It’s been an honor to serve you as the State Representative of the 48th District and I am excited to announce I have filed to run for this seat again in November 2024.
We have made significant progress over the past two years by lowering your individual income tax from 6% to 4%, provided record setting funding for schools, passed several workforce partnership initiatives including attracting and retaining healthcare providers, provided for mental health funding and stronger policies, and improved transportation infrastructure. These are only a couple of the bills that I have sponsored and passed, but I realize that there is more that can be accomplished.
With your support and consultation, I will strive to make our community and Commonwealth a better place to live work and play.
Endorsements
Standing Up for Kentucky
Ken is committed to addressing the critical issues facing District 48 and Kentucky. He will fight for:
Economic Growth
Driving to 0% State Income Tax
Continue phasing out state personal income tax for families. Ken has put more money in your pocket by reducing personal state income tax from 6% to 3.5%, saving families $1250 annually (based on $50,000 income)
Support Local Businesses
Support business-friendly policies to increase workforce participation and reduce regulation
Crack Down on Government Spending
Hold the line on spending resulting in lower taxes, strong budget reserve balance, and fully funded pensions
Healthcare
Advocate for Women’s Health
Support better wrap around services and increase accessibility for women’s health. Ken has sponsored improved maternal health for expectant / new mothers and child-care assistance / child day care availability
Champion Mental Wellness
Enhance funding and strengthen policies to expand mental health services. Ken has championed 24 hour access to mental health services for adolescents
Lower Prescription Drug Cost
Support lowering prescription drugs
Education
Increase Teacher Salaries
Increase K-12 funding and teacher pay
Empower Parents
Give parents a stronger voice on how their children are educated.
Mental Health for Students
Expand mental health support for students
Fighting Crime
Lower Crime
Fully fund police and enforce stronger policies to deter crime
Safer Schools
Ken sponsored bills to improve children’s’ safety at school.
Support Justice Programs
Support comprehensive juvenile justice programs
Testimonials
Dr. Mark McGrath is on the front lines in providing healthcare, but he also oversees the roads in the City of Brownsboro Farm. I helped secured over $50 million in road improvements for District 48 which included $1,320,000 for putting turn lanes in at the intersection of KY–22 and Goose Creek Road. This project is right in front of the City and was designed to reduce congestion. I followed up with the City and as Dr. McGrath tells us how they had some challenges and where I stepped in to see the project through.
“Ken supports fully funding the police, he supports safer communities, and he supports safer schools. As Ken runs for his third term in Frankfort, we support him fully.”
Karen Scott is a professional engineer who owns her own business, called Inspired Strategies, serving clients across the country. We first met about 25 years when my company was bidding on a project she was overseeing at a utility company. As her career progressed in taking on more responsibilities and leadership roles, her professionalism, intelligence, integrity, and humility remained strong and consistent. I know many businesswomen and businessmen and she is one of the best.
A Record of Getting Results
Ken has a proven track record of delivering results. Here are just some of the ways he’s bettered the lives of everyday Kentuckians:
Reduced Personal Income Tax by 40%
Led tax modernization efforts, resulting in a 40% personal income tax rate drop
SB 9
Advocated for improved early literacy instruction
$1.2 billion
Helped provide nearly $1.2 billion investment for Jefferson and Oldham Counties’ human services and transportation needs
HB 200, HB 345, and HB 56
Sponsored workforce initiatives in healthcare, aviation, and mental health
Mental Health Advocate
Provided more support for mental health services to children, law enforcement, women, and drug addicts
Maternal Health (Momnibus) Bill (HB 10)
Co-sponsored the Maternal Health (Momnibus) bill to improve care for expectant and new mothers
Lowered Prescription Drug Costs (SB 188)
Supported legislation to lower prescription drug costs
Safer Kentucky Act (HB 5)
Co-sponsored the Safer Kentucky Act to address violent crime and improve public safety
Increased School Funding (HB 6)
Backed record-level increases in SEEK funding for local school districts
Backed Key Infrastructure Projects
Spearheaded key infrastructure projects, including interchange improvements and sound wall initiatives
Supports Teachers (HB 377)
Supported legislation providing teacher stipends and loan forgiveness
Funded $500 Million
Helped secure over $500 million in transportation funding for Jefferson and Oldham Counties
Ken's Accomplishments
Kentucky House Committee Assignments
- Appropriations and Revenue
- Budget Review Personnel, Public Retirement & Finance (Chair)
- Budget Review on Health & Family Services
- Families & Children
- Legislative Oversight and Investigation
- Local Government (Vice Chair)
- Transportation
- Public Pension Oversight Board
- Aerospace/Aviation Caucus (Chair)
Ken received numerous awards including the Public Policy Advocate Award in 2004 from the National Association of Women Business Owners, the Smoke Free Louisville Award in 2006, the Celebrate Freedom Award in 2010, International Fire Chiefs Association – Kentucky Chapter 2021, Kentucky League of Cities 2022, and Kentucky Hospital Association Champion in 2022.
Legislative Recognition
2023 & 2024 Children Alliance Champion
2022 Kentucky League of Cities Friend of Kentucky Cities
2024 KY Chamber of Commerce Signature Industries Champion
2021 International Fire Chiefs Association – KY Chapter
Vote for Ken Fleming, Vote for the Economy
Over the past several years, a $50,000 wage earner is now seeing a permanent savings of $1,250 per year as a result of Ken’s leadership and vision on tax modernization initiative in 2018
These savings reflect a 40% personal income tax rate drop so that you can save, invest or spend your money as you see fit. That really helps in these inflationary times.
As a small business owner, Ken understood that restructuring the business tax structure such as taxes on LLETs and pass-through entities allows businesses to reinvest in hiring employees or buying equipment.Kentucky’s financial structure and outlook are strong by shifting the commonwealth’s tax structure from an income base to a consumption tax base while not increasing the sales tax and putting limits on the administration’s spending.
The results from changing our tax structure and controlling spending have provided an investment starting in July 2024 of nearly $1.2 billion for Jefferson and Oldham Counties that is targeted for human services and transportation needs. Workforce is vital to our economy and through his leadership, Ken sponsored three workforce initiatives pertaining to healthcare (HB 200), aviation (SB127/HB345) and mental health (HB56).
In looking forward, Ken will push to put more money in your pocket, strengthen workforce initiatives, and support businesses through policies so that they can attract and retain employees to help build a better community.
- Continue to phase out state personal income tax for families
- Advocate to eliminate the extra tax on the reformulated gas tax, saving over $.30 per gallon
- Help reduce re-employment constraints by strengthening better childcare workplace environments, including expectant mothers and parents of newborns, and eldercare policies for families to return to work
- Support business-friendly policies to increase workforce participation and reduce regulations to allow greater business growth and expansion
- Fight state and federal overreach and inflationary spending
2024 Kentucky CPA Tax Policy Champion
Announcement of $1.186 billion investment in human services and transportation for Jefferson and Oldham Counties
2024 Greater Louisville Inc Statesman
Vote for Ken Fleming, Vote for Fighting Crime
Jefferson and Oldham counties have experienced increased crime, and Ken co-sponsored Safer Kentucky Act (HB 5) which is a comprehensive bill that includes:
- getting repeat violent and persistent felony offenders off the streets;
- regulating bail funding organizations;
- creating a statute for carjacking;
- removing early release for criminals using guns in crimes;
- cracking down on drive by shootings;
- increasing penalties for those who flee the police; and
- hardening sentences for adults using juveniles as criminal accomplices, especially in drug transactions.
Ken is an experienced leader who knows the community and will build upon the Safer Kentucky Act by working with LMPD and Oldham County police. Ken will continue to help stop the wave of crime threatening our families, property, and schools. He will continue to prioritize your safety through:
- Fighting crime by working in a collaborative, cooperative way with local government, fully funding police, enforcing stronger policies and supporting programs to deter crimes
- Continuing to strengthen school safety in the classroom and on the bus
- Strengthening juvenile justice programs
- Funding stronger wrap around treatment programs for addicts to get them off the streets
Vote for Ken Fleming, Vote for Education
Every child should have access to the best education in a safe environment. Ken is keenly aware of the challenges JCPS and OCPS face and these are a few of the policies he supported to mitigate these challenges:
- HB 6 – increased to record levels in SEEK (including full day kindergarten), fully funding transportation costs which would free up millions to be reallocated to teachers’ salary as well as hire more bus drivers, increased funding for School Safety and Resiliency Act, and $450 million above the accrual and statutory requirement for teachers’ retirement contributions
- HB 377 – provided teachers’ stipends up to $5,000 and loan forgiveness
- HB 446 – gave bus drivers more authority in keeping discipline on the buses
- HB 611 – moved one step closer in addressing better attendance by placing more accountability on the parents if the student misses more than 15 days without an excuse
- HB 447 – allowed for use of certain types of vans to get children home earlier
- HCR 81 – established a task force to review JCPS Board’s functionality, effectiveness, efficiency and structure
- SB 9 – sets up the building blocks of reading proficiency and provides evidence-based early literacy instruction by investing in teachers to increase student success in reading
As we move forward, a pillar of a successful community and state is to have a strong education system that puts our children on a solid foundation. We need to continue our focus in the classrooms to attract more teacher talent, protect our children so they have the opportunity to learn, and ease financial restraints for schools to flourish.
- Provide parents the choice for the best educational opportunities for their children
- Continue to increase K-12 SEEK funding and support teachers with higher pay and by relieving constraints that burden them with paying for resources out of their pocket
- Assist students who need mental health support
- Provide a safer learning environment
- Support education workforce programs by training more people to become teachers
2024 Council for Post Education Champion
2024 Kentucky Students Rights Coalition Advocate
Vote for Ken Fleming, Vote for Healthcare
2024 Louisville Healthcare CEO Council Champion
2022 Kentucky Hospital Association Champion
From cracking down on sexual harassment in the workplace and increasing funding for violence against women to helping reduce healthcare costs, Ken’s healthcare experience in the mental health field has fueled his commitment to provide affordability and accessible healthcare.
Ken co-sponsored HB 10 – Maternal Health (or Momnibus) that:
- adds pregnancy to the list of qualifying life events for health insurance coverage;
- provides psychiatry consultation during and after pregnancy;
- assists with education on safe sleep;
- expanded the HANDS program for voluntary home visitation for expectant and new parents, with many of the services extended until the child is three months old
He recognizes the shortage of healthcare providers and was the lead sponsor of HB 200 which is now a national model being considered by the US Congress. This bill establishes a public and private partnership where private money is matched dollar for dollar by state funds and targeted for scholarships and hiring additional teachers and equipment. The General Assembly allocated $10 million for a total investment of $20 million.
Over the years as a State Representative, Ken has leveraged his background to provide more support for mental health services to children, law enforcement, women (before and after pregnancy) and addicts. Some of these bills include:
- 24-hour mental health access for adolescents;
- PTSD treatment for law enforcement officers and their families;
- Assisted Outpatient Treatment program to help keep addicts off the streets and out of jail; and
- psychiatry care during and after pregnancy
Finally, after several years of trying to drive medication costs down, we passed SB 188 that will help lower these costs by allowing patient pharmacy choice, ensure patient pharmacy access, and guarantee fair pharmacy reimbursements.
In looking at the future, Ken will continue to look for opportunities to further reduce the cost of drug prescriptions, strengthen mental health programs, improve transport ambulatory care, and to enhance the doctor-patient relationship.
- Strengthen mental health and support services to victims of rape/incest
- Support better wrap around services for women’s health
- Enhance funding and strengthen policies to expand mental health wellness services
- Improve healthcare services and accessibility for low-income Kentuckians
- Assist “sandwich generation” while juggling kids and aging parents
With Medicaid as one of the two largest budget allocations, we need to look at internal operations of administering programs so that savings can be appropriated to the healthcare needs of those who are least among us.
Vote for Ken Fleming, Vote for Transportation
As a member of the Transportation Committee, Ken helped spearhead over $500 million in transportation funding for Jefferson and Oldham Counties. This includes starting the design work for sound walls on I-71, releasing funding of $10 million to start the construction of Watterson Expressway and Brownsboro Road interchange, putting in a stop light on KY1694 at Norton Commons and Stone School Road, and improving parts of KY 22 near Springcrest Road.
Future US42 interchange with I-264:
District 48, which includes areas of northeast Jefferson and southwest Oldham County, has grown and with this growth comes more traffic. I have allocated tens of millions of dollars and will continue to leverage my business background in mapping to help with transportation projects.
- Secured funding for the redesign and construction of US 42/Watterson Expressway interchange
- Continue to fight for sound walls along I-71 and Gene Snyder Expressway between US 42 and I-71
- Reduce congestion by securing funding for widening I-71
- Secure funding to improve the turning lane for south US 22 onto west Gene Snyder Expressway so that traffic flows better
- Improve safety by adding a turn lane on east US 22 at the Briar Hill neighborhood in Oldham County
2024 Kentuckians for Better Transportation Mover Award
I-264/Brownsboro Road Interchange Town Hall Meeting
Proposed sound wall along I71 near Lime Kiln Lane
Proposed sound wall along I71 at Barbour Manor/Springdale Rd
House District 48 Map
3 Ways to Vote in the General Election
In-Person Voting on Election Day November 5 in Jefferson County
In-Person Voting on Election Day Tuesday, November 5, 2024
Mail-in Absentee Ballot Drop Box Locations in Jefferson County for the General Election
Visit the Jefferson County Clerk Election Center to securely drop off your mail-in absentee ballot 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday from October 23rd through the 30th.
In-Person Voting on Election Day November 5 in Oldham County
In-Person Voting on Election Day Tuesday, November 5, 2024
MARK YOUR CALENDAR AND DON’T FORGET TO SHOW YOUR SUPPORT.
- LAST DAY TO REGISTER TO VOTE IS OCTOBER 7, 2024
- JEFFERSON COUNTY – In-person, No-excuse, Absentee Early Voting before Election Day, October 31st – November 2nd, 2024
- OLDHAM COUNTY – In-person, No-excuse, Absentee Early Voting before Election Day, October 31st- November 2nd, 2024
- Election Day is Tuesday, November 5, 2024