Latest news with #AllisonBall
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
‘We started getting calls': Kentucky Auditor probes into lottery process for marijuana business licenses
FRANKFORT, Ky. (FOX 56) — When Kentucky opened the door to medical cannabis, it promised opportunity. Not long after, questions started to be asked. 'We began to get calls from reporters, a couple of reporters that reached out to us early on,' said Kentucky Auditor Allison Ball. 'And so that was on our radar screen pretty early, and then we started to get a number of calls from Kentucky farmers and Kentucky small businesses.' That's when the digging started. NOAA's predictions for summer 2025 just got even hotter: What's in store for Kentucky? 'We discovered two things that were recurring situations from people who would call us,' Ball added. 'One was app tracking, so it's a way, really, to beat the system; it's application stacking. So it'll be one business that sets up a lot of other LLCs so they can apply multiple times.' She said another red flag is vertical integration, where one company doesn't just grow the cannabis but also tests it, processes it, and sells it. 'We know of at least one out-of-state company, an Arkansas company, that is fully integrated, that they got a cultivator license, and they got a processing license, so they actually got four dispensary licenses, and told us there is a real issue with vertical integration,' Ball explained. 'We know for sure of at least one company, and we think there's more.' Now, Ball wants answers and has launched an investigation into the state's Office of Medical Cannabis, asking tough questions about how licenses were handed out and who benefited. For background, the state handed out 48 licenses for 11 regions throughout the state, but received more than 4,000 applications. 'It's supposed to give everybody a fair shot at this, whether you're a small farmer from rural Kentucky or you're a small business from our larger areas, whatever you are, you've got a fair shot at getting one of these licenses,' said Ball. She said her office will start its investigation by looking into each business. Lexington shopping center sold: What we know about the new owner 'We started getting calls': Kentucky Auditor probes into lottery process for marijuana business licenses 'Casanova Killer' executed nearly 30 years after Kentucky arrest 'When you actually look into it, the location wasn't real,' Ball added. 'So that's concerning, especially if you have a regulation that is designed to prevent this from happening.' Ball doesn't expect the investigation to delay the process, but said investigators are focused on making sure the lottery was conducted fairly. Meanwhile, Governor Beshear said there was nothing illegal in how the lottery was conducted. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Washington Post
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
Kentucky auditor sues governor in bid to end dispute blocking kinship care law
FRANKFORT, Ky. — Kentucky's Republican auditor sued Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear on Thursday, asking a judge to untangle a dispute blocking the implementation of a state law meant to support adults who step up to care for young relatives who endured suspected abuse or neglect at home. The standoff revolves around whether funds are available to carry out the law's intent — enabling relatives who take temporary custody of children to later become eligible for foster care payments. Beshear signed Senate Bill 151 in April 2024 and his administration has praised the measure for seeking to help children in bad situations be placed with relatives or close family friends. But the governor warned at the time that lawmakers had not approved the necessary funding. A year later, his administration still maintains that nearly $20 million is needed for the state Cabinet for Health and Family Services to put the law into action, the lawsuit says. In her suit, Auditor Allison Ball says the state Constitution requires Beshear's administration to 'do whatever it takes' to carry out Kentucky laws. The suit asks a state judge to 'remind' the administration of that duty. 'As the policymaking body and holder of the power of the purse that determines the proper level of funding to give state agencies to carry out the commonwealth's laws, the General Assembly says that Governor Beshear and CHFS have more than enough money to carry out SB151 and must do so,' the suit says. Beshear's office said Thursday that his administration notified lawmakers on multiple occasions about the costs associated with carrying it out. 'Lawmakers had many opportunities to deliver the funding during both the 2024 and 2025 legislative sessions but chose not to,' Beshear spokesperson Crystal Staley said in a statement. 'It is simple: The Kentucky Supreme Court has ruled the state cannot implement programs and policies if it doesn't have the funding to do so,' she added. Kentucky lawmakers ended this year's session weeks ago and aren't scheduled to reconvene until the 2026 session begins in January. An estimated 55,000 Kentucky children are currently in what's commonly called kinship care — when a child is living with relatives or close family friends instead of their parents. The 2024 measure — which sailed through Kentucky's Republican-led legislature with overwhelming support — is meant to fix what child welfare advocates say was a flaw in the support system. The law gives relatives considerably more time to apply to become foster parents for their young relatives, and thus eligible for foster care payments to help support the children already in their care. Frustration over the dispute resurfaced Tuesday when GOP lawmakers, including state Sen. Julie Raque Adams, the measure's lead sponsor, called out Beshear's administration for not implementing the law. 'They don't even have a program model for SB151, yet they continue to insist it would cost $20 million to implement,' she said. 'You can't assign a price tag to something you haven't built. The truth is, they have the tools to get started. They just haven't.' Ball's office started an investigation last October to determine whether the health and family services cabinet has the money to carry out the law or whether lawmakers needed to appropriate more funds. The suit says the probe has stalled because of what it calls the cabinet's 'obstruction,' and it asks the judge to order Beshear's administration to provide whatever information the auditor needs to complete the review.
The Independent
15-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Kentucky auditor sues governor in bid to end dispute blocking kinship care law
Kentucky 's Republican auditor sued Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear on Thursday, asking a judge to untangle a dispute blocking the implementation of a state law meant to support adults who step up to care for young relatives who endured suspected abuse or neglect at home. The standoff revolves around whether funds are available to carry out the law's intent — enabling relatives who take temporary custody of children to later become eligible for foster care payments. Beshear signed Senate Bill 151 in April 2024 and his administration has praised the measure for seeking to help children in bad situations be placed with relatives or close family friends. But the governor warned at the time that lawmakers had not approved the necessary funding. A year later, his administration still maintains that nearly $20 million is needed for the state Cabinet for Health and Family Services to put the law into action, the lawsuit says. In her suit, Auditor Allison Ball says the state Constitution requires Beshear's administration to 'do whatever it takes' to carry out Kentucky laws. The suit asks a state judge to 'remind' the administration of that duty. 'As the policymaking body and holder of the power of the purse that determines the proper level of funding to give state agencies to carry out the commonwealth's laws, the General Assembly says that Governor Beshear and CHFS have more than enough money to carry out SB151 and must do so,' the suit says. Beshear's office said Thursday that his administration notified lawmakers on multiple occasions about the costs associated with carrying it out. 'Lawmakers had many opportunities to deliver the funding during both the 2024 and 2025 legislative sessions but chose not to,' Beshear spokesperson Crystal Staley said in a statement. 'It is simple: The Kentucky Supreme Court has ruled the state cannot implement programs and policies if it doesn't have the funding to do so," she added. Kentucky lawmakers ended this year's session weeks ago and aren't scheduled to reconvene until the 2026 session begins in January. An estimated 55,000 Kentucky children are currently in what's commonly called kinship care — when a child is living with relatives or close family friends instead of their parents. The 2024 measure — which sailed through Kentucky's Republican-led legislature with overwhelming support — is meant to fix what child welfare advocates say was a flaw in the support system. The law gives relatives considerably more time to apply to become foster parents for their young relatives, and thus eligible for foster care payments to help support the children already in their care. Frustration over the dispute resurfaced Tuesday when GOP lawmakers, including state Sen. Julie Raque Adams, the measure's lead sponsor, called out Beshear's administration for not implementing the law. 'They don't even have a program model for SB151, yet they continue to insist it would cost $20 million to implement,' she said. 'You can't assign a price tag to something you haven't built. The truth is, they have the tools to get started. They just haven't.' Ball's office started an investigation last October to determine whether the health and family services cabinet has the money to carry out the law or whether lawmakers needed to appropriate more funds. The suit says the probe has stalled because of what it calls the cabinet's 'obstruction,' and it asks the judge to order Beshear's administration to provide whatever information the auditor needs to complete the review.
Associated Press
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Kentucky auditor sues governor in bid to end dispute blocking kinship care law
FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky's Republican auditor sued Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear on Thursday, asking a judge to untangle a dispute blocking the implementation of a state law meant to support adults who step up to care for young relatives who endured suspected abuse or neglect at home. The standoff revolves around whether funds are available to carry out the law's intent — enabling relatives who take temporary custody of children to later become eligible for foster care payments. Beshear signed Senate Bill 151 in April 2024 and his administration has praised the measure for seeking to help children in bad situations be placed with relatives or close family friends. But the governor warned at the time that lawmakers had not approved the necessary funding. A year later, his administration still maintains that nearly $20 million is needed for the state Cabinet for Health and Family Services to put the law into action, the lawsuit says. In her suit, Auditor Allison Ball says the state Constitution requires Beshear's administration to 'do whatever it takes' to carry out Kentucky laws. The suit asks a state judge to 'remind' the administration of that duty. 'As the policymaking body and holder of the power of the purse that determines the proper level of funding to give state agencies to carry out the commonwealth's laws, the General Assembly says that Governor Beshear and CHFS have more than enough money to carry out SB151 and must do so,' the suit says. Beshear's office said Thursday that his administration notified lawmakers on multiple occasions about the costs associated with carrying it out. 'Lawmakers had many opportunities to deliver the funding during both the 2024 and 2025 legislative sessions but chose not to,' Beshear spokesperson Crystal Staley said in a statement. 'It is simple: The Kentucky Supreme Court has ruled the state cannot implement programs and policies if it doesn't have the funding to do so,' she added. Kentucky lawmakers ended this year's session weeks ago and aren't scheduled to reconvene until the 2026 session begins in January. An estimated 55,000 Kentucky children are currently in what's commonly called kinship care — when a child is living with relatives or close family friends instead of their parents. The 2024 measure — which sailed through Kentucky's Republican-led legislature with overwhelming support — is meant to fix what child welfare advocates say was a flaw in the support system. The law gives relatives considerably more time to apply to become foster parents for their young relatives, and thus eligible for foster care payments to help support the children already in their care. Frustration over the dispute resurfaced Tuesday when GOP lawmakers, including state Sen. Julie Raque Adams, the measure's lead sponsor, called out Beshear's administration for not implementing the law. 'They don't even have a program model for SB151, yet they continue to insist it would cost $20 million to implement,' she said. 'You can't assign a price tag to something you haven't built. The truth is, they have the tools to get started. They just haven't.' Ball's office started an investigation last October to determine whether the health and family services cabinet has the money to carry out the law or whether lawmakers needed to appropriate more funds. The suit says the probe has stalled because of what it calls the cabinet's 'obstruction,' and it asks the judge to order Beshear's administration to provide whatever information the auditor needs to complete the review.
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Kentucky auditor accuses Democrats of trying to intimidate her with open records requests
Republican Auditor candidate Allison Ball waves to the crowd during the 143rd Fancy Farm Picnic on Saturday, Aug. 5, 2023. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Austin Anthony) Republican State Auditor Allison Ball is calling five open records requests from a Kentucky Democratic Party official 'an attempt to intimidate me' from investigating how the state's Office of Medical Cannabis processed license applications. Ball, who has previously clashed with the Beshear administration over her office's investigations, issued a statement Monday saying after she announced the investigation into OMC earlier this month Kentucky Democrats 'sent five Open Records Act requests to my office in what can only be described as an attempt to intimidate me from continuing the investigation.' However, the Kentucky Democratic Party denied that the requests were related to Ball's investigation. Ball said a Finance and Administration Cabinet official sent similar open records requests after her office announced investigations into the Cabinet for Health and Family Services in recent months. 'It is a shame that parties would seek to weaponize the Open Records Act, an important transparency tool, as a political weapon,' Ball said. 'Because I believe in the importance of transparency, I have responded to the KDP's requests in full, just as I did to the Finance Cabinet requests. 'Kentucky should rest assured that these intimidation tactics will not work. I will continue to carry out the job that Kentuckians elected me to do.' Under the Kentucky Open Records Act, members of the public may request records from public agencies within the state. Kentucky Democratic Party spokesperson Nat Turner said in a statement to the Kentucky Lantern that Ball 'is trying to manufacture partisan drama, and what she is alleging is not true.' 'The requests in question were not related to her audit; they were for records related to grievances, personal appeals, travel records and her use of taxpayer money to attend a religious leadership conference,' Turner said. 'Transparency is important and Auditor Ball has a responsibility to be accountable to Kentuckians.' Joy Markland, a spokesperson for Ball, shared copies of the requests made by the Democrats and responses of the auditor's office. The records match the requests Turner described. In a search for the records, the auditor's office found no records of grievances from staff members filed this year and provided records related to travel, personal appeals and contracts entered by the office. Amye Bensenhaver, a retired Kentucky assistant attorney general and co-founder and co-director of the Kentucky Open Government Coalition, said 'all is fair in love and open records.' The state law is 'intended to be almost blind to who is asking and why they're asking,' with some limitations on requests made for commercial reasons, she added. Ball's accusation against the state Democratic party is also 'weaponizing the law,' Bensenhaver said. 'Ultimately, you could be a thin-skinned public official who shows resistance or expresses outrage when your office is expected to produce records, but it tends to undermine your credibility when you're seeking records from another public agency,' Bensenhaver said. Some political staffers look for information to use in campaign messaging through open record requests. Ahead of the 2023 governor's race, the office of then Republican Attorney General Daniel Cameron ruled Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear's administration violated the Kentucky Open Records Act when denying part of a request from the Republican Party of Kentucky. Cameron later became the Republican nominee and was defeated by Beshear that fall.
