FRANKFORT — No matter what part of Kentucky you’re in, you can stay closely connected to the General Assembly’s 2021 session, which starts at the State Capitol Jan. 5.
Kentuckians can use online resources to:
- See the General Assembly’s daily schedule.
- Tune in to live video coverage of legislative meetings.
- Find out who represents you.
- Contact lawmakers and offer feedback.
- Read bills and resolutions.
- Receive a notice when a bill advances.
- See how lawmakers voted on bills and resolutions.
- View informational materials on topics being considered by committees.
- Learn about the legislative process and much more on the General Assembly Home Page: https://legislature.ky.gov
Following the General Assembly’s work often begins with a daily look at the Legislative Calendar. To find the calendar, go to the General Assembly’s Home Page and click on “Legislative Calendar.” The calendar shows which committees are meeting and when the Senate and House will convene.
Livestreams of legislative action can be viewed through feeds provided by Kentucky Educational Television and the Legislative Research Commission. In recent months, LRC has made significant tech upgrades in committee rooms to improve videoconferencing capabilities, audio systems, and video livestreams for those viewing meetings remotely. KET livestreams all chamber proceedings, while committee meeting coverage is provided by both KET and LRC. To find links to the livestreams, go to the General Assembly Home Page and click on the “Live Coverage” button on the left side of the page.
You can find each lawmaker’s contact info, biographical info, committee assignments and sponsored legislation by clicking on the “Legislators” tab near the top of the General Assembly Home Page. You can also look up who represents your district.
The online Legislative Record has information on every piece of legislation introduced in the Senate and House. You can read summaries, the full text of bills, resolutions, amendments and see exactly how far each piece of legislation has advanced in the process. Bills can be looked up according to bill number, sponsor, or topic. If a bill has been voted on in a chamber, you can see how each lawmaker voted by clicking “Vote History” on a bill’s summary page. Find the Legislative Record on the General Assembly Home Page by clicking on “Bills” near the top of the page.
Bill Watch, a bill tracking service, provided through a partnership of Kentucky.gov and LRC, sends users email notifications each time bills they are interested in takes a step forward. To sign up for Bill Watch, click the “Bill Watch” button near the bottom of the General Assembly Home Page.
Information about legislative committees is available in the “Committees” drop-down list near the top of the General Assembly Home Page. To view materials such as info sheets, handouts, and PowerPoint presentations compiled for lawmakers to review at committee meetings, navigate to the web page of the committee you are interested in and click on the “Meeting Materials” tab on the left side of the page.
To share feedback on issues with lawmakers, call the General Assembly’s Message Line at 1-800-372-7181. Kentuckians with hearing loss can use Kentucky Relay by dialing 7-1-1.
A Spanish language line for legislative information will be available throughout the General Assembly’s 2021 session by calling 1-866-840-2835.
To directly reach a lawmaker’s office, call 502-564-8100. An operator will transfer the call to the office of the lawmaker you want to reach.
If you have a question about the lawmaking process or legislative resources, the LRC Public Information can be reached by calling 502-564-8100 ext. 307.
