Kentucky House of Representatives
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| Kentucky House of Representatives | |
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| General information | |
| Type: | Lower house |
| Term limits: | None |
| Session start: | January 6, 2015 |
| Website: | Official House Page |
| Leadership | |
| House Speaker: | Greg Stumbo (D) |
| Majority Leader: | Rocky Adkins (D) |
| Minority Leader: | Jeffrey Hoover (R) |
| Structure | |
| Members: | 100 |
| Democratic Party (20) Republican Party (80) | |
| Length of term: | 2 years |
| Authority: | The Legislative Department, Kentucky Constitution, Sec 29 |
| Salary: | $186.73/day + per diem |
| Elections | |
| Last election: | November 4, 2014 (100 seats) |
| Next election: | November 8, 2016 (100 seats) |
| Redistricting: | Kentucky legislature has control |
Meeting place: | |
The Kentucky House of Representatives is the lower house of the Kentucky General Assembly. One hundred members make up the lower chamber of the Kentucky General Assembly. Each member represents an average of 43,394 residents, as of the 2010 Census.[1] After the 2000 Census, each member represented approximately 40,418 residents.[2] The House of Representatives convenes in regular session on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in January for 60 days in even-numbered years and for 30 days in odd-numbered years. It convenes in special sessions at the call of the governor. The Kentucky Constitution mandates that a regular session be completed no later than April 15 in even-numbered years and March 30 in odd-numbered years.[3]
Kentucky has a divided government, and no political party holds a state government trifecta. A trifecta exists when one political party simultaneously holds the governor’s office and majorities in both state legislative chambers. As of October 12, 2025, there are 23 Republican trifectas, 14 Democratic trifectas, and 13 divided governments where neither party holds trifecta control.
In the 2020 election, Republicans had a net gain of two trifectas and two states under divided government became trifectas. Prior to that election, Kentucky had a divided government. There were 21 Republican trifectas, 15 Democratic trifectas, and 14 divided governments.
Sessions
Section 36 of The Legislative Department of the Kentucky Constitution establishes when the Kentucky General Assembly, which the House is a part of, is required to meet. Regular sessions convene on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in January. Sessions in odd numbered years can last no more than 30 legislative days and must be concluded by March 30. Sessions in even numbered years can last no more than 60 legislative days and must be concluded by April 15. The governor may call additional special sessions.[4][5]
Bills may be filed at any time during the House and Senate Senate Clerks' office hours.[6]
2015
- See also: Dates of 2015 state legislative sessions
In 2015, the Legislature is projected to be in session from January 6 through March 24.
Major issues
Major issues in the 2015 legislative session include heroin abuse, telecom deregulation and the solvency of the state teacher pension system.[7]
2014
- See also: Dates of 2014 state legislative sessions
In 2014, the Legislature was in session from January 7 to April 15.
Major issues
Major issues during the 2014 legislative session included the biennial state budget, casino gambling, tax reform based on the recommendations of 2012 commission and raising the minimum wage.[8]
2013
- See also: Dates of 2013 state legislative sessions
In 2013, the Legislature was in session from January 8 to March 26.
Major issues
Major issues during the 2013 legislative session included reforms to the states tax code, pension plans for governmental retirees, legalization of casino style gambling, and redistricting.[9]
2012
- See also: Dates of 2012 state legislative sessions
In 2012, the Legislature was in session from January 3 through April 9.
2011
- See also: Dates of 2011 state legislative sessions
In 2011, the House was in session from January 4 through March 9, and reconvened for a special session on March 14. The session was called to an early end by Senate President David Williams on March 9, 12 days sooner than the originally scheduled end date of March 22.[10] On March 9, Governor Steve Beshear called to re-convene on March 14 for a special legislative session, focused on balancing the state's Medicaid budget.[11] The House adjourned the special session on March 25, however, the Senate returned on April 6.[12][13]
2010
- See also: Dates of 2010 state legislative sessions
In 2010, the Legislature was in session from January 5 to April 15.
Role in state budget
- See also: Kentucky state budget and finances
Kentucky on 
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The state operates on a biennial budget cycle. The sequence of key events in the budget process is as follows:[14]
- Budget instructions are sent to state agencies in July of the year preceding the start of the biennium.
- State agencies submit their budget requests by November 15.
- The governor submits his or her proposed budget to the legislature 10 legislative days after it convenes in early January.
- The state legislature adopts a budget in April. The biennium begins July 1.
Kentucky is one of 44 states in which the governor has line item veto authority.[14][15]
The governor is statutorily required to submit a balanced budget proposal. The legislature is constitutionally required to pass a balanced budget.[14]
Cost-benefit analyses
The Pew-MacArthur Results First Initiative is a joint project of the Pew Charitable Trusts and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation that works to partner with states in implementing cost-benefit analysis models.[16]. The initiative released a report in July 2013 concluding that cost-benefit analysis in policymaking led to more effective uses of public funds. Looking at data from 2008 through 2011, the study's authors found that some states were more likely to use cost-benefit analysis, while others were facing challenges and lagging behind the rest of the nation. The challenges states faced included a lack of time, money, and technical skills needed to conduct comprehensive cost-benefit analyses. Kentucky was one of 11 states that made rare use of cost-benefit analysis in policy and budget processes.[17]
Ethics and transparency
Following the Money report
- See also: "Following the Money" report, 2014
The U.S. Public Interest Research Group, a consumer-focused nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C., released its annual report on state transparency websites in April 2014. The report, entitled "Following the Money," measured the transparency and accountability of state websites with regard to state government spending.[18] According to the report, Kentucky received a grade of B and a numerical score of 83, indicating that Kentucky was advancing in terms of transparency regarding state spending.[18]
Open States Transparency
The Sunlight Foundation released an "Open Legislative Data Report Card" in March 2013. Kentucky was given a grade of F in the report. The report card evaluated how adequate, complete, and accessible legislative data was to the general public. A total of 10 states received an A: Arkansas, Connecticut, Georgia, Kansas, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Texas, Virginia, and Washington.[19]
Elections
2014
Elections for the Kentucky House of Representatives took place in 2014. A primary election took place on May 20, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was January 28, 2014.
2012
Elections for the office of Kentucky House of Representatives were held in Kentucky on November 6, 2012. All 100 seats were up for election.
The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in these elections was January 31, 2012. The primary election day was May 22, 2012.[20]
The following table details the 10 districts with the smallest margin of victory in the November 6 general election.
| 2012 Margin of Victory, Kentucky House of Representatives | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District | Winner | Margin of Victory | Total Votes | Top Opponent |
| District 91 |  Gary Wayne Herald |
1.1% | 12,530 | Ted Edmonds |
| District 13 |  James Glenn, Jr. |
1.6% | 15,731 | Bill Barron |
| District 27 | Jeff Greer |
2% | 14,800 | Dalton Jantzen |
| District 49 | Russell Webber |
5.6% | 21,453 | Linda Belcher |
| District 50 | David Floyd |
6.9% | 21,298 | Dick Heaton |
| District 88 | Robert J. Benvenuti III |
7.9% | 24,013 | Reginald Thomas |
| District 62 | Ryan Quarles |
8.1% | 22,965 | Charlie Hoffman |
| District 16 | Martha King |
8.5% | 15,004 | Chris Hightower |
| District 76 | Ruth Palumbo |
9.2% | 19,028 | Richard Marrs |
2010
Elections for the office of Kentucky House of Representatives were held in Kentucky on November 2, 2010. The signature-filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in these elections was January 26, 2010 and the primary Election Day was on May 18, 2010.
Incumbents ran in 95 out of the 100 districts. Districts without an incumbent running were 10, 32, 37, 52, and 81.
In 2010, candidates running for state house raised a total of $7,620,093 in campaign contributions. The top 10 donors were:[21]
| 2010 Donors, Kentucky House of Representatives | |
|---|---|
| Donor | Amount |
| Kentucky House Democratic Caucus Campaign Cmte | $586,199 |
| Rocky Adkins for State House Transfer from Filer No 214456 | $200,915 |
| Kentucky Education Association | $108,250 |
| Kentucky Republican Party | $102,468 |
| Kentucky Optometric Association | $97,800 |
| Kentucky House Republican Caucus Campaign Cmte | $85,714 |
| Francis, Allan D | $68,603 |
| Kentucky Hospitals Circle of Friends | $60,350 |
| Dennis Keene for State Representative Campaign | $57,348 |
| Kentucky Association of Realtors | $52,250 |
2008
Elections for the office of Kentucky House of Representatives consisted of a primary election on May 20, 2008, and a general election on November 4, 2008.
During the 2008 election, the total value of contributions to House candidates was $6,941,208. The top 10 contributors were:[22]
| 2008 Donors, Kentucky House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Donor | Amount | |
| Kentucky House Democratic Caucus | $450,631 | |
| Floyd, David | $102,847 | |
| Steele, Fitz | $87,956 | |
| Kentucky Republican Party | $87,324 | |
| Kentucky Education Association | $81,500 | |
| Damron, Robert R | $77,805 | |
| Kentucky Optometric Association | $65,900 | |
| Lee, Jimmie | $64,277 | |
| International Brotherhood Of Electrical Workers | $55,000 | |
| Kentucky Association Of Realtors | $54,750 | |
2006
Elections for the office of Kentucky House of Representatives consisted of a primary election on May 16, 2006, and a general election on November 7, 2006.
During the 2006 election, the total value of contributions to House candidates was $6,509,295. The top 10 contributors were:[23]
| 2006 Donors, Kentucky House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Donor | Amount | |
| Kentucky House Democratic Caucus Campaign Cmte | $617,602 | |
| Kentucky Republican Party | $250,071 | |
| Kentucky Democratic Party | $129,779 | |
| Kentucky Education Association | $105,800 | |
| Kentucky Hospital Association | $75,900 | |
| Combs, Leslie A | $74,023 | |
| Spencer, James Brandon | $62,100 | |
| Calhoun, Travis N | $59,110 | |
| International Brotherhood Of Electrical Workers | $53,000 | |
| Kentuckentucky Automobile Dealers | $52,900 | |
2004
Elections for the office of Kentucky House of Representatives consisted of a primary election on May 18, 2004, and a general election on November 2, 2004.
During the 2004 election, the total value of contributions to House candidates was $5,708,225. The top 10 contributors were:[24]
| 2004 Donors, Kentucky House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Donor | Amount | |
| Kentucky Republican Party | $367,783 | |
| Kentucky Democratic Party | $170,600 | |
| Kentucky Education Association | $160,950 | |
| Kentucky Hospital Association | $60,750 | |
| Kentucky Automobile Dealers Election Trust | $59,300 | |
| Meade, Charles | $53,442 | |
| Kentucky Optometric Association | $45,125 | |
| International Brotherhood Of Electrical Workers | $45,000 | |
| Kentucky Democratic Party House Caucus General Fund | $42,700 | |
| Kentucky Association Of Realtors | $42,250 | |
2002
Elections for the office of Kentucky House of Representatives consisted of a primary election on May 28, 2002, and a general election on November 5, 2002.
During the 2002 election, the total value of contributions to House candidates was $3,104,423. The top 10 contributors were:[25]
| 2002 Donors, Kentucky House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Donor | Amount | |
| Kentucky Democratic Party | $211,839 | |
| Kentucky Education Association | $122,700 | |
| Kentucky Republican Party | $64,466 | |
| Lester, Herman | $63,200 | |
| Kentuckentucky Automobile Dealers Election Trust | $60,300 | |
| Kentucky Association Of Realtors | $54,800 | |
| Kentucky Optometric Association | $51,700 | |
| Kentucky Hospitals Circle Of Friends | $50,400 | |
| Kentucky Medical Association | $28,650 | |
| Pace, Donald W | $26,700 | |
2000
Elections for the office of Kentucky House of Representatives consisted of a primary election on May 2, 2000, and a general election on November 7, 2000.
During the 2000 election, the total value of contributions to House candidates was $3,514,349. The top 10 contributors were:[26]
| 2000 Donors, Kentucky House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Donor | Amount | |
| Kentucky Democratic Party | $221,971 | |
| Hall, W Keith | $85,700 | |
| Kentucky Education Association | $80,000 | |
| Kentucky Republican Party | $58,100 | |
| Kentucky Medical Association | $46,950 | |
| Kentucky Association Of Realtors | $45,500 | |
| Brinkman, Scott W | $42,000 | |
| Kentucky Optometric Association | $40,950 | |
| Lundergan, Gerald (Jerry) | $39,434 | |
| Madon, Scott | $32,700 | |
Qualifications
To be eligible to serve in the Kentucky House of Representatives, a candidate must be:[27]
- At least 24 years of age at the time of the election
- A citizen of Kentucky
- Resided in the state 2 years preceding the election
- Resided in the district for the last year
Vacancies
| How vacancies are filled in state legislatures |
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If there is a vacancy in the house, a special election must be held to fill the vacant seat. The Governor must call for an election if the General Assembly is not in session. The Speaker of the House must call for an election if lawmakers are in session.[28] All nominating deadlines for special elections are 28 days before the election.[29]
Redistricting
Redistricting is handled by the General Assembly. By tradition rather than law, each chamber devises its own map, which is submitted as a bill and subject to a vote like other legislation. The Governor wields veto power.
2010 census
Kentucky received local census data on March 17, 2011. The state's population grew 7.4 percent to 4,339,367, with the central region's population gaining at the expense of the remainder.[30]
At the time of redistricting, the Assembly was split, with Democrats controlling the House and Republicans controlling the Senate. Without a costly special session called, the Assembly began the redistricting process for legislative boundaries in January 2011. On January 20, Governor Steve Beshear (D) signed the state's legislative redistricting maps into law. Each chamber drew its own maps; the Governor criticized Senate Republicans for drawing partisan maps, but did not chasten the House's plan. House Republicans filed suit on the 26th on the grounds that the Democrats' map divided counties needlessly. The circuit court overturned the new legislative districts on February 7, citing excessive population disparities and division of counties. Expediting the Republicans' appeal, the Kentucky Supreme Court heard oral arguments on February 24, upholding the lower court's decision the same day.
Representatives
Partisan composition
- See also: Partisan composition of state houses
| Party | As of October 2025 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 20 | |
| Republican Party | 80 | |
| Other | 0 | |
| Vacancies | 0 | |
| Total | 100 | |
The chart below shows the partisan composition of the Kentucky State House of Representatives from 1992-2013.
Leadership
The Speaker of the House is the presiding officer of the body. Duties of the Speaker include preserving order and decorum, deciding points of order, and signing all writs, warrants, subpoenas and other processes. The House elects a Speaker Pro Tempore to preside over the body when the Speaker is absent.[31][32]
Current leadership
| Current Leadership, Kentucky House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Office | Representative | Party |
| State Speaker of the House | Greg Stumbo |  Democratic
|
| State House Speaker Pro Tempore | Jody Richards | Democratic
|
| State House Majority Floor Leader | Rocky Adkins | Democratic
|
| State House Majority Caucus Leader | Sannie Overly | Democratic
|
| State House Majority Whip | Johnny Bell | Democratic
|
| State House Minority Floor Leader | Jeffrey Hoover |  Republican
|
| State House Minority Caucus Leader | Stan Lee | Republican
|
| State House Minority Whip | Jim DeCesare | Republican
|
Salaries
- See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries
As of 2013, members of the Kentucky legislature are paid $188.22/day. Additionally, legislators receive $135.30/day per diem tied to 110% of the federal rate.[33]
Pensions
Legislative pensions in Kentucky are equal to 2.75% to 5% of the salary multiplied by the number of years served, while regular state pensions equal 1.1% to 2.5% of salary multiplied by years served. Starting in 2005, retiring legislators holding full-time jobs with the state could base their legislative pension on this higher salary, rather than their actual legislative salary.[34]
When sworn in
Kentucky legislators assume office the first day of January after their election.
Current members
Standing committees
The Kentucky House of Representatives has 19 standing committees:
- Agriculture and Small Business
- Appropriations and Revenue
- Banking and Insurance
- Committee On Committees
- Economic Development
- Education
- Elections, Constitutional Amendments & Intergovernmental Affairs
- Enrollment
- Health and Welfare
- Judiciary
- Labor and Industry
- Licensing and Occupations
- Local Government
- Natural Resources and Environment
- Rules
- State Government
- Tourism Development and Energy
- Transportation
- Veterans, Military Affairs and Public Safety
History
Partisan balance 1992-2013
- See also: Who Runs the States and Who Runs the States, Kentucky
During every year from 1992-2013, the Democratic Party was the majority in the Kentucky House of Representatives.
Across the country, there were 577 Democratic and 483 Republican state Houses from 1992 to 2013.
Over the course of the 22-year study, state governments became increasingly more partisan. At the outset of the study period (1992), 18 of the 49 states with partisan legislatures had single-party trifectas and 31 states had divided governments. In 2013, only 13 states had divided governments, while single-party trifectas held sway in 36 states, the most in the 22 years studied.
The chart below shows the partisan composition of the Office of the Governor of Kentucky, the Kentucky State Senate and the Kentucky House of Representatives from 1992-2013.
.PNG)
SQLI and partisanship
The chart below depicts the partisanship of the Kentucky state government and the state's SQLI ranking for the years studied. For the SQLI, the states were ranked from 1-50, with 1 being the best and 50 the worst. Kentucky has been in the bottom 10 of the SQLI rankings regardless of its Democratic trifecta or years under divided government. The state’s highest ranking came in 1998 and 1999 (43rd) under a Democratic trifecta, while the state’s lowest ranking came in between the years 2003 and 2011 (48th) under divided government. The state has never had a Republican trifecta.
- SQLI average with Democratic trifecta: 45.00
- SQLI average with Republican trifecta: N/A
- SQLI average with divided government: 47.31
External links
- Official website of the Kentucky House of Representatives
- Official list of the current members of the Kentucky House of Representatives
References
- ↑ U.S. Census Bureau, "Population Distribution and Change: 2000 to 2010," April 2011
- ↑ U.S. Census Bureau, "States Ranked by Population: 2000," April 2, 2001
- ↑ Kentucky General Assembly, homepage," accessed June13, 2014
- ↑ Kentucky Legislature, "Kentucky Constitution - Section 36," November 7, 2000
- ↑ Kentucky Legislature, homepage," accessed June13, 2014
- ↑ Kentucky Legislature, "Rules of Procedure for the 2014 Regular Session of the Senate," January 7, 2014 and Kentucky Legislature, "Rules of Procedure for the 2014 Regular Session of the House or (sic) Representatives," January 7, 2014
- ↑ The Enquirer, "Ky. heroin bills raise hope, face skepticism," January 5, 2015
- ↑ wfpl.org, "What to Expect from the 2014 Kentucky General Assembly," January 7, 2014
- ↑ Kentucky.com, "Lawmakers start Ky. session aiming for cooperation," January 8, 2013
- ↑ WHAS11.com, "Legislative session set to end on Wednesday," March 8, 2011
- ↑ Lexington Herald-Leader, "Ky. legislature adjourns, but Beshear orders them back on Monday," March 10, 2011
- ↑ WHAS11.com, "House lawmakers end special legislative session," March 24, 2011
- ↑ CNHI, "Special session finally over," April 6, 2011 (dead link) (dead link)
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 National Association of State Budget Officers, "Budget Processes in the States, Spring 2021," accessed January 24, 2023
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Separation of Powers: Executive Veto Powers," accessed January 26, 2024
- ↑ Pew Charitable Trusts, "State Work," accessed June 6, 2014
- ↑ Pew Charitable Trusts, "States’ Use of Cost-Benefit Analysis," July 29, 2013
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 U.S. Public Interest Research Group, "Following the Money 2014 Report," accessed April 15, 2014
- ↑ Sunlight Foundation, "Ten Principles for Opening Up Government Information," accessed June 16, 2013
- ↑ Kentucky Board of Elections, "2012 Kentucky Election Calendar," accessed June 13, 2014
- ↑ Follow the Money, "Kentucky 2010 - Candidates," accessed June 13, 2014
- ↑ Follow the Money, "Kentucky 2008 - Candidates," accessed August 23, 2013
- ↑ Follow the Money, "Kentucky 2006 - Candidates," accessed August 23, 2013
- ↑ Follow the Money, "Kentucky 2004 - Candidates," accessed August 23, 2013
- ↑ Follow the Money, "Kentucky 2002 - Candidates," accessed August 23, 2013
- ↑ Follow the Money, "Kentucky 2000 - Candidates," accessed August 23, 2013
- ↑ Kentucky Secretary of State, "Candidate Qualification Information," accessed December 16, 2013
- ↑ Kentucky Legislative Research Commission, "Kentucky Election Code," accessed December 16, 2013 (Referenced Statute 118.730)
- ↑ Kentucky Legislative Research Commission, "Kentucky Election Code," accessed December 16, 2013 (Referenced Statute 118.730)
- ↑ Kentucky State Data Center, accessed July 11, 2012
- ↑ Kentucky Legislature, "Rules of Procedure for the 2014 Regular Session of the House or (sic) Representatives," January 7, 2014 (Referenced Rules 26-28)
- ↑ Kentucky Legislature, "House of Representatives Leadership - 2014," accessed June 13, 2014
- ↑ NCSL.org, "2012 State Legislator Compensation and Per Diem Table," accessed March 18, 2013
- ↑ USA Today, "How state lawmakers pump up pensions in ways you can't," April 16, 2012
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