House Bill 500 now includes funding increases for Seac and student transportation from the last biennium.

Budget.

House leaders also resolved language that would have caused monthly health care premiums to rise by as much as $500 for educators, state employees, and retirees and quote.