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Kentucky governor gives 2023 'State of the Commonwealth' address

“When we push politics aside, there is nothing we can’t achieve,” Gov. Andy Beshear said.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Governor Andy Beshear addressed Kentuckians in his annual "State of the Commonwealth" address Wednesday evening. 

During the speech, he announced that the last two years have been the best years for economic development and job creation.

“When we push politics aside, there is nothing we can’t achieve,” Beshear said.  

Senate President Robert Stivers (R) and House Speaker David Osborne (R) say Beshear can't take too much credit for the economy.

“I think if the sun rose today, he was trying to take credit for it because I was actually getting texts from people talking about all the economic development initiatives that he said and discussed and they were talking about ‘we could never get them to help us. We had to get you all involved to get them engaged,’” Stivers said.

Credit: AP
Kentucky Attorney General David Cameron applauds in recognition of special guests in the gallery as Gov. Andy Beshear delivers his State of the Commonwealth speech from the floor of the Kentucky House of Representatives in Frankfort, Ky., Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley)

Osborne says the successes the state is seeing is because of "good, pro-business policies."

“Those are pro-business policies that we passed over the past six years, and to my recollection, there’s not a single one of those policies that he didn’t either sue us for as attorney general or veto as governor," he said.

The governor also addressed juvenile justice as he reminded Kentuckians of recent changes made to house violent offenders separately, and to create a female-only detention center.

Credit: Ian Hardwitt/WHAS-TV
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear gives his annual "State of the Commonwealth" address Wednesday afternoon.

Osborne says they need a comprehensive report on what's needed in the system to make long-term changes.

The governor also talked about his recent executive order regarding medical cannabis, which allows eligible Kentuckians to use the drug. Stivers, however, says more research is needed.

Beshear has previously outlined some of his priorities for the new legislative session, including prioritizing education and universal Pre-K.

Credit: Ian Hardwitt/WHAS-TV
Speaker of the House David Osborne (R), left, and President of the Kentucky Senate Robert Stivers (R), right, sit at a table after the governor's State of the Commonwealth address Jan. 4.

His "Education First" plan gives public school teachers a 5% pay increase and will fully fund universal Pre-K.

GOP leadership says with a new education commissioner, they expect creative, long-term solutions to fill the roughly 11,000 teacher shortage.

On sports betting, a long-contended issue in the state, the governor is hopeful it will pass the legislature; Stivers says he doesn't see the need.

Credit: AP
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, center, and his wife Britainy Beshear, right, are greeted by state Sen. Chris McDaniel as the governor arrives to deliver his State of the Commonwealth speech from the floor of the Kentucky House of Representatives, Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023, in Frankfort, Ky. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley)

“2023 provides a special opportunity for the state and for this legislative session to change everything for the better,” Beshear said. “To be the generation that puts aside partisanship and ushers Kentucky into a new era of prosperity.”

Beshear also updated the commonwealth on the progress made in rebuilding western and eastern Kentucky after severe weather upended some communities. 

Other topics Beshear discussed include the electric vehicle battery plant, unemployment, updating the justice system and Norton Healthcare's new west Louisville hospital opening in 2024.

WATCH THE FULL STATE OF THE COMMONWEALTH HERE

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