Ending Deference in Kentucky: Sen. Steve Rawlings at the ALEC Annual Meeting

At ALEC’s 52nd Annual Meeting in Indianapolis, Kentucky Sen. Steve Rawlings didn’t just arrive as a first-time Policy Champion; he arrived as a man on a mission. An attorney by training and a lawmaker by conviction, Rawlings has been pushing back against unchecked bureaucratic power and laying the groundwork for reforms that protect liberty and strengthen state sovereignty.

In the state house, his Policy Champion-winning bill was known as An Act Relating to Judicial Review of State Agency Action. But Rawlings likes to stick to the numbers.

“It was Senate Bill 84, which is commonly termed Chevron deference,” he explained.

Quick to clarify a common misunderstanding, Rawlings pointed out that the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on Loper only applied to federal agencies. If states wanted the same protection, they had to pass legislation that provided such a safeguard.

“Many of the states are jumping on board and making sure that it’s true for those states also,” he said.

Rawlings’ bill cleared the Republican-controlled legislature but ran into a wall in the name of Kentucky’s governor.

“He vetoed that bill,” Rawlings said.

That happens about as much as one might expect when working with a governor from an opposing party. He is, after all, the one who controls agency appointments.

Despite the veto, lawmakers pressed forward. The legislature overrode the governor’s decision, putting Kentucky among the states rejecting Chevron deference at the state level. But that doesn’t mean there’s clear sailing for Kentucky’s state agencies.

“We’re dealing with lifetime bureaucrats, or sometimes in office for decades,” Rawlings said, pointing to why the reform was necessary.

After clearing that hurdle, Rawlings looked for other challenges. He turned to areas where Kentucky could lead by example, applying free-market and constitutional principles to new challenges. That meant advancing a cryptocurrency bill and legislation to protect ballot measures from foreign contributions.

“That’s a bill that’s been important to ALEC,” he noted.

Rawlings’ path to politics was a recent one, born from frustration during the pandemic.

“I was one of those bothered by all the shutdowns, lockdowns, taking away of our liberties and freedoms,” he said.

That led him first to a seat in the Kentucky House, then on to the Senate when an opening appeared. Today, he sits on nine committees and is preparing for next year’s 60-day session, where he plans to focus on constitutional issues, liberty, federalism, and states’ rights.

For Rawlings, ALEC has become an essential partner for navigating those nine committees. Not just because of the policies, but because of our approach.

“ALEC is focused on issues that are important for people,” he explained. “(You) break down the issues and provide model policy,” he said. “I think they’re critical.”

As Kentucky gears up for another session, Rawlings vows to tune out the roar of college basketball and focus on pre-filing this October. That window gives him time to sharpen his priorities. That means keeping government in check, promoting the will of the people, and curbing the power of unelected bureaucrats. The session may run straight through March Madness, but Rawlings is determined to keep his eye on the ball and deliver wins for Kentucky families.