Joe Sonka

Joe Sonka is Kentucky Public Radio’s first enterprise statehouse reporter. He joined the team in October 2023.

Joe has covered Kentucky government and politics for nearly two decades. He grew up in Lexington and moved to Louisville in 2011, covering city and state government at LEO Weekly and then Insider Louisville. He became state government reporter for the Courier Journal in 2019 and was a lead reporter for the newspaper’s 2020 Pulitzer Prize-winning series on former Gov. Matt Bevin’s controversial pardons just before leaving office.

You can email Joe at jsonka@lpm.org and find him at non-Twitter apps such as Threads (@joesonkaky) and BlueSky (@joesonka.bsky.social).

Kentucky water regulation bill slows over concerns about groundwater pollution

A fast-moving bill that could subject many rural water supplies in Kentucky to pollution may have hit a bump in the road, with a GOP chairman acknowledging “validity” of concerns.

By Joe Sonka

McConnell the lone GOP vote against Tulsi Gabbard as director of national intelligence

The U.S. Senate voted to confirm Tulsi Gabbard as the director of national intelligence on a nearly party-line vote, with Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky being the only Republican to vote against her.

By Joe Sonka

University of Kentucky expects to lose $40M in next year from Trump’s NIH cuts

University of Kentucky President Eli Capilouto said he expects the Trump administration policy will cut tens of millions of dollars annually from its National Institutes of Health funding for research.

By Joe Sonka

Confusion and concern in Kentucky over Trump’s freeze on federal grants

The White House memo ordered federal agencies to pause all grants and loans, creating uncertainty for Kentucky recipients.

By Joe Sonka

House committee advances bill to cut Ky. income tax rate to 3.5%

The bill would lower Kentucky’s individual income tax rate from 4% to 3.5% in 2026, projected to lower state revenue by $718 million annually.

By Joe Sonka

The 2025 Kentucky legislative session kicks off Tuesday. Here’s what to look for.

State lawmakers return to Frankfort Jan. 7 for the beginning of the Kentucky General Assembly’s 2025 session. The first item on their agenda is expected to be a tax cut.

By Joe Sonka

What you need to know about Kentucky’s medical marijuana program

Medical cannabis is technically legal for eligible patients in Kentucky on Jan. 1, but it will likely be many months until homegrown marijuana makes its way into stores for purchase.

By Joe Sonka

Opposing groups raise millions of dollars for Kentucky’s education ballot referendum

Competing political issue committees have raised millions of dollars that will be spent on ads supporting and opposing a ballot referendum asking whether Kentucky should amend its constitution to allow public funds to go to private and charter schools.

By Joe Sonka

Joe Sonka

Kentucky water regulation bill slows over concerns about groundwater pollution

McConnell the lone GOP vote against Tulsi Gabbard as director of national intelligence

University of Kentucky expects to lose $40M in next year from Trump’s NIH cuts

Confusion and concern in Kentucky over Trump’s freeze on federal grants

House committee advances bill to cut Ky. income tax rate to 3.5%

The 2025 Kentucky legislative session kicks off Tuesday. Here’s what to look for.

What you need to know about Kentucky’s medical marijuana program

Opposing groups raise millions of dollars for Kentucky’s education ballot referendum

Kentucky attorney general advises ‘risk-free’ games are illegal gambling

Kentucky hits budget triggers for income tax rate cut in 2026

‘Confidential’: Hiding the cost of legislation from Kentuckians

All but one of Kentucky’s Democratic delegates endorse Harris in informal vote