medical marijuana. members of the general assembly, within a governor coleman and our constitutional officers, the justices of the kentucky supreme court, general lambert-eaton, former governor steve bashir and former first lady jane bashir, hi, mom and dad. first lady were sheer, will, lila and all the kentuckians watching from home, good evening. tonight, i'm proud to report despite everything we've been through putting a pandemic, tornadoes, flooding, ice storms, a polar plunge, temporary but still tough inflation but even a war in europe, the state of the commonwealth is still tell -- is still strong. [applause] the state of the commonwealth is still strong. our future is bright. we entered 2023 with hope and optimism after setting record highs and economic development and record lows in unemployment. that means the 2023 -- that 2023 provides is a special opportunity for the state and for this legislative session to change everything for the better. to be the generation that puts aside partisanship and ushers kentucky into a new era of prosperity. tonight i want to talk about how we are kentucky tough how we have navigated historic challenges. then i want to focus on the extra neri potential we have in this decisive moment, to lift up all our people and all our families. since day one my administration has focused on the worry kentuckians feel everyday. do i have a good paying job? i take my kids or my parents to a doctor when they are sick? are my family and community safe? are my kids getting the best education? these are the worries of a parent. i know. i am one. but i have things in god and i have faith in us. i have faith that we the people of kentucky can, will and are addressing each of these worries and we are doing it together. in a -- in face of some of the greatest challenges a manageable. -- imaginable. time and time again kentucky has shown up for one another. scripture tells us we are to love our neighbors as ourselves and that is exactly what folks across the commonwealth have been doing. last year i delivered this address just weeks after the deadliest tornado outbreak in our history hit our western region. we lost 81 kentuckians. this year historic flooding devastated community in our eastern region taking 44 more lives. just around 10 days ago, a polar plunge hit the entire state killing four people. that is all on top of no 17,700 kentuckians we have lost in the pandemic. as a community we have expensed more pain, and more grief -- we have experience more pain and more grief than we can comprehend. we can always see his work in the response. what fills me with hope and pride is how kentucky has responded to all of these challenges. we got through them. we got through them together. we continue to be thankful for the kentucky state police, fish and wildlife officers and the kentucky national guard, the best national guard in this entire country. [applause] turning us tonight, dust running us from the kentucky national guard. conservation officer bobby owens who led rescue throughout the region. let's give them a big round of applause. i am convinced that because of the work of these amazing people and all of their colleagues, that the emergency rescue efforts during the flooding were one of the best the nation has ever seen, with more than 13 hundred kentuckians rescued. that's 1300 kentucky lives saved. so to each of you and your colleagues, the commonwealth loves you, and once again, thank you. along with those great individuals, first responders throughout the state and the country who came to help. some of those first responders are joining us this evening. here with us from the lexington fire department, they were originally dispatched where they were needed most. adam and ryan, and the entire swift water rescue crew put their lives on the line to rescue 130 kentuckians and saved more than 2000 lives. on behalf of all the first responders who came to our aid during that flooding, we thank you. [applause] in response to the flooding, we immediately secured a federal disaster plan, we set up a fund which has raised over $13 million. i called a special session together -- and together, we opened over 200 moving dollars of state funds immediately to help the region. so mr. president, mr. speaker, bill sponsored john glenn, i want to thank you for your leadership and i want to thank this entire general assembly for putting the people of kentucky first. and something that i think was special, this wasn't a bipartisan act, it was a nonpartisan act. we opened our state parks to people who had lost their homes just like we did, with help from louisiana, tonight were joined by trinity shepherd who runs the resort park along with some of his coworkers. he and his team, some of whom were heavily impacted themselves, they put their own needs aside and helped our families who had lost everything. so trinity, we want to thank you and every parks employee for caring for our fellow kentuckians time and time again. and as we headed into the holiday season, the first lady once again launched a toy drive to give the children who had lost so much in the floods a reason to smile again at christmas. once again the toys poured in and those kids left with boxes upon boxes of gifts for christmas. your mom is a pretty special lady. thank you for everything you do for the children of kentucky. [applause] the task that remains is a long-term rebuilding. unquestionably it will be one of the most difficult rebuilds our nation has ever seen. our mission is to move our families out of the floodplain and out of harms way. but doing so gives us a chance to reimagine our communities, to go beyond just rebuilding and to set the stage for future growth. have a chance to build new homes, community centers, senior apartments, maybe even new schools along with strong, modern, resilient infrastructure that will help the entire region. and here's the best part. there is enough land both to rebuild and to attract new jobs. next to the generosity of sean and tammy adams who are doing just that. right before christmas we were able to announce the first community to be created in that community. we will bill those new homes, schools, and a community center along with strong, resilient infrastructure. this will be just the first of many communities like this that the state will build along with local governments and private sector partners in the areas most affected by the flooding. you made a difference for your community by helping us create a safer neighborhood for those who need one. you said you hoped it will be an olive branch to symbolize peace. thank you both for showing us what it truly means to live out our kentucky values. [applause] we want the people of eastern kentucky to know that we love you. we care about you, and we are going to be there for you every step of the way, as long as it takes. those in the west affected by the tornadoes, we know there is still much work left to be done. we remain committed and we look forward to celebrating each milestone with you. last year, i got to introduce you to kara mcknight and her family. just months after losing her brother in a car accident, her home was taken by the tornadoes. i met her at the christmas celebration at pennyrile park, where lila and i loaded kara up with toys. since then, every time i'm in western kentucky, i see kara and her family. i've gotten to know them and have closely followed their recovery. tonight, i'm proud to report that the mcknights are finally in their new home, and kara even got to design her own room. every family impacted by the tornados or the flooding deserves that moment when they walk into a new, safe home. kara, jason, ashley and jett are watching from their new living room tonight. i want to thank them for their strength and for showing us both healing and better days are possible. i am extraordinarily proud of how our people have responded to crisis after crisis. but tonight, i think we are ready to turn the page; to no longer focus on the difficulties of yesterday, but to embrace the promise of tomorrow. in the book of psalms, we are told, weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning. the joy of that morning, that promise of a better kentucky, means that our children and grandchildren never have to leave this state to pursue their dreams, because no matter how big they dream, they can chase every dream right here. a tomorrow where people don't move from our state, but to it; where people and businesses choose kentucky. this promise of a better future has never been brighter, as our commonwealth has emerged from the pandemic as a national economic leader. every day, we are winning, with company after company picking us. picking kentucky. in 2021, we had the best economic development year on record, with the largest total investment and most new jobs ever announced. with the books closed on 2022, i can announce we have now secured the best two-year period for economic growth in state history. [applause] during my administration, we have now announced more than 800 private-sector new location and expansion projects totaling $24 billion in investments. and the best part: the creation of 42,000 600 new kentucky jobs. i'm proud to say these aren't just any jobs, they are really good jobs. in 2022, our average incentivized wage was $26.78 before benefits. that's an 11.5% increase over 2021. that means the past two years have been our second and third best years ever for new wages. what i love about these successes is that they are spread all over the state. just look at flash steelworks investing $12.1 million and creating 250 new jobs in bell county. jackson purchase distillery investing more than $17 million and creating 24 new jobs in fulton county. atlas machine and supply company creating 78 new jobs in breckinridge county. oi glass with its $239 million investment, creating 140 new jobs in warren county. ford motor company investing another $700 million and creating 500 new jobs in jefferson county. fidelity investments creating nearly 875 jobs, and white horse freight creating 455 new jobs in kenton county. catalent pharma solutions investing more than $171 million and creating 262 new jobs in clark county. trader joe's east incorporated investing nearly $260 million and creating 876 new jobs in simpson county. covenance manufacturing investing $25.6 million and creating 350 new jobs in owen county. mega corp logistics creating 250 new jobs in campbell county. summit polymers incorporated investing $37.5 million and creating 218 new jobs in anderson county. legacy metals creating 100 new jobs in christian county. double d group, investing $41.5 million and creating 200 new jobs in muhlenberg county. columbia brands usa creating 175 new jobs in henderson county. the kentucky whiskey company investing more than $21 million and creating 30 new jobs in ohio county. hollobus technologies incorporated creating 150 new jobs in calloway county. osmundson manufacturing company investing $12.5 million and creating 80 new jobs in graves county. emerald energy in magoffin county with a $1.4 million investment, creating 25 new jobs. revolutionary racing investing $55 million create nearly 200 new jobs in boyd county. how about that? [applause] and it's because of this commitment, to make sure that prosperity comes to every part of our state and that no one is left out. i was proud to stand for election as co-chair of the appalachian regional commission, and i'm proud to report that today i was elected unanimously. my promise is we will continue to create great jobs all through appalachia and beyond. now, a big part of our economic story, and a big part of our future economy, is tied to our electric vehicle revolution. through bold leadership, we are supercharging the automotive industry for the future. in april, we announced the biggest economic development project for 2022 and the secondlargest project in state history: that's envision aesc's $2 billion, 2,000-job battery facility. in august, we even broke ground on this amazing project at bowling green's transpark. and last month, we officially broke ground on the game-changing blueoval sk battery park in hardin county. ford and its partner sk on are investing nearly $6 billion and creating 5,000 new jobs at the glendale megasite, making it the biggest economic development project in state history. [applause] joining us tonight, we have justice dingle, envision aesc's director of operations in bowling green, as well as jiem cranney, chief financial officer of blueoval sk. because of these great projects, kentucky has cemented its status as the electric vehicle battery production capital of the united states of america. thank you both. and thanks to those gentlemen, we are already seeing other large investments to build out our ev supply chain, and to do it in kentucky. in september, we announced ascend elements' $1 billion investment in high-tech battery recycling and production, which is bringing 400 jobs to hopkinsville. that was the second-largest announcement for all of 2022, and it stands as the single largest investment western kentucky has ever seen. because of this project, we won't have to rely on china for a single ounce of lithium. not one. we are protecting our national security and we're getting it done right here in kentucky. this project is also personal to me. this amazing plant will be built just about 26 miles from dawson springs, a town that was nearly wiped off the map by the tornados. it's a community i deeply love. this plant will ensure that town and its families not only survive, but thrive. so, kara, i know you are watching at home. study hard, because some of the most technologically advanced jobs are setting up just down the road from your new home. no pressure. tonight, it's also appropriate to toast the success of our signature bourbon and spirits industry. in 2022, kentucky's bourbon and spirits industry had its best-ever year for growth, investing $2.1 billion and creating 700 new jobs. we welcomed new bourbon investments and new jobs in laurel, nelson, marion, washington, bracken and bullitt counties, just to name a few. 2022 will also be remembered as the year we took major steps in health care. health care is a basic human right. it's also a basic building block of kentucky's economy. the health care industry is one of our leading employers, and it created 1,550 new jobs just in 2022. during the height of the pandemic, our hospitals and our health care heroes proved just how important they are, and together we saved tens of thousands of lives. in recognition, we passed legislation that has provided more than $2 billion to kentucky hospitals. this helped facilities across the state keep their doors open and helped lay the groundwork for some amazing new opportunities. these opportunities included breaking ground on norton healthcare's new hospital in west louisville, the first hospital in the west end in over 150 years. i am proud that with us tonight is dr. mccants of norton healthcare, who also led vaccination efforts in the west end during the pandemic to ensure every family had access. dr. mccants, thank you and the entire team at norton. other projects include the new uofl south hospital in bullitt county, the new appalachian valley autism center in prestonsburg and the institution of the pace program, which will keep many seniors who need extra help in their own homes, improving their health and their quality of life. alongside all this new job growth, in 2022, we also set records for the lowest unemployment rate in state history, three separate times, as well as set the record for the longest stretch of unemployment below 3.9%. our fiscal house is also stronger than ever. my administration is expected to post the four largest budget surpluses in the commonwealth's history. we have the largest rainy day fund ever, and we reported the highest annual revenue growth rate in 31 years. put simply: we are winning and bringing new prosperity to every corner of the commonwealth, with the goal to leave no one behind. that's why we are working hard to help kentuckians who have fallen out of the workforce secure good-paying jobs. not by kicking folks who are down, but by lifting people up. the parable of the good samaritan starts with a person suffering on the side of the road, on the ground. and in that parable, the person we're supposed to emulate doesn't kick him or threaten him or cut his benefits. he lifts him up. so, let's live our faith and values, and apply lessons that the bible teaches us, of forgiveness, healing and goodwill. we are called to forgive. to provide second chances. so, in november, i joined the justice cabinet and kentucky chamber of commerce to announce new programs aimed at transitioning people from incarceration to employment. folks, this is a win-win. we fill jobs with willing employers and make our communities safer, because an employed kentuckian is far less likely to reoffend. second chances are also needed for kentuckians fighting addiction. from launching a program to help employers guide their workers to addiction services when in need, to this chambers passage of the recovery ready communities, we're creating pathways to help more people struggling with addiction. we are also called to improve the health of all of our people. a person has to be healthy enough to work. that's why in october, i announced expanded medicaid coverage that includes dental, hearing and vision. again, it's simple: if we want you to go to work, you have to be able to see to drive to work. if you want to be safe on a job-site, you have to be able to hear the instructions. we are called upon to provide opportunity for our children, and never to hinder them. that's why together we've now invested about $245 million over the last two budgets to renovate and rebuild career and technical centers in high schools all over the state. [applause] see, this is how we build a workforce: by being the samaritans who lift people up. we are also working to make sure our families feel safe in their homes, workplaces, schools and communities. in order to create a better, safer commonwealth, we must have enough police, sheriff's deputies and state troopers. that is why, together, we provided kentucky state police with significant raises. this action has slowed, if not stopped, early retirements, and application numbers are increasing. we raised training stipends for all kentucky law enforcement across the commonwealth, helping communities that are also providing necessary raises. and we created a military to law enforcement program to help local law enforcement agencies hire more service members. let us never forget: these are the heroes who put their lives on the line every day, and we lost far too many of them in 2022. we grieve with the families of these brave heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice last year. let us always remember their sacrifices and continue to support these families. to our law enforcement community, we love you, we support you and we need you. [applause] keeping our families safe also requires us to face new realities, that far too many violent crimes are being committed by juveniles. so, we are expanding early intervention services, with a goal of providing educational opportunities, mental health counseling, addiction treatment and wrap-around services before a juvenile commits a serious crime. but the reality is, we are currently housing the most violent population of juveniles in recent memory in our juvenile justice facilities. our juvenile justice system was put into place 20 years ago and it was not designed to handle this type of offender. this has put our workers as well as the young people housed in these facilities in danger. because of this, we are currently implementing significant reforms. first, we are putting in place higher-security facilities for those charged with the most serious crimes. this will allow us to keep both our workers and other youth safer. and it will allow lower-level offenders to access more services without disruption. second, we opened our first female-only juvenile detention center to better protect female youth. and third, we will be asking the general assembly for help in the form of higher salaries, upgrades to our facilities and for necessary changes to state law. another part of keeping our communities safe is ensuring the roads and bridges our families travel across are safe, and that our water is clean and drinkable. in many ways, we are in our eisenhower moment, providing more funding in infrastructure than ever before. we have some major results on major projects to be excited about, ones that have been talked about for decades, including the i-69 corridor; kentucky highway 30 from booneville to london; the minnie-to-harold connector in floyd county; and the mountain parkway expansion. and earlier today, senator mcconnell and i joined the president to celebrate the more than $1.6 billion in federal funding to build the brent spence companion bridge. this is this is what happens when people work together. president biden; senators mcconnell, portman and brown; ohio governor dewine and myself; along with many local officials, businesses and this general assembly, which budgeted dollars that greatly helped our application. leaders have talked about, even promised this project for decades. now, together, we are getting the job done, and getting it done without tolls. together, we have also worked together to make the largest public sector investment in expanding high-speed internet. and there are more projects to come. we delivered on projects to bring clean drinking water to nearly 85,000 homes, with every single county receiving funding. folks, through hard work, our commonwealth has become a leader, and the rest of the nation has noticed. in fact, kentucky led the entire country in new job creation in august, and we tied for the lead in september. but it's not enough just to get to the top, we have to stay on the top. that takes work. and it takes investment. so today, my state representative, derrick graham, filed bills that should serve as a roadmap to where we need to go and a blueprint on how we continue to build. the first bill contains our education first plan, which begins with a 5% pay raise for every public school educator. [applause] passage of this bill is both vital and necessary to address kentucky's shortage of nearly 11,000 public school teachers. as a parent of two public school students, i know the impact of not having an english, a math or a science teacher. i sat beside my children during distance learning, just like so many of you. the simple fact is you can't address learning loss without enough educators. put another way, you can't catch a kid up in math without a math teacher. addressing our teacher shortage absolutely requires a pay raise. just over the last year, kentucky dropped from 42nd to 44th in teacher pay. we must act. failure to do so harms our children and undermines public education. it is all -- no, it is way past time -- for universal pre-k. universal pre-k helps young parents rejoin the workforce, while also ensuring every child is kindergarten ready. our education first plan also provides more funding for educational resources, mental health support for our students and a loan forgiveness program for our teachers. together, let's make kentucky a shining example of how to treat both educators and our students. treating people right also dictates that in this session, this general assembly finally legalize medical cannabis. [applause] far too many kentuckians are suffering from life-threatening and chronic conditions, like our veterans with ptsd, or kentuckians with cancer. that is why i issued my executive order. it allows people to get the help they need without fearing a misdemeanor. i recently heard the story of chasity harney. chasity is a mother and wife from kenton county, who in 2019 was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer at the age of 40. in addition to surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation treatments, chasity was also prescribed, in her words, aevery -- every form a pain pill there was. but like a lot of people, chasity found the medications brought her little relief. chasity found real relief from medicinal cannabis oil. chasity could not be here with us tonight, but i want to thank her for her bravery and for sharing her story with the commonwealth. it's going to help a lot of people. let's pass medical cannabis for chasity and for every other person in need. we are also filing legislation to finally legalize sports betting. representative graham also filed legislation to provide additional raises for our state workers and to provide a 1.5% pension increase for retirees in the state employee retirement systems. it has been 10 long years since the last increase, and inflation has hit our retirees hard. with our record surplus, we should also invest more in our pension systems. i have proposed shoring up the state employee retirement system with a $100 million investment and another $100 million would pay down the unfunded liability of the teachers' retirement system. as kentuckians, we share the values of faith, family and community. and if we double down right now, if we lead with our values, and push politics aside, there is nothing that we cannot achieve. our future is brighter than it's ever been. so, if we stop trying to move to the right or to the left, and instead choose to move forward, we will turn these two amazing years of historic progress into decades of lasting prosperity. this general assembly has the opportunity to make great progress on each of the issues we have discussed tonight, and you have the funding to do it. if we can find our way to do what is right for the people of kentucky, then we will be the generation that changes everything for the better the , generation that ushers in that new era of prosperity. and we will be the generation that ensures every child born in kentucky can stay in their community if they choose, because every opportunity is available to them right here at home. as a dad of a 12- and 13-year-old, whom i love more than life itself, nothing is more important to me. god bless the commonwealth of kentucky. we love you. good night. [applause]

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