State Rep. Proctor outlines housing, SNAP and Medicaid priorities for upcoming session
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Summary
Kentucky State Representative Mary Anne Proctor briefed Florence council on likely 2026 session topics including housing task force recommendations, concerns about driver's license centralization (House Bill 453), SNAP error rates and proposed reforms, Medicaid audit findings and short-term rental proposals.
State Representative Mary Anne Proctor addressed the Florence City Council with a preview of issues likely to surface during the budget session and solicited input from local officials.
Proctor summarized findings of the state's housing task force, saying workforce, starter and senior housing are not keeping pace with population and workforce demand and pointing to regulatory, zoning and infrastructure barriers that increase development costs. "Their major findings is that not enough homes are being built to meet the population and the workforce demands," she said, urging cities to be prepared for zoning and permitting discussions.
She referenced House Bill 453 as part of the background to driver'licensing centralization that moved licensing functions to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet to meet REAL ID requirements, and she said the change created service congestion in some counties. She encouraged local officials to push for regional office expansion and to provide feedback to legislators.
Proctor discussed SNAP reforms and audit findings, noting Kentucky's SNAP error rate was cited in the discussion (transcript lists a 9.3% error rate compared with a 6% benchmark) and urged improved administration and oversight. She also referenced an auditor'identified Medicaid fraud figure of about $847,000,000 and the work of a Medicaid oversight board.
Council members asked for detail about bills, SNAP eligibility mix and short-term rental prospects; Proctor encouraged municipalities to provide input to state legislators prior to bill filing.
What happens next: Proctor said she will file bills she can support and asked city leaders to share local perspectives to inform the legislative process.
