In Kentucky, the legislature passed a constitutional amendment allowing laws to provide state funding for non-public education. The amendment will appear on the ballot for voters to decide on Nov. 5, 2024.
State Rep. Suzanne Miles (R-7) introduced the constitutional amendment as House Bill 2 (HB2). The constitutional amendment was approved by the Kentucky House of Representatives on March 13, with a vote of 65-32, and by the Kentucky State Senate on March 15, with a vote of 27-8. In Kentucky, for a constitutional amendment to be placed on the ballot, it must receive a three-fifths (60%) majority in both houses of the state legislature. Following legislative approval, the amendment does not require the governor’s signature but must be ratified by the voters in a general election.
The measure would add language to the Kentucky Constitution saying that “the General Assembly may provide financial support for the education of students outside the system of common schools.” In the Kentucky Constitution, K-12 public schools are referred to as common schools.
