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LOUISVILLE, Ky. —
Kentucky’s two-year state budget proposal is contained in a 218-page document that spends $104 billion.

The Senate unveiled its changes to House Bill 1 on Wednesday, so now the spending package is headed next week for a conference committee, where the House and Senate will hold negotiations over the final version.

Here are a few ways the current proposal affects Louisville:

Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center
One of the largest appropriations being sent to Louisville is $200 million for what one summary of the budget provided by the Senate says is for “renovation of the state fairgrounds.”

Kentucky Venues, which manages the fairgrounds and the International Convention Center, isn’t saying yet what the money will go to, but spokesperson Ian Cox told us this:

“I would say right now the House and the Senate bills are still very fluid, and for us, what’s important is the recognition that the tourism economy itself needs this kind of funding in order to develop the plans to grow into the future and keep our clients happy.”

Jefferson County Public Schools
The Senate took out funding for full-day kindergarten, which could cost JCPS $14 million. But an increase in transportation funding could send the district an extra $9 million to run its fleet of school buses.

And while the Senate removed a $6.8 million allocation for career and vocational education at Iroquois High School, JCPS hopes to get a large share of $20 million dollars the Senate added statewide for job training.

Cedar Lake
One of the state’s most vulnerable populations could be helped by a $120 million increase in reimbursement payments for facilities that help developmentally disabled adults.

Many of these facilities are closing their doors because the reimbursement rate has not been raised in so long, they can’t compete with other businesses for workers.

Louisville-based Cedar Lake has 35 centers in Jefferson, Oldham and Henry counties and says the money is crucial for clients of its residential and day centers.

“If we had to close the day programs or if we had to close the houses, then they’d have nowhere to go because every provider is in the same boat we are,” said Jason Squires, Cedar Lake’s chief operating officer.

Family and Children’s Place
Child advocacy centers like Louisville’s Family & Children’s Place could get a big boost in their efforts to help another vulnerable population – child victims of physical abuse, sexual abuse and human trafficking.

The latest version of the budget provides an extra $5 million on top of the $4.2 million provided each year in funding for the state’s 15 centers.

“This additional money for the child advocacy centers is huge,” said Pam Darnell, president and CEO of Family & Children’s Place.

Link to Original Story from WLKY