The Office of Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear has launched a new webpage displaying projected costs of bills before the legislature known as fiscal notes. Beshear highlighted this move as a step towards transparency and ensuring that lawmakers, journalists, and the public have access to information about the financial impact of proposed legislation. The webpage, titled “2025 Facts & Fiscal Notes,” lists over two dozen bills along with their corresponding cost estimates. However, some bills on the webpage lack fiscal impact statements on the legislature’s website, raising questions about the accuracy and consistency of the information provided.
The governor’s initiative aims to address concerns raised by both Democrats and Republicans regarding the lack of transparency in the legislative process, particularly related to funding for bills passed by the GOP-controlled legislature. Some lawmakers have criticized the practice of attaching “confidential” fiscal notes to bills, questioning the validity and transparency of the process. In response, Rep. Savannah Maddox is sponsoring a bill that would require publicly available fiscal notes to be attached to all legislation passing through a legislative chamber.
Senate President Robert Stivers has defended the confidential fiscal note process, raising concerns about the potential impact of publicly available cost estimates on legislative priorities. Despite differing opinions on the issue, the governor’s spokesperson emphasized the importance of providing transparency to the public regarding the financial implications of proposed legislation. The move to make fiscal notes publicly available is seen as a way to promote better government and informed decision-making by lawmakers and the public.
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