Wednesday - April 29, 2026
Public Policy Tipoffs Involving Kentucky Newsletter for Thursday April 23, 2026 ( 34 items )  

9 Hospitals, Health Systems Groups Urge HRSA To Reject 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program
WASHINGTON, April 23 -- A group of nine hospitals and health systems submitted a public comment letter to the Health Resources and Services Administration within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services opposing a proposed 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program, arguing that the approach would undermine the intent of the long-standing drug pricing program and strain providers serving vulnerable populations. The hospitals underscore that the original 340B Drug Pricing Program was designed to pr  more

A legacy of learning: Sanders-Brown summit brings brain health expertise to the community
LEXINGTON, Kentucky, April 22 -- The University of Kentucky issued the following news: * * * A legacy of learning: Sanders-Brown summit brings brain health expertise to the community * Video produced by UK Research Communications. To view captions for this video, push play and click on the CC icon in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen. If using a mobile device, click on the gear icon in the same area. For decades, the University of Kentucky's Sanders-Brown Center on Aging has helpe  more

Attorney General Alan Wilson raises concerns over credit rating agencies' ESG policies
COLUMBIA, South Carolina, April 22 -- South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson issued the following news: * * * Attorney General Alan Wilson raises concerns over credit rating agencies' ESG policies * (COLUMBIA, S.C.) - Attorney General Alan Wilson today joined a coalition of 23 states in questioning the lawfulness of the environmental, social, and governance ("ESG") policies of three top credit rating agencies. The agencies-Fitch Ratings, Moody's, and S&P Global Ratings-have pledged to  more

Attorney General Griffin Certifies Act 934 of 2025, Expanding the Law on Intoxicating Hemp-Derived Products
LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas, April 22 -- Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin issued the following news release: * * * Attorney General Griffin Certifies Act 934 of 2025, Expanding the Law on Intoxicating Hemp-Derived Products * Griffin: 'It has been a long road to get to this point, but I am proud of my team for successfully defending the 2023 law, and I am happy to finally certify this Act.' LITTLE ROCK - Attorney General Tim Griffin issued the following statement after certifying Act 934 of   more

Attorney General Hilgers Leads Letter to Top Credit Ratings Agencies Raising Concerns Over ESG Policies
LINCOLN, Nebraska, April 22 -- Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers issued the following news release: * * * Attorney General Hilgers Leads Letter to Top Credit Ratings Agencies Raising Concerns Over ESG Policies * Lincoln, NE - Attorney General Mike Hilgers today co-led a coalition of 23 States in questioning the lawfulness of the environmental, social, and governance ("ESG") policies of three top credit rating agencies. The agencies-Fitch Ratings, Moody's, and S&P Global Ratings-have ple  more

Chairmen Guthrie and Griffith Announce Legislative Hearing to Strengthen FDA Food Regulation
WASHINGTON, April 23 -- Rep. Brett Guthrie, R-Kentucky, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following news release on April 22, 2026: * * * Chairmen Guthrie and Griffith Announce Legislative Hearing to Strengthen FDA Food Regulation Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Congressman Morgan Griffith (VA-09), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Health, announced a hearing titled Healthier America: Legislative  more

Chairmen Guthrie and Latta Announce Legislative Hearing on Strengthening Our Electric Grid While Supporting Ratepayers
WASHINGTON, April 23 -- Rep. Brett Guthrie, R-Kentucky, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following news release on April 22, 2026: * * * Chairmen Guthrie and Latta Announce Legislative Hearing on Strengthening our Electric Grid While Supporting Ratepayers Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Congressman Bob Latta (OH-05), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy, announced a hearing titled AI and the  more

Committees on Energy and Commerce and Financial Services Introduce Pair of Privacy Bills to Establish Comprehensive Data Protections for All Americans
WASHINGTON, April 23 -- Rep. Brett Guthrie, R-Kentucky, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following news release on April 22, 2026: * * * Committees on Energy and Commerce and Financial Services Introduce Pair of Privacy Bills to Establish Comprehensive Data Protections for All Americans Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Congressman John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13), Leader of the Energy and Commerce Data  more

Exploring Dr. Dawn Winters Faculty Retention Research in Her Publications
BOWLING GREEN, Kentucky, April 22 -- Western Kentucky University posted the following news: * * * Exploring Dr. Dawn Winters Faculty Retention Research in Her Publications * WKU English is proud to showcase Dr. Dawn Winters who has had a co-authored article: "Strengthening Faculty Retention and Belonging: Applying and Expanding Job Embeddedness Theory through an Onboarding Initiative in Higher Education." The article was published in the journal Educational Renaissance. Dr. Winters has bee  more

Fresh Food Company earns marketing and sustainability awards
BOWLING GREEN, Kentucky, April 22 -- Western Kentucky University posted the following news: * * * Fresh Food Company earns marketing and sustainability awards * Western Kentucky University's Fresh Food Company has won the 2026 Sustainable Food Award, the 2026 Sustainable Seafood Award and the 2026 Green Marketing Award from the Green Restaurant Association. A 4 Star Certified Green Restaurant(r), Fresh Food Company earned 99.5 GreenPoints(tm) in the competition's Food category. Fresh Foo  more

Ga. A.G. Carr Urges Payment Processors to Stop Transactions of Illegal Chinese Vapes
ATLANTA, Georgia, April 23 -- Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr issued the following news release on April 22, 2026: * * * Carr Urges Payment Processors to Stop Transactions of Illegal Chinese Vapes Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr has joined a coalition of 13 attorneys general in sending a letter to credit card companies urging them to stop the sale of illegal vape products facilitated through their payment card networks. Illegal vapes, overwhelmingly manufactured in China, now accoun  more

House Energy & Commerce Committee Chairman Guthrie Delivers Floor Remarks on Republicans' Work Uplifting Rural America
WASHINGTON, April 23 -- Rep. Brett Guthrie, R-Kentucky, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following floor remarks on April 22, 2026: * * * Chairman Guthrie Delivers Floor Remarks on Republicans' Work Uplifting Rural America Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, delivered remarks on the House floor regarding H.Res. 1182, a resolution highlighting Republicans' work to uplift rural communities across Americ  more

House Passes Energy and Commerce Resolution to Recognize the Importance of Protecting Rural Communities Across America
WASHINGTON, April 23 -- Rep. Brett Guthrie, R-Kentucky, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following news release on April 22, 2026: * * * House Passes Energy and Commerce Resolution to Recognize the Importance of Protecting Rural Communities Across America Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, issued a statement following House adoption of H.Res. 1182, a resolution highlighting ways in which House Repub  more

House Passes FIRE Act to Support States and Manufacturers
WASHINGTON, April 23 -- Rep. Brett Guthrie, R-Kentucky, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following news release on April 22, 2026: * * * House Passes FIRE Act to Support States and Manufacturers Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, celebrated the House passage of H.R. 6387, the Fire Improvement and Reforming Exceptional Events (FIRE) Act, led by Rep. Gabe Evans (CO-08). The legislation would ensure tha  more

House Passes Permitting Reform Legislation to Halt Federal Green Energy Mandate and Protect National Security
WASHINGTON, April 23 -- Rep. Brett Guthrie, R-Kentucky, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following news release on April 22, 2026: * * * House Passes Permitting Reform Legislation to Halt Federal Green Energy Mandate and Protect National Security Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, celebrated House passage of H.R. 4690, the Reliable Federal Infrastructure Act. Led by Rep. Nick Langworthy (NY-23), the   more

Kentucky Agriculture Dept. Supports USDA Proposal to Allow Flexible Swine Slaughter Line Speeds
WASHINGTON, April 23 -- The Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner Jonathan Shell has submitted a public comment letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service expressing support for the agency's proposed rule on maximum line speeds under the New Swine Slaughter Inspection System. The proposal would enable establishments operating under the NSIS to determine their own line speeds based on their ability to maintain stringent food safety controls. The department endo  more

Kentucky Auditor of Public Accounts Ball Testifies Before House Oversight & Government Reform Subcommittee
WASHINGTON, April 22 -- The House Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on Government Operations released the following written testimony by Kentucky Auditor of Public Accounts Allison Ball from an April 15, 2026, hearing entitled "Fraud Prevention: Understanding Fraud in Federally Funded Programs Run by the States": * * * Chairman Sessions, Ranking Member Mfume, and esteemed members of the Committee, it is an honor to be here today, and I thank you for this invitation. The topic of was  more

Kentucky Hospital Association Opposes Shift to 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program
WASHINGTON, April 23 -- The Kentucky Hospital Association, Louisville, representing all hospitals and health systems in Kentucky, including 79 participants in the 340B drug pricing program, has submitted a public comment letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services regarding the proposed 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program initiated by the Health Resources and Services Administration. KHA expressed opposition to replacing the long-standing upfront discount model with a rebate mechanism  more

Lt. Gov. Cournoyer joins multi-state effort to champion Iowa agriculture and national food security
DES MOINES, Iowa, April 22 -- Gov. Kim Reynolds, R-Iowa, issued the following news release: * * * Lt. Gov. Cournoyer joins multi-state effort to champion Iowa agriculture and national food security * Lieutenant Governor Chris Cournoyer, alongside a bipartisan coalition of lieutenant governors from across the country, announced the passage of a national resolution recognizing the critical impact of American agriculture on the global economy and food security. The resolution, passed during a  more

Matthew 25 AIDS Services Strongly Opposes 340B Rebate Model Pilot Citing Risks to Patient Care and Financial Stability
WASHINGTON, April 23 -- Matthew 25 AIDS Services Inc., Henderson, Kentucky, submitted a public comment letter to the Health Resources and Services Administration opposing the 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program proposed by HRSA's Office of Pharmacy Affairs. The organization expressed concerns that implementing this rebate model would threaten patient access, increase financial risks, and impose substantial administrative burdens that could undermine the sustainability of essential health services.   more

NAB Show Announces 2026 Project and Product of the Year Awards Winners
WASHINGTON, April 22 [Category: Media] -- The National Association of Broadcasters posted the following news release: * * * NAB Show Announces 2026 Project and Product of the Year Awards Winners * LAS VEGAS, NV- NAB Show today announced the recipients of its prestigious 2026 Project of the Year and Product of the Year Awards during a special ceremony at the Las Vegas Convention Center. These awards recognize the most innovative and forward-looking products featured on the 2026 show floor, al  more

NAVSEA Announces 2025 Active and Reserve Sailors of the Year
WASHINGTON, April 22 -- The Naval Sea Systems Command issued the following news: * * * NAVSEA Announces 2025 Active and Reserve Sailors of the Year * WASHINGTON -Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) announced the active and reserve 2025 Sailors of the Year during a ceremony held at its headquarters April 17. Navy Diver First Class Andrew D. Turner, representing the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Division, Keyport, was named the Active-Duty Sailor of the Year. Electronics Technician F  more

Owensboro Health Raises Concerns Over Proposed 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program
WASHINGTON, April 23 -- Owensboro Health Inc. and Owensboro Health Twin Lakes Regional Medical Center Inc. submitted a public comment letter to the Health Resources and Services Administration in response to the Request for Information regarding the 340B Drug Discount Program proposed rebate model. Both entities, nonprofit acute care hospitals operating in Kentucky, highlighted the potential financial and operational impacts of transitioning from the current 340B upfront discount system to a reb  more

Saint Joseph Health Opposes HRSA's Proposed 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program
WASHINGTON, April 23 -- Saint Joseph Health, Mishawaka, Indiana, has submitted a public comment letter to the Health Resources and Services Administration in response to the agency's Request for Information regarding a 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program. The faith-based safety-net health system opposed the potential shift from the current upfront discount mechanism to a rebate system under the 340B drug pricing program. Saint Joseph Health emphasized that the upfront discount model, which has been  more

Scientific researchers awarded $15 million to study heart valve disease
DALLAS, Texas, April 22 [Category: Health Care] -- The American Heart Association posted the following news release: * * * Scientific researchers awarded $15 million to study heart valve disease * Scientific research teams from Mass General Brigham Heart and Vascular Institute in Boston, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Center and the University of Pittsburgh will lead a new $15 million initiative dedicated to better understanding how to diagnose and treat heart valve disease. The Strategicall  more

Shrimp Symposium Brings Global Aquaculture Leaders to Kentucky State University
FRANKFORT, Kentucky, April 22 -- Kentucky State University issued the following news: * * * Shrimp Symposium Brings Global Aquaculture Leaders to Kentucky State University * The two-day event in Frankfort linked Kentucky State research with the growing commercial promise of inland shrimp production. FRANKFORT, Ky. -Shrimp remains America's most-consumed seafood, and rising demand is sharpening interest in domestic production. That momentum brought global aquaculture leaders to Kentucky Sta  more

State Financial Officers Foundation CEO Oleka Testifies Before House Oversight & Government Reform Subcommittee
WASHINGTON, April 22 -- The House Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on Government Operations released the following written testimony by State Financial Officers Foundation CEO OJ Oleka from an April 15, 2026, hearing entitled "Fraud Prevention: Understanding Fraud in Federally Funded Programs Run by the States": * * * Chairman Sessions, Ranking Member Mfume, and distinguished members of the Subcommittee: Thank you for the opportunity to testify today. My name is Dr. OJ Oleka, and I  more

Students break MSU communication awards record at MAB
STARKVILLE, Mississippi, April 22 -- Mississippi State University posted the following news: * * * Students break MSU communication awards record at MAB * Contact: Sarah Nicholas STARKVILLE, Miss.-Students representing Mississippi State University's Department of Communication, Media and Theatre, along with MSU's radio station WMSV-FM 91.1 The Junction, earned more than two dozen student and professional honors at the Mississippi Association of Broadcasters Annual Awards this month, pushin  more

Teach Plus Teacher Leader Leon Smith Named 2026 National Teacher of the Year
BOSTON, Massachusetts, April 23 -- Teach Plus, an organization that empowers teachers to take leadership over key policy and practice issues that affect their students' success, issued the following news release: * * * Teach Plus Teacher Leader Leon Smith Named 2026 National Teacher of the Year Washington, D.C. -- Teach Plus congratulates Pennsylvania high school social studies teacher and PA Policy Fellowship alumnus Leon Smith for being named the 2026 National Teacher of the Year. A veteran  more

Trump's Transportation Department Celebrates Traffic Safety Advocates Committed to Making American Roads Safer
WASHINGTON, April 23 -- The Department of Transportation National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued the following news release on April 22, 2026: * * * Trump's Transportation Department Celebrates Traffic Safety Advocates Committed to Making American Roads Safer Department recognizes public awareness campaigns across the country aimed at reducing traffic fatalities * The U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) this week celebrate  more

UK celebrates Earth Day with year-round commitment to sustainability
LEXINGTON, Kentucky, April 22 -- The University of Kentucky issued the following news: * * * UK celebrates Earth Day with year-round commitment to sustainability * At the University of Kentucky, environmental stewardship and sustainability are 24/7/365 commitments. As the world commemorates the 56th annual Earth Day today, UK is highlighting some of the year-round programs, learning opportunities and community events that make sustainability part of everyday life on campus. That commitment   more

Whitnee Coy Honored With EKU's Young Alumni Award
RICHMOND, Kentucky, April 23 -- Eastern Kentucky University issued the following news: * * * Whitnee Coy Honored with EKU's Young Alumni Award Dr. Whitnee Coy, '15, was awarded with the Young Alumni Award from Eastern Kentucky University (EKU). The Best of Eastern Alumni Awards, presented annually during Homecoming weekend, celebrate excellence among EKU alumni. The Young Alumni Award recognizes individuals who graduated from EKU in the last 10 years and have demonstrated exceptional talent i  more

WKU grad brings light to connections between art and science through psychological science
BOWLING GREEN, Kentucky, April 22 -- Western Kentucky University posted the following news: * * * WKU grad brings light to connections between art and science through psychological science * The research laboratory or the art studio? For graduating senior Maria Elena Carmichael, the exploration of science and art created a unique educational pathway for her journey on the Hill. Carmichael initially planned to pursue a degree in Psychology with a minor in Studio Arts, with a goal of pursuin  more

WKU Regents to conduct special called meeting on April 24
BOWLING GREEN, Kentucky, April 22 -- Western Kentucky University posted the following news: * * * WKU Regents to conduct special called meeting on April 24 * The Western Kentucky University Board of Regents will conduct a special called meeting on Friday, April 24, at 9:00 a.m. to discuss and take action on the execution and delivery of project documents for the university's public-private partnership. The meeting will take place in the Martin Regents Room of Jody Richards Hall and will be  more