Now Kentucky state lawmakers returned to the capital and Frankfort next Tuesday to begin the 30 day legislative session.

The Republican controlled General Assembly is standing firm in its quest to further slash the state income tax and policies related to education, workforce participation and artificial intelligence could see some traction.

And this abbreviated lawmaking term.

I spoke with incoming Senate Majority Floor leader Max Wise about the ideological shifts in the state Senate and what he hopes can be accomplished before lawmakers adjourn at the end of March.

When we did talk to outgoing majority Leader Damon Thayer, he had mentioned that given the outcome of the most recent election and the membership make up in the Senate caucus, that there was a rightward movement.

Do you agree with that assessment?

I do.

I think that the voters spoke overwhelmingly in the Trump election, not just in Kentucky, but when he was able to win by popular vote.

I think it really showed.

I do think that we're starting to see members on different spectrums of an ideology.

And with that, it brings also a little flair to a caucus that we've got members that are representing their districts and representing what they campaigned on.

For me, it's also managing relationships, personalities, expectations.

A lot of that comes into this.

But I will say right now, I'm a especially I think that the voters put up a mandate with President Trump is here's what we want to see in terms of government.

And so I think a lot of it's government efficiency.

I'll be very honest.

I think a lot of people just want to see red tape reduced, taxpayers being able to see that we're cutting through a lot of this barriers and some of the ways that we can maybe prevent something from saying, well, that's an obstacle.

Let's move that to the side.

Let's make sure the government is working in a very, very smooth fashion.

It's hard to, I know, to have a crystal ball and to think about a session that hasn't even started.

But when you end on March 30th, which I think it actually happens before then, but the deadline's March 30th.

What are you hoping you can say that you helped accomplish during that 30 day session?

I think it's just to continue the path that we've currently been on.

And, you know, I will say I'm going to be there also in the arena to champion for my caucus.

But it's also what are some areas that we're going to see from both chambers that is continuing to make Kentucky that beacon on the Hill that we can look at and say, wow, Kentucky's doing some really good things right now.

I mean, you think about our road plan.

You think about a lot of infrastructure needs.

We're moving in a good direction.

We need to continue along that trajectory.

I'm excited.

Every session takes on its own identity, and I don't yet know what this identity will look like.

But I will say that if we continue to go down the path that I think we're currently on, we're making a lot of people happy.

And you're seeing as Republican Party a lot of members being able to be reelected in districts that maybe they thought there was a challenge there.

But I think it's the we're also showing we're doing a good job and they're sticking with us.

So a programing note on Monday night's Kentucky Tonight, I'll talk with legislative leaders from both sides of the aisle as we preview the 2025 legislative session that starts Tuesday.

Well, I hope you'll join us for that conversation Monday night at eight Eastern, seven Central right here on Katy's Kentucky tonight.