please?

May I have your attention, please?

At this time, please welcome back to the stage KET moderator and Public Affairs Director, Rene Shaw.

>> The line and live it.

Shine.

Just own the night.

>> Good evening and welcome back.

Please, let's give a round of applause to the culinary staff here for a tremendous meal for us tonight.

We thank them for all of their hard work and providing for us this evening.

Before we begin tonight's program, we would like to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

Leading the Pledge of Allegiance is Ava Bogarde.

Ava is a ninth grade student at Calloway County High School in Murray, Kentucky, and the 2025 National Civics V Kentucky State champion.

She also placed fifth at the 2025 National competition.

So as you're standing, please welcome Miss Ava.

>> Good evening everyone.

Please join me in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands.

One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you.

>> Great job.

Ava.

I heard someone say you nailed it.

So welcome to the 31st Annual Kentucky Chamber Day Dinner.

I hope you enjoyed your meal, which included locally sourced Kentucky Proud products from across our great Commonwealth.

We are so glad to have you, the business leaders of the Commonwealth, here tonight to hear from the state's top officials.

Since 1995, the Kentucky Chamber has opened Kentucky's legislative session by hosting the state's largest gathering of business leaders, legislators and local chambers of commerce for an evening of networking and predictions for this year's session.

Chambers speakers always prompt a lot of discussion, and this year is likely not to be any different.

So if you want to be a part of the conversation on social media, you can do so on X, formerly known as Twitter.

You can tweet your comments using hashtag KY or by tagging the Kentucky Chamber at KY chamber.

I'm also pleased to share that KET is live streaming the program tonight.

So to those of you who are watching across the state, welcome.

We'll also present a one hour edited highlights program on Sunday, January 11th at 2 p.m.

eastern on KET, the main channel.

So we encourage you to check our website at Keturah for a list of other scheduled viewings.

And you can count on KET to take you inside legislative committee hearings and give you unfiltered access to House and Senate floor action throughout the lawmaking session.

As we live stream those proceedings on our website at Keturah.

Keeping up with Frankfort is literally in the palm of your hand, as you can watch the action unfold on the KET legislative coverage app that you can download on your smart devices.

Plus, we offer daily digest of what's happening at the Capitol on our nightly newscast.

Kentucky Edition at 630.

Take a deep dive into the key issues on Monday night on Kentucky tonight at 8 p.m.

and get journalist's take on the state House.

Developments on comment on Kentucky at 8:00 eastern on Fridays.

So you can count on KET to keep you connected to what and who matters.

Tonight's program here at the chamber will feature a series of remarks from elected leaders on the upcoming legislative session that we're in.

Tomorrow is day four, and we're looking forward to hearing their perspectives and priorities for the year ahead.

And before we begin, a quick note on the timing.

We've heard from you with a full agenda and several speakers joining us on the stage this evening, we're being intentional about staying on schedule and respecting your time.

Each speaker will have a visible countdown clock with their allotted time.

Also, to keep things entertaining, we'll see how that works, right?

Also, to keep things entertaining, Kentucky Chamber Chairman Conrad Daniels asked each speaker to pick out their own walkout song to play tonight as they come on the stage.

It's a great way to kick things off.

So now let's get down to business.

It's my pleasure to introduce our first speaker, the chair of the Board of Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, Conrad Daniels.

Conrad Daniels is the president of Hodge Supply Chain Solutions, a single source provider of outsourced manufacturing, contract warehousing and three Powell supply chain solutions.

With 24 years of experience in the logistics industry, Conrad has served a variety of roles within Hie, from Quality Systems Engineer to Chief Operating Officer.

In this span, Conrad has been an instrumental part of the growth of Hie and omnichannel order fulfillment, contract warehousing, kitting, assembly, distribution and manufacturing support services.

He was named President of Supply Chain Solutions in 2017.

After a four year generational and succession planning period.

With his leadership of the second generation family business, the company has grown from a single industry facility into one of the largest women and minority owned businesses in Kentucky, providing three Powell solutions in the automotive, food and beverage, consumer goods and appliance industries.

Please welcome the 2026 Kentucky Chamber chair of the Board, Conrad Daniels.

>> Cash Money Records, taking over for the 99.

In the 2000.

Girl you.

Working with you back then.

You can make it worse.

Minutes.

Cash in his last year.

>> That was like the the 1999 national anthem, right?

Golly.

All right.

Good evening everyone.

And it is an honor to stand before you tonight as we gather for another chamber day dinner.

Before we jump in, can we please show some love for Renee Shaw and KET?

She's been the steady, trusted voice Kentuckians count on year after year.

So Renee, thank you for emceeing again and thank you to KET for what you do, especially at a time when public media is feeling real headwinds.

Thank you so much.

And I'll be honest, a year in review can sound like it's about to come with a spreadsheet.

I promise you, no spreadsheets tonight.

Just the story of what we've accomplished together and where we're headed next.

I also want to take a moment to congratulate my good friend and colleague, Scott Davis, on an incredible year as the chair of the chamber.

Through his leadership, the chamber remains steadfast in advancing the solutions most critical to Kentucky's future advancing pro-growth policies, strengthening our workforce, and opening the door to opportunity.

But we didn't do it alone.

The chamber brought together leaders from every corner of the Commonwealth businesses, educators, elected leaders and community partners all united by a commitment to moving Kentucky forward.

This past year, our work with the General Assembly helped shape a business climate that will make us more competitive for years to come.

This includes policies that reduce the individual income tax, streamlined regulations, supported workforce development, and advanced our signature industries, resulting in more than 1 billion in savings for employers.

Pro-business leadership in our General Assembly played a major role in these achievements, with 68 legislators, many here tonight receiving a perfect score on the chamber's legislative scorecard and 11 lawmakers receiving the chamber's annual MVP award.

That level of progress doesn't happen by accident.

The chamber's political action committee is actively engaged in supporting candidates who believe in free enterprise and in the general election leading into the 2025 legislative session, every candidate endorsed by the chamber PAC won their race, underscoring support for candidates who understand the needs of employers and the importance of a competitive economy.

As we look to the future, we have expanded these efforts through the fellowship for civic, for Civic Leadership, designed to train business leaders, aspiring public officials, and civic minded individuals who are passionate about free enterprise.

To run for elected office.

The chamber has also furthered its role as a leading source of insight on the issues shaping Kentucky's economy.

The Chamber's Center for Policy and Research released a report to capture the significant progress Kentucky has made on tax reform over the past several years.

The Commonwealth has reduced the individual income tax from 6% to 4%, and now to 3.5%, thanks to the General Assembly in the 2025 session.

This half point reduction represents nearly 718 million in savings for Kentucky taxpayers, allowing individuals and families to keep more of what they earn at a time when every dollar matters.

Furthermore, modernizing our tax system has helped ensure Kentucky's well positioned for economic growth over the past year.

We also advanced groundbreaking work through the Kentucky Collaborative on Childcare, bringing together diverse stakeholders to build a shared understanding of Kentucky's childcare challenges and the solutions needed to address them.

Alongside that effort, the chamber released multiple reports examining the economic impact of childcare and identifying those gaps that hold back families, employers and communities.

Together, these resources are critical in charting a path forward to expanding access to childcare in Kentucky.

We also hosted a federal issues Summit to understand the shifts of federal policy surrounding tax, trade, immigration and other issues vital to Kentucky and through constant engagement with our federal delegation, we ensured Kentucky employers had a strong voice in Washington throughout 2025, we remain focused on addressing the top needs of our employers workforce, the Kentucky Chamber Foundation continued addressing workforce needs across the Commonwealth, working with hospitals to meet critical talent demands, and expanding our hiring academies to help employers reach untapped talent, including those seeking a fair chance.

New Kentuckians individuals with disabilities, and members of the military community.

We also brought leaders together through the statewide Workforce and Talent team to strengthen Kentucky's overall approach to talent development.

At the same time, we connected classrooms to careers by introducing students to Kentucky employers and industries, and by working with educators and employers to better align classroom learning with workforce needs.

We also provided internships and leadership development for first generation college students, and delivered transformational leadership training for school principals.

And when you take all of this together, it tells a clear story.

When Kentucky's business community shows up, Kentucky moves forward.

We want to thank all of our partners that helped us achieve those milestones.

We could not have done any of this work without you.

And before I close, I want to say a thank you again to Renee Shaw for what she does in KET.

In a world that can feel loud and divided, you help keep Kentucky informed, connected and grounded.

And we don't take that for granted.

As we look ahead to the coming year with major discussions on the horizon, we do so with the momentum and a shared commitment to Kentucky's continued success.

Thank you for your leadership, your partnership, and for believing in this work.

And if you're thinking that was a lot for one year, you're right.

But that's what progress sounds like.

And I want to take a moment to recognize the chamber's chair elect, Kim Halbauer.

Kim is the regional president of Fifth Third Bank, Kentucky, and she's going to do a wonderful job when she takes the helm in October.

And of course, along with Kim, I'd like to recognize the chamber's board of directors as well as our as well as our past board chairs.

Would you all please stand and be recognized?

Ladies and gentlemen, these are the Kentucky business leaders who devote time and energy to make sure the chamber represents us so well.

And to all of you standing, thank you for your dedication and service to to the Kentucky Chamber.

That's my time at this time.

I'll turn it over to our Kentucky Chamber President and CEO, Ashley Watts.

And I can't wait to hear what her music is.

>> I believe I'm stupid.

When I walk in the room, I can still make the whole place shimmer.

And when I meet the band, they ask, do you have a man?

I can still say I don't remember.

Familiarity breeds contempt.

>> Thank you Conrad, and there is no deep meaning to that song.

I just love Taylor Swift, so I had to walk out into a big crowd with Taylor Swift behind me.

Thank you again.

We are so fortunate to have Conrad and his leadership this year at the chamber.

And thanks, as always, to the incredible Renee Shaw for hosting tonight.

We must give a special thank you to our presenting sponsor, Fidelity Investments.

Fidelity's mission is to strengthen the financial well-being of their customers and deliver better outcomes for their clients and the businesses they serve.

Fidelity employs more than 509,900 associates in Kentucky, who are focused on the long term success of a diverse set of customers.

So thank you, fidelity.

Center Global Spirits, alongside our friends at Brown-Forman Corporation, are our titanium sponsors of this evening's reception.

And I also want to thank our platinum sponsors, Aetna Better Health of Kentucky, Alliance Coal, Cincinnati Northern Kentucky Airport, CVG, Deloitte Consulting, Ford Motor Company, Supply Chain Solutions, and Whitaker Bank.

So please join me in showing our appreciation for these major sponsors, as well as our many other sponsors here tonight for their support of this event.

In addition to our sponsors, the chamber is proud of our key investors.

You will see the logos of these companies on the screen and they are recognized in your program.

So please join me in showing our appreciation to these investors as well.

I would also like to acknowledge the numerous state and local leaders in the crowd tonight.

And I will say to many of you all that have been here for many years, this is where inevitably I'm going to forget someone, so I apologize in advance.

I also ask that you please hold your applause until the end.

We do have our governor, Andy Beshear, Lieutenant Governor Jacqueline Coleman, constitutional officer, Secretary of State Mike Adams, Attorney General Russell Coleman.

We're also joined by members of the Kentucky Supreme Court, including Chief Justice Deborah Lambert.

We have several local officials, magistrates, county judge, executives and mayors, including Mayor Linda Gordon of Lexington.

And we are joined by many university, college and higher education presidents and more than 23 local chambers of commerce are in attendance.

And last but not least, 80 of our state legislators are in attendance, including President Robert Stivers, Speaker David Osborne, members of leadership and committee chairs.

I would like to ask that all members of the Kentucky General Assembly please stand and be recognized.

We about have a quorum if we need to get anything done tonight.

I want to again thank all the elected officials in the room who joined us this evening.

Thank you for your willingness to serve.

It is truly an honor to stand before you tonight.

Leaders from across the Commonwealth who represent the heartbeat of Kentucky's economy.

As I look across this room, I am reminded of the strength and resilience that define Kentucky's business community.

Each of you, whether representing thriving industries, innovative startups or vital community organizations, play a crucial role in advancing our Commonwealth.

We live in a world right now that is marked with uncertainty global events, shifting markets, and new challenges test our adaptability every day.

Yet in the face of all this, one constant remains the unwavering dedication of Kentucky's employers and the chamber that stands beside you.

Our environment may shift quickly, but our mission does not.

The Kentucky Chamber remains a steady, reliable partner, advocating for policies that strengthen business, support communities and families, and keep Kentucky competitive.

Tonight, we will hear from leaders about the policy opportunities ahead and the 2026 legislative session.

But before we look forward, it is worth recognizing the progress we have made together from building economic opportunity through tax reform, strengthening workforce development, investing in our infrastructure and innovation, and championing our signature industries.

Kentucky's business and policy leaders have achieved remarkable milestones despite a period of uncertainty and instability in economic policy in Kentucky, the business community has not stepped back.

You have stepped up.

That is the essence of sound leadership.

It is about being the steady voice, the one that keeps people focused on solutions when everything around them is pulling them towards division.

And we're seeing the results here in Kentucky with our steady approach, with our economy performing better than the national economy.

And in moments like this, it becomes clear how much leadership and collaboration matter.

That is exactly what chambers of commerce bring to their communities.

Every day we create this space for people to work together and keep conversations focused on what moves Kentucky forward.

Because our state's future depends on the leaders who are willing to work together to solve our biggest issues.

Today, two challenges stand out because of their profound impact on the lives of Kentuckians, finding a place to live, and finding a place for children to be cared for while their parents are at work.

Housing and childcare are the basics that allow Kentucky families to build stable lives and allow employers to plan for the future.

When people can find a place to live and a place for their children to be cared for, communities will grow and businesses can move forward with confidence.

That's why addressing these challenges is really about making sure Kentucky is a place where opportunity is real and within reach.

This session, the chamber will be pushing for practical, sustainable solutions grounded in the consensus driven work of the Kentucky Collaborative on Child Care.

Since June of 2024.

This broad coalition, spanning from early childhood education providers to businesses to healthcare, education, workforce development and economic development, public policy, philanthropy and the nonprofit sector have worked together to find consensus on solutions to strengthen child care availability and affordability, to meet the needs of working families and children of all ages.

Now, these conversations were not always easy, but they were productive, leading to 37 detailed recommendations and laying the foundations for a robust legislative proposal and the 2026 legislative session.

Furthermore, we will advocate for solutions that expand housing options at all price points for Kentuckians, and we will also continue our long standing commitment to a modern tax system, which allows businesses to grow and enables Kentuckians to earn more, earn more, keep more of what they earn.

Because when Kentuckians have what they need to work and to support their families, our entire state is stronger when we work together to address these challenges, the opportunities are endless.

You can show your support by adding your name and opportunity starts here.

Com or by scanning the QR code at your table.

And I promise I will not think it rude if everyone picks up their phone right now and does just that.

I also ask each of you to stay engaged and to lean on the chamber as your partner and your advocate.

Thank you for all of what you do for our Commonwealth.

Thank you for your leadership, your vision, and your commitment.

The Kentucky Chamber stands with you today, tomorrow and always.

Thank you again for being here.

And cheers to a successful 2026 legislative session.

Thank you.

I'll now turn it over back to Renee.

>> Thank you so much, Ashley.

I now have the honor of introducing our first speaker on 63rd governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

Governor Andy Beshear grew up in Central Kentucky and graduated from Henry Clay High School before attending Vanderbilt University and the University of Virginia School of Law.

His family and community instilled in him the values of faith, family, and public service.

He leaned on those values more than ever during the Covid 19 pandemic and during two historic natural disasters, the Western Kentucky tornadoes and the Eastern Kentucky floods.

But now Kentucky is rebuilding and our economy is booming, even as our state faced some of its toughest challenges, Governor Beshear has prioritized bringing good paying jobs to every corner of the Commonwealth.

Over the past five years, the governor has announced a record $45 billion in private sector investment, creating more than 68,000 jobs.

This is the highest investment figure secured during the tenure of any governor in the Commonwealth's history.

The governor and his wife, First Lady Britney Beshear, along with their two children, live in Frankfort and are active in Louisville's Beargrass Christian Church.

Please help me welcome Governor Andy Beshear.

>> I think about my darling girls sleeping all alone.

I pray the stars will shoot her all the wishes she can hold on the day that I return, I lay down.

Right now I'm focused on universal sound.

>> Good evening.

I am honored to once again speak at this annual Chamber Day dinner.

It's always inspiring to be with civic and business leaders who are committed to building a bright future for everyone in our new Kentucky home.

Over the past six years, we've been building that future, and we've been doing it together.

A future where every Kentucky child can achieve their dreams, no matter how big.

It's why folks across the country are no longer looking down at us.

They're looking up to us because while our national politics has been poisoned with division here in the Commonwealth, we've won as one team.

Team Kentucky, we've done that by recognizing the things most important to our people are not bipartisan.

They are nonpartisan, a good job, affordable health care, safe roads and bridges, good schools, safe communities.

These aren't red or blue issues.

They're just the things that every Kentucky family wants and every Kentucky family deserves.

Just last night, I delivered my seventh state of the Commonwealth and my final budget address.

I was proud to once again stay.

The state of the Commonwealth remains strong, but after years of surging progress, our people, our Commonwealth and our country are facing serious new challenges.

For the first time in my lifetime, a large portion of the American population is questioning the very foundation that has strengthened and sustained our economy the American Dream.

The American Dream is as simple as it is powerful and motivating that if you work hard and you play by the rules, you can get ahead.

You can build a better life.

You can leave your kids better off than you had it.

But today, too many American families believe that just isn't possible.

Groceries and health care are too expensive.

Young couples can't afford that first home.

It's our job to make sure the American dream lives on for the next generation.

And the one after that, as folks here know well, the American Dream starts with a job, and I'm proud to say no administration has created more.

Last year, we announced more than $10.5 billion in private sector investment, creating nearly 9600 new jobs.

That's the second best year in the history of Kentucky.

And I say this line for my dad last night, it means this administration has had the first, the second, the third and, oh, the fifth best years on record.

Over the past six years, we have become an economic powerhouse.

We've more than doubled Kentucky's previous investment record, with over $45 billion in new investment.

We've also broken our job creation records with 68,000 new jobs.

But these aren't just any job.

They're the good jobs that our people deserve.

I'm proud to report we've secured the highest three year average for new wages in our history, and last year, our average incentivized wage was just under $30 an hour.

And despite the national headwinds, despite the damage of President Trump's tariff policies that both of our U.S.

senators and this governor strongly oppose, Kentucky's economy is still growing.

According to a recent Moody's study, most states saw their economy slow, and so many of them even slide into recession last year.

But in Kentucky, we're still expanding.

During just a ten day window in August alone, we welcomed more than $6.3 billion in new investment and 1000 new Kentucky jobs for iconic companies.

GE appliances, Ford, Apple and General Matter all chose us.

All chose Kentucky folks.

That was just ten days.

Over the rest of the year, we saw great announcements like NATO creating 220 new jobs in Frankfort, Alta Alloys and Shinsung USA, 95 new jobs in Simpson County, Paragon Metal Fabricators, 40 jobs in Pendleton County, Toyota and steel blue building components.

Mayor 163 jobs in Scott County Lockheed Martin 70 jobs in Fayette County.

Sazerac 50 jobs in Taylor County, Louisville.

Brands 210 jobs in Jefferson County Morris Packaging, 276 jobs in Marion County E. Hoffman packaging 165 jobs in Hopkins County and in Glasgow.

One of my favorite because we celebrated, we closed a deal and celebrated in person in Ireland a deal with a company called Tate.

They're going to spend $61.2 million on a project that is the largest announcement for Barron County in 18 years.

It has 400 new jobs for Glasgow and Barron County.

Last year, Kentucky secured another top five ranking for economic development.

That is five straight years being in top five of the country, and we have been congratulated by the toughest of critics as we secured three credit upgrades which say Kentucky is on the upswing.

That's never been done before.

The products we sell are being sold all over the world as we broken our exports record in back to back years, so that's a lot of good news.

But we know new challenges are threatening our progress.

Bad tariff and trade policies are hurting our national economy, meaning we have to work even harder to keep winning.

That's why my proposed budget begins in job creation.

It contains $70 million for site development to build build, ready, job ready sites.

It contains $100 million for large projects that just need that last bit of infrastructure for the company to say yes.

And for the first time in our history, it includes a $25 million Rural Economic Development Fund to bring jobs to areas that have been that close but haven't had their big announcement.

While a good job is where the American dream starts, a home is where it lives.

Sadly, owning that home seems out of reach for too many Americans.

Now, here in Kentucky, we're doing better than most.

We've been recognized as one of the best states for home affordability, as well as for our rebuilding efforts in western and eastern Kentucky for those impacted by natural disasters.

But we must tackle the shortage in housing supply, and we must do it now.

That's why my budget proposes a game changing $150 million investment in our Affordable Housing Trust fund combined with private dollars that that fund leverages, that create $1 billion of new housing which we need now a healthy workforce requires the type of health care that we've been building.

It's why we've continued to expand access, including the opening of Norton West Louisville, the first hospital in West Louisville in 150 years.

In its first year alone, it has seen 60,000 Kentuckians.

But we've also opened PMQs, New Children's Hospital and its Appalachian Valley Autism Center, the UofL Health Hospital in Bullitt County, the Mercy Cancer Center in Paducah.

And we celebrated Appalachian Regional Healthcare's new mobile clinic, which bridges the gap between hospital visits and house calls.

We have also, due to the hard work of so many, seen our drug overdose deaths go down three straight years in Kentucky, thank God.

I want to thank our 35 recovery communities for helping to make that happen through my expansion of Medicaid to include dental, vision and hearing.

267,607 Kentuckians have received glasses, 16,274 Kentuckians have received dentures, and 675 have been fitted for hearing aids.

And as of last month, safe, regulated medical cannabis is now available in the Commonwealth.

The result of these efforts, we set records for the largest workforce in our history, with the most people working and the most jobs filled.

Unfortunately, a lot of our progress is now at risk due to decisions at the federal level.

Decisions like Congress voting yes to extend tax cuts for the wealthy, but voting no to extend tax credits for hard working Americans to afford health care, and the impact of the president's big ugly bill is going to hit us.

Kentucky the hardest it could close 35 rural hospitals, fire 20,000 Kentucky health care workers and eliminate coverage for 200,000 of our neighbors.

Those aren't my numbers.

They're from the Kentucky Hospital Association.

These federal failures, they threaten that American dream with lost jobs, higher costs and shorter lives.

My budget fully funds Medicaid.

It provides $100 million to lower the cost on connect, and it expands the number of Marshall P waiver slots for families of children with special needs.

It includes $25 million for nursing student loan forgiveness, and it creates a $125 million rural hospital fund.

We cannot allow our rural hospitals to close in Kentucky.

Remember, those hospitals are the largest payrolls in their communities.

If they shut down, it doesn't just hurt our workforce, it hurts the economy in each of those areas.

Now, the American dream doesn't begin with success, but it is a journey towards it.

So we're strengthening the path that lead us there by investing in our roads and bridges.

Since 2020, Team Kentucky has replaced or repaired 660 state and local bridges and made improvements to 20,000 miles of roadway.

And we celebrated some major wins over this last year, which opened up regions to more investment projects like finishing the US 460 corridor in Pike County.

We've been working on that for 23 years.

We completed the approach of the I-69 Ohio River crossing, which is going to open up western Kentucky to new business, and this year, we began the construction on the final stretch of the Mountain Parkway through the heart of Appalachia.

It's been talked about for decades, and now I'm the first governor that can say every portion of four laning the Mountain Parkway is either complete or under construction.

We're going to get that done.

The American dream is rooted in hope, but it can be extinguished through fear.

So public safety is everyone's job, and our goal is to not only make people safer, but to feel safer at all times.

That's why we've increased pay for our brave Kentucky State Police growing their once shrinking ranks.

We've also taken steps to prevent crimes from happening in the first place.

And last year we did just that, securing a record low recidivism rate.

A big part of that is thanks to our efforts to provide second chances and real job opportunities.

It's not just the right thing to do.

My faith teaches me that second chances are what we're called to do.

Last April, we announced more than a dozen new vocational programs in our prisons.

But now we're working to take these efforts to the next level, teaming up with the Kentucky Community and Technical College System, together with the work of Kctcs President Ryan Quarles, we're seeking funding for a nonpartisan, game changing project, a reentry campus which will make our people safer and make Kentucky a national model.

The court of the American Dream isn't about us.

It's empowering our kids to do better.

I priority must always be the future, and I believe our future is molded in our public schools.

Once again, I'm proposing $159 million for Mandatory raises for educators, and I'm seeking to increase their take home pay by 7%.

My budget also increases education funding per pupil and adds millions of dollars to teacher retirements.

But the most effective way we can succeed in this next budget is by funding pre-K for all.

Right now, more than half of Kentucky's kids are showing up to kindergarten already behind.

Most Kentucky parents can't afford pre-K, and so many of our neighbors want to return to work, but simply can't find or afford childcare at a time when things cost too much.

Pre-K saves parents thousands of dollars every year, and one study shows they make nine grand more a year, with pre-K available for six straight years.

This is the chamber, so you're good at numbers.

For every $1 invested in pre-K, we get $10 cycled through our economy.

Over time, pre-K is expected to grow Kentucky's workforce by 70,000 people.

There is no more effective tool out there to meet your workforce needs of the future than this possibility.

Pre-K is good for our children, good for our families, and good for you, our businesses.

That's why we've received support from 45 local and regional chambers of commerce, 63 county judge executives, 34 mayors, Democrats and Republicans alike, the Kentucky Association of Superintendents, the Kentucky Association of School Administrators.

All those represent 3300 education leaders statewide, and in 2017 and 2019, the Kentucky Chamber supported expanding pre-K.

And I hope it will again, because the only thing that's changed is the party of the governor.

For all those that say that pre-K is political, let me remind you, four year olds can't vote.

They're not registered.

So if anybody is against this because they think it gives me a political win, what they're doing is handing four year olds a loss.

Kentucky needs pre-K for all.

And if we can come together and pass medical marijuana, surely we can come together for four year olds.

Over the past six years, our people have been putting in the work to secure a brighter future, and we've been doing it together.

Together.

We've set an example for all of America, a state where officials are both Democrats and Republicans, a state that is both urban and rural, a state that stretches from the Appalachian Mountains to the Mississippi River.

Yet we found a way to work together to find unity and to succeed.

That's why folks across the country are looking to us to find hope beyond the chaos.

And they're finding that hope right here to keep succeeding.

Let's remember and remain focused on what matters the most our people and bettering their lives.

So to everybody here tonight, let's keep working.

So Kentucky remains that beacon of hope amid the chaos.

Together we can continue to secure those good jobs, to create that bright future and to prove that here in Kentucky, we're restoring the American dream for all our people.

Let's show our Commonwealth and our country what's possible.

God bless our commonwealth.

God bless the United States of America.

Thank you all and good night.

>> Thank you.

Governor.

Our next speaker is House Minority Floor Leader Pam Stephenson.

Colonel Pam Stephenson, US Air Force retired, was born and raised in a Union family in Louisville, Kentucky.

Admitted to both the Indiana and Kentucky bars, she has been licensed to practice law since 1984.

During Colonel Stevenson's 27 year service as an attorney, she provided legal services to military members and programing to equip and empower military members and their families.

Colonel Stephenson is honored to continue her public service as Kentucky State Representative for the 43rd district, and was recently elected as the Minority Floor Leader.

Please help me in welcoming Representative Pam Stevenson.

>> She's walking on fire.

This girl is on fire.

>> Good morning.

>> Evening.

Thank you for that warm welcome.

It's a pleasure to be with the people doing the work in every corner of this Commonwealth.

From Celina Hudson and Vine Grove and Terry Owens and Radcliff that are rocking their communities to Kimberly Moore fighting for families in Louisville, and Dave Christopher taking care of our youth in Louisville.

And then up in Northern Kentucky, we have Lynn and Stacy taking care of business for businesses in the Northern Kentucky Chamber, and Doctor Aaron Myers and Dina Parrott taking care of Kentucky women, along with Humana, who's everywhere.

In case you didn't know, you are the leaders that this state counts on.

This evening highlights what the chamber does best, bringing us together so that we can make real progress by having real conversations.

And I'm glad to be a part of these conversations.

Now, many of you know me as the House Democratic floor leader, and now you know me as girl on Fire.

But before that, I spent decades as an Air Force JAG officer.

I've worked and lived in 11 countries, negotiated and applied international agreements on behalf of America, worked with foreign governments, promoted the rule of law in addition to working with the nine over 11 Commission, State Department, and our very own international processes.

Now, I'm also a mom, a mother, a minister, and a quilter, and I'm glad you asked.

Yes, I did win first place in the Kentucky State Fair.

Quilting.

This year.

Now, the thing that why all that matters is for two reasons one, no matter what country I lived in, no matter where I was at, people are the same.

They want the same things.

They want their children to do better.

They want their families to thrive, and they want their life to matter.

Number two, the common theme is service.

And service is what is in this room.

You spot opportunities to make Kentucky stronger because of the work you do.

And when we pull in the same direction, we get a bigger, better Kentucky and we get families that thrive.

Now the question is, how do we build on that success?

I'm glad you asked.

Our work in the 2026 legislative session has to focus on the challenges standing in the way of continued growth.

Employers tell me that the biggest pressures they face are the same ones that families face.

I know it's a little loud.

Can somebody do something about that?

They face the challenges of the rising cost of housing, childcare, health care and basic necessities.

These pressures make it harder to keep workers and families.

In Kentucky.

The workforce is the heart of your conversation and the heart of a growing, thriving Kentucky.

Your businesses reached different levels of success depending on how well your employees are doing.

If you have an employee that's not worried about losing their house, they got a full stomach.

Their kids are being educated and they are happy.

It translates into your business.

On the other hand, if you have an employee that comes to work and is worried about where are they going to eat, how are they going to feed their kids, how are they going to pay the rent?

How are they going to pay their utilities?

What am I going to do about this?

What am I going to do about that?

What's happening next?

It shows up in your business.

We're also faced by the navigating the national headwinds.

Federal decisions don't stay in Washington.

They show up in state budgets.

They show up in local economies.

They show up at the family dinner table.

Medicaid charges are putting new pressures on hospitals.

Unpredictable terrorists are another issue.

We our job in Frankfort is to provide steadiness, keeping Kentucky competitive, keeping the chaos and the uncertainty down low.

So the question is, are you willing to do what it takes to take care of Kentucky families?

Because that's the basis of your business?

Are you willing to create conditions for people to thrive?

Yeah, we can do it.

We can do anything.

So let me end with this.

How Kentucky looks 50 years from now depends on the actions you take today, 250 years ago, when they started this thing called America, they never thought we'd be sitting in a place like this, sitting at the top of the world, making sure that there was world peace.

But they had a vision and they were willing to fight for it and put aside their petty disagreements to build an America.

This legislative session matters.

It's a budget year.

This vision of Kentucky, where families thrive, is a Kentucky worth fighting for.

It's a Kentucky that we can build together.

It's a Kentucky that will allow you to fulfill your wildest dreams.

It's a Kentucky that will show the other 49 states what they can aspire to, be the leader that this community counts on.

That's all.

From your girl on fire.

>> Thank you, Leader Stevenson.

Next, I'd like to invite Senate Minority Floor Leader Gerald Neal to the stage.

Senator Gerald Neal was elected to represent Senate District 33 in Louisville in 1989.

He is the second African American to serve in the Kentucky State Senate, and holds the title as Dean of the Kentucky Senate, a title given to the longest serving member.

Senator.

Neal was elected by his colleagues to serve as leader of the Kentucky Senate Democratic Caucus for the 2526 term.

He has received many prestigious awards and is an inductee into the Kentucky Civil Rights Hall of Fame in the year 2000.

Please welcome Senator Gerald Neal.

>> One.

>> Two, three and to the four.

From the chamber stage to the Senate floor.

I should have said that the other way around.

Who knows?

Let me tell you, I'm delighted to be in here, especially as I look out among the people that are here.

And I recognize such power, competence and possibility exist right here in this room.

I wish I could follow everybody's experience here, because there's a story behind you all, and that story reflects what we could do as we go into the future.

So good evening.

Good evening.

Thank you for the invitation.

And thank each of you for your leadership in Kentucky's business community.

It's great to be back with you here at this event.

I appreciate the work the chamber does to keep Kentucky focused on growth, stability, and long term opportunity.

I also appreciate that you ask hard questions and expect serious answers.

That's fair, that's fair, that is healthy, and that is necessary for a strong Commonwealth.

We are beginning the 2026 regular session at a moment when Kentucky has real momentum to build on.

That's something to celebrate.

Over the last several years, we in the General Assembly have taken steps that strengthen economic development and improve competitiveness.

That process includes investments in water and wastewater infrastructure that allow communities to grow.

It improves the site readiness and that helps Kentucky compete for new industrial projects and targeted economic development policies that attract capital investment and jobs.

Those are real achievements, and they matter.

But we also understand something more clearly than ever before.

Economic success depends on more than incentives and headlines.

It depends on whether people can carefully and fully participate in the economy.

Let me say that it depends on whether people can fully participate in the economy.

It depends on whether workers can get to their jobs, afford childcare that makes employment possible, and find housing that allows them to live in the communities where they work.

It depends on whether our education system is aligned with a changing economy, and whether our workforce has pathways to stable, skilled work.

When we talk about preparing Kentucky's future, when we talk about preparing a comparing or preparing a Kentucky's future workforce through education and innovation, we're talking about the foundation of long term economic strength.

Kentucky can grow.

It is Kentucky can grow and Kentucky can compete.

We know that.

We believe that Kentucky can lead, and we do.

Kentucky has demonstrated leadership, but that does not happen by accident.

And we all know that it happens because of choices that we make.

It happens because of priorities.

And it happens when all of us, including all of us in this room, are willing to meet this moment and the moments to come with honesty and responsibility.

Because here is the reality we face.

We're entering this session under circumstances that require more than optimism.

Require fiscal discipline, yes, but they also require moral seriousness.

I want to say that again, they require fiscal discipline, yes, but they also require moral seriousness.

Decisions being made in Washington are already shifting costs onto the states, counties and local communities.

This is a fact that is more than politics.

That is arithmetic, and it is already reaching Kentucky families.

We know this when federal support for Medicaid, SNAP, and public health and rural health systems has reduced, those costs do not disappear.

They move down the line to Kentucky taxpayers, to local governments, and to the and to the providers.

Our communities rely on.

Rural Kentucky will feel it first and the hardest, because rural hospitals and health departments depend heavily on federal pass through funding.

We must be honest about what Kentucky stands to lose when those supports are pulled back.

With those dollars are pulled back, local officials are left with impossible choices.

Services get cut.

Our local taxes rise to fill the gap.

Our boat.

That is not restraint, that is shifting the costs.

And an emphasis on waste and fraud alone will not be enough.

So one of the first commitments we should make this session is straightforward.

We must demand full fiscal transparency.

We in the Senate must insist on clear analysis and how federal charges changes affect our state budget, and what they will mean for local governments.

Kentuckians deserve and need to see the full picture in real time.

With respect to workforce, this is where the moral and economic meet.

Many employers across Kentucky already understand what it takes to retain good people.

They know stability matters.

They know turnover is expensive, and they know a reliable workforce is not built on wages.

They cannot support basic living costs.

Our minimum wage has not kept pace with the cost of living.

I know you're here different, but it hasn't.

Housing, childcare, health care and transportation costs have been steadily rising across the Commonwealth.

When wages fall short of basic household needs, the burden shifts to public supports funded by taxpayers.

That means the public ends up subsidizing low pay.

If we want an economy defined by work, dignity and upward mobility, than full time work should not leave families living on the edge of survival.

A living wage.

Go ahead.

It's okay because I know we all agree.

A living wage is not a slogan.

It is a workforce stability tool.

It reduces turnover.

It strengthens local economies, and it creates more predictable conditions.

These conditions must be predictable for employers and workers alike.

Is a valid economic strategy, and it is in our interests.

This brings me to two priorities.

The chamber has rightly elevated childcare and housing.

Childcare is economic infrastructure.

Parents cannot work if they cannot find safe, reliable care.

Employers cannot fill jobs.

If workers are forced out of the labor market.

And too many counties, particularly in rural Kentucky, childcare deserts, leave families with few realistic options.

We should address this challenge with seriousness and flexibility.

That means improving affordability for working families, strengthening the provider model so childcare businesses can survive and grow, and supporting solutions that involve employers and local communities.

Housing.

Housing is the other major barrier.

We need more housing.

That is clear.

There is broad agreement on that.

Whether you're a Republican or Democrat or independent.

The real question is how do we get there and who has a real seat at the table?

Streamlining can help, but it cannot replace transparency, accountability and local partnerships.

If we are serious about housing, then local governments must be full partners in decisions that affect roads, utilities, schools and neighborhoods.

Growth should strengthen communities, not override them.

I want to close where I began with opportunity.

We must have an opportunity in Kentucky this season.

We in the Senate, we in the General Assembly have an opportunity to govern responsibly, demand transparency, and protect the people and communities that keep the Commonwealth running.

But all of us in this room, all of us in this room, also have an opportunity.

If your business is growing and your family is secure, then you have not only earned success, you have gained influence.

The question is how that influence will be used.

So we use it only to protect what we have.

Do we or do we use it to build a Kentucky where more people can share in stability and growth?

Because a truly competitive Kentucky is not one where a few thrive, while others struggle to stay afloat.

It is one where prosperity.

Prosperity is durable, where workers can live near their jobs, where parents can access childcare, where education is strong, and where communities are not forced to choose between cutting services or raising taxes.

Because responsibility has shifted upon them.

That is the Kentucky Worth building.

That is the Kentucky Worth building.

It will require partnership.

It will require honesty.

It will require courage, and it will require that we meet this moment.

It will require that we meet this moment with both fiscal responsibility and moral and moral seriousness.

So thank you for your time.

Thank you for your leadership.

Thank you for your commitment.

And remember, we can do this if we work together.

You've heard it before because it ain't nothing but a we thing baby.

God bless you.

Good night.

>> Thank you.

Senator.

Next I'd like to welcome to the stage speaker of the House David Osborne.

House Speaker David Osborne has served in the Kentucky House of Representatives since 2005 and as speaker since 2019.

He represents the 59th House district in Oldham County.

Osborne is a recipient of multiple awards, including the Children's Alliance Champion for Children Award, Prevent Child Abuse, Kentucky's Champions for children, Mary Ellen Award, the Outstanding Service Award from the Kentucky Association of Chiefs of Police, and multiple MVP awards from the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce.

Please welcome House Speaker David Osborne.

>> Kim real shot down.

>> And I'm feeling mean.

No more Mr.

Nice Guy.

No more Mr.

Clay WEKU no more Mr.

Nice Guy dancing.

>> Don't start the timer yet.

I've got a little housekeeping I need to do.

You know, back in the good old days, the chamber used to play this nice little tone when you were going.

Over time, it was very pleasant.

I think they broke it on Matt Bevin 6 or 7 years ago, but I know I'm going to be asked what I thought of Andy Beshear speech.

For goodness sake.

20 minutes.

Okay, you can start the clock.

Good bad news.

Normally, some of my best jokes that I tell up here are inspired by the speeches I hear before me.

And I don't know about you, but I gotta tell you, I didn't find one inspirational word that was uttered before I came up here.

So.

So we're just going to wing it.

I thought about doing one of those those slick hype videos that the governor usually usually plays here, but thank goodness he spared us that.

And Lord knows I wasn't going to torture you with it.

But but I can tell you a few things that that would and and more importantly, wouldn't be in it.

You know, it wouldn't include a bunch of policies that I fought tooth and nail against until I found out that they're politically popular and then took credit for it, wouldn't take credit for the hard work of others that I worked against and vetoed, but it absolutely would include giving credit to those that actually caused the success that we have.

We have seen instead of creating a pathway to higher office, you know, there's something that's, you know, by the way, you know, much is made about the governor running for president these days.

I think I think people got it wrong.

I think they're way overthinking it.

I really believe that this governor is angling to be the administrator of FEMA.

That way he gets to wear that snappy jacket every single day, 365 days a year.

But anyway, there is something that is is missing from a lot of the headlines that that we see today.

And that is the Kentucky's economic growth didn't happen by accident.

It happened because business owners were willing to take risks.

It happened because working Kentuckians showed up every day, built companies, expanded payrolls and invested in their communities.

And it happened because legislators were willing to make tough decisions instead of just talking about tough times.

After all, we don't hold ribbon cuttings for improving our credit ratings and paying down debt.

We don't get any shrieks of joy from the check presentation of making Medicaid more productive and more efficient.

But you know, every once in a while you do things because they're important, not because they get applause.

We modernize our tax code.

We reduced overregulation, and we passed responsible budgets.

In short, we've gotten out of your way because knowing that when the private sector succeeds, Kentucky succeeds because the results speak for themselves.

We've seen record investments and thousands of Kentuckians going to good paying jobs from one end of this state to the other.

That progress belongs to you, not government.

You, the employers in this room, and to a legislator that understands its role and that is a role to get out of the way of success and allow innovation to thrive.

Unfortunately, everyone, thank you.

Unfortunately, everyone in content to let credit fall where it belongs.

Taking credit for our hard work sure makes for good headlines, especially when you never feel the question that hasn't been approved in advance.

Economic development is and growth is not a result of press conferences.

Press conferences don't address the real problems that Kentuckians are facing.

Let's talk about a few of those problems.

First and always first education.

We all know that education is the foundation for workforce development.

Yet too often this governor talks about education as a political talking point instead of a management priority.

More than half of our kids do not do math or read at grade level, and science scores are so low they propose removing them from proficiency scores.

That cannot be our future workforce.

Teachers are caught in the middle of uncertainty and parents want accountability, not rhetoric.

A strong economy requires a prepared workforce, and that requires leadership focused on outcomes, not applause or political promises.

That's why we continue to provide record funding for education and are proposing new accountability measures.

There's also Medicaid can anyone in this room imagine paying $800 million by mistake?

Because that is exactly what the auditor's report revealed.

Not only has the Medicaid program, under this governor been expanded to cover nearly a third of Kentucky workers, but it's paid out more than $800 million to people that were not eligible.

Money could have been used toward educating our kids, towards paving roads, towards making our community safer.

It isn't compassionate leadership.

It's callous incompetence.

That's why we created the Medicaid Oversight and Advisory Board, and we've begun working on making the Medicaid program more efficient.

Of course, there's also unemployment insurance.

During the pandemic, the governor promised thousands of Kentuckians that they would receive unemployment insurance benefits after he shut down businesses across the Commonwealth.

Except the problem was he didn't have the authority to do it and didn't bother to gear the program up to accommodate the increased claims.

A program problem that continues today, six years later.

We all remember how it went.

We had to pour millions of dollars into the fund to keep your rates from skyrocketing, and lines of people wrapped around the Capitol on hot summer days for hours, and their claims still didn't get processed.

It's not policy.

It's a management failure.

Next, juvenile justice.

Kentucky's juvenile justice system remains in crisis.

And it's not because the legislature has failed to act, but because this administration fails to implement additional facilities that we funded years ago are still not open.

Staff shortages persist and criminal complaints continue.

Communities are left wondering how young people are being served, or if, in fact, they're being served at all.

It's not governance, it's neglect.

We're told he can't fund kinship care, but yet now we find out that he's funding using the medical marijuana program to fund his pre-K for all boondoggle.

The simple truth is that governing is not about taking credit when things go right.

Governance is about taking responsibility when things go wrong.

Let me be clear.

You can use catchy phrases like my new Kentucky home, or you can dress up like Mister Rogers, but in reality, the best way to audition for the Oval Office is do the job you've got right now.

Let me be clear.

This legislature has done its job.

138 members, senators, House majority and minority.

We've done our job.

We don't always agree.

Sometimes we do.

And when we do, we make great policy.

Governor, that's what it means to move forward together.

Have we made mistakes?

Of course we have.

But when we when we made mistakes, we've corrected them, we've addressed them, and we've gotten better.

Kentucky's business community has done its job as well, and workers across the state have done their job.

It's time for the governor to do his.

It means managing agencies under his control.

It means fixing systems that are broken, and that means focusing less on self-promotion and more on actual work.

It means sitting down with the legislature and providing information that we need to craft the best policies possible.

Think about it.

This may be the first governor in state history, except for Goebel.

Of course, that has not passed a single legislative package through the legislature.

Last night he gave several several examples of what he called us working together.

Let me tell you the zero number of times that he talked to me about any of those proposals is only exceeded by the zero number of times that he has talked to me about pre-K for all.

I will counter, however, you know, the governor has got really good uncommon ability to to persuade Partizan politicians to enact somewhat unpopular public policy decisions.

But that's enough about the court.

Speaking of courts, you know, the governor is being sued by the Herald-Leader.

I actually think that's a lot of extra work because, you know, technology is this crazy thing.

And somehow, through a technology glitch, I ended up with the governor's calendar on my phone and I wasn't sure it was his.

But then as I got looking through it and I went down the list of his calendar invites and interview with Vogue, Late Night with Seth Meyers, Gen Z, Slang Class, podcast preparation, and the thing that made me know for sure that it was his is on every single day.

Scratched out was meeting with House and Senate leadership.

Of course.

He's probably got his team right now tweeting haters gonna hate about about this speech.

But that's okay because Kentucky doesn't need more speeches and it doesn't need more hype.

And neither does America.

We need a governor that respects the people that he serves enough to keep the promises that he's made.

Despite all these challenges, I remain optimistic.

I'm optimistic because Kentucky's strength does not come from the halls of government.

It never has, and it never will.

It comes from the hard working men and women in this room.

It comes from entrepreneurs that are willing to take risk and invest capital to make Kentucky better, and to create wealth.

It comes from from employers that are willing to invest locally, and it comes from workers who believe in a better future.

Self reporting I'm going overtime.

And speaker of the House, I can promise you that this legislature will continue to be your partner.

We will continue to push for smart policy and responsible budgets, and we will push for a pro-growth environment.

We will continue to demand accountability from every branch of government, and we will continue to stand up for the people that make Kentucky work, because at the end of the day, economic growth is not a talking point.

Economic growth is our responsibility.

And together with honesty, hard work and real leadership, we will keep Kentucky moving forward.

Thank you.

>> No more Mr.

Nice Guy.

Thank you, Mr.

Speaker.

Last but not least, I invite Senate President Robert Stivers to the stage.

Senate President Robert Stivers was elected to the Senate in 1997 and represents the 25th district, which encompasses Clay, Jackson, Knox, Lee, Owsley, Whitley, and McCreary counties.

He served as Senate Majority Floor Leader from 2008 until he was elected Senate President in 2012.

In 2015, President Stivers was honored by Governing Magazine as a Public Official of the year.

In 2016, he was chair of the Southern Legislative Conference and in 2018 chair of the Council of State Governments.

He currently serves on the board of the Senate Presidents Forum.

Please join me in welcoming Senate President Robert Stivers.

>> One more time.

>> Thank you, Renee, and the Chamber of Commerce.

That was sandstorm done by the Auckland Symphony Orchestra.

What do you expect from somebody from Clay County?

I want to start off by saying something that the speaker and I are generally very much in lockstep with what we do and, and in conformity with what we believe.

But I want to give you all a newsflash tonight.

We're not, because last year he sat here and told you all that he and the governor were on a first name basis.

That the governor called him David.

And he called the governor Rocky.

Well, speaker, you happen to be wrong because myself and the governor are on a first name basis as well.

She calls me Robert and I call her Jane Beshear.

And speaking of running for governor and being governor and maybe seeking a higher office, I see my my old friend, Judge David Williams, who was my predecessor.

Good to see you, David.

I was talking to one of, you know, when you've been around, I see the goatee.

It's getting really long now that Damon is back.

I'm not going any hair back.

It's just getting more gray.

But you've been around Frankfort for a long time, and you see and know people, and you know there'll be Democrats that'll help Republicans get over hard times and Republicans that'll help Democrats get over hard time.

And, you know, all the political operatives.

So I was talking to one of my good friends, and David knows him well.

And I said, what do you think about this presidential run?

And he said, by the governor.

I said, yeah.

He said, well, I'll tell you, Robert, this is what most of us in the Democrat Party think it's going to wind up like our old headquarters, abandoned and on a dead end street.

So with that.

You know, I thought I'd be a little bit more funny than David Osborne.

But apparently this crowd didn't get it.

Too bad.

Let me tell you about a couple of things that I think you've heard David talk.

And truly, the House and the Senate get together.

And we look at this and we have come up with policies, you know, the policies we've passed.

And with this, you see where the growth is, what we've done.

And you can go back and look at the metrics from all the rating agencies.

And where did it start in 2016 when David Osborne and crew took over?

So I'm going to do just a few things.

I rarely come with notes, but I want to specifically call out the House leadership.

David Osborne, Steve Rudy, Suzanne Miles, Jason Nemes and David Meade, along with the other four members of my leadership group, Max Wise Mike Wilson, Robbie Mills, and David Gibbons.

This group meets on a weekly and daily basis to make sure that we're passing the policies.

And if you want to know why Steve Beshear doesn't make as many announcements, it's because he didn't have the legislative leadership that this legislature has now and has had since 2016.

The speaker is right.

I have yet to see any legislation proposed in the last six years proposed.

I'm not talking about legislation.

Senator proposed.

I have yet to see the first proposal come over from the governor's office that we have sat down and talked about and passed zero.

So the economic trajectory of this state has been set by the policy makers, which is the General Assembly.

And so when you see all these indices and the rating agencies that go out and talk about Kentucky is now getting the upgrades, it is because we are dealing with our pension issue, which was one of the key issues of the chambers ten and 15 years ago.

The leaky bucket, talking about tax reform, regulatory reform, all those things that create jobs.

We've done them and we have set the dynamic for job growth and economic development in this state.

We're going to continue to do that.

But here's the one thing that I'm going to ask this group.

And I met with some of the chamber leaders the other day, and I've talked to members in the House and the Senate.

In 2015, I believe it was my second time here.

And I apologize to President Capilouto because he doesn't know that he's getting ready to get quoted.

But we came back after a budget session, and we funded a law school in 2014 when the University of Kentucky and our biggest need by our flagship university was for a research center to deal with what a lot of people have talked about up here tonight, poor health care indices take your choice.

Heart disease, diabetes go on down the list.

But we had the money to fund it.

And we did.

We opened up the budget in an off year.

What did that do that led to a $270 million research building, which was the predicate for the market, cancer center and other research entities at the University of Kentucky to get an NIH designation to be a cancer research facility.

Only one of about 45 or 50 in the nation.

A couple of years ago, this group came back together and said, we have an opportunity to become a comprehensive NIH designated cancer research facility, and we need $10 million in each year to make that happen.

We did it, and they got it.

And this is why I say this, because given a little bit of history to bring you up to date, two years ago we passed Senate Bill one, which is a research bill that would allow the universities to come together.

And yes, we want great competition on the athletic fields, but we should demand collaboration between our universities when it comes to research, especially in health care, but in other areas.

So it's now time to fund those five tranches of research with in excess of $50 million over five years, so they can go out and partner and bring private sector businesses in here to have all the ancillary businesses and research opportunities that we have seen in Boston, in Iowa, in Indianapolis, in the Triangle, in North Carolina.

Those are the things we have not captured.

But with all the things we've done, this is a place we can go.

And here's why I say this.

On New Year's Day, I got a text from President Capilouto and he says, I want you to read this article because now, because now the Market Cancer Center is treating Small lung cells for cancer.

Doctor.

How it's a game changer.

And this happens to go to be one of the worst health care indices we have in the state, because this state is a large state for smoking.

And then it has the reality of metastasizing to the brain.

Think, what happens if we come together with research and bring all the ancillary people back in the talent that it brings to the state, the prominent it brings to this state, these are the hopes and opportunities that we can have, but we need to fund this type of research in this session to make our old Kentucky home have the sun shine brighter on it in the future.

Thank you all.

God bless and safe travels home.

>> Thank you, Mr.

President, and we thank everyone for being with us tonight.

We hope that you will join us for the annual meeting dinner in Louisville later this year.

We'd also like to thank all of the speakers who were here this evening.

Special thanks to Fidelity Investments, Brown-Forman, and Century Global Spirits, and all of the many sponsors for making tonight's event possible.

Safe travels, home and God bless.

Take good care.