ALEC Policy Champions Expand Education Freedom in the Bluegrass State

ALEC is proud to recognize Rep. Kim Moser, Rep. T.J. Roberts, Speaker David Osborne, and Senate President Pro Tem David Givens for leading Kentucky’s passage of HB 1 into law. This legislation opts Kentucky into the newly created federal tax-credit scholarship program, making it the 28^th state to do so since it became law as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

Though Governor Andy Beshear vetoed HB 1, the Kentucky House voted 77–14 and the Kentucky Senate voted 31–5 to override his veto, demonstrating the broad legislative commitment to expanding educational opportunity for Kentucky families. Participating in the program means that donors from anywhere in the country can receive a dollar-for-dollar federal tax credit of up to $1,700 when contributing to an eligible scholarship-granting organization (SGO) in Kentucky. These SGOs are then able to use the donated funds to provide scholarships for K-12 students whose household income is below 300% of the area median.

The purpose of HB 1 is simple: give families more access to the K-12 options that will best fit their needs. Polling among Kentucky parents shows that 51% would select something other than their regular public school if afforded the choice.  Whether that option is a public school, private school, virtual school, home school, or something else entirely, opting into the federal tax-credit scholarship program offers Kentucky families a way to access these choices. What’s more is that the program requires no use of state funds, since the tax credits are coming from the federal government.

Rep. Moser, an ALEC National Board Member, emphasized the need for HB 1 well, saying that she sponsored the legislation “to fight for the rights of Kentucky families to choose how and where to educate their children.” She went on to say that “HB 1 puts the commonwealth’s families first and creates opportunity for thousands of families who would otherwise be unable to access the best educational fit for their family and their children.”

Congratulations to Rep. Kim Moser, Rep. T.J. Roberts, Speaker David Osborne, and Senate President Pro Tem David Givens for expanding education freedom in Kentucky and ensuring more families have access to educational opportunities.